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.
The king of wines and wine of kings The region is home to 1.35 million people who are proud of their heritage and have always striven to live life to the fullest despite the hardship of wars and economic ups and downs. Clearly the most important […]
0 Read MoreThe Celts are an indigenous people of central Europe with large numbers in the United Kingdom, in France, and in Ireland where they are in the majority.
The first literary reference to the Celtic people as keltoi or hidden people, is by the Greek Hecataeus in 517 BC.
“Celt” is pronounced /kelt/, and “celtic” as /keltIk/ (in SAMPA). The pronunciation /seltIk/ should only be used for certain sports teams (eg. Boston Celtics NBA team).
0 Read MoreBrittany was first inhabited by Noelithic tribes whose various tools bear witness to advanced development. These menhirs -which can be isolated (such as at le Champ-Dolent), or grouped into lines (Carnac)- and dolmens are still scattered throughout the region. These ancient stone creations remain quite a mystery to locals and visitors alike.
0 Read MoreA Land in the Sea Protruding boldly into the Atlantic, France's northwest corner has long been geographically distinct from the main bulk of the country. It is so unique and recognizable that it can easily be spotted on a world map. Also known as the land […]
0 Read MoreThe history of Lorraine is intertwined with that of its neighbour Alsace. Both have been the subjects of constant wars between France and Germany, spanning over a few centuries.
0 Read MoreThe caves of Lascaux, in France, contain some of the earliest known representational art, dating to between 17,000 and 15,000 years before the present.
These Paleolithic cave paintings consist mostly of realistic images of large animals, most of which are known from fossil evidence to have lived in the area at the time. The other common theme of the paintings is outlines of the human hand.
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The Basques are an indigenous people who inhabit parts of both Spain and France. They are found predominantly in four provinces in Spain and three in France. This area is to be found around the western edge of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay.
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