Interesting spot on the maps, virtual sign seeing on the net.

Showing posts with label Europe - France. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Europe - France. Show all posts

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Padirac Cave


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The Padirac Chasm or Gouffre de Padirac is a cave located near Gramat, in the Lot département, in France.

The chasm itself is approximately 99 m (325 ft) around its rim with a diameter of approximately 35 metres (115 ft). Visitors descend 75 m via a lift or a staircase before entering the cave system. The cave, at a depth of 103 metres (338 ft), contains a subterranean river system that is partly negotiable by boat. This cave system is regarded as "one of the most extraordinary natural phenomena of the Massif Central".

Wikipedia - Padirac Cave

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Saint-Paul de Vence


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Saint-Paul or Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. One of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera, it is well-known for its modern and contemporary art museums and galleries such as Fondation Maeght which is located nearby.

Wikipedia - Saint-Paul-de-Vence

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Colette boutique


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Colette is a concept store and the preeminent Parisian fashion and style boutique founded in March 1997 by Colette Roussaux and her daughter, Sarah Lerfel. It is located at no. 213, Rue Saint-Honoré, in the heart of the fashion and luxury district in Paris.

Its 8,000 square feet (740 m2) cover three floors and were designed by the French architect Arnaud de Montigny.

The shop is known for its selection of clothing items and fashion accessories, its bookshop, and for its "water bar" in which more than 100 types of mineral waters are served. Moreover, exhibitions are regularly organized with artists, designers, or graphists such as Bruce Weber, Geneviève Gauckler, Kuntzel + Deygas, Michael Lau, Billionaire Boys Club, Paul Davis, Futura, John Maeda, Jean-Philippe Delhomme, Claude Closky, and Yves Saint Laurent. Colette is known for having the best selection of the most cutting edge designers in fashion, a few specifically worthwhile to note are Comme des Garçons, Dior Homme, Lanvin, Thom Browne, Proenza Schouler, and Gareth Pugh.

Source: Colette (boutique) - Wikipedia

Friday, April 23, 2010

Musée des Plans-Reliefs


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The Musée des Plans-Reliefs is a museum of military models located within the Hôtel des Invalides in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France. It is open daily except the first Monday of each month; an admission fee is charged.

The museum dates to 1668 when François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois and minister of war to Louis XIV, began a collection of three-dimensional models of fortified cities for military purposes, known as 'plans-relief'. The models gave particular attention to the city fortifications and topographic features such as hills, harbors, etc. In 1700 Louis XIV installed the collection in the Louvre. Initially the models were constructed in the field, by military engineers, but in 1743 two central workshops were established for their construction in Béthune and Lille. A large number of models were built during and after the War of the Austrian Succession (1741-1748) to represent newly-captured sites. The collection was updated in 1754, but then fell into some disuse; the final models built under the Ancien Régime were those of Saint-Omer (1758) and the fort Saint-Philippe aux Baléares (1759).

In 1774 the collection was nearly destroyed when its Louvre gallery was rededicated to paintings, but was in 1777 moved to the Hôtel des Invalides where it remains to this day. Under Napoleon, a new set of models was built for new conquests, including Luxembourg (1802), La Spezia (1811), Brest (1811), and Cherbourg (1811-1813). Their production then continued until about 1870, when it drew to a close with the disappearance of fortifications bastionnées. The collection was declared a historical monument in 1927, and the museum established in 1943.

All told, some 260 plans-reliefs were created between 1668 and 1870, representing about 150 fortified sites. About 100 models are conserved today by this museum, of which about 15 are kept in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lille. At present, the museum displays 28 plans-reliefs of fortifications along the English Channel, the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, and the Pyrenees. It also contains presentations on construction and use of the plans-reliefs.

Source: Wikipedia - Musée des Plans-Reliefs



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Sunday, February 14, 2010

Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris


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Musée des Arts Décoratifs, a museum of the decorative arts and design, 107 rue de Rivoli, Paris 1er, France. It is part of Les Arts Décoratifs.

Located in the Louvre museum's western wing, known as the Pavillon de Marsan, the museum was founded in 1905 by members of the Union des Arts Décoratifs. It houses and displays furniture, interior design, altar pieces, religious paintings, objets d'arts, tapestries, wallpaper, ceramics and glassware, plus toys from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Source: Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris - Wikipedia

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Clos de Vougeot


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Clos de Vougeot, also known as Clos Vougeot, is a wall-enclosed vineyard, a clos, in the Burgundy wine region, and an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) for red wine from this vineyard.[1] It was named for the River Vouge, which is in fact only a stream separating the village Vougeot from Chambolle-Musigny. At 50.6 hectares (125 acres),[2] Clos de Vougeot is the largest single vineyard in Côte de Nuits entitled to the grand cru designation, while Corton in Côte de Beaune is the largest grand cru in Burgundy as a whole.

Source: Wikipedia - Clos de Vougeot

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Bordeaux


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Bordeaux (in Gascon: Bordèu) is a port city on the Garonne River in southwest France, with one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area at a 2008 estimate. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture of the Gironde department. Its inhabitants are called Bordelais.

The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000. The city is among the world's major wine industry centres. Bordeaux wine has been produced in the region since the eighth century. The historic part of the city is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as "an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble" of the 18th century.

Source: Wikipedia - Bordeaux

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Château Lafite Rothschild


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Château Lafite Rothschild is a wine estate in France, owned by members of the Rothschild banking family of France since the 19th century. The name Lafite comes from the Gascon term "la hite" meaning "small hill".

Only four wine-producing Châteaux of Bordeaux achieved First Growth status in the 1855 Classification, which was based on recent prices. Of those, the first one in the list is Château Lafite Rothschild, a consistent producer of one of the world's most expensive red wines.

Source: Château Lafite Rothschild - Wikipedia

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Mont Blanc


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Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco (French and Italian, respectively, meaning white mountain) is the highest mountain in the Alps and in Western Europe.[1] It rises 4,810 m (15,781 ft) above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence. It is also sometimes known as "La Dame Blanche" (French, the white lady).

The mountain lies between the regions of Aosta Valley, Italy, and Haute-Savoie, France. The location of the summit is on the French-Italian border but French and Swiss cartographers place it within France's boundaries on maps. Lately, at the end of his studies of many different maps and with auxiliary of Istituto Cartografico dell’Esercito, Antonio Napolitano, the Italian leader of a mixed commission, claimed exclusive Italian ownership of the summit.[2][3]

The two most famous towns near Mont Blanc are Courmayeur, in Aosta Valley, Italy, and Chamonix, in Haute-Savoie, France — the site of the first Winter Olympics. A cable car ascends and crosses the mountain from Chamonix to Courmayeur.

Begun in 1957 and completed in 1965, the 11.6 km (7¼ mi) Mont Blanc Tunnel runs beneath the mountain between these two countries and is one of the major trans-Alpine transport routes.

The Mont Blanc Massif is popular for mountaineering, hiking, skiing and snowboarding.

Source: Mont Blanc - Wikipedia

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Musée d'Orsay


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The Musée d'Orsay is a museum in Paris, France, on the left bank of the Seine, housed in the former railway station, the Gare d'Orsay, an impressive Beaux-Arts edifice built between 1898 and 1900. It holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1915, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography, and is probably best known for its extensive collection of impressionist masterpieces by such painters such as Monet, Degas, Renoir, and Cezanne. Many of these works were held at the Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume prior to the museum's opening in 1986.

Musée d'Orsay - Wikipedia

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Musée Rodin




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The Musée Rodin in Paris, France, is a museum that was opened in 1919 in the Hôtel Biron and surrounding grounds. It displays works by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin.

Rodin used the Hôtel Biron as his residence from 1908, and subsequently donated his entire collection of sculptures (along with paintings by Vincent van Gogh and Pierre-Auguste Renoir that he had acquired) to the French State on the condition that they turn the building into a museum dedicated to his works.

The Musée Rodin contains most of Rodin's significant creations, including The Thinker and The Kiss. Many of his sculptures are displayed in the museum's extensive garden. The museum is one of the most accessible museums in Paris. It is located near a Metro stop, Varenne, in a central neighborhood and the entrance fee is very reasonable. The gardens around the museum building contain many of the famous sculptures in natural settings. Behind the museum building is a small lake and casual restaurant.

Additionally, the Metro stop, Varenne, features some of Rodin's sculptures on the platform.

The museum has also a room dedicated to works of Camille Claudel.

Source: Musée Rodin - Wikipedia

Friday, June 26, 2009

Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, Paris


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The Sacré-Cœur Basilica (French: Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, "Basilica of the Sacred Heart", pronounced [sakʁe kœʁ]), a Roman Catholic basilica, is a popular landmark in Paris, France, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The basilica is located at the summit of the butte Montmartre, the highest point in the city.

from Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, Paris - Wikipedia

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Omaha Beach


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Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the main landing points of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on June 6 1944, during World War II.

The beach was located on the northern coast of France, facing the English Channel, and was 5 miles (8 km) long, from (coming from the sea) east of Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes to west of Vierville-sur-Mer on the right bank of the Douve river estuary. Landings here were necessary in order to link up the British landings to the east with the American landing to the west at Utah beach, thus providing a continuous lodgement on the Normandy coast of the Bay of the Seine. Taking Omaha was to be the responsibility of United States Army troops, with sea transport provided by the U.S. Navy and elements of the Royal Navy. It's in Normandy

Source: Wikipedia

Monday, December 8, 2008

The Madeleine church


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L'église de la Madeleine (more formally, L'église Sainte-Marie-Madeleine; less formally, just La Madeleine), Madeleine Church in English, is a church occupying a commanding position in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. It was designed in its present form as a temple to the glory of Napoleon's army.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Ravoux Inn in Auvers-sur-Oise, the last home of Vincent van Gogh


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The Ravoux Inn is situated in the heart of Auvers-sur-Oise, a village 30 kilometers to the north of Paris, and was the last home of Vincent van Gogh. Approximately 70 oils he painted during his last 70 days in Auvers-sur-Oise, such as The Church at Auvers, Wheat Field with Crows.

Vincent van Gogh@Wikipedia
AUBERGE RAVOUX - MAISON DE VAN GOGH




Van Gogh 2009 Small Engagement Calendar


Van Gogh 2009 Small Engagement Calendar


Van Gogh Small Engagement Calendar: This calendar features a collection of Van Gogh images from various museums around the world.
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Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris‎


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The construction of the Gothic cathedral of Notre Dame, undertaken at the initiative of Maurice de Sully, began about 1160 and was completed within 40 years.

Around 1250, Jean de Chelles built the north arm and began work on the south arm, which was completed by Jean de Montreuil. From the middle of the 13th century to the beginning of the 14th century, the chapels of Notre Dame were constructed between the buttresses of the nave. The buttresses next to the chevet were built by Pierre de Montreuil and are particularly fine.

Notre-Dame then underwent considerable changes as new elements were added in the 18th century and others destroyed during the French Revolution.

Notre Dame's 12th century architecture, sculpture, and stained glass windows were restored during a major restoration project in 1864.

The Tours de Notre-Dame (Towers of Notre Dame) are amongst the great delights of Notre Dame and, provided you have the energy for the ascent, they provide a spectacular view over central Paris. The Towers ascend to 422 steps (226 feet) above ground level.




With your Paris Pass you can climb the towers of Notre Dame for free.

Notre-Dame de Paris is justly famous throughout the world. Almost intimidating in its gothic splendour, this is the work of hundreds of craftsmen and centuries of labour- an astonishing testament to cooperative civilisation.

Paris Pass


Saturday, November 8, 2008

Versailles Palace


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Château de Versailles – Site officiel – Résidence royale du Roi Louis XIV.



Days Tours from Paris

Versailles Orientation

Paris Trip's guide will drive you to Versailles Palace, residence of the Sun King, Louis XIV. Here, you will discover the famous "A la Francaise" gardens, as well as the Grand Trianon and The Petit Trianon with Marie Antoinette's Hamlet. Unguided visit for about an hour of the great apartments, the Hall of Mirrors, and the Queen's appartments.

ALSO AVAILABLE: Versailles guided tour. What is a guided tour? A guided visit is where a guide will accompany you through the visit inside of the Great Apartments, explaining as you go along your visit. If this is something you are looking for, then please click on "Guided visit of Versailles". The advantages are the guided visit and no waiting in long lines.


Les Gets, France


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Les Gets Official Website





holiday cottages in France

Euro Relais holiday homes – in France: Provence, Côte d’Azur, Paris, and more (click here to book online!)

Les Gets is a small, traditional village in the Les Portes du Soleil area of Savoy. There are shops, restaurants and entertainments in the village. There is an ice rink, cinema, bowling alley and an indoor swimming pool. If you’re feeling energetic, you can ski until 8 pm on the illuminated ‘La Boule de Gomme’ ski-run. You can easily reach Geneva, Lausanne, Montreux, Evian, Annecy and Chamonix (Mont Blanc) from Les Gets by car. This chalet is sheer paradise for lovers of the countryside.



Friday, November 7, 2008

Arc de Triomphe


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Arc de Triomphe@Wikipedia






Paris Pass

It’s simply the best way to see all that Paris has to offer while saving both money and time!

How You Benefit from The Paris Pass

  • Free entry to over 60 Attractions – including Arc de Triomphe, Musée du Louvre, Musée d’Orsay and many more.
  • Time saving at Attraction entrances – make the most of your sightseeing time through the convenience of simply swiping your Paris Pass to gain entry.
  • FREE travel on the Metro and other Public transport within Paris.
  • Other Special Offers – Various offers for popular Paris restaurants such as the Hard Rock café and a discount on the Paris Express Sightseeing bus tour.

You can visit as many attractions as you want - even more with the time saved with fast track entry. You don't need to carry too much cash as the Paris Pass keeps control on your spending.



See Paris For Free - Buy Paris Pass Now

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Eiffel Tower


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Paris Trip, the minibus tour specialist in Paris, runs its own fleet of vehicles and welcomes tens of thousand of visitors every year at the doorstep of their hotel in Paris.



Paris Orientation Tour + Lunch at the Eiffel Tower

After being picked up from your hotel in Paris, you will start with the city tour, escorted by driver guide. He / She will show you around Paris, the "must see" of Paris in 2 hours :Champs-Elysees, Arch of Triumph, Concorde Square, Invalides*, Eiffel Tower and Trocadero*, The Opera, Notre-Dame Cathedral*, Louvre Palace-Museum, Orsay Museum, Madeleine Church. During the tour, the driver guide will explain the different monuments or landmarks, its history, and its particularity.

Following the City Tour, your driver guide will drop you off at the foot of the Eiffel Tower for lunch, at "Altitude 95". This restaurant is situated on the 1st Floor. You will take the elevator (without waiting in line, which may be extremely long in the summer) straight to the restaurant. A table will be already reserved under your name.

Enjoy your lunch and the Panoramic view of Paris. After lunch, you may browse around at the Eiffel Tower, get some souvenirs or send a postcard from the Eiffel Tower. The postcard will have a special stamp on it, a sign of Eiffel Tower.