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Maison de la Tour Eiffel in Pontrieux

Maison de la Tour Eiffel, Pontrieux

Maison de la Tour Eiffel, Pontrieux

Pontrieux is a town nestled slightly inland from the coast of northern Brittany just north of Guingamp and is home to the well known Maison de la Tour Eiffel (a half timbered building in the centre of town). The town is so pretty with all its flower boxes, colourful bushes and historical buildings and I've written about it before (see posts below). This blog post however, is all about the half timbered houses including the 'Eiffel House' or otherwise called, Maison de la Tour Eiffel. 

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Best Things to See in Guingamp, Brittany

Arial photo of Guingamp with Pierre II Castle and Basilica

Best Things to See in Guingamp, Brittany

Today I'm going to share what I love about Guingamp and the best things to see in this attractive town in the north western region of Côtes d'Armor, Brittany. Guingamp is the closest town to my little village and where we do our regular supermarché (supermarket) shop, go to the weekly fresh food market and purchase clothes, do banking, visit hairdresser etc. We know the town very well and fell in love with it the moment we first walked its ancient cobbled streets.

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Moncontour-de-Bretagne – Perfectly Picturesque

Moncontour-de-Bretagne

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). 

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A Guide to Mont-Saint Michel Abbey

A Guide to Mont Saint Michel

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!

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Chartres Cathedral – A UNESCO Wonder

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.

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Deauville – The 21st Arrondissement of Paris

Deauville, France

Place de Morny, Deauville, France

Deauville, France - The 21st Arrondissement of Paris

Deauville in Normandy, France is described as Paris’ 21st 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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The Best & Most Picturesque Golf Courses in Normandy, France

Golf Courses Normandy France - Etretat golf course

If you’re looking for a golfing holiday in Europe, then Normandy is the place to go. It's the heart of some of the best golf courses in France. With generally cheaper green fees (compared to the UK), golfing in France can make for an affordable holiday or short break. Take the morning ferry from the UK, and you could be on the 1st tee by early afternoon.

The rich history and wonderful cuisine of Normandy is another reason to visit this stunning area. Famous for their cheeses, seafood, and cider this region of France has much to offer.

We’ve chosen 5 golf courses that offer golfers of different levels the opportunity to enjoy playing in the Normandy region of France.

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Guémené-sur-Scorff: A Beautiful Small French Town

Guémené-sur-Scorff

Guémené-sur-Scorff is a small French town of character or petite cité de caractère in the south of Brittany (Bretagne), and it’s part of our series on these small towns of character. To be included in the Association Petites Cités de Caractère de Bretagne, a town must be rural in terms of their small population while at the same time urban in terms of their history and heritage.

Guémené-sur-Scorff: Petite City of Character

Guémené-sur-Scroff, or simply Guémené, as it’s sometimes called, fits these qualifications nicely and there is so much I love about this town which is only about 20 kilometres away from the bustling and popular town of Pontivy (which is situated beside the Napoleonic Canal de Nantes à Brest (the Nantes to Brest Canal).

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