In the late 12th century, Chrétien de Troyes wrote the first French versions of the Arthurian legends down. Many of them the same stories that are told today. With this kind of native son, Troyes cannot help but delight with its fairy-tale beauty and vibrance.
Guide to Épernay: The champagne capital of the world
Épernay, located on the south bank of the Marne, lives for champagne. The avenue de Champagne, though the buildings along it are drab and functional, is a veritable treasury of the world’s finest champagnes. They are filled with treasures if one only goes belowground.
Exploring Reims in Champagne, France
Located ninety miles northeast of Paris, Reims was magnificent before the first World War, when most of its historical buildings were flattened and replaced by more modern buildings.
Today, the greatest of the remaining historical buildings is the Cathedrale Notre-Dame, blessedly spared; from the first French king through Charles X in 1825, coronations were held here and only here.
Continue reading Exploring Reims in Champagne, FranceLangres: Getting Lost in the Beauty and history
Langres is a walled town built on a limestone promontory overlooking the Mediterranean. Its history stretches back about two millennia. Its walls include a veritable march through history, from the second century Roman Triumphal Gate (when the city was known as Andematunum) to fifteenth and sixteenth century towers. Other gates dating back to the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries.
The most interesting building in town, the 12th century Saint-Mammes Cathedral, has an 18th century façade. You can almost smell history as you walk down the streets.
Continue reading Langres: Getting Lost in the Beauty and historyChaumont: A Historical and Cultural Hotspot in France
Chaumont was originally called Calvus Mons, or bald mountain. It sits on the edge of a plateau where the Marne and Suize rivers come together in the upper Marne Valley.
Chaumont is built around a 10th century castle. It was first a stronghold for the counts of Bassigny, and later became the residence of the counts of Champagne until 1329, when the French crown took it.
The alliance between Britain, Austria, Russia, and Prussia promising to push on with the Napoleonic Wars until they were victorious was signed here.
Continue reading Chaumont: A Historical and Cultural Hotspot in FranceCondé-en-Brie
Condé-en-Brie is located only an hour from Paris. It is nestled in the middle of the vineyards of the Champagne Tourist Route.
The town itself is very small and sleepy, but nearby the chateau of Condé can be visited. It’s a privately owned residence listed on France’s historical places registry, and does allow public tours. And it’s worth going through.
Continue reading Condé-en-BrieLa Napoule-Plage: A Unique and Historical Destination on the Côte d’Azur
West of Cannes, you’ll find La Napoule-Plage, where a remarkable structure rises high above the sea. A large reddish-purple chateau looms above the blue waters of the bay.
This was once a medieval castle owned by the Villenueves that fell into ruins over time. Only two towers and a gateway survive of this castle. The rest has been rebuilt by Henry Clewes, who purchased the property during the first World War. This son of a banker, who is now buried in the chateau grounds, may have been one of the greatest sculptors ever produced by America.
Continue reading La Napoule-Plage: A Unique and Historical Destination on the Côte d’AzurThe Ultimate Guide to Cannes, France
Cannes is renowned for its springtime film festival at the Palais des Festivals. But there’s more than that to this town. It’s southwest of Nice and was probably named for the canes of its once-reedy shore.
Juan-les-Pins: A guide for the curious tourist
The modern Juan-les-Pins is the resort town mirror and foil to Antibes’ historical beauty – only three miles apart.
Walking the beach – if you can without stepping on sun-worshipers – you’ll see thousands of vacationers. They are walking up and down the promenade or lying close to one another to sunbathe on the wide stretches of sand. Resting here during the day might be a pretty good idea, considering how much there is to do in the evenings.
Enjoy the best of Antibes: Culture, shopping, and dining
Antibes is across the Baie des Anges from Nice, and is the perfect place to sail over to for lying on pristine white sand beaches. Long ago, it was a Greek trading post called Antipolis, settled by Pocaeans from Marseille. Later, it became a Roman town, and then a fief of the Grimaldi family for over two hundred years.