Archive for 'History in France'

Brittany is well-known for her seaside resorts and cities, for gorgeous beaches and excellent surfing. Those who want to enjoy a vacation in Brittany, therefore, will have plenty of different destinations – each with their own charms and unique selling points to recommend them. Lately, however, we have a bit of a thing for the pretty seaside town of Carnac, on a peninsula on the southern coast of Brittany, halfway between the medieval town of Vannes and the seaside resort of Quiberon. Boasting a long history, several gorgeous beaches, ample activities to enjoy, wonderful wellness facilities, and some interesting local sights and attractions, Carnac is a popular tourist destination for good reason.

The three main things for which the area is known are, without a doubt: the beaches, the Carnac Stones, and the spas, so here is a guide to the main attractions that make booking a vacation rental in Carnac a great idea!

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Located on the north-west coast of France, in the region of Brittany, the charming walled city of Saint-Malo is historic, lovely, and steeped in culture. Now greatly expanded, the city is made up of the preserved and delightful walled old town and the more sprawling new town that expands beyond the port. A place of gorgeous beaches, quaint stone buildings, and wonderful architectural gems and the recognised as the most-visited place in the region, it is the ideal destination for your next vacation in Brittany.

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In the previous article we discussed the events that led to the discovery of the famous, “Sistine Chapel of Prehistory,” the Lascaux Cave located near the town of Montignac in France, 80 years ago this month by a group of young boys looking for a dog. They were surprised to find that the hole the dog fell into was actually a shaft that entered a cave system covered in prehistoric wall and ceiling paintings. This extraordinary attraction was then opened to the public for a few short years before the traffic of excited visitors and researchers constantly moving through the space led to damage of the precious paintings. As a result, the caves have been closed to the public since the 1960s. Luckily, however, detailed drawings and reproductions of the works had been done by one of the initial visitors, the Abbé Henri Breuil, and then later the artist Monique Peytrial, who spent more than ten years copying the art in the cave. From 1983, replicas of the paintings called Lascaux II, III, and IV were created nearby with IV being an incredible museum utilising the best of multi-media exhibitions and technologies to tell the story of the caves. So, if you have found a vacation rental in Montignac and want to learn more about this extraordinary place, there are still plenty of options even if the caves themselves are closed.     Read More

One of the most famous attractions in Paris has to be the city’s Catacombs. Lying below the elegant city streets, this creepy and fascinating gem, is hidden away and a must-see for anyone who has found a vacation rental in Paris and is planning a trip over mid-term break and in the weeks running up to Hallowe’en.

The catacombs back to the late 18th century, when public health problems in the city led to the decision to move the contents of Paris’ cemeteries to an underground site, which was actually just outside the capital at the time. Now absorbed by the bulk of the city, the former Tombe-Issoire quarries under the plain of Montrouge had been established in the 15th century and were subsequently abandoned after major collapses. Part of a large labyrinth of underground tunnels that extended for 800 hectares beneath the city, the quarries provided a perfect, vast space for human remains that was a good distance from the living citizens.

Between 1787 and 1814 bones from the parochial cemeteries of Paris were transported to their new homes further underground, briefly interrupted by the French Revolution. More transfers took place then again in 1840, during urban renovation by Louis-Philippe, and the space was reorganised under the Haussmannian reconfiguration of the city between 1859 and 1860. Officially consecrated as the “Paris Municipal Ossuary” on April 7th 1786, they came to also take on the name of the “Catacombs” after the Roman catacombs, which had so fascinated people since their discovery.     Read More