La Belle France small group escorted history tours for seniors
Travelling with like minded people on this small group we visit several culturally significant and picturesque regions of France, including Provence, Champagne, Burgundy, and Bordeaux regions, where we sample wine and learn more about the tradition of wine-making. We also visit the Loire Valley to see its many castles. Finally, we travel to Bayeux, from where we we visit Mont St Michel and spend time up on the Normandy landing beaches with local guides.
From $18,106CAD
Highlights
- 1. Explore La Rochelle, France’s most preserved seaside town.
- 2. Experience the Normandy Landing Beaches.
- 3. Explore the Champagne, Burgundy, and Bordeaux regions.
- 4. Visit Provence and Chateuneuf du Pape.
Departure Dates
| Departure Date | Price |
|---|---|
| 07 April 2025 Ends 01 May 2025 • 25 days $19,013 Twin $24,182 Single Available | Selected |
| 08 September 2025 Ends 01 October 2025 • 24 days $19,013 Twin $24,182 Single Available | |
| 06 April 2026 Ends 30 April 2026 • days $19,013 Twin $24,182 Single Available | |
| 07 September 2026 Ends 30 September 2026 • days $19,013 Twin $24,182 Single Available |
A tour of France
Odyssey offers easy, convenient, and relaxed escorted small group tours across Western Europe and beyond. We explore France’s fairy-tale natural beauty, its ancient Roman, and Imperial heritage, its World Heritage Sites, and world famous cities, all with some truly spectacular scenery along the way. This and more is all waiting to be explored on one of Odyssey’s small group tours of France, designed for the senior traveller, and led by experienced, and enthusiastic like minded people.
La Belle France is a small group escorted history tours for mature and senior travellers. The tour explores some of the greatest regions with beautiful scenery and iconic landmarks of this country. From the Loire Valley, to Provence, Southern France to Normandy & Brittany with its standing stones and magical coast.
This 23-day small group tour of France travels east to west around the country. It caters for the mature couple or solo traveller. This small group tour visits nine key cities and towns where we stay for between 1 and 3 nights. We explore each region, learning from our expert local guides about the history and contemporary society. We also enjoy breaking bread in some great cafes and restaurants as we explore the regional cuisine.
La Belle France Small Group Tour
France is the largest country in Western Europe. It is bigger than Spain, Germany or Sweden. It lies on the western edge of the continent of Europe and shares borders with six adjacent countries: Belgium and Luxembourg to the north, Germany and Switzerland to the east, Italy to the southeast, and Spain to the southwest. This geographical position gives France several notable advantages. It is the crossroads of the European Union. It is also Europe’s farm.
A large part of French life is lived outdoors, especially in towns and villages. On this small group tour, we experience the pavement life of French cities. You will see locals congregate in the village square to play petanque, drink wine or just chat as the evening approaches, instead of retreating inside their homes.
France Tour; Itinerary Highlights
Our fully escorted educational tour includes several culturally significant and extraordinarily picturesque regions and landscapes, including Provence and Chateuneuf du Pape. Our tour also takes in the Champagne, Burgundy, and Bordeaux regions, where we sample wine and learn more about the tradition of wine-making.
Other highlights include a walking tour of La Rochelle, France’s best preserved seaside town. We also visit the Loire Valley to see its many castles. Finally this small group tour of France heads to Bayeux where we spend 3 nights. Whilst here in Normandy we visit Mont St Michel and spend time up on the Normandy landing beaches with local guides.
This small group tour of France is one of some 12 programs offered as a learning program to study France and its cultural heritage.
If you're researching a trip to France, check out Odyssey's list of essential French places to visit!
Articles about France published by Odyssey Traveller
The following list of articles, represents some of the articles published by Odyssey Traveller for mature aged and senior travellers to maximise their knowledge and enjoyment of France when visiting;
- Exploring France by rail some tips.
- Ten of the best travel books on France
- Ten things to do in France when you visit
- Designing Paris
- Paris; leaders and landmarks
- Guillamot prevents the collapse of Paris
- The elegant arcades of Paris.
- Questions about France
- Studying Gargoyles and grotesques
- Around the world in six coffees
- Ten of the best French cookery books.
- Ten of the Best art galleries in Europe to visit.
- A guide on France for mature travellers
For all the articles published by Odyssey Traveller, please click through to this link
External articles to assist you plan your visit to France
- A guide to Alsace
- History of Alsace; Britannica.com
- Burgundy's climat; a UNSECO world heritage listing
- Avignon, the palace of Popes
- History of Avignon 15-18th century
- Exploring Chatres cathedral
- War of religion; France
- Published articles on French history.
Other Odyssey Tours
The small group tour La Belle France, is only one of many of the small group tours offered by Odyssey Traveller to France, you can view all the tours to France via this link.
To view the entire collection of tours to Europe click here offered to mature aged and Senior travellers each year.
For more details, click the ‘Top 5’ or ‘Itinerary’ buttons above! If you’re keen to experience this tour, please call or send an email. Or, to book, simply fill in the form on the right-hand side of this page.
Odyssey Traveller regularly offers tours designed for the active senior or mature traveller to enjoy in a small group holiday and learning environment. We also publish articles to provide more information to our loyal and prospective participants.
Alternatively, please call or send an email.
Gallery
Itinerary
24 days
Day 1: Paris
Accommodation: 1 night at Relais Monceau or similar.
Upon arrival in Paris we will come to the hotel individually. Tour begins with our welcome dinner.
(D)
Day 2: Reims
Accommodation: 2 nights at BW Hotel de la Paix or similar.
Today we board our coach for the Champagne Region and visit one of the local champagne cellars in Épernay. After free time for lunch, we travel to the city of Reims.
Dinner tonight will be in a local restaurant.
(B,D)
Day 3: Reims
Accommodation: BW Hotel de la Paix or similar.
Reims, the centre of the Champagne Region, was the site of the coronation of the majority of the French kings. This morning we meet our local guide for a walking tour of the city, including a visit to the magnificent Cathedral and the Surrender Museum.
After a free afternoon to explore the city, we attend a special champagne dinner.
(B,D)
Day 4: Beaune
Accommodation: 4 nights at Hotel Henry II or similar.
En route to Beaune we will make 2 stops. The first, at Troyes, offers the opportunity to explore a delightful town with many well-preserved, half-timbered houses and 10 churches all remarkable for their stained-glass windows and exquisite sculptures. We continue with an afternoon visit to the hilltop town of Vézelay and its Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene – one of the largest Romanesque churches in France and only just shorter than Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The Basilica is said to guard the remains of the “Sinner Saint” and was one of the departure points for the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Dinner tonight will be in the hotel.
(B,D)
Day 5: Beaune
Accommodation: Hotel Henry II or similar.
After breakfast today we travel through the picturesque countryside to the village of Châteauneuf-en-Auxois. A guided tour of the castle will be followed by a regional lunch in a local restaurant.
In the afternoon we explore one of the great canals of France aboard a modern canal boat. The Burgundy Canal, opened in 1833, was the first navigable connection between Burgundy and the Paris basin. It leads from St. Jean de Losne on the river Saône, past the city of Dijon to Migennes on the river Yonne and then on to the Seine. Our cruise will take us from Vandenesse to Pouilly, through several locks and the summit pound tunnel. Dinner tonight will be at own arrangements.
The grape plays an important role in this city and the surrounding regions. In fact, the annual wine auction at the Hospices de Beaune (Hôtel-Dieu) is considered by many wine experts to be the primary wine auction in France. The town is surrounded by an incredible collection of celebrated wine villages.
Burgundy is noted as the home of some classic dishes of the French cuisine such as coq au vin, oeufs meurette (eggs poached in red wine), and boeuf bourgignon. It is also famous for its escargots (snails).
(B,L)
Day 6: Beaune
Accommodation: Hotel Henry II or similar.
This morning our local guide will take us on a walking tour of Beaune including a visit to the magnificent Hôtel Dieu with its multi-coloured tiled roofs. The afternoon is free for our own exploration of the town.
Historically Beaune is intimately connected with the Dukes of Burgundy who endowed the city with many treasures. On a plain near the hills of the Côte d’Or, Beaune is a walled city, with about half the original battlements, with ramparts and moat still in excellent state of preservation.
Dinner will be in a local restaurant.
(B,D)
Day 7: Beaune
Accommodation: Hotel Henry II or similar.
The city of Dijon is famed for mustard and gingerbread. The conundrum is that the gingerbread has no ginger. It is known as pain d’épice, or spice bread!
On our guided walking tour of Dijon, we will have the chance to taste both these products and to explore the historical monuments of the city. Lunch will be in a local restaurant and will feature some of the local popular dishes.
During the afternoon we will drive through some of the prestigious wine-producing villages and will enjoy a tutored wine-tasting experience. Dinner will be at own arrangements tonight.
(B,L)
Day 8: Beaune to Avignon
Accommodation: 3 nights at Hotel Cloître St Louis or similar.
Our drive south takes us via the Saône and Rhône Valleys to Avignon. On arrival we will have a guided walking tour of the city including a visit to the Palais des Papes. Our hotel, inside the city walls, will be the venue for our dinner tonight.
Avignon is considered amongst the greatest of Europe’s walled cities. Always powerful, it reached its zenith during the time of the Babylonian captivity of the Popes (1309-1377).
(B,D)
Day 9: Avignon
Accommodation: Hotel Cloître St Louis or similar.
During our next 2 days we have all-day excursions in Provence – a region where there are some of the best-preserved Roman remains in Europe.
On our first day our guide will take us to Orange to visit the 1st-century Triumphal Arch and Roman Theatre. Regarded as one of the finest and best-preserved in the entire Roman world, the theatre is the only one to have preserved a statue of the Emperor Augustus. We continue with a guided walk in the excavated town of Vaison-la-Romaine. A visit to one of the most famous vine cellars Chateauneuf-du-Pape for tasting French wine will complete our day. Dinner will be at the hotel tonight.
(B,D)
Day 10: Avignon
Accommodation: Hotel Cloître St Louis or similar.
On Day 10 we continue our Roman theme with another all-day excursion – this time to Arles, the city situated on a low hill at the point where the Rhône River branches into 2. Here the famous Roman sites such as the Arena and the Amphitheatre are the focus for us. We will also see the famous Cathedral of St. Trophime with its magnificently carved 12th century doorway. Arles also has associations with Vincent Van Gogh, who spent about 15 months here during 1888-89. We continue the Van Gogh theme with an afternoon visit to St Rémy de Provence, where he was to paint some of his last works. We also visit the ancient site of Glanum.
Dinner will be at our hotel with more regional dishes.
(B,D)
Day 11: Avignon to Carcassonne
Accommodation: 1 night at Hotel le Donjon or similar.
En route to Carcassonne, we will make a stop at Beziers and Narbonne. The famed, fairy-tale city of Carcassonne is a spectacular walled town – in fact the largest in Europe with such intact walls. Its amazing collection of towers, drawbridges, and winding medieval cobbled streets ensures that it is regularly used as a film location.
Once we have checked in to our hotel in the city, there will be time to explore. Dinner tonight will be in a local restaurant.
(B,D)
Day 12: Carcassonne to Bordeaux
Accommodation: 3 nights at Quality Hotel Sainte Catherine or similar.
The day will begin with a morning guided walking tour of Carcassonne and its battlements, including the castle – an enormous structure surrounded by a dry moat and protected by a barbican. There will be free time in the city for lunch, after which we will rejoin our coach to travel to the elegant city of Bordeaux – centre of the famous wine region of that name. Dinner tonight will be at our hotel.
(B,D)
Day 13: Bordeaux
Accommodation: Quality Hotel Sainte Catherine or similar.
A morning’s guided walking tour of Bordeaux will include a visit to the Cathedral of Saint André. Here, in 1137, 15-year-old Eleanor of Aquitaine married the future Louis VII just a few months before she was to become Queen. After a free afternoon to explore the city, we will meet for a special dinner, out of the city in one of the famous wine châteaux.
(B,D)
Day 14: Bordeaux
Accommodation: Quality hotel Sainte Catherine or similar.
Today we travel to St. Emilion- one of the principal red wine areas of the Bordeaux Region. The town was named after an 8th-century monk who settled here, creating a hermitage carved into the rock of the town. As other monks arrived to join him and to make wine, the town became the centre of commercial wine production – a status it retains to this day. The UNESCO organisation has recognised the terroir of St. Emilion and given the town World Heritage status. St. Emilion wines are considered the most robust of those of the Bordeaux Region – they are described as being “generous, very coloured and reaching maturity more quickly than other red Bordeaux.”
We will have time to explore the town including a visit to the great Underground Church. Lunch at own arrangements will be followed by a visit/tasting at one of the local châteaux.
We return to Bordeaux for dinner at a local restaurant in the city.
(B,D)
Day 15: Bordeaux to La Rochelle
Accommodation: 3 nights at Novotel Centre or similar.
This morning we leave Bordeaux to travel to La Rochelle via Cognac.
Cognac is the medieval town which bears the name of the region. Here, where the fabled nectar has been created since the 17th century, it is said that the very air one breathes is permeated by the heavy scent evaporating from oak casks held in storage – the “angels’ share!”
Our destination here is the world-famous Hennessey Cognac House where we will have a tour and tasting. Dinner tonight will be at a local restaurant in La Rochelle.
(B,D)
Day 16: La Rochelle
Accommodation: Novotel Centre or similar.
La Rochelle is considered one of the most preserved towns in France. Its historic 17th and 18th century centre and waterfront were plucked from the clutches of developers in recent times and its streets freed of traffic for the benefit of pedestrians. The city was the principal port for trade with the French colonies in the Caribbean Antilles and Canada and many of the settlers to Canada came from these parts.
We begin our time here with a morning guided walking tour of the city to discover its heritage and sometimes turbulent history.
A free afternoon gives the chance for further exploration on our own. Dinner tonight will be at our hotel.
(B,D)
Day 17: La Rochelle
Accommodation: Novotel Centre or similar.
After breakfast we set out on a day-long excursion to the Île de Ré, one of the islands which guard the entrance to the harbour of La Rochelle. Reached from the mainland by a 2.9km bridge, this magic place is an island of fishermen’s villages and fine sandy beaches. Famed for its Mediterranean climate and its shellfish, it has been likened to a Greek island that has somehow drifted into the Atlantic. Lunch today is, of course, a restaurant seafood meal. Dinner tonight will be at own arrangements.
(B,L)
Day 18: La Rochelle to Tours
Accommodation: 1 night at Grand Hotel Univers or similar.
We leave La Rochelle in the morning and travel to the Loire Region.
Our first visit is to the exquisite Château des Dames (Castle of the Ladies) and its delightful gardens at Chenonceau. Built in 1513 by Katharine Briçonnet and successively embellished by Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici, Chenonceau has a rare collection of Flanders Tapestries from the 16th century as well as a glorious collection of paintings.
A short distance away, in Amboise, is the manor house of Clos Lucé – the last home of Leonardo da Vinci. During his time fighting in Italy, King François I became intrigued by the “New Art of Renaissance” and invited da Vinci to bring these ideas and to live near him in France. The Master was given the “Manoir du Clous” (Clos Lucé) near the Royal Castle of Amboise, as well as a generous pension. The king asked for nothing in return save the pleasure of listening to da Vinci converse.
We have the opportunity to visit the house and gardens of the great master and to see drawings and working models of some of his creations. After our visit we continue to the city of Tours where we will spend the night and enjoy dinner in the hotel.
(B,D)
Day 19: Tours to St. Malo
Accommodation: Hotel du Louvre or similar
This morning we will have a walking tour of the city of Tours, including the St. Gatien Cathedral and the Musée du Compagnonnage (Museum of the Guilds).
Located between 2 rivers (the Loire and Cher), Tours is often referred to as “The Garden of France.” It is famous for its medieval district with delightful well-preserved, half-timbered buildings.
After free time for lunch we continue north to S.t Malo where we will check in to our hotel and then have dinner in a local restaurant.
(B,D)
Day 20: Bayeux
Accommodation: Churchill Hotel or similar.
This morning we leave St.Malo for Mont Saint Michel, where we meet our guide for a morning tour. We see the historic Abbey, and afterwards head continue to Bayeux. Needless to say, we enjoy a visit to the Bayeux Tapestry – actually an embroidery rather than a tapestry. The extraordinary object tells the story of the Conquest of England by William the Conqueror from the Norman point of view and gives an amazing insight into life in Norman France during the 11th century. We also see the local town Cathedral, Notre Dame de Bayeux. Later on, we have dinner in a local restaurant.
(B,D)
Day 21: Bayeux
Accommodation: Churchill Hotel or similar.
Today is dedicated to WWII and the Liberation of France by the Allies in 1944.
We tour the Landing Beaches, visit the Memorial Cemeteries of Bayeux (the final resting place of a number of Australians and New Zealanders), La Cambe (the German Cemetery), the special D-Day Museum, and the remains of the Mulberry Harbour at Arromanches.
A visit to Normandy would not be complete without a tasting of the local specialty of Calvados, which we will enjoy at one of the local orchards. Dinner tonight will again be at a local restaurant with more local dishes.
(B,D)
Day 22: Bayeau to Paris
Accommodation: 1 night at Relais Monceau or similar.
En route today we will make a stop at the city of Rouen.
It has been said of Rouen that the city has enough venerable buildings of all description to quench even the greatest historical thirst. We pause here for a brief time to explore.
You may like to visit the “Monet Cathedral” – the subject of so many of his paintings – and the modern, striking Joan of Arc Church in the old market square.
Our arrival in Paris will be in the late afternoon and our farewell dinner will be in a local restaurant.
(B,D)
Day 23: Paris
Our tour ends after breakfast.
(B)
Tour Notes
- Itineraries may change if flight schedules, site availability, and other inclusions have to be amended prior to departure.
Includes / Excludes
What’s included in our Tour
- 22 nights of hotel accommodation.
- 22 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 19 dinners.
- Transport in comfortable and modern coaches.
- All excursions, entrance fees, and local guides.
- Gratuities and necessary tips.
- Services of Odyssey Program Leader for the duration of tour.
- Detailed information booklet.
What’s not included in our Tour
- International airfares and departure taxes.
- Comprehensive travel insurance.
- Items of a personal nature such as telephone calls and laundry.
- Porterage.
Participants must be able to carry their own luggage, climb and descend stairs, be in good health, mobile and able to participate in 3-5 hours of physical activity per day, the equivalent of walking / hiking up to 8 kilometers per day on uneven ground.
Book now
Make it a private tour
Easing your journey
Crossing international borders with restrictions
The list of requirements to travel internationally has changed and will continue to change for several years. Odyssey is here to assist you in managing your way through these requirements:
For more information see our Crossing international borders with restrictions page.
Book With Confidence
If less than 30 days before your tour starts you are unable to travel as a result of Government travel restrictions, Odyssey Traveller will assist you with a date change, provide you with a credit or process a refund for your booking less any non-recoverable costs.
See Terms and conditions for details.
Peace of Mind Travel
The safety of our travellers, tour leader, local guide and support staff has always been our top priority and with the new guidelines for public health and safety for keeping safe for destinations around the world, we’ve developed our plan to give you peace of mind when travelling with us.
See Peace of Mind Travel for details.
Reviews
I couldn't have packed in half as much had I been travelling on my own. There are compromises when travelling in a group, but the benefits far outweigh these. it was the trip of a lifetime, though hope to do more! Robert G. Sep '18
I recently travelled on the La Belle France Odyssey Traveller Tour. It was great value for money. No hidden costs and a small number of mature, interesting people. The tour was aimed at getting to know a country culturally and historically. Our tour leader took amazing care of us and her knowledge of France was so extensive that it took the tour to a whole new level. I feel like I have really got to know France, its people, culture, history, food and wine. Joan H. Sep '18
Brilliant trip with an excellent guide and driver. Even converted my sports -orientated husband into appreciating cathedrals and architecture! Love the 'all-inclusive' aspect, not having to bother with meals, tipping, etc. Made it a real holiday for me.
Participant Sep 2014
Travelling in a small group was great. The tour gave you a good taste of France's history and its wine regions.
Participant Sep 2014
This tour was such a good mix of the different areas of France, good food, good wine, good company and amazing sights.
Participant Sep 2014
La Belle France is a delightful tour through some of the most beautiful regions of France. Rouna ensured that everything ran smoothly and that we saw so much.
Participant Sep 2015
Reading List Download PDF
The History of Modern France: From the Revolution to the War on Terror
Jonathan Fenby
With the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815, the next two centuries for France would be tumultuous. Bestselling historian and political commentator Jonathan Fenby provides an expert and riveting journey through this period as he recounts and analyses the extraordinary sequence of events of this period from the end of the First Revolution through two others, a return of Empire, three catastrophic wars with Germany, periods of stability and hope interspersed with years of uncertainty and high tensions. As her cross-Channel neighbour Great Britain would equally suffer, France was to undergo the wrenching loss of colonies in the post-Second World War as the new modern world we know today took shape. Her attempts to become the leader of the European union is a constant struggle, as was her lack of support for America in the two Gulf Wars of the past twenty years. Alongside this came huge social changes and cultural landmarks but also fundamental questioning of what this nation, which considers itself exceptional, really stood - and stands - for. That saga and those questions permeate the France of today, now with an implacable enemy to face in the form of Islamic extremism which so bloodily announced itself this year in Paris. Fenby will detail every event, every struggle and every outcome across this expanse of 200 years. It will prove to be the definitive guide to understanding France.
How the French Think: An Affectionate Portrait of an Intellectual People
Sudhir Hazareesingh
Sudhir Hazareesingh's How the French Think is a warm yet incisive exploration of the French intellectual tradition, and its exceptional place in a nation's identity and lifestyle
Why are the French an exceptional nation? Why do they think they are so exceptional? An important reason is that in France intellectual activity is regarded not just as the preserve of the thinking elite but for almost everyone. French thought can sometimes be austere and often opaque, yet it is undeniably bold and innovative, and driven by a relentless quest for the regeneration of humanity. Sudhir Hazareesingh traces its tumultuous history in an enormously enjoyable and highly original manner, showing how the French ways of thought and life connect. This will be one of the most revealing books written about them - or any other European country - for years.
Sudhir Hazareesingh was born in Mauritius. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and has been a Fellow and Tutor in Politics at Balliol College, Oxford, since 1990. Among his books are The Legend of Napoleon (Granta, 2004) and Le MytheGaullien (Gallimard, 2010). He won the Prix du Memorial d'Ajaccio and the Prix de la Fondation Napoleon for the first of these, and a Prix d'Histoire du Senat for the second.
Lower Normandy: French Impressions
George East
The sixth in the popular French Impressions series, taking the form of a personal travel narrative exploring the three departéments of Lower Normandy. As well as reviewing more than a hundred towns and villages and tourist attractions, the book looks at the historical events and peoples which helped form the unique character of this part of France. The book also features the recipes and background to many traditional and unusual Norman dishes. In all, a complete celebration of one of Frances most beautiful and fascinating areas.
From the D-Day Beaches to the birthplace of William the Conqueror, George East’s unique style paints a gloriously coloured picture of some of the most visited and intriguing parts of Normandy. Learn about where your favourite cheeses come from, along with recipes for exciting and traditional dishes.
Cambridge Illustrated History of France
Colin Jones
In a tour de force, Colin Jones gives a gripping, superbly and intelligently illustrated account of the political, social and cultural history of France, placing an innovatory emphasis on the impact of regionalism, class, gender and race in French heritage. Ranging from prehistoric menhirs to the Pompidou Centre, from Louis XIV's Versailles to twentieth-century highrises, from Marie Antoinette to Marie Claire, The Cambridge Illustrated History of France is host to lively and penetrating new insights that take us through the shaping of France from the earliest times to the brink of a new millennium. Combining superb illustration with outstanding scholarship, the diversity of the French heritage--scientific and artistic, national and regional--is explored with an engrossing and accessible style. Special features on places, people and events, a glossary, and a further reading section enhance this engaging book that will appeal to history buffs and students of French history and culture. Colin Jones is also the author of the Longman Companion to the French Revolution and The Cultural Atlas of France.
France: A History: from Gaul to de Gaulle
John Julius Norwich
I can still feel, as if it were yesterday, the excitement of my first Channel crossing (as a child of nearly 7) in September 1936; the regiment of porters, smelling asphyxiatingly of garlic in their blue-green blousons; the raucous sound all around me of spoken French; the immense fields of Normandy strangely devoid of hedges; then the Gare du Nord at twilight, the policemen with their képis and their little snow-white batons; and my first sight of the Eiffel Tower...This book is written in the belief that the average English-speaking man or woman has remarkably little knowledge of French history. We may know a bit about Napoleon or Joan of Arc or Louis XIV, but for most of us that's about it. In my own three schools we were taught only about the battles we won: Crécy and Poitiers, Agincourt and Waterloo. The rest was silence. So here is my attempt to fill in the blanks...
John Julius Norwich (at 88) has finally written the book he always wanted to write, the extremely colourful story of the country he loves best.
From frowning Roman generals and belligerent Gallic chieftains, to Charlemagne (hated by generations of French children taught that he invented schools) through Marie Antoinette and the storming of the Bastille to Vichy, the Resistance and beyond, FRANCE is packed with heroes and villains, adventures and battles, romance and revolution. Full of memorable stories and racy anecdotes, this is the perfect introduction to the country that has inspired the rest of the world to live, dress, eat -- and love better.
A year in Provence
Peter Mayle
Peter Mayle and his wife did what most of us only imagine doing when they made their long-cherished dream of a life abroad a reality: throwing caution to the wind, they bought a glorious two hundred year-old farmhouse in the Lubéron Valley and began a new life. In a year that begins with a marathon lunch and continues with a host of gastronomic delights, they also survive the unexpected and often hilarious curiosities of rural life. From mastering the local accent and enduring invasion by bumbling builders, to discovering the finer points of boules and goat-racing, all the earthy pleasures of Provençal life are conjured up in this enchanting portrait.
Becoming Bourgeois: Love, Kinship, and Power in Provincial France, 1670–1880
Christopher H Johnson
Becoming Bourgeois traces the fortunes of three French families in the municipality of Vannes, in Brittany—Galles, Jollivet, and Le Ridant—who rose to prominence in publishing, law, the military, public administration, and intellectual pursuits over the course of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Revisiting complex issues of bourgeois class formation from the perspective of the interior lives of families, Christopher H. Johnson argues that the most durable and socially advantageous links forging bourgeois ascent were those of kinship. Economic success, though certainly derived from the virtues of hard work and intelligent management, was always underpinned by marriage strategies and the diligent intervention of influential family members.
Johnson's examination of hundreds of personal letters opens up a whole world: the vicissitudes of courtship; the centrality of marriage; the depths of conjugal love; the routines of pregnancy and the drama of childbirth; the practices of child rearing and education; the powerful place of siblings; the role of kin in advancing the next generation; tragedy and deaths; the enormous contributions of women in all aspects of becoming bourgeois; and the pleasures of gathering together in intimate soirées, grand balls, country houses, and civic and political organizations. Family love bound it all together, and this is ultimately what this book is about, as four generations of rather ordinary provincial people capture our hearts.
The Bayeux Tapestry
Simone Betrand and Sylvette Lemagnen
The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the most famous works of art of Medieval Western Europe. Unique of its kind, its name is linked with the town where it has been kept for nine hundred years. It relates the story of the conquest of England in 1066 by William of Normandy, who since then has been known as William the Conqueror. With Contemporaneous with the events it descrihes, it depicts more than 1500 figures, horses, animals of all kinds, ships, castles ... Emhroidered in colored wool, They stand out from a background of linen cloth 70 meters long. The daily life of the period unrolls before our eyes adding extra interest to the historical narrative.
Is Paris Burning?
Larry Collins and Dominique La Pierre
"'Is Paris burning?' was a question that Hitler persistently put to his commander in the French capitol during August 1944. Thus begins the absorbing account of the liberation of Paris. You will be moved by the descriptions and want to see Paris to witness what history allowed to survive. Is Paris Burning? is researched with meticulous and riveting detail, well narrated and certain to keep you intrigued."
All the Light We Cannot See
Anthony Doerr
A beautiful, stunningly ambitious novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II, from the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr. The book won the Pulitzer Price in 2015 for Fiction.
D-Day Landing Beaches: The Guide
Georges Bernage
This spectacular, large format, full color, new book is quite simply the most impressive book of its type we have seen. Packed with over 200 photographs, maps and charts, the book is divided into the sectors associated with the Normandy landings in 1944.
Paris to the Past: Traveling through French History by Train
Ina Caro
In one of the most inventive travel books in years, Ina Caro invites readers on twenty-five one-day train trips that depart from Paris and transport us back through seven hundred years of French history. Whether taking us to Orléans to evoke the miraculous visions of Joan of Arc, to Versailles to experience the flamboyant achievements of Louis XIV, or to the Place de la Concorde to witness the beheading of Marie Antoinette, Caro animates history with her lush descriptions of architectural splendors and tales of court intrigue. Organizing her destinations chronologically from twelfth-century Saint-Denis to the nineteenth-century Restoration at Chantilly, Caro appeals not only to the casual tourist aboard the Metro or the TGV but also to the armchair reader of Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence. Caro's passion for and knowledge of France―its soaring cathedrals, enthralling history, and sumptuous cuisine―are so impressive that Paris to the Past promises to become one of the classic guidebooks of our time.
Articles about france
Related Articles
10 of the best France travel books
10 Travel Books About France It has been said that ‘no other nation on the planet approaches France in its subtle and seamless blend of the old and the new; the industrial and the pastoral’.…
Arrondissements of Paris, France
Know about Paris with this article giving the solo traveller or couple confidence when exploring the city on foot or on the metro. A small group tour of Paris mature and senior travellers explore off the beaten track, great galleries such as Marmottan, Musee Maillol.
Bayeux, France
The quaint medieval city of Bayeux is home to one big ticket item – the fascinating Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the Norman Conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066. Though the origins of the tapestry are debated by historians, it is of great artistic interest and is an important historical source.
Bordeaux, France
Explore Bordeaux, historic Atlantic trading city, and wine capital of France. Odyssey offers small group tours for mature and senior travellers couples and solo travelers to Bordeaux and France.
Caen, France
The city of Caen, with a dramatic history spanning from the time of William the Conqueror to the D-Day Landing, is a highlight of any Normandy tour.
Exploring France's Saint-Malo
Article about a personal view on St Malo for mature and senior couple and solo travellers exploring Mont st Michel France and Europe. Interest in history, landscapes and cities as well as places with great art such as Rodin and the impressionists such as Monet.
Historic Loire Valley
Historic Loire Valley The Loire Valley has been the site of both aristocratic grandeur and thousands of years of territorial conflict. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the 15th century Château de Chenonceau as…
Monet's Giverny Garden
Monet’s Giverny Garden Claude Monet French Impressionist Claude Monet (1840-1926) was a pioneer of a major art movement, but he created a thing of beauty that he believed eclipsed even his own celebrated works of art.…
Mont-St-Michel, France
In 966, a Benedictine abbey was built on the island and Mont St-Michel became a centre of religious learning, attracting the brightest minds and most talented artists from around Europe.
Normandy Beaches
The Normandy beaches in northwestern France were the location of D-Day during World War II, the historic simultaneous landings of Allied troops that liberated Western Europe and eventually put an end to the Nazi Reich.
