Archive for 'Tourist 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.

We have previously noted how incredibly beautiful and special the town of Colmar is: a border city in France that is sandwiched physically and culturally between France, Germany, and Switzerland. The capital of the Alsacian wine region, it is surrounded by vineyards and lush rural landscapes, and it is famously pretty, with cobbled streets, colourful half-timbered houses, and the beloved “Little Venice” district of the town. Little Venice is exactly what it says on the tin, a little version of Venice that is made up if pretty little houses in different shades that once reflected the occupations and trades of their inhabitants, clustered along a canal that cuts through the town. So, you can imagine just how cute the town is on a daily basis. Now give that a Christmas makeover and add a few Christmas markets and just picture it. Sounds pretty magical, right? Well, on top of that there are plenty of other reasons why you should pick Colmar for a winter getaway in France. Looking to get away this Holiday Season, well, here are five great reasons to find a vacation rental in Colmar this year.

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…