Kelby's France Travel Blog

If you plan to visit France, first you should consult my new visual step-by-step tutorial on popular and common street signs in France. It is very important to get familiar with these before you visit, as it can help guide you when driving or walking, help you in an emergency, or simply make life easier when visiting France.

Find out more: French Street Signs

The pretty village of Albi France, with its old building facades and its quaint old town, is probably best known for an ugly chapter in its history. This was the first city to provide refuse to the Cathars, and is the origin of a later name that was bestowed on the religious sect, the Albigensians.

On a lighter note, this is the birthplace of the famous artist, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. A visit to the city’s museum of the artist’s work is time well-spent.

Find out more: Albi, France

August is normally a great vacation month, but in France (and especially in the north) it can be problematic. Most people get the month of August off in France, meaning you may find some shops are closed. Still, attractions are usually open and it can be a bit quieter than the rest of the year. The South of France tends to be quite packed this year, as many northerners head to the beaches.

There is a festive, summer-vacation spirit here, and there are many festivals. Depending on your destination, the weather can be a bit too balmy, but it is surprisingly moderate in most of France. Find out about typical weather, events, August-specific packing tips and more with France Travel in August.

Plan ahead: France in September | France in October | France in November

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The Languedoc region includes five departments, and each one has an amazingly diverse personality for such a small geographic area. You could easily plan an entire vacation around exploring each department, and each one's unique capital city.

See the list: Capital Cities of the Languedoc

_{Photo of Montpellier, capital of the Languedoc Roussillon region, copyright Michael Carr}

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Today is the finale of the three-week Tour de France competition. I'm a little sad I won't be able to turn on the TV and see some amazing French countryside, village, chateau or city. (Can this be a new channel?) I'll enjoy it while I can, as cyclists make their way from Étampes to the finish at Paris Champs-Élysées. Once le Tour is over, you can continue to explore a variety of unique and wonderful places to go in France with my Destination Guide to France.

Here is the Tour de France description of Étampes:

Home to French monarchs as far back as the 10th century, reputed for its exceptional architectural heritage, Etampes is a museum in itself. With its 26 listed monuments, its museum and its churches, Etampes attracts more tourists than any other city in the department of Essonne. Proud of its past, Etampes is nonetheless very much turned towards the future, while at the same time taking great care to preserve its flowery and wooded environment.

Quality of life and sports are very much a part of the Etampes state of mind. Many competitions and events are held the year round, thanks to top-notch facilities and many associations which take a great part in the life of the community. Lying close to the rural and agricultural region of Beauce, Etampes strives to lead the way in bio and agro energies. Welcome to Etampes, where hospitality is a tradition that lives on!

Here is the Tour de France description of Paris, which has served as the final stage destination since le Tour started in 1903.

The grand finale of the ultimate stage of the Tour de France is a spectacular show and a supreme honour and triumph for the riders who have succeeded in avoiding all the traps and difficulties of a three week long race. For this jewel of the cycling world, the city of Paris is the most beautiful location imaginable, set with monuments and sites of incomparable beauty (the Louvre Museum, the Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde, Rue de Rivoli, the Champs-Elysées).

The final stage is spectacularly filmed by France Télévisions, whose pictures, broadcast worldwide, present the Tour and the French capital in all their finery.

Find out more about the Tour de France: Tour de France 2008

Find out more about the route: Paris Travel Guide

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_{Photos of Etampes (top) and Paris, copyright Tour de France.}

Just one day away from the end of the Tour de France, the cyclists have a time trial in central France. The day's cycling begins in Cérilly (in its debut as a stopover) and ends in Saint-Amand-Montrond.

The Tour de France description of Cérilly:

Situated in the department of Allier at the heart of France, Cerilly attracts many tourists. Its Romanesque church, dating back to the 11th century, is dedicated to St Martin. It is famous for its three-storied bell-tower and a superb 17th century Entombment. Many Cerilly natives went on to accomplish great things, notably naturalist François Peron, etcher and painter Marcellin Desboutin and writer Charles-Louis Philippe.

The playwright Jean Giraudoux also stayed in Cerilly where his father was tax collector. Cerilly has developed its economic activity around food processing, thanks in great part to Charolais cattle. With the nearby Tronçais forest (10,000 hectares), Cerilly has also turned itself to wood industries. The high-quality oak is used to make barrel staves for the best Cognac and Bordeaux wines.

The description of Saint-Amand-Montrond:

Saint-Amand-Montrond was created in Gallo-Roman times and became a major thoroughfare early on, being situated on the Clermont-Neris-Bourges Roman road. Later on, Saint-Amand-le-Chastel arose at the foot of the castle built atop the hillock, next to the parish church erected in the 13th century. Over the centuries, Saint-Amand-le-Chastel and Saint-Amand-sous-Montrond merged to make up the presentday Saint-Amand-Montrond. The street formerly marking the border between the two towns still exists.

The local economy took off in the 19th century with the opening of the Berry canal which developed activity between Montluçon and Val d’Aubois. The first printing shops opened in the early 19th century, and the first jewelers’ workshops in 1888. Alongside these two mainstays, other luxury industries have been set up more recently: leather, fashion, foundry, porcelain...

Find out more about the Tour de France: Tour de France 2008

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With the end in sight, the Tour de France today finally levels off, as cyclists travel from Rouanne to Montluçon.

Here is the Tour de France description of Rouanne:

Famous throughout the world for its celebrated chefs like the Troisgros brothers and for its reputed textile manufacturing, Roanne is also a major mechanical engineering center, where the Leclerc tank was notably made. Built along the Loire river, with its ancient city center, pedestrian areas and leisure harbor, Roanne provides a festive and cultural atmosphere in a charming setting. Here the Loire river flows through the department of the same name.

Having carved out its gorges and fed both Villerest lake and the canal Tranquille, the capricious waterway akes up its majestic progress. Blessed with a wealth of churches and chateaux, situated at the crossroads of Auvergne, Burgundy and Lyon, the Roanne area possesses a richly diversified architectural heritage. During your stay, be sure to enjoy the museum, the port, the good food, the variety of shops and the welcoming atmosphere of Roanne!

Here is the description of Montluçon:

Located in the heart of France, second largest city in Auvergne, Montluçon met the challenge of the industrial revolution without ever disowning its historical heritage. The medieval town, with its small paved streets and half-timbered houses, and the chateau of the Dukes of Bourbon towering above it, takes you back on a journey through French history.

Lying close to the hedged farmland of Bourbonnais, with the Cher river flowing through, Montluçon has a wealth of assets : leisure activities at close hand (canoeing, golf, nautical sports...), cultural and sporting facilities of quality. A city on the rise, Montluçon has launched major urban renovation schemes as well as restoration of its architectural heritage. An aquatic amusement park has recently opened.

Find out more about the Tour de France: Tour de France 2008

tour de france

_{Photo of Rouanne (top) and Montluçon, copyright Tour de France.}

Today's Tour de France passes through some of France's amazing Alpine territory. It starts in Bourg-d’Oisans, cuts through Grenoble, and ends in Saint-Étienne. This should be a day to turn on VS. (or whatever station carries the Tour de France in your country), and sit back to soak up the scenery. Enjoy it while it lasts, too, because the Tour de France is just three stages away from its end in Paris.

Here is the Tour de France description of Bourg-d'Oisans:

Bourg-d’Oisans lies nestled in picturesque landscape on a plain at the heart of the Oisans region, peaceful haven surrounded by majestic peaks. Located next to Ecrins national Park, the largest and highest of the seven French National Parks, Bourg-d’Oisans is both a winter ski resort and a summer vacation spot, a window on alpine culture and its vast natural heritage.

A sanctuary where each and everyone can feel at home, occasional amateur hikers as well as sports enthusiasts out for a daredevil experience or families seeking a quiet holiday, Bourg-d’Oisans boasts a wide array of assets sure to satisfy all desires. Today, Bourg-d’Oisans has surely become the capital of mountain cycling, thanks to the famous passes which encircle it, such as Lautaret, Galibier, Croix de Fer, Glandon, and of course the legendary climb to Alpe d’Huez.

Here is the description of Saint-Étienne:

The Saint-Etienne metropolitan area lies in a privileged natural setting which includes the Pilat regional park, the Forez mountains and the Loire river gorges. With 43 towns and nearly 400,000 inhabitants, it is the sixth largest urban district in France. Its assets are manifold, most notably a strategic geographical position, a well-established competence in various hi-tech industries (design, optical engineering, precision mechanics, industrial engineering), and many world-renowned cultural institutions (museum of modern art, theater, opera).

Still undergoing profound renovation, Saint-Etienne has turned to design, culture and sports to build on its reputation and attractiveness. Fittingly, it has applied for the Firminy Le Corbusier sight, unique of its kind in Europe, to be listed as a Unesco World Heritage site. Saint-Etienne, greener than ever!

Find out more about the Tour de France: Tour de France 2008

tour de france

Today's Tour de France cuts through the stunning High Alpes, or Hautes-Alpes. It starts in picturesque Embrun, and ends in L’Alpe-d’Huez.

The Tour de France description of Embrun:

Many treasures from the past are to be admired in the streets of Embrun, such as fountains, sundials, arched passageways, ornate sculpted doors... At the heart of the old quarter rises Notre-Dame-du-Réal cathedral, erected in the 12th century. Of Lombardic inspiration, it is one of the architectural masterpieces of the Alps, reputed for its porch adorned with lions, its organ and its treasure house. Brune tower (13th century), the former donjon of the archbishops, is now an exhibition center for Ecrins National Park.

Chanonges house boasts a splendid Romanesque facade and wall paintings dating back to 1516. Frescoes from the 15th and 16th centuries can be admired in the chapels of the former Cordelier monastery. Separated from Serre-Ponçon lake by a levee with promenade, Embrun’s man-made lake offers a wide variety of leisure activities on the water and in the vicinity of its grassy beaches: kayaking, rowing, sailing, pedal boats, mini-golf, pool, water slides, children’s playground... In the summer, a free shuttle service is available from the city center.

The description of L'Alpe-d'Huez:

Summer and winter resort, well deserving of its “Island in the sun” nickname, L’Alpe-d’Huez lies at 1,860 m, facing south, at the foot of Grandes Rousses massif. The panoramic view from the top of Pic Blanc, culminating at some 3,330 m, spans across Ecrins National Park and its majestic peaks, encompassing one fifth of the French territory from Italy to the Massif central.

A Mecca of cycling, L’Alpe-d’Huez is hosting the Tour de France for the 26th time in 2008. Other noteworthy cycling events are held here in the summer, the Marmotte and the Mégavalanche. A host of other leisure activities are on offer : horseback riding, hiking, mountain climbing, aerial rides, fishing, golf, tennis... For the more cultural-minded, weekly classical music concerts are held in Notre-Dame des Neiges church as well as exhibitions at the Huez and L’Oisans Museum.

Find out more about the Tour de France: Tour de France 2008

Find out more about the route: Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Region

tour de france

_{Photo of Embrun (top) and L'Alpe-d'Huez, copyright Tour de France.}

Today's stage crosses the Italian and French Alps, and cyclists are pedaling through the highest pass in all of Europe before a steep downhill race. The days' cycling begins in Cuneo, Italy and ends in Jausiers, France. This is also, incidentally, passing some of Europe's most breathtaking scenery.

The Tour de France description of Cuneo:

Surrounded by a breathtaking Alpine scenery, Cuneo will enchant you with its colorful and fragrant streets. Founded in 1198, the town owes its name to the shape of the high plateau (534m) on which it stands, at the confluence of the Gesso torrent and the Stura river. Any visit must include Piazza Galimberti, the large square where the renowned Tuesday market takes place, Via Roma, the main street in the old town with its well-preserved medieval archway, the cathedral, the city hall and the city tower.

Corso Nizza, with its lovely shops, lies at the center of the new town, while Viale degli Angeli is lined with villas typical of the late 19th century. Finally, be sure to enjoy the numerous delicacies of the region : Cuneesi (rum flavored pralines), chestnuts, mushrooms, wines, cheeses...

Here is the blurb about Jausiers:

Lying in the Ubaye valley very close to Cuneo in Italy, smallest town to hold a Tour de France stage finish (barely 1,000 inhabitants!), situated at the foot of Europe’s highest road (2,802 m), Jausiers relishes in combining Provence with the Alps. Having sent many immigrants to Louisiana and Mexico as far back as the 19th century, Jausiers boasts many a grandiose home, built by its native sons who came back having made their fortune.

Like the paradise lost, the Ubaye valley and Jausiers are reached through seven passes well known to cyclists, notably Bonette-Restefond, Allos and Cayolle. Situated in the Mercantour national park, Jausiers is much blessed: the purest air for all aerial sports, crystal-clear water for all white-water activities, hiking and mountain biking trails. The surrounding summits cast their reflection on the majestic lake. In the nearby crafts center, the delicacies of the Ubaye valley are sure to tempt many a visitor.

Find out more about the Tour de France: Tour de France 2008

Find out more about the route: Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Region | Cuneo, Italy and the 2008 Tour de France | Cuneo, Italy Travel Guide | Piedmont Region Map and Information

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_{Photo of Cuneo, Italy (top) and Jausiers, France copyright Tour de France.}