Located at the heart of France’s hexagonal territory, Auvergne is a sparsely populated land of volcanic plateaus and large valleys. Unlike the Alps to the east or the Pyrénées to the southwest, its highest peaks reach only 6,000 feet above sea level and are free of snow in summer. The local authorities? efforts to safeguard the environment have made Auvergne one of the last protected zones in Europe.
Before going to Auvergne, familiarize yourself with its history and its gastronomy.
Originally published on The Guardian Simenon published his 75 Maigret novels and 28 Maigret short stories between 1931 and 1972; last month ITV broadcast the first of two made-for-TV Maigret movies starring Rowan Atkinson as the chief inspector. And so The Guardian set off to do […]
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Originally published on Evening Standard by RICHARD GODWIN The scented slopes of southeastern France hold a special allure in spring, when the boundless blue skies, wildflower meadows and picturesque villages form the perfect antidote to the long London winter. There are few more idyllic destinations than the chic […]
0 Read MoreWith beach season fast approaching, France’s many coastal getaways are becoming more and more appealing to travelers looking for uniquely beautiful shorelines. Visitors to the region love the sparkling waters and beautiful Mediterranean sunsets along the Côte d’Azur and beyond. Honeymooners, families, and anyone looking for […]
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Paris has changed a lot over the past 10 millennia: the earliest evidence of human habitation dates back to around 9,800 years ago, when Mesolithic hunter-gatherers made their home in what is now the 15th arrondissement. Excavations at Bercy turned up fragments of three wooden […]
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Dating from around 4,800 BC, one of the earliest megalithic monuments in Europe is the Neolithic cairn at Barnenez in Brittany. It predates the oldest ancient Egyptian pyramids by more than two millennia, and is considered to be the oldest extant building in the world.
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By that I mean, wines from Nice. “But wine doesn’t come from Nice!†I hear you exclaim, “It comes from Champagne, and Bordeaux, and…†Mais oui, this is true… but it also comes from Nice. The only AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) within city limits, Bellet is […]
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Sandwiched between Monaco and Nice is Saint-Jean Cap-Ferrat, which, according to a 2008 study by Citi Private Bank, and Knight Frank, is the most expensive peninsular in the world, and almost the most expensive place to buy property – beaten only by Monaco and London. Real […]
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Although not as well-known as its world-famous November counterpart, last weekend, Burgundy’s wine capital, the town of Beaune, held its annual Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges wine auction of over 100 barrels of local and premier cuvées in order to raise money for its 132-bed hospice. Now in its […]
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This month, on the 14th of July, the French will celebrate their Fete Nationale, know all over the world as Bastille Day
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The 39th assembly of UNESCO, held in Bonn Germany on July 4, saw five cultural sites accepted – two in Denmark, one in Turkey and two in France. Both French sites are recognized for their viticultural heritage; the hillsides, houses and cellars of Champagne around Reims […]
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