Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for france
The Graves of Arles
By Linda Tancs
Southwest of the center of Arles in southern France is the ancient Roman necropolis, Les Alyscamps. Later a Christian burial ground, the path lined with numerous sarcophagi was a subject of paintings by Van Gogh and his onetime roommate, Gauguin. Van Gogh was quite prolific while residing in Arles; the Van Gogh trail is a self-guided walking tour highlighting points of artistic inspiration.
Share this:
Adopt a Tree in Provence
By Linda Tancs
What better way to guarantee yourself a steady supply of sumptuous truffles than to adopt your own oak tree at Les Pastras, an organic property in Provence featuring 11 hectares of grapes, olives, apricots, cherries, plums, apples, pears, pomegranates, figs, almonds, hazelnuts and, of course, black winter truffles. They offer truffle hunting tours followed by truffle hors d’œuvres and champagne. Best of all, for every tree adopted, Les Pastras buys a fruit tree for the One Family orphanage in Haiti.
Share this:
Calais’ Better Half
By Linda Tancs
Nestled between Boulogne-sur-mer on the Côte d’Opale and the port of Calais you’ll find the seashore and salty air of Wimereux. Boasting 19th century Victorian Anglo-Norman architecture, this relatively undiscovered gem offers all the familiar fare of not-too-distant Paris, as well as sunbathing, sailing, windsurfing, horse riding, walking, tennis and golf on one of the region’s oldest courses. On a clear day, you can see forever (or, at least, the white cliffs of Dover).
Share this:
The Lure of Little France
By Linda Tancs
The romance of covered bridges and medieval flair of half-timbered houses are the charms of Petite-France in Strasbourg, the principal city in the Alsace region of France. Located at the corner of the Grand Île (the Main Island) where the Île diverges into a number of canals, this historic neighborhood with a fairy tale feel offers visitors ample views of all its little nooks via a river cruise or on foot.
Share this:
New Bells Toll in Paris
By Linda Tancs
Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris recently attained 850 years in service. A yearlong celebration, begun in December, includes two stamps issued by the national mail delivery service La Poste and a set of nine new bells for the towers–eight for the North Tower and one for the South Tower. Named after saints, the new bells will harmonize with the older, main tenor bell named Emmanuel, considered to be one of the finest bells in Europe. To preserve it for future generations, one of the new bells was cast as a second great bell to accompany Emmanuel in the South Tower. The new bells will ring for the first time this weekend (Palm Sunday) to kick off Holy Week.
Share this:
King of the Five Continents
By Linda Tancs
One of the largest carvivals in the world, Nice’s carnival promises fun and frolic for 20 days along the French Riviera. Celebrating universality, this year’s theme is “King of the Five Continents.” The day and night carnival parades along Place Massena feature 18 colorful floats and papier mâché accompanied by street theatre and music groups from all over the world. Couple that with the traditional flower parade along Promenade des Anglais and you have an unforgettable event where the Tournament of Roses meets Mardi Gras. This year’s festival takes place from 15 February to 6 March.
Share this:
European Capitals of Culture
By Linda Tancs
Marseille-Provence in France and Košice in Slovakia ring in 2013 as the year’s European capitals of culture. The cultural heart of Marseille Provence includes an area stretching from Martigues to La Ciotat. As usual, the opening ceremony in each city promises to be a spectacular kick-off event. In Marseille, the opening is a two-day event on 12 and 13 January. The twelfth features such events as a flyover of Patrouille de France, an art trail in Aix, and the Grande Clameur (a wall of sound incorporating ships’ sirens, bells and fog horns). The thirteenth offers treasure hunts across the region and a fireworks display at dusk over the Rhone at Arles. Košice will likewise inspire with a two-day opening beginning on 19 January. One of the most architecturally significant symbols in old Košice is the indoor pool, a structure experiencing an exciting makeover as an art and media showcase thanks to aid from the European Commission and the European Capital of Culture project.
Share this:
The Grand Canyon of Europe
By Linda Tancs
If you prefer your deep river canyon to have a hint of that je ne sais quoi, then you’ll find it at Verdon Gorge, France’s version of the Grand Canyon. Straddling the departments of Var and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence for 15 miles, the majestic cliffs are the result of the erosion of the Verdon River. Europe’s biggest canyon, its summertime appeal with the locals is owing in no small part to the wealth of activities that beckon from its cliffs, trails and waterways–like aqua trekking, hiking, biking, climbing, paragliding and horseback riding. Those lavender fields and cheese plates will just have to wait.
Share this:
Villages of the Gard Provençal
By Linda Tancs
The Gard Provençal in southern France is filled with natural attractions. For instance, La Roque-sur-Cèze was built on a rock peak overlooking the Cèze. Dominated by the traces of the former castle and its chapel, the village has sloping cobbled streets offering breathtaking view of the Cascades du Sautadet. Nearby, at a bend in the Cèze River, is the medieval village of Montclus, nestled between wooded hills, lavender fields and vineyards. From mid-June to early August the lavender prairies stretch as far as the eye can see. What are you waiting for?
Share this:
Art and Decadence in Marseille
By Linda Tancs
In the Panier quarter of Marseille is a French gallery-turned-guesthouse that proudly proclaims its marriage of art and decadence. Known as Au Vieux Panier, each room in the five-room B&B boasts a different design by a different artist, redesigned annually by a new group of creatives. The rooms have sported monikers like Purgatory Palace (a convergence of geometric patterns and biblical imagery), Catch the Wind (a 1960s style commune) and the Panic Room (a down-the-middle split between stark white and graffiti gone wild). De beaux rêves!
Travelrific® Travel Journal 