Archive for April, 2012

Exploring Tours, the Loire Valley Capital
Posted on 30. Apr, 2012 by Marie-Eve Vallieres.
Tours was only supposed to be a dinner and a nap, initially. A brief stopover on my way to explore more gorgeous Loire Valley Castles. But as I made my way into the city after visiting Azay-le-Rideau, I quickly realized that despite putting all my resources in planning a realistic and interesting roadtrip focused on [...]
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Traveling in France - My Personal Tips
Posted on 27. Apr, 2012 by Marie-Eve Vallieres.
After spending almost a year living in and gallivanting around France, I have come to learn a few things - some of them the hard way. Whether it’s when I had to fork over 30 euros for having the privilege to park in Paris, or when I was involved in a car accident, there are definitely things everyone [...]
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Monday’s Postcard: Chaîne des Puys, France
Posted on 23. Apr, 2012 by Marie-Eve Vallieres.
Not so long ago, Auvergne was covered in a delicate white blanket, for the enjoyment of the winter sports amateurs. Spring came, did its job and took the snow away, but the last few weeks have been abnormally cold - so much in fact that the snow is back on the pointy peaks. On my [...]
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Keukenhof Gardens Is For (Macro) Lovers, a Photo Essay
Posted on 18. Apr, 2012 by Marie.
My daytrip at the Keukenhof Gardens, a mere 3 years ago, was absolutely perfect. The sun was out, shiny and warm, the drive through the tulip fields was dreamy and the gardens were filled of millions of colorful flowers. It really didn’t get any better than that. While any level of photographer would be in heaven [...]
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What to do in Auvergne: Vulcania
Posted on 16. Apr, 2012 by Marie.
Very few people know that there are volcanoes in France. Volcanoes, not volcano, because it’s actually a chain of 48 different cones and domes. The chain is about 40 kilometers long, and is located right in the heart of the country. The reason why you’ve never heard of them? They’re dormant, and have been since [...]
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Auvergne’s Prettiest Castle: Château de Val
Posted on 13. Apr, 2012 by Marie.
When people think of European castles, one of the first images that come to mind is the elegant, feminine Renaissance castles of France. While most of them are located around Paris and in the Loire Valley, Auvergne has a handful of them that are worth the detour -Château the Val being on top of the [...]
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Monday’s Postcard: Oxford, England
Posted on 09. Apr, 2012 by Marie.
Oxford is one of my favorite places in the world. It has outstanding history, dozens of interesting colleges, and a lively, friendly atmosphere that’s easy to fall in love with. Mixed with the welcoming locals and quirky sights, it’s pretty hard to resist. Up until then, everything’s good. However, the one thing it doesn’t have [...]
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A Handpicked Selection of London’s Best Places
Posted on 06. Apr, 2012 by Marie-Eve Vallieres.
During my first weeks in London, one of the things I found hard to deal with was the overwhelming choice I had to make every day. Do I pick this tea place, or this one? This curryhouse, or this one? This garden pub, or the one across the city? While a wide array of choice [...]
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Channeling Harry Potter at Oxford’s Christ Church College
Posted on 04. Apr, 2012 by Marie.
As a rather UK-obsessed person (shocking, I know - you had no idea, right!), it’s only normal that this level of obsession also covers iconic British things, such as tea, Arctic Monkeys, Kate Middleton, Colin Firth, Union Jacks and such. Oh and Harry Potter. Especially Harry Potter! The carefully constructed world of the young wizard takes [...]
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Discovering Shakespeare Birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon
Posted on 02. Apr, 2012 by Marie.
Visiting Shakespeare’s birthplace was something I have wanted to do for a long time, but never got around to do (you’d think a year in the UK would have given me ample time, but I guess I got sidetracked). Needless to say I was extremely looking forward to this stop on our daytrip, and I [...]