Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for france
Marie’s Garden
By Linda Tancs
On the outskirts of Paris lies the site of Château de Saint-Cloud. Once a royal palace built in 1572 and later occupied by Napoleon and Marie Antoinette, it was destroyed in the 1800s during the Franco-Prussian War. What remains, though, is a verdant complex comprising over 1100 acres filled with ten fountains, a French garden, an English garden and, of course, Marie Antoinette’s flower garden. Nice place for une pique-nique. Get there via Le Val d’Or or Saint-Cloud rail lines or the T2 Tramway. Bon appétit!
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Friday Night Fever
By Linda Tancs
“Laissez les bon temps rouler” (let the good times roll) takes on a new meaning in Paris on Friday nights. Beginning at 10 p.m. on Place Raoul Dautry in the 14th arrondissement the rolls of inline skates roar through the streets on a 3-hour tour of the city (weather permitting). The 18-mile route is not meant for the casual skater; the level of difficulty differs widely (think: Tour de France). The organization responsible for this endurance test, Pari-Roller, frequently changes the route; the trek for the week can be viewed on Thursdays. Think you’ve got the goods? Give it a roll.
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Old Stones and Recipes
By Linda Tancs
Forget the glitz and glamor of promotional travel writing. In the Bergerac region of the Dordogne in France, they call it like they see it–old stones and recipes. That sums up the food and lodging respite befitting a swashbuckling Cyrano at the 17th century Le Manoir du Grand Vignoble and its 3-star restaurant. There’s plenty of old stone in this western part of the Dordogne, on the northern bank of the Dordogne River. Just head for the old town–vieille ville–immediately north of the river to the 12th century cloister Maison de Vins de Bergerac. You’ll find their recipe for wine-making success at the exhibition housed there.
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New Culture in Paris
By Linda Tancs
At a mere 100 million euros, Paris has another cultural center–this one in the neighborhood of the high tech museums at la Villette. Known as le 104, this latest Parisian center of arts and culture promises to provide stability in an area where 70% of the inhabitants are on welfare. The inspiration for this latest cultural endeavor was Berlin’s Radialsytem, which opened in 2006.
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City of Chocolate
By Linda Tancs
Think “city of chocolate” and you’d probably wax nostalgic about those little seashell-shaped chocolate wonders from Belgium. But there’s more than one fine chocolatier vying for your attention in Europe. For instance, look further south and–voilà –you’ll find Bayonne, the chocolate capital of France. In the 1800s the first mechanical chocolate production facility in the country was built there. Situated near the Atlantic coast in the Basque region, Bayonne’s chocolate-making prowess made the big time in 1855 at the exposition in Paris, 412 miles away. Today, visitors are likely to enjoy one of the region’s specialties, chocolate (70% cacao) tinged with Piment d’Espelette, a locally grown red pepper that is often ground like paprika and used to infuse many dishes–including desserts, obviously. What an unusual combination of epicurean delights. L’embarras du choix, no doubt.
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Paris on a Budget
By Linda Tancs
The French capital is rich with displays of cityscapes and architecture, festivities, sports, arts and entertainment. But is it too rich for your wallet? Fortunately, no–if you know how to stretch your euros in the City of Light. Find out more at www.travelrificradio.com.
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Stretching the Dollar in the City of Light
By Linda Tancs
Few expenses irk travelers more than transport costs from airport to inner city, and the pain is more keenly felt when the traveler’s currency is trading downward (like the U.S. dollar). Thanks to Paris’s still relatively new light rail at Charles de Gaulle Airport, you can transfer free among the terminals, and catch the Roissybus to L’Opera Garnier for less than $15. Transfer there via cab to the inner city for less than $10. That’s a savings of $50 or so from the price of an airport cab. What to do with that extra cash? Why not order the plat du jour at that sidewalk cafe you’ve been meaning to visit. You’ve earned it.
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Cruise Ports Unite in Marketing Alliance
By Linda Tancs
In a bid for attention among the better known (and used) ports of the Mediterranean and Baltic, fifteen European ports have united to market their appeal to cruise travelers. Calling themselves the Atlantic Alliance, the fifteen members of this cooperative are: Hamburg, Bremerhaven, IJmuiden, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Cherbourg, Saint-Malo, Brest, Nantes, La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Santander, Vigo and Lisbon. More West European ports are expected to join in the future.
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Beaujolais Arrives in Time for Holiday Tables
By Linda Tancs
It’s the third Thursday of November, and you know what that means: Beaujolais Nouveau makes its annual debut just in time for the holiday table. Made in the Beaujolais region of France from the gamay grape, Nouveau is harvested and sold within a matter of weeks, which explains its flurry of publicity at wine shops this time of year. Because it’s relatively light as far as reds go, it’s a great accompaniment for turkey. À votre santé!
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Eurostar Bids Adieu to Waterloo
By Linda Tancs
Not even an industrial strike in France affecting the Metro and train service to Calais and Lille can rain on Eurostar’s parade. Beginning today, Eurostar leaves its roost at Waterloo for new digs at St Pancras offering a higher-speed line to Paris and Brussels. Commuting time will now be just over 2 hours to Paris and just under 2 hours to Brussels. Those morning croissants might still be fresh when you get there.
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