Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for france
Lock to Lock in Burgundy
By Linda Tancs
Called Le Canal de Bourgogne by the French, the Burgundy Canal in central eastern France traverses the Yonne and the Cote d’Or for more 120 miles, winding from lock to lock through small towns, villages and valleys. The vineyards of Burgundy are an obvious attraction, as is the city of Dijon (of mustard fame). But don’t miss the beautiful, relaxing grounds of Fontenay Abbey, one of the oldest Cistercian monasteries in Europe. Founded in 1118 by Saint Bernard, the Romanesque-style complex boasts a remarkably preserved church, dormitory, cloister, council room, monks room, heating room, dovecote and chapel. The old abbey gate sports a hole for the dog of the monk-porter. Its fountains and gardens are world class, but the venue is perhaps best known as a locale in the 1990 movie, Cyrano de Bergerac.
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The Largest Theatre in Paris
By Linda Tancs
Grand Rex is the largest theatre in Paris and one of the largest in Europe. Boasting the city’s largest screen, the cinema’s outsized lines and Art Deco-style dome are out of sync with the hotels, bars and pubs along rue Poissonniere but nevertheless befitting a shrine to Parisian cinema. Inaugurated in 1932, the Ministry of Culture has decreed it a national monument. Discover its legend through an interactive, 50- minute long audio guided tour.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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