Guide to France
Monday, June 18, 2007
The City of Rennes
The City of Rennes
by: Jakob Jelling
Rennes, located at 300 kilometers southwest of Paris, towards the northwestern area of France, is the municipal capital of the region of Brittany and one of the most interesting towns of it as well. There are several interesting characteristics about this city, such as, for example, its history and its constructions, some of them among the most ancient of the region.
Rennes economy is based on its agriculture as well as some industrial products. It produces an important amount of agricultural products which are consumed within the region as well as throughout several other places. Besides this, Rennes also produces farm equipment, railroad related products and cars among others.
At its origins, Rennes was the main city of the Celtic Redones. After that, this town became part of the Romans domains, and the next important historic fact happened during the XX century, when it was named capital of Brittany. this way, this city has had an important role in many époques as well as it has gone through several important changes.
During the XVIII century, around the year 1720, Rennes went through a disastrous fire which caused it to lose many of its original buildings and caused its general appearance to change. Later, during World War II, Rennes became again badly affected, this time for bombing, which again caused it to loose some of its constructions.
Although many of its original buildings and constructions disappeared, many others still remain almost unchanged. Among these constructions there are, for example, the Duchesne Tower from the XV century, the Palais Saint Georges from the XVII century, the Opera from the XIX century, many mansions from the XVII century and others from the XIX century, and several squares from the XVIII century among others.
The Chapel of Saint Yves is another great construction located in Rennes and which still shows many of its original characteristics unchanged. This building was constructed during the XV century, and is an amazing inheritance from the past. Besides the construction itself, those who approach the Cathedral of Saint Yves can also visit permanent exhibitions which take place within its walls.
About The Author
Jakob Jelling is the founder of Eurotomic.com. Please visit France if you're planning a trip to France.
by: Jakob Jelling
Rennes, located at 300 kilometers southwest of Paris, towards the northwestern area of France, is the municipal capital of the region of Brittany and one of the most interesting towns of it as well. There are several interesting characteristics about this city, such as, for example, its history and its constructions, some of them among the most ancient of the region.
Rennes economy is based on its agriculture as well as some industrial products. It produces an important amount of agricultural products which are consumed within the region as well as throughout several other places. Besides this, Rennes also produces farm equipment, railroad related products and cars among others.
At its origins, Rennes was the main city of the Celtic Redones. After that, this town became part of the Romans domains, and the next important historic fact happened during the XX century, when it was named capital of Brittany. this way, this city has had an important role in many époques as well as it has gone through several important changes.
During the XVIII century, around the year 1720, Rennes went through a disastrous fire which caused it to lose many of its original buildings and caused its general appearance to change. Later, during World War II, Rennes became again badly affected, this time for bombing, which again caused it to loose some of its constructions.
Although many of its original buildings and constructions disappeared, many others still remain almost unchanged. Among these constructions there are, for example, the Duchesne Tower from the XV century, the Palais Saint Georges from the XVII century, the Opera from the XIX century, many mansions from the XVII century and others from the XIX century, and several squares from the XVIII century among others.
The Chapel of Saint Yves is another great construction located in Rennes and which still shows many of its original characteristics unchanged. This building was constructed during the XV century, and is an amazing inheritance from the past. Besides the construction itself, those who approach the Cathedral of Saint Yves can also visit permanent exhibitions which take place within its walls.
About The Author
Jakob Jelling is the founder of Eurotomic.com. Please visit France if you're planning a trip to France.
Labels: Brittany
Friday, June 8, 2007
Burgandy, France - Famous For Its Wines
Burgandy, France - Famous For Its Wines
by: Melinda Carnes
The terroir is a group of vineyards or vines from the same area which have a common soil and climate. And nowhere else, other than Burgundy in France, is it held so fondly.
Burgundy is a region situated in central east France, which experiences bitter cold winters matched with beautiful warm summers. It is the home of 1.6 million inhabitants.
Burgundy (Bourgogne) is famous throughout the world for its wines. Spanning over 31,500 square kilometers (over 12,000 square miles), with a 360 km (225 mi) strip stretching 100km (60 mi) south of Paris, down from south of Dijon to north of Rhoône, houses 99 different wine appellations.
Ranging from the vibrant red Pommard and Corton to the medium Beaune — to the sparkling whites, the dry Chablis or Chassagne Montrachet, over 180 million bottles of some of the fines wines are made in this region.
As an aftermath of the French revolution the vineyards belonging to the monasteries were broken down to smaller plots – which exist even today.
The finest quality wine, designated as “Premier Cru” – is available from 600 of the vineyards in the region while 33 of them is credit to produce the even more classy “Grand Cru” wines. Among these the most renowned are Montrachet, Chambertin and Clos Vougeot.
Made from the pinot noir grapes, the burgundy red wines taste best with Boeuf Bourguignon or pheasant. On the other hand a Chablis or their sparkling white wines go best with anything from shrimps to goat cheese.
The famous white wine called Chablis derives its name from a village of the same name. These are dry whites with an acidity that refreshes. The special Chardonnay grapes thrive in limestone that has been made richer with remains of fossils.
As an accompaniment to lamb or grilled chicken, the best choice is the fruity-flavored, world famous Beaujolais made from the Gamay grape. These grapes grow in granite limestone.
The ever-popular and delicious red is grown in Volnay for the last 8 centuries. The grapes are Pinot Noir grown across 600 acres which is responsible in producing 1.3 million bottles of this amazing wine which has the flavors of raspberries and violets.
And then there is Meursault, located close by, famous for its Premier Cru labels of finest white wines. 2.5 million bottles of the finest wine, Chardonnay, aged anywhere between 3 to 15 years is grown in just over 1000 acres. Fish in white sauce go extremely well with this fine wine with its almond and apple flavors.
But what still makes the headlines is the red Pommard with its tannic and manly flavor, staging a comeback after many years of decline. From just 780 acres of Pinot Noir grown in limestone and red clay are produced 1.8 million bottles of this wine with the flavors of black cherry and black currant. Goes excellent with game venison and roasted red meat with Livarot cheese, these can age from 5 to 15 years.
Whatever your taste buds need, there is very little chance of returning home disappointed with a Burgundy.
About The Author
Melinda Carnes is a staff writer at Everything Gourmet and is an occasional ocntributor to several other websites, including Coffee Enthusiast.
by: Melinda Carnes
The terroir is a group of vineyards or vines from the same area which have a common soil and climate. And nowhere else, other than Burgundy in France, is it held so fondly.
Burgundy is a region situated in central east France, which experiences bitter cold winters matched with beautiful warm summers. It is the home of 1.6 million inhabitants.
Burgundy (Bourgogne) is famous throughout the world for its wines. Spanning over 31,500 square kilometers (over 12,000 square miles), with a 360 km (225 mi) strip stretching 100km (60 mi) south of Paris, down from south of Dijon to north of Rhoône, houses 99 different wine appellations.
Ranging from the vibrant red Pommard and Corton to the medium Beaune — to the sparkling whites, the dry Chablis or Chassagne Montrachet, over 180 million bottles of some of the fines wines are made in this region.
As an aftermath of the French revolution the vineyards belonging to the monasteries were broken down to smaller plots – which exist even today.
The finest quality wine, designated as “Premier Cru” – is available from 600 of the vineyards in the region while 33 of them is credit to produce the even more classy “Grand Cru” wines. Among these the most renowned are Montrachet, Chambertin and Clos Vougeot.
Made from the pinot noir grapes, the burgundy red wines taste best with Boeuf Bourguignon or pheasant. On the other hand a Chablis or their sparkling white wines go best with anything from shrimps to goat cheese.
The famous white wine called Chablis derives its name from a village of the same name. These are dry whites with an acidity that refreshes. The special Chardonnay grapes thrive in limestone that has been made richer with remains of fossils.
As an accompaniment to lamb or grilled chicken, the best choice is the fruity-flavored, world famous Beaujolais made from the Gamay grape. These grapes grow in granite limestone.
The ever-popular and delicious red is grown in Volnay for the last 8 centuries. The grapes are Pinot Noir grown across 600 acres which is responsible in producing 1.3 million bottles of this amazing wine which has the flavors of raspberries and violets.
And then there is Meursault, located close by, famous for its Premier Cru labels of finest white wines. 2.5 million bottles of the finest wine, Chardonnay, aged anywhere between 3 to 15 years is grown in just over 1000 acres. Fish in white sauce go extremely well with this fine wine with its almond and apple flavors.
But what still makes the headlines is the red Pommard with its tannic and manly flavor, staging a comeback after many years of decline. From just 780 acres of Pinot Noir grown in limestone and red clay are produced 1.8 million bottles of this wine with the flavors of black cherry and black currant. Goes excellent with game venison and roasted red meat with Livarot cheese, these can age from 5 to 15 years.
Whatever your taste buds need, there is very little chance of returning home disappointed with a Burgundy.
About The Author
Melinda Carnes is a staff writer at Everything Gourmet and is an occasional ocntributor to several other websites, including Coffee Enthusiast.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
5 Secrets to Studying Abroad in France
5 Secrets to Studying Abroad in France
by: Kevin Browne
If studying abroad is wonderful then studying abroad in France is wondrous.
Here are some treasures on how to best explore one of the most beautiful countries on earth in between all of those pesky tests and papers...
1. Don’t bring anything that might have to be dry cleaned! You will find doing your laundry in a Laundromat quite expensive compared to the States, the prices for dry cleaning are astronomical, as it’s still not a very common practice. Should you discover a red wine stain on your favorite ‘dry clean only’ shirt that made its way into your suitcase against better advise, look for a Pressing or Blachisserie and ask for a “nettoyage à sec” (TIP: Before forking over for a dry cleaning bill, the best way to get a red wine stain out of clothes is by pouring it’s friend white wine all over it, honest!)
2. Because the water in France is a lot “softer” than in the States, your hair and skin may not feel as clean even after washing. For this reason, it’s best not to bring your own products from home, but to buy products here that are specially adapted and produced according to the minerals in the water. You can go to any of the beauty supply stores and talk to a sales lady about it and they can direct you to a product that’s right for you.
3. For a truly interesting movie going experience in Paris, be sure to visit La Pagode. The manager of the store Bon Marché imported a real pagoda from Japan for his wife to use as a ballroom! Unfortunately they soon divorced, and it was turned into a movie theater that makes for a brilliant experience…be sure to ask for the salle japonaise. (57 rue de Babylone 75007)
4. When headed to the cinema, the matinees are always cheapest. But pay attention to the rules of each movie house, because in some this may be any film played before noon, but in others it may just be the first film of the day. Many theaters also have reduced ticket prices on Mondays and Wednesdays. (TIP: Be sure the film is in VO, version originale, played in English with subtitles and not dubbed over in French, VF!)
5. If you are studying abroad in Nice, be sure to visit one of the few internet cafés in the city, located at 8 Rue Vincent, just at the corner of Rue Pontin in the Old Town. They have wi-fi and cable TV, great food and snack, and Happy Hour for drinks starting at 5 pm. Plus it’s run by a lovely Englishman who has been living in Nice for over 15 years, and is a great resource on where to go and what to do in the city.
Kevin Browne studied in Strassbourg, France while attending Holy Cross College. Kevin is the founder of TravelGuy! http://www.tiptopwebsite.com/travelguy which shares intricate local French knowledge with students looking to study abroad in France in the hopes that they will fully take advantage of their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
About The Author
Kevin Browne studied in Strasbourg, France while attending Holy Cross College.
The founder of Travel Guy, Kevin resides in Connecticut.
by: Kevin Browne
If studying abroad is wonderful then studying abroad in France is wondrous.
Here are some treasures on how to best explore one of the most beautiful countries on earth in between all of those pesky tests and papers...
1. Don’t bring anything that might have to be dry cleaned! You will find doing your laundry in a Laundromat quite expensive compared to the States, the prices for dry cleaning are astronomical, as it’s still not a very common practice. Should you discover a red wine stain on your favorite ‘dry clean only’ shirt that made its way into your suitcase against better advise, look for a Pressing or Blachisserie and ask for a “nettoyage à sec” (TIP: Before forking over for a dry cleaning bill, the best way to get a red wine stain out of clothes is by pouring it’s friend white wine all over it, honest!)
2. Because the water in France is a lot “softer” than in the States, your hair and skin may not feel as clean even after washing. For this reason, it’s best not to bring your own products from home, but to buy products here that are specially adapted and produced according to the minerals in the water. You can go to any of the beauty supply stores and talk to a sales lady about it and they can direct you to a product that’s right for you.
3. For a truly interesting movie going experience in Paris, be sure to visit La Pagode. The manager of the store Bon Marché imported a real pagoda from Japan for his wife to use as a ballroom! Unfortunately they soon divorced, and it was turned into a movie theater that makes for a brilliant experience…be sure to ask for the salle japonaise. (57 rue de Babylone 75007)
4. When headed to the cinema, the matinees are always cheapest. But pay attention to the rules of each movie house, because in some this may be any film played before noon, but in others it may just be the first film of the day. Many theaters also have reduced ticket prices on Mondays and Wednesdays. (TIP: Be sure the film is in VO, version originale, played in English with subtitles and not dubbed over in French, VF!)
5. If you are studying abroad in Nice, be sure to visit one of the few internet cafés in the city, located at 8 Rue Vincent, just at the corner of Rue Pontin in the Old Town. They have wi-fi and cable TV, great food and snack, and Happy Hour for drinks starting at 5 pm. Plus it’s run by a lovely Englishman who has been living in Nice for over 15 years, and is a great resource on where to go and what to do in the city.
Kevin Browne studied in Strassbourg, France while attending Holy Cross College. Kevin is the founder of TravelGuy! http://www.tiptopwebsite.com/travelguy which shares intricate local French knowledge with students looking to study abroad in France in the hopes that they will fully take advantage of their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
About The Author
Kevin Browne studied in Strasbourg, France while attending Holy Cross College.
The founder of Travel Guy, Kevin resides in Connecticut.
Labels: education
