Rouen, the historic capital of Normandy

The historic city of Rouen lies on the Seine River in the region of Normandy. Although a large part of the city was damaged during the World War II, there is still a great deal of ancient buildings in the old town, which was painstakingly restored.  

Rouen 

Once described by the French writer Victor Hugo as the city of “a hundred spires”, Rouen boasts numerous architectural gems from different eras. The most famous of them is the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, immortalised by Claude Monet in many of his paintings. One of the largest and most impressive Gothic churches in France, Cathédrale Notre-Dame took almost 300 years to complete. Its 151-metre spire is the highest in the country.

Rouen Cathedral

A short walk away from the cathedral is the ornate Gros Horloge clock tower, which you can climb following a steep staircase to admire the clock’s mechanics and a magnificent view of the city. It is a real pleasure to wander along the winding narrow streets flanked by old half-timbered houses, stumbling upon Gothic architectural treasures. Check out the magnificent Palais de Justice with its detailed façade with elaborate gargoyles with a few shell holes left in the walls as reminders of an Allied bombing in 1944, which badly damaged the building. 

Another fascinating landmark is the medieval Aître Saint-Maclou with macabre carved skulls and bones. During a plague outbreak, which devastated Rouen, the lovely green courtyard served as a burial ground and the building served as an ossuary. 

Gros Horloge Clock Tower

The legendary Joan of Arc went on trial and was burnt at the stake in 1431 at the Place du Vieux Marché, which today is dominated by a striking looking modern Church Église Jeanne d'Arc.

Art buffs love Rouen’s excellent Fine Arts Museum with a large collection of paintings from the 15th to the 20th centuries that includes works by such masters as Rubens, Caravaggio, Corot, Modigliani, Monet and many others. 

Photos via Flickr by: Frédéric BISSON, Julien Lozelli, Marko Kudjerski.

Les Trois Glorieuses wine auction in Beaune, Burgundy

Every year, on the third weekend of November, the pretty town of Beaune, Burgundy, celebrate one of the most famous French wine festivals, Les Trois Glorieuses. The name means “The three glorious days” and that is exactly what it is: three wonderful days full of events, good food and excellent wine.

The Hospices de Beaune Museum

It all started in mid-15th century when Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor to Phillipe Le Bon, Duke of Burgundy, with his wife founded the Hospices de Beaune to care for the poor. The hospital continues to serve the area, albeit in more modern buildings, with the old one being turned into a museum. Over the centuries the hospital received vineyards as charity donations accumulating about 150 acres. In 1851, the first auction was organized to sell the hospital’s wines and the tradition continues to the present day. 

Inside the Hospices de Beaune

Les Trois Glorieuses starts with a street fair where artisans and artists sell their creations. Local wine cellars open their doors for wine tastings, a marathon race through the vineyards nearby is organized and a grand black-tie dinner is held in the Chateau de Clos du Vougeot.

The world-famous Wine Auction starts on Sunday morning with buyers bidding for the Hospices’ wines in barrels, each containing approximately 280 bottles. Bidders have a Burgundy negotiant lined up who will mature the wine and bottle it. Each bottle will have a unique Hospices de Beaune label with the appellation, the name of the person who donated the land and the name of the bidder. 

The Wine Auction

The Wine Auction in Beaune is the oldest and largest charity auction in the world with the latest one in November 2015 having raised over 11 million euros. The money goes to the new Beaune hospital, the museum maintenance and a chosen charity of the year. 

The weekend finishes with a huge lunch (paulée) in Meursault with winegrowers where tables groan under the weight of hearty local food and rivers of Burgundy wines flow.

Photos via Flickr by: Marcel Musil, Pierre Metivier, Hervé Corcia.

What to do in the Champagne region in France

Despite its proximity to Paris, the Champagne-Ardenne region is not over-run by tourists. Hop on the TGV high-speed train and in 40 minutes you will see gentle hills covered with neat vineyards where some of the most famous French wines are made. Here is our list must-dos in the region.

Krug

Enjoy the bubbly

The area around Reims and Epernay is home to the top champagne houses. You can visit such grand producers as Veuve Clicquot, Krug, Moët & Chandon, Taittinger to learn how the sparkling wine is made, see the impressive ancient caves where the wine is matured and taste some precious bubbly. There are many small producers in Epernay, who also offer champagne tours and degustations in a more intimate atmosphere.

Langres

Discover a gem

The small town of Langres, in the south of the region, is often called the "Carcassonne of the North", although fewer tourists know about this beautiful place. The charming Langres is picture-perfect with its ancient ramparts, beautiful churches, elegant palaces and a slow pace of life. 

Chateau de Sedan

Visit Château de Sedan

The formidable early-15^th century fort is the biggest in Europe. It covers covering an area of 35,000 square metres with some walls 30 metres thick. It has seen many battles and sieges and today houses a museum and hotel.

Watch birds at Lac du Der 

The largest artificial lake in Europe covering 19 square miles is an important area on the migration routes of water birds. Birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts from all over Europe come here to see spectacular flocks of cranes, geese, egrets. 

Le Park Restaurant

Enjoy fine dining

The region has some of France’s best restaurants. L’Assiette champenoise boasts three Michelin stars and offers an unforgettably delicious dining experience. For classic French cuisine head to the famous Le Parc, at the historic Les Crayères hotel, in Reims where you will be treated like a royal to an exquisite menu of veal, white truffles, sweetbreads and other delicacies.

Photos by: Krug/Facebook, Gerard Feron/Flickr, Château fort de Sedan/Facebook, Domaine Les Crayeres/Facebook.

Monte Carlo, the playground for the rich and famous

Chic boutiques, mega-yachts, fancy cars, opulent casinos, - all these and more can be found in Monte Carlo, the playground of for the rich and famous. However, you do not need to be of royal descent or a Hollywood star to enjoy the glitz and glamour of this tiny monarchy on the French Mediterranean coast. 

Port Hercule

Stroll along the Monte Carlo Harbour, Port Hercule, lined up with picturesque cliffs and docked mega-yachts of the super-rich where scenes for the James Bond movie GoldenEye were filmed. Above the harbour sits the spectacular royal palace, Palais du Prince, home of the Grimaldi dinasty for the last 700 years. It opens for public tours from June to October and guided tours of the luxurious state apartments are offered in various languages. In the palace, apart from opulent interiors you can also admire Prince Rainier III's collection of Antique cars, from horse-drawn carriages to classic and sport’s cars. Do not miss the ceremonial changing of the Monégasque Guard in front of the Palace daily at 11.55 am. Go for a leisurely wander in Monaco-Ville, the Old Town, to get lost in its charming cobbled streets and elegant palaces. Pop in to the imposing Cathédrale de Monaco where the modest grave of Princess Grace is.

Cathedrale de Monaco

There are five casinos in Monaco, but the most famous one is the lavishly decorated Casino de Monte Carlo. If you have some money to burn, it is a fascinating place to spend an evening! 

Monte Carlo is a great for quality shopping. High-end shiny boutiques sell big brands such as Hermes, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent. In Boutique du Rocher (1, avenue de la Madone), opened by Princess Grace in 1966, you can score hand-embroidered tablecloths, artisan ceramics, and other locally crafted housewares. All proceeds from sales go to local charities. For luxury tableware and porcelain candy boxes with the Prince of Monaco's personal seal head to Manufacture de Monaco.

Chocolates from Chocolaterie de Monaco

At La Chocolaterie de Monaco, the official chocolate maker of Monaco since 1920, you will find delicious handmade chocolates with lavender and other beautifully packed local delicacies. 

For a relaxing aperitif, sit down at the Belle Époque Café de Paris with the Monte Carlo Imperial cocktail in hand and watch Bentleys, Maseratis and Lamborghinis whooshing past you.

Photos by: Salvatore Freni Jr/Flickr, Christian Teillas/Flickr, Chocolaterie de Monaco/Facebook.

Vallauris: Napoleon, Picasso and the bitter orange

Tucked inland between Cannes and Antibes the small town of Vallauris Golfe-Juan reveals its charm to those who are prepared to look beyond a few shabby buildings. 

For those in the know Vallauris is synonymous with Pablo Picasso who lived here for seven years. The artists moved here in 1948 to learn the secrets of local pottery makers who had been perfecting their craft since the 17^th century.

Vallarius Golfe-Juan

Picasso single-handedly revived the dwindling craft as numerous visitors and artist friends followed him to this quiet backwater town to see and learn about the local art of ceramics. While in Vallauris, Picasso created a monumental work “War and Peace” that can be seen in the chapel of the Castle National Museum. Do not miss his other masterpiece, the bronze statue “Man with a Sheep” (“L'homme de mouton”) donated to the town. Walk along the avenue Georges Clemenceau to see lovely pottery shops and artisan workshops, some of which invite visitors to see how local ceramics are made.

Man with a Sheep by Picasso

Vallauris is also famous for the fragrant bitter orange that grows here. It is used for making delicious traditional jams and essential oil known as Néroli that is utilized in the French perfume industry. If you are visiting in May you can enjoy the local Orange blossom festival and see how the oil is made. Another colourful festival that is worth a visit is Fête des paysans in August during which decorated farm tracks take over the town’s streets.

Hstoric re-enactment in Golfe-Juan

A short walk from the old town is the seaside resort of Golfe-Juan with its beautiful sandy beaches where you can stroll or perfect your tan. This area is well known for being one of the warmest and most sheltered on the Mediterranean coast. Napoleon made this small corner of the Riviera part of the French history annals by disembarking here in March 1, 1815, intent on re-conquering France. Every year the locals remember that day in a spectacular historic re-enactment. 

Photos by: Florian Pépellin/CC, Ola Berglund/Flickr, Alessandro Baffa/Flickr.

Versailles, the old city of the French kings

The small town of Versailles is famous across the world for its majestic Château de Versailles, which attracts millions of visitors every year. Only a small number of tourists realizes that the town itself is a real gem. 

Once a tiny humble village, Versailles changes dramatically when Louis XIV, known as the Sun King, decided to turn into the French court’s headquarters and built the lavish palace. Louis XV and Louis XVI continued expanding the city adding new districts with elegant avenues, large squares and magnificent mansions. Today, Versailles is retains its splendour and is a real pleasure to explore. 

Versailles

The Notre Dame District, Versailles’s oldest, was created by Louis XIV and is a great place to start your tour into the town’s past. The 17th century Church of Notre Dame retains its original façade approved by Louis XIV while the majority of other building were embellished and rebuilt over the later centuries. A short walk from the church, you will find the lively local market, Marché Notre-Dame, considered the region’s finest. Even Parisians come here to stock up on cheese, truffles, meat and snails and other delicacies. Do not miss the former King’s Stables that house the Academy of Equestrian Arts where you can admire the beautiful old building and the horseshoe-shaped courtyard and watch the daily workouts and performances given by the riding school students.

King's kitchen garden

In the Saint-Louis District check out the King’s kitchen garden spread over 22 acres. It was created to feed the entire royal court and remains virtually unchanged. Another must-see sites here are the graceful Baroque Saint-Louis Cathedral with stunning paintings and the Carré Saint-Louis, charming 18th century urban complex.

Church of Notre-Dame

As any self-respecting French town, Versailles has plenty of excellent restaurants. The elegant Le Valmont located in a 17th century mansion serves mouth-watering traditional fish and meat dishes. In Le Boeuf à la Mode bistrot you will find more rustic French fare such as beef bourguignon, veal kidneys and onion soup.

Photos via Flickr by: Wally Gobetz, Joy Weese Moll, Guillaume Speurt

Exploring Nice, the capital of the French Riviera

Nice, the capital of the French Riviera has it all: the old-day glamour and sleek modern architecture, high-end restaurants and cozy old-fashioned cafés, beautiful beaches and mild climate all year round.

To explore the city and soak in its atmosphere you need at least a few days as there are plenty of things to do in Nice. Start from the Promenade des Anglais, or, as local call it, La Prom. It stretches for five miles along the Bay of Angels (Baie des Anges) adorned by palm trees, cabanas and bright blue chairs. On Sundays, it get very busy with local jogging, skateboarding, cycling and relaxing. 

Nice View

Before British aristocrats chose Nice as their favourite destination in the 19th century, local life was concentrated in the Old Town (Vieux Nice) with its narrow streets, ochre coloured buildings and colourful markets. Check out the famous Cours Saleya where apart from its old-fashioned charm you will find freshly cut flowers, seasonal produce, local delicacies and bric-a-brac. 

Le cours Saleya

Nice boasts some spectacular religious architecture: the Russian Orthodox Cathédrale Saint Nicolas with its colourful onion-domed cupolas built in the days of the tragic Tsar Nicolas II, L'Eglise de l'Annonciation and Chapelle de la Miséricorde in all their Baroque splendour. 

The city is an embarrassment of riches for art-lovers. In the stunning interiors of the Musée des Beaux-Arts you can admire works by Picasso, Rodin, Bonnard, Fragonard ad Monet. The Musée Matisse has an excellent collection of the artist's paintings, drawings and engravings. The Musée National Message Biblique Marc Chagall houses some of the most stunning biblically themed works created by the master. If you are into contemporary art head to the Musée d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain with its impressive display of European and American modern art.

Cathedral Saint Nicolas

If you are feeling energetic, climb up the Castle Hill for spectacular views over the bay and city roofs.

Since the 13th century, every February, Nice celebrates the famous exuberant Nice Carnival with costumed parades, colourful floats and flower shows.

Photos via Fickr by: Thomas Dimson, Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, Janet McKnight.