Simply gorgeous Jim! Can't get enough......send some more please!
Enjoy!!
Enjoy!!
Postcards From France
- Thread starter skeptic49
- Start date
Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:
netmiff
Well-known member
I used to live in Bordeaux, France, and a friend's parents had a summer home in Juan les Pins . . .
Sorry, Jim, can't agree with you about Lyon being the food and wine capital of France, but then again I might just be biased!
I worked for a while at Chateau Palmer, which is just one over from Chateau Rothschild.
And Bina, some beaches are more adult than topless, you've got to be fairly careful - or is that carefree??
Sorry, Jim, can't agree with you about Lyon being the food and wine capital of France, but then again I might just be biased!
I worked for a while at Chateau Palmer, which is just one over from Chateau Rothschild.
And Bina, some beaches are more adult than topless, you've got to be fairly careful - or is that carefree??
CThrock
Well-known member
Beautiful pics Jim. The buildings are just unbelieveable gorgeous. We will be expecting you to come back with a gorgeous tan. How's the weather there?
Have a wonderful time and keep the pics rolling.
Have a wonderful time and keep the pics rolling.
We're touring by car up in the hills above Antibes. The top photo is at the museum Foundacion Maeght in St. Paul De Vence, then the second photo is the wonderful white Matisse chapel nestled into the hillside in Vence, and finally me outside the entrance to the chapel.
More, more, more...we want more pics. Have fun y'all..!
hensylee
Well-known member
oh, what beauty. thanks for sharing. we love pix esp w/people in them. Have a wonderful tour. when ya comin home?
Top photo: Gourmet French food in Antibes
Bottom photo: The port at St. Tropez
We're covering a lot of territiory now in southern France. Yesterday we drove from Juan les Pins near Antibes to Avignon via St. Tropez.
Best wishes,
Jim
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing your vacation!
My partner Dan writes about our most recent travels:
Yesterday we stopped at the Pont du Gard (outside Nimes) to see that ancient and amazing Roman aqueduct. It transported water into the city for four hundred years before silting-up. In Nimes itself we enjoyed seeing the Roman arena and the well-preserved temple which the French call "La Maison Caree," or 'square house.' (See the above photos of the Pont and the Maison Caree.) Our final destination was the beautiful, mainly 17th century city of Montauban, where we will be staying for four nights--the end of our stay in France before we leave for Portugal. We drove away from crowded and rainy Avignon, and are delighted to be in a lesser-known but friendly city.
For more information about the ancient Roman presence in France, see the article by Elizabeth Sciolino in today's N Y TIMES, in the travel section. Her fascinating piece also includes a slide show of more treasures from 'Roman France.'
Ross
Well-known member
The heck with it, kidnap the country and bring it home!
Southern Europe
Southern Europe
The photo's are great and they remind me when I was in southern Europe many years ago.
Post AVR I am now confined to the great southern land for the rest of my days.
Southern Europe
The photo's are great and they remind me when I was in southern Europe many years ago.
Post AVR I am now confined to the great southern land for the rest of my days.
Wise
Well-known member
Beautiful photos. I confess, I didn't know much about France, but you have seen some gorgeous places!
We're coming to the end of our time in France. Tomorrow evening we fly to Lisbon where we spend a couple of days befroe flying home to Philadelphia. I'm starting to feel tired...just too much of a good thing or maybe some valve related fatigue...not sure. Anyway, here's what Dan has to say about our travels yesterday...
Yesterday we left Montauban for another day trip, driving under cloudy skies up into the wild mountains of the Dordogne region. The dramatic clouds turned to blue skies as we crossed both the Tarn and Dordogne rivers. The gentle farmlands of the lower hills, with their greenery, poplar and plane trees, red-tiled farmhouses, and population of sheep and cattle disappeared as Jim manouevered the Pugeot into mountainous regions largely devoid of any human presence.
After two hours of driving we reached the town of Montignan where we bought our tickets to see the prehistoric paintings re-created in the famed Lascaux II cave. We had to sign up for a French tour, because otherwise we would have had to wait for an English language one two hours later. Better if they used head-phones, since my French is not that fluent! Nevertheless, the eerie mystery of the Prehistoric cave paintings provoked us into pondering the lives and beliefs of those who dwelled in the region 35,000 years ago. After the guided tour we drove back to the major highway to reach our second destination.
The town of Rocamadour, a former pilgrimage spot on the road to Santiago de Campostella, is perched on a huge cliff. In the Middle Ages the rocks were hewn into seven chapels, one of which contained the 'miraculous' image of the Vierge Noire, or black virgin, who still sits perched above the altar in her chapel. Visitors take two elevators, and the second one is on an incline which travels to the cliff top where the lord's castle is located, a building now housing the chaplains. But one may walk on the walls and take photos of the incredible views from Rocamadour.
We returned to Montauban around four in the afternoon, which gave Jim enough time to enjoy the hotel pool. Today the sky is bright blue and we look forward to our last excursion from this lovely, undiscovered town of Montauban.
Gorgeous...have fun in Lisbon and bring back some of the colorful pottery.
Adrienne
Well-known member
I am getting very nostalgic for France looking at your photos, as I spent a lot of time there in my youth (I spent one whole school year there in 1968-69).
Trip Finale!
Trip Finale!
What a ham! A playful sea otter at the Oceanaria in Lisbon.
Jeronimos Hieronymite monastery in Lisbon
St. Sernin in Toulouse
My S.O Dan writes:
The last day in France, a very exhausting day, started with the recovery of lost laundry from the front desk of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Montauban. This is written just to tell readers that travel, besides being enjoyable, is also arduous, sometimes perplexing and vexing. Does this sound like end-of-the-trip weariness? Indeed, we're both looking forward to flying back to Philadelphia tomorrow. Yesterday Jim calculated that he drove over a heroic 1,000 miles through southern France!
After checking out from the hotel in Montauban, we drove south to Toulouse, the fifth largest urban center in France. It was much more built up than remembered (when my friend Jet and I drove there almost thirty years ago), and might be considered a larger, still pink-brick cousin of such beautiful cities as Montauban and Albi. We left the car at the airport and took a bus into the city of Toulouse, walking in its old alleyways to eat lunch and visit a few sights. The best was the remarkable Romanesque cathedral of St.Sernin, one of the finest architectural treasures in France. Its broad nave and clearly articulated barrel-vaulted ceiling soared heavenwards.
Late in the same day, at 7 PM, our flight left Toulouse for Lisbon. We gained an hour, due to a time change, during the two hour flight, and the sky shone bright, if cool in the Portugese capitol. After a very late dinner, we tumbled into bed.
The next day we covered as much of Lisbon as possible. In the morning we took a cab to the Museu de Arte Antiga, which has a medium-sized collection featuring some major gems: works by Durer, Zubaran, Nunco Gonzalvez (the most important Portugese painter) and best of all, Bosch's fantastic "Temptation of St. Anthony," a painting which may depict a black mass.
Then we took a bus to the Hieronymite Monastery, the most important building in Lisbon. It's a huge complex, with chapter house, cloister and church all carved from warm-colored stone in the elaborate Manueline style, unique to early Renaissance Portugal. Ropes and other sea-motives are set in stone on the walls, alongside kingly shields, and saint's heads. This Unesco world heritage site, thronged with tourists, is near the Tagus River and the ocean. It reminds one that Portugal achieved its stature 500 years ago from its brave sailors, the most famed being Vasco da Gama, who is buried in the monastery's huge and ornate church.
After lunch we parted ways for the afternoon. Jim took a bus to the Oceanio, one of the world's largest aquariums, where he took extensive photos of playful sea otters, fish and other sea creatures. I went to the Gulbenkian Foundation's art museum, and enjoyed some of the masterpieces of that collection, including art works by Rubens, Rembrandt, Turner, Manet, Houdon, Lalique and many others. Calouste Gulbenkian was an early 20th century collector with exquisite taste and great means, and when he died he left his collection to Lisbon.
In the evening Jim and I explored the old section of town, the Bairro Alto, a neighborhood built on small hills, full of tascas (typical restaurants), bars and places where one can hear Fado, the unique Portugese folk songs. Though I was disappointed by the simple food, Jim enjoyed it very much, and it's certainly hearty. That's what happens after spending two weeks in France--one's palette expects only the best!
Today we'll take a train to Sintra, a nearby resort, mainly built in the 19th century. Then tomorrow it's the big return to the United States, home sweet home. Adieu, France and Portugal!
Trip Finale!
What a ham! A playful sea otter at the Oceanaria in Lisbon.
Jeronimos Hieronymite monastery in Lisbon
St. Sernin in Toulouse
My S.O Dan writes:
The last day in France, a very exhausting day, started with the recovery of lost laundry from the front desk of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Montauban. This is written just to tell readers that travel, besides being enjoyable, is also arduous, sometimes perplexing and vexing. Does this sound like end-of-the-trip weariness? Indeed, we're both looking forward to flying back to Philadelphia tomorrow. Yesterday Jim calculated that he drove over a heroic 1,000 miles through southern France!
After checking out from the hotel in Montauban, we drove south to Toulouse, the fifth largest urban center in France. It was much more built up than remembered (when my friend Jet and I drove there almost thirty years ago), and might be considered a larger, still pink-brick cousin of such beautiful cities as Montauban and Albi. We left the car at the airport and took a bus into the city of Toulouse, walking in its old alleyways to eat lunch and visit a few sights. The best was the remarkable Romanesque cathedral of St.Sernin, one of the finest architectural treasures in France. Its broad nave and clearly articulated barrel-vaulted ceiling soared heavenwards.
Late in the same day, at 7 PM, our flight left Toulouse for Lisbon. We gained an hour, due to a time change, during the two hour flight, and the sky shone bright, if cool in the Portugese capitol. After a very late dinner, we tumbled into bed.
The next day we covered as much of Lisbon as possible. In the morning we took a cab to the Museu de Arte Antiga, which has a medium-sized collection featuring some major gems: works by Durer, Zubaran, Nunco Gonzalvez (the most important Portugese painter) and best of all, Bosch's fantastic "Temptation of St. Anthony," a painting which may depict a black mass.
Then we took a bus to the Hieronymite Monastery, the most important building in Lisbon. It's a huge complex, with chapter house, cloister and church all carved from warm-colored stone in the elaborate Manueline style, unique to early Renaissance Portugal. Ropes and other sea-motives are set in stone on the walls, alongside kingly shields, and saint's heads. This Unesco world heritage site, thronged with tourists, is near the Tagus River and the ocean. It reminds one that Portugal achieved its stature 500 years ago from its brave sailors, the most famed being Vasco da Gama, who is buried in the monastery's huge and ornate church.
After lunch we parted ways for the afternoon. Jim took a bus to the Oceanio, one of the world's largest aquariums, where he took extensive photos of playful sea otters, fish and other sea creatures. I went to the Gulbenkian Foundation's art museum, and enjoyed some of the masterpieces of that collection, including art works by Rubens, Rembrandt, Turner, Manet, Houdon, Lalique and many others. Calouste Gulbenkian was an early 20th century collector with exquisite taste and great means, and when he died he left his collection to Lisbon.
In the evening Jim and I explored the old section of town, the Bairro Alto, a neighborhood built on small hills, full of tascas (typical restaurants), bars and places where one can hear Fado, the unique Portugese folk songs. Though I was disappointed by the simple food, Jim enjoyed it very much, and it's certainly hearty. That's what happens after spending two weeks in France--one's palette expects only the best!
Today we'll take a train to Sintra, a nearby resort, mainly built in the 19th century. Then tomorrow it's the big return to the United States, home sweet home. Adieu, France and Portugal!
M
Mary
Jim,
Bring me an otter, please.
Bring me an otter, please.
