alexd2

In Montpellier we will stay 2 nights at ( www.leguilhem.com ). We also spent one afternoon at the beach (Le Grou du Roi) which was very nice. We also made a brief detour to Carcassonne and Minevre - Home of the Cathars. No matter which direction you are coming from, you can’t miss the imposing silhouette of the City of Carcassonne which is encircled by a huge double row of fortified walls that run almost 2 miles long, accentuated by 56 watchtowers. The 3rd century A.D. was a particularly unstable period that saw incessant Barbarian invasions. This is when Carcassonne decided to update its defense mechanisms and solidify its ramparts, building the fortified walls that we can still admire today. Rattled by another period of invasions and insecurity, the inhabitants built a second exterior wall around ... read more

In the Pyrenees we will stay 2 nights at ( gite.ossau.free.fr ) in the town of Izeste about 25 km south of Pau. Our hotel is actually a 3 room Bed and Breakfast. The Pyrenees are new and very rugged mountains. There is a rarity and great elevation of passes and a large number of the mountain streams, which often form lofty waterfalls, surpassed in Europe only by those of Scandinavia. The upper end of a valleys assumes the form of a semicircle of precipitous cliffs. From our bed and breakfast in Izeste, we will travel to the Aspe Valley to the Gorges de Kakuetta. The gorge stretches for 2km with vertical walls rising up to 350m high and yet seldom more than a few metres apart. It is understandable that except for mid summer little ... read more

From Tours to Brantome (northern part of the Perigord region) we will pass through Limoges which has a beautiful porcelain museum ( www.musee-adriendubouche.fr ). In Brantome we will stay at Maison Fleurie (B&B) (www.maison-fleurie.net ). The owner is Carol Robinson, one of the many British expats living in this part of France. Brantome's river-meadow location earns it the regional title 'the Venice of the Perigord' .The Perigord is divided into four regions, the Périgord(s) Noir, Blanc, Vert and Pourpre; its geography and natural resources make it one of the untouched regions of Europe. The area is noted for its cuisine, more particularly its products related to ducks and geese, such as foie gras. It is one of the truffle areas of France, historically the most famous. Périgourdine wines include the famed Bergerac (rouges and blancs) and ... read more

From Bayeux (Normandy) to St Malo (Brittany) , the drive takes though the part of Normandy known as the Suisse Romande. The river Orne has cut through the massif creating steep banks and the occasional severe peak. The area is popular for outdoor activities,. We saw hang gliders from the Pain de Sucre. We also passed through Mortain, Hitler’s last stand before his army was destroyed in Normandy. On the way to St Malo, we passed by the Benedictine island monastery of St Mont St Michel which had it’s greatest influence in the 12-13th centuries. Approaching St Malo we pass by the seaside town of Cancale - famous for it’s delicious farmed oysters. The drive reminded me of the Eric Rohmer film - “Pauline at the Beach” which was filmed in this area. Our hotel in ... read more

Today we will begin our 19 day car journey through France. Our route will take us to Normandy, Brittany, Loire Valley, Perigord, Gascony, Pyrenees, Toulouse-Montpellier, Provence and Marseille. From Marseille, we will take the super-fast TGV back to Paris for a final 2 days there. Today from Paris we drove to Bayeux through Normandy. Normandy gets its name from the Viking Norsemen who sailed up the Seine in the 9th century. They made their capital Rouen, which unfortunately we must bypass - the first day of our journey (to Bayeux) is almost 300 km. On the way, we will meander through the Pays D’Auge. This is classic Normandy countryside - lushly woven fields, wooded valleys, cider orchards, manor houses. It is famous for Camembert cheese and Calvados apple brandy. It’s well known dishes include Homard a ... read more