Category Archives: Sightseeing

Cycling, France, Paris, Sightseeing, Travelling

12 Tips for 1st-Time Visitors to Paris – 42,000 Canal du Midi Trees Threatened by Fungus – Looking for lobster on Martha’s Vineyard and the Fresnel lens

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We’ve been experiencing a heat wave this week in Paris so everyone has gone into slow motion. But there are still some bloggers out there! Abby from Paris Weekender gives us 12 very useful tips for first time visitors to Paris, Experience France by Bike tells us about the sad demise of plane trees along the Canal de Midi due to a fungus, while Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, currently in the US, tells us the origin of the Fresnel lens developed by a French physicist. I’m sure you know what that is …

12 Tips for 1st-Time Visitors to Paris

by Abby from Paris Weekender, an American living in Paris who offers suggestions for Paris weekends, either staying put or getting out of town

Your first visit to Paris is exciting but may also be intimidating, especially if you have limited time and you do not know the language. I decided to write out my most common recommendations when I am asked, “I’m visiting for the first time – what should I do?”

Pick the neighborhood where you are staying carefully. Do a bit of research on the various neighborhoods of Paris before you pick your lodgings. Picking the neighborhood carefully though does not necessarily mean picking the most central or touristy area. While it is hard to go wrong with a hotel or apartment in Saint Germain or in the Marais, you may find just as pleasant accommodations in the less touristy or less central neighborhoods. Read more

42,000 Canal du Midi Trees Threatened by Fungus

by Experience France by Bike, an American who loves biking anywhere in Europe, but especially France, which has the perfect combination of safe bike routes, great food, great weather and history.

One of the best-known and most popular bike routes in France is dealing with an environmental tragedy that will impact the route for many years to come.  A microscopic fungus called canker stain was first discovered on trees along the canal in 2006.  This fungus is easily transported so it quickly spread along the Canal. There is no cure for the fungus and once a tree has been infected, it dies within several years.  Through 2011, over 2500 trees had already been destroyed. Since there is no treatment for this fungus, a decision was made last year to ultimately destroy and replace all 42,000 plane trees that line the canal. Read more

Looking for lobster on Martha’s Vineyard and the Fresnel lens

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

What is it that compels people to load a boat with supplies and set sail towards the horizon? Whether it’s the desire to start a new life, explore exotic lands or dine at a restaurant that serves freshly caught lobster, it helps if there’s a lighthouse to guide the way.
Thanks to an old photo of the Gay Head Lighthouse that Stephane noticed while we were traveling on the ferry from Woods Hole to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts yesterday evening, we learned that seafaring people have long been thankful for the Fresnel lens developed by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel. Described as amazing, brilliant, super-efficient, magical light machines, the multi-prism glass lenses were used by all of the lighthouses in the United States by the time of the Civil War. Read more

Loire Valley, Sightseeing, Travel photos

Monday’s Travel Photos – Amboise, Loire Valley

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Amboise in the Loire Valley is probably the best-known town in the region. Its lovely mediaeval castle and grounds are on the world heritage list and offer an exceptional view of the Loire and surrounding area. In 1516, François I invited Leonardo da Vinci to live in a little château down the road called Le Clos Lucé, used by royalty as a summer residence. Today, visitors can see mock-ups of Leonardo’s incredibly modern inventions. In the summer in particular, Amboise is very animated with lots of eating places along the main street. The best view is from Le Shaker on a little island in the middle of the Loire.

Amboise seen from Le Shaker
Amboise Castle from the side
Side entrance to Amboise Castle
Half-timbered house in Amboise
Clock tower in Amboise
Typical view of the Loire
Cycling, Loire Valley, Restaurants, Sightseeing

Cycling in the Loire Valley – Agrémonts Windmill in Bléré and Château de Chenonceau at dusk

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Relationnel loves windmills (and wind for that matter) because he grew up in an abandoned windmill near Saumur.  Well, the house itself wasn’t abandoned but the windmill no longer had any sails and the wooden structure on top was missing. He was therefore delighted when we arrived in Bléré yesterday to see the beautifully renovated Aigremonts Windmill. Unfortunately we arrived after closing time but were able to walk right around it.

Aigremonts Windmill

This type of windmill is called a cavier because the milling room was in the cave or cellar of the house. Aigremonts was built between 1845 and 1848 and is 18 metres high. It was renovated by the Bléré municipal council. The base, called a masse, consists of 4 vaulted cellars made of local tufa stone. The massereau or central part housing the mill rooms and milling machinery, is surmounted by a tufa stone cone, the only one to have survived the ravages of war and time.

At the top, the hucherolle (which housed the drive shaft) and the sails (equipped with a Berton system) have been entirely reconstructed.

Air balloon taking off

We then cycled to Chenonceau Castle, one of our favourite rides, which I’ve already described in another post. Just before we reached the château, we came across an air balloon as it was taking off on the other side of the Cher river. You could hear the sound of the fire under the basket. It’s the closest I’ve ever been to one. I really would love to find the courage to go up. It must be quite marvellous.

Chenonceau from the bike path along the Cher

Then we rounded the corner and Chenonceau was waiting for us, as impressive as ever. The light was just perfect – it was about 8 pm and dusk was falling. We’d never seen it at that time of the day. You could even see the water on the other side through the windows of the gallery that spans the Cher.

Chenonceau reflected in the Cher at dusk

We rode down as far as the bridge and back towards the château. We would have loved to watch the sunset but the bike path would have been too dark to come back and it’s a pretty bumpy ride, with lots of large tree roots and stones. I didn’t want to take the risk of falling in the river!

The château from the other side

So we rode back to Bléré and had dinner at a little open-air restaurant on the main square called Le Bonheur est dans le pré. We ended up chatting to our neighbours who have a property where they hunt and fish in nearby Sologne. We exchanged phone numbers so it looks like we’ll be having game for Christmas this year!

Moulin des Aigremonts
Opening times :
27th May to 4th September : Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 12 noon and 3 pm to 6 pm.
Also open during heritage weekend (15th and 16th September 2012)
2 euro for adults, free for children up to 13.
France, Paris, Sightseeing, Travelling

St Jean de Luz – How to Manage and Maximise your Money when Traveling – Père Lachaise Cemetary

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This week, Sylvia from Finding Noon, who is holidaying in French Basque Country, takes us on a visit to one of my favourites, St Jean de Luz. Australian blog writer Annabel Candy, from Get in the Hot Spot, gives tips on how to manage and maximise your money when traveling. I also came across an old post by Andrea from Destination Europe about Père Lachaise Cemetary in Paris which is always a lovely place to visit.

St Jean de Luz

by Sylvia from Finding Noon, an American living in Paris who appreciates fine art, good music, succulent food, and breath taking scenery

After a few days at the beach, I am ready for a break. Hossegor is the perfect place for a curious traveler, because it offers a fantastic range of day trips. We can go hiking in the Pyrenées, visiting quaint Basque villages like Espelette, or Sares. Or we can head south for tapas at the very relaxed, food obsessed Saint Sébastien, Spain. Or even further south for a day of culture and fine art at the Guggenheim in Bilbao. There is the glitzy beach town of Biarritz along the way, the naturally wild Guéthary, and my personal favorite, the very historic and exceptionally picturesque St Jean de Luz. Read more

 

How to Manage and Maximise your Money when Traveling

by Annabel Candy, travel writer, blogger and delightful misfit and author of In the Hot Spot, a travel blog with inspiration, tips and ideas for people who love travel, writing and living their dream life

Life’s complicated, but not as complicated as working out the best way to manage your money while you’re traveling.

When we moved from New Zealand to Panama, then ended up living in Costa Rica and finally Australia, there was a lot of money changing going on. We’re talking four different currencies right there. But we also traveled round Nicaragua and Guatemala, so as well as dealing with New Zealand dollars, US dollars, Costa Rican colones and Australian dollars we also spent quetzals in Guatemala and córdobas in Nicaragua. Read more

Père Lachaise Cemetary

by Andrea from Destination Europe, also an Aussie Expat who’s been living in France for the last 5 years, food and travel blogger

If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of central Paris, take a side trip to Paris’s most famous cemetery, Pere Lachaise. Not surprisingly, it’s one of the most peaceful places in Paris and a beautiful area to wander and admire the final resting places of the city’s former residents.

I always thought it was strange to visit a cemetery just to admire the surrounds but Pere Lachaise isn’t like any other cemetery. You can visit to check out the celebrity residents like Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, or Oscar Wilde (amongst many others) or to commemorate those who lost their lives for their country. Or you can just admire the fascinating and unusual tomb art work on display. Read more

 

France, Sightseeing

Monday’s Travel Photos – Orange, France

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I’ve always thought that Orange was a strange name for a town. Located 200 k south of Lyon, in the Vaucluse, it was founded in 35 BC under the name of Colonia Julia Secundanorum Arausio, supposedly after a local Celt. How it went from Arausio to Auranjo to Orange, no one seems to know but there were so many different populations around at the time that anything is possible! However, it is now famous for its Arc of Triumph on the old Via Agrippa, more than 2,000 years old and in excellent condition, and its Antique Theatre, one of the best preserved in the world. We began the visit with a short film and were then given headsets and strolled around listening to the excellent commentary. There isn’t much else to see in the town, but the Arc of Triumph and the theatre are well worth a visit.

Arc of Triumph, Orange
Arc of Triumph seen from one side
Antique Theatre, Orange
Front stage of antigue theatre

 

Tiers, antique theatre
Behind the tiers in the antique theatre
Cooking, France, Paris, Restaurants, Sightseeing, Wine

Lunch Cruise on the Seine – Paris Restaurants: My Short List for What Stays Open in August (2012) – Gigondas: perfect food, wines & weather… and a good idea

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The wonderful weather is more or less lasting so make the most of it! Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, took a lunch cruise on the Seine this week, Abby from Paris Weekender checked out a few places to eat and drink that are staying open in Paris during August, when nearly everything shuts down, while fellow Australian, Lincoln from Vinosolex, whose blog I have just discovered, tells us about a wonderful food pairing celebration in Gigondas. Enjoy!

Lunch Cruise on the Seine: Tourists Get to Have all the Fun!

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

Dinner at Le Dôme, shopping at Galeries Lafayette, riding around the gardens of Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte in a golf cart – sometimes it seems that tourists get to have all of the fun. Fortunately, my father-in-law’s visit gave Stephane and me a very good reason to momentarily forget about the long list of things that we still need to do before we travel to the U.K. on Thursday and savor the beauty of Paris.

If you haven’t already done a Bateaux Parisian lunch or dinner cruise on the Seine, I hope that this photo report will give you a good idea of what to expect: panoramic views of many of the most important monuments, live musical entertainment and a better-than-expected meal. Read more.

Paris Restaurants: My Short List for What Stays Open in August (2012)

by Abby from Paris Weekender, an American living in Paris who offers suggestions for Paris weekends, either staying put or getting out of town

Paris is notorious for shutting down in the month of August.  Last year, I gave you my short list of top restaurants that stay open for all or a good part of the month.  And I figured it would be helpful to have an update for 2012!  See my Crème de la Crème list for more details on each establishment. Read more.

Gigondas: perfect food, wines & weather… and a good idea

by Lincoln from Vinosolex, an Australian now living in Provence visits France’s vineyards on a 1968-model Solex motor bike. Discovering the magic of France at the right pace, with a focus on the Rhone valley.

There are good ideas and very good ideas.
This was a very very good idea.

The young vignerons of Gigondas convinced four of the region’s best cooks to come along to the village’s central square and cook to their hearts’ content. Then they got twenty of the appellation’s vignerons to roll out their barrels and pull out their corkscrews. They threw the gig open to the public for the very modest price of 25€ and waited to see if anyone bit.

 

Burgundy, Cycling, France, French customs, Germany, Paris, Sightseeing, Travelling

Paris Plage on a Saturday – Bacharach-on-the-Rhine – Biking in Burgundy: Upcoming Wine Events and Festivals

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This week, even Paris is on holiday.  Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris has captured the essence of Paris Plage which has got off to a wonderful start with exceptional weather. It’s supposed to be 30°C every day this week. Andrea from Destination Europe reports on the delightful little German village of Bacharach-on-the-Rhine whcih will make you want to include it in your next trip to Germany while Experience France by Bike has lots of suggestions for wine festivals and events this summer in Burgundy. You can enjoy them even if you’re not a cyclist!

Sunday’s picture and a song – Paris Plages on a Saturday

by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use

Vamos a la Playa! After weeks of grey skies and rainy weather, Parisians put on their flip flops and swimsuits and headed to the beach this morning. They didn’t have to travel far because the city of Paris has been creating an artificial beach along the Seine for its residents and guests since 2002. With deck chairs, ice cream vendors, bands, street performers and the smell of suntan lotion in the air, Stéphane and I felt as if we had been magically transported to a seaside locale.

To enhance the illusion, here’s the song that used to blast from the speakers of our little Fiat Uno as we whizzed along the highway from Switzerland to the beaches of Italy, Monaco or France. Listening to it now, I realize that it’s not a great song. But in those days, it was synonymous with freedom. No work, no worries…just long luxurious hours spent relaxing on the beach. Read more

Bacharach-on-the-Rhine

by Andrea from Destination Europe, also an Aussie Expat who’s been living in France for the last 5 years, food and travel blogger

While looking for a place to stay in between visits to Trier and Heidelberg, we stumbled across one of the most perfect German villages I’ve ever seen. Bacharach on the Rhine is made up almost exclusively of medieval timber framed houses with the oldest dating from 1368.

Sometimes when visiting Germany I get a bit bored with seeing this kind of architecture everywhere but Bacharach is so quaint and adorable I loved every minute I spent there. Each house is so well preserved and maintained it really is like stepping back in time. Read more

Biking in Burgundy: Upcoming Wine Events and Festivals

by Experience France by Bike, an American who loves biking anywhere in Europe, but especially France, which has the perfect combination of safe bike routes, great food, great weather and history

Are you fortunate enough to be cycling in Burgundy in the next couple of months?  Perhaps bicycling on the Vineyard Trail in the Cote de Beaune, or along the Canal du Centre or Burgundy Canal voies vertes?

If so, why not plan to visit a local wine festival? If you’ve never stumbled upon a festival while touring the French countryside,  you are in for a treat.  They are an experience of a lifetime.  They remind me of old fashioned festivals that I remember going to when I was a kid: lots of food, games, pony rides and music.  And of course wine. Read more

Art, Italy, Sightseeing, Travel photos

Sunday’s Travel Photos – Parma, Italy

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We’re gradually working our way around Italy by car which means that each time, we try and go by a different route so we’ve started visiting the less touristy places. Last time, we went to Parma, famous for its cheese – parmeggiano-reggiano, known in English as Parmesan. We also visited a balsamic vinegar works and stayed in a wonderful B&B nearby called Corte Bebbi. The city itself has several monuments worth visiting, particularly the duomo with its lovely fresques and gold-leaved capitals and baptisry which unfortunately was closed when we got there. We had an uninteresting meal at the Gran Caffè on Piazza Garibaldi with its mixture of Renaissance and more recent buildings but it was fun to watch the world go by.

 

Accommodation, Belgium, Cycling, France, Sightseeing, Travelling

Liege-Guillemins – Europe’s Most Impressive Railway Station – Fougères and the St. James American Cemetary, Brittany – Cycling the Atlantic Coast: Likes, Dislikes and What I Would Do Differently

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In my bloggers’ round-up this week, we start off in Liège in Belgium with a description of an iconic railway station by Kathy Standford from Femmes Francophiles who also shares her impressions of the Thalys train service. Abby from Paris Weekender then takes us on a trip to Fougères, which is also one of my favourites, discovered by accident on a return trip from Brittany. Experience France by Bike then sums up her recent trip along the Atlantic Coast.

Liège-Guillemins – Europe’s Most Impressive Railway Station

by Kathy Stanford from Femmes Francophiles a fellow Australian and Francophile who is spending 3 months in Europe, based in France

In just over 2 hours after boarding the Thalys train at Gard de Nord in Paris, I arrived in Liège, Belgium at the spectacular Liège-Guillemins station. It has been described as one of the most impressive railway stations in Europe – and I would have to agree. Designed by the Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava Valls, it was inaugurated in 2009. Nestled against a tree-covered hill, the station is described to be in the shape of a woman lying on her back. It is easy to see why with its steel, glass and white concrete, wavelike structure rises 32 metres and extends 160 metres. Read more.

Fougères and the St. James American Cemetery, Brittany

by Abby from Paris Weekender, a collection of ideas for Paris weekends: staying put and getting out of town

Near the border of Brittany and Normandy in the department of Ile-et-Vilaine (Brittany), equidistant between Rennes and the northern coast, lies the medieval city of Fougères. I had often driven right past Fougères. It’s hard to drive all the way to Brittany and not head straight for the coast. Yet Fougères makes a perfect stop for a few hours on the way to Le Mont-Saint-Michel, Saint-Malo, Dinan or further west. Read more.

Cycling the Atlantic Coast: Likes, Dislikes and What I Would Do Differently

by Experience France by Bike, an American who loves biking anywhere in Europe, but especially France, which has the perfect combination of safe bike routes, great food, great weather and history.

Looking back at my recent bicycling trip along the Atlantic Coast of France, the first word that comes to mind is adventure.  This is funny because that really wasn’t what I had in mind as I embarked on this trip!  This was my first trip to explore “La Velodyssee”, the French portion of EuroVelo 1, stretching from Roscoff to the Spanish border and I really had no idea what to expect as far as the route was concerned.  I researched the route thoroughly, knew which deviations I wanted to take, and, like all cyclists, hoped that the weather would cooperate. Read more.

French customs, Loire Valley, Paris, Restaurants, Sightseeing

Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire’s International Garden Festival – Paris Day Two. Chantilly – The Audacity of Age

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For this Wednesday’s bloggers’ round-up, I’ve chosen Kathy Stanford‘s description of the highly original international garden festival at the château of Chaumont-sur-Loire, Denise from Bolton‘s visit to the Chantilly race course, which definitely seems a worthwhile excursion and Bread is Pain‘s very amusing story of an elderly woman jumping the queue at the Orsay Museum.

Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire’s International Garden Festival

by Kathy Stanford from Femmes Franchophiles, who has an ongoing passion for France and the French language

The Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire covers an area of approximately 32 hectares and is located between Blois and Tours in the Loire Valley.

The Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire is the foremost Centre for Art and Nature entirely devoted to the relationship between nature and culture, artistic creation and the impact of landscape, our heritage and contemporary art.

The Domaine not only includes the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire (15th to 19th century), its gardens and parks, but also from April to the end of October, the stunning International Garden Festival. In addition, there are many exhibits and installations by contemporary artists. Read more

PARIS DAY TWO – CHANTILLY

by Denise from Bolton, another francophile from the town of Bolton in the UK who spends as much time in the City of Light as she can

Chantilly racecourse is in a lovely setting, with the châteaux on one side, the forest in the distance. Even if you are not into racing it is a pleasant place to have a picnic, and the chateaux is worth a visit too.

20minutes on the train from Gare du Nord, it makes a nice day out.  On a previous trip I watched an interesting dressage show in the famous Grades Ecuries, which legend has it, was commisioned to be built like a palaceby Henry, Duc de Bourbon, Prince of Conde, because he thought he would be reincarnated horse.

My husband had “bribed” me to accompany him, with a reservation at the stunning Panoramic restaurant overlooking the course.  The set “outsiders” menu was pricey at  42 euro each, but was very good and the entrance fee to the racecourse was only 2 euro,( as opposed to a lot more for British racecourses) so we were not complaining. Read more

The Audacity of Age

by Bread is Pain, a 30-something American living in the Rhone-Alps, and slowly eating and drinking herself through the country.

Standing in line at the Musée D’Orsay with my Mother who is visiting.  We are about thirty minutes back from the front of the queue.  An old lady has recently shoved past us in line and we are watching in disbelief as she speedily makes her way through the five or six rows of people in front of us.    

Mom:  This is too good to be true!

Me:  No way she is going to pull this off.

Mom:  I think she is.  Look at her go!

Read more

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