Shopping in Les Halles market, Toulouse

One of the (many) pleasures of traveling in France is wandering the stalls at the local markets. I’ve already written about some of my favorite markets in France – in the stunning mountain town of Annecy and the Cours Saleya market  of the Riviera coastal city of Nice. If you’re travelling in France, always make time…

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Admire Albi’s impressive Toulouse-Lautrec Museum

A few weeks ago, on a trip to southwestern France, my family and I spent a day in the beautiful, medieval town of Albi. Among the town’s many points of interest – its thousand-year-old bridge spanning the Tarn River, the largest medieval brick church in the world – Albi is known to art lovers as…

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The Christmas Market in Toulouse, France

I’m a big fan of northern European Christmas markets, with the sparkling white snow, the fairytale forms of the wooden market stalls, the tempting smell of gingerbread, and steaming hot Gluehwein to keep me warm. But lately, I’ve been discovering the Christmas markets in more southern climes. I already wrote about the Christmas market in…

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The beauty of France’s rugged Gorges du Verdon

Until my family and I visited Provence’s Gorges du Verdon (Verdon Canyons), we had no idea that these were the largest gorges in Europe. We associated Provence’s interior with idyllic hilltowns, rolling landscapes and beautiful coastlines, but we knew nothing about this stunning, rugged landscape to be found right in central Provence. Since we wanted a…

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From the ramparts of Les Baux de Provence, France

Provence is most certainly one of my (many) favorite corners of Europe. If you are visiting the region, you should try to set aside some time to visit the suggestive ruins of Les Baux de Provence. A visit to this site makes it clear why this was selected as a defensive position – visitors have…

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Searching for King Arthur: Art, nature and legends in Brittany’s interior

France’s coasts in Brittany are – justifiably – extremely popular with tourists. Yet Brittany also boasts an interesting interior, replete with beautiful churches and castles, charming towns and landscapes and locations from Arthurian legend; nevertheless, most tourists never make it here. On a two-week trip to Brittany, we chose to base ourselves in Brittany’s interior…

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The Christmas market in Nice, France

Although beautiful Nice, with its wide stretch of beach and lovely blue Mediterranean waters, attracts flocks of tourists in the summertime, this pretty city also makes an ideal winter get-away destination. Enjoy Nice without the crowds as it prepares for the Christmas season with its annual holiday market, set up on Place Massena, just at the edge…

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The Café de Turin in Nice, France

Nice is a wonderful city for visitors to southern France, offering beautiful architecture, art and an ideal position along the turquoise waters of the Riviera. Nice is also – not surprisingly – a wonderful place to enjoy seafood. The Café de Turin  has been famous for serving up seafood to visitors and residents alike since…

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Shopping at Nice’s outdoor market at Cours Saleya

Part of the pleasure – and there  are many – of travelling in France is a visit to the local outdoor markets. This colourful market square sits at the edge of Nice’s vieille ville (old town) and definitely merits a visit during your visit to this lovely city on the French Riviera. The market at the…

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