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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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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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Hôtel Dieu: A Secret Parisian Garden
In the heart of Paris, a stone’s throw from one of its greatest attractions, lies a secret garden. Located on Place Jean Paul II, in the shadow of the majestic Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, and under the watchful eyes of her gargoyles, sits Paris‘ Hôtel-Dieu – Hospital. And within its walls, the most wonderful courtyard and garden reveal themselves to you. In the Shadow of Notre-Dame The great thing is that, despite the square outside usually being full of tourists, the unassuming entrance of Hôtel-Dieu means that very few venture in to visit it. This leaves this fantastic building and its secret garden both a very convenient and very quiet…
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Sedan: Champagne’s Faded Glory
Situated 200 kilometres northeast of Paris and just 10 kilometres south of the Belgian border, on a peninsula formed by a bend in the Meuse River, lies the historic town of Sedan. If the name sounds familiar, it should. For the class of car we know today as the ‘sedan’ derives its name from this village in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France. A History of Mobility You see, Sedan was where the upholstery fabric for the interior of the chaise à porteur – Sedan chair – was first manufactured. This was the single passenger conveyance that was carried by two men using poles attached to a chair. The example below,…
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Versailles: A Binge-worthy Drama
Winter is upon us now in the northern hemisphere. And what better way to while away the long, dark evenings than by binge-watching a great TV series? Even better if that series is a sumptuous French historical drama situated at the incredible Château de Versailles. Yes, believe it or not, one exists. And it is amazing! I discovered it about two years ago on my flight over to Paris for Christmas and was immediately hooked. So much so that I watched the first five episodes of season one on the way over and the last five on the return flight. This captivating drama tells the story of how King Louis…
