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.