The city of Angers is located about an hour and 45 minutes southwest of Paris by train. In North America, that’s a perfectly acceptable length of time to travel for a day trip. In Europe, not so much. Or at least, that was the message I received every time I spoke to a local on …
The Chartres Cathedral is considered a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. It has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979, and it is easily the most famous landmark in Chartres. I recently visited this magnificent building when I attended the Chartres en Lumières festival. The light show on the facade was spectacular, but …
The city of Chartres is just over an hour away from Paris by train, making it the perfect weekend getaway. Chartres is famous for many things. Its world famous cathedral, recognized as an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. The famous Chartres blue of the stained glass windows, which legend says no one has been …
The Île de la Cité is a small island located in the centre of Paris. Due to it’s location, it has been the site of royal residences and administrative centres for millennia. Today, many of the buildings are still used for civic functions, including the Prefecture, the Palace of Justice, and the Hotel Dieu. But …
This past weekend I attended the European Heritage Days, known as Journées Européennes du Patrimoine in France. This annual tradition began in 1984 with what was then called the Day of the Open Doors. Cultural institutions, monuments, and buildings all over France that were normally closed to the public opened their doors and welcomed visitors …