An amazing 272 historic monuments are hiding within the walls in Vannes. And these defences are something to write home about, as they fence off almost the entire old city with powerful gates and towers. It’s hardly an exaggeration to say that you’ll be wondering what year it is when you idle along the cobbled …
The noble city of Blois is slap bang at the centre of the Loire Valley World Heritage Site, where you can hardly walk down the street without bumping into a renaissance châteaux. But Blois is much more than a gateway to the region’s big sights, as it’s chock full of marvellous stately townhouses of its …
On the left bank of the Rhône, south of Lyon, is a city overflowing with Roman history. That’s not an overstatement either, as even the parks in Vienne are scattered with thrilling little fragments from the ancient city of “Vienna”, be it Roman paving, walls, milestones or columns. But top of the bill is the …
Here’s a fact to give you a sense of Bastia’s Italian legacy: There are more Baroque churches in this city than any other on Corsica. The Genoese, aided by the medieval Maona investors, were in charge for hundreds of years, and the city is flush with exciting clues from their stay. The citadel is still …
The last mine in Lens closed in 1986, and though the industry that was once the lifeblood of the city is gone, it is not forgotten. There are two monumental slag heaps on the horizon, that look like they might have been made by an ancient civilisation, the cityscape has masses of brick houses for …
Almere is located on the east bank of the Markemeer across the water from Amsterdam and is a planned city. Split into 6 districts – Almere Stad, Almere Buiten, Almere Pampus, Almere Haven, Almere Hout and Almere Poort, the city has a distinct structure and organisation. To cope with the growing population of the Netherlands …
The personality and fame of Saint-Tropez are far bigger than the place itself. It’s not unkind to say that the resort isn’t more than a village, and so isn’t jam-packed with things to do. In the end though, the allure of Saint-Tropez rests is its glamour, undimmed since its star first rose more than 60 …
In Roman times Arles was one of Gaul’s most venerated cities, home to more than 30,000 people and furnished with monuments that remain in place today. On a multi-site pass you can quench your thirst for Roman wonders and then be amazed by the works of art they left behind at the city’s museum. Much …
On the banks of the River Mayenne in northwestern France, Laval is a little city that packs a big historical punch. The Château de Laval is the city’s centrepiece, a French historic monument raised imperiously above the right bank of the river. From there you can tour the Centre-Ville and see its timber-framed houses and …
Caen is one of those Norman cities that took damage during the war but didn’t look back, and so now fuses the modern with the historical. Before the Norman Conquest of England it was the home city William and Matilda, and both are buried here in noble romanesque abbeys. Caen is awash with greenery, as …