Tour of France

Cannes,Baux

First stop at Cannes for a tour of the beautiful Croisette where among other things the Palace of the Film Festival is located, then to Les Baux de Provence, a village on a hill with very particular architecture due to the type of stone used in the constructions which has universally given its name to bauxite. The small centre is perched on a rocky spur and is sparsely inhabited; we arrived in the evening and found only barking dogs there. Passing through the characteristic St. Remy de Provence we stayed overnight near Avignon.

Arles,St.Marie de la Mer,Carcassonne

The following morning, visit to the Palace of the Popes where in the 1300s the Pontiffs moved from Rome, and to the famous ancient bridge of the City of which only a few arches remain standing. In the afternoon, transfer to Arles with the Roman remains of the Amphitheatre still used for shows and of the Necropolis of the Alyscamps. The latter is a suggestive avenue lined with Roman sarcophagi and tombstones. Also interesting is the Place de la République where a Church with a beautiful portal faces. From here we enter the Camargue Park, reaching the sea at Saintes Maries de la Mer, Capital of the gypsies of the whole World. Unfortunately this marsh area is disappointing for us, we see neither the pink flamingos nor the famous native horses. In the evening we are at Carcassonne, a medieval City with a splendid double ring of walls.

Wandering through the historic centre is like entering a fairy tale, the heavy restoration seems not to have led to the faithful reconstruction of walls and towers but the impact is remarkable. In the evening we stay overnight at Albi.

Albi,Tolosa,Lourdes,Rocamandour

The following morning we see the rosy Cathedral of Albi, perhaps the largest building in the world built entirely of bricks. We then transfer to Toulouse to see the historic centre with the large Place du Capitole dominated by the Town Hall. In the afternoon to Lourdes where we go to the very famous Sanctuary of the Madonna, one of the main places of Catholic pilgrimage where numerous faithful come to ask help from the Mother of God. The Sanctuary is composed of three Churches, one of which is underground. Here too there is a "low season" and during our visit we do not see very many people. With a long transfer we arrive at night at Rocamadour which, after crossing a hilly area, appears to us illuminated in all its splendour. Here we stay overnight.

Rocamandour,Lascaux,Bourges

The following morning, visit to the beautiful small town rich in extraordinary monuments clinging to a steep rock overlooking a gorge. Honestly, with the sunlight palaces and Churches lose part of their charm but the Castle that dominates the town is still spectacular. Passing through Les Eyzies de Tayac-Sireuil and Montignac where we have lunch, we reach the caves of Lascaux famous for the most beautiful prehistoric engravings discovered dating back to 13000 BC. In effect those we see are only a reproduction because visiting the original cave a short distance away would entail its deterioration. Passing through Limoges, transfer to Bourges where we slept, not before having seen in the evening the beautiful facade of the Cathedral.

Blois,Chambord,Chaumont,Chenonceaudx,Amboise

The following day was dedicated to the Castles of the Loire starting from that of Blois. Unlike many other castles this one is in the very middle of the historic centre and is a very beautiful polychrome construction dominated by the entrance surmounted by the equestrian statue of a sovereign and the monumental spiral staircase. Also interesting is the interior in which we often notice depicted the lily of Florence in memory of Maria de' Medici who lived here. The great Castle of Chambord is also beautiful and is surrounded by a very well-tended garden; we limit ourselves to observing it from the outside. The smaller Castle of Chaumont dominates the Loire from the top of a hill and is linked to the memory of another Medici, Catherine.

We limit ourselves to looking at it from the outside then reach the nearby Castle of Chenonceaux, another residence linked to Catherine who lived there after having driven out her husband's lover. This is a truly particular Castle because it develops over a bridge that crosses the river with beautiful marble arches. We then proceed to Amboise whose Castle dominates the Loire Valley. Via a broad covered spiral staircase that was once also traversed by horses we go up a tower from which one enjoys a beautiful panorama. In the garden the statue of Leonardo da Vinci whose remains rest in the nearby Chapel. Leonardo spent his last years in this city as a guest of a smaller Castle, Clos Lucé, which we visit. Although considered a Castle of the Loire, Clos Lucé is architecturally very different from those seen so far and merits a visit only in memory of the great genius.

We transfer to the vicinity of Poitiers where we stay overnight.

The next day, visit to the theme park on new video technologies of Futuroscope near Poitiers which honestly does not enthuse us, and overnight stay at Nantes.

Carnac,Concarneau,St.Thegonnec,Guimiliau,Cap Frehel,Dinan,St.Malo

The following day we enter Brittany where we have breakfast in the typical small town of Carnac then visit a field of menhirs in its surroundings. The menhirs are megalithic monuments, pointed stones that were aligned by prehistoric men and whose meaning is still uncertain. We proceed to Concarneau, a fortified citadel situated on a small island connected to the mainland. Here the phenomenon of the tides is evident, the port hosts numerous fishing boats, fishing being the main activity of the area. The interior of Brittany offers us the suggestive images of the sculptural Calvaries of St. Thegonnec and Guimiliau on a pale Sunday in March. From Brittany to Normandy to see Cap Frehel, an impressive cliff plunging into the sea topped by a lighthouse, and the nearby Fort la Latte.

After a very brief stop to observe the walls of Dinan we reach the fortified city of St-Malo where, after an evening visit to the port, we stay overnight.

Raid to the Channel Islands

The following day we depart from here for a Tour by hydrofoil to the Channel Islands which belong to the British Crown (see the specific itinerary) and return to St-Malo in the evening.

Mont Saint Michel,Omaha Beach,Honfleur,Rouen,Amiens

In the morning we stop at Mont St. Michel where it is possible to observe the phenomenon of the tide that transforms the hill hosting the Monastery into an island in the middle of the sea. Besides the peculiarity of the tides, the place is truly very beautiful with its religious buildings clinging one on top of the other to make the most of the little space of the hill. From here to the large American cemetery of the soldiers fallen in the Normandy landings at Omaha Beach. It is impressive to see the enormous number of crosses lined up on a very well-tended lawn. To think that each of those white marble crosses corresponds to a fallen soldier really makes one reflect on the tragedy of war. Passing through Bayeux we stop at the characteristic Honfleur in whose little harbour, surrounded by old houses, pleasure boats are moored.

In the late afternoon we are at Rouen after having seen its beautiful Gothic Cathedral. The city is linked to the memory of Joan of Arc who here, after a summary trial, was burned at the stake on the charge of witchcraft. We proceed to Amiens where we stay overnight after having seen the beautiful facade of the Gothic Cathedral.

Compiegne,Chantilly,Saint Denis,Chartres

First stop in Compiegne to see one of the three Royal Palaces of France (the others being Versailles and Fontainebleau). We enter the sumptuous rooms once inhabited by sovereigns, Napoleon Bonaparte included. The Palace has its own important estate that we glimpse from the large windows as we observe the majestic Empire-style furniture. It's a gloomy day in Compiegne but when we move on to Chantilly the sun welcomes us, illuminating the immense gardens around the Castle. The building is fairy-tale-like and is lapped by a moat. From here, avoiding the center of Paris, we enter the suburb of St. Denis, in whose Cathedral are kept the remains of the Kings of France, desecrated during the Revolution and reassembled in a common grave. There are nevertheless numerous funerary monuments of the Sovereigns.

In the evening we go to Chartres to visit its Cathedral, considered the greatest masterpiece of French Gothic and among the most distinguished monuments in the world built in that style. A masterpiece within a masterpiece are the stained-glass windows, said by experts to be among the finest works of their kind. Near the city we stay the night again in a "Formula1."

Versailles,Fontainebleau,Troyes,Nancy

We move on to Versailles, where the morning is entirely dedicated to visiting the Royal Palace. It's a gloomy day, we are greeted by fog and rain—certainly not the ideal moment to visit the great gardens, especially since in this season the monumental fountains and their water displays are not operating. From the wide forecourt embraced by the wings of the Palace, the grandeur of the construction is evident, enriched by fine architectural details. Inside the Palace, opulence reigns supreme, at times even too heavy, an ostentation of wealth that makes it a bit kitsch. We visit numerous areas such as the King's Apartments, the Queen's Apartments, and the long Hall of Mirrors. The guide made available to us explains the incredible rituals tied to the court of Louis XIV, who venerated his Sovereign so much that merely watching him wake, dress, or fall asleep was considered a privilege.

Every simple daily gesture of the Sun King was idolized. After all, it was this very Sovereign who wanted to move the court from Paris to here, undertaking the construction of this immense Palace on the site of a small castle near a hunting estate. Certainly the King would never have thought that these walls in the following centuries would witness, among other things, the French Revolution, the fall of the Monarchy, and the ratification of the treaty of the same name following the end of the First World War. From here we move on to another historic residence, the Palace of Fontainebleau. Older than Versailles, this enormous Palace served as the residence of the royals after the restoration of the Monarchy. Here lived Napoleon Bonaparte and Napoleon III, the King who played a leading role in the history of the Italian Risorgimento.

Many acts relating to the Wars of Independence that led to the Unification of Italy passed through the rooms of Fontainebleau, which still preserve the furnishings and many objects of those times. The Palace is set within the forest of the same name, which for centuries was a hunting estate of the Crown. In the late afternoon we move on to Troyes, the capital of the Champagne region, to see the Gothic Cathedral. It is in this city that I eat the best kebab of my life—one expects to find good wine in Troyes (but I don't drink)—and instead you enjoy a delicious typical product of Arab cuisine. In the evening we reach Nancy to see Place Stanislas, rightly considered one of the most beautiful squares in the world. The square is very large, surrounded by fine buildings and bordered by wrought-iron gates with gold leaf.

The whole is at once majestic and elegant; even the streetlamp lighting is skillfully distributed, offering the ensemble a play of light and shadow. We sleep near the city.

Salisburgo,Lione

Once we reach Strasbourg, one of the three cities hosting the European Parliament as well as other international organizations, we visit the historic center dominated by the tall bulk of the Gothic Cathedral, once the tallest building in the world. Unfortunately it's hard to fully appreciate it; if you're too close you don't get a complete view, if we move away we can see the tall bell tower but not the building in its full width because the Cathedral is surrounded by other buildings that prevent a proper view. A long transfer takes us to Lyon, where in the afternoon we visit the center, from the wide avenues of the lower part, to the historic neighborhoods that extend over the hills from which you can enjoy the panoramic view over the river that crosses the city.

Lyon doesn't fascinate us that much, perhaps it would deserve a more thorough visit, but we instead continue south and stop to sleep at a "Formula 1" in Aix en Provence.

Montecarlo,Mentone

From Aix en Provence we continue southeast on the way back to Italy. Without getting out of the car we leave France for a few minutes, passing through the Avenues of the Principality of Monaco (see the relevant itinerary). We re-enter France near Menton, where we stop one last time before crossing the border with Italy at Ventimiglia.