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This episode features our frequent and very popular guest Elyse Rivin. If you enjoy her episodes, please consider supporting her on Patreon. On today's episode of the podcast, Annie and Elyse have a conversation about the Louis Vuitton Foundation and the Jardin d'Acclimatation in Paris. The Louis Vuitton Foundation and Museum are to the West of Paris, just outside of the périphérique (that’s the Paris belt road). It is easily accessible by metro (line 1). This museum is worth it just to see the building, but the art inside occasional steals the show! And we also talk about the Jardin d'Acclimatation, an amusement park that kids would enjoy. The two are linked in a way because the city donated the land for this building and it was part of the Jardin d'Acclimatation. The Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris The reason why this building is so remarkable is that it was designed by architect Frank Gehry. One of the richest men in the world, Bernard Arnault was the instigator of this project. Arnault owns a lot of modern and contemporary art and he wanted to display it in a beautiful place. Gehry buildings are always innovative in both form and material and this one completely lives up to the hype! Gehry is a creator of public buildings such as museums. For instance he also designed the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain which is also extraordinary. Gehry has not designed a lot of homes other than his own in Santa Monica. Frank Gehry found some of his inspiration for the Vuitton Foundation in the landscape of the Jardin d'Acclimatation and from the Grand Palais in Paris. Surprising Things About the Louis Vuitton Foundation The Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris has a lot of levels, nook and crannies, and yet it works as a museum  space. This is surprising because so many oddly shaped museums are simply confusing. This museum is the property of the Vuitton Foundation, but it will become the property of the city of Paris starting in 2062. The Jardin d'Acclimatation Today The Jardin d'Acclimatation has a complicated and very unethical history. We  explain why in the episode. We don't recommend you go back in time to visit the original Jardin d'Acclimatation. But today it's a great day out with your kids! It's a fairly small theme park with rides, refreshments, gardens, farm animals,  birds, but no more large zoo animals. It has come a long way! The Bois de Boulogne is nearby and also a great visit. If you're interested in parks in general, you should listen to episode 290 to decide which ones to put first on your list. More episodes about Museums in Paris Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter Did you get my VoiceMap Paris tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of Paris neighborhoods and put what they are looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or click here to order activation codes at the podcast listener discount price.   Discussed in this Episode Vuitton Foundation Jardin d'Acclimatation Support the Show Tip Your Guide Extras Patreon Audio Tours Merchandise Categories: Family Travel, French Châteaux, Museums in Paris, Paris

In today's episode Annie Sargent talks to Jason Sager about the difficult relationship between French Kings and the Catholic church. And we couldn't get through this topic without talking about the French Wars of Religion. And it’s not just Kings, all of France has a complicated relationship with the Catholic church, even today! Just this morning I was talking to one of my neighbors and she brought up the fact that she goes to church regularly but she’s not a grenouille de bénitier. I bet you’ve never heard that expression. A grenouille de bénitier is a person who goes to church so much that she’s compared to a frog who lives in the font where they keep the holy water at the entrance of a Catholic church. You don’t have an expression like that in English, do you? That’s because as far as I know there is no English-speaking country where being a "churchy" person makes you stand out as an odd duck. You’ll get a heavy dose of French history and French culture in today’s episode. French People and the Catholic Church To set the stage, in the early 1500s world-wide you have Columbus sailing off from Spain. A lot of Chateaux were being built on the Loire Valley. François I wanted to be Emperor (but didn't manage). Leonardo da Vinci moved to France. But this is also the time when the wars of religion were happening in France. The Reformation Martin Luther's reformation also happened at that time. 1517-1522 is when he was excommunicated from the Catholic church. This began as a German reformation movement but it moved into France rapidly with John Calvin particularly who started his own reformed church in France. French Protestants are known as Huguenots in France. Huguenots This is something French Kings didn't like to see because they saw themselves as the protectors of the Catholic faith and they didn't want to see a different religion thrive in France. And the Huguenots religion spread very quickly in France, which made it an even bigger perceived threat. By 1560 about 10% of France was already Protestant. Members of the nobility also converted to the new religion. A lot of Bourbons were Protestants. The King of Navarre became a Protestant. Henri II before he died in an accident established a "chambre ardente" with the goal to eliminate the Huguenots from France. He died too soon to see if it worked. By 1560 there were already a lot of Protestants in France. France was supposed to be "la fille ainée de l'Eglise" or the eldest daughter of the church. François I wanted to be called "the most Christian King" to reinforce his relationship with the Catholic church. Henry XVIII in England wanted the title "defneder of the faith" from the Pope to establish himself as an equal to the French King. A Dangerous Situation By 1560 there are a lot of tensions between the Catholics and the rising Protestant minority in France. When Henri II died an untimely death it rattled the structure of power in France. He had 3 sons, but they were too young, so his wife, Catherine de Medici, became the regent. She was terribly unpopular because she was Italian and also a woman. The king, François II was the official king, but he was always in poor health and died of tuberculosis 18 months into his reign. His brother Charles IX succeeded him, but he was also too young to reign by himself. The situation was volatile and uncertain, especially when you take into account the high level of religious strife. Catherine de Medici always tried to find compromises between the Catholics and the Huguenots because she didn't think eliminating the Protestants would work. On the other hand, the Guise family who were ultra Catholic really believed in eliminating the Protestants. Duc de Guise at Vassy The Duc de Guise went through the town of Vassy where Protestants were allowed so long as they didn't worship within the walls of the city. He realized that they were breaking the law and worshiping inside the city. He sent his men to stop them from doing so and a firefight broke out.  Several Protestants were killed and this is one of the events that ignited the French Wars of Religion. This event is what convinced the Condé family and the Bourbons that it was time to take up arms to defend their Huguenot faith.  The Wars of Religion were a series of civil wars that went on for about 40 years. St. Bartholomew's Day massacre The St. Bartholomew's Day massacre took place under Charles IX in August 1572 and it's a bit of a mystery what started it. The Admiral Gaspard de Coligny (who was a Protestant and had been advocating for war against the Dutch) was shot but not killed. And this set off a chain of events between Protestants and Catholics that turned Paris into a powder cake. It is probable that the King himself sent a message to kill all Protestants on the night of August 24th. He might have done that because his sister married into the Navarre family (who were Protestants) and a lot of high-ranking Protestants were in Paris for the occasion. He was hoping to eradicate the new religion that way. About 3000 Protestants were killed that night in Paris alone and another 10,000 died all over France in the next couple of weeks. The level of indiscriminate violence the Catholic forces used against Protestants is shocking. The Wars, Massacres and Troubles of Tortorel and Perrissin is one hard to find book that illustrated the horrors of the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. Henri IV and the Edict of Nantes Henri IV was raised a Protestant and only became a Catholic to suit his political needs. The Edict of Nantes was signed in 1598 and that's what attempted to give some freedom to practice the Protestant religion. The Edict of Nantes is seen as the official end of the Wars of Religion although it was rescinded by Louis XIV one hundred years later. In a sense the Wars of Religion didn't end until the late 1600s. Were the Wars of Religion truly about religion or were they a political conflict between powers?  It was probably both. The noble families were using religion as leverage to gain power. But there was also a lot of religious fervor at the time and a lot of violence was perpetrated by people who were acting out of fanaticism. There were people who saw their neighbors as a cancer just because they didn't share the same religious beliefs. Louis XIII and his Confessor Jean Arnoulx Henri IV was assassinated by a Catholic, Ravaillac, who didn't believe the King had truly converted. He is followed by another Regency (by his mother Marie de Medici) and then Louis XIII. Louis XIII is the young king who hired strong man Cardinal Richelieu to help his side-step the power of his mother. Both Jean Arnoulx and Richelieu wrote in opposition to the Protestant religion. They wanted to secure the support of the Catholic church for the French King because in the past the church said they weren't doing enough to get rid of the Protestants. There were pamphlet wars in which people accused one-another of being bad subjects to the King (and therefore bad French people) because they weren't Catholic. In their view, in order to be French you also had to be a Catholic. The retort to that was that no Protestant had killed a French King yet, that it was crazy Catholics who did this sort of thing. Catholics never had a good response to that because it was indeed true. The Catholic Church in France Even today when you visit France, you will see that there are giant Catholic churches in tiny villages. That's because everyone went to church back then.  The Church was the biggest organizing force in French life until the Revolution and by then French people truly hated the church. French Kings since Clovis have been defenders of the Church, so when the Monarchy went, the church went with it. Jean Bossuet, under Louis XIV said the King was the representative of God on earth. Everybody in France, even Victor Hugo, though that the Kings represented on the facade of Notre Dame were the French Kings. In reality they were the Kings of Israel. There was a complete conflation of church and State in France until the Revolution. And then the divorce was brutal. Louis XVI got in big trouble with the people of Paris because he didn't want the priests to have to pledge to the new Constitution. And this is one of the major reasons why he didn't survive the Revolution, because he was seen as continuing to side with clergy. Jason's Favorite Places in Paris The Basilica of Saint Denis: It is a masterpiece in many regards, but the stained glass is marvelous there. Notre Dame de Paris Walking through streets like Rue Saint Jacques and knowing what happened there in the 5th arrondissement (where rue Saint Jacques and rue Saint Germain intersect). Cluny Museum More episodes about French history   Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter   Did you get my VoiceMap Paris tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of Paris neighborhoods and put what they are looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or click here to order activation codes at the podcast listener discount price.   Discussed in this Episode What's grenouille de bénitier? Fille ainée de l'Eglise French Wars of Religion Duc de Guise and Vassy The Edict of Nantes Bastides were established with commerce at their center instead of the church No Protestant ever killed a French King but two Catholics did! The French King is branded as Christ on Earth Louis XVI refuses to subject priests to the new Constitution Jason's favorite places in Paris The Basilica of Saint Denis Notre Dame Cluny Museum Support the Show Tip Your Guide Extras Patreon Audio Tours Merchandise If you enjoyed this episode, you should also listen to related episode(s): Lourdes, Episode 100 A Great Visit to the Chateau of Pau, Episode 191 Read more about this episode Guest Notes  Category: French History

Returning to the same place over and over again is not something most visitors do, but my guest today, Carl Carlson, has been to Sancerre many times. He and his wife Christine are from Hawaii, but have been going back to Sancerre for at least a couple of weeks almost every year since 2004. We've talked about Sancerre before on the podcast because that's where the language school Coeur de France is situated. It turns out that Carl knows Gérard and Marianne who own the school. They've been introduced to many other people in the village and it's almost a second home to them, even if they rent a different accommodation each time. Sancerre is world famous because of the wine they produce there. It is one on my favorites! It's easy to get to by car, but also by train. The nearest train station are in Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire, Nevers or Bourges. Carl likes to rent a car at Porte-Maillot so he avoids driving inside of Paris. That's a good idea for most people actually. What Makes Sancerre Special Carl and his wife like the fact that few people in the village speak English, therefore forcing them to practice their French. It's not touristy per se. There are visitors that come for the wine business and for the language school, but it's not a destination that so many people flock to. What Do You Do for 3 Weeks in Sancerre? Carl's idea is not to have much of a schedule. He enjoys settling in to the rhythm of the village and not rush anywhere. They like to go to the local café to the Auberge Joseph Mellot for dinner the day they arrive. The next day they go to the village café for breakfast. There's a nice open-air market in Cosne on Sunday and Wednesday mornings. You'll find the list of all the establishments they like to visit in the Guest Notes. There's also a dairy truck that comes by and they sell wonderful yogurt and butter. Café Librairie is a favorite too. It's about getting to know people and getting to know their schedule. You need to have the mindset that you will go with the flow. If you're too uptight, you won't get along. The village is picturesque, there is a central square with boutiques, wine  establishments (aka "caves"), cafés, a one star restaurant. There are a lot of wine tasting and wine buying opportunities. The vintners in the area do well. Sancerre wines sell for a minimum of 12€ at French grocery stores. Most are around 20€ per bottle, which is expensive for France. Why Not Every French Wine Is Sold in the US It's difficult for small wine producers to get into the US market because there are a lot of mandatory steps, paperwork and taxes to pay along the way. They must go through specific brokers in France, then importers and licensed agents get involved on the US side. And then it goes to the many retailers. Many hands touch that bottle of wine and the price increases every time. It may only be worth it if a producer can ship wine by the container-full. Local Wines Carl enjoys the wines of Jean Reverdy et Fils in Verdigny. It's only a 15 minute drive from Sancerre. They've become friends. Those wines are now availble in Hawaii where the Sauvignon Blanc sells for around $20 a bottle. They also make a rosé with their Pinot Noir. Chavignol is another wine producing village near Sancerre. André Bourgeois is a large producer there and they export a lot to Hawaii and the US in general. There's a nice little restaurant there called Au Ptit Gouter. This is also where they produce the cheese called Crotins de Chavignol. Great Places to Visit Around Sancerre Carl recommends the pottery village of La Borne. Guédelon aka Château de Guédelon is an amazing experiment. They are constructing a medieval castle and village with the tools and methods they had in the Middle Ages. They do everything themselves, including cutting the stone, growing and cutting the timber, etc. The work is done by hand, the workers wear period costumes. It's been going on for over 25 years and it's really interesting to visit. It's like a science experiment with archeology. La Charité-sur-Loire is a book seller's village. There are also a lot of chateaux in the area. Sancerre is far east on the Loire so the big famous chateaux of the Loire Valley are about 2 hours away. But there are smaller ones that are worth a visit. Nevers is a nice city, and so is Bourges. Bourges has a magnificent Cathedral and some good shopping too! When you're in the area you should go visit a goat dairy. Search for "visite élevage de chèvres" and the name of the town where you're staying to find them. Or ask at the tourist office, they can tell you where the great visits are. Le Trial de Sancerre is challenging, there is also one in Bourges as in many other parts of France. The one is Sancerre is beautiful because you run  through the vineyards. Walking the Chemin de Compostelle Carl also talks about his experience walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain and the Portuguese Way. They also did a section around Le Puy-en-Velay, Aire-sur-l'Adour to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port via Bayonne. In the French part they were mostly around French walkers and they had a great time with it. They bought the Miam Miam Dodo book and love it. More episodes about the Loire Valley area Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter Did you get my VoiceMap Paris tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of Paris neighborhoods and put what they are looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or click here to order activation codes at the podcast listener discount price. Discussed in this Episode Sancerre Coeur de France language School Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire Verdigny Chavignol Crotins de Chavignol Pottery village of La Borne Château de Guédelon La Charité-sur-Loire Nevers Bourges Goat farms Trial de Sancerre competition Camino de Santiago Portuguese Way Le Puy-en-Velay Chemin de Compostelle Aire-sur-l'Adour Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port Bayonne Support the Show Tip Your Guide Extras Patreon Audio Tours Merchandise If you enjoyed this episode, you should also listen to related episode(s): Loire Valley Castles You Shouldn't Skip, Episode 168 Paris Small Group Tours with Annie and Elyse, Episode 152 French Wine Regions and Loire Valley Wines, Episode 28 French Immersion Programs, Episode 288 Carl and his wife Christine enjoying some Sancerre wine Category: Loire Valley

Today, Annie Sargent brings you a conversation with Elyse Rivin about the Route des Fromages AOP d’Auvergne. The word Auvergne designates an old French province around its capital Clermont-Ferrand. Today it is part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and it is just a little west of Lyon and the Alps. This episode features our frequent and very popular guest Elyse Rivin. If you enjoy her episodes, please consider supporting her on Patreon. The Auvergne region produces a lot of wonderful cheeses and they are going to be the stars of the show: Bleu d’Auvergne, Cantal, Fourme d’Ambert, Saint-Nectaire, and Salers. Elyse tells us about the small towns that produce those cheeses and what you might see there when you visit. Another excellent show that takes us off the beaten track in France! The 4 departments that we'll be talking about are the Cantal (15), the Puy-de-Dôme (63), Haute-Loire (43), Allier (03). The Auvergne Cheese Route There are many cheeses produced in the Auvergne area, but these are the 5 that have an AOP designation. This stands for Appellation d'Origine Protégée and it's a European label that certifies that this particular product is produced in a specific geographical area. When you drive around the Auvergne you will see road signs that indicate the Route des Fromages. Here are the Auvergne cheese route AOP cheeses we discuss in this episode, and they are all made of cow milk: Cantal Cheese Cantal cheese is one of the oldest cheeses in France. It's somewhat similar to a cheddar. It is made in huge wheels that weight 40 kilograms. You can buy it young (1-2 months) or entre-deux (3-5 months) and vieux (6 months or more). Louis XIV loves Cantal cheese and had it brought to Versailles in great quantities, which contributed to its popularity and fame. Cantal cheese is produced in large quantities and there are production sites all over the Cantal. If you're in France at Christmas time, look for Cantal de Noël, it's a treat! Salers Cheese Unlike the Cantal cheese, Salers cheese is a more exclusive cheese produced only between April 15 and November 15 from the Salers breed of cows that are grass-fed at high elevations. The production is limited to the areas of Cantal, the Mont Doré and Cézallier. Salers cheese can only be made with raw milk, unlike all the others we'll talk about today that can be made with either raw or pasteurized milk. Salers is usually sold in specialty cheese shops and not at the supermarket because it is not sold year-round.  This cheese is also only made at the farm, there are no industrial large quantities production facilities for the Salers cheese. Saint-Nectaire Cheese This cheese has a creamy texture and nutty flavor, it is Annie's favorite cheese. It's a flat wheel that's 1.7 kilograms. In France, you can buy the "fermier" kind that is made with raw milk or the pasteurized milk. It can have a fairly strong flavor if you leave it out for a couple of hours before serving it. Bleu d'Auvergne Cheese There is a lot of bleu d'Auvergne produced in France. It is similar to Roquefort, but it is milder. Bleu d'Auvergne is produced all over the Auvergne. It is creamier than Roquefort. You normally don't find bleu d'Auvergne made with raw milk. Bleu d'Auvergne comes in a small cylinder. Fourme d'Ambert Cheese This is the smoothest, creamiest and mildest blue cheese made in France. It is a cylinder. This is a good blue cheese to start with if you're not sure you can take a strong Roquefort. There Are 40 Stops on the The Auvergne Cheese Route You can't see all of them unless you plan to spend a month. But why wouldn't you? This is a great area for active recreational activities. It's also great for people who like to see scenic vistas and great medieval villages. Here are a few we think are noteworthy. Great Towns Around the Auvergne The town of Salers is beautiful. We also like the small city if Saint Flour. Riom is somewhat touristy, it even has a tourist train! Issoire is beautiful and is connected to the Chemin de Compostelle pilgrimage. The village of Saint-Nectaire is also beautiful. Activities Around the Auvergne La Chaise-Dieu has a marvelous abbey and a festival of sacred music. Vulcania is a theme park around the theme of volcanos. There are so many trails and activities all around the area! Check out the Mont Dore volcanic are. The Puy de Sancy volcano. These are not steep slopes, but they make beautiful hills. This is a great area to explore on bike, there are all sorts of races you can enroll in. Le Puy-en-Velay is one of the places from where you can start your Saint Jacques de Compostelle pilgrimage walk. There are also nice festivals in the area. Clermont-Ferrand has a short film festival that has been going on for decades. Aurillac has a great street festival every year. Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter   Did you get my VoiceMap Paris tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of Paris neighborhoods and put what they are looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or click here to order activation codes at the podcast listener discount price.   Discussed in this Episode Cantal (15) the Puy-de-Dôme (63) Haute-Loire (43) Allier (03) Cantal cheese Salers cheese Mont Doré Cézallier Saint-Nectaire cheese Bleu d'Auvergne cheese Fourme d'Ambert cheese The town of Salers Saint-Flour Riom Issoire The village of Saint-Nectaire Clermont-Ferrand Aurillac La Chaise-Dieu and its sacred music festival Vulcania Mont Dore Puy de Sancy Puy-en-Velay Support the Show Tip Your Guide Extras Patreon Audio Tours Merchandise Let's Review If you'd like to stay in the area, we recommend you check out Gîtes de France. Keep in mind that this is a part of France where winter comes early, best times to visit are May through October. More episodes about French food and wine   Categories: French Food & Wine, Lyon Area  

On today's episode, Annie chats with Ira about her favorite day-trips around Bordeaux. Ira is in a great position to tell us about that because she moved to Bordeaux full time a few years ago and has gotten to know the area very well. We talk about several wine routes you can drive, about the Bassin d’Arcachon which is dear to my heart as I explain in the episode, the Entre Deux Mers area, and about general tips about visiting this area. Ira publishes a blog called Lost in Bordeaux that I can heartily recommend. Day-Trips Around Bordeaux There is a fair bit of information about Bordaux and Saint-Émilion on-line, but not so much about the other gems in the area. The purpose of this episode is to make you aware of the many wonderful places you can visit around Bordeaux! Before you get going around Bordeaux, it's worth repeating that Bordeaux itself is worth a full day. The city has a lot to offer. If you land in Paris from North America and take the TGV to Bordeaux directly from the CDG airport, you'll arrive in Bordeaux by the middle of the afternoon France time. It would be ideal to spend that first half-day in Bordeaux and then at least one more full day. It's worth it just for the gastronomy and all the great wine bars! Places You Can Visit Around Bordeaux Bordeaux is in the Gironde department, in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region. One of the things that make it special is that there are so many different types of activities to do in this part of France. Having said that, many of the attractions we'll discuss are hard to get to without a car. You should book your car in advance, especially if you need an automatic. Understand that in France last-minute car rentals are terribly expensive. Wine Activities You can't come to Bordeaux and ignore the wine. There are 5 sub wine regions in Bordeaux and you could do a wine route dedicated to each of them. Each would look different, taste different, have a different history. Saint-Émilion Do understand that Saint-Émilion is the most "touristy" wine area of the Bordeaux region, especially during "vendange" season which is Sept and Oct. This town is the easiest to visit by train. The train station in Saint-Émilion is a 15-20 minute walk to the center of the town, but there are taxis, it's easy to do. In Saint-Émilion you MUST take the tour that they offer at the tourist office otherwise you won't get into the monolithic church that is so interesting there. You should plan ahead and book a tour, they have them available in English as well. There are a lot of wineries to visit around Saint-Émilion and for some of those you need a car. If you come in the summer or harvest season, book in advance, they don't like people just showing up. But, if you didn't book in advance, at the Tourist Office they have a list of 3 or 4 chateaux that are open that day for drop-in visitors. Also book your restaurant in Saint-Émilion unless you just want to get a sandwich at a boulangerie because all the good places are full. This is more important than ever because with the pandemic all venues are limited to how many people they can host and this will probably be the case going forward to some time. Pomerole Pomerole is another lovely wine village and area you can visit. It's not as touristy. The town itself if tiny, not much to see. But there are lots of wineries around there including Château Pétrus but most of us can't afford that because it is priced in the thousands per bottle. A more approachable chateau there is called Château Beauregard and it's also very nice. Médoc The Médoc area includes some of the most expensive wines in the world, but it's not as touristy as the others. Médoc is more spread-out all over the Médoc peninsula. They are all along this road with beautiful châteaux sprinkled throughout. You'll see many family-owned wineries, much smaller labels you've probably never heard of. Again, it's important to select a few places you want to visit and book them in advance because, like many popular wine-producing areas in France, they are a bit stuck up in Bordeaux (not as much as in Beaune, actually) and they don't like surprises. It's a different matter in the Fronton, Gaillac and Corbières areas closer to Toulouse. You could spend more than a day exploring the Médoc. On the estuary side of it is the wine and on the other side is the Atlantic Ocean that is so loved by surfers. One place stands out in the north of the Médoc called Soulac-sur-Mer, it's referred to as the "mini Arcachon". Graves-Sauterne If you prefer sweeter white wines, this is the area for you! This is south of Bordeaux. If you look at the Bordeaux area on a map, you have two rivers that flow through it: the Dordogne and the Garonne. Graves-Sauterne is left of the Garonne river on the map.   The Garonne and Dordogne Rivers around Bordeaux   The Graves area is considered the birth place of the Clairette, which is a name British people use for Bordeaux wines. There are a lot of amazing chateaux in this area, including Château Pape Clément that you can get to using the Bordeaux tram system! If you only have two days in Bordeaux, this is a beaufitul chateau with excellent wines also! Les Sources de Caudalie is another place that's worth a visit. It's a famous luxurious hotel in the vineyard. An amazing place with a great restaurant, and the whole package. Entre Deux-Mers If you're going to take some day-trips around Bordeaux, don't forget to include the "entre deux mers" area. Most people don't know about this Bordeaux wine area, but it's the biggest one and it's wonderful! They produce white wines mostly. It is the Tuscany of Gironde, hilly, vineyards, beautiful medieval towns. This part of the Bordeaux area has a lot of Bastides towns. There's usually a beautiful square with arches, you'll find cafés, restaurants, and shops all around. This is between Gironde and Lot-et-Garonne. Cadillac One such a place is Cadillac which is famous for its château, the man who gave the name to the car is from there. The chateau is a great visit. It was a prison at one point. On the second floor you can see the prison. Saint-Macaire Saint-Macaire is also interesting. It is also an old bastide that was once on the river, but now there is some distance between the town and the river. There are fortification walls. You could spend a half day there because it's an amazing town with a beautiful church, some nice restaurants. If you come at the end of August there is a great medieval festival  in Saint-Macaise. Other worthwhile towns are Rions which has a Michelin restaurant. You'll also find Castelmoron d'Albret the smallest village in France by square footage. But every street is lovely and it's wonderful to visit at Christmas because they decorate it beautifully. Abbaye de la Sauve Majeure, the abbey is wonderful, but there's also the Maison du Vin of the area is in this town and they do some wine tasting. Beach Activities Bassin d'Arcachon Bassin d'Arcachon. If you've had enough of the wine, let's go to the beach! Arcachon is a resort destination for French people as well as foreign visitors. It is 60 kilometers west of Bordeaux. If you don't have a car you can take a train from Bordeaux to Arcachon city. This is not a fisherman's village but a bigger town that's intersting in terms of architecture. The "ville d'hiver" part of the city has beautiful villas from the 19th century. The central beach in Arcachon is packed in the summer. You could either get away from that by renting a bike or by taking bus #1 that goes along all the beaches of the south of the Bassin d'Arcachon. Cap Ferret Ira likes to go to the Plage de Pereire because it's good with kids. Or continue on to Plage du Moulleau, another resort little town. Cap Ferret is also really popular. There is a bus to get there but it takes forever. It's better to take a ferry between Arcachon and Cap Ferret. There are oyster farmers, it's not quite a fisherman's village any more, but it's nice. Most restaurants there are "cabanes à huitres" where they serve oysters and that's about it! You'll get your choice of size of oysters, you want #2 or #3, they are the best! L'Herbe in Lège Cap Ferret is a favorite of Ira. Dune du Pilat From Arcachon you can either take a bus or rent a bike to go to the Dune du Pilat. Going by bike is recommended because they have a lot of great bike paths in this area. The Dune du Pilat is the biggest sand dune in Europe, it's amazing. You can climb it year-round. The tourist season there is May through the end of September. At that time they have stairs for everyone to use. The rest of the year you have to climb it in the sand and it's not easy! When you get to the top you see the ocean on one side and the forest on the other, it's wonderful. If you're making a day of it, you could buy a picnic in Arcachon and take it to enjoy while watching the view at the top of the Dune du Pilat. Soulac-sur-Mer Normally they have a wonderful festival in Soulac in July, it's a great place to enjoy for the week-end. Of course, this was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, but it will come back! More episodes about the Bordeaux area As you can see, if you're looking for day-trips around Bordeaux you'll have plenty to choose from. We didn't have time to get to all the day-trips around Bordeaux, click on Guest Notes (blue button) to read all the wonderful day-trip Ira recommends! Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter Did you get my VoiceMap Paris tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of Paris neighborhoods and put what they are looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or click here to order activation codes at the podcast listener discount price.   Discussed in this Episode Saint-Émilion Pomerol Médoc Surfing Cadillac Saint-Macaire Rions Castelmoron d'Albret Abbaye de la Sauve Majeure Bassin d'Arcachon Dune du Pilat Plage de Pereire Plage du Moulleau Cap Ferret Cabanes à huitres Support the Show Tip Your Guide Extras Patreon Audio Tours Merchandise If you enjoyed this episode, you should also listen to related episode(s): Bordeaux, France a Historical Perspective, Episode 44 Hiking Around Bordeaux, Episode 144 Category: Bordeaux Area

Today I bring you a conversation with Cindy McBrayer about Le Chambon-sur-Lignon a place of refuge. During WW2 this small town and neighboring villages became a heaven for Jewish children who were on the run from the Germans and from French authorities who collaborated with them. Would you like to be a recipe tester for Annie's cookbook? Email her! I’m always surprised by how many novels get released today but are set in WW2! This is a fascinating time period when humanity’s best and humanity’s worst had to battle it out and decide who was going to come out on top. The folks of Le Chambon sur Lignon made the most generous and courageous choice and we talk about it today. It’s also a lovely place to visit and definitely off the beaten track. I should mention that we often refer to it as Chambon in the episode, but it’s Le Chambon-sur-Lignon that we’re talking about, there’s another town 2.5 hours drive away called Chambon, don’t go to the wrong place! Recommended in this Episode Lovely inn in Rochepaule, 30 minutes away from Le Chambon.  Hotel L’Escapade (converted private school).  Owners live on site, and have a well-known, lovely small restaurant “Restaurant Maryse et Eric”.  Reservations recommended. Books About Le Chambon The latest, and an EXCELLENT book about Le Chambon, then and NOW….is The Plateau, by Maggie Paxon. If you can only read one, make it this one! Article about Le Chambon from Time Magazine Village of Secrets, Defying the Nazis in Vichy, France, by Caroline Moorehead A Good Place to Hide, How One French Village Saved Thousands of Lives during WWII, by Peter Grose. This one is easy to read. Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed, by Phillip Hallie Hidden on the Mountain, by Karen Gray Ruelle. (stories from surviving children)   More episodes about French History Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter   Did you get my VoiceMap Paris tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of Paris neighborhoods and put what they are looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or click here to order activation codes at the podcast listener discount price.   Discussed in this Episode Le Chambon-sur-Lignon WW2 sites in Lyon Izieu Les Cevennes Tence WW2 book recommendations Driving in France Support the Show Tip Your Guide Extras Patreon Audio Tours Merchandise If you enjoyed this episode, you should also listen to related episode(s): Wine Touring in Beaune, Burgundy, Episode 128 Top Attractions in Lyon, Episode 113 Chamonix, Annecy, and the Alps, Episode 121 Cindy McBrayer in Le Chambon-sur-Lignon Read more about this episode Guest Notes  Categories: Active Vacations in France, French History, Lyon Area

In this episode Annie and Elyse talk about the lovely city of Castelnaudary. But this being our 300ths episode we also celebrate the moment, discuss our motivations in continuing to produce the podcast and our history. We also talk about Annie's southern French accent (which is shared by our current Prime Minister Jean Castex). And how could we talk about Castelnaudary without talking about Cassoulet? Castelnaudary is, after all,  the world-capital of this delicious dish. A major Amazon depot is going to be established in Castelnaudary so that should bring in younger people. But it is a medium city and quite a few English expats and a good standard of living. Castelnaudary is a major stop on the Canal du Midi and has an impressive set of 5 locks followed by a "Grand Bassin" and an artificial island called Ile de la Cybèle. Did the Cassoulet Originate in Castelnaudary? Anatole France certainly thought so! There was also a cookbook in the 1600s that describes a stew that sounds a lot like Cassoulet! Cassoulet got its name from the dish Cassole or Cassolette. Cassoulet in Castelnaudary is made with goose (not duck) and doesn't have bread crumb on top. Restaurant Recommendation Annie and David ate at a restaurant called Chez David and it was delicious. They claim to make it from scratch and cook it for 7 hours. Make a reservation, it's not very big and it fills up! Cassoulet is a mix of slow cooked goose, pork and beans. They have a special white bean from Castelnaudary, but it's quite expensive and it just tastes like a white bean. Making Cassoulet from scratch in America is not easy, but you could make it if you use chicken thighs, pork ribs and Italian sausage. When in Castelnaudary, Do the Walking Tour! The Tourist Office has put together a nice 4k walking tour that will take your through all the interesting sites in the city. Careful around the church, you want to be on Rue du Collège or you might get lost. Discussed in this Episode Castelnaudary Cassoulet and Canal du Midi [11:22] Le Lauragais [13:01] Wheat growing area [14:04] A lot of British people lived in Castelnaudary [14:40] Castelnaudary economy [14:53] Castelnaudary is a good choice for people looking for a nice place to live in France that is not too expensive [16:13] Ruins of the Castle [17:26] Castelnaudary and the 100 Years War [18:02] Pieere Paul Riquet and the Canal du Midi [19:28] Grand Bassin in Castelnaudary [20:13] Ile de la Cybèle [20:48] The importance of the Canal du Midi [21:39] About the Cassoulet and its origins [28:40] Why Castelnaudary claims Cassoulet started there [29:50] Cassoulet comes from Cassole [31:39] The difference in Cassoulet recipes between Toulouse Carcassonne and Castelnaudary [31:37] Cassoulet is time-consuming and ingredients are hard to find in the US [34:36] You don't need a cassolette to make Cassoulet [37:16] How do you know if you're getting home-made Cassoulet? [38:25] Restaurants that claim their Cassoulet is home-made [38:41] The intestinal consequences to eating Cassoulet [40:37] Castelnaudary is off the beaten track and lovely [41:59] Is it a transat or a chaise longue? [42:53] Seuil de Naurouze [43:12] Cugarel Windmill in Castelnaudary [44:21] The Lauragais is pretty [44:37] Starting a podcast is a steep learning curve [46:55] More day trips from Toulouse Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter Did you get my VoiceMap Paris tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of Paris neighborhoods and put what they are looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or click here to order activation codes at the podcast listener discount price. Support the Show Tip Your Guide Extras Patreon Audio Tours Merchandise If you enjoyed this episode, you should also listen to related episode(s): Sorèze and Revel, Great Day Trips from Toulouse, Episode 156 Canal du Midi, Episode 22 The Best of Sète, Episode 107 The Rules of Driving in France, Episode 16 Toulouse Trip Report, Episode 258 Categories: Day -Trips from Toulouse, French Food & Wine, Toulouse Area

On today's episode, Annie Sargent brings you a trip report with Rick McGuirk about his 5 favorite chateaux in the Loire Valley. There are so many chateaux along the Loire Valley that it’s hard to choose which ones to go to and which ones to skip. You could spend a couple of months there if you wanted to see them all. So, just in case you don't have that kind of time, let's see which ones are must-sees. Rick and his wife have visited France many times, but this was their first time exploring the Loire Valley. They don't speak French beyond "bonjour", "au revoir" and "une carafe d'eau" but that wasn't a problem. So long as you know the magic word in French, you'll be OK! 5 Favorite Chateaux in the Loire Valley On this trip they stayed in Paris for 5 days then took the TGV  from Montparnasse to  Gare de Saint-Pierre-des-Corps in Tour where they picked up a rental car. It is wise to reserve your rental car from home, especially if you'd like to drive an automatic! Distances between the chateaux are usually 30 to 45 minute drive and those drives are scenic and enjoyable. Rick's top 5 Chambord Cheverny Chemonceau Amboise Vilandry Take-Away from this Episode You could visit the 5 favorite chateaux in the Loire Valley in 2 days, but 3 would be better. They saw 10 places in 4 days as listed below, and it would have been better to cut a couple of them off. Maybe I should have asked him for a top 6 list so that he could have included Azay-le-Rideau which I've enjoyed personally. If you need to choose between staying in Chinon or staying in Amboise, Amboise is probably a better choice because it is a bigger cleaner town and there are more dining and shopping choices. Keep in mind that the Loire Valley is not where you go for great night-life but rather for gorgeous architecture, gardens and scenery. It is a peaceful, quiet soul-full type of vacation. Most of these chateaux are in rural France, pay attention to opening and closing times and the infrequent availability of stores compared to what you're used to. Hotels Recommended in this Episode They stayed at a lovely quaint hotel in Chinon for 2 nights. French manor house with lovely furniture, beams on the ceiling, beautiful floors. Amazing breakfast. But Chinon the city is a smaller town, it may be difficult to find anything open in the middle of the day, especially if you're on foot. They enjoyed La Cabane à Vin in Chinon. They preferred the city of Amboise where they found a lovely hotel.  An old remodeled manor house with spacious rooms, wonderful staff, great location overlooking the Loire River and central to the town.  Plus the staff was extra kind to them when they found out that Rick's mother-in-law passed away while they were in France. Vilandry The formal gardens are spectacular in October: flowers, pears, pretty grounds. This is a beautiful French Garden style and there are nice gardens behind the chateau as well. Definitely plan time to explore the grounds. Vilandry is furnished more than other chateaux, but the best part is seeing the grounds. Azay-le-Rideau More furniture and amazing rooms at Azay-le-Rideau, but the grounds weren't as nice as Vilandry even though the water all around the chateau is beautiful. Abbey Royale de Fontevraud Finding the parking-lot can be tricky, it's a big place, somewhat empty, has a lot of both illustrious and infamous history. It was not a favorite of theirs. Chateau d'Ussé About a 30 minute drive, easy to find with a GPS. The building itself is amazing. They say it was the inspiration for Disney's Cinderella Castle. A lot of the chateau is in great condition, so are the stables. The Café Dechemin Eric had a great view onto the chateau but the food was just OK. Chateau de Chinon This is more of a fortress than a chateau, the views from the chateau are lovely, but the place itself has a lot of military history. The chateau at Amboise might be a better choice if you can only see one. They had dinner at a restaurant called Au Chapeau Rouge that comes highly recommended everywhere but they didn't feel welcome there and the food was mediocre and not cheap. To be avoided. Amboise Both the chateau, the grounds and the city of Amboise are wonderful. Definitely one of the best they saw. There are a lot of signs in the Amboise chateau and you should spend some time reading them because the history is wonderful. It would be a good idea to have lunch at the chateau, you can sit on the terrace and enjoy great views. Le Clos Lucé This is the chateau where Leonardo da Vinci spent the last few years of his life after being invited by the King to be the resident genius. The chateau itself is not as large or as fancy, but the grounds are wonderful and there are a lot of displays for the kids to see. This chateau has a lot of da Vinci themed stuff in the gift shop. Restaurant near the chateau Via Roma, it was good to have some Italian food, not many tourists there, a great choice. Royal Chateau d'Amboise This is a military castle, it is well preserved, great views. Not very large, but a great visit, highly recommended. They went back to eat at a place called Chez Bruno twice, lots of locals, nice food, but reserve because it fills up. Chateau Cheverny Cheverny is a great chateau with an interesting look and a great story. The family that owns the chateau still lives there at least part-time. There is a lot to see inside the chateau as well, this is a must-do. It doesn't have the high-end formal gardens that other chateaux have but it has dogs. You must plan to be there during dog feeding time (get there early, lots of people want to see it!) There are 50 or 60 dogs and it's great to watch the 20 or 30 minute "show". The dogs are in great condition and trained well. Great for children and people who like Tintin as well. Chateau de Chambord This one is the most spectacular, it's the biggest one and grand beyond description. There are a lot of rooms open for touring and they are enormous. Many of them are unfurnished, possibly because it wasn't lived-in very much. Don't miss the double-helix staircase. You can go every which way around the chateau, climb to the top, it's a great visit. There's a food court there and it's OK. One Word of Caution in Closing They knew the Hertz location where they rented the car would be closed when they were to drop-off the car. They were told to leave the car in the parking lot and put the keys in the mailbox. Unfortunately there were no spots left to park until a train arrived and a few people took their cars to go home. Don't be in a rush if you need to leave the car at the train station parking lot! Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter   Did you get my VoiceMap Paris tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of Paris neighborhoods and put what they are looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or click here to order activation codes at the podcast listener discount price. Support the Show Tip Your Guide Extras Patreon Audio Tours Merchandise If you enjoyed this episode, you should also listen to related episode(s): An Action-Packed Holiday in France with Kids, Episode 259 The Lovely City of Tours in the Loire Valley, Episode 255 A Scenic Drive along the Loire River, Episode 252 Tips for Visiting Chenonceau and Cheverny, Episode 171 Loire Valley Castles You Shouldn't Skip, Episode 168 Trip Report Loire Valley and Dordogne, Episode 82 Chartres Cathedral, Episode 26 The Rules of Driving in France, Episode 16 Category: Loire Valley

This episode features our frequent and very popular guest Elyse Rivin. If you enjoy her episodes, please consider supporting her on Patreon. The Bois de Boulogne is to the West of Paris, covers part of the 16e arrondissement and it is a large natural area. Baron Haussmann turned it into a park in the middle of the 1800s. At that time it went from a forest to an area of leisure for the upper class. In its most recent history one part of the Bois de Boulogne is an area where there is a fair amount of prostitution, but you can take a stroll there without ever running into it. It is called "le carré". A Brief History of the Bois de Boulogne The name Bois de Boulogne comes from time of Philippe Le Bel. As he sent his daughter away to marry the English King they prayed in a church called Notre Dame de Boulogne. The King then decided to build another church in the woods and named it Boulogne la Petite. The area then became known as Boulogne. King Chideric gave this large forest to the Abbey of Saint Denis and they built an abbey there and developed it. Then Philippe-Auguste bought a large part of this forest in the 1100s because he wanted hunting grounds close to Paris. Saint Louis' sister didn't want to marry and wished to be a nun. Her brother the King gave her an Abbey called Longchamp. That's where the longchamp hypodrome is today. During the 100 year war, the English hid in the Bois de Boulogne to attack Paris. During the Renaissance, François 1st decided to build a chateau called Chateau de Madrid in the middle of the forest. This is a place where he received a lot of courtesans for his various interludes with ladies. This might be where the prostitution started in this part of France? The Spanish and the English also used the forest to attack Napoleon in more recent times and much of the forest burned. When Napoleon III came to power in the middle of the 1800s he decided to revive this area and turn it into a park. What Is at the Bois de Boulogne Today? This is a place where you'll find paths for horse-back riding, there are lakes where you can rent boats and go rowing. There are walkers, joggers, and 3 famous restaurants: The Prés Catalan restaurant is in there, it's a 3 star restaurant and fairly expensive even at lunch-time.  Le Châlet des Îles and Auberge du Bonheur. There are also two race-tracks for horse races: Longchamp and Auteuil that attract a lot of people. The great tennis complex of Roland-Garros is at one end of the Bois de Boulogne. There are interesting visual features around the various lakes, but they are not as impressive as what you'll see at Parc Monceau for example. How to get there? Metro line 1, line 9, line 10 will take you close to the forest, but there are also buses and a tram, depending on where you want to go. We recommend the free app CityMapper. Works Inspired by the Bois de Boulogne Books by Balzac, Flaubert, Zola, Maupassant, Daudet  are set in the Bois de Boulogne, at least partially. Painters often got inspiration by going to this park to paint natural scenes, even if they didn't necessarily identified it by name. Learn about the best parks in Paris   Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter   Did you get my VoiceMap Paris tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of Paris neighborhoods and put what they are looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or click here to order activation codes at the podcast listener discount price. Support the Show Tip Your Guide Extras Patreon Audio Tours Merchandise Recommended in this Episode Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne, a movie from 1945 by Robert Bresson If you enjoyed this episode, you should also listen to related episode(s): Best Parks In and Around Paris, Episode 290 Categories: Active Vacations in France, Paris

Are you considering visiting D-Day sites with kids? You'll want to listen to this episode! My guests Ginny and Cristina are mother and daughter and the kids were a 12yo boy, a 9yo girl, a 7yo girl, and a 3yo boy. Also on this trip were Ginny’s sister and Cristina’s husband. They took this trip in October 2019. We have a conversation about driving in France, etiquette at French restaurants with kids, and also about taking kids to D-Day sites and how that worked out for this family. What can you do to keep the kids interested? What is there to do in Normandy besides D-Day sites? Recommended in this episode: The Classic Tales Podcast   It turns out that this family has a long history with Normandy. Ginny’s father served in Normandy in WW2 and they had some letters from him. They went looking for the places where he served, including some places we haven’t talked about on the podcast yet. Tips for Visiting D-Day Sites with Kids Learn from the best, folks who did it and learned the lessons! About Driving in France If there are enough adults in your party willing to drive, you might want to rent 2 cars instead of a van. That will allow you to split up if needed. There are speed traps in France, do not go over the speed limit or you may get a ticket in the mail a month after you get home. If you pay for the built-in GPS in the rental car it will tell you what the speed limit is in any particular road section. Everything is far apart in Normandy, you will need to drive. Parking is generally not a problem in Normandy unless you go around D-Day commemorations. Do Kids Need to Be Quiet at Restaurants in France? Cristina's children are used to traveling at lot, at least the older ones are. Like anything else, travel gets easier the more you do it and that's true for children too! But still she worried about how her kids would be treated in restaurants in France. She had heard that kids in France need to be quiet at restaurants and she didn't think that was possible. There is this myth that French children are somehow perfectly well behaved at restaurants. Let's be realistic: French people have kids, they know it's best to serve families with kids promptly and keep them happy. French waiters do not expect perfection from kids at all! How Were the Kids at D-Day Sites? Ginny had prepared the kids for Normandy by sharing with them letters that her father had sent to his sister during WW2. Build-up some knowledge about WW2 with the older kids ahead of time. Get them as interested as you can. The older kids really enjoyed a book called I Survived the Battle of D Day, and there are a lot of books that can help prepare your kids to understand the historical significance of the area. It's not difficult to find food and snacks the kids will enjoy, go to a grocery store where you'll find a lot of variations on Nutella. There are also lots of cookies and crackers in France. They also love brioche, which is different from what they get at home. Stay in the Same Place Every Night They decided to stay in Mondeville near Caen at an Airbnb called Maison Ancienne "style Deauville en Normandie". It was probably the coolest Airbnb Cristina has ever stayed. Everyone had a room and it was wonderful. Omaha Beach Day with Kids They never planned on too many things in one day, made sure there was always time for ice cream. Their priority was to go to the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach. It was powerful for the kids to realize that this large field full of crosses is the result of war. The level of appreciation of French people towards the sacrifices of American soldiers is also palpable. The orientation table that faces the ocean and shows where all the battles took place on different beaches is great and they spend some time there. There are no restaurants or cafés at the cemetery per se. But if you drive down to the beach you'll find many services. It's a lovely sandy beach with a monument. There are shells and things on the beach that kids will enjoy. Definitely bring swimming suits if you go in the summer. They visited a small private museum. It didn't take long at all which is great with kids because it kept their interest. Cherbourg Day They wanted to go to Cherbourg because Ginny's father was stationed. They were looking for a museum that had information about the 280th Station Hospital Unit, and they found one. But before they went to the museum they went to La Cité de la Mer which they really enjoyed. They had some information about the Titanic, they have a submarine you can go into, they have the deepest aquarium tank. The kids loved the interactive exhibit where it's an underwater simulation. The Musée de la Libération at Fort du Roule was also interesting and they adults would have liked to spend more time there. They had some information about Ginny's dad's unit. They ticket seller didn't know anything about it but she called the director over and he was able to explain more. The director didn't speak English so it wasn't very easy, but they managed anyway. Ginny and her sister Veronica recognized a cantine from American soldiers displayed at the museum that their dad also had. This was the most meaningful part of the trip for the adults. There is a beautiful view towards Cherbourg from Fort du Roule. D-Day Experience Museum at Carentan les Marais They stopped there on their way back from Cherbourg on the way back to their Airbnb. They got there a little bit late so they didn't have time to do everything. This is intense and they kids enjoyed it. The youngest kid told his kindergarten teacher that he was in a plane crash because it was so realistic. Kid-Tastorphies Cristina produces a podcast called Kid-Tastrophies and there were some kidtastrophies on this trip! Being in a "plane crash" would be one. Kids upset tummies are another one so always carry extra underwear! Also, keep your expectations low. Don't think your kids will get as much as you'd like them to from the trip. Cristina's oldest kid got some good WW2 experiences, but don't think just because you took them Normandy they'll now understand the full scope of WW2. Building family memories is really important, even if kids don't remember the details. Take lots of pictures to remind them of the experience. It's also important for kids to experience the fact that not everything is the same as what they are used to in their own little corner of the world. It broadens their point of view as much as possible for children. More episodes about family travel in France Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter   Did you get my VoiceMap Paris tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of Paris neighborhoods and put what they are looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or click here to order activation codes at the podcast listener discount price.   Discussed in this Episode Omaha Beach Cherbourg Support the Show Tip Your Guide Extras Patreon Audio Tours Merchandise If you enjoyed this episode, you should also listen to related episode(s): Trip Report on Normandy and Paris, Episode 101 Visiting Normandy with Teenagers, Episode 165 A Multi-Generational Trip to Normandy and Brittany, Episode 242 Cristina and family Category: Normandy & Brittany