France Visit

The gothic cathedral of St Etienne at Bourges (18 Cher, Centre) is one of the most impressive in France, surrounded by the medieval streets of the old town. Imagine the sight of this magnificent and imposing edifice compared to the modest premises of the local populace, it would inspire awe and wonder. Today it remains impressive, with immense flying buttresses and sheer bulk and beauty enough to justify its designation as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites:-

The Cathedral of St Etienne of Bourges, built between the late 12th and late 13th centuries, is one of the great masterpieces of Gothic art and is admired for its proportions and the unity of its design. The tympanum, sculptures and stained-glass windows are particularly striking. Apart from the beauty of the architecture, it attests to the power of Christianity in medieval France.

As an extra bonus, the Cathedral is illuminated as night as part of Les Nuits Lumière de Bourges

ievery Thursday, Friday and Saturday night in July, August and September 2009 from dusk.

Additionally on Fridays 3  July 2009, 29 August 2009 and 18 September 2009 locals will be in costume, and on Fridays 17,24 and 31 July 2009, 7 and 14 August 2009 there will also be the opportunity to taste the wines of the region (Vins du Centre, which includes Sancerre, Quincy, Reuilly, Menetou-Salon, Poully-Fumé, Coteaux du Giennois and Chateaumeillant AC)

More info on Bourges

More info on the wines of Centre

UNESCO has just announced that it has extended recognition of the Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans to include the Great (although presumably not Royal) Saltworks of nearby Salins-les-Bains (25 Doubs, Franche-Comté.)

The Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains, where brine has been extracted since the Middle Ages if not earlier, features three buildings above ground: salt stores, the Amont well building and a former dwelling. It is linked to Claude-Nicolas Ledoux’s Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans and bears testimony to the history of salt extraction in France. (The Royal Saltworks represented)…the first major achievement of industrial architecture, reflecting the ideal of progress of the Enlightenment. This vast, semicircular complex was designed to permit a rational and hierarchical organization of work and was to have been followed by the building of an ideal city, a project that was never realized.

Not on the usual list of tourist attractions for most of us, but this looks to be an interesting gem in a part of France that many visitors miss.

Whilst in the département of the Doubs, you can also enjoy the delights of the “Swallows Line”  (la Ligne des Hirondelles)

Claimed to be one of the most beautiful railway journeys in France, the Ligne des Hirondelles crosses the Jura, in a trip lasting 2½ hours, travelling over 120 km between plain and mountain, through the forest of Chaux, the vineyards of Arbois, the vast Grandvaux plateaus, and the Valley of la Bienne.
It boasts a number of very impressive engineering structures. The 123 kilometre line, linking Dole and Saint-Claude, goes through 36 tunnels and crosses 18 viaducts. It climbs from 200 metres of altitude (at Dole station) to 948 metres (at its highest point, the Col de la Savine) before descending again to 440 metres of altitude at Saint-Claude. The trip from Morez to Saint-Claude alone goes through 18 tunnels, totalling 470 metres, with 10 bridges and viaducts. The leg from Morbier to Morez epitomises the Swallows Line. (see our map)

More info on The Royal Saltworks
More info on The Swallows Line
More info on the Doubs

Until the end of August 2009 Le Touquet (62 Pas de Calais, Nord-Pas de Calais)  is hosting a Sand Sculpture exhibition.

But this is not just children’s sand castles on the beach which will be wiped out at the next tide - no these are art sculptures using special sand brought in from Belgium, and with the theme of the kings of France:-

discover France and the secret history of its Kings. An amazing portrait gallery of differing destinies, sometimes amusing, often tormented and always exceptional… Re-live history and set out to conquer the royal sculptures! …

For more info see www.sculpturesdesable.com

For more info on Le Touquet see the official tourist office site

The Brits invade northern France -The  town of Arras (62 Pas de Calais) hosts a top line-up for its “Main Square Festival” from 2- 5 July 2009. Artists include Franz Ferdinand, Duffy, Lenny Kravitz, Kaiser Chiefs, Moby, Lily Allen, Coldplay and many others. The festival in the imposing Grande Place in the heart of the town will make a superb  backdrop - and there may even be some French bands!

For more info see www.mainsquarefestival.fr

For more info on Arras -  see www.ot-arras.fr/

Paris celebrates with a summer festival (Quartier d’Été) of music and dance between 15 July and 9 August 2009.

For four weeks the streets of Paris are transformed into a huge open-air performing arts space for the Summer Arts Festival . The event includes opera, jazz, theatre, classical music, circus, film and dance in avariety of venues which include m cinemas, the Latin Quarter and the Jardin des Tuileries.
For more info see www.quartierdete.com

Bordeaux has improved its image and facilities in recent years and now celebrates its river (Garonne) with a River Festival (20-21 June 2009) - Fete du Fleuve Bordeaux with singing and dancing on the quays throughout the weekend.

Previously the riverside tended to be more industrial and delapidated - or bordered by heavy traffic - so along with many other aspects of the city it has become more visitor-friendly and relaxed.

Bordeaux will play host to a new festival open to the public and centred on the Garonne river, music, and dance on 20-21 June 2009. This will coincide with the arrival of the Belem, France’s last surviving three-masted tall ship, which  will drop anchor in the Port de la Lune, in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

For more info see www.bordeaux-fete-le-fleuve.com

For more recommendations on where to stay, eat, visit etc see “le weekend in Bordeaux”