Archive for 'Curiosities in France'

Notre Dame du Haut, also known as Chapelle Notre-Dame-du-Haut de Ronchamp or Notre Dame du Ronchamp, is a Roman Catholic chapel in Ronchamp, France that was built in 1954. It is an immediately recognisable and distinctive building that is considered on of Le Corbusier and the 20th century's most important works. Beautiful, serene and unique, it is a must-see for architecture lovers and regular tourists alike. Just find a vacation rental in Burgundy and pay a visit to this extraordinary architectural gem yourself.

Franco-Swiss architect Le Corbusier was one of the 20th century's leading architects. He largely designed homes and apartment buildings and was interested in how people interacted with the spaces in which they dwelled. He wanted to come up with new, pleasant and efficient ways for living in the modern world. Notre Dame du Haut was, therefore, a rather unusual work in his oeuvre.

The Palais Garnier, also known as the Opéra Garnier, is one of Europe's largest and most incredibly beautiful opera houses.

It is famous as the haunt of Paul Leroux's “Phantom of the Opera” and for its picturesque, photogenic interiors that have been the setting for endless movies, television shows and photo shoots.

A truly wonderful example of Neobaroque architecture that is a gilded dream, it was begun in 1862 and was not completed until 1875. The main reason for the delay? An underground lake was discovered underneath the building during the process, obviously!

This lake still exists and is the real-life inspiration for where the fictional Phantom used to hang out.

Disneyland Paris, originally Euro Disney Resort, is one of those destinations that millions of kids dream to visit and makes for a wonderful memory for families and big kids alike. Attracting around 13.4 million visitors per annum, it is located in Marne-la-Vallée, a new town located 32 km east of the centre of Paris. It is the most visited theme park in all of Europe and covers 4,800 acres, encompasses two theme parks, many resort hotels, a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, a golf course, and several additional recreational and entertainment venues.

Planning a trip well in advance is key, especially if you are bringing little ones, so we have compiled a list of tips and tricks to bear in mind for those who have found a vacation rental in Paris and are thinking of visiting the resort.

If you have found a vacation rental in Paris, it is likely that you have plans to visit a few museums. However, if you wanted to try something a little bit different, there is a rather unique museum that should make it onto your list: “The Museum of Vampires and Legendary Creatures”.

Okay, technically, this museum is not actually located in Paris but on the outskirts, in Lilas, but is still accessible by the Paris Métro and is just a 15-minute Métro ride from the center of town. The closest Métro station to the museum is Porte des Lilas but the journey from Mairie des Lilas is much simpler.