Author: Hélène CARÉ

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A travel tips portal about Provence and the Côte d’Azur

Lavender in Provence, France
Lavender (© Alexi TAUZIN – Fotolia.com)

The travel information portal provence-info.de, titled “Provence and Côte d’Azur – Holidays in the South of France”, is a good tip for anyone who wants to find out about the holiday region of Provence and neighbouring regions such as the Languedoc. The website contains a great deal of detailed information with numerous pictures of towns, villages and landscapes, as well as travel tips and notes on traffic rules, shopping, safety and typical recipes. Continue reading “A travel tips portal about Provence and the Côte d’Azur”

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Trekking Magazin 04/2013: France’s wild south, the Ardèche

Trekking Magazin, issue 4-13
Trekking Magazin, issue 4-13

Yesterday we read the new issue 4 (July/August) 2013 of Trekking Magazin, with the Ardèche as its main theme. We liked the article on trekking tours (in plain English: walks) in the Ardèche region very much. It describes hikes in the northern, mountainous part around Aubenas as well as in the southern part of the département around the Ardèche Gorge. Some trails are also suitable for mountain bikers. However, we felt that the cover story could have been a little more detailed and run to more pages. But that is of course also down to our special interest in the wonderful Ardèche region.

Continue reading “Trekking Magazin 04/2013: France’s wild south, the Ardèche”

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Wine routes and wine holidays around the Ardèche region, southern France

Welcome to the Ardèche département: introducing a wine region

Wine bottles
Wine bottles (© Dario Lo Presti – Fotolia.com)

Administratively, France is divided into 101 départements. The Ardèche département has the number 07 and lies in the south-eastern part of the mainland. It belongs to the Rhône-Alpes region. The River Ardèche, which flows through this region, gives the département its name. A wonderful landscape with unique flora and fauna is a welcome reason for many tourists to spend an unforgettable holiday in the Ardèche. Nature lovers with a taste for quiet hours away from mass tourism feel very much at home in this region. Continue reading “Wine routes and wine holidays around the Ardèche region, southern France”

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The Provençal or Occitan language in southern France

Provençal and Occitan are two names, often used synonymously, for a regional language of southern France. Some linguists speak of the Occitan language as the umbrella term and of the Provençal dialect for the variant spoken in Provence. Provençal, or Occitan, is much more closely related to Catalan than to French. The Provençal variant of the language is increasingly becoming a compromise language in contacts between speakers of different Occitan dialects. Historically, Provençal was much more important than French until the fourteenth century, but was completely displaced by the French language by the sixteenth century at the latest. Provençal experienced its first renaissance as a literary language in the 1930s. Continue reading “The Provençal or Occitan language in southern France”

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Flea and antiques market in Barjac, 13 to 18 August 2013

Weekly market in Barjac in July (image source: Baader)Brocante market in Barjac: Since 1972, probably the best-known flea and antiques market has been held every year at Easter and in mid-August in the old Renaissance town of Barjac. This year, too, more than 400 dealers will offer their antiques and well-preserved old pieces under the shady plane trees on the Place Charles Guynet. The Barjac market has enjoyed an excellent reputation for years. It therefore attracts collectors and flea market fans from France and all over the world.

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The white wines of France: you shouldn’t always bet everything on red

Wines from France (© Dario Lo Presti - Fotolia.com)
Wines from France (©-Dario-Lo-Presti-Fotolia.com)

When you think of summery white wines, Bordeaux and Burgundy are not exactly the first candidates that come to mind. After all, Bordeaux and Burgundy are basically red wines, aren’t they? That is a common misunderstanding. Bordeaux, together with Burgundy, is just as renowned for its white wines, as are the Loire Valley and Alsace. The fact is, some of the best white wines in the world are produced in Burgundy and Bordeaux. But when we talk about French white wine, it would be fair to assume that the wines of Alsace and the Loire Valley remain among the better values. Continue reading “The white wines of France: you shouldn’t always bet everything on red”

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Destinations, travel reports and trip planning on the internet

Booking trips on the internet (© Franck Boston - Fotolia.com)
Booking trips on the internet (© Franck Boston – Fotolia.com)

Travel time is the best time of the year. For the holiday to live up to its promise, good planning is important. Instead of leafing through tons of catalogues, most holidaymakers now use the internet to plan their trips. Whether a short excursion or a cruise, a city break or a package holiday, numerous travel platforms offer their services on the internet and provide valuable information about destinations, itineraries, timetables, accommodation and much more. Continue reading “Destinations, travel reports and trip planning on the internet”

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Chauvet Cave at the Pont d’Arc: an original cave is “rebuilt” in style

The Chauvet Pont-d’Arc cave is not open to the public, but work on an exhibition project near Vallon Pont d’Arc is advancing (www.lagrottechauvetpontdarc.org). The original cave itself is estimated to date from 36,000 BC and has held, since its discovery in 1994, untold treasures of cave painting. In total, researchers have so far found 425 animal images whose uniqueness makes what was previously familiar look as if it were “already discovered”. The opening of a faithfully reproduced cave nearby will take place in 2013, in 2014 at the latest. Already more than 21,000 connoisseurs are working to have the original cave admitted to the UNESCO World Heritage list. Continue reading “Chauvet Cave at the Pont d’Arc: an original cave is “rebuilt” in style”

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Hiking trails through the Ardèche

Every year the Ardèche attracts hikers from all over the world, because it offers a well-developed network of 6,000 km of hiking trails. Of these, 600 km are Sentiers de Grande Randonnée, i.e. long-distance footpaths (abbreviation GR), 650 km are Grande Randonnée de Pays (local trails) and over 4,500 km are simple marked paths.

Hiking in the Ardèche region

Hardly any other area in France is as outstandingly suited to hiking as the Ardèche region. Every hiker finds a suitable path here. From the simple and easy stroll to the demanding mountain hike, everything is on offer that makes a hiker’s heart beat faster.
Various federations and associations constantly maintain the network of paths, which is very well signposted. Extensive maps and hiking guides are also available.
The European long-distance trail E4, which runs from Austria to Spain, also crosses the département. The popular long-distance trail GR4, which links the Mediterranean with the Atlantic through a well-kept network of trails, likewise crosses the Ardèche region. The whole GR long-distance network is well signposted and recognisable by its white-and-red markings. The local circular trails (GR de pays) are between 60 and 250 km long, link different regions in comfortable stages and are usually marked in yellow and red. Day-hike trails and walking paths, equally numerous, are recognisable by their yellow-and-white markings.
Guided hikes are offered by the SNAM (Syndicat national des accompagnateurs en montagne), the national association of mountain guides. Besides hikes, the programme also includes mountain bike tours and snowshoe walks.

Recommended tours and sights

Between Les Vans and Chandolas lies a wooded plateau called Bois de Païolive, which drops away to the Chassezac Gorge. It consists of grey limestone rich in magnesium, which has eroded into bizarre sculptures in human and animal shapes. At the edge of the plateau you can enjoy a fantastic view of an idyllically situated hermitage and of the gorge. The path continues lined with chestnut trees and holm oaks. Flowering broom overgrows the neighbouring fields.
Between Vallon Pont d’Arc and Orgnac, halfway, lies the village of Labastide-de-Virac. Labastide-de-Virac consists of many small lanes with old houses and is famous for its château built in the 14th century. The castle is open to visitors. Worth seeing is the large room furnished with antiques, which has an original Renaissance ceiling. The château houses a silk museum well worth a visit.

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Aven d’Orgnac: an exciting trip into the Ardèche underworld

Aven d’Orgnac cave, Ardèche
Grotte d’Aven d’Orgnac, Ardèche (© Crobard – Fotolia.com)

Near the village of Orgnac-l’Aven, it’s off into the underworld… The Aven d’Orgnac cave (www.orgnac.com/visite-grotte-ardeche.php) near the Ardèche awaits its visitors, cave tourists and speleologists. In 1935 the cave was discovered by a team of researchers exploring the area around the River Ardèche. The karst cave was first opened to the public in 1938 and has been considerably extended over the years by newly discovered parts of the cave. A real adventure awaits those who want to explore the European underground. Continue reading “Aven d’Orgnac: an exciting trip into the Ardèche underworld”