Archive for 'Must See Attractions in France'

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.

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.

There is a specific kind of holiday that many desire, particularly if especially tired and in need of rest and relaxation: a spa getaway. From onsens in Japan to Turkish baths, there are various types of spa destinations and cultures all across the globe. In some parts of the world, these are luxurious manmade facilities that make use of cutting-edge technologies and others harness naturally-occurring thermal springs and the health-giving properties of the minerals that are found in these waters and yet others still combine the two. This latter situation is the case in France, where thermal springs and baths have been popular since Roman times and lead to the creation of various spa towns.

Some of these spa towns are now connected to globally famous brands that make beauty products and bottled water and some are less well-known to international audiences but are beloved of French travellers. In both cases, they still offer the most important thing: excellent spa facilities that will help you forget the weariness of daily life and get the rest and relaxation that you need and deserve. If you are planning a trip to France and want to visit a spa town then you’re in luck as we have compiled a list of five of the best towns that make for ideal destinations for your next spa getaway…

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.

In the last post, we introduced the exceptionally beautiful Palais Rohan de Strasbourg, which is a stunning example of French Baroque and a former dwelling of the prince-bishops and the cardinals of the House of Rohan, an ancient French noble family originally from Brittany. Today it is home to three of the city’s most important museums – the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Musée Archéologique, and Musée des Arts Décoratifs – and, as such, is a very important attraction and landmark in the city. If you have found a vacation rental in Alsace and are planning on exploring the lovely city of Strasbourg, it is definitely a must-see, not only for the incredible 18th century palace itself but also for the museums inside and their wonderful collections. Open daily (except Tuesdays) from 10am to 6pm and costing just €4 a piece to visit (or €2 at the reduced rate), they offer worlds of amazing art and design to get lost in at very reasonable price points.