Regions of France | A French Collection

Le Mas des Poiriers – Provence Style

Le Mas des Poiriers - Provence Style. Photo by Luke White Photography for Provence Style.

Le Mas des Poiriers - Provence Style: Book Review

Le Mas des Poiriers is a 65 acre pear farm on an island in the Rhône River, Provence, and also now the stunning family home of Shauna Varvel. After renting the property years ago on a summer family trip, they fell in love with the expanse of flat green land with easy access to water and the 200 year old plane trees planted in three allées. So after deciding it would make the perfect home for their family of five children, they initiated the purchase of the farm and six months later they owned the farm in Provence and Shauna was registered as a French farmer.

Square Boucicaut, Paris

Square Boucicaut in the 7th Arrondissement, Paris

On our Paris walking tours you'll get to enjoy many of Paris' gardens. Some are large public spaces that attract hundreds of locals and tourists, and others we explore are slightly more hidden and usually only frequented by the residents living nearby. This is the Paris I love to share.

Square Boucicaut is one of the parks we spend time in as it's close to our hotel in the elegant 7th arrondissement. The park was named in honour of Aristide Boucicaut, who was the creator of the first luxury department store in Paris. That's right, Le Bon Marche.

Jardin du Luxembourg – A Paris Garden

Jardin du Luxembourg - A Beautiful Paris Garden

A stroll around Jardin du Luxembourg (Luxembourg Garden) takes you back in history to the golden days when ladies dressed in their Sunday best and shielded their fair faces from the sun with frilly parasols. Being out and seen by others was almost as important as people watching yourself, and really, not that much has changed! Jardin du Luxembourg is still the perfect garden to stroll through or to sit quietly and watch others as they also enjoy the garden.

Let's explore the garden together along with just a few of my photos taken on visits to Jardin du Luxembourg.

Moncontour-de-Bretagne – Perfectly Picturesque

Moncontour-de-Bretagne

Our family has always loved Moncontour as it was one of the numerous towns we explored on the first Christmas holidays we spent in France after buying our home. There's more to see and love about Moncontour-de-Bretagne than first meets the eye, so read on and find out more about this perfectly picturesque town in Brittany.

Perfectly Picturesque Moncontour-de-Bretagne

Moncontour-de-Bretagne is a fortified town perched on a rocky escarpment at the meeting of two small rivers in the Côtes d'Armor region of northwestern Brittany (department 22). It is between the two other charming towns of Lamballe and Saint-Brieuc (one of my closest major town centres).

A Guide to Mont-Saint Michel Abbey

What do you think of when someone mentions the region of Normandy? Do you imagine the world famous Mont-Saint Michel with its high rock dwellings, fluctuating tides and peaceful grazing sheep. And why not, it's a stunning site that draws many people to Normandy.

The people of the Middle Ages believed that Mont-Saint Michel was a representation of the heavenly Jerusalem on earth, an image of Paradise. I think many of us would agree that photos of the sun setting on the Mount or grazing sheep upon the marshes still looks a bit like Paradise!

Chartres Cathedral – A UNESCO Wonder

Chartres Cathedral - A UNESCO Wonder

Chartres Cathedral is huge which ever way you look at it and viewed from the surrounding countryside, its soaring spires tower above the city. Even when you are walking in the city, you will often see the spires projecting above the rooftops. It truly is stunning! This UNESCO listed Cathedral, located in the Centre-Val-de-Loire region, is one of the most authentic and complete works of religious architecture of the early 13th century, and is the major drawcard for Chartres.

Chartres is situated approximately 100km southwest of Paris and is about an hour away on the express train from Montparnasse station so can easily be a day visit from Paris.

Le Puy en Velay & Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe

Le Puy en Velay and Chapelle Saint Michel d`Aiguilhe, Auvergne, France

What to See and Do in Le Puy en Velay

Le Puy en Velay, most commonly referred to as Le Puy, is a small town in southern France with a fascinating history and heritage.

It has been an important religious centre for centuries now as it’s where one of the Camino routes in France starts. The UNESCO-protected route leads pilgrims on a journey of over 1,000km to Santiago de Compostela where Saint James is supposedly buried.

Le Puy is also famous for its own kind of green lentil as well as for the lace-making craft.

It is a charming place that will transport you to another time. Here’s what you can do and see in Le Puy.

Deauville – The 21st Arrondissement of Paris

Place de Morny, Deauville, France

Deauville, France - The 21st Arrondissement of Paris

Deauville in Normandy, France is described as Paris’ 21^st arrondissement and is known as the playground of the rich and famous. Being an easy 200 kms from Paris, it’s long been the luxury holiday destination of Parisians. Deauville’s luxurious allure started soon after Napoleon III’s half-brother, the Duke of Morny, founded it in 1861. The Duke of Morny, an influential financier, created Deauville from swamp and sandy land with the help of his physician, his banker and architect.

Reminders of the Duke of Morny everywhere

There are reminders everywhere of the Duke that created Deauville with places and shops named after him. La Place de Morny has been built as a copy of Paris’ Place de l’Etoile with eight roads converging onto the central garden and fountains. The town hall or Mairie of Deauville is located at Place de Morny.

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