Visit Bordeaux, city of the south
March 29, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Bordeaux is a vibrant city and one of the most beautiful in the South of France. Half of the city, more than 1800 hectares has recently been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on account of its historic buildings. The dominant architecture is classical and neo-classical and has remained virtually unchanged for 2 centuries and so it is incredibly unspoilt.
Bordeaux used not to have a great reputation but in 1996 Alain Juppé began an urban regeneration project which included a major cleaning of the facades of the buildings revealing their beautiful golden colour. A tram system has been introduced, reducing the traffic and making movement throughout the city incredibly easy. The quays along the river have been turned into trendy eating areas and the river edge includes lots of seating areas. A long, wide path on the river edge is always full of joggers, cyclists, and people rollerblading and is excellent for a riverside stroll.
Calanques National Park
March 23, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
On my travels last year I took a rare break from rushing around visiting and photographing places to chill-out on a two hour boat ride. Although I still called it work when I was telling Mrs B what I’d been up to.
Setting off along the coast from Cassis towards Marseille, the trip was to pass by several of the so called Calanques of Marseille.
These stunning rock formations are dramatic white limestone cliffs that plunge hundreds of feet into the turquoise sea below, with inlets (calanques) leading to tiny beaches. (You can see more pictures at the bottom of this Marseille Calanques page). They are an unmissable highlight of a visit to this region and a pleasant trip from Avignon if you want to avoid staying in Marseille itself.
Anyway the boat trip is a dim and distant happy memory – but the reason I mention it now is because the region is set to become the first National Park to be created in France in the last 30 years – the Calanques National Park.
Bergerac, gateway to the Perigord
March 5, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Bergerac is found in the region of south-west france known as Purple Perigord – Perigord is the ‘ancient’ name for the region that now largely includes the Dordogne, and ‘purple’ for the wines grown in the region.
It is a lively active town that often gets overlooked as visitors head to the quaint villages and ancient castles of the Dordogne region to the east.
Bergerac itself is not the most exciting town in the world, but it is attractive, has a lovely medieval old town, and is well worth at least a half day explore – a whole day is even better, to allow time for lunch and a look in one or two of the museums and attractions of the town.
The Bergerac Old Town is the section that runs up from the river, and has numerous impressive medieval buildings to enjoy, along a cluster of streets and around a couple of open squares that form the centre of this part of the town.
Cycling holidays in the south of France
March 1, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
One of the best ways to enjoy the pleasures of the south of France is on a bike, and there are numerous companies that are happy to help you arrange this. A particular favourite is Cycling Holidays from Responsibletravel.com.
A few decisions are needed before you organise your holiday, including:
Where do you want to go!
The most popular cycling destinations in southern France are in the Dordogne region of south-west France, and in the Luberon region of Provence. These two regions are especially popular because of the large number of very beautiful villages and sights in a relatively small area. Many other areas are also possible, with tours also available that focus on historic monuments, art works, cookery etc.
Another theme, if you are more experienced, is to take one of the tours that follows the classic climbs of the Pyrenees or Alps.
