logo
Parks and Gardens

Château de Chenonceau

Château de Chenonceau is undoubtedly tops for exterior architecture and gardens. I absolutely love the architectural design of Château de Chenonceau in the Loire Valley. The expanse of the  Château that spans the River Cher constitutes the  great gallery/hall, used as used as a ballroom. It is 60 meters by 6 meters ...

Chaumont sur Loire – a Chateau Perched on the Loire

Perched above the town, the château of Chaumont sur Loire is set on a bluff overlooking the Loire River between Amboise and Blois. Chaumont, built in the 10th century as a fort, was to protect Blois from feudal attacks. The fortress burned in 1465 and then rebuilt. The towers you see are 20 meters high (over 65 feet) and the ...

Clos Lucé is one of 2 French Castles in Amboise

Amboise has two French castles: Clos Lucé and the Château d'Amboise. The manor house of Clos Lucé belonged to the King of France, François I. In 1516 Leonardo da Vinci came to France at the King's invitation and here he resided the last three years of his life. He brought with him several of his painting, the most ...

Rouen-the Town of 100 Bell Towers

Victor Hugo described Rouen as “the town of a hundred bell towers” but this beautiful city which dates back to Roman times suffered during World War II and today only about a third of these bell towers remain. Located on the eastern edge of Normandy on the Seine River, Rouen serves as the port for Paris. It is the leading ...

Brittany’s Magic will call to you time and time again

Brittany, much like Normandy, is predominantly a rural department.  The vast coastal face provides you with a variety of experiences from the fortified resort town of Saint Malo to the magic of the Neolithic stones found at Carnac. Inland, there are a myriad of villages  some of which will make you feel as if time has ...

Paris Walks 6th

Paris Walk in the 6th focuses on the beautiful window gardens to be found in Paris. Included are great shops and other points of interest beneath those window gardens. It is an unorthodox approach to a walk but I want to draw your attention to details of window gardens and architectural features as you walk, allowing you to ...

Paris Walks Marais

Paris Walks Marais 4th Arrondissment: Châtelet to Picasso for Tea Lovers Paris Walks Marais  begins our self-guided walk with a view of the 17th century at the historic Châtelet Metro stop and we will finish our walk at the Picasso Museum. Along the way we will stop for dejeuner (our mid-day meal) at a famous tea ...