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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According to some, the 45th parallel north, the theoretical latitudinal point which is halfway between the North Pole and the Equator, is France’s dividing line between the Occitan-speaking people of the south and the Oïl people in the north. For those interested in France’s culinary traditions, […]
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Ever protective of their terroir, in October 1954, a municipal decree was passed, forbidding UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects) from landing on, taking off from, or flying over any of the vineyards in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The decree also stated that should any extra-terrestrials disobey this law, their spacecraft […]
0 Read MoreBack in 1979, actor, Jean-Luc Courcoult had an idea which would eventually turn some of the world’s major cities into a stage for his astonishing creations. These days, his company, Royal de Luxe, is internationally-renowned for its giant marionettes and street performances which have, quite […]
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Where Provence and the Alps meet is the Verdon Gorge (Gorges du Verdon). At 15.5 miles long and almost 3,000 feet deep, it’s Europe’s largest canyon. At around 6,700 feet above sea level, the village of Saint-Véran, in the Hautes-Alpes department is the highest municipality in […]
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In France there are 39 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List: 3 Roman sites (Arles, Orange, Le Gard) 4 cathedrals (Amiens, Bourges, Chartres, Reims) 4 abbeys (Fontenay, Reims, Saint-Savin sur Gartempe, Vezelay) 8 historic city/town centres (Paris, Lyon, Avignon, Strasbourg, le Havre, Mont-Saint-Michel, Provins, Carcassonne) Plus […]
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The abbey church (or basilica) of Saint Denis, just north of Paris, is considered to be the world’s first example of gothic architecture. According to legend, around 250AD, Denis, the bishop of the Parisii, was decapitated at the top of the hill at Montmartre*. Not being […]
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Since Roman times, wine has been made in France. In the North (e.g. Alsace), wines are usually made from a single variety of grape (e.g. Pinot Noir), whereas further south (e.g. Provence), they are typically blends (e.g. Cabernet Sauvignon + Merlot). With 450 different appellations, there […]
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There may be a lack of sunshine in some parts of France at the moment, however, there’s no shortage of things to see and do while on a visit between now and March. Please note that while we’ve made every effort to ensure that the information […]
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The festival of the kings, or Epiphany, is celebrated on January 6th. As well as celebrating the day the Magi visited the Christ Child, and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, Epiphany marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas; the 12 […]
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