letrangere Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Taken from a fascinating book, "1,000 places to see before you die", one that I'm sure would inspire wanderlust in even the most die hard stay-at-home. What interests me is that the French list goes beyond the normal popular mass tourist destinations. Here are a few, actually quite a few:-BiarritzThe Dordogne and the Cave of LascauxEugenie les Bains, Aquitaine (anyone know this?)St Emilion (absolutely)Musee d'Unterlinden and the wine road of AlsaceCathedrale Notre Dame de StrasbourgVezelay and l'Esperance (Burgundy)GivernyMont-Saint-MichelNormandy's D Day BeachesParis (of course)Cathedrale Notre Dame de ChartresChateau de VersaillesThe CarmagueToulouse-Lautrec Museum, Albi (a surprising inclusion IMHO)The Walls of CarcassonnePlace Stanislas, NancyLourdesLoire ValleyIle de Re (that's on my particular "must see" list)Aix en ProvenceAntibesAmphitheatre at ArlesAvignonEzeLes Baux de ProvenceMougins Vieux NiceSt Tropez VenceAnnecy and Talloires (absolutely)ChamonixCourchevalVieux LyonsMegeve M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Yes, Ile de Ré and Ile d'Oleron, not seen yet, the most important to me being to see the Baie d'Arcachon. There is also the Marais Poitevin (la Venise Verte) which was recently all dried up with the drought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 At the top of my personal list at the moment is Millau Bridge. I've never heard of Eugenie - les - Bains before. I wonder if we have any forum members who live near there who can tell us about it ?Hoddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcazar Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 I'd second the Millau Bridge.But what of Oradour sur Glane, and La Chapelle en Vercors?And what of Isle sur la Sorgue, and the Fontaine de Vaucluse?Not to mention the gorges du Tarn and du Verdon?Alcazar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saddie Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Eugenie le bains is , if I remember correctly, a spa town patronised and therefore named afer the empress Eugenie. I believe it has a luxurious and expensive thalassa therapy centre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Can someone tell me what is special about the Ile de Re? Don't get me wrong I'm not suggesting it should not be on the list. I would like to see as many of the islands off the French coast as possible so I'm just wondering why this one has been singled out. Should it be next on my list ? Liz (29) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tourangelle Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 The Loire valley is such a vast category. And personally I wouldn't bother with vieux Lyon, it's an overrated overpriced tourist trap. The slopes of la Croix Rousse have much more charm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letrangere Posted September 22, 2005 Author Share Posted September 22, 2005 Thought this would prompt an interesting dialogue. I couldn't understand inclusion of Courcheval and Chamonix. Been yonks since I was last in either but even then they were both over developed and hardly the picturesque little Alpine villages with big mountain views that you can still find (just) in Switzerland and Austria. Checking in the Blue Guide, Eugenie-les-Bains is in the Landes just south of Aire s Ardour. Established in 1861, "a green oasis on edge of the desert of the Landes." As someone else explained, Empress Eugenie sheltered there during a storm in 1859. Famous as both premier village minceur de France AND a centre of gastronomy! Spa waters treat obesity whilst Michel Guerard of cuisine minceur fame has some restaurants there. Ah, that's possibly why it was included. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tourangelle Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Actually I could do a list of places to visit in the Loire valley before you die. (not exactly cheery, is it?)I'd put in Tours, Chinon, Amboise and Richelieu. And for the castles, Chenonceau, Azay le Rideau and Chambord. Have I missed anything out? I think the best time to visit is now, beautiful blue skies, the light reflecting off the white stone, no elbowing your way through hoards of tourists...I too am mystified at the inclusion of French ski resorts, best seen at a distance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 I'm just editing a guide to Aquitaine, originally published in French by highly reputable Hachette - and Eugenie-les-Bains gets barely a mention!I agree that the Loire Valley is a bit of a cheat, though everyone has their favourites of the chateaux and towns so it would be hard to choose, say, Azay over Chenonceaux.I would hope that in with Vence would be St-Paul-de-Vence and especially the Maeght Museum just outside it. And Nancy generally, not just place Stanislas, because of the wonderful Art Nouveau architecture all around the town.Megeve? I'm disappointed in it every time I go (pretty much once a year, on that too-tired-to-ski midweek afternoon) - a few pretty streets but hardly a 'must see', and too many shops catering to the 'gold moon boot' brigade. I would add Arbois in the Jura; the le Corbusier chapel at Ronchamp; the Hotel Dieu in Beaune and, I know it's not exacly a place but, the view of Mont Blanc on a sunny January afternoon from beside the refuge hut at marker 13 on the La Croix run at Combloux, just down the road from Megeve. Sheer heaven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Ile de Ré is full of Parisians and STARS apparantly. Very expensive. Isn't it the island where the poor population are all on super tax because of their land? Even though they live on tuppence a month they have enormous tax bills.You will be able to spot Lionel Jospin on his bike or Princess Caroline of Monace queing for a bagette.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 L'Haras du Pin?It is an exceptional site, especially as there are so many horse lovers, and l'Orne is such a wonderful and beautiful département. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 And what about the Pont du Gard? That is just soooooo special!http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/tourism/pont-du-gard/The list is clearly a very personal one, and perhaps a little bit pretentious. Pretty though the Alsace wine route is, I wouldn't put it in my top 1000 things to see. And - don't tell anyone round here that I said this, but - the Camargue really isn't all that interesting, except to wetlands biologists, and manade owners who make money from it. I feel that I should like it more than I do, if you see what I mean! The flamingoes are cute, but if you really want to see flamingoes, you go somewhere like this:http://www.etravelphotos.com/kenya/2004ke-0919-033d.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 It was my dream to go to the Camargue and we went there on holiday (back in 1976!) and were very disappointed. So what must it be like now? Kenya is a little further away... Maybe it wasn't all that bad! Can you see the 1976 flamingos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 1976 flamingoes? Nah, there's only 5! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Maybe a few have dropped off since Tu sais, avec les chasseurs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Biarritz ???Perhaps I went to the wrong bit of town - no better than Brighton on a sunny day IMHO.On the other hand I visited some friends with a house overlooking the bay of Dournazez (sp) in Brittany, if I woke up to that view every morning I would be very happy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letrangere Posted September 23, 2005 Author Share Posted September 23, 2005 the Hotel Dieu in Beaune Yes, odd that wasn't included and SB's Pont de Gard. In fact, especially the latter as it's within striking distance of the included Avignon. Glad other people agree with me about French ski resorts, forgot to mention Megeve. ARE there any that survive free of sprawling apartment blocks? I would remove Lourdes too, and I say that as a croyante.Vence is described as "unpretentious" and we're told we must go and see the Matisse Chapel. (I dented the bumper of a hire car attempting to park outside this wretched place so was in no mood to enjoy the stain glass window when I eventually got inside!) Neither the wonderful Maeght collection nor St Paul gets a mention, which is strange. Personally, I like SPdV, though I'd only visit out of season.the bay of Dournazez (sp) in BrittanyGay, Douarnenez, my parents honeymooned here and we went back a couple of times for family holidays. Stunningly beautiful.The book is a US publication, reading the forward I see it took the editor 7 years to compile. (What a fabulous job!) It is quite a personal and sometimes quirky collection, but she's really done her homework. Recommends the old town of Jeddah, for example, and a very remote village in Yemen, way off even the most intrepid tourist's path. We were talking about Robert Louis Stevenson's travels with his donkey through the Cevennes recently. Well, did you know he lived for a time on the island of Apia in Western Samoa and that we can visit his house today? Yet another of the 1000 places to see. Makes you realise life is way too short...M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted September 23, 2005 Share Posted September 23, 2005 [quote]It was my dream to go to the Camargue and we went there on holiday (back in 1976!) and were very disappointed. So what must it be like now? Kenya is a little further away... M[/quote]Yes, Why the Camargue? What is there to see, pink flamingoes and wild? horses up to their fetlocks in mud in muddy fields.... Oh and loads of Gypsys with sprays of Lavender Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mpprh Posted September 23, 2005 Share Posted September 23, 2005 HiYou can also see the rice paddy fields in the Camargue.Not sure if that could be the main attraction ?Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted September 23, 2005 Share Posted September 23, 2005 Mont St Michel, early in the morning or across the baie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patmobile Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 Honfleur - arriving by sea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayB Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 [quote]Mont St Michel, early in the morning or across the baie.[/quote]**Mont St Michel, early in the morning or across the baie.**Yep and we can see it about a quarter mile from the house and we are 10 miles away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayB Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 [quote]Honfleur - arriving by sea[/quote]**Honfleur - arriving by sea**Agreed and almost anywhere along the coast of Bretagne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 >>Mont St Michel, early in the morning or across the baie.<<<Agree 100%Somehow the view gives me a feeling of inner peace - something about enduring in a changing world strikes a chord. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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