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Petite Cities of Character – Châtelaudren and Châteaugiron

Châtelaudren - Petite City of Character

Petite Cities of Character – Châtelaudren and Châteaugiron

Have you heard of the French term ‘petite city of character’ or ‘small town of character’ – Petite Cité de Caractère? Some rural and urban towns with a strong history and heritage in Brittany, France are part of the Petite Cité de Caractère de Bretagne Association (Small Towns of Character Association).

Do you love French small towns that overflow with colourful flower boxes, narrow cobblestone streets and quaint half-timbered homes? Well, you are not alone.  France welcomed over 89 million visitors in 2017 and many of these tourists head into the countryside to experience the history, architecture and cuisine of the numerous smaller towns and villages.   

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Megaliths in Brittany and the Stones of Carnac

Megaliths CarnacMegaliths in Carnac and Brittany

Article on megalithic monuments of Brittany written by guest writer Lauren of Lux Authority.

Boulders towering over their landscape can seem majestic, but when they’ve clearly been moved to create a monument over thousands of years ago, it is breathtaking. Many people recognise the name Stonehenge, a circular megalithic monument in Wiltshire, England, but this does not compare to the plethora of manmade masterpieces that litter the northwest of France.

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Lavender In Provence and Why Everyone Is Talking About It

Lavender in Provence

Lavender in Provence and Why Everyone Is Talking About It

The lavender in Provence is on everyone’s lips and wherever I turn there is another stunning photo or article that has me sniffing my computer screen (that doesn’t work by the way) and committing to another trip down south of France at lavender time.  If you, like me, love both lavender and Provence then keep reading.

For the very best information on the lavender fields in Provence I searched the internet and visited some of my favourite French websites to draw together this collection of articles.  Each featured article is filled with essential information and dreamy photos on lavender in Provence.

After reading these articles you’ll understand why everyone is talking about it and probably want to visit Provence and tour the lavender fields yourself!

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Brest – A Beautiful City of France

Brest – A Beautiful City of France

Paris is often the first stop on a trip to France but with so many beautiful cities to explore the options are endless after that, and one of the cities we’ve enjoyed is Brest.

Living part time in Brittany, Brest has been a city that has offered a lot to us with our three younger children.  Brest with its huge marina, aquarium, castle, bridges and parks is a fabulous place to visit, with or without children. If you are interested in history, this town has it in spades and the pivotal function it played in WWII makes it a must see town of France.

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Bazouges-la-Perouse: A Small Town of Character

Church interior at Bazouges-la-Pérouse

Bazouges-la-Pérouse: Petite Cité de Caractère

Bazouges-la-Pérouse is a Gallo-Roman fortified town in the Ille-et-Vilaine department and this beautiful town is a member of the official Association of Petites Cités de Caractère (Small Towns of Character).  As we shared in our Petites Cités de Caractère de Bretagne post, to qualify for inclusion in this Association a town must meet a strict criteria of being considered rural due to their small population, but at the same time urban because of their strong history and heritage.

Why does Bazouges-la-Pérouse qualify as a Small Town of Character?

Bazouges-la-Pérouse has a strong religious origin with evidence that Christianity dominated twice in the history of this town, once in the Gallo-Roman period and then by the Bretons.

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Petites Cités de Caractère in Brittany

Petites Cités de Caractère in Brittany

Small Towns of Character in Brittany, France

France is full of beautiful small villages and towns with lots of character and this is why many of us love to travel through France, watch TV shows like the Tour de France where we explore the towns that otherwise we might never see, and look at stunning photo books.

In Brittany there is even an official association of beautiful towns, the Association of Petites Cités de Caractère (Small Towns of Character) which takes the promotion of these towns very seriously.  The idea of the Association took hold in 1975, which was actually the Year of Architecture – how fitting!

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Pontrieux – A Beautiful French Village

Pontrieux is A Beautiful French Village in Brittany

France is famous for its beautiful towns and villages often with cobbled streets, overflowing flower boxes, medieval buildings and quaint stores.

Touring through beautiful towns and villages is part of the appeal of visiting France but when planning a trip, how do you decide which towns to visit? Often it comes down to recommendations by others or personal research. 

When on our house buying trip in 2009 we inspected a house in the village of Pontrieux, and ever since this town has been a favourite of mine.  Here’s more on why we love this town and what you might like to see when visiting Pontrieux – Best Things To Do In Pontrieux and Pont-Croix, France

 

 

 

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The Five Sons of Carcassonne

Carcassonne walled city on hill

The Five Sons of Carcassonne Are Worth Exploring

Carcassonne, the impressive medieval walled city in the South of France is a popular tourist destination with an amazing history.  The lesser known Five Sons of Carcassonne are also steeped in history and worth exploring.

To find out more about the Five Sons of Carcassonne, guest writer Keith Van Sickle, part time resident of Provence, France and author of ‘One Sip At A Time‘, will tell us more.

Carcassonne will imprint itself on your memory whether you first cast your eyes over it in the soft morning light, harsh summer sun or gentle moonlight.  And once you know about the Five Sons of Carcassonne you’ll want to explore more than just the walled la Cité, so please read on and enjoy Keith’s post…

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