French Alps

The French Alps were sculpted by glaciers, giving the valleys a mild climate and rich soil. The French Alps are loaded with well connected towns, and are popular year round, making them ideal for vacations in France. Divided into two providences, Savoy in the north, containing Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Western Europe, and Dauphine in the south, home to Grenoble, the main city of the alps, the French Alps are a popular region.

Le mont Blanc est le point culminant de la chaîne des Alpes. Avec une altitude de 4 810,90 mètres, il est le plus haut sommet d'Europe occidentale et le cinquième sur le plan continental en considérant les montagnes du Caucase.
Le sommet a depuis plusieurs siècles représenté un objectif pour toutes sortes d'aventuriers, depuis sa première ascension en 1786. De nombreux itinéraires fréquentés permettent aujourd'hui de le gravir avec une préparation sérieuse. Il est un objet de fascination dans de nombreuses œuvres culturelles. Depuis le sommet du mont Blanc, il est possible de voir ou d'apercevoir quatre massifs montagneux : le Jura, les Vosges, la Forêt-Noire et le Massif central. La vision théorique lointaine dépend de la géomorphologie et de l'influence de la courbure terrestre.

Inspiring craggy peaks and snowcapped mountains rise up in the French Alps, where there are fantastic opportunities for skiers and snowboarders. There are over 200 resorts in the Alps. Chamonix features the world’s highest cable car. Annecy has lantern lit lanes. Chambery contain the most history, and Grenoble is the largest city in the French Alps.
Weather gives way very rapidly and varies from summer to winter. With pleasant weather in the summer, hiking, as well as rafting, mountain biking, and canoeing are popular. Paragliding and skydiving are also possible. There are three national parks and four regional parks within the Alps.

The Chateau of Amboise

The Chateau of Amboise is counted to be among the first French Castles and Royal residences. It took two centuries for it to be constructed, starting at the 15th century and finishing at the 17th, acquiring a combination of different styles within its structure. Built on a promontory overlooking the Loire River to control a strategic ford that was replaced in the Middle Ages by a bridge, the château began its life in the eleventh century. Many visitors approach the chateau of Amboise attracted by the fact that it is said that Leonardo da Vinci's body was buried at the chapel.

Ville d’Indre et Loire, Amboise est édifiée au confluent de la Loire et de la Masse. En 2000, Amboise compte 11, 968 habitants qu'on appelle des Amboisiens. Son château résulte de la reconstruction fastueuse par Charles VIII d’une forteresse antérieure qui s’élève sur un escarpement propice à la défense. Avant d'être rattaché à la couronne en 1434, le château appartenait, depuis plus de quatre siècles, à la puissante famille d'Amboise. Pendant la Renaissance, il sert de résidence à plusieurs rois de France.
Il a été en grande partie détruit après la Révolution.

Due to the important amount of time it took for it to be finished, the construction of Amboise's Castle went through the reign of different kings. This way, it went through the orders of Charles VIII, Louis XII and Francois I. By walking around and meeting this Chateau, visitors can clearly observe a combination of elements typical from the Renaissance époque and some others from a Gothic style. This combination of styles and the way they are mixed gives this castle a very attractive appearance for all those who are interested in architecture and art.

Le Château royal d’Amboise vous accueille tous les jours de l’année (à l’exception du 1er janvier et du 25 décembre). Ce monument emblématique et ses jardins paysagers offre un des plus remarquables panoramas sur la vallée de la Loire, classée au Patrimoine mondial par l’Unesco.
Chaque parcours de visite porte un regard singulier sur ce haut-lieu de l’Histoire de France : son rayonnement politique et artistique européen à la Renaissance ; les moments intimes de la vie des souverains ; la vie quotidienne et les coulisses de la Cour.

The Chateau of Amboise was one of the first truly "royal" residences. Built on a rocky outcrop above the town, the castle has a very defensive site with its tall walls and was accessed by two towers with ramped spirals to the courtyard. This enabled horses and carriages to be brought up into the castle.

This chateau is located within the very charming environment of Amboise's area. Within this spot and its surroundings visitors can easily access different interesting places by simply walking due to the short distances separating one place from the other. Amboise has narrow streets which are ideal for those who enjoy walking.

The Franche Comté Region

Franche-Comté is relatively undiscovered, and features many forests, rivers, lakes, gorges and vineyards. Located on the eastern France border with Switzerland, between the Vosges Mountains to the north and the Jura mountains to the south, there is a marked Swiss influence to this region’s culture and cuisine (best known are its Comté and Morbier cheeses, the Jura wines and Morteau and Montbeliard sausages).

La Franche-Comté est une région française qui regroupe quatre départements: le Doubs, le Jura, la Haute-Saône et le Territoire de Belfort.

The geology of the region means that it is quite remote in places, where spectacular scenery is only broken by occasional family farms. More than half the region is covered in woodland, there are hundreds of lakes, and rivers and waterfalls spill from the rocks wherever you go. Similar to the alpine region of Savoie and to Switzerland, the food here is rich and warming mountain food. This is the coldest region of France. The winters are long and harsh, but there is plenty of sun in the summer, which is strong due to the altitude.

As with most stunning landscape at high-altitide, there is plenty to do activity-wise. In winter, there's the skiing, boarding, skating, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, dog sleding and skidooing. Summer persuits include paragliding, mountain biking, road cycling, walking and white water rafting.

La production agricole s’appuie sur l’élevage bovin (Montbéliarde) et la production de fromages (le Comté, le Mont d'Or, le Morbie, le bleu de Gex, la Cancoillotte). Parmi ces fromages, quatre sont des AOC.
La culture de céréales et d’oléagineux est significative.
La région possède également des vignobles qui produisent des vins d’exception. La franche-Comté est la seule région viticole du monde à produire cinq sortes de vins bien distinctes: les rouges, les blancs, les rosés, les jaunes et les vins de paille.

Maison Durran Bed & Breakfast

A bed and breakfast set in the quiet village of St Germain Beaupré, just outside La Souterraine in the beautiful rolling countryside of the Creuse, Limousin, France.

Nous sommes un petit hôtel familial en plein coeur de la belle campagne du Limousin, France.

There are 4 bedrooms, all are en-suite rooms, all have complimentary tea and coffee making facilities, complimentary toiletries, shower robes and ironing facilities. All bedrooms have very recently been refurbished. There is a large dining room for breakfast and evening meals and large sitting room with french windows leading to the patio and garden.

3 chambres doubles et nous avons une chambre familiale avec un lit double 2 lits simples et un lit bébé Voyage. Nous avons une grande salle à manger pour le petit déjeuner et repas du soir et grand salon avec porte-fenêtres donnant sur le patio et un jardin.

The village is quiet and peaceful with a lovely XII century church and chateau, and there are miles and miles of uninterrupted traffic free walking.
It is on the St. Compestella pilgrimage route, not too far from the large town of La Souterraine where there are shops and sightseeing or the city of Limoges, famous for its porcelain.

Limoges, around 40 minutes away by road. Limoges, à environ 40 minutes par la route. Cette ville est célèbre pour sa porcelaine, elle est la capitale du Limousin et a également l'aéroport le plus proche de nous. Située dans la campagne intacte avec de nombreux lacs, rivières et ruisseaux. Limoges est un endroit idéal à visiter.

Brittany, France

Brittany, along France's northern shore, is a land of enchantment. It features rugged coastlines with some of the world's most breathtaking views. It features more than 4,000 chateaux, manors and medieval homes. It's an ideal destination for water sports enthusiasts, lovers of fine cuisine and seafood, and anyone fascinated by legends and history. Brittany beckons with beauty, a diverse culture and amazing cuisine.

Il s'agit d'un climat océanique, donc tempéré, surtout le long des côtes, avec de faibles différences de températures entre l'été et l'hiver. Le vent de nord-ouest domine au nord. Comme toute région avec un grand littoral, ici amplifié par le climat océanique tempéré, il n'est pas surprenant d'avoir des conditions météorologiques différentes entre le proche littoral et les villes à quelques kilomètres dans les terres. Il en va de même pour les températures. La région est également leader en France en production de certains légumes, comme les choux, vers Saint-Pol-de-Léon. L'économie de la Bretagne est tournée vers l'agriculture et les industries agroalimentaires, le tourisme estival sur la bordure côtière, et quelques pôles technologiques avancés.

Here are some of the best reasons to visit Brittany:
Outdoor sports, especially on the water. With its situation on the Atlantic, this is an ideal vacation spot for sailing, kayaking, canoeing, surfing and scuba diving.
Chateaux and historic attractions. This land is jammed with seemingly endless heritage sites dating back to megaliths.
Spa seawater treatments. France's famous thalassotherapie was born in Brittany.

French Easter (Pâques)

Easter is celebrated in France much as it is in America, with various religious ceremonies commemorating the rebirth of Jesus, and cultural customs having to do with rabbits, chocolates and eggs.

The predominant religion in France is Roman-Catholic. No city, village or town is without a church. Many of them date back to the twelfth century or before. Most churches have a bell, which is rung joyfully throughout the year marking various events and the passage of time. On the Thursday before Good Friday, all church bells in France are silenced in acknowledgement of Jesus' death. In fun, children are told that the bell's chimes have flown to Rome to see the Pope. Easter morning, the bells ring out once again in celebration of the Resurrection, declaring that Jesus is alive again. In some villages, people kiss and embrace one another when they hear the bells ring.

Easter morning is a happy time for children who wake to look for colorfully decorated Easter eggs (les oeufs de Pâques) hidden in their gardens, homes and playgrounds. Parents tell their children the eggs were brought from Rome (where the chimes had gone), and that when the chimes returned they brought the eggs with them. In some parts of France children look for small chariots full of eggs pulled by white horses.

As mentioned above, bells play an important role in the French Easter tradition. Candy shops sell chocolate flying bells alongside Easter eggs and bunnies, in the same way many candy shops in America sell chocolate crucifixes. These edible bells are another nod the the resurrection of Jesus, a time for celebration, and the end of Lent.

La tradition des oeufs de Pâques en chocolat ou en sucrerie pour les enfants est très répandue en France. On cache les oeufs dans l'appartement ou dans le jardin et les enfants doivent les trouver.
Manger du chocolat sous différentes formes est une tradition importante : oeufs en chocolat, poules en chocolat, cloches en chocolat ... Au repas du jour de Pâques, on mange souvent un gigot d'agneau, mais il n'y a plus de plats traditionnels.
La légende catholique selon laquelle les cloches partent à Rome le jeudi saint et reviennent le jour de Pâques est souvent exprimée.
En Alsace, il y a une tradition analogue à la tradition allemande. C'est le lapin qui met les oeufs pour les enfants dans les nids qui ont été préparés.
Le lundi de Pâques est un jour férié en France, mais il n'a actuellement aucune signification religieuse.

French Perfume

The French have a long tradition and skills in the art of making perfumes. The great names in fashion have assisted in exporting some of the most important names in perfume thoughout the world.

The birth place for French perfumes is in the Provence region and is called Occitane. The abundance of herbs, lavander and many other wild flowers on the rocky landscape, plus hundreds of years of experience in distilling mixtures and creating scents.

Since ancient times there has been a lot of production of French perfumes. French perfumes are regarded as the most well known brands of perfumes and to the present times they account for a considerable share of perfume exports. French perfumes are regarded as the most comfy and bring in sensuality and style in the present day lifestyle. The French perfumes have always been well accepted, admired and liked by people all over the world. The reason being their odor, packaging of the bottles and a brand image that is present in the minds of people. In fact, perfumes would be futile without the French perfumes.

Although the French have taken a back seat in fashion design, they still reign supreme in the making of perfumes. It is but natural that they should, since they have a solid three hundred year old pedigree behind them. The best French perfume, and for that matter, all French perfumes are luxurious, sensual and refined and last longer than most other perfumes. Located north of Cannes in the French Riviera is the town of Grasse, which has been manufacturing French perfume for the past four centuries. It houses the Musée International de la Parfumerie. The best French perfumes could be said to be that of "Chanel No. 5" by Coco Chanel and "Joy" by Jean Pateau. Chanel No. 5 was fashioned for Coco by Ernest Beaux.
Un bouquet de fleurs abstraites d'une indéfinissable féminité.Mai 1921. Gabrielle Chanel n'hésite que quelques secondes devant les fragrances que lui présente Ernest Beaux, compositeur de parfums. Ce sera la cinquième, qui deviendra N°5 de CHANEL.

Joy was launched in the early thirties and is known in the national and international market as the costliest perfume in the world and an ounce of it is reputed to be made from over 10,000 jasmine flowers ad 28 dozen roses. It is packaged in a crystal Baccarat Bottle.

En 1923, avec son beau-frère Raymond Barbas il crée la division parfums de sa société de couture. En 1925, ils sont rejoints par le parfumeur grassois Henri Alméras, en tant que maître parfumeur. Jean patou crée trois parfums baptisés Amour-Amour, Que sais-je ? et Adieu sagesse respectivement dédiés aux blondes, aux brunes et aux rousses. Puis, en 1929, Henri Alméras compose Moment Suprême.

Jean Patou souhaitait un parfum phare pour sa maison. En 1930, Henri Alméras proposa alors une fragrance composée d'essences de rose et de jasmin dans des proportions particulièrement importantes : il fallait plus de 10 000 fleurs de jasmin de Grasse et 28 douzaines de roses (roses de mai de Grasse « Rosa centifolia » et roses de Bulgarie) pour obtenir trois centilitres de parfum. Le prix de cette composition rendait sa commercialisation très risquée alors que sévissait la crise économique qui suivit le krach de 1929. Mais Jean Patou fut séduit et lança la commercialisation sous la marque Joy et en utilisant le slogan particulièrement audacieux que lui avait suggéré son amie et conseillère, la chroniqueuse américaine Elsa Maxwell : Joy, le parfum le plus cher au monde (the costliest perfume in the world).

Auguste Rodin - Sculptor

Musée Rodin

Hôtel Biron built by Gabriel and Aubert in the 18th century

The Kiss 1886 Marble Musee Rodin, Paris

The Thinker 1880 Bronze


Auguste Rodin was a French artist, most famous as a sculptor.

He was the preeminent French sculptor of his time, and remains one of the few sculptors widely recognized outside the visual arts community. Since 1919, the sculptures of Auguste Rodin have been housed in a mansion known as the Biron Hotel

He was born November 12, 1840 and died November 17, 1917.

Auguste Rodin naît le 12 novembre 1840, 3 rue de l'Arbalète à Paris dans une famille d'origine rurale et modeste. Son père Jean-Baptiste est d'origine normande, sa mère Marie Cheffer d'origine lorraine. Du premier mariage de son père avec Gabrielle Cateneau il a une demi-sœur, Clothilde, qui semble avoir été écartée de la famille après le deuxième mariage de Jean-Baptiste. Auguste a une sœur aînée, Maria.

Many of Rodin's most notable sculptures were roundly criticized during his lifetime. Rodin's most original work modeled the human body with realism.

Rodin was sensitive to the controversy about his work, but did not change his style, and successive works brought increasing favor from the government and the artistic community.

During his lifetime, Rodin was compared to Michelangelo, and was widely recognized as the greatest artist of the era. In the three decades following his death, his popularity waned with changing aesthetic values. Since the 1950s, Rodin's reputation has re-ascended. He is recognized as the most important sculptor of the modern era.

Il a révolutionné la sculpture par une liberté de forme qu'on n'avait pas connue jusque-là. Son célèbre Penseur est tout en déséquilibre, composé de cinq triangles dans un arrangement précaire, exprimant ainsi la nature du cours de la pensée et son lien au corps.

Rodin, à l'avant-garde de son art, a laissé les moules de ses sculptures à la disposition du public. Il avait aussi préparé des copies de sa signature. Une manière pour lui de laisser d'autres prolonger son œuvre après son décès.

Mimolette - French Cheese

Mimolette is a cheese traditionally produced around the city of Lille, France (where it is also known as Boule de Lille), and also in some areas of Belgium and the Netherlands.

It was originally made by the request of Louis XIV, who wanted a French cheese to resemble Edam. In order to differentiate it from Edam, however, he had it colored orange.

A cow's-milk cheese, it normally weighs about 4.5 pounds. Its name comes from "mullet". When young its crust is supple, but with age it becomes harder. It has a grey crust and orangish flesh. The orange color comes from the natural colorant, achiote. Due to its appearance, this cheese is often mistaken at first glance for a cantaloupe.

La mimolette est un fromage traditionnellement produit dans le nord de la France d'où elle est originaire, dans la région de Lille et également aux Pays-Bas.

C'est un fromage à base de lait de vache, à pâte pressée non cuite, d'une masse moyenne de 2 kg. Sa croûte est grisâtre et sa chair orangée. Avec l'âge, elle devient de plus en plus cassante.
Selon sa durée d'affinage, elle peut être jeune (trois mois), demi-vieille (six mois), vieille (douze mois) ou extra vieille (deux ans).

La couleur orangée de sa chair provient d'un colorant naturel, le roucou.
Sa période de dégustation optimale s'étend d'avril à septembre après un affinage de 6 à 24 mois,

mais elle est bonne toute l'année.

The Mimolette is a most unusual cheese, spherical like an Edam but with a rough moon-like surface and a bright orange interior. It resembles a melon when cut open.

Maturing the cheeses involves storing them in damp cellars and turning them every week. At the same time the surface of the cheese is brushed to remove cheese mites which feast on its surface. As the cheese ages, evidence of mites can be seen in the pitted and moon like surface which appears on the cheese.

Guinguette Auvergnate

The Guinguette Auvergnate — located in Villeneuve Triage—is the perfect place to take visitors to Paris, who never fail to be charmed by its friendly relaxed atmosphere, the view of the Seine from its windows framed by potted geraniums and the unpretentious cooking from the Auvergne, the home region of the patron. If they are lucky, they will see their fellow-diners waltzing to the strains of the accordion, ‘just like a Renoir painting', as a friend once whispered to me. I have arrived as late as 3 pm and still been fed, as Sunday lunch here can last up to 5 pm.

La Guinguette Auvergnate est tel un navire à trois ponts mouillant devant la gare de Villeneuve-Triage à douze minutes en RER de la Gare de Lyon. Un petit paquebot en pierre et en bois où la Croisière s’amuse aux sons des bourrées rouergates, d’airs de Jazz, de country ou de rock, le long d’un des plus jolis coins de la Seine.

The Guinguette Auvergnate is smaller and less well-known than the ones on the River Marne and attracts a mainly local clientèle. The reason for its survival is probably the geographical isolation of this part of the town of Villeneuve-St-Georges, with the Seine on one side and the huge gare de triage, the largest in Europe, on the other. (A gare de triage is a railway station specialising in the redistribution of freight wagons.) They don't hold dances here every Sunday, but the convivial family atmosphere is truly part of the esprit guinguette. It is standard etiquette to nod and smile at fellow-diners, murmuring ‘Bonjour/Au revoir, messieurs et dames' as you arrive or leave.

Qui dit Guinguette, suppose une assiette sérieuse et honnête mais également une piste de danse et une musique qui rallie tous ceux qui aiment danser. Sur le premier point, l’ami Jean-Pierre, cuisinier de formation sait proposer des menus qui rapprochent l’estomac et le cœur.

The Historic Province of Champagne

Champagne is in northeastern France. The name derives from the Latin meaning "plain." The county of Champagne was incorporated into France in 1314. It is a generally arid plateau that slopes toward Paris. Its strategic location has made it a battleground whenever France has been invaded from the east. The Falaise de l'Ile-de-France, a limestone ridge, borders Champagne on the west, separating it from the Ile-de-France, core of the Paris Basin. Grapes grown on the lower slopes of the Falaise are made into the famous sparkling wine in the miles of cellars carved out of the chalky soil under Reims and Epernay.

Le vin de Champagne, également appelé champagne, est un vin effervescent célèbre dans le monde entier et aujourd'hui associé au luxe et aux fêtes. Il tire son nom de la Champagne, une région du nord-est de la France.Les champagnes sont des vins souvent synonymes de fête ou de célébration, bénéficiant d'un prestige reconnu de par le monde.

Champagne was a region long before it was a sparkling wine. The region lies at a crossroads of northern Europe – the river valleys leading south to the Mediterranean and north to Paris, the English Channel and Western Germany – and thus has been the setting of many dramatic events in the history of the French nation.









For the most enjoyable cellar visits and champagne tasting, many visitors will prefer to visit the small town of Epernay, fifteen miles south of Reims. Lying in the heart of "champagne country", Epernay is home to many of the most famous champagne producers.


87 miles E of Paris, 16 mile S of Reim, Epernay rivals Reims as a center for champagne. Although it only has one-sixth Reims's population, Epernay produces nearly as much champagne. It boasts an estimated 200 miles of cellars and tunnels. These caves are vast vaults cut into the chalk rock on which the town is built. Represented in Epernay are such champagne companies as Moët et Chandon (the largest), Pol Roger, Mercier, and de Castellane.











Les visiteurs s'orientent pour la plupart vers la Champagne chargée d'histoire, ses vignobles et ses caves prestigieuses. Les sites et itinéraires se diversifient avec la découverte du patrimoine et de la gastronomie : Troyes et ses maisons anciennes, Châlons-en-Champagne et ses cours d'eau, Langres avec ses remparts, Épernay, les vallées de la Marne et de la Meuse, Sedan, Reims ou encore Colombey-les-Deux-Égliseset le Mémorial Charles de Gaulle.

French Sea Salt

Fleur de Sel (Flower of Salt) is a top of the line French sea salt which is adds wonderful flavor to cooked dishes and is also widely used as a condiment. This salt primarily comes from the Atlantic Ocean and is largely harvested off the coast of Guérande, a village located in Southern Brittany, France.

Le sel est récolté à la main dans les marais de sel en juillet et août par des ouvriers a appelé des paludiers. Les paludiers de les utilisent un instrument appelé le basse de la, un type de râteau, pour moissonner le sel.

Other French salts include Sel Gris (Gray Salt) and Sel Fin (Fine Salt). The Fleur de Sel differs from these other salts in that it is formed and harvested at the surface of the sea water. Fleur de Sel crystals are fairly large, white and full of minerals.
















Les bonnes nouvelles sont que vous ne devez pas voyager tout le chemin vers la France d'apprécier ce sel merveilleux. Fleur de Sel peut être acheté aux magasins de nourriture gastronome et en ligne.