Ideas help you in the Louvre Museum

The Musée du Louvre in Paris is perhaps the most famous museum in the world.
1. Getting into the building
The long queues at the Pyramid entrance in the centre
of the Louvre are almost as famous as the museum itself.
Getting in line for an entrance ticket at the Pyramid can sometimes take as long as an hour.
That’s hardly surprising when 15,000 people a day visit the building.
But did you know that there are four other entrances?
If you want to avoid the queues then try using the entrance
at the Porte des Lions just east of the Pont Royal; at number 99 the Rue du Rivoli; at the Arc du Carousel or directly from the Metro station Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre (platform on line 1).
You can escape the queues completely by purchasing your ticket in advance at FNAC or other department stores.
There’s usually a small fee of a couple of euros per ticket for this service.
2. Good value tickets
Entrance to the Louvre is €9. If you head there after 6pm on a Wednesday or Friday, entrance is reduced to just €6 and the museum is open until 9.45pm.
Entrance is free for under 26s on Friday evenings.
On Bastille Day (14 July) and the first Sunday of each month entrance
is free for everyone, all day.
Be warned though, the galleries get even more busy at these times.
3. Get the view of an expert
The Louvre is massive. There are 35,000 works of art and 380,000 museum objects to see.
It’s so huge that it would take you a whole
day just to walk through all the galleries, never mind seeing any of the art.

In fact, a good way to get an overview of this enormous museum is to take one of the excellent guided tours, which depart from under the Pyramide throughout the day.
Tours are available in a variety of languages and are aimed at different levels, from first-time visitors to art experts. Tour times vary daily
so check the board when you arrive to see what’s on offer that day.
4. Check in advance
Of course, no trip to the Louvre is complete without seeing the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. The Louvre have a habit of moving these
masterpieces around the building at short notice, so if you want to avoid wandering endless galleries needlessly
then take a quick look at their website before you visit www.louvre.fr.
5. Stop and recharge
With so many galleries, you’ll be in need of refreshment.
There are good places to eat and drink in the Louvre, but be warned that the Café Denon and Café Richlieu are rather expensive. Better value can be had at the Café Mollien (on the first floor) which also has a summer terrace.
But if you want to escape the building
you can get good snacks and light lunches in the
many cafés in the beautiful Jardins des Tuileries.
Also look out for the mobile snack stands which serve good
quality coffee at half the price of the museum cafés.

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Louvre Museum

The national museum of France is Louvre and is situated in Paris.
It is one of the most historic pieces of art that has been restored by the French.
There is a very common saying for the French that they consider
themselves the best in the world. One can only be less or equal
but never better than them.
The museum is spread in a total area of 652,300 square feet and has more than thirty five thousand objects placed in it.
It is almost impossible to see the entire museum in a couple of hours and do justice to every piece of art that is placed from the 6th century BC till the 19th century AD.
This museum was actually built as the fort for Philip II and some remains of the fort are still present, not exactly in its best shape.
A lot of changes in terms of its structure have been made to give it the present look and finally it was decided to keep the royal collection in the museum.
The museum was inaugurated in 1739.
However, due to some infrastructural problems, it was shut down for almost a period of 5 years. Some of the most famous pieces
of art that is displayed is the Antonio Canova’s Psyche, the Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa painting, some handprints and drawings, Egypt, Greek, and roman antiques, along with handmade cultures and beautiful glass paintings.
The museum thus has a very rich heritage that has made the French proud of it.

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Versailles city

Versailles a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles
was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789.

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Toulouse - france

Toulouse is a city in southwest France on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way
between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
the Toulouse metropolitan area is the fifth-largest in France.
Toulouse is the home base of the European aerospace industry
Toulouse was the capital of the former province of Languedoc
It is now the main city of the Midi-Pyrénées region, the largest region
in metropolitan France.
It is also the main city of the Haute-Garonne

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strasbourg - france

Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in north-eastern France.
Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin department.
Strasbourg is the seat of several European institutions such as the Council of Europe and the Eurocorps as well as the European Parliament and the European Ombudsman of the European Union. Strasbourg is an important centre of manufacturing and engineering, as well as of road, rail, and river communications.
The port of Strasbourg is the second largest on the Rhine after Duisburg, Germany.
The city is the seat of the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine.
Strasbourg's historic city centre, the Grande Île, was classified
a World Heritage site by UNESCO

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Paris History - part 6

- 1940: Nazi Germany invades Paris and marches on the Champs-Elysées.
A four-year occupation begins. General Charles de Gaulle flees to London and leads a resistance movement from abroad, sending messages to resistants over British radio.
- 1942: The collaborationist Paris government helps organize the massive deportation of French Jews to Nazi concentration camps
first assembling them at the Velodrome d'Hiver near the Eiffel Tower.
- 1944: Paris is liberated by Allied forces.
The city narrowly escapes destruction by the Nazis when
an officer refuses to obey Hitler's orders.

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Paris History - part 5

- 1799: A revolutionary general named Napoleon Bonaparte stabilizes the unruly government.
He becomes Emperor in 1804.
His emperorship puts a hiatus on France's struggle toward a Republic-- this is well-symbolized by Napoleon's moving into the former royal seat of power at Versailles.
The Emperor's taste for power and conquest lead to the colonization of large swathes of North Africa. He is defeated at Waterloo in 1815.
-Mid-19th century: The Paris that still largely remains today is constructed by Baron Haussmann, under the direction of Napoleon III.
Wide boulevards and a sewer system replace most of the narrow, cramped medieval and Renaissance-era streets of the city.
-1870: Following a disastrous war with the Prussians, the third Republic
is declared, marking the beginning of democratic institutions in France.
The Belle Epoque opens, another artistically and culturally fertile time in Paris history. Art nouveau architecture and artistic movements like impressionism take the world by storm.
-1920's and 1930's: Paris is one of the world's most important hotbeds of experimentation in art and literature. Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso
and the "Lost Generation" of English-speaking writers like Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, James Baldwin, Gertrude Stein, and Ezra Pound make Paris their home.

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Paris History - part 4

- 1643: At age 5, Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, becomes king of France. His reign introduces a period of major prosperity-- not to mention decadence. The King builds Versailles in 1623, displacing the center of power from the Palais Royal in central Paris to the countryside.

- 1774: Louis XVI ascends to the throne.
Known for his political and social ineptitude and his curious fixation with locks and clocks
he is married to Marie Antoinette, the adolescent daughter of powerful Austrian empress Maria Theresa.
- July 14, 1789: The Bastille prison in Paris is stormed and burned to rubble, marking the beginning of the French Revolution.
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette are widely accused of rampant
decadence and indifference to the plight of the people.
- 1792: Fall of the monarchy and declaration of the first French republic.
In 1793, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette are guillotined.
- 1793-1799: The Revolutionary "reign of terror" leads to thousands of executions and general chaos, and Paris is the center of it.
Religion is banned and a new calendar is established.

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Paris History - part 3

- includes the Louvre begins, surrounding the medieval city.
- Late 14th century: Nearly half of Paris' population is annihilated
by plague, also known as the Black Death.
- 1449: Joan of Arc and French troops defeat the English
at Orléans, ending nearly a decade of Norman English control over France.
The English are eventually driven from France in 1453.
- Late 15th century: The Renaissance (literally, "rebirth") begins in Paris, turning the city into a flourishing center of art, science, and architecture.
Technological advances lead to the city's sprawl.
- Late 16th century: Bloody religious conflicts between Protestants
and Catholics lead to the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre.
Over 3000 Protestant Huguenots perish in the massacre.

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Paris History - part 2

-Around 250 A.D.: Lutetia is christianized. The first churches are built.
- 4th-9th centuries: Frankish and Norman invasions.
Clovis I pronounces the kingdom of Gaul and renames Lutetia Paris.
-1163: Construction of the Notre Dame Cathedral begins.
It would take almost two centuries to complete the masterpiece of early gothic architecture.
- 12th and 13th century: Other important monuments and sites are built, including the Sorbonne and the Sainte-Chapelle cathedral.
The swamp (Marais) on the right bank of the Seine is drained and the city expands north of the Seine. Around 1200, construction of a fortress that

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Paris History - part 1

Paris has been a thriving metropolis and a center
of intellectual and artistic achievement for centuries.
The city's roots reach to the 3rd century B.C., and influences as diverse as Celtic, Roman, Scandinavian, and English are woven into the city's rich heritage.
Key Dates in Paris History
- 3rd century B.C.: The area around L'Ile de la Cité is settled by a tribe of Celtic fishermen, the Parisii. The settlement is named Lutetia.
- 52 B.C.: The Roman Empire under Julius Caesar seizes the city
which becomes part of the Roman territory known as Gaul.

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Nice city - franch

Nice is a city in southern France located on the Mediterranean coast, between Marseille, France, and Genoa, Italy, with 347 060 inhabitants in the 2006 estimate.
The city is a major tourist centre and a leading resort on the French Riviera
It is the historical capital city of the County of Nice .

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Marseille City

Marseille is the 2nd most populous French city as well as the oldest city in France.
It forms the third-largest metropolitan area, after those of Paris and Lyon.
Located on the south east coast of France on the Mediterranean Sea, Marseille is France's largest commercial port. Marseille is the administrative capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, as well as the administrative capital of the Bouches-du-Rhône department.
Its inhabitants are called Marseillai

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Lyon - france

Often described, even by the Parisians, as being like Paris but without the crowds
France’s second city, Lyon, is a chic metropolis but with a style and frenetic pace all of its own.
Built on the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône rivers, the city has been an important centre since Roman times, clustered around the ancient Vieux Lyon district and the baffling warren of traboules
the former heart of the silk industry. Beyond the city limits lie the rich heartlands of French gastronomy and the winelands of Beaujolais, Burgundy
and Côtes du Rhône, providing Lyon with some of the finest of fine dining.
When it comes to food, Lyon is second to none.
Literally Lyon
La Croix-Rousse in Vieux Lyon was the centre of Lyon’s silk industry, criss-crossed by narrow traboules (alleyways)
once used by the silk workers to transport their precious cargo down to the river barges.
Lyon is still a good place to buy silk scarves.

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Burgundy - franch

Located in the heart of France, Burgundy is a region of peaceful canals
well-tended vineyards and rural charm – the epitome of la vie Française.
But this rich, rolling farmland also has a fascinating history as a once powerful duchy
whose traces can still be seen in the imposing Ducal Palace in the mediaeval centre of Dijon
the beautiful Cistercian abbey of Fontenay
and the many Romanesque churches that dot the hills and plains.
Today, Burgundy’s power and influence lies in its food and wine and its wealth is contained within the rich gastronomie bourguignonne and precious Côte d’Or vintages.
Beautifully Burgundy
Burgundy is a wine and food lover’s paradise. Satisfy both passions on a one-day gastronomy tour, organised by Burgundy on a Plate
where you can sample cheese, wine and famous regional dishes to your heart’s content.

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cannes film festival - franch

The Cannes Film Festival founded in 1946, is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious film festivals.
The private festival is held annually at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès
in the resort town of Cannes, in the south of France.

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Cannes - france

The red carpet only gets rolled out for a fortnight a year
but the Film Festival embues Cannes with perennial flashbulb glamour.
The Regency architecture is as smart and elegant as the natives; shop for swish
brands on Rue d’Antibes, or try the old town, aka Le Suquet, for foodie and gift shops.
Sip some rosé, nibble on a salade Niçoise, sashay up and down La Croisette
where every hotel has its own beach
if anywhere allows you to star in your own movie, this is it.

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Bordeaux - france

Bordeaux is a city of grandeur and sophistication, of old money and legendary vintages
where connoisseurs can take the time to savour wines and cuisine perfected over generations.
This grande dame on the banks of the softly-flowing Garonne ages with effortless grace
its wide boulevards, majestic squares and elegant 18th-century mansions are filled with timeless charm. Surrounded
by ancient châteaux and some of the most valuable vineyards in the world, each autumn harvest brings another crop of imperious reds and sweet whites.
Beyond, the precious earth fades into the dunes of the Atlantic seaboard
where the waters are rich with oysters and seafood destined for the tables of the Bordeaux’s gourmands.
Here the good life is served on a plate and time is measured by the popping of corks.
Beautifully Bordeaux
Bordeaux is perhaps the world’s greatest wine region and you can visit numerous vineyards and châteaux.
In the Médoc region to the north of the city you can visit one of the finest vineyards at the world-famous Château Margaux
Local knowledge

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Avignon

City of history and city of theater, the fortified city of Avignon will not leave you in different. Avignon's architecture is marked by papal history.
Going through any of the seven doors of the superbly preserved
walls one discovers the city of the Popes.
The Palace of the Popes built in the 14th century overlooks a lively square.
Nearby are the museums the Petit Palais and Palais du Roure, not too far away
stands the famous Pont d'Avignon.
Avignon - Pont Saint BenezetTake your time wandering about the streets of Avignon, The ancient streets, the courtyards of the private
mansions, the renovated facades will all charm you! One of the most elegant streets is the rue Joseph Vernet, adjacent to the Calvet museum and the Requien Museum.
Don't miss the Antiquaire quarter, the Place de l'Horloge or the Chemin de Ronde which will take you to the Rocher des Doms.
From the top of the ramparts you can understand why the site was chosen for a fort:
Avignon stands high above the immense
plains of the Rhône River and is the strategic point of the whole valley.
Avignon Place et RempartsThe theater festival has made Avignon important in modern times. Started in 1947 by Jean Vilar, every year between the 10th of July and the 5th of August nearly 120,000 spectators come to discover new talent or admire those actors already known
These shows (dance, theater or music) are enhanced
by the background of powerful history and often appear renewed
or refreshed in this environment.
The Off Festival is a series ot street shows set up by would be actors and is considered to be an excellent work lab for these aspiring young people.
Late at night when the shows are over the terraces fill up with actors and spectators alike all creating a unique atmosphere
found only in Avignon in the summer.

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Versailles - franch

Versailles is the palace of the versalmonator, means a power house or a chateau.
In the older days, Versailles was a small village, it is only now that
it is a sub urban part of Paris which is the capital of France.
Versailles in late 17th century
was considered the strongest political power house where the monarch used to sit
when the royal family was enforced to come back to Paris.
The political side to the building has made it so famous that tourists like to pay their visit to this building.
The building covers a total area of 110,000 square meters with 700 rooms in it with 67 staircases and more that 200 windows.
The Versailles for sure is a grand place worth visiting.
The building has lots of paintings, handmade sculptures, drawings, objects and furniture.
It was during the year 1038, when for the first time, the name Versailles was coined. During this period, the villagers of this village was on a small castle and there was a church which was governed by the local landlords of the village.
Versailles was built by the French men and it was also called the unofficial capital of France.
It is only ten kilometers away from Paris.
The way in which the streets of Washington DC are made have been based upon Versailles’ model of streets. The city welcomes its visitors with open arms
and provides one of the best luxurious hotels, food & site seeing facility to them.
Whenever visitors plan to visit this part of the city, they make
it a long holiday so that they can spend quality time in the Versailles.

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Versailles Quick Facts

The Palace of Versailles
A half hour outside of Paris, the Palace of Versailles is one
of the world's grandest historical museums.
- In 1624, Louis XIII, the king of France, began the building of a hunting lodge in the small village of Versailles
- There are 18,000 square meters of history in the Palace of Versailles
-Versailles is half an hour by rail from the Gare St Lazarre station in Paris
The Palace of Versailles began as a modest hunting lodge. Well, as modest a lodge as one could expect from a French King.
Then Louis XIV enlarged and enrobed the old lodge, turning it into the great
Chateau we know today. In 1837, Louis-Philippe converted the whole
deal to a museum of French History in what may have been the historic starting point for the development of mass tourism.
And world war I was ended here with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.

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Mont Saint-Michel - Normandy

Mont Saint-Michel is an "island" off of the coast of Normandy in France.
When most people hear Normandy, WWII is the only thing that come to mind.
France is actually split into regions much like the United States is split into states.
One of these regions happens to be Normandy
which is where we invaded and where Mont Saint-Michel happens to be located.
Mont Saint-Michel was first used in the sixth and seventh centuries as a place for the Romano-Bretons could have culture and power.
Basically as a place of status, and was invaded by different groups for a couple hundred years.
At the end of the eighth century, construction began for the first monestary.
The monestary was firmly established
during the eleventh century and turned into a prized posession by kings of France.
The English tried to invade it many times unsuccessfully
which just added to the pride in the piece of land.
Finally, by the time of the French Reformation, there were barely any monks living at the monestary.
So, to be efficient, the French turned it into a prison to hold people against the current regime.
The prison was closed in the mid 1800s and became a national monument.
It has since become a much visited spot for
tourists to see culture as well as natural and man-made beauty.

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Honfleur Harbor

Honfleur is located on the mouth of the river Seine, to the south of Le Havre.
Honfleur is an old fishing port with a beautiful harbour.
The old town is outstanding with cobbled streets sporting shops, art galleries and and so many restaurants that on a recent visit we lost count.
Whilst those on the harbour front offer the best views
the best value may be found at restaurants away from the quayside in the little streets behind the Quai Sainte- Catherine like La Tortue, 36 rue de l’Homme de Bois.
Our recommendations: Honfleur is a good place
for people watching – check out the cafes and fish restaurants on the harbour front from where you can watch the pleasure craft coming and going.
For a different view of the town head along one of the minor roads to the south where you can also see the impressive suspension bridge over to Le Havre – the largest in Europe

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Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle - france

No introduction is really needed for the Haut-Koenigsbourg
which is one of France's most widely visited monuments attracting 600,000 visitors per year.
The castle occupied a strategic position when it was built back in the 12th century.
Its purpose was to protect the wine and wheat routes to the north, and the silver and salt routes running from west to east.
It was reduced to rubble by the Swedes during
the Thirty Years War and abandoned.
In 1899, Kaiser Wilhelm II decided to have the castle fully
rebuilt with the aim of making this a museum and a symbol of Alsace's return to Germany.
Although built relatively recently, the castle has remained true to the spirit of mediaeval architecture.
Inside the building, the sheer refinement of the rooms is extremely impressive, with their wall paintings, Renaissance furniture and enormous cast iron stoves.
A collection of mediaeval weapons is located
in the basement including crossbows, swords and armour of all kinds.

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Chartres

Chartres is a small city in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France, approximately an hour south-west of Paris by train. Population is 42,000 although that rises to 100,000 when the surrounding towns are taken into consideration.
The main attraction for most visitors to
Chartres is the 12th century cathedral, considered by many
art historians to be the finest surviving example from the High Gothic period.
In the last couple of years a new mayor has overseen the modernization
of the center of the town.
There has provoked both positive and negative reactions
from the "Chartrains", but there is no doubt that the town is undergoing a certain renewal.

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Clermont - Ferrand

Clermont-Ferrand is a city in central France, the capital of the Auvergne region.
Population 140,000.
Clermont-Ferrand is famous for the chain of extinct volcanoes that ring the city, including the highest, Puy-de-Dôme, some 13 km away from the city centre.
One of the oldest cities of France, its first mention was by the Greek geographer Strabo, who called it Nemessos, a Gaulish word for a sacred forest.
The settlement witnessed the famous Battle of Gergovia, in which the Gauls led by Vercingetorix triumphed temporarily over the Romans led ultimately by Julius Caesar.
After the Roman conquest, the city was renamed Augustonemetum, a name which combined its original Gallic name with that of the Emperor Augustus.
Its population was estimated at 15,000–30,000 inhabitants in the 2nd century CE
making it one of the largest cities of Roman Gaul.
In 848, the city was renamed Clairmont, after the castle Clarus Mons. Clairmont was an episcopal city ruled by its bishop, and famously the starting point
of the First Crusade raised to free Jerusalem from Muslim domination.
Pope Urban II preached Crusade in 1095 at the Council of Clermont.
In 1120, to counteract the power of the clergy, the counts of Auvergne founded the city of Montferrand on the model of the new cities of the Midi. In 1551, Clermont became a royal city, and in 1610, the inseparable property of the Crown.
On 15 April 1630, the Edict of Troyes (the First Edict of Union) forcibly joined the two cities of Clermont and Ferrand.
This union was confirmed in 1731 by Louis XV with the Second Edict of Union. At this time Montferrand was no more than a satellite city of Clermont, in which condition it remained until the beginning of the 20th century. Wishing to retain its independence, Montferrand made three demands for independence, in 1789, 1848, and 1863.

In the 20th century, the construction of the Michelin factories and city gardens definitively reunited Clermont and Montferrand. Today, although the two cities are amalgamated
one may find in Clermont-Ferrand two distinct downtowns
and Montferrand retains a strong identity.
Clermont-Ferrand remains home
to the famous French tyre manufacturing company Michelin.

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Angouleme

Angoulême is the capital of the Charente department.
It lies about 135km north of Bordeaux in south west France.

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Clos-Luce Castle

This residence of pink brick was built by Hugues d'Amboise on Gallo-Roman foundations in the reign of Louis XI (between 1107 and 1115).
The property was then given by the king to his favourite, Etienne le Loup, a cook's assistant whom he ennobled.
The estate, which was called the Manoir du Cloux at that time
was surrounded by fortifications, all that remains today being the watchtower.
At the bottom of the park, Etienne Le Loup also had a dovecote
which is still intact, and which could house 500 pigeons.
Bought by Charles VIII on 2nd July 1490, the castle became a royal estate.
It was to remain so for two centuries.
While the Royal Court resided at the Château d'Amboise in the Loire Valley, the Manoir du Cloux was used as a secondary residence. Charles VIII had the chapel
built here for the Queen, Anne de Bretagne, in mourning for her children who died young.
Later, the young Duke of Angouleme, the future Francis I, organised war games in the gardens of the Clos-Lucé. Marguerite de Navarre, the sister of Francis I, wrote the first erotic stories of "L'Heptaméron" there.
It was under Francis I that Le Clos-Lucé became the house symbolising the Renaissance movement in France. Advised by his sister, Francis I had painters, architects, and poets, such as Clément Marot, who were seeking royal protection, brought here.
But the greatest of those to cross the threshold of Le Clos Lucé was certainly Leonardo da Vinci.

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Chenonceau Castle - france

Built on the river Cher, where the unique beauty of its architecture reflects in the water, the Château de Chenonceau is the Val de Loire’s finial.
Château des Dames as recorded in the French history books, Chenonceau owes a large part of its charm to women: it was built in 1513 by Katherine Briçonnet, then made even more attractive by Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Médicis, and saved from the rigours of the French Revolution by Mrs Dupin.
The lovely surroundings, the formal garden and the park surrounding
it add to the impression of delicate grace emanating from the castle.
Chenonceau is not only remarkable for its architecture and history but also
for the fine quality of its collections as can be seen from the inside visit: Renaissance furniture, a vast ensemble of XVI th and XVII th centuries tapestries
and a great number of masterpieces. Le Primatice, Rubens, Le Tintoret, Rigaud, Nattier, Van Loo are among the most famous names that can be found ther
The estate of Chenonceau is mentioned for the first time
in writing towards the end of the XIth century.
From the XIIIth to the XVth century, the estate of Chenonceau, with its unprepossessing feudal manor, was the property of the Marques family.
1411 : A royal order to punish Jean Marques for an
act of sedition included an order for the destruction of the manor.
1432 : Jean Marques had a castle and a fortified mill
built to replace the lost manor of Chenonceau.

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Cheverny Castle - france

Only some remnants of Raoul Hurault’s old fortified castle possibly remain today.
To say possibly may be surprising.
This is a mystery in Cheverny as it cannot be proven whether part of the outbuildings are vestiges of the old castle.
The old castle was captured in a drawing by a travelling artist but there
are no reliable landmarks in the drawing.
This is why the present castle could well have been built
on the exact spot as the old castle, which would have been completely demolished.
The present Château de Cheverny is an original jewel among the more famous monuments that stretch along the Loire Valley. In fact, Renaissance style did not find its place in Cheverny
which is built in the purest Louis XIII classical style, distinguished by an extraordinarily symmetrical architecture. Cheverny, which was built in the first part of the 17th Century, is a prime example of this style.
Its delicate features also stand out through the perfect whiteness of the stones, from the Bourré quarries in the Cher Valley.
This particular stone not only comes out white, but also becomes harder with time.
However, this almost rigid architectural layout also has its contrasts, such as the variety of roofing styles, from domes, to bell-towers and other French-style roofs.
The building work was put under the direction of an architect, master-mason and sculptor, Jacques Bougier, who was very well-known in his time.
He also worked on a wing of the nearby Château de Blois.
His work on a royal castle shows Cheverny’s desire for quality.
Unfortunately, Bougier died before completing his work. Cheverny’s main staircase is the work of an unknown craftsman who simply left his initials and a date on the ground floor: FL 1634. The Château de Cheverny is perfectly preserved as it was built all at once.
Nothing has been changed.
Thanks to this, Cheverny has maintained the same exterior for the last 350 years, without gaining the smallest wrinkle!

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Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle

Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, one of the most visited monuments is located in Orschwiller, Alsace, France. It is situated in the Vosges Mountains
and it occupied a strategic position when it was built back in the twelfth century.
The main purpose was to protect the wine
and the wheat routes to the north, and the silver and the salt routes from west to east.
There is a collection of medieval weapons
in the basement of the castle which includes crossbows, swords
and armors of different kinds. Inside the buildings the rooms are extremely impressive as the walls are covered with sculptures and paintings along with striking furniture.
The castle was built
in the twelfth century over the previous ruins which date back to the roman period.
The castle was burnt down in the fifteenth century but it was quickly reconstructed.
During the Thirty Years War, the castle was again burnt down
but this time it took centuries to complete its reconstruction.
In the present day, Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle seems like it sprang
out of the mythical past with ancient force.
The castle is one of the symbols of the Alsatian heritage and a perfect witness for European culture. Visitors will definitely
have an ideal environment to understand the castle architecture of middle ages.

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Fontainebleau

The palace at Fontainebleau was has architectural elements from the 16th to the 19th century.
In the 16th century, Henry II and Catherine de Medici commissioned architects Philibert Delorme and Jean Bullant to build a new palace on the site.
Italian Mannerist artists Rosso Fiorentino and Primaticcio came
to assist in the interior decoration, helping to found the School of Fontainebleau..

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Chateau de Chambord

The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is one of the most recognizable châteaux in the world because
of its very distinct French Renaissance architecture
that blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Italian structures.
Chambord is the largest castle in the Loire Valley, but was built to serve
only as a hunting lodge for François I, who maintained
his royal residences at Château de Blois and at Château d'Amboise.
The original design of the Château de Chambord is attributed, though with several doubts, to Domenico da Cortona, whose wooden model for the design survived long enough to be drawn by André Félibien in the seventeenth century.

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Chartres Cathedral

The Chartres Cathedral of France is situated in Chartes
about eighty kilometers southwest of Paris.
It is one of the best & most famous churches in the entire France.
It is counted third best among the Gothic style of architecture.
It’s full name is the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres.
It is a beautiful sight to see from a distance, between the wheat fields and only when tourists come closer to the church, it stands on the top of the hill and stands out in beauty.
The Chartres Cathedral was built in the 16th century and it has two Spires
the first one is 349 feet and the other is 377 feet tall.
As far as the history of the cathedral goes, this cathedral was said to be the most imperative building in the city. It acted as a big landmark for the local public
and also for the nearby visitors. All important activities were entered around the cathedral. Sometimes during the middle age, the cathedral worked as the market place.
In the middle of all this, the priests however were always against the cathedral being used as a market place.
So much so, that they did not allow people selling wine in the crypt.
The cathedral was a common assembly point for different kinds of workmen to find jobs for themselves.
The Chartres Cathedral is one of the most visited Gothic churches in the entire France.
The Chartres was a place where pilgrims used to come
quite often and during older days, the church used to be a hospital to take care of the sick.

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Eiffel Tower - At Night

The Eiffel Tower is an iron tower built on the Champ de Mars beside the River Seine in Paris.
It is the tallest structure in Paris and among the most recognized symbols in the world.
Named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, it is a premier tourist destination.

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Eiffel Tower

Architect : Gustave Eiffel
Location: Paris, France map
Date :1887 to 1889 timeline
Building Type: exposition observation tower
Construction System : exposed iron
Climate: temperate
Context :urban exposition
Style :Victorian Structural Expressionist
- A symbol of Paris worldwide. 985' high rugged tracery of iron work.
Commission from competition victory.

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France - Arc De Triomphe

Arc De Triomphe, one of the worlds largest triumph arc, is a great monument
located in Paris which stands in the centre of “Charles De Gaulle”.
The arc was built as the honor for those who fought for France especially during
the Napoleonic wars.
There are names of the generals and the wars fought engraved inside
and at the top of the arch. Underneath
the arch there is tomb of a soldier of World War I who is still unknown.
This great arch has a height of 50 meters, a width of 45 meters and a depth of 22 meters which makes it as a second largest triumph arc in the world.
It is composed of three arcs, where two are small arcs and the other is a large arc.
The large arc is 9 feet wide and 21 feet height.
The design of the arc was inspired by the roman arch of Titus.
This great arc is compared as linchpin of the historic axis.
It was commissioned in the year 1806 after the victory at Austerlitz by Napoleon. Laying the foundation of the arc took about 2 years.
When Napoleon entered into Paris with his bride in the year 1810
he had a wooden mock-up of the completed arch constructed.
The architect, Jean Chalgrin, died in the year 1811 and the construction was halted.
Then it was succeeded by Jean Nicholas Huyot.
“An artist has no home in Europe except in Paris.”

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France - Amiens Cathedral

Amiens cathedral, also know as the cathedral of our lady of Amiens, is the tallest cathedral in France.
Amiens Cathedral is the heart of Picardy which is a couple of hours north of Paris.
The interior volume is estimated as 200,000 meters cube .
It is listed as one of world heritage site by UNESCO in the year 1981.
It is the tallest gothic church in from the Gothic era.
The height of the ceiling is about 43 meters and the width of the nave is about 14.7 meters.
The interior ceiling is a modern 14-story building.
This cathedral was built in the year 1152 and was influenced by the roman style.
The cathedral was burnt in the year 1218 due to a lightening strike.
The reconstruction of the cathedral was started in the year 1220 and completed in 1245.
Although there are several cathedrals in the surrounding area
the Amiens Cathedral is the largest and very popular cathedral in France.

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St. Valery sur Somme - north of France

St Valery sur Somme - a wonderful medieval town from
where William the Conqueror set sail for England.
Situated on the mouth of the River Somme
with some of the best ornithology sites in Northern France
as a backdrop at least 315 bird species have been identified in the area
this town consists of a cobbled old town with narrow streets and lanes
and more modern section which does not detract from the overall look and feel of the town.
The town is built along and extends outwards from the banks of the estuary,hence it has a great seaside feel,with a busy port both commercially and for the tourist trade.
Le Beau Rivage is great for Pizza - either served on the premises or take-away.

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St. Omer - north of France

St.Omer was a famous trade city in the Middle Age.
Not a lot remains of this glorious past, unhappily, but you can still see its old market and the ruins of an abbey where died the last Merovingian king, at the end of the VIIth century.
Located at the border between Flanders and Artois, Saint Omer is also famous
in the region for its swamp, the "marais audomarois": there, people cultivate vegetables and sell them on small boats.
I recommend you the inhabitants, among the friendliest French.
it's worth a stopover just for that! P.S.:
There is no train station at Saint Omer; one must go down at Hazebrouck, 20 Km away... This last is incorrect - it is served by trains between Calais and Lille.

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Olhain - north of France

he Olhain park is close to Lille and Arras and is perfect for a day trip.
The park provides you with the opportunity to escape the cities and enjoy the outdoor.
Thanks to its 450 hectares of forest ( 300 of which are national forest )
its numerous sports and leisure activities equipments (golf, tennis, swimming pool, brasserie, camping-site...)
and its festive animations (exhibitions, shows, meetings...)
Olhain Park constitutes a must as the Leisure Activities destination .
There are many walking paths (hiking or mountain bike)
a particularly rich and varied flora and fauna which will succeed to seduce the nature lovers.

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Lille Culture Capital of Europe in 2004

Lille, in northern France, has been named the 2004 Culture Capital of Europe
which means lots of money has been spent on Lille cultural attractions.
Eurostar trains stop at Lille, so it's an easy destination
to visit on your way to Paris.

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