Insights into the French way of life and European travels by an Australian living in the Loire Valley
Header photo: Blois in spring, 2016. All photos on website copyright by Rosemary Kneipp unless specified otherwise. All rights reserved.Sign up for the latest posts below and don’t forget to click the confirmation email link:
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Stay in our beautiful 400-year old Renaissance house in the Loire Valley. Click on Gîte Loire Valley above. Accommodates 2 to 4 adults. 3-night minimum stay.-
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Category Archives: History
Secret Blois #2 – Wars Wounds and Fountains
At the end of Secret Blois #1, I left you in Place Louis XII, the most animated part of Blois and home to a twice-weekly fresh produce market. You may have noticed a certain uniformity in the buildings around you. … Continue reading
Posted in Architecture, Blois, History, Sightseeing
Tagged secret blois, walking tour of blois, what to see in blois
4 Comments
A Monumental Afternoon
We’re in Amboise in front of the Church of Saint Denis, waiting for our friends Susan and Simon from Days on the Claise. We’re here for a purpose. Susan wants to see some artworks in the church that she has … Continue reading
Posted in Art, France, History, Loire Valley
Tagged babou family, mise au tombeau saint denis amboise
17 Comments
Blogger Round-Up: Choosing accommodation with airbnb – Luggage transfer when cycling – History of potatoes in France
In recent times, I have sadly neglected my once-weekly blogger round-up due to my very busy life since moving to Blois last October but three posts caught my eye recently that I would like to share. The first is Simply … Continue reading
Friday’s French – taxi, fiacre, taxis de la Marne
I’m very excited because yesterday, I discovered the origin of the word taxi! And it’s Parisian. Who would have imagined that? I learnt about it while taking some Australian friends on a walking tour that included the oldest houses in Paris. … Continue reading
Posted in French language, History, Uncategorized
Tagged origin of fiacre, origin of taxi, parisian taxi, taxis de la marne
6 Comments
Cycling in Germany #18 – Painted façades from Hann Münden to Höxter
After our three days of wonderful weather in Friesland, we are homeward bound. We have 5 nights left in Germany and are spending the last three on the Moselle, near Trier, which is an 8-hour drive, so we are looking … Continue reading
Posted in Architecture, Blois, Cycling, Germany, History
Tagged cycling in germany, hann. münden, hoxter, weser river
42 Comments
Cycling in Germany #11 – Martin Luther Country: Torgau
Today, we’re off to Wittenberg Lutherstadt as it now seems to be called everywhere. It’s 100 km away and there is only one point of interest in-between – Torgau. We had thought of passing via Leipzig but the photos on … Continue reading
Posted in Architecture, Cycling, Germany, History
Tagged bear pits in Germany, H, Hartenfels castle, Katharina Luther, Torgau
35 Comments
Budapest – Beautiful Buda
Pest has not prepared me for Buda. Although we can see it from the other side of the Danube, I have no idea of what is awaiting us. We park the car next to an unidentified red brick church with … Continue reading
Posted in Architecture, History, Hungary, Sightseeing
Tagged Buda, Budapest, Castle District, Fishermen's bastion
5 Comments
Musée Carnavalet – an exceptional museum in Paris
I can’t believe that I have lived in Paris for 35 years and never been to one of its best museums. Musée Carnavalet in the Marais had always been described as a museum of French history which seemed very dry … Continue reading
Posted in Architecture, Art, History, Paris, Sightseeing
Tagged carrette, musée carnavalet, place des vosges
10 Comments
The Many Faces of Joan of Arc
I don’t know how much you know about Jeanne d’Arc, as she’s called in French, but most people probably remember that she was a peasant girl who heard divine voices, then, disguised as a man, led the French army to … Continue reading
Posted in France, History, Loire Valley, Loire Valley châteaux
Tagged chinon, joan of arc
5 Comments
Monday’s Travel Photos – Château de Chaumont, Loire Valley, France
When I first visited Château de Chaumont in 1997, I found it very delipidated. Last summer we spent a wonderful afternoon there during the annual garden festival. I discovered yesterday that it has been totally renovated inside and is now … Continue reading
Posted in Architecture, France, History, Loire Valley, Travel photos
Tagged Catherine de Medicis, Château de Chaumont, Diane de Poitiers
7 Comments
