Tag: France

Carcassonne: A Medieval Marvel Reborn

If your daydreams consist of sipping wine at a castle in the French countryside, you need to add Carcassonne to your bucket list. This enchanting walled citadel in southwestern France has recently unveiled a spectacular €5.6 million restoration that promises to transport visitors back in time. As a UNESCO World Heritage site with 2,000 years of history, Carcassonne now offers a complete 1.3km walkable circuit along its upper ramparts, providing an unparalleled 360-degree panoramic view of the medieval city.

The ambitious 31-month restoration project, led by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, has breathed new life into this ancient fortress. As you traverse the ramparts, prepare to be awestruck by panoramic views of the multiturreted castle, soaring cathedral, and Roman-tiled roofs set against the backdrop of the Aude river valley and the Black Mountains. Visitors can now also explore the restored walls and nine refurbished towers with installed oak flooring throughout. The result is a seamless blend of historical authenticity and modern accessibility.

Carcassonne’s appeal extends beyond its architecture to a wide variety of cultural experiences. The city has connections to the 13th-century Cathars. It has also achieved modern literary fame through Kate Mosse’s Languedoc novels. Known as a wine tourism destination, the area boasts a number of vineyards for tourists to get lost in and try new wine varieties. Hiking trails in the nearby Ariège Pyrenees provide stunning views perfect for nature lovers and fitness enthusiasts.

For those seeking to explore more of France’s medieval heritage, consider visiting other well-preserved walled towns like Provins, Aigues-Mortes, or Saint-Malo. While Carcassonne remains the most famous and extensive example, each of these sites offers its own unique glimpse into France’s fascinating past.

Beyond Borders: A Cross-Country Hotel Experience

Now that the skies have reopened and being are enjoying travel, it may be the perfect time to check out Hotel Arbez Franco-Suisse – which is also referred to as L’Arbézie. This hotel has the cool distinction of straddling an international border between France and Switzerland.

And that means that, when you check in, you don’t exactly know which country you’ll be sleeping in that night. Because of a trade agreement (explained in this article), about half of the hotel is in France while the other half sits in Switzerland. The international border actually runs right through the restaurant and a few of the guest rooms.

This sounds like it could just be a fun and silly place to be – but the implications of having a hotel in two countries are real. Switzerland and France have different electricity standards, and the rooms all include both types of sockets; there are certain unpasteurized cheeses allowed in Switzerland which can’t be brought over to France and this happens with some French specialties as well.

Air France Passenger Captures Aurora Borealis Photos at 30,000 Feet

Nate Bolt was an unusual passenger on the eleven-hour, Great Circle –route flight from San Francisco to Paris this week. While many would be glad of an entire free row for comfort reasons, Bolt used the space to set up a professional camera, tripod and time-lapse controller. Throughout the flight, Bolt’s equipment captured new photos every few seconds. His plan was to compile the stills into a movie of the entire flight.

 

What he did not expect, though, was to bear witness to the ethereal Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, that can often be viewed in the northern night sky. In fact, without his camera- he would have probably missed the experience all together. He explained later that when leaning over to check his camera screen, he found the camera taking photos of the green lights. When he glanced out the window, they were barely noticeable to the naked eye, though. Later he said he assumed it was because of the lights inside the plane.

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When he landed, Bolt spend almost fifteen hours completing the video, which consists of 2,459 photos. The movie is two minutes long, as has already spread across the internet. Here is the completed video– what do you think?