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Parks and Gardens
boulogne

Beautiful Boulogne Absolutely Stole my Heart

Read my story in French » Boulogne,  also known as Boulogne-sur-Mer, is one of several walled or fortified cities in France. Unlike Saint-Malo and Guérande, Boulogne-sur-Mer is quite hilly. Arriving at the Tintelleries train station meant I was about half way between the walled old-town and the coastal attractions. Walk ...

giverny

Giverny Surprised me with a Beautiful Explosion of Tulips

Giverny, Claude Monet's garden and home, is just a mere 70 km from Paris. It's an easy day-trip from Paris. A half-day visit allows exploration of the gardens but the little village is delightful as is Vernon where the train arrives. Allow the whole day so as to not miss anything! Tips to Help You Prepare As I traveled ...

jardin des plantes

Jardin des Plantes – An Urban Oasis

Profitez bien du beau temps! Take advantage of the good weather! We definitely did that today as we set out to enjoy the Jardin des Plantes here in Angers. Parking close to the Jardin du Mail gave us the chance to see the newly finished work on Avenue Jean d'Arc.   Avenue Jean d'Arc What was just a dusty avenue ...

château de brissac

Château de Brissac is a Picturesque Giant of the Loire Valley

Château de Brissac, originally a medieval fortress, bears the name le géant du Val de Loire as it is the highest château in the Loire Valley. It is the current residence of the Duc du Brissac, the 13th duke! The Cossé-Brissac family is one of the oldest in France.   [caption id="attachment_5381" ...

parc buttes chaumont

Parc des Buttes Chaumont Is My Favorite Park in Paris

The Parc des Buttes Chaumont is my favorite, at least for now, park in Paris. It is both similar and dissimilar to Parc Montsouris which is another favorite park of mine. Buttes Chaumont is in the north of Paris (19th arrondissement) whereas Montsouris is in the south of Paris (14th arrondissement). Both parks are English in ...

Parc Monceau – a bit of England in Paris

Read my story in French » Parc Monceau is a lovely little park in the 8th arrondissement. Slightly more than one-third the size of Luxembourg Gardens which was built to resemble the Florence gardens of Catherine de Médicis' childhood, Parc Monceau is an English style garden. Less structured than the Luxembourg Gardens and ...

A Family Vacation- One Reader’s Trip

What an enchanting French family vacation this sweet couple has shared with me and I, in turn, am delighted to share it with you! Facebook brought us together and I'm delighted to be able to share some highlights from their vacation in France. After messaging me for ideas for a "non-touristy" vacation around Paris, they were ...