Archive for 'Must See Attractions in France'

Annecy is an exceptionally pretty Alpine town that is famous for the utterly postcard-perfect cobbled streets, winding canals, and historic buildings in pastel hues of the Old Town and is a definite must-see for those who have found a vacation rental in the Rhône-Alpes region. However, beyond the charming town of Annecy itself, the area that surrounds is full of lots of incredibly beautiful vistas and special surprises. Among those surprises is the Parc Animalier de la Grande Jeanne, a unique zoo that is just ten minutes from the city of Annecy.

Located along the road to the ski resort of Semnoz, in La Grande Jeanne in the municipal forest, the park covers an area of 10,500 square metres, or ten hectares, and is home to two different species of non-domestic animals: deer (with around nineteen fallow deer and around nine red deer among them) and around twenty bighorn sheep of the Corsican mouflon variety. The Parc Animalier de la Grande Jeanne is not a traditional zoo with lots of different species of animals to spot and admire but one doesn’t feel as though they are missing out because of that. This special place has its own charms to appreciate in that it is both completely free of charge to visit and that the few animals that live here are free to roam all over as they please.

The lush and rugged landscape of Corsica is famously beautiful and is one of the countless things that makes it such an appealing holiday destination for many travellers. If you are in search of unforgettable scenery and views to cleanse your eyes and soul and a place where there is ample opportunity for heading out there, stretching your legs, breathing in the freshest of air, exploring, and getting far away from the normal routines and worries of everyday life, a vacation rental in Corsica is just the ticket!

However, not everyone who plans a vacation in Corsica will be up for long, laborious hikes – you are on holidays after all! So, if you are looking for a taste of the beauty of this part of the world and you want to do some leg-stretching without quite signing up for a major expedition then we recommend a trip to the impressive and lovely La Cascade de Piscia di Gallo.

Provence, as a region, is full of incredibly beautiful sights from endless lavender fields, to ancient monasteries, to stunning beaches, to perfectly pretty medieval towns full of architectural gems. If you have found a vacation rental in Provence and are exploring the region and you are looking for particularly lovely examples of the latter, we recommend a visit to the gorgeous town of Avignon in France and to the Palais des Papes.

In 1305, Clement V was elected as Pope and famously made the decision to transfer papal power to Avignon in order to avoid the political unrest of Rome at the time. With this move, a new home for the papal seat was required and the largest medieval gothic palace in the world was built upon the foundations of an old Episcopal bishop's palace. This building, though begun under Clement V was greatly expanded under Benedict XII in 1334 and then even further under Clement VI in 1342 when he joined Benedict XII's Palais Vieux (Old Palace) and the Palais Neuf (New Palace). All of these extensions and this expansion eventually added up to create the monumental gem full of incredible objects and a rich and complex history that we know today; it covers a whopping 15,000 square metres, boasts ten fortified towers, was home to Europe's largest library at the time, excellent frescoes and fresco cycles, and much more besides.

Have you dreamed of one day visiting the majestic and incredibly beautiful French Alps? Have you always wanted to head away on a winter break or spring break in France? Were you considering spending the Holiday Season abroad? With the winter holidays and school holidays coming up, it is the perfect time to plan a Christmas break for the Christmas holidays. Wake up to the stunning views, forget everything and tire yourself out on the slopes by trying out a variety of winter sports, maybe head to a Christmas market, if you're with children you can enjoy a whole host of family friendly activities, you can enjoy seasonal food and wine and the specific glamour of après-ski drinks, and relax in front of the fire at the end of long days of fun and adventure – what could be better for the soul? Just browse our vacation rentals in Rhône-Alpes and get planning the holiday in France of your dreams.

While you’re in the area, you should definitely make time to head to the incredible natural frozen lake in Tignes. This amazing wonder is but one of the many natural boons that Tignes can boast but also offers one of the most unique and unforgettable winter sports experiences that you could ever imagine enjoying on a holiday in France: ice diving.

Who doesn’t love a good bookshop? Particularly if it is an independent business, well-curated or unique, something that sets it apart, a thing that has become rarer and rarer in recent years. However, if you have found a vacation rental in ‎Île-de-France, head to the UNESCO-awarded medieval town of Provins for the day and you’ll find not only a charmingly pretty historic town but, also, one of the most unique and lovely little independent bookshops you could ever hope to lay your peepers on, Le Roy Lire.

Rather hidden away on an unassuming little street in Provins is one of the most remarkable bookstores that a bibliophile could wish to stumble upon. Le Roy Lire is a 13th century vaulted space located in the basement of an otherwise normal-looking building that is full of all sorts of medieval gems. The name of the store means “The King Read,” which is a play on words of the French title of Shakespeare’s King Lear, “Le Roy Lear” and quite a fitting name for a bookshop that is stuffed with a whopping 5,000 different written works that are about all things medieval: from great works of medieval literature to modern novels based in the Middle Ages to informative texts about the era.