5 Days in Auvergne: Part II, An Introduction to Spa Towns and Hot Springs...
Part II of an exploration of spa towns, hot springs, Romansque churches, cattle pastures, cheese farms and villages in Auvergne. A brief history of economic developments relative to hot springs, by way of Royat.
5 Days in Auvergne: Part I, from Paris to Clermont-Ferrand
Part 1 of a 5-part trip report about Auvergne (in the center of France) with a focus on spa towns. Part 1 includes the train ride from Paris to Clermont-Ferrand, the region's capital, some highlights in the city, and a dinner of hearty regional fare.
Travel Photography Festival in Bordeaux
Now here’s a photography festival that’s right up our alley: the 22nd annual Travel Photography Festival of Bordeaux, Itinéraires des Photographes Voyageurs. The festival, running April 1-29, 2012, reveals a diversity of approaches to travel and place by French photographers who collectively present far-flung “itineraries” from Bordeaux to Tokyo to Africa to South America.
Vincent Dallet, Master Pastissier-Chocolatier in Epernay, and His Recipe for Champagne Biscuits (Biscuits Roses)
Vincent Dallet invites us into his pastry and chocolate school in Epernay to make the Champagne region's famous "biscuits roses" or "biscuits roses de Reims," known in English as champagne biscuits, and shares the recipe with our readers.
Drome: An Unmistakable If Frigid Air of Provence in Winter
Heading south in the Drome region of the Rhone Valley, the landscapes, agriculture and architecture of Provence gradually assert themselves. Even on frigid winter days we recognize glimpses of Provence in Valence, Grignan, Nyons -- in town squares, lavender fields, truffle plantations, vineyards and olive orchards.
Creative Sophistication in Menton: Cocteau by the Port, Colagreco in the Hills
Menton, last stop on the French Riviera, has two major markers of creativity and sophistication, one gastronomic, one artistic: Mirazur, the outstanding restaurant of chef Mauro Colagreco, and the Jean Cocteau Museum, dedicated to a poet and artist who represents the artful high life along the coast.
Insights into French Identity: 2012 National Commemorations in France
Every year the National Archives of France selects events of historical significance to highlight as national commemorations on the occasion of a multiple of their centennial or semicentennial, providing insights into the French national identity.
The Abbey of Senanque: Lavender, Old Stones and Poetry in Provence
In Provence, contributor Elizabeth Esris breaks through the picture-post card view of lavender and old stones and allows her imagination to take over while visiting the Abbey of Senanque in the region’s Vaucluse area.
New TGV Line Speeds Up Burgundy-Alsace Train Route
The first high-speed train route in France that is not centered around Paris opened today (Dec. 11, 2011), quickening the connection between Burgundy and...