After a year living as an expat in Clermont-Ferrand, and despite the daily challenges it implies, I find myself loving the feeling of having a selection of places I already like – knowing exactly what to expect, and that I will have a good time, no matter what. Whether it’s shopping, drinking, hanging out or eating, I decided to share my personal favorite spots in town, which might come in handy during your next visit.

Here’s a map of what to do in Clermont-Ferrand.

Afficher What to do in Clermont-Ferrand sur une carte plus grande

My ideal day out and about?

• A morning visit to La Chaumière for their delicious, buttery croissants.
• Lengthy walk around the historic center (around rue des Gras, Place de la Victoire and Place de Jaude)
• Quick stop at the grocery store to get a few local products to enjoy al fresco in Jardin Lecoq
• When the sun starts to set, enjoy the view on the famous Puy-de-Dôme (I suggest Place de Sugny)
• Head to the 1513 for an authentic French dinner
• And later on to Les Berthom for a few pints of locally brewed beer

How’s that for a day in Clermont-Ferrand? I must admit that my daily schedule vaguely resembles this itinerary, except for the exploratory walk and picturesque dinner. But as the locals, I do love to pack a small picnic and get some work done at Jardin Lecoq, and take advantage of the free wifi on a sunny day.

Even though I mentioned that the Auvergne region is sometimes a bit too small for my city girl taste, there is nonetheless lots to see and do for locals and visitors alike. For city that size (140,000 inhabitants), it offers a surprising amount of foreign restaurants, for the pleasure of both my taste buds and my spare tire.

Have you been to Clermont-Ferrand? What’s your favorite thing to see or do in town? A place you’d like to recommend?

Related posts:

1. Challenging My Willpower at the Chocolate Festival of Clermont-Ferrand
2. Monday’s Postcard: Clermont-Ferrand, France
3. Clermont-Ferrand’s Famous Film Festival

© catsper

Apparently, it’s May 14th today.

The calendar tells me I’ve been in France for a year now. Has a full year really gone by since I left Montreal? Sometimes I feel like I’ve been there much shorter than that, sometimes much longer. I’m a bit ambivalent when it comes to picking a side to this expat experience. When people ask me if I like living in France, my answer is almost always the same.

An awkward smile.

“It depends“.

I wrote about the ups and down of living in France, and even though that was a few months ago, I still stand behind every word I wrote there. Yes, the French are not the most easygoing people, and yes, the bureaucracy is extremely overwhelming no matter what you want to do.

But is it normal that my favorite thing about living in France is that it’s so close to the UK?

Didn’t think so either.

I miss so many things. The city, first of all. I’m from Montreal, and I’ve lived in London – there is no doubt that I am a city girl at heart. Bring on the millions of people, the transit commutes and the hustle. Being based in a small city has affected me more than I  thought it would. I feel dejected, and restless, by the tranquility of the place. My recent weekend in Paris was so invigorating – I really feed off the energy of a city, and sadly Clermont-Ferrand just doesn’t cut it.

© sneequaye

So that’s part of the problem – living in a small French city as opposed to the metropolises I love and thrive in.

The biggest issue though, and by far, is the French language. One would think that, as a French Canadian whose first language is French, living in France would be quite easy… errr, not quite. I have to completely change the way I would naturally speak to be understood by the locals, which can get really frustrating after a while of question mark faces and arrogant corrections and “oh but your French is awful” comments. But more on that later.

There are some things that I do like – the cold meats and cheeses, the travels, the proximity to other European countries, the highways (if you’re a Montrealer you understand the importance of well-maintained roads), the apéro culture. All things that are easy to get used to, without a doubt.

But does it make up for the rest? I’ve always been told that the bad things always end up overweighting the good. And so far, I’m inclined to say that sadly, it’s true.

Anyone who’s met me in the last year knows how mixed my feelings are towards my “expat living in France” adventure.

“Meh” is probably the best word to describe how I really feel, and for such a small word, it actually says a lot. Sometimes I wonder why I ever made the move at all – but they say that home is where the heart is, and as long as my husband is under contract here, there isn’t much I can do, because living separate lives is not something I plan on doing.

So what do I do now?

I suck it up. And try to focus on the great things coming my way. The many tips I have planned all over Europe until Christmas, the few friends I have here, the possibility of a new work contract for my husband in January, and the many blogging opportunities I’ve been working on. In overall, I definitely need to take the focus away from the bad, despite how easy it is to sulk.

Do I think my life is hard?
No. I know I’m really lucky to be in this situation, despite the daily challenges.

Do I wish I could be somewhere else?
Every day I wish I could be in the UK. But that ain’t gonna happen any time soon.

Do I need to be a big girl and get my head out of my ass?
Probably. Even though sometimes I really don’t want to.

Have you ever lived in France? What were the hardest/best parts of your experience?

Related posts:

1. The Ups and Downs of Living in France
2. Discovering the Vallieres village in France – my village!
3. 10 Little Known Facts About France

Well, I take that back. Bordeaux was gorgeous, and the weather was almost fabulous. A light drizzle, really. Saint-Émilion, on the other hand, was a total mess. Heavy downpour and thick fog do NOT make for a great day out.

Have you ever tried to operate a DSLR camera while holding an umbrella, all while trying not to walk right into huge puddles? Not very elegant. And to add to the exercise, Saint-Émilion happens to be an extremely steep village, with actual ramps down the streets. So yes. I was quite the sight.

Which is a real shame, because Saint-Émilion is one of the prettiest villages of France, architecturally speaking. It has lots of great things to see:

Cloître des Cordeliers

The many quaint wine shops

Place du Marché

The steep cobblestone streets

It also happens to be one of the tastiest villages, too:  the Saint-Émilion is actually an AOC product (controlled designation of origin) and is therefore unique in the world. There are tons of vineyards around the village, but considering how wet the day was, I decided to forego anything that involved not being covered by a roof.

The famous Saint-Émilion wine

Being Canadian, I’ll take freezing weather over rain any day. I would much rather walk around with mittens and a duvet coat, than suffocate in a raincoat! Somehow heavy rain does not enchant me at all, and really kills all desire to explore and discover. So sadly, I ended up back in the car much sooner than I expected, and made my way back home instead of sipping amazing wine in a gorgeous location.

But considering just how much I loved Bordeaux, I’m sure I’ll be back in Aquitaine very soon – and perhaps the weather will be on my side this time.

Have you been to Saint-Émilion before? Or are you also affected by the weather then on the road?

Related posts:

1. A Rainy Day in Bordeaux, a Photo Essay
2. Experiencing the Traditional English Afternoon Tea

It’s been overcast and rainy for the better part of the last two months, and honestly I wonder what the hell I’m doing in France with piss-poor weather when I could get the same exact thing in my beloved London instead – but that’s another story.

On my recent visit to the Bordeaux region, I was blessed with yet another day of heavy clouds and threatening skies. Not one to be intimidated by Mother Nature’s anger management problems, I put on my raincoat and wellies, went to explore Bordeaux, and make the most out of the little time I had in town.

Since black and white is pretty much the only way to render justice to that kind of weather, here’s a retro series of photos of Bordeaux, now one of my favorite French cities. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

This is typical Bordeaux architecture. Pretty much all the buildings on the riverbanks were built after the same plans, apparently, which makes for a great unity effect.

Porte Cailhau

Porte Cailhau

Place du Palais, just past the Porte Cailhau

I was quite taken aback when I walked past the Porte Cailhau – I really did not expect to find something like this in Bordeaux. While it looks like a castle tower on top, the bottom is everything it was meant to be back in the days: a controlled entrance point to the fiefdom. Today it gives access to the many terraces and shops of Place du Palais.

Place du Parlement

Walking towards the Place de la Bourse

Place de la Bourse was definitely the highlight of my visit. It is so grand, it’s pretty much impossible to photograph as a whole unless you have a fancy wide-angle lens (which I do not). My photos don’t do justice to the place at all, you really must see it for yourself to understand just how large and impressive it is.

Place de la Bourse

Place de la Bourse

Another place that took my breath away is the Place des Quinonces, just a few minutes off Place de la Bourse. While the square itself is set in a quite plain location, the Monument, which celebrates the French republic,  holds all the interest here – regardless of whether you’re mesmerized by the double fountains or the sky-high statue.

Fontaine des Quinonces

The level of details on fountain’s sculptures are quite amazing, and just when you think ‘wow, it doesn’t get better than this‘ – well, it does. Right on the other side of the monument stands what I thought was a simple replica at first, but wait, hang on –  it’s a different, completely unique work of art, despite the similarities.

Pont de Pierre

And last but certainly not least, the famous Pont de Pierre. It was built after very strict orders of Napoleon Bonaparte the 1st himself, whose 17 letters-long name will forever be associated with the 17 arches long bridge. While one could think the Pont de Pierre was named after one of the many worthy Pierres that have marked French history, each in their own way, the explanation is actually much simpler – it’s named after what it’s made of:  stone.

For Bordeaux is a city that will not be dominated or taken over by any other name than its own, says the legend.

Have you been to Bordeaux? What was your favorite thing to do, or place to see? Any recommendations?

Related posts:

1. My Beautiful Auvergne, a Photo Essay
2. Autumn In and Around the Alps, a Photo Essay
3. The Loire Valley Castles, a Photo Essay

Yesterday marked a turning point in France’s political history: for the first time in over 30 years, a socialist president was elected. François Hollande beat Nicolas Sarkozy by just a few points, which says a lot about the French’s state of mind in this economy and climate – they are unsure what to do, definitely hoping for the best. But at Place de la Bastille, and all over Paris, people were just ecstatic to have a new president, and were not afraid to show their love of both Hollande and its party.

Place de la Bastille was where Hollande’s supporters gathered, and there were LOTS of them. I was there the whole time, and it was a contagiously happy atmosphere. The promises of equity for all (immigrants, youth and homosexuals alike) and positive change had the French go left on this election, and if you ask me, it’s just as well.

People were everywhere around the Place de la Bastille, including on television trucks, on the Bastille monument itself and on surrounding balconies (whether the most courageous supporters climbed there or actually live in these houses remain to be seen). I left right after Hollande’s celebratory speech and by then, the crowd was estimated to over 100,000 people, of all kinds. Car horns concerts filled all of Paris on my way back to the hotel, while more and more people walked towards the Bastille, Hollande’s flag in hand, yelling “Sarkozy, c’est fini!”.

Here’s a little photo recap of the French elections at Place de la Bastille.

“Fuck off, you jerk“. Sarkozy said that to a difficult demonstrator once – it was held back against him, to say the least.

Have you watched the French elections? Do you think it’s going to influence the Euro zone in a big way? Have you ever participated in a political event abroad?

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© Wikicommons

Since late April is a bit too cold for a dip, I decided to stay clear from the sandy beaches and instead go up one of the quirkiest and unique sights in Europe: the Dune du Pilat.

It’s a natural sand dune, and a pretty big one at that: 110 meters high, 500 meters wide and 3 kilometers long (thank you Wikipedia), making it Europe’s largest one of its kind. Impressive, much? Absolutely. What’s even more impressive is the view from the top.

On one side you have the luxuriant green forests of Gascogne National Park, on the other, the Atlantic Ocean, and on the far right, the Bay of Arcachon. Three completely different landscapes at only a few kilometers away from another.

It took me a while to 1, find a way to keep my hair away from my face  - it gets VERY windy up there, and 2, get over the freakin’ amazing views. I had expected something pretty, but not that pretty, or that breathtaking (quite literally - walking uphill in the sand against the wind is a very good cardio exercise, believe me).

And once I got over my emotions and my heartbeat went back to its normal 60, I did what I always do whenever I’m at the ocean: I close my eyes and breathe. I may not have very good reflexes or balance, but damn it I got a good nose. And since smell is sense that triggers the most memories, I indulged.

After a while though, I started to get a bit sleepy (not to mention covered in sand). Am I the only one whose face gets tired after a while outside? Anyway. Although I was a bit sad to drive back to the city, my afternoon out at Dune du Pilat was incredible, and I’m really glad I decided to make the extra stretch. Travel is not just about itineraries, right?

Have you been to the Dune du Pilat? Or have you seen anything like it in other places?

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These small, handy devices seem have the best intentions – but sometimes, they are so intent on taking us on a completely nonsense journey, for the sake of saving a few minutes. Why stick to boulevards when you can take a residential street?

But on the other hand, I guess it’s the modern version of the old travel adage “getting lost is the best way to travel”. And that’s exactly what happened to me on my latest roadtrip, when I made my way west of Bordeaux, direction: the Atlantic Ocean. I wanted to make a quick stop in Arcachon, the most popular destination in the area.

When I typed “downtown Arcachon” on my GPS, I had no idea it would take me to a quiet neighborhood that had nothing to do with the bustling bay side streets I had pictured. But for once, I was happily surprised by the detours of my trusty GPS when I took in the beautiful houses of Boulevard Deganne.

The villas of Arcachon actually have an architectural style all of their own – maisons arcachonnaises. Inspired by the Victorian style, they slowly started to fill the city at the end of the 19th century by the tuberculosis-afflicted bourgeois in search of better health. It was widely believed that the fresh saline air mixed with the forest smells of the nearby Gascogne Park was the perfect antidote for tuberculosis and other diseases.

Something that made me smile is that all the houses seem to have a name. Le muguet (lily of the valley), Atala, or even just regular French names. In true villa style!

Arcachon is, by European standards, a fairly new town – up until the mid 1800s, it was still a luxuriant forest until rich businessmen from Bordeaux established themselves in the area in search of tranquility and health. It reminded me of European thermal bath cities, that all have a relaxing atmosphere and are very epicurean – and of course, super affordable real estate, villa style.

Do you like it when your GPS seems to take you on mysterious journeys? Have you been to Arcachon or similar towns? Have you looked into the timeshare options in the area?

Related posts:

1. Cadaqués : Views, Villas and Vines

Place Plumereau

You see, Tours is filled with history and impressive architecture. Starting with the most beautiful square in town, Place Plumereau, where you will find a great many things, including questionable entertainers and a half-dozen terraces in the sun, all owned by jolly elderly Frenchmen who are always happy to meet foreigners and improve their rusty English. Notice the background buildings in the above picture?

Rue du Grand Marché

Rue du Grand Marché - Place Plumereau

All this is on the most picturesque street in Tours – rue du Grand Marché. Timber-framed buildings, intricate details, typical restaurants, and oh, the house where Da Vinci used to live. See what I meant when I mentioned history? There’s 500 years of it right there.

A few corner up North, you’ll find yourself in the oldest part of town. Rue Briçonnet is renowed for its ornate facades and doors, and is well worth the stroll if you ask me. Plus, when you get at the end of the street, you get to the relaxing riverbank of the River Loire, accompanied by the soothing sounds of the current.

Rue Briçonnet

Other places of interest to plan when exploring Tours? The city hall, the castle (although nothing like the rest of the Loire Valley – don’t get your hopes up), St-Gatien Cathedral and St-Martin Basilica, rue Colbert for varied restaurants, amongst other things. And perhaps the super fun Saturday market!

Have you ever planned on exploring Tours? Did you only stop overnight or did you spend some time in the city?

Related posts:

1. The Loire Valley Castles, a Photo Essay
2. Exploring the Moorish Architecture at the Alhambra
3. Exploring the Medieval Village of Besalu

• The French are very bad drivers.

I tried to find a kinder, more gracious twist to this point but despite my best intentions there simply isn’t any other way to say it. French people are awful drivers, period! They’re impatient, unfocused, selfish, impolite (when driving, of course – I would never dare to imply that in a general manner…). The worst part is the criss-cross habit they all have – it seems like they physically cannot stay in the same lane for more than two full minutes. I wonder what would happen if I made them.

• French roads are very different from North American ones.

The basic speed rules are quite easy to comprehend: 110-130 km/h on motorways, 90 km/h on national roads, and 50 km/h within cities (with frequent 30 km/h zones). That’s the simple part.

But when it comes to other topics on driving in France, that’s a whole other story. The infamous yield to the right, the roads that are barely wide enough to fit one car let alone two, cars that park nose to nose on one-way streets, the lack of railings in precarious zones… all this definitely takes a while to get used to, when coming from the new continent!

• Not all Google Maps itineraries are optimal.

With France being one of the countries with the most expensive toll roads in Europe (70 euros to get to Paris from Clermont-Ferrand!), make sure you take a close look at your itinerary before leaving. More often than not, by opting for a longer stretch on a national road instead of the motorway, you could save a little fortune in tolls. Maybe I’m rotten cheap, but I’d choose the extra hour drive to keep my euros! The absolute best reference tool for your itineraries in France is undoubtedly Via Michelin – less pretty than Google Maps, but much more efficient.

• Etap Hotels are probably the best quality/value hotel chain in France.

I’ve stayed in many different chains but I’ve favored the Etap Hotels lately. They’re cheap (around 45 euros for a double with private bathroom), they’re everywhere, and they’re modern. The only downside is that they’re usually located a bit out of the center and reachable by car only, but if you plan on going on an epic roadtrip, I strongly suggest these hotels.

• There’s no point in driving to/in Paris.

With so many trains getting to the city in record time, and a metro station at every other corner, who actually needs a car in Paris? Having one is mostly an annoyance, and a costly one at that. Unless you like to frolic around and throw money our of your pockets (if this is the case, let me know where you’re at this weekend), you’re much better off getting to the capital by train and relying on public transportation to move around. And, let’s be honest here – no matter how thrilling the Arc de Triomphe roundabout sounds (because apparently for some people it does), no sane person would want to actually be sitting in a car there. On either side of said car.

• Picnics are the way to go…

Despite the quaint charm of bistros and terraces, if you are budget-minded, taking every meal at the restaurant can be quite costly and could impact the quality of your trip. There are many ways to save money on food while on the road, and one of them is to pack a picnic. Find a grocery store, get a fresh baguette, cooked meats, smelly cheese, a bottle of rosé, and for less than 10 euros you have a quintessential French meal on the go. Killing two birds with one stone, really!

• … and if you must go to a restaurant, ask for the Menu du jour.

Pretty much every bistro or restaurant in France will have a daily menu for a set price, usually pretty cheap for the value. If often consists of a main dish, a small appetizer and a coffee for less than 10 euros. Your taste buds don’t get much of a choice, but if the suggested dish is to your liking, it’s a seriously good option to consider.

• Total gas stations are the most expensive ones – always

That one I don’t really understand. Regardless of the location, I noticed that Total gas stations are always more expensive than others (BP, Casino, etc.) – and by several centimes. Keep that in mind when you need to fill up – it’s absolutely worth it to drive a few kilometers more and save a few euros to cheaper gas stations. If you can manage in French, this is an excellent website to plan your pit stops or see where is the next cheap gas station on your itinerary (and they have a mobile version, too!).

• If you plan on traveling by train extensively, get a discount card.

Probably the best thing that happened to French transportation since, well, ever. If you are eligible for one of them, you could save up to anywhere between 25% and 60% off your fare, every time you use it. They do cost a little bit of money, but it pays itself very quickly. I have saved hundreds of euros with my 12-25 youth card!

France is probably one of the most amazing countries I have been lucky enough to visit. I know very few places that could compete with it! And if your trip is planned the smart way, it could make it even better.

What are your tips for traveling in France? Do you prefer to drive, take the train or a mix of both? What are your favorite roadtrip destinations?

Related posts:

1. Eurotrip Tips goes to… Europe!
2. The Ups and Downs of Living in France
3. France: The Bucket List

Well. I guess it is. But it was nonetheless a VERY long trip, and a tad stressful with 5 connections. But as expected, everything went perfectly well, and I even managed to document my trip, which took me from Clermont-Ferrand to Montpellier to Perpignan and other smaller places in between. Including along the Mediterranean Sea, through cities, and into the Cevennes Mountains…

Through the Cévennes

The nicest viaduct I had ever seen! This part of the ride was actually very slow because one does not cross the Cévennes in a straight line – it was a winding road, let me tell you. But it gave me enough time to thoroughly enjoy sights like these.

Through the Cévennes

The moment I knew we had crossed to the southern part of the country was when I started noticing huge fields of olive trees and vineyards. All that was missing was a baguette and I had the ultimate southern French snack!

Right before we reached Perpignan, Iwas greated with this beautiful, striking sight. Hello, Pyrenees! It was the first time I saw them and I was not disappointed. I loved watching them change colors during the day, depending on the sun’s position. Pyrenees at sunrise are quite something.

These photos are certainly not my best in terms of technique or quality, and will never be on the cover of National Geographic. I took them in a moving train with my trusty iPhone and played around with the filters a little bit to make them more artsy (yeah, let’s call it that). TGVs are very efficient but absolutely not photo friendly.

Related posts:

1. Glamorous French Riviera Day Trip
2. Vichy, the French capital of relaxation

This is the Puy-de-Dôme, the 1400 meters high mountain that overlooks Clermont-Ferrand. I’ll be writing an article about it in a few months, right in time for the opening of the Panoramique des dômes, a train that will go all the way up (which is much better than hiking it, if you ask me…).

And yes, as of today, late April, it’s still freakin’ cold, and the weather is dreadful. Fingers crossed it gets better by the May bank holidays…

Have you ever been to the Chaîne des Puys in the winter? Are you a winter sports amateur?

Related posts:

1. Monday’s Postcard: Clermont-Ferrand, France
2. Monday’s Postcard: Mont Blanc, France
3. Monday’s Postcard: Nice, France

So, what have I been busy planning? From May to November, I will be on the road most of the time, whether it’s only for a weekend getaway or weeks at the time. I admit to being a bit nervous about everything – I have never traveled that much before, I’m a bit worried for my finances and well, I’m scared I’ll get lonely on the solo stretches. It’ll be a learning experience in so many ways!

The Louvre museum in Paris

May

As you might already know, France is one of the luckiest countries in the world in term of bank holidays. And the next few weeks are quite amazing – my husband gets three 4-day weekends in a row! We decided to take advantage of every minute and plan small getaways to the Bordeaux region, Paris and Toulouse. Wines, French countryside, palaces and bistros await!

The Emerald Island

June

That month will be almost entirely dedicated to the Irish and British Isles. If you know me at all, you know how disappointed am I about these particular plans (NOT). I will be exploring Ireland with Shamrocker Tours, visiting Dover, Canterbury and Leeds Castle with Grayline, channeling my inner Happy Potter fan at the WB Studios, downing a few cider pints with friends at the pub, and spending a few days in Edinburgh and its surroundings.

Back in France for the last week to celebrate the Quebec National Day with my fellow Quebeckers expats, I will also be taking part in a press trip with Atout France in Auvergne’s Cantal department, well known for its beautiful natural setting and cheese culture.

New York City

July

Not much going in Europe for me in July – I’ll be going back home to Montreal for three weeks, working on articles for my new blog,  A Montrealer Abroad, and… spending a long weekend in New York City with my best friend, courtesy of New York Habitat! I want it to be a photographic journey, as well as an exploratory one – I want to visit lesser known neighborhoods, like Williamsburg, and see what the real New York City is like outside of Midtown. I’ll even make enough time to see my favorite bands at Montreal’s Osheaga Music festival.

Mont Saint-Michel

August

Again with the French holidays… pretty much the whole country if off during August, meaning that cities will slowly empty to the profit of coastal villages. And I’m no exception! I planned a 10 day roadtrip through Normandy, exploring the D-Day beaches, Etretat cliffs, the many foodie villages and spending a whole day at Mont Saint-Michel. I might even make a daytrip to one of the Channel Islands, probably Jersey. We’ll see!

French Riviera

September

While the French Riviera is a little too hot and crowded for me in the summer months… it seems like the perfect place to be in September! My parents will be joining me in a roadtrip that will take us from Montpellier to Monaco, with stops in Toulon, Marseille, Calanques, Grasse and more. It’s my dad’s second time in Europe and I’m really excited to discover a new region with him, completely different from the last one – autumn in the Alps. Expect lots of wine tasting, turquoise sea shots and overall epicurean goodness.

Stockholm

October

That’s where I’ll be the most busy! I’ll be embarking on a 5 week train journey with Eurail.com through Scandinavia and Benelux, starting in Bergen and finishing in Bruges. On the itinerary: Norway fjords, Bergen and Stavanger, Oslo’s colorful buildings, Swedish fika overload, hipster spotting in Söldermalm, Stockholm archipelago, Malmö design, Copenhagen’s architecture, Funen Island… and then off to Benelux for some Dutch countryside cycling, windmill sightseeing, Gouda cheese tasting, beach walking in Den Haag, canal hopping in Amsterdam and architecture touring in Rotterdam.

The “best” part? I’ll be by myself for all of this. If you plan on being on either one of these places in October, let me know and we can meet up and talk all things travel!

London

November

Before returning home in Clermont-Ferrand, I will be stopping in London for a few days for World Travel Market, that I only missed by a few days last year. I will not be making the same mistake this year! And let’s be honest – adding a few days in London isn’t exactly torture to me. Going to London is like coming home.

What are your thoughts? Any destination you are especially eager to read about/see? Do you have tips and suggestions for these places?

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While any level of photographer would be in heaven there, the amateur-blogger-photographer (yes, that is an official level) in me opted for the macro lens that day. And boy, I’m so glad I did! I got some amazing shots with an  incredible amount of details – despite the fact that it’s been a while since my visit, these flowers still adorn my screensaver today. Have a look at my very best photos of Keukenhof Gardens for yourself!

I was truly amazed at the details of both of these flowers. It’s almost like they had tiny teeth on the edges of their petals – I’d never seen anything quite like it before.

This one is probably my favorite of all. I love how the yellow slowly merges into vibrant red. Nature really does know how to make pretty things!

That one was for my own pleasure – purple being my absolute favorite color but having a rather conservative-decor kind of husband, I indulge whenever I can (in my screensaver, that is… I’ve tried to paint our bedroom purple but have not had any success so far).

This one looks like the other one I liked further up – but they’re actually pretty different. That’s what I like about the Keukenhof Gardens, it’s the variety of flowers – some might look similar, but each and every single of them is unique and worth a closer look.

There’s no doubt in my mind that if you visit Amsterdam in the spring, you simply MUST make a daytrip to the Gardens, even if you are not a nature’s lover or the proud owner of a green thumb (I am neither – I hate camping and I killed an aloe vera). The drive through the tulip fields alone is worth the trip! Tickets are only €21, and I think it’s rather well spent euros. Even though back then, I was totally broke during that leg of my eurotrip and finished the day eating crackers by a canal for dinner – it was still worth it.

Have you ever been to the Keukenhof Gardens? What’s your favorite photo of the Gardens?

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Vulcania

Vulcania's golden cone

The complex is actually very impressive on its own – sculpted in volcanic rock (as hundreds of buildings in the area), its golden, pointed dome blends in perfectly with the shape of the surrounding volcanoes.

My favorite part, outside the geyser, the crater (!), and the greenhouse? The several interactive and sensory experiences! Vulcania has, amongst other things, 5 extra-special rooms.

• Dragon Ride: a 5D experience, including dynamic seats, into the natural fault hidden under the volcanoes, and its mysterious creatures. It even simulates a 2G acceleration, and truly scary effects!

• Magma Explorer: My personal favorite! The whole room you’re in is taken to the heart of a volcano, who suddenly erupts. Bumpy ride ahead!

• Misson Toba: Experience the eruption of an Indonesian supervolcano 74,000 years ago, on board a hot-air balloon. The best part? The 180 degrees screen!

• The Volcanoes Awakening: Even though the French volcanoes are dormant… what if they actually came to life, and erupted? What if Clermont-Ferrand was in the line of fire? This room will tell you, and make you feel,  exactly what would happen.

• The Earth’s Rage: Mother Earth has several ways to express her anger. Whether you opt for a tornado, earthquake, or even an asteroid, you’ll be prepared for anything!

Magma Explorer

Even though Vulcania is obviously dedicated to kids and young teenagers, I really did enjoy myself in the interactive rooms, and found the whole center to be very high-quality, and truly impressive. My geek-scientist-engineer husband really did enjoy himself too, and he’s definitely a grown-up!

If you are interested in science and our Earth’s most impressive manifestations, then I strongly suggest you make a daytrip to Vulcania if you visit Clermont-Ferrand and Auvergne. It’s only a short train ride away after your flight to Paris!

Disclaimer: I was offered a complimentary entry by Vulcania. As always, all opinions are my own.

Did you know there are volcanoes in France? Are you interested by scientific museums when you travel? Or amusement parks?

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3. My Beautiful Auvergne, a Photo Essay

The Château de Val

Located on the limit of Cantal and Puy-de-Dôme departments, it’s an hour and a half away from Clermont-Ferrand. As you can see from the photo, the castle is surrounded by water, but winter apparently isn’t the right time to visit, because the water was very low and kind of ruined the effect. Normally, the castle looks like this:

Nonetheless, the visit was very fun. The castle doesn’t have a very dramatic history, nor lavish furniture – and I like it because of that. The true luxury here is the surroundings, not fancy drapes!

The castle has several rooms spread on three different floors. The first one is fully furnished with authentic furniture of the time, and represents very well how life was like then. I particularly liked the mini-chapel adjoining the dining room!

The second floor isn’t furnished, but is entirely dedicated to local artists. All the rooms are filled with paintings, photographs and art, and the theme changes every few months. A nice window into the local arts scene!

The third floor is actually a bit weird – it has tiny, tiny corridors (as in I had to walk sideways), and really creepy empty rooms. I guess that was the unofficial haunted part of the visit – every castle has its ghosts, even Château de Val!

It’s not the most impressive, nor the most luxurious. But it makes up for a pretty good daytrip in the country, through the Chaîne des Puys volcanoes. The scenic drive alone is worth the trip!

Do you prefer huge elegant castles or simpler country ones? Have you been to Château de Val? What’s your favorite castle in Auvergne?

Related posts:

1. The Wonders of Chambord Castle
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