FRANCE
Dec 2015 - Jan 2016
21 Days 20 Nights
Self Drive Trip - 2 pax
26 Dec 2015 -15 Jan 2016
Map of our roadtrip:
- Paris > Versailles > Rouen > Honfleur > Caen > D-day beaches > Bayeux > Mont-Saint-Michel > Cancale > Saint-Malo > Dinard > Dinan > Renne > Blois > Chateau de Chambord
- Chateau de Cheverny > Amboise > Oradour-sur-Glane > Brantome > Sarlat-la-Caneda > Grotte de Lascaux II > Lyon > Vienne > Montelimar > Gorges de l'Ardeche
- Gorges de l'Ardeche > Orange > Vaison-la-Romaine > Malaucene > Carpentras > Abbaye de Senanque > Gordes > Roussillon > Valensole > Riex > Moustiers-Sainte-Marie > Grand Canyon du Verdon
- Grand Canyon du Verdon > Grasse > Vence > Nice > EZE > Monaco > Menton > Antibes > Cannes > Saint-Tropez
- Saint-Tropez > Cassis > Les Calanques > Marseille > Arles > The Camargue > Saint-Remy-de-Provence > Les Baux-de-Provence > Avignon > Pont du Gard > Nimes
- Nimes > Montpellier > Carcassone (from here we took a train ride to Barcelona to meet our friends to start our Spain trip )
HOTELS
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PARIS > VERSAILLES > ROUEN > HONFLEUR
Arrived Paris International airport around 9am, picked up the rental car at Avis, and drove to Versailles to visit the Palace. Driving distance about 55km, and took slightly more than an hour. Versailles is a city in the Yvelines department in Île-de-France region, renowned worldwide for its château, the Château de Versailles and the gardens of Versailles, designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Left the Palace in the afternoon, and drove to Rouen for late lunch. Took us about slightly more than 2 hours drive (157km). Rouen is a city on the River Seine in the north of France. It is the capital of the region of Normandy. Some of the interesting sites in Rouen include Cathedrale Notre Dame, Eglise Jeanne d'Arc, and Cros Horloge. Following that, we head on to Honfleur (1hr 40mins drive, 81km) where we had our 3-hour dinner at the 2 starred Michelin restaurant, SaQuaNa and overnight at La Salamandre (B&B). Reservation for dinner at SaQuaNa is recommended as they are full most of the time. |
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HONFLEUR > CAEN > D-DAY BEACHES > BAYEUX
Honfleur is especially known for its old, beautiful picturesque port, characterized by its houses with slate-covered frontages, painted many times by artists, including in particular Gustave Courbet, Eugène Boudin, Claude Monet and Johan Jongkind, forming the école de Honfleur (Honfleur school) which contributed to the appearance of the Impressionist movement. The Sainte-Catherine church, which has a bell tower separate from the principal building, is the largest church made out of wood in France. The drive from Honfluer to Caen took us about an hour (58km). Caen is known for its historical buildings built during the reign of William the Conqueror, who was buried there, and for the Battle for Caen—heavy fighting that took place in and around Caen during the Battle of Normandy in 1944, destroying much of the city. The city has now preserved the memory by erecting a memorial and a museum dedicated to peace, the Memorial de Caen. From Caen, we headed to D-Day beaches where allied infantry and armoured divisions began landing on the coast of France during WWII. The target 50-mile (80 km) stretch of the Normandy coast was divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword Beach. We had a sumptuous takeaway seafood dinner near the beach before driving to our hotel (Novotel Bayeux) at Bayeux (30mins drive, 23km). |
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BAYEUX > D-DAY BEACHES > MONT-SAINT-MICHEL
Bayeux is the home of the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England. The Tapestry is an embroidered cloth nearly 70 metres (230 ft) long and 50 centimetres (20 in) tall, which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England concerning William, Duke of Normandy, and Harold, Earl of Wessex, later King of England, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings. Entrance to the Tapestry cost 9 Euro per person. From Bayeux, we head to our hotel (Hotel Mercure Mont-Saint-Michel) at Mont-Saint-Michel. The drive was about 1hr 30mins (118km), and we needed to key in a password at the carpark entry gate ( provided by the hotel ) to enter into the compound. We had our dinner at Auberge du Terroir, a Michelin guide restaurant, and reservation is recommended. The chef and his wife are very friendly and the food is good and reasonably priced. The duck confit was exceptional! |
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MONT-SAINT-MICHEL > CANCALE > SAINT MALO
We spend the morning taking more photos of the amazing Mont-Saint-Michel, before heading out to Cancale, which took about 50mins (49km) drive. Cancale lies along the coast to the east of Saint-Malo. It is a picturesque fishing port popular with visitors, many of whom are drawn by its reputation as the "oyster capital" of Brittany. Though a small town, it is well served by a large number of restaurants, many specialising in seafood. After our satisfying oyster meal, we headed to our hotel (Ibis Style Saint Malo Port) at St Malo, which is 30mins drive away (16km). |
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(SAINT MALO > DINARD > DINAN > RENNE > BLOIS
Saint-Malo is a walled port city in Brittany in northwestern France on the English Channel. It is a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine. Today the city is a major tourist destination, with many ancient, attractive buildings. After exploring Saint-Malo in the morning, we head out to Dinard, which is only a short drive from Saint-Malo (about 20mins, 11km). Dinard beaches and mild climate make it a popular holiday destination, and this has resulted in the town having a variety of famous visitors and residents. We had our lunch at a restaurant near the beach before driving to Dinan (25mins, 23km). Dinan is a medieval town on the hilltop and has many fine old buildings, some of which date from the 13th century. The town retains a large section of the city walls, part of which can be walked round. Major historical attractions include the Jacobins Theatre dating from 1224, the flamboyant Gothic St Malo's Church, the Romanesque St Saviour's Basilica, Duchess Anne's Tower and the Château de Dinan. We spend the whole afternoon exploring this fine little medieval town before a quick stopover at Renne (45mins, 52km). Renne is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department). After seeing the New Year lighting show, we head out to our accommodation at Blois (Ibis Style Blois Centre Gare), which is close to 300km away (3hr drive). |
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BLOIS > CHATEAU DE CHAMBORD > CHATEAU DE CHEVERNY > AMBOISE
Blois is a city and the capital of Loir-et-Cher department in central France, situated on the banks of the lower river Loire between Orléans and Tours. We tour around the morning market after we had our breakfast, and bought some local champagnes and fruits. Following that, we drove to Chateau De Chambord (20mins, 15km) and tour the castle for about 2hrs. The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France, is one of the most recognizable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building, which was never completed, was constructed by King Francis I of France. After Chambord, we drove to Chateau de Cheverny (20mins, 16km). However, we decided to skip touring inside the castle, and drove straight to our B&B at Amboise (Escapade Amboiseinne), about 45mins drive (41km). We had our New Year's Eve celebration in Chateau de Pray, which is a one starred Michelin restaurant in Amboise. |
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AMBOISE > ORADOUR-SUR-GLANE > BRANTOME > SARLAT-LA-CANEDA
We spend the morning touring Amboise. Some of the places of interest include Chateau de Amboise, Leonardo da Vinci building, and timber-framed houses. From Amboise, we drove about 3hrs (198km) to Oradour-sur-Glane. The village of Oradour-sur-Glane in Haute-Vienne in then Nazi-occupied France was destroyed on 10 June 1944, when 642 of its inhabitants, including women and children, were massacred by a Nazi Waffen-SS company. A new village was built nearby after the war, but French president Charles de Gaulle ordered the original maintained as a permanent memorial and museum. After touring Oradour, we had a quick stop at Brantome (1hr 30mins, 98km). Unfortunately, most of the shops and restaurants are closed due to New Year holiday. Hence, we drove towards our B&B (Sarlat Cote Jardin) at Sarlat-La-Caneda, which is 1hr 40mins drive (94km). |
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SARLAT-LA-CANEDA > GROTTE DE LASCAUX > LYON
Sarlat is a medieval town that developed around a large Benedictine abbey of Carolingian origin. Because modern history has largely passed it by, Sarlat has remained preserved and one of the towns most representative of 14th century France. The centre of the old town consists of impeccably restored stone buildings and is largely car-free. We strolled the morning market in the old town, and bought some black truffles (in season) and home made foie gra. Sarlat is also famous for its foie gra. We were fortunate to visit Grotte de Lascaux II; just 1 day ahead before its official closure period for 2-3 months. Lascaux (Lascaux Caves) is the setting of a complex of caves in southwestern France famous for its Paleolithic cave paintings. The original caves are located near the village of Montignac, in the department of Dordogne. They contain some of the best-known Upper Paleolithic art. These paintings are estimated to be circa 17,300 years old. They primarily consist of images of large animals, most of which are known from fossil evidence to have lived in the area at the time. In 1979, Lascaux was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list along with other prehistoric sites in the Vézère valley. After the cave visit, we head to Lyon, a city known for its cuisine and gastronomy and historical and architectural landmarks and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The drive took us about 4 hrs (400km). We had our dinner at one of the 2 starred Michelin restaurants, Guy Lassausaie, before heading to our hotel (Mercure Lyon Centre Chateau Perrache). |
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LYON > VIENNE > MONTELIMAR
We headed to a few of the morning markets in Lyon, and again bought some black truffles in the market since the price is much cheaper than Singapore (110 Euro per 100g). We spend the rest of the afternoon exploring Lyon before we head out to Vienne (30mins drive) for our Japanese dinner and a short tour of the old historic sites like Temple d'Augsute et Livie (10BC) on place du Palais, Notre-Dame of Poitiers, and Threatre Romain (largest in France). Thereafter, we head to Montelimar (1hr 15 mins drive, 118km) to stay over for the night at Ibis Style Montelimar Centre. |
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MONTELIMAR > GORGES DE l'ARDECHE > ORANGE > VAISON-LA-ROMAINE
Montélimar is widely regarded as the world capital of nougat. The local nougat is one of the 13 desserts of Provence and highly appreciated throughout the country. We did not spend much time in Montelimar as there were little tourist sites here. After breakfast, we drove about 55mins (47km) to Gorges de l'Ardeche, where we can see some beautiful gorges and mountain view. The Gorges de l'Ardèche is made up of a series of gorges in the river and locally known as the "European Grand Canyon", Located in the Ardèche, in the French department Ardèche, forming a thirty-kilometre long canyon running from Vallon-Pont-d'Arc to Saint-Martin-d'Ardèche. The scenic drive was quite nice, but the weather was a bit cloudy. After that, we drove about an hour (47km) to reach out next destination, Orange. This place is famous for the Roman Theatre, which dates back to the rule of Augustus (31 BC to 14 AD). This incredible site is one of the largest existing theatres of its kind, and is able to hold up to 10,000 spectators. The other site in Orange is the Triumphal Arch, which was built into the town's walling during the Middle Ages to guard the northern entry points of the town. From Orange, we drove 30mins (29km) to Vaison-la-Romaine, where we overnight at Le Jour et la Nuit Maison d'hotes (B&B). |
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VAISON-LA-ROMAINE > MALAUCENE > LE BARROUX > CARPENTRAS > GORDES > ABBAYE DE SENANQUE > ROUSSILLON
Vaison-la-Romaine an ancient town that sits in a low basin along the Ouvèze river, beneath the watchful chateau on top of the Haute Ville hill on the south side of the river and offers lots of archeological sites. We explored the Tuesday morning market after breakfast and visited a few ancient sites before driving to our next destination. We drove passed Malaucène, which is the capital of the Ventoux and nestles within the old ramparts. It takes shape around its ancient fort, standing at the highest point of the village and stopped at Le Barroux (about 30 mins drive from Vaison) - a lovely little medieval village overlooked by a very substantial 12th century chateau. In the centre of Le Barroux is the lovely Church of Saint-John the Baptist dating from the 14th century and with a tower and campanile. Narrow streets wind around the village, all beautifully paved in a stone matching that of the houses and the chateau, and many of the houses in Le Barroux have been carefully restored to make the most of their character and period features. From Le Barroux, we made a brief stop at Carpentras before heading to Gordes (50 mins, 37km) - built on the foothills of the Monts of Vaucluse, facing the Luberon. It is one of the most well-known hilltop villages in the region, and one of the most beautiful in France. After many photo shots, we took a short drive (10-15 mins) to Abbaye de Senanque, a Cistercian monastery, since 1148. It’s allowed to walk around the valley and the abbey. The community of the monks gives you the opportunity to follow a guided tour, in French only, inside the 12th century buildings. After visiting the Abbaye, we had to back track to Gordes to head our final destination for the day, Roussillon (25mins, 15km). Situated in the Luberon, at the foot of the Monts de Vaucluse, the village of Roussillon is surrounded by beautiful countryside. Situated in the heart of one of the biggest ochre deposits in the world, Roussillon is famous for its magnificent red cliffs and ochre quarries. The red, yellow and brown shades of the earth form a striking contrast with the lush green pinetrees. We spent the night at a B&B (Lou Amourie) close to Roussillon Village. |
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ROUSSILLON > VALENSOLE > RIEZ > MOUSTIERS-SAINTE-MARIE
We headed out to Valensole after our breakfast at Roussillon. It took us about an hour 20 mins drive to Valensole, which is situated in the middle of a magnificent plateau of lavender and almond trees and is true to its name: Valensole comes from the Latin "vallis" and "solis" meaning the valley of sun. Unfortunately, it is not Lavender season and hence we only see small bushes :( From Valensole, we drove 20-25 mins to the truffle town, Riez. In the middle of the Valensole plateau, Riez is built on the side of the Saint-Maxime hill which overlooks the confluence of three valleys. Communication routes have made their way along them since the High-Roman Empire. This town is famous for truffles, and we drove here specially to have our lunch. The restaurant is call Le Rempart, and their food is delicious and reasonably priced. We walked around Riez, visiting some ancient sites before driving to accommodation near Moustiers-Sainte-Marie (15-20mins drive). Moustiers enjoys an exceptional setting surrounded by the Gorges du Verdon, the Sainte-Croix lake and the lavender fields of the Valensole plateau. It has a rich history in ceramic craftsmanship and the faïence is renowned for its fine decoration. Since 1981 Moustiers has been listed as one of the prettiest villages in France. The church, the village walls, chapels, the aqueduct, the fountains - an alliance of water and stone, the pastel colours of the tiles and the tuff together create a simultaneous homogenous and living architectural whole. We stayed overnight at a B&B (La Clorinde), a short drive from the town centre. The lady owner is very friendly, and also love to travel. |
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MOUSTIERS-SAINTE-MARIE > GRAND CANYON DU VERDON > GRASSE > VENCE > NICE
We explored Moustiers in the morning, walking up to the church up in the hill. The hike up to the church took us about 30 mins. We also encountered some mountain goals up there, and witnessed two of the fighting. We left Moustiers and drove towards Grasse, passing through the scenic Grand Canyon du Verdon (31mins, 20km). The drive from Mousiters to Grasse is between 1 hr 30 mins - 2 hrs in total. Grasse is located in the hills to the north of Nice, and has been synonymous with perfumery since the 16th century, and the town is still home to around 30 makers. We visited two of them, and stroll around the town. Some of the buildings look run down, and we did not really like the environment. After Grasse, we headed to Vence, which is 40 mins drive away. Vence is an attractive town that developed on a rocky ledge and is still surrounded by its original fortifications. The old town, which is the most interesting part for visitors, is still entered through the original gateways in these ramparts, where you will discover a fascinating and substantial historical centre to Vence. We ended the day in Nice, 40 mins drive from Vence. We stayed in ibis Styles Nice Centre Gare, and had our 830pm dinner at TERRES DE TRUFFES. |
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NICE > EZE > MONACO > MENTON > CANNES
Nice is a large city in France on the French Riviera, and is well known for the beautiful view on the Promenade des Anglais and its famous waterfront. We spend the morning exploring the beach, promenade, and morning market in Nice before driving to our next destination Eze (25mins, 12km). Eze is a medieval village perched like an eagles nest on a narrow rocky peak overlooking the Mediterranean sea. The ancient fortified village is still crowned with the ruins of its 12th-century fortified castle (torn down in 1706), sitting on a narrow rocky peak. The castle grounds host the well-known Jardin Exotique, and from the top (429 m) you'll have an good view of the coast. A short 15-20 mins drive from Eze, we reached Monaco, which is an independent microstate on France’s Mediterranean coastline known for its glitzy casinos, yacht-lined harbor and prestigious Grand Prix motor race, which runs through Monaco’s streets once a year. Monte Carlo, its major district, has an elegant belle epoque casino complex, ornate opera house and luxe hotels, boutiques, nightclubs and French and Italian restaurants. Here, we saw some luxurious and super cars parked outside the casino. From Monaco, we headed to Menton (30mins, 10km), which is almost the boarder between France and Italy. Menton’s old town is a cascade of pastel-coloured buildings. This town is also known for its lemons. After touring around Menton, we turnaround to our final stop for the day, Cannes (1hr 25min, 64km). We stayed at a boutique hotel Idéal Séjour - Hôtel de charme et atypique. |
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CANNES > MOUGINS > ST-TROPEZ > CASSIS
Galas, regattas, the Film Festival and an outrageously attractive and affluent set characterize Cannes. Vast yachts obscure the view and the town lives up to its motto, "Life is a festival." People-watching is the activity that brings most visitors to Cannes, and hotel-lined La Croisette provides a fine promenade. We parked our car near the promenade and spend the morning walking the market, shopping belt, and the place where the have they held the yearly film festival. Of course we also walked the 'red carpet' walkway. We had hamburger lunch at Steak N Shake before driving to Mougins (15 mins, 7km), a fortified hill town nearby. Here, you see lots of art galleries. Picasso, Jean Cocteau, Paul Eluard, Christian Dior etc were previous residents in this town. We spend the whole afternoon strolling in this nice little town, and drove towards St Tropez (1 hr 40 mins, 86km). St Tropez is a coastal town on the French Riviera, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. The town attracted the international "jet set" in the 1960s, and remains known for its beaches and nightlife. The cobblestoned La Ponche quarter recalls its past as a fishing village, although yachts now outnumber fishing boats in the Vieux Port (old port). Here, you will find lots of super yachts and shops selling branded goods. Even supermarket like Spar sells more expensive wines and champagne here. We ended the day in Cassis, which is 2 hrs (111km) drive away. Our accommodation here is Best Western Hôtel La Rade. |
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CASSIS > LES CALANQUES > MARSEILLE > ARLES
Cassis is an ancient fishing port in southern France. Overlooked by a centuries-old château, it’s known for pebbly beaches and its calanques, narrow inlets framed by steep, limestone cliffs. The harbor features pastel-colored buildings, sidewalk cafes and restaurants. Trails run along the huge, rocky Cap Canaille headland for panoramic sea views. Best Western hotel is walking distance from the old port, and hence we parked our car at the hotel and spend the whole morning strolling along the old port. We then walked to Les Calanques De Cassis as the hotel reception told us there's no parking space nearby. We spend 2 hr 30 mins walking and hiking before heading back to the port for late seafood lunch at Le Don Camillo restaurant. We should have drove our car as there are some illegal parking lots near the entrance to Les Calanques. We could have save at least 45 mins of walking time as there's hardly any traffic police around since its lull season. We head out to Marseille (37m 14km) after our lunch. Marseille is the second most populated city of France (and third most populous urban area) the biggest Mediterranean port and the economic hub of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. We visited the Old Port and Notre Dame de la Garde, where you can enjoy a bird eye view of the city. Our original plan was to visit Aix-En-Provence, but the timing was too tight, and hence we decided to drop and drove towards our final destination for the day, Arles (1 hr 5 mins 87km) where we stayed in a boutique hotel Hôtel Du Cloître. Be warned that the drive in Arles old town is quite tough as the road is super narrow and confusing. |
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ARLES > THE CAMARGUE > SAINT-REMY-DE-PROVENCE
Arles is the largest city in France with the surface area being 758km². It is encircled by an environment of exceptional beauty: the banks of the Rhône river, the arid plains of Crau, the Alpilles and the untamed land of Camargue. Once a metropolis of Roman Gaul, then Arles became a symbole of ardent Christianity as can be seen through the arena, the Alyscamps burial grounds, the amphitheater and the Roman baths of Constantin. Van Gogh stayed here with his friend Gaugain. Picasso, a lover of bull fights, was inspired by them to do two paintings and 57 drawings. As we stayed overnight in Arles, we got a discounted ticket at the tourist information centre to visit several of the major tourist sites. There are many ancient Romans buildings here, and there's a Van Gogh trail. After spending the whole morning in Arles, we drove to The Camargue (48mins 29km) to spot white horses, bulls, pink flamingos and many other birds in the wild nature. It was a nice scenic drive and we saw hundreds, if not thousand of pink flamingos. We stayed here to enjoy the sunset before driving to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (1 hr 25 mins 63km) and stayed at Mas Lou Figoulon (B&B). |
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SAINT-REMY-DE-PROVENCE > LES BAUX-DE-PROVENCE > AVIGNON
One of the sites that inspired Vincent van Gogh, Saint-Rémy de Provence is a characteristic Provençal village with elegant buildings, pleasant squares, and charming pedestrian streets. Saint-Rémy de Provence is also well known for the Glanum Excavation Site where ruins from the ancient Graeco-Roman town are found. This extensive archaeological site includes the Monumental Gate from the 1st century BC and a monument in memory of Julius Caesar. We parked our car at the tourist information centre carpark, and walked the whole Van Gogh trail (most of the scene from the paintings are now replaced by buildings and houses), and also visited the Glanum excavation site before driving to Les Baux-de-Provence (15-20mins, 10km). Les Baux-de-Provence was awarded the title of one of the "Most Beautiful Villages" in France, this quaint village affords sweeping views of the Provence countryside and interesting cultural attractions. In its idyllic setting, the town boasts a majestic medieval fortified castle and beautiful Renaissance palaces. Les Baux-de-Provence has an impressive Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall) and an interesting church dedicated to Saint Vincent, the 4th century martyr. The Church of Saint-Vincent combines Romanesque, Gothic, and Cistercian styles. The town is well-known for its tradition of Christmas shepherds, who come to celebrate midnight vespers here. Les Baux-de-Provence also has a wonderful Museum of Santons that displays an extensive collection of Christmas nativity figures. Due to the lull season, a lot of the shops are closed. But on the positive side, there are less cars and tourists at the same time. We enjoyed the tour of this picturesque medieval village, and had our lunch at Restaurant avec terrasse. We left Les Baux-de-Provence in the evening and drive towards Avignon (42mins 39km) where we stayed in an apartment - My Pad Provence 2. |
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AVIGNON > PONT DU GARD > NIMES > MONTPELLIER
The ancient UNESCO World Heritage-listed town of Avignon is known for its well-preserved medieval ramparts. Visit the city's star attraction, the Pope’s Palace. Dominating the city skyline, this imposing fortress is considered one of Europe's biggest and most important medieval Gothic buildings. Its center, surrounded by medieval stone ramparts, contains the massive Palais des Papes and remains of the Saint-Bénezet bridge, also known as Pont d’Avignon. After touring around Avignon, we settled our lunch at the 1-star Michelin restaurant, Christian Etienne. From Avignon, we drove about 30 mins to Pont du Gard (25km), an ancient Roman aqueduct that crosses the Gardon River in the south of France. The bridge is part of the Nimes aqueduct, a 50km system built in the first century AD to carry water from a spring at Uzes to the Roman colony of Nemausus (Nimes). We spend more than an hour here, and drive towards Nimes (38m 25km) Nîmes, capital of the Gard department, is a popular tourist destination, notably on account of its Roman remains, and its attractive old town. First and foremost among the Roman remains are the Maison Carrée, the best preserved Roman temple anywhere, and the mighty Arena, one of three large Roman arenas in the south of France. Apart from these two major monuments of classical antiquity, Nimes has several other Roman remains, in particular the Temple of Diana and Tour Magne, a Roman tower that was once a part of the city's outer fortifications, and now stands at the top of the Jardins de la Fontaine, overlooking the town. The Nimes arena - though 2000 years old - is still used as a venue for events today, including concerts and French bull-fighting, a version of the Spanish tradition in which the bull is not killed. We spend the whole afternoon in Nimes, and had dinner here before heading to Montpellier (53 mins, 56km). Our accommodation in Montpellier was Hotel Ulysse Montpellier Centre. |
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MONTPELLIER > CARCASSONNE
Montpellier is a stylish metropolis with elegant buildings, grand hôtels particuliers (private mansions), stately boulevards and shady backstreets, and gorgeous white-sand beaches on its doorstep. Unlike many southern towns, Montpellier has no Roman heritage. Instead it was founded in the 10th century by the counts of Toulouse and later became a prosperous trading port as well as a scholarly centre – Europe’s first medical school was established here in the 12th century. Some of the tourist sites we visited include: Fabre Museum, Place de la Comedie, Canourgue Square, Saint-Pierre Cathedral, Montpellier Botanical Garden, Peyrou Triumphal Arch, Promenade du Peyrou, and Odysseum Shopping Centre. From Montpellier, we drove more than 2 hrs to Carcassonne. This well-preserved (and renovated) fortified city takes visitors into the world of the Middle Ages. The walled town, known as the Cité, is a totally enclosed world of narrow, winding cobblestone lanes and quaint old houses. Every street, square, and building has retained its medieval character. Must-see tourist attractions are the double-circuited ramparts with 54 towers and the 13th-14th-century Cathedral of Saint-Nazaire with spectacular stained-glass windows. We spend the night at a B&B, Aude Cite-City, and had our dinner at a nice local restaurant run, L'Ceil Le Resto, by two fat ladies. After our dinner, we braved the cold weather and walked to the walled town (really cold, especially when we crossed the bridge). Though most of the shops were closed, we strolled through the old town and helped us burn some calories after a big dinner :) This marked the end of our 4,000km driving trip in France (2 speeding tickets), and we took a train ride to Barcelona, Spain the following day. |