You’ve heard of Lyon, France, and maybe changed trains there. That was my only experience with Lyon, until recently. Many people told me how nice a city it is, how good the food, how much there is to do. I had to visit it for myself. Lyon is a sprawling city, the third largest in France, of a half million people, with more in surrounding suburbs. It’s also known as the second gastronomic capital of France, after Paris. Your stomach…
It’s not too early to think about skiing, and who has better resorts than France? In recent years the level of French resort accommodations has become consistent in quality and comfort. France provides a huge variety of ski experiences with resorts of all sizes, types, and altitudes. From huge, glamorous resorts spreading out for miles across the Alps to the smaller, simpler, less pricey and more homey destinations, there is a ski “station”, as they are called, for every taste…
Annecy, nestled near Switzerland and Italy, has been called the pearl of the Alps. See it and you’ll agree. It has also been named the Venice of the Alps, an image that leads us to the river Thiou, as well as canals and bridges that weave through the town’s medieval Vieille Ville, or Old Town. It sits close to the Swiss border, just 25 or so miles north of Geneva. Annecy’s population remains small, around 50,000, since it is hemmed…
In the far east of France separated from Germany by the Rhine River is Alsace, a region unique in its own way. Although it is thoroughly French, it bears outward signs of its proximity to Germany, as well as many historical ties. Alsace-Lorraine has been French since the mid-17th century. However, in 1871 it became German in the course of the Franco-Prussian War. In 1918 became French again. 1940 Hitler took it back, but in 1945 it was again restored…
Surrounded by the French Alps and squeezed between 2 rivers, the Drac and the Isère, this large city of 160,000 or so people is only a three-hour train ride from Paris. It sits close to the Swiss border and is considered the capital of the French Alps. Worth a look and a visit for many reasons. One, it’s beautiful there, with mountain views from many vantage points in the city. It’s energetic. It’s lively. It’s on the move. The downtown…
