Dotted with villages of half-timbered houses and covered by a neat patchwork of hedgerows, the rolling green countryside of Normandy is so beautiful and peaceful that it belies a tumultuous history as some of the most coveted turf in Europe. For Americans, of course, this northwestern province of France is indelibly associated with [...]
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France
Flocons de Sel: Alpine Gourmet Sanctuary
When the snowfields have been replaced by flower-strewn meadows, the high French Alps remain a wonderful destination, with enchanting small hotels and an increasing number of fine restaurants serving the region’s delicious and distinctive cuisine. The Alps have recently emerged as a culinary destination on par with Burgundy and Provence. Many people now travel [...]
Christmas in Alsace
Excerpted from the November 2009 Hideaway Report At the end of a chilly December day in Strasbourg, the city’s magnificent sandstone cathedral glows in the peach-colored light of dusk and the brisk air is perfumed by the scents of Christmas — delicious whiffs of nutmeg, clove and cinnamon, plus the occasional refreshing gust of [...]
April 2012 Hideaway Report: Haute-Savoie, Geneva, Okanagan Valley
The April 2012 Hideaway Report focuses on the classic French department of Haute-Savoie. Read articles about Chamonix, Mont Blanc and Megève.
Notable August Events
August 6-7: During the Livarot Cheese Fair, this town in Normandy, France, celebrates one of France’s greatest contributions to gastronomy. Festival-goers can of course sample numerous cheeses and other gourmet products, but this event is hardly the sole preserve of stuffy gourmands. The “Pig Call” and “Biggest Livarot Eater” competitions always draw delighted crowds. August [...]
Le Prieuré: The Perfect Lunch Near the Avignon TGV Station, the Gateway to Provence
As Avignon is the jumping-off point for most trips to Provence, many Harper members have had to endure one of the least successful works of French public architecture in the last 10 years, the Avignon TGV station. Shaped like an upturned blade, this uncomfortable and inefficient building has inadequate seating for the throngs who use [...]
The Wines of Languedoc-Roussillon, France
With more than 700,000 acres under cultivation, the Languedoc-Roussillon produces as much wine — if not more — than the state of California. The Greeks first planted grapes here in the fifth century B.C., and for centuries, the wines of Languedoc-Roussillon were highly regarded. This changed drastically and grievously in the 19th century, however, with [...]
Le Touquet, France: Gallic Coastal Charm
One of our favorite getaways from Paris is the charming seaside town of Le Touquet, on the English Channel two hours north by car. Unlike see-and-be-seen seaside French resorts such as Deauville or Saint-Tropez, Le Touquet is a genteel, proudly old-fashioned sort of place with a spectacularly pretty setting. Most of the town’s Belle Epoque [...]
Postcard From Cannes, France
Legions are about to descend upon Cannes for the film festival this month. Though it has its charms, this small resort town west of Nice has never been one of our favorite places in the south of France. Outside of the film festival, it’s often filled with business conventions, and we tend to find its [...]
Centre Pompidou, Metz, France
We suspect that the cultural event of the year in France will be the opening of the new branch of the Centre Pompidou in the eastern French city of Metz. Located near the city’s imposing German-built train station (from 1871-1914, this part of La Lorraine was German-occupied), the striking new building with a canopy roof [...]
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