FrenchDuck UK - Latest » Gardens

Everything you wanted to know about tomatoes!!?

le duck — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 05:23:40 +0000

At Montlouis-sur-Loire (37 Indre-et-Loire, Centre) the Chateau de la Bourdaisiere holds its 10th annual Festival of the Tomato on 13 & 14 September 2008. As the home of the French national collection it boasts more than 600 varieties in its vegetable garden.
The Festival de la Tomate provides an opportunity to celebrate the sheer biodiversity of the tomato and the you’ll have the chance to witness the tomato in many guises - sauces, chutneys, alcoholic concoctions, beauty creams, perfumes, medicines, painteing, sculpture, literature, recipes.

The Chateau is also a fancy hotel and was the setting for an American TV series “Joe Millionaire”

The Château de la Bourdaisière is a magnificent sixteenth-century castle offering spacious and refined bed and breakfast rooms and apartments. Château de la Bourdaisière is set in a 140-acre park located between Tours and Amboise France, just an hour from Paris on the TGV - France’s high-speed train.

The castle was built by François the First for his favourite and is the setting for the program ‘Joe Millionaire’ on Fox television in 2003. Relax by the large open-air heated swimming-pool, enjoy a game of tennis or simply enjoy the pleasure of staying at this most remarkable French castle in the heart of the Loire Valley.

For more info see www.chateaubourdaisiere.com

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Jasmine Festival in Grasse, Provence

le duck — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 05:10:45 +0000

The town of Grasse (06 Alpes-Maritimes, Provence) is famous for being the heart of the Provencal perfumery industry with evocative names such as Fragonard to entice you. Set up in the hills back from the Mediterranean coast, Grasse celebrates its 3-day Fete du Jasmin from 1-3 August 2008. The festival marks the beginning of the Jasmine harvest and features fireworks, dancing and a Jasmine parade.

Most visitors to Provence head for the spectacular Mediterranean coast and stylish seaside resorts, but you are missing much of the best of Provence if you don’t venture inland, where the scenery is stunning - and you can get great views of the sea.

The Côte d’Azur, the French Riviera: its sun, its beaches… and especially its backcountry, a true haven of well-being, brimming with authentic flavours and fragrances!!! Rising from the hills above the Mediterranean is the city of Grasse, the perfume capital of the world, surrounded by the charming Provencal landscape and villages of the Pays de Grasse, the regional name for this breathtaking and tranquil countryside. Together, they form the French Rivera’s most beautiful balcony.

For more info see www.ville-grasse.fr/jasminade

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Cognac Blues Festival

le duck — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 06:36:40 +0000

The town of Cognac (16 Charente, Poitou-Charentes) becomes an even more attractive place to visit in July 2008 with the Blues Passions Festival (22–27 July 2008).

With more than 120 concerts, 80 of which are free, the range of music on offer is vast - i.e from Status Quo to Joan Baez and most music styles in between which an emphasis on Afro-American music.

For more info on the festival see www.bluespassions.com
The big Cognac houses (Martell, Remy-Martin, Hennesy) all have well-organised trips around their distilleries and tastings of their brandies. However, these are inevitably a bit “touristy” – there are plenty of smaller, family-run estates which also welcome visitors and provide a rather more individualised welcome – e.g Maison Deau at Gemozac, which also has a Botanic Garden to visit!

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Fete de la Rose at Doue la Fontaine July 08

le duck — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 05:39:41 +0000

Doué-la-Fontaine (49 Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire), south of Angers, self-styles itself as “the Rose Garden of France!” and also claims to be the largest rose production area in the whole of Europe cultivating more than 7 million roses annually.! The town celebrates this with its Journées de la Rose (Rose Days) Festival from 11-15 July 2008.

Over 40,000 visitors attend this magnificent display of rose designs and rose sculptures held in the underground caves of the Roman Arena.
Enjoy the variety of aromas, harmony of colours and multitudes of intoxicating perfumes.

See our customised map of the area

For more info on the Journeees de la Rose see www.journeesdelarose.com/

Doué’s other main attraction is the Zoo de Doué (or Bio Park as they call themselves!) - but you are also close to the vineyards of Anjou - why not visit our friends at Domaine Leduc-Frouin - see our map for other ideas

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Garden Rendezvous throughout France

le duck — Wed, 28 May 2008 05:13:13 +0000

An opportunity to visit France’s rich heritage of Gardens is offered for the weekend of 29 May - 1 June 2008 with the “Rendezvous des Jardins” (meetings with gardens).

Sponsored by the French Ministry of Culture, more than 2000 private and public parks and gardens across France will be open to the public.

On the Culture Ministry’s website (only in French) there is a clickable map to select the region you are visiting - and details of the gardens open and what they are offering - open visits, guided tours, music, photographic exhibitions, lectures etc. Many are open until dusk on the Saturday.

The fun thing is that there is such a range available - for example in Picardie you can visit the Vegetable Garden (potager) of the Princes at Chantilly (60 Oise, Picardie), and also an artist’s private garden near Beauvais (60 Oise, Picardie) where painter Andre van Beck uses the plants as subjects of his paintings and where he will be showing some of his floral pictures alongside the garden which inspired them! (see le Jardin Du Peintre Andre Van Beek
- see our customised map of the Oise département.
Meanwhile in the Charente, you can visit the medieval Pilgrim Hospital Garden (Hopital des Pelerins) at Pons (17 Charentes-Maritimes, Poitou-Charentes) - a stop on one of routes to St Jean de Compostelle (Halte sur les chemins de St Jean). Whilst at St Andre de Lidon (17 Charentes-Maritimes, Poitou-Charentes) the Cognac and Pineau des Charentes producer J M Deau will be opening their Botanic Garden to the public - plus the opportunity to taste or buy some Cognac!

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Nights of Fire at Chantilly

le duck — Sat, 24 May 2008 05:34:46 +0000

The Chateau of Chantilly (60 Oise, Picardie) hosts an International Firework Festival in the grounds 12-14 June 2008.
With at least 11 displays of pyrotechnic spectacles designed by some of the top firework display designers in the world - there are strict rules as in any serious competition - some elements against prescribed music, some silent, some freestyle - all against the backdrop of the historic Chateau, its lakes and formal gardens.
Doors open at 8.00pm and a full evening of entertainment is promised - it should be illuminating!
For more info see www.nuitsdefeu.com/ - there is a video showing the preparations and some idea of what to expect.

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Days of roses at the Royal Abbey of Chaalis

le duck — Sat, 24 May 2008 05:34:33 +0000

We tend to think of the Rose as a quintessentially English flower, but the French have their moments. Avignon (84 Vaucluse, Provence) celebrates the rose with its Altera Rosa Festival in May, whilst in the north the Royal Abbey of Chaalis near Senlis (60 Oise, Picardie) throws its own Rose festival in June

Chaalis Abbey was a French Cistercian abbey founded in 1136 by Louis VI of Franc. There had previously been a Benedictine monastery in the same place.

The Journees de la Rose festival runs from 6-8 June in the delightful (and usually peaceful) gardens of the abbey - you’ll be greeted by a vast display of roses, be able to talk to rose experts, see an exhibition of photos and attend workshops on perfume and flower arranging.

See map and more info on the Oise département

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Garden events at St Jean de Beauregard

le duck — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:48:29 +0000

The Domaine of St Jean de Beauregard (91 Essonne, Ile de France) features a fine chateau and extensive grounds and gardens. They host several major gardening events each year. The kitchen garden (potager) is a key attraction as is the pigeonnier - the largest in the Paris region with 4,500 peches for pigeons!

11-13 April 2008 its the Festival of Perennial (or Hardy) Plants (plantes vivaces).
La Fête des Plantes et des Fruits et Légumes (Festival of Plants,Fruits and Vegetables) takes place 26-28 September 2008. 21-22 June 2008 the domaine hosts a craft festival (Fete des Artisans) with over 40 artists and craftsmen showing their creations in the grounds of the domaine.

For more info see www.domsaintjeanbeauregard.com

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A Languedoc Water Garden

le duck — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:37:29 +0000

The Languedoc’s climate is note generally very conducive to the development of traditional gardens, but down near Pezenas (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon) , Françoise et Daniel Malgouyres set about clearing an old quarry at Servian of its accumulated rubble, brambles and undergrowth to create a spectacular, award-winning garden on several levels with waterfalls and water features linking the elements together. The combination of the water and plenty of shade provides a cool, refreshing atmosphere which can be most welcome in the often intense heat of the Languedoc summer.

The Jardin de St Adrien is at Servian, just off the N113 between Beziers and Pezenas.

Servian is also the home of Domaine Sainte Rose, a very successful vineyard developed by an English couple, Charles and Ruth Simpson. Visits are by appointment – see www.domaine-sainte-rose.com – their wines being stocked in the UK by Leon Stolarski Fine Wines amongst others

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Beaune Water Gardens Festival

John — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 14:35:54 +0000

Beaune, Burgogne - see www.frenchduck.com Related posts:WIne and Gardens - London and Beaune ...Hospices de Beaune wine auction ...Cahors’ Secret Gardens and Vineyard Gardens It can be difficult to decide what to do...Gardens in the Lot (46) Wine from Cahors the first thing I tend to associate...A Languedoc Water Garden The Languedoc’s [...] Related posts:

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WIne and Gardens - London and Beaune

John — Thu, 31 May 2007 18:56:39 +0000

June sees the conjunction of 2 events which combine the magic of French wine with the joy of summer gardens.

In LONDON, over 160 otherwise private gardens open their doors (or gates) for 2 days on 9th and 10th June 2007 oin the Loire Valley Wines Open Garden Squares weekend.

You will be able to discover many of London’s hidden treasures, ranging from stately set-pieces and formal landscapes through to some of London’s more eccentric and unusual open spaces. Along the way you can sample a range of Loire Valley Wines.

Amongst the many gardens you can even visit those at Holloway and Wandsworth Prisons (ominously the website adds “special conditions apply”!) There is also Islington’s Canonbury Square which was named as the 2006 Loire Valley Wines Legacy Garden. Here the east side of the square received a major makeover including the planting of a small vineyard and rose bed as its centrepiece - reflecting the planting of the vineyards in the Loire Valley.

Over in France from June 30 to September 2, Beaune, capital of Burgundy hosts its Water Garden Festival - an ideal way of enhancing a visit to a major wine centre, and interesting old town.

For its third edition, the festival Cours Water Gardens takes you along to discover the various districts of Beaune with many various and ludic animations: kitchen gardens of the residents, flowered meadows, transitory gardens designed by schools of landscape designers, visits of course deprived exceptionally open to the public, and a visit of “strange Beaune” through its various monuments and statues which marked out its History, without forgetting the spectacles of street for smallest and largest.

For more info see www.ot-beaune.fr

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Cognac and Pineau des Charentes from Deau

le duck — Sun, 27 May 2007 21:50:10 +0000

Maison Deau’s cellars are situated near Gemozac in the Charentes, between the town of Cognac and the sea.
This is a long-established family Cognac house, which until recently sold most of its production to one of the major marques in Cognac, but has now decided that it is proud enough of the quality of its products to sell under its own family name.
The quality outstrips that of the better-known brands at a most competitive price!
The domaine (Domaine de Chaillaud) produces fine Cognacs of various ages, including some very ancient vintages.

The domaine also produces PINEAU DES CHARENTES - a delightful blend of unfermented grape juice and fine Cognac, similar in style to the Floc de Gascogne made with Armagnac in Gascogny.- “This cousin of Cognac is the most delicious drink in the world”THE TIMES - Saturday 26 July 2003
Pineau des Charentes is the result of the subtle blending of fresh grape juice selected at harvest time, and Cognac. It can be enjoyed chilled as an aperitif or as a pleasant accompaniment to melon or foie gras etc

The grapes ripen on the soft slopes of the Saintonge (the area around the town of SAINTES) hillsides. They benefit from the microclimate lent by their proximity to the Gironde estuary (intense luminosity and moderate temperature changes).The soils are hot, either of clay-chalk (as in Champagne) or a lean sand-silica filtering type permitting early growth. This blend of Cognac with unfermented Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grape juice is not dissimilar to a light port - good sweet berry flavours.

The domaine also has an impressive Botantical Garden which is well worth a visit even if you are not interested in Cognac or Pineau. There is also a small museum and a tour of the cellars available.- see www.deau.com

Address details:-

Deau SVS, Le Chaillaud, 17260 St André-de-Lidon

Tel:05 46 90 08 10
Fax:05 46 90 04 01
E: info@deau.com

See more about Maison Deau on www.frenchduck.com

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A lot of Gardens in the Lot

John — Mon, 14 May 2007 06:27:45 +0000

Wine from Cahors the first thing I tend to associate with the Lot département in South West France (Midi-Pyrenees), but is has so much more to offer and discover. For example there are numerous interesting gardens - and whilst they may lack the grandeur of gardens further north, they are arguably more interesting and diverse. For example:-
Medieval Garden (Jardin Médiéval) at Cardaillac north of Figeac
Garden of the Senses at Castelfranc in the rue des Jardiniers (Gardeners Road) - between Puy l’Eveque and Cahors on the northern bank of the Lot River - formerly an allotment now transformed into a peaceful haven of colour and scents
(Labyrinthe des Roses) at the Chateau de Saint-Dau in Figeac - over a 1000 climbing roses (50 varietals) constructed by an Australian to create a sort of rose maze
The Secret Gardens (Jardins Secret) in Cahors (see www.mairie-cahors.fr) a series of themed >gardens and displays throughout the town.
There is a more formal Chateau garden at Chateau de la Treyne at Lacave, north east of Gourdon - which is also a rather grand hotel see www.chateaudelatreyne.com, whilst at Gramat the Grand Couvent (convent) offers “a haven of relaxation ..ideal for contemplation and reflection.. a garden of colours, aromatic herbs and medicinal plants”

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Gardens in the Lot (46)

John — Sun, 13 May 2007 09:39:00 +0000

Wine from Cahors the first thing I tend to associate with the Lot département in South West France (Midi-Pyrenees), but is has so much more to offer and discover. For example there are numerous interesting gardens - and whilst they may lack the grandeur of gardens further north, they are arguably more interesting and diverse. For example:-
Medieval Garden (Jardin Médiéval) at Cardaillac north of Figeac
Garden of the Senses at Castelfranc in the rue des Jardiniers (Gardeners Road) - between Puy l’Eveque and Cahors on the northern bank of the Lot River - formerly an allotment now transformed into a peaceful haven of colour and scents
Labyrinth of Roses (Labyrinthe des Roses) at the Chateau de Saint-Dau in Figeac - over a 1000 climbing roses (50 varietals) constructed by an Australian to create a sort of rose maze
The Secret Gardens (Jardins Secret) in Cahors (see www.mairie-cahors.fr) a series of themed gardens and displays throughout the town.

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Roses in Avignon

John — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 07:16:26 +0000

Avignon’s Palais des Papes hosts a four-day exhibition dedicated to the rose from 16-20 May 2007. Subtitled “the roses you have never seen”, thee show launches thirty new species of rose each year and there are conferences and exhibitions around the theme of the much-loved bloom. In the heart of Provence, Avignon (84 Vaucluse, Provence) is a vibrant historic city around the Pope’s Palace (Palais des Papes).
The event is held in the magnificent surroundings of the Cloister of Benoit XII in the Palais des Papes, which stands as the mighty symbol of the church?s influence throughout the western Christian world in the 14th century. It is the biggest Gothic palace in all of Europe - see www.palais-des-papes.com

Note that this is a bank holiday weekend in France, as Ascension Day falls on Thursday 17 May 07.

A few miles north is Chateauneuf-du-Pape (literally the new palace of the Pope) which tended to be the summer home of the Pope and is of course rightly famous for its wonderful, rich red wines.
Links:
www.alterarosa.com
Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine site
Vaucluse Tourist office

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The biggest Lavender Party ever - Montelimar!

John — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 02:35:25 +0000

Montelimar (26 Drome, Rhone-Alpes) may be best known for its nougat, but every July it binges on Lavender with its Colours of Lavender Festival “Montélimar Couleur Lavande” - from 21-22 July 2007.

The fifth edition of this Festival of Lavender and market of local flavours and lavender scents : a whole range of “lavender-based” products! Distilling of both lavender and hybrid lavender will be carried out the traditional way and a procession of floral floats will enliven the Sunday morning on the 22nd of July. New! A real artist’s studio profiled against a virtual field of lavender. The biggest lavender party ever! (40.000 visitors)

Montelimar tends to be another of those places which you bypass on the autoroute heading north or south (just off the A7 between Orange and Valence) and it does not immediately tempt you to visit. However, there are a number of interesting events such as the Lavender Festival throughout the year - including the Garden Festival (Montelimar Cote Jardin) on 17 May 07 - with a particular focus on the local olives and olive oil from Nyons (26 Drome, Rhône-Alpes) and on the weekend of 28-29 April 2007 the Pottery Festival (Montélimar Terra Potiers) - so maybe it would be worth a little detour.

For more info see www.montelimar-tourisme.com

For a wealth of lavender in the UK - see woldswaylavender.co.uk

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Walking Paris

John — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 09:52:07 +0000

Paris is such a walkable city, especially on a mild sunny autumn day. The metro is certainly the fastest way between any two points, the buses are good, but usually involve too many changes, you can do it by bike or even rollerblade - but walking seems best - the right pace, the ease of stopping and admiring the view or pausing for a coffee or window shopping.
Of all the many and varied guide books to Paris, a new concept seems to just fit with the practicalities of strolling - a series of 50 short walks each on a separate card with map and commentary. So just decide which area(s) you want, choose your cards (from a set of 50) and carry them in your pocket - no bulky books, or flimsy maps to unfold - perfect!
City Walks: Paris: 50 Adventures on Foot

One of the walks in the pack is a new “Promenade Plantée” in the 12th Arondissement (see map) which starts atop an old railway viaduct near the new Opera Bastille. Underneath in the arches are numerous classy emporiums selling very esoteric items such as intricate flower displays, antique and designer furniture, fashions etc, whilst above the old railway line has been planted with trees and shrubs and affords a high level view of the surrounding streets and even into the first and second floors of the adjoining houses and apartments. The route continues following the old railway line sometimes at street level, sometimes in cuttings or over and under bridges right out to the Boulevard Periperique - providing a green, traffic free route (and cycle lane) across the city.

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Festival of Forgotten Vegetables

John — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 15:51:01 +0000

At Saint Jean-de-Beauregard (92 Hauts de Seine, Ile de France - see map), about 20 miles southwest of Paris, the Chateau hosts an annual Fete des Fruits et Légumes Oubliés - forgotten fruits and vegetables every autumn - this year it is 10-12 November 2006. In the grounds of a rather grand chateau there is an all year programme of interesting gardening topics, but this sounds the most interesting!
This event highlights the conservation of France’s national plant heritage with the aim of bringing back long-forgotten cultivars of fruit and vegetables. The vegetable garden section of the Societé Nationale d’Horticulture de France( the French equivalent of the Royal Horticultural Society) will present a collection of vegetables especially recommended for their health benefits.

For more info see www.domsaintjeanbeauregard.com

The Art of French Vegetable Gardening

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Cahors’ Secret Gardens and Vineyard Gardens

John — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 12:46:27 +0000

It can be difficult to decide what to do on holiday especially when there’s more than 2 of you - different interests can cause a touch of friction. But in Cahors (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees) there is a multiple-interest tour which will help you discover the best of the town and the surrounding area.

In town there is a series of “Secret” Gardens, 29 in total, waymarked throughout the town, including an arab garden, a lavender garden, an apple tree garden, a garden of spices, a monastery garden etc. Furthermore, through these gardens you will also discover the history and architecture of this fine medieval town, set in the loop of the Lot river, with its iconic Pont Valentre (fortified bridge).
For more info on the Jardins Secret trail see www.mairie-cahors.fr
The first (or last) of the gardens on the “Secret Garden” trail is the Jardin de l’Ivresse - the Garden of Intoxication beside the Pont Valentre. The Lot River’s sinuous path (mainly downstream from the town) is a prime reason for the quality of the local Cahors wines. With many fine chateaux (mainly south of the river) the area is a delight to travel through - even more so if you want to combine wine, castles and gardens. Although the distances involved are not walkable (unless you are really keen, the route “Vignoble Jardin Cahors” (Vineyard Gardens of Cahors) is a great way to see the wine region. As the publicity rightly states: “behind every great vineyard is a garden” - certainly borne out by many of the vineyards I have visited.
There is a leaflet (available from the tourist office in Cahors and at participating vineyards) which will show you the route. With this you can discover some great gardens, splendid vistas, pretty villages, vineyards and chateaux - and taste and learn something of the history and character of the landscape and its wines. (see http://effeuillage.cahors.free.fr)
Amongst the vineyards featured are Chateau Eugenie (try their Reserve de l’Aieul); Chateau de Chambert (an impressive position); Chateau Latuc and Chateau de Mercues - for more info on Cahors wines and these chateaux see www.frenchduck.co.uk
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Get in touch with nature in Midi-Pyrenees 2-3 June 06

John — Fri, 05 May 2006 06:05:45 +0000

Throughout the Midi-Pyrenees region there will be a host of events in the first weekend of June 2006 under the banner of “Journées Nature“ - or Nature Days. No not naturism, but the opportunity to connect with the abundant natural heritage of the region.

“,,,some 200 very diverse activities will be organized ,,,,A visit to Orlu’s wildlife nature reserve near Ax-les-Thermes (09 Ariege), canoeing down the Ariège river , “nightjar” nights in the Aveyron, entomology (insects and spiders) and fishing in the Haute-Garonne, botanical walks in the Gers, a discovery of the flora to be found on the limestone plateaux in the Lot (Causse), bird watching in the Hautes-Pyrenees, bat discovery in the Tarn and also landscaped sites in the Tarn-et-Garonne; an impressive list of subjects and activities to meet the requirements of newcomers and enthusiasts, young and old alike.”

Alongside these events will be the 4th annual “Garden Rendezvous” when more than 130 parks and gardens will be open (2-6 June 2006) with guided tours, storytelling, exhibitions etc.
Full details of these events will be on the website of the Midi-Pyrenees Region

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Also see our calendar of events in France

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BBC1: The Impressionists on TV

John — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 07:06:13 +0000

BBC1′ s new series on the Impressionists starts on Sunday 30 April, with 3 episodes covering the Impressionist movement’s story and that of Monet, Manet, Renoir, Degas and Cezanne. The potography looks sumptuous, as it should with settings in Paris, Provence and Normandy, including Monet’s Garden at Giverny (27 Eure, Haute-Normandie). This is particularly fitting in the year which celebrates the 100th anniversary of the death of Cezanne (see earlier article) with the events around Aix-en-Provence (13 Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence).over this summer.
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