Archive for 'Tourist Attractions in France'

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.

If you are visiting France, you will no doubt end up going to see a historical monument or two during your holiday and there are lots of incredible gems from the rich and complex past of the nation that are located all over the country. From the castles of the Loire Valley, to the stunning cathedrals dotted throughout the cities of France, from impossibly famous monuments like the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe to the Catacombs beneath Paris, from Roman aqueducts to whole preserved towns bombed during WWII, there are all sorts of incredible historical attractions to visit in France. However, if you are slightly more interested in a time further back, in prehistory, then you are also in luck. Lascaux Cave, or the Grotte de Lascaux, is a complex of caves near the village of Montignac that is covered in prehistoric drawings. While the original caves themselves cannot actually be visited anymore due to their deteriorating condition, there are full-scale replicas located in museums nearby that visitors can go to observe. So, if you have found a vacation rental in Montignac be sure to go and check them out!

The Loire Valley of France is famously home to some of the most beautiful castles in the world. These châteaux are the closest thing that one can probably expect to find to Disney castles and fairytale backdrops and a must-see for those who have browsed our vacation rentals in Pays De La Loire and are exploring this part ofFrance. The region is home to plenty of truly magical castles but one of the best-known and most beloved examples has to be the Renaissance masterpiece that is the Château de Chenonceau.

Often described as the epitome of “feminine” gracefulness in architecture, the Château de Chenonceau, combines late Gothic and Renaissance styles of architecture in its smooth white walls, high sloped roof, pretty curved turrets and towers, plush and opulent interiors, and the elegant flower gardens that surround. This charmingly lovely and aesthetically pleasing nature led to the castle winning the hearts of endless esteemed ladies throughout history and it was, accordingly, nicknamed the, “Ladies’ Château.” Furthermore, the fingerprint of many important female figures on the building is apparent in its design, additions, and alterations.

Paris is home to lots of truly incredible museums and, in particular, if you are interested in the Impressionists, you'll find ample opportunity to greet and examine some of the most iconic, beloved, representative, famous, and best examples of works from the school in various museums and galleries located around the city. However, if you have found a vacation rental in Paris and you are a Monet fan there is one museums that cannot be missed, the Musée de l'Orangerie.

If you have found a vacation rental in Paris and end up making your way to the beautiful Musée Rodin, you will likely be visiting with the intention to view the extraordinary works of that artist to whom the museum is dedicated and for whom it is named. However, many do not realise, until they get to the museum, that there are lots of other fascinating works of art and exceptional artists who are represented by the collection. In fact, you may be surprised to stumble across other rather famous names in addition to Rodin, such as Van Gogh.

Unlikely a work that many are immediately familiar with but a telling and beautiful example from the artist's oeuvre and readily recognisable as the distinct style of Van Gogh, the work, “Portrait of Père Tanguy” (1887) is today's Art Focus and a piece that we recommend seeking out in the Musée Rodin. Executed in attractive and bright pastel tones, the portrait of this gentleman is set against a backdrop of the Japanese prints that he sold, which were also hugely influential on Van Gogh's work and a great passion of the artist's. This piece, therefore, can be seen as a visualisation of this great inspiration and fascination of his as well as a serene and beautiful portrait of, and tribute to, one of the first art dealers to ever sell Van Gogh's work and someone whose friendship Van Gogh greatly valued. In fact, it is just one of three portraits that the artists painted of him and one of two portraits of Tanguy by Van Gogh that are on display in the Musée Rodin.