Exploring the world, one place at a time
Nestled in the heart of Nantes's medieval centre lies the magnificent and imposing Château des Ducs de Bretagne, the former home of the dukes of Brittany. It was the place I was most excited about visiting in Nantes and on my first full day in the city, I made my way to the château, keen... Continue Reading →
Chic, laid-back, friendly, welcoming and playful are just some of the words I'd use to describe the historic French city of Nantes. The former capital of Brittany (it's called Naoned in Breton) has been dubbed the 'city of the dukes of Brittany'. Even though it hasn't been part of Brittany since the Second World War... Continue Reading →
The elegant capital of Béarn is the former home of the kings and queens of Navarre, and as such, boasts a rather impressive château. Needless to say, castle-lover that I am, I wasn't about to miss out on an opportunity to visit Pau during our week in Béarn. Our first port of call on arriving... Continue Reading →
Nestled at the foot of the Pyrenees, Lourdes is France's most famous pilgrimage site. Having been to Santiago de Compostela in Spain some eight years ago, I was keen to visit Lourdes during our trip to Béarn to compare the two sites and to find out why this Pyrenean town attracts some five million Christian... Continue Reading →
In the shadow of the Pyrenees, lies the ancient region of Béarn. A wild, untamed land dominated by its stunning scenery, it's an area of myths and legends, and has an otherworldly, spiritual feel. It's a collection of rugged, impossibly tall mountains, and lush green forests and fields, and is home to an abundance of wildlife,... Continue Reading →
As regular readers to my blog likely know by now, I love a castle, and if there's one close by when I'm travelling, I have to visit it. During our stay in Parthenay, our hosts had told us the best castle nearby was in the town of Montreuil-Bellay, so that's where we headed on our... Continue Reading →
A couple of years ago, I spent a week just outside the fortified town of Parthenay in the Nouvelles-Aquitaine region of France. The town is situated in a bend in the River Thouet and is a charming, attractive place, with timber-clad houses, a ruined castle, a number of impressive medieval gates and striking churches. Soon... Continue Reading →
I'm a little obsessed with castles, which means whenever I go anywhere, especially in Europe, I'm on the lookout for a castle to visit. Luckily, the magnificent Château de Biron was only a few kilometres from our base in Monpazier, which meant there was no way I was leaving the Dordogne without visiting this incredible... Continue Reading →
You can't miss Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg. Perched high up on the Stophanberch mountain, on the edge of the Vosges mountain range, the enormous pink stone castle is an impressive and imposing sight, dominating the landscape and towering over the plateau below. For a good 10 miles, as we drove through the Alsatian countryside, we had... Continue Reading →
Little Old World 