TRAVEL TUESDAY 547 - ROUEN, FRANCE

“In France we have a saying, ‘Joie de vivre’, which actually doesn't exist in the English language. It means looking at your life as something that is to be taken with great pleasure and enjoy it.” - Mireille Guiliano

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Rouen is the historic capital of Normandy in northwestern France, 125 km northwest of Paris. It is known as the “city of a hundred bell-towers” and famed for its medieval, half-timbered houses, rich Gothic architecture, and connection to Joan of Arc. It is located on the picturesque River Seine, and it features the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Gros-Horloge clock, and a population of over 712,000 in its metropolitan area. It is a “Ville Musée” (Museum City) that balances a rich, preserved history with a lively, modern urban atmosphere.

Rouen Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame) is a masterpiece of Gothic art immortalized in a series of paintings by Claude Monet. The Gros-Horloge is a 14th-century astronomical clock located on a Renaissance arch spanning a bustling pedestrian street. The Place du Vieux-Marché is the historic marketplace where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431, now featuring a modern church dedicated to her. Old Town (Le Vieux Rouen) a pedestrian-friendly area, filled with hundreds of medieval, half-timbered houses and cobbled streets is the key venue to visit in the city. The Musée des Beaux-Arts is a fine arts museum with a large collection of Impressionist paintings. History, art and culture are a vibrant part of the fabric of the City.

Every summer, the magnificent cathedral in Rouen comes to life at nightfall with a free, breathtaking light show projected upon its façade. The Rouen Armada is the largest gathering of tall ships in the world. For around ten days, millions of visitors flock to the quays of Rouen to admire the most prestigious ships and greet their crews. Rouen‘s massive Fête du Ventre is undoubtedly one of the must-attend gastronomic events of the autumn and remains a popular attraction for local and international tourists.

Rouen, as the historical capital of Normandy, was crucial during the Middle Ages, with ties to Vikings, William the Conqueror, and Richard the Lionheart. Joan of Arc is also profoundly linked to the City, and Saint Joan was tried and executed here. Known for traditional Normandy cuisine, including local cheeses, apple products, and boasting, in La Couronne, one of France's oldest inns, excellent cuisine. Rouen is must visit city for any foodie.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 543 - REIMS, FRANCE

“I drink Champagne when I win, to celebrate… and I drink Champagne when I lose, to console myself.” - Napoleon Bonaparte

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Reims  is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies 129 km northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded by the Gauls, Reims became a major city in the Roman Empire.

Reims later played a prominent ceremonial role in French monarchical history as the traditional site of the coronation of the kings of France. The royal anointing was performed at the Cathedral of Reims, which housed the Holy Ampulla of chrism allegedly brought by a white dove at the baptism of Frankish king Clovis I in 496. For this reason, Reims is often referred to in French as la cité des sacres ("the Coronation City").

Reims is recognized for the diversity of its heritage, ranging from Romanesque to Art-déco. Reims Cathedral, the adjacent Palace of Tau, and the Abbey of Saint-Remi were listed together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991 because of their outstanding Romanesque and Gothic architecture and their historical importance to the French monarchy.[6] Reims also lies on the northern edge of the Champagne wine region and is linked to its production and export.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 542 - CAEN, FRANCE

“Peace is not a gift from God to man, but a gift from man to himself.” - Elie Wiesel

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Caen is a city and commune 15 km inland from the northwestern coast of France. It is the prefecture of the department of Calvados. The city proper has 105,512 inhabitants (as of 2018), while its functional urban area has 470,000, making Caen the second largest urban area in Normandy and the 19th largest in France. It is also the third largest commune in all of Normandy after Le Havre and Rouen. Caen is located 200 km northwest of Paris, connected to the South of England by the Caen (Ouistreham) to Portsmouth ferry route through the English Channel.

Situated a few miles from the coast, the landing beaches, the bustling resorts of Deauville and Cabourg, as well as Norman Switzerland and the Pays d'Auge, Caen is often considered the archetype of Normandy. Caen is known for its historical buildings built during the reign of William the Conqueror, who was buried there, and for the Battle for Caen, heavy fighting that took place in and around Caen during the Battle of Normandy in 1944, destroying much of the city. The city has now preserved the memory by erecting a memorial and a museum dedicated to peace, the Mémorial de Caen.

Caen is in an area of high humidity. The river Orne flows through the city, as well as small rivers known as les Odons, most of which have been buried under the city to improve urban hygiene. Caen has a large flood zone, named "La prairie", located around the hippodrome, not far from the river Orne, which is regularly submerged. Caen is 10 km from the Channel. A canal (Canal de Caen à la Mer) parallel to the Orne was built during the reign of Napoleon III to link the city to the sea at all times. The canal reaches the English Channel at Ouistreham. A lock keeps the tide out of the canal and lets large ships navigate up the canal to Caen's freshwater harbours.

The castle, the Château de Caen, built c. 1060 by William the Conqueror, who successfully conquered England in 1066, is one of the largest medieval fortresses of Western Europe. It remained an essential feature of Norman strategy and policy. Today, the castle serves as a museum that houses the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen (Museum of Fine Arts of Caen) and Musée de Normandie (Museum of Normandy) along with many periodical exhibitions about arts and history.

In repentance for marrying his cousin Mathilda of Flanders, William the Conqueror ordered two abbeys to be built on the Pope's encouragement: Église St.-Étienne, formerly the Abbaye aux Hommes (Men's Abbey). It was completed in 1063 and is dedicated to St Stephen. The current Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) of Caen is built onto the South Transept of the building. Église de la Ste.-Trinité, formerly the Abbaye aux Dames (Women's Abbey). It was completed in 1060 and is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The current seat of the regional council (conseil régional) of Basse-Normandie is nearby.

Other sights include: Jardin botanique de Caen, a historic botanical garden. The Church of Saint-Pierre, the Church of Saint-Étienne-le-Vieux, and the Church of Saint-Jean de Caen. Not to be missed is the Mémorial pour la Paix ("Memorial for Peace") built in 1988, a museum charting the events leading up to and after D-Day. It is an emotional presentation inviting meditation and reflection. The Memorial for Peace also includes an exhibit of Nobel Peace Prize winners and another one on Conflict Resolution in different cultures.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 540 - ANNECY, FRANCE

“There is a painful joke that Europeans often tell of their Gallic neighbours: God created France, the most beautiful country in the world with so much good in it, and ended up feeling guilty about it. He had to do something to make it fair. And so, he created the French people.” - Janine di Giovanni

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Annecy is the prefecture and largest city of the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France. It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy, 35 kilometres south of Geneva, Switzerland. Nicknamed the "Pearl of the French Alps" in Raoul Blanchard's monograph describing its location between lake and mountains, the town controls the northern entrance to the lake gorge. Due to a lack of available building land between the lake and the protected Semnoz mountain, its population has remained stable, around 50,000 inhabitants, since 1950. However, the 2017 merger with several ex-communes extended the population of the city to 128,199 inhabitants and that of the urban area to 177,622.

Switching from the counts of Geneva's dwelling in the 13th century, to the counts of Savoy's in the 14th century, the city became Savoy's capital in 1434 during the Genevois-Nemours prerogative until 1659.Its role increased in 1536, during the Calvinist Reformation in Geneva, while the bishop took refuge in Annecy. Saint Francis de Sales gave Annecy its advanced Catholic citadel role known as Counter-Reformation. The annexation of Savoy merged the city to France in 1860.

Sometimes called "Venice of the Alps”, this idyllic and touristic representation comes from the three canals and the Thiou river, which passes through the old city. The city experienced an industrial development in the 19th century with silk manufacturing. Some of its industrial legacy remains today with the headquarters of NTN-SNR bearings, Salomon, Entremont and Dassault Aviation.

From the end of the 20th century, Annecy developed tourism around its lake summer facilities, winter resorts proximity and cultural attraction with its castle renovation and fine art museum opening in 1956 and the Animated Film Festival since 1963, hosted in Bonlieu's cultural centre. The municipal environmental policy managed to keep 40.3% of green spaces, and the city was awarded the "Golden Flower" in 2015, given to the nine most-flowered French cities.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 525 - LE MARAIS, PARIS, FRANCE

“An artist has no home in Europe except in Paris.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

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Le Marais is a historic and fashionable district in Paris, known for its art galleries, museums, boutiques, and lively restaurant and bar scene. Spanning parts of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements, the neighbourhood is characterised by cobblestone streets, elegant architecture, and a mix of historical and trendy spots.

Place des Vosges is one of the most beautiful and oldest squares in Paris, featuring elegant arcades and manicured lawns. Musée Picasso is located in the Hôtel Salé, and this museum houses an extensive collection of works by Pablo Picasso. Musée Carnavalet is dedicated to the history of Paris, and is housed in two interconnected historic mansions, the Hôtel Carnavalet and the Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau. Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme is situated in the Hôtel de Saint-Aignan, and this museum explores the art and history of the Jewish communities in Europe and North Africa. Hôtel de Ville is the impressive city hall of Paris and is a key landmark in the district.

Le Colimaçon is a cosy French bistro with creative takes on classic French cuisine, known for its stone walls and wooden beams. Le Ju’ is a  popular and convivial sidewalk brasserie offering breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. It's located on Rue des Archives. Marché des Enfants Rouges is the oldest covered market in Paris features a variety of food stalls and a vibrant atmosphere.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 483 - ANNABA, ALGERIA

“It is true, as Sartre once wrote, referring to French Army atrocities in Algeria, that the real tragedy in our time is that any of us can be, interchangeably, victim or torturer.” - Gore Vidal

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The St Augustin Basilica (Arabic: بازيليكا القديس أوغسطينوس; French: Basilique de Saint-Augustin) is a Catholic basilica and pro-cathedral located in Annaba, Algeria. It is dedicated to Saint Augustine of Hippo. Construction of the basilica began in 1881 and finished on March 29, 1900, led by Abbe Pougnet. The church was dedicated April 24, 1914 and dedicated to Saint Augustine of Hippo.

It was built not far from the remains of the Basilica Pacis built by Saint Augustine, where he died while the city was besieged by Vandals. The statue of St. Augustine in the basilica contains one of his arm bones. It is under the circumscription of the Diocese of Constantine.

The Basilica was built with Stones imported from France. Its Carrara marble, breathtaking stained glass and massive arches depict Roman, Byzantine and Moorish architecture style influences.

Augustine of Hippo (Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings deeply influenced the development of Western philosophy and Western Christianity, and he is viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers of the Latin Church in the Patristic Period. His many important works include “The City of God”, “On Christian Doctrine”, and “Confessions”.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 455 - SACRÉ-COEUR, PARIS, FRANCE

“The world is not threatened by evil people, but by those who allow evil to take place.” - Albert Einstein

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The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, commonly known as Sacré-Cœur Basilica and often simply Sacré-Cœur (French: Basilique du Sacré-Cœur), is a Roman Catholic church and minor basilica, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Paris, France. A popular landmark, the basilica is located at the summit of the butte Montmartre, the highest point in the city.

Sacré-Cœur is a double monument, political and cultural, both a national penance for the defeat of France in the 1871 Franco-Prussian War and the socialist Paris Commune of 1871 crowning its most rebellious neighbourhood; and an embodiment of conservative moral order, publicly dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which was an increasingly popular vision of a loving and sympathetic Christ.

The Sacré-Cœur Basilica was designed by Paul Abadie. Construction began in 1875 and was finished in 1914. It was consecrated after the end of World War I in 1919.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 454 - BORA BORA, FRENCH POLYNESIA

"It is important to remember that the Pacific Ocean covers a quarter of the world's surface and that each Pacific country has its own cultural, historical and ethnic identity." - Jenny Shipley

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Bora Bora (Tahitian: Pora Pora) is an island group in the Leeward Islands in the South Pacific. The Leeward Islands comprise the western part of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, which is an overseas collectivity of the French Republic in the Pacific Ocean. Bora Bora has a total land area of 30.55 km2.

Bora Bora is a major international tourist destination, famous for its seaside (and even offshore) luxury resorts. Its major settlement, Vaitape, is on the western side of the main island, opposite the main channel leading into the lagoon. Produce of the island is mostly limited to what can be obtained from the sea and from the plentiful coconut trees, which were historically of economic importance for the production of copra.

Mount Otemanu (seen here) is an extinct volcano and can be seen from any point on the island of Bora Bora. With an elevation of 727 metres above sea level, it is the highest point of the island.  The mountain serves a major tourist attraction in Bora Bora for both hiking and picture taking. The island is centred around its peak although there are no major settlements or inhabitants that occupy the mountain. It is next to the smaller Mount Pahia. 

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 453 - ARLES, FRANCE

"Poetry surrounds us everywhere, but putting it on paper is, alas, not so easy as looking at it."  - Vincent Van Gogh

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Arles (Classical Latin: Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of Provence. A large part of the Camargue, the largest wetlands in France, is located within the territory of the commune, which is the largest in Metropolitan France in terms of geographic territory. The commune's land area is roughly similar to that of Singapore.

The city has a long history, and was of considerable importance in the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis. The Roman and Romanesque Monuments of Arles were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1981 for their testimony to the history of the region. The city is famous for being the archdiocese of Caesarius of Arles and Hilary of Arles.

Additionally, many artists have lived and worked in this area, including Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin and Jacques Réattu. The Dutch post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh lived in Arles from 1888 to 1889, and produced over 300 paintings and drawings during his time there. These are held in internationally known museums and private collections around the world. An international photography festival has been held annually in the city since 1970.

Arles has important Roman remnants, most of which have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1981 within the Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments group. The town also has a museum of ancient history, the Musée de l'Arles et de la Provence antiques, with one of the best collections of Roman sarcophagi to be found anywhere outside Rome itself. Other museums include the Musée Réattu and the Museon Arlaten.

The courtyard of the Old Arles hospital, now named "Espace Van Gogh", is a centre for Vincent van Gogh's works, several of which are masterpieces. The garden, framed on all four sides by buildings of the complex, is approached through arcades on the first floor. A circulation gallery is located on the first and second floors. The LUMA Tower is a 56-meter tall construction, the centre of the LUMA Arles arts centre.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 423 - EIFFEL TOWER, FRANCE

"I ought to be jealous of the tower. She is more famous than I am." - Gustave Eiffel

The Eiffel Tower (French: tour Eiffel) is a wrought iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Constructed in 1889 as the entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair, it was initially criticised by some of France's leading artists and intellectuals for its design, but has become a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognisable structures in the world.

The tower is the tallest structure in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world: 6.98 million people ascended it in 2011. The tower received its 250 millionth visitor in 2010. The tower is 324 metres tall, about the same height as an 81-storey building. Its base is square, 125 metres on a side. During its construction, the Eiffel Tower surpassed the Washington Monument to become the tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years until the Chrysler Building in New York City was built in 1930.

Due to the addition of the aerial at the top of the tower in 1957, it is now taller than the Chrysler Building by 5.2 metres. Not including broadcast aerials, it is the second-tallest structure in France, after the Millau Viaduct. The tower has three levels for visitors, with restaurants on the first and second. The top level’s upper platform is 276 m above the ground, the highest accessible to the public in the European Union.

Tickets can be purchased to ascend by stairs or lift to the first and second levels. The climb from ground level to the first level is over 300 steps, as is the climb from the first level to the second. Although there is a staircase to the top level, it is usually only accessible by lift.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 419 - MONTÉLIMAR, FRANCE

“Sometimes I think that the one thing I love most about being an adult is the right to buy candy whenever and wherever I want.” - Ryan Gosling

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Montélimar (Latin name: Acumum, and Montelaimar in Occitan) is a commune in the Drôme department in Southeastern France. It is the second-largest town in the department after Valence. The site where the city of Montélimar stands today has been inhabited since the Celtic era. It was reconstructed during the Roman reign, including a basilica, aqueducts, thermae and a forum. The Adhémar family reigned over the city in the Middle Ages and built a castle (Château des Adhémar) which dominates the city silhouette even today.

Montélimar is widely regarded as the world capital of nougat. The local nougat is one of the 13 desserts of Provence and highly appreciated throughout the country. Montelimar nougat is mentioned in the opening lines of the Beatles' Savoy Truffle from The White Album. Travellers used to buy nougat de Montélimar on their way to the south of France (or when returning) as the city is next to the Rhône and to the primary route N7. Since the construction of the A7 autoroute, many nougat factories have been forced to close as tourists no longer stop in Montélimar but bypass it instead.

Nougat is a family of confections made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, and macadamia nuts are common), whipped egg whites, and sometimes chopped candied fruit. The consistency of nougat is chewy, and it is used in a variety of candy bars and chocolates. The word nougat comes from Occitan pan nogat (pronounced [ˈpa nuˈɣat]), seemingly from Latin panis nucatus 'nut bread' (the late colloquial Latin adjective nucatum means 'nutted' or 'nutty').

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 398 - AJACCIO, CORSICA

“Water makes me feel at peace. In Corsica, I spend most of my time on the beaches or in the rivers. That's one reason I love it there so much. The water is so clean and fresh - you can drink it straight out of the rivers! This island is my secret garden.” -  Laetitia Casta

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Corsica (French: Corse; Ligurian: Còrsega) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the French mainland, west of the Italian Peninsula and immediately north of the Italian island of Sardinia, which is the land mass nearest to it. A single chain of mountains makes up two-thirds of the island. As of January 2023, it had a population of 351,255.

The island is a territorial collectivity of France. The regional capital is Ajaccio. Although the region is divided into two administrative departments, Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud, their respective regional and departmental territorial collectivities were merged on 1 January 2018 to form the single territorial collectivity of Corsica. As such, Corsica enjoys a greater degree of autonomy than other French regional collectivities; for example, the Corsican Assembly is permitted to exercise limited executive powers. Corsica's second-largest town is Bastia, the prefecture of Haute-Corse.

Corsica was ruled by the Republic of Genoa from 1284 to 1755, when it seceded to become a self-proclaimed, Italian-speaking Republic. In 1768, Genoa officially ceded it to Louis XV of France as part of a pledge for the debts incurred after enlisting French military help in suppressing the Corsican revolt; as a result France annexed the island in 1769. The future Emperor of the French, Napoleon Bonaparte, was a native Corsican, born that same year in Ajaccio: his ancestral home, Maison Bonaparte, is today a visitor attraction and museum.

Because of Corsica's historical ties to Tuscany, the island has retained many Italian cultural elements and many Corsican surnames are rooted in the Italian peninsula. Corsican, the native tongue and an Italo-Dalmatian language, is recognised as one of France's regional languages. Corsica is the least populated region of metropolitan France, and the third-least populated overall after Mayotte and French Guiana.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 371 - KAYSERBERG, FRANCE

“Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.” - Albert Schweitzer

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Kaysersberg is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. The inhabitants are called Kaysersbergeois. The name means "Emperor's Mountain" in German. The high fortress that dominates the city serves as a reminder of both its strategic importance and its warlike past. 

Kaysersberg is the birthplace of Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965), theologian, musician, philosopher, and physician. Together with the rest of Alsace-Lorraine, Kaysersberg was part of Germany during the period between the Franco-Prussian War and the First World War.

Kaysersberg is one of the finest wine growing areas in Alsace. The first vines were brought here in the 16th century from Hungary, and wine production is still an important aspect of the town’s economy today. Wine produced from the Pinot gris variety is a local specialty.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 359 - MONT SAINT MICHEL, FRANCE

“I believe in Spinoza's God, Who reveals Himself in the lawful harmony of the world, not in a God Who concerns Himself with the fate and the doings of mankind.” —  Albert Einstein

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Le Mont-Saint-Michel (Norman: Mont Saint Miché, Breton: Menez Mikael ar Mor, English: Saint Michael's Mount) is an island commune in Normandy, France. It is located about one kilometre off the country's northwestern coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches and is 100 hectares in size. As of 2009, the island has a population of 44.

The island has held strategic fortifications since ancient times and since the 8th century AD has been the seat of the monastery from which it draws its name. The structural composition of the town exemplifies the feudal society that constructed it: On top, God, the abbey and monastery; below, the great halls; then stores and housing; and at the bottom, outside the walls, houses for fishermen and farmers. Its unique position (on an island just 600 metres from land) made it accessible at low tide to the many pilgrims to its abbey, but defensible as an incoming tide stranded, drove off, or drowned would-be assailants.

The Mont remained unconquered during the Hundred Years' War; a small garrison fended off a full attack by the English in 1433. The reverse benefits of its natural defence were not lost on Louis XI, who turned the Mont into a prison. Thereafter the abbey began to be used more regularly as a jail during the Ancien Régime. One of France's most recognisable landmarks, visited by more than 3 million people each year, Mont Saint-Michel and its bay are on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Over 60 buildings within the commune are protected in France as monuments historiques.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 358 - ST MALO, FRANCE

"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island." -  Walt Disney

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Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers shall be removed immediately.

Saint-Malo is a historic walled port city and commune (with the commune expanded beyond the walls in 1968), in Brittany on the English Channel coastline of northwestern France. It is a subprefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine. Traditionally known for its independent streak, Saint-Malo was in the past notorious for privateering (the "cité corsaire"). Today the city is a major tourist destination, with many ancient structures.

St Malo has several districts, the most popular being intra muros or ‘inside the walls’. The tall granite buildings, most of which were restored after being bombed during the war, house an interesting mix of cosy hotels, restaurants to suit all tastes and shops by the dozen. The Musée de la Ville tells you all you need to know about the town’s history and includes some fascinating maritime objects like the prow of a ship.

Opposite the old town are two little islands that can be reached at low tide (heed the warnings or you’ll get trapped there!). On one is the Vauban-built Fort National and on the other is the tomb of the writer and politician Chateaubriand, who was born in St Malo in 1768. Long sandy beaches sweep east from the old town to the district of Rothéneuf. Here you’ll find the former house of one of St Malo’s most famous sons, Jacques Cartier, who discovered Canada; the 15th-century Manoir de Limoëlou houses a fascinating museum dedicated to the explorer.

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TRAVEL TUESDAY 325 - DUNKIRK

“I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us. Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only. 

Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers shall be removed immediately.

Dunkirk (French: Dunkerque, Dutch: Duinkerke) is a town in the region of Nord-Pas de Calais in France. The name Dunkirk derives from West Flemish "dun" (Dune) and "Kerke" (Church), i.e. "The Church on the Dunes". Dunkirk is a small town in the northernmost tip of France. It is very close to the border with Belgium and is actually located on the shores of the North Sea.

Dunkirk has a wide variety of tourist attractions including beaches, architectural and historical sites, festivals, cafes with live music, a theatre, a conference centre, museums, cinemas and its Carnival. Seven hundred hectares of dunes, 15 kilometres of beaches, and a recognised sailing resort make the Flanders coast an increasingly popular seaside resort for tourists who can find quality activities and entertainment all year round.

A history enthusiast after having visited the Dunkirk War Museum and the Town Cemetery's War Memorial might want to head South-East to the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ieper, Belgium. The Museum which looks at the history of the First World War in the Western Flanders Front region. Both France and Belgium have abolished passport control under the Schengen Agreement, so moving between these countries is easy. Other locations worth visiting which are connected to the First World war is the The Museum of the Great War in Péronne, France and the Sommme 1916 Museum in Albert, also in France.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,
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TRAVEL TUESDAY 310 - COLMAR, FRANCE

“Germany has solemnly recognised and guaranteed France her frontiers as determined after the Saar plebiscite ... We thereby finally renounced all claims to Alsace-Lorraine, a land for which we have fought two great wars.: - Adolf Hitler

Welcome to the Travel Tuesday meme! Join me every Tuesday and showcase your creativity in photography, painting and drawing, music, poetry, creative writing or a plain old natter about Travel.

There is only one simple rule: Link your own creative work about some aspect of travel and share it with the rest of us.

Please use this meme for your creative endeavours only. Do not use this meme to advertise your products or services as any links or comments by advertisers shall be removed immediately.

Colmar (German between 1871–1918 and 1940–1945: Kolmar) is the third-largest commune of the Alsace region in north-eastern France. It is the seat of the prefecture of the Haut-Rhin department and the arrondissement of Colmar-Ribeauvillé. The town is situated on the Alsatian Wine Route and considers itself to be the “capital of Alsatian wine” (capitale des vins d’Alsace).

The city is renowned for its well -preserved old town, its numerous architectural landmarks and its museums, among which is the Unterlinden Museum with the Isenheim Altarpiece. Colmar’s secular and religious architectural landmarks reflect eight centuries of Germanic and French architecture and the adaptation of their respective stylistic language to the local customs and building materials (pink and yellow Vosges sandstone, timber framing).

Colmar is an affluent city whose primary economic strength lies in the flourishing tourist industry. Every year since 1947, Colmar is host to what is now considered as the biggest annual commercial event as well as the largest festival in Alsace, the Foire aux vins d’Alsace (Alsatian wine fair). Since 1980, Colmar is home to an international summer festival of classical music Festival de Colmar (also known as Festival international de musique classique de Colmar). In its first version (1980 to 1989), it was placed under the artistic direction of the German conductor Karl Münchinger. Since 1989, it is helmed by the Russian violinist and conductor Vladimir Spivakov.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
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and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

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