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An Autumn Tour of Champagne
The late September day dawned cool and overcast. However, that did not dampen the excitement my friend and I were feeling for our upcoming adventure: an autumn tour of Champagne. We met our guide at a nearby Parisian hotel and settled in for a pleasant ride to northeastern France. In less than two hours, we arrived in Reims, the heart of the Champagne region. Here, we took a few minutes to visit the Gothic Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims. With it’s twin, square towers and stunning, rose windows, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities to Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. I also found the expressions on some of the façade sculptures…
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A Cycling Tour of Giverny: Monet’s Water Lilies
Having finished exploring the colourful mosaic that is Monet’s house, as I shared in A Cycling Tour of Giverny: Monet’s House, it was time to move on to what I consider to be the masterpiece of his Giverny home, the water lilies. A Secret Garden Surprisingly, the gorgeous garden in which they reside is actually hidden from view from his house. For Monet’s property is divided by what was once a raised railway track. In fact, it was while passing through Giverny by train on this berm that he first spotted the property that was to become his home and inspiration. And because this elevation divides the grounds, you must…
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A Cycling Tour of Giverny: Monet’s House
Having immersed myself in the riot of colour that is Monet’s Garden, as I shared in my post A Cycling Tour of Giverny: Monet’s Garden, I was now eager to explore his famed house. But before I entered the iconic pink and green abode, I was in need of a restroom. A Serendipitous Find As I exited that, I happened upon a small, hand-written sign posted on a window announcing a virtual tour with a resident expert. I had a few minutes before it started so went outside to enjoy the garden a little more. Then I made my way to the allotted meeting place – a pair of cozy…
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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: 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…
