French Sweets

Fancy pastries. Gourmet chocolate. The colourful macaron.

France has long been associated with the finer things in life, whether it be fashion, wine or cuisine. On a visit to the city of Lyon, the capital of French gastronomy, I was eager to tour the food market where local chefs do their shopping, Les Halles Paul Bocuses. And the tempting array of tarts and cakes kept me busy taking photos. Unfortunately, I was so busy preserving the images that I neglected to sample the goods.

Displays of Tarts and Cakes at Les Halles Paul Bocuse, Lyon

St. Rémy de Provence

St. Rémy de Provence, July 2012 - We arrived in St. Rémy yesterday on the Provence extension to our Rhone River cruise with Avalon Waterways. Once again the weather promised to be hot -  35 Celsius by afternoon. Unlike my previous visit to Europe when my sun hat travelled around in my luggage, mon chapeau is being worn every day.

French Wine, Chocolate and Music

Tournon, July 2012 - This morning we entered the Ardèche region of France, which is known for its chestnuts. We began our day with a walking tour of the town of Tournon, on the west bank of the Rhone.

Tournon sur Rhone, France

Exploring Nice

Nice, May 2010 - We were travelling on Trafalgar's Contrasts of Europe train tour through England, France and Italy, having arrived on the French Riviera the night before. I had made great plans for our free day in Nice, but I was starting to feel a little worn out by the touring pace we had kept in London and Paris for the past week. And Nice was a charming city that begged for some wandering and aimless exploring.

Nice Craft Market