Rocamadour in the Dordogne valley east of Bordeaux is one of France’s top visitor attractions, but unlike most of the other entries in tourism’s Top Of The Pops, it has been a hit for centuries. Had visitor numbers been measured in the Middle Ages, Rocamadour would have topped such a statistic year after year, centuries…
Limoges is in possession of not one but two town centres. This does not make the capital of the Limousin province (located about half way between Paris and Bordeaux) unique as such, but its two richly storied ancient quarters, unlike most of the other town centre twins, are not conjoined. Centuries later, they still resemble…
What makes a great urban walk? First of all, it almost goes without saying, an urban walk should combine natural beauty with some urban rough. All cities are beautiful, says the American poet Christopher Morley, but their beauty is grim, and urban walks should provide an introduction into this grim beauty. But this is…
If it is true that geography is destiny (as is often said), the slopes of the Val d’Aosta have always been fated to be stacked with castles. The surrounding mountains make it difficult for a central authority to gain full control, while the valley’s remoteness from the power centres of its neighbouring countries (historically France…
The Alps are surrounded by large and fascinating cities (such as Turin, Salzburg, Munich) but have themselves little interesting architecture or history to offer. Human settlements in Europe’s highest mountain range have always tended to be small, and most were farming villages until recently – when they became skiing resorts. Either way, there is usually…
The Alps are a two-faced host. Up to an altitude of 1500 or 2000 metres, they welcome their visitors – at least for parts of the year – with a sunny smile and a warm embrace of lush fauna and colour. The barren wastelands and hostile peaks somewhere on the distant horizon do not impend…
Alpine walks have the reputation of being difficult, generally for good reasons. That does not mean that you are doomed to stick to the lowlands unless you are a dab hand at ropes and bottled oxygen. What it does mean, however, is that you must follow certain rules when looking for easy hikes 2000 metres…
Coastal resort towns all over the world are the same – or so I thought before I took a closer look. Since then, I believe that this is a sweeping generalization which, like all sweeping generalizations, contains a grain of truth and a lot of ignorance. In fact, resort towns can be 10 kilometres away…
Seen from the train to Marseille, the Le Ciotat shipyards are the town’s most conspicuous feature. If you stand in the city centre, however, facing these very shipyards from the marina, Le Ciotat’s “Triplet Peaks” easily rival the old docks in size and prominence. In local parlance, these peaks are known as the rochers de…
Never judge a travel destination by what you can see from afar. Chances are you will be lured into a trap by sights that promise more than they can deliver – or, much worse than that, deterred from taking a closer look by one particularly disfiguring element of the townscape. You will never know what…