Food & Travel
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A Cycling Tour of Giverny: Monet’s Garden
Spring has had a slow start here this year. And today, cool showers have once more replaced the warm sunshine. So, to boost my spirits, I’ve decided to return to a gorgeous, sun-bleached, May day that I spent cycling through a picturesque corner of Normandy. I had left Paris by bus with a group of about twenty other explorers, eager to fulfill my dream of visiting Monet’s garden, the inspiration for so many of his gorgeous Impressionist paintings. Vernon We exchanged our tour bus for bicycles in the charming village of Vernon, stopping first to pick up fixings for lunch at the open-air market. Our picnic was enjoyed in a…
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Where to Eat in Paris When Visiting Les Invalides
Across the gorgeous Pont Alexandre III – Alexander III Bridge – from the Champs-Élysées, sits the stunning gilded dome of one of Paris’ major monuments. The beautiful les Invalides is most notably known as the final resting place of Napoléon Bonaparte. A Glorious Refuge Built by the Sun King, Louis XIV, as a refuge for veterans, it still provides support for them over 300 years later. However, today it is also home to several military museums, including la Musée de l’Armée. Through their collections and exhibitions, you can learn about the history of Paris over the last two hundred years. Les Invalides is such a fascinating place that time will…
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Where to Eat in Paris When Visiting the Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower – La Tour Eiffel – is one of Paris’ most iconic landmarks, and definitely one you want to visit when in the City of Light. Not only is Gustave Eiffel’s masterpiece a stunning beacon of light, it is also an engineering marvel that warrants a closer look. This could take a while so of course you’ll want some ideas on where to eat in Paris when visiting this architectural treasure. Viewing the grand Iron Lady from ground level, you have the opportunity to appreciate the contrast of the delicate beauty of her filigreed arches against the obvious strength of her four massive pillars. And you also get…
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A Rowing Tour of the Meuse: Dinant & Namur
On this part of our journey to Namur, I discovered that the Belgian section of the Meuse river offers as many delights as the French. And as the amazing rowing tour I was on had just crossed the border, they began to appear. An Enchanting Château The first was the beautiful Renaissance castle Château de Freÿr and its formal French gardens which were designed by Le Nôtre, the designer of the fabulous gardens of Versailles. I would have loved to explore them; to wind my way through their terraced, hedge mazes. And then to visit the beautiful belvedere tucked in on the top of the hillside. Perhaps another time. Belgian…
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A Rowing Tour of the Meuse: Haybes & Givet
My fourth day on the water of this epic European rowing tour once again dawned hot, sunny and bright. This time in the town of Haybes. And we made our way to the boats, my fellow rowers and I took in some of the local beauty. Architectural Charms Again we found an array of architectural styles and eras nestled among the rocky hills of the Ardennes region of France. This charming village had a variety of treats tucked away for us, from lovely streets winding uphill, to little book boxes tucked away on a window sill. And all topped off with a romantic floral arrangement at a front entrance. Valley…
