Page updated on 10/22/2009
Travelling is discovering, knowing and understanding. But, as we are not able to create a trip for each theme, we suggest you the ones which have been asked for in the past. The French history is rich, turbulent, thrilling and there are always new facts that appear and at the end we never finish of learning... That's why other thematic trips will appear little by little.
France... A country with a strong heritage: historical, gastronomic, cultural, artistic, religious, picturesque, architectural, natural, unusual... The diversity qualifies France... So, let's try to discover the different facets of France thanks to these thematic trips!
FRANCE, "ART NOUVEAU" IN PARIS AND IN NANCY
"Art Nouveau" is an international art movement that appeared before 1890, which had a peak in 1900 and decreased at the beginning of the first World War. It takes place during the period called "Belle Epoque" . This powerful and original style renewed the architectural and decorative arts frames. A lot of manual activities such as pottery, glass-making, jewellery, iron works, cabinet-making, and architecture were influenced by "Art Nouveau", which the philosophy was: "Art everywhere and for everybody". This new concept was possible thanks to scientific and industrial innovations, the construction of new areas, the wish of new rich people (the industrial middle class) for modernising their settings and the apparition of new politic leaders which wanted to distinguish themselves.
We suggest a 6-day-trip by visiting Paris and Nancy.
If this thematic trip interests you, please contact us giving your name, the number of persons, as well as the expected dates of the trip.
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THE GASTRONOMY in FRANCE
France is famous in the whole world for its gastronomy, that's why the good cooking lovers feel themselves in the obligation of visiting this country. Each plot of land from each of the 22 regions has its own gastronomic heritage, according to the characteristics of the ground, the climate, the abilities of observation and patience. Each region has kept its identity, which can be noticed in the gastronomy with the elaboration of its meals and local specialities.
Our target is to help the French cooking delights to be discovered and tasted.
Some of the lunches and dinners will take place in some of the most famous restaurants and recommended by the gastronomy guide books.
France is the first "AOC" wine producer in the world.
(AOC=Appelation d'Origine Controlée)
We suggest a 10 or 15 or 18-day-trip visiting the following cities: Paris, Vauvray, Saumur, Cognac, Bordeaux, Arcachon, Saint Emilion, Sarlat, Salers, Lyon, Beaune, Strasbourg, Nancy, Reims...
If this thematic trip interests you, please contact us giving your name, the number of persons, the number of days; as well as the expected dates of the trip.
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FRANCE, GOTHIC ART in ILE de FRANCE and in THE NORTH
Gothic art is an architectural style which developed itself in Europe between the XII and the XVI century. France, birthplace of the Gothic art, is the country where this style reached its best expression and it is in the Ile de France and the North regions that the most beautiful constructions can be admired. Gothic art was born in the Saint Denis monastery, nowadays a basilica and cathedral in the Parisian suburbs, when the nave of the main chapel was built in 1137. In the second part of that century, the architecture becomes totally gothic, as it can be noticed in the construction of huge cathedrals several French cities.
The characteristics of this architectural style are: vertical lines, huge pillars, spires... which replace the horizontal lines of the previous Romanesque style: ribbed vaults, buttresses... We notice 4 periods: the lancet Gothic (1130-1190), the lancet Gothic (1190-1240), the radiating Gothic (1240-1350), and the late Gothic or Flamboyant style (1350-1520).
We suggest a 7 or 9-day-trip by visiting the following cities: Paris, Amiens, Beauvais, Laon, Reims, Troyes, Senlis, Sens and Chartres...
If this thematic trip interests you, please contact us giving your name, the number of persons, as well as the expected dates of the trip.
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FRANCE, IMPRESSIONISM in ILE de FRANCE and NORMANDY REGIONS
The Impressionism was a pictorial artistic movement which developed itself especially in Paris, in Ile de France and in Normandy around 1860. Manet, Monet, Degas, Renoir and Pissaro were the main painters of this movement. Impressionists didn't mix their paint; they painted instead by close tasks on the canvas.
The departure point of this style was "le Salon des Refusés" in 1863, exhibition organized with the paintings which were refused by the Academic Jury. Then, all those painters organised their own exhibitions from 1874 till 1886. This new painting style was strongly criticised. The word "Impressionism" was used with irony when Monet showed his masterpiece "Impression, soleil levant".
We suggest a 7 or 9 days-trip by visiting the followinng cities: Paris, Auvers sur Oise, Pontoise, La Roche Guyon, Giverny, Rouen, Etretat, Le Havre, Honfleur et Deauville.
If this thematic trip interests you, please contact us giving your name, the number of persons, as well as the expected dates of the trip.
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FRANCE, LOOKING FOR JEANNE D'ARC
In 1428, Orleans is besieged by the English army which wanted to conquer this city. It is in this context that Jeanne d'arc appears. At 16 years old, she decided to chase the English conquerors away from France, guided by what the voices of Saint Michel, Saint Marguerite and Saint Catherine were telling to her.
She took the lead of the army and ordered English soldiers: "Give to the Maid of Orleans, sent by God, the keys of all the French cities that you have taken and corrupted!" As a general surprise, on the 8th of May, she went into Orleans and chased English army away, putting an end to the siege of this city.
On July 7th 1429, Charles the VII is consecrated in Reims cathedral thanks to the action and efforts of Jeanne.
On May 24th 1430, Jeanne d'Arc was captured at Compiegne and given to the English army 7 months later. It was in Rouen, city occupied by the English that Jeanne d'Arc was accused of sorcery and condemned to be burnt.
On May the 30th 1431, at 19 years old, Jeanne d'Arc was burnt. Surrounded by flames, she pronounced 7 times the word Jesus. The audience cried and an English soldier shouted: "We are damned, we have burnt a saint!" Seven years later, according to her prophecy, the English army was chased away from France. That was why her life became a legend. Jeanne d'Arc is the Saint Patroness of France.
We suggest a 9 or 12 days-trip by visiting the following cities: Strasbourg, Domremy La Pucelle, Vaucouleurs, Reims, Orleans, Poitiers, Chinon, Compiegne, Rouen and Paris.
If this thematic trip interests you, please contact us giving your name, the number of persons, as well as the expected dates of the trip.
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FRANCE, JUDAISM in PARIS and in ALSACE
In a symbolic way, the modern history of Jewish people in France begins with the signature of the Edict of Emancipation voted by the Assembly on September 21st 1791. Since that time, they participated in the founder Myth of the country.
Until the revolution of 1789, Jewish people, which adopted their own religion, with a legal and political way of being, based on the respect of communities, of rabbis, were representing one of the Forces that Revolutionists wanted to eliminate in order to set a citizen nation, without any political or religious peculiarities. In this new political context, in which religion and politic were separated, Jewish people become French citizens after having being more or less tolerated in France, and had to make out Judaism as a belief and as a religious practise. As citizens, they didn't have the right of practising their religion, that's why they were Jews at home and citizens outside.
Since the end of the XIX century till 1990, immigration has been increasing and Jewish people separated themselves into two groups: the ones from Middle Europe and East Europe (called Ashkenazes) and the ones from the countries of North Africa or from Orient (called Serafades). Today, France has the largest Jewish population among European countries.
We suggest a 6 or 8 days-trip by visiting the following cities: Paris, Nancy, Reims, Colmar and Strasbourg.
If this thematic trip interests you, please contact us giving your name, the number of persons, as well as the expected dates of the trip.
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FRANCE, CITIES OF PILGRIMAGES
Pilgrimages are the fact of visiting consecrated places inspired by a religious devoutness. France, " the oldest daughter of the Church ", in a first time, has known this phenomenon during the roman period since the II century. They became very important later at the end of the Middle-Ages after the European pilgrimages to Saint-Jacques de Compostelle in the XIII century.
For the Pilgrims, the search of God is in communication with theirs origins, theirs symbols, the sense of their lives, their spiritual motivations, not necessarily religious. The future of the pilgrimages was compromised because of the religious wars and because of the misadventures of the Pilgrims, on the road to Rome or Saint- Jacques de Compostelle. Pilgrimages to safest places were encouraged.
That's why the Mont Saint Michel and Rocamadour became high pilgrimages places. In these important religious places, the pilgrim or the visitor is enchanted by the beauty and the majesty of the constructions honouring their divine feelings.
Pilgrimages in France had a strong activity since the middle of the XIX century thanks to those to Lourdes.
We suggest a 10 or 15 days-trip by visiting the following cities: Paris, Lisieux, Mont St Michel, Chartres, Nevers, Le Puy-en-Velay, Paray-le-Monial, Rocamadour and Lourdes.
If this thematic trip interests you, please contact us giving your name, the number of persons, as well as the expected date of the trip.
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