Archive for 'Curiosities in France'

Back in 1866, a family business was established in Cavaillon, France, selling Cavaillon melons at the entrance to the city. These melons are spherical and slightly smaller than the standard cantaloupe. The exterior has a pale gold skin with bluish-green vertical striping running from end to end and orange inner flesh with an intense floral yet tropical aroma and a very high sugar content. Available from mid-summer to fall, the fruit comes from Cavaillon and is a much-celebrated local product with special designation status. It can only be called a Cavaillon Melon if it is grown in Provence or in a part of the Durance valley and must be grown by farmers that belong to the product’s official association. Beloved of its hometown, statues, paintings, annual festivals, and a 9-ton melon sculpture at the entryway to the town all mark what it means to locals.

This beloved local melon can also be thanked for birthing the town’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, Maison Prévôt. This restaurant, which goes completely melon-themed for five months of the year, owes its origins to a trip to Paris in 1977, when Jean-Jacques Prévôt, chef and founder of Maison Prévôt broke down in the south of France, just outside Cavaillon.

Stunning Corsica is a little slice of paradise on earth and is filled with gorgeous towns and landscapes and wee surprises dotted all over the place. One such little surprise that you might find yourself stumbling upon is the Staircase of The King of Aragon (or the Escalier du Roi d’Aragon), an incredible stone stairwell carved out of the side of a cliff in Bonifacio. Steep, striking, and extraordinary, it is one of those unique curiosities about a place that one should pop along to and see for themselves while on holidays. If you have found a vacation rental in Corsica and are seeking out everything wonderful and special and unique about this beautiful island, swing by this rather unusual gem.

Colmar is a border city in France that is nestled physically and culturally against both France and Germany and Switzerland. It is the capital of the Alsacian wine region and is surrounded by vineyards and lovely pastoral landscapes. The charming city itself is pulled right from the pages of a colourful storybook, with little traditional houses in an astonishing array of pretty rainbow shades, floral displays and beds of bright blooms dotted all over, and a canal that runs through the historic centre of the city. It is said canal that has given this part of the city the nickname of “Little Venice” and, if you are exploring Colmar, it is an absolute must to ensure that you spend some time there in order to fully enjoy the picturesque prettiness and charming atmosphere for which the city is famous. Just browse our vacation rentals near Colmar and come explore this fairytale destination for yourself!

If you have found a vacation rental in Île-de-France, aka the “Paris Region” of France, you will find yourself with no shortage of things to see or do. However, for the cat-lovers among you, there is one thing that you should definitely make time for above all others in the area: a visit to Parc des Félins.

This very special zoological park is dedicated to the breeding and conservation of wild members of the cat family and is home to 30 of the 41 recognised species of felines that exist in the world. A total of around 140 cats roaming this 60 hectare park in Lumigny-Nesles-Ormeaux, Seine-et-Marne, about 53km southeast of Paris, and are just waiting to be admired.

The Old Port of Marseille is one of those romantic and perfectly scenic spots that makes for lifelong memories and magic moments. If you have found a vacation rental in Marseille, you should definitely set aside some time to visit this must-see star of the city and to go wander, experience all that it has to offer the discerning tourist, maybe grab a bite or a drink, and, ideally, time it to take in the sunset over this historic part of this city in France, the boats clustered around, and the glittering waters.

Located at the end of the Canebière, the main street of Marseille, the pedestrianised area that is the Old Port has been the natural harbour of the city since antiquity and remains a spiritual hub of Marseille as one of its most iconic areas. When the city was first founded by Greek settlers in 600BC, they originally built up their settlement around what is now the Old Port. It was the centre of maritime activity until the 19th century when new harbour moles, quays and docks were built to the north-west of the city, eventually resulting in the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille. While the Old Port was left in ruins after bombing by the Nazis in World War II, it has since been restored and is now a marina and a terminal for local boat trips, as well as a local fish market. In 2013, it was largely pedestrianised and renovated extensively under Michel Desvigne Paysagistes, with Foster and Partners following an international competition.