The gardens at Chateau Villandry are the grandest examples of formal Renaissance style gardens in France. Villandry is well worth the visit. Without too much pomp and ceremony you can witness a chateau that lives in harmony with nature, and the remarkable beauty of these gardens. It shoud be on your must see list whenever you visit France.

The gardens are lovingly and enthusiastically tended by Henri Carvallo, curator of the chateau and great-grandson of Dr Joachim Carvallo who purchased the chateau in 1906. The chateau was on the point of being demolished when it was purchased by Dr Carvallo. It had been disfigured by the walling up of the arches, fake windows and additions and the moat had been filled in.

He gave up an impressive career in science under the tutelage of a professor who later went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize and devoted himself to the restoration of Vchateau Villandry and its magnificent gardens.

Later on Dr Carvallo founded the Association de la Demeure Historique with the objective of saving historic buildings throughout France. He sure saved Villandry which is now one of the most visited chateaux of the Loire Valley.

The gardens, which are terraced on three levels, were influenced by Italian gardeners brought in by Charles VIII. The design for plantings on each level are:

The first level is the highest, at or above ground level with the chateau, is the Le Jardin d’Eau, (water garden) featuring lawns, fountains whose edges are bounded by arbors.

The second level, includes the : Le Jardin d’Ornement, (ornamental gardens), consisting of the Garden of Music, the Garden of Love, the Decorative Flower Garden and the Garden of Simple delights. In the front of this level where the castle stands is a bed planted with a pergola walk shaded by vines.

The third and lowest level, is the kitchen garden Le Potager, (vegetable garden), consists of vegetable plantings, fruit trees and bushes,as well as herbs for seasoning or medicinal purposes. This garden, in the Louis XIV style, and takes the form of a rectangle of slightly irregular shape surrounding on three sides the two higher tiers of gardens. It is devoted to vegetables and has 9 square sections divided into beds of various coloured plants, surrounded by hardy plants and box hedges.

Villandry is a vegetal feast, with big purple cabbages, zigzags of crazy-growing leeks, blocks of autumn pumpkins, beds of yellow and green peppers and mounds of celery all replanted twice a year with a brilliant eye for the colours of the changing seasons.

At the opposite side of the garden to the castle, there is a maze of 12000 clipped beech trees. All of these are gardens are impressive in their own rights, so I will not recommend one more than the others.

In July each year Chateau Villandry holds Les Nuits des Mille Feux, when they light up the magical gardens of the Villandry castle with 2000 candles. Lit just as the sun begins to set, the candles burn on until after midnight in the beautiful grounds of the Loire’s most famous chateau. Strolling musicians play Baroque music which adds to the mystical atmosphere during this quintessential Loire experience. Don’t miss it - it is spectacular.

When in France’s Loire Valley , you can visit many historic chateaux and their impressive gardens. If you can you should splash out and rent a chateau with your friends and family and lord it up for a week. It is not about the same that you would pay for a mid range hotel but you get to treat it as if it were your own. Some even do french weddings with a castle wedding package. With a castle wedding package the fairytale castle, chapel, food, wine, photography, flowers, celebrant, music, decoration and wedding planning is all included. Take the stress out of a destination wedding and select a castle wedding package

Whilst chateau hopping remember to take the time to happen upon some local wine cellars, for “degustation” or tasting. Take the time to relax and enjoy your holiday.

France’s Loire Valley has the grandest selection of 15th and sixteenth century castles. With fifty to sixty “must see” castles scattered on both sides of a 100-mile sweep of the Loire River, the first-time visitor can feel overwhelmed.

Five of the best castles are below.

Chateau Amboise

Amboise’s narrowed cobbled streets wind at the base of the large. Although only 25% of the original chateau survives, the fortress walls with flying banners look down on the village and neighboring river. It was here that King Francois I hit his head on a low arch, fatally wounding him.

Chateau Clos Luce

Not more than a half mile from Amboise is Chateau Le Clos Luce, a chateau built and designed by Leonardo da Vinci. He lived the last three years of his life here under Francois I’s sponsorship. The rooms are filled with 40 models of Leonardo’s inventions so you can marvel at his foresight and impressive mental powers 500 years earlier.

This is another nice venue to amuse children. The gardens are drop dead gorgeous with a bubbling brook and the kids can play on models of Da Vinci’s inventions in the garden for hours and hours.

Chateau Chenonceau

Chenonceau Chateau amazes you with its two-story, 260-foot Great Gallery arching over the River Cher. Originally “acquired” by King Francois I, it then passed to his successor, Henri II, who gifted it in 1547 to his mistress, Diane de Poitiers. Diane expanded the chateau and built a bridge over the river.

When Henri II died, his wife, Catherine de Medici, took revenge on her rival by forcing Diane to exchange Chateau Chenonceau for nearby Chateau Chaumont. Catherine then commissioned the construction of the bridge gallery. Unbelievably extravagant galas were held here until Catherine’s son, Henry III, was murdered. His wife, Louise de Savoie, placed the castle in mourning, furnishing it entirely in black and white.

History leaps out as you tour the rooms and the gardens. In world war I the Great Gallery was converted to a hospital. In world war II the chateau marked the boundary between Nazi-occupied and free France and became the site of prisoner exchanges. Today the chateau and grounds are maintained at their height as if they were at under Catherine de Medici.

It really is the must see chateau in the Loire Valley.

Chateau Chambord

King Francois I was not content with just the castles at Chenonceau and Amboise. He acquired over 10,000 acres of hunting land and decided to construct the world’s most magnificent “hunting lodge”. Chambord was built over many decades by Francois and his successors, Henri II and Charles IX in the sixteenth century.

Fully restored now, Chambord stands as the most extravagant of all the Loire chateaux - 500 feet wide with 440 rooms and 365 fireplaces. The central grand staircase was supposedly designed by the Italian great, Leonardo da Vinci. It has double spirals which enable two parties of people to climb and descend simultaneously without meeting.

[You can hire bikes and boats at Chambord for a delightful activity - very handy if you have kids to amuse.]

Chateau Chaumont-sur-Loire

Built in the 15th century by Lord Amboise on the site of a 10th century feudal fortress, Chaumont commands incredible views of the Loire Valley. It was later the home of both Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici of Castle Chenonceau fame. Enjoy this chateau for its fortress feeling, drawbridge, furnishings, tapestry, and incredible vistas.

It has a fantastic garden festival each year running from April to October. They have quirky contemporary displays and a different theme each year.

If you can you should spoil yourself and rent a chateau as opposed to just visiting one. A chateau is a wonderful venue for a destination wedding in France . Some even offer a destination wedding package. You do not have to be loaded to have a fairytale french wedding.

Loire Valley castles in France are full of amazing stories. It is easy to overdose on castles, so do not try and make any records by doing them all in one or two days.

The region around Blois is a perfect base for visiting Chambord, Cheverney, Blois, Clos Luce, Amboise, Azay-le-Rideau, Villandry, Chaumont, and our favourite Chateau Chenonceau which attracts over one million visitors each year, the most out of all of the Loire Valley castles.

At Chateau Chenonceau you can hear ‘The future king was 12 and he took a mistress aged 32.’ The image of the castles of this area may be all towers, topiary, tapestries and faded furniture but for 200 years, these great palaces were host to world-class debauchery and countless murders.

In Chateau Blois, Henri III invited a rival to his ornate bed chamber then hid behind a curtain as twenty hired men jumped the wretch.

The chateau guide can show you the exact spot in Chateau Blois where 23 knife stabs were planted in the unfortunate Duke de Guise the head of the Catholic League, by 8 men armed with daggers and 12 with swords. You can even watch a black and white 12 minute silent movie re-enacting the murder at Chateau Blois.

Today tourists at Chateau Blois can see the 237 secret cabinets, which opened by stepping on a hidden lever, where Catherine de Medici kept her personal papers, jewels and a collection of poisons. Catherine and her son Henri III ordered the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, which began in Paris and spread throughout France, resulting in the death of some seventy thousand Protestants.

In Chinon, aristocratic ladies bunged unplanned babies down an eighty ft shaft, also the castle toilet. And it was from his balcony at Chateau Amboise that Louis XII hung Protestant dissidents.

Chateau Chenonceau has one of the most colourful pasts. Here not only did Henri II take a mistress 20 years his senior when he was 12, but Henri III also used the formal gardens for transvestite parties with his chums, ‘the Sweeties’.

Today because of cheap airfares to many exotic locations and perhaps because the curators of these celebrated castles typically ignore the colourful elements in their history these castles are chasing the tourist dollar.

You do not just have to only visit the historic chateaux. You can stay in one as well. You can even hold a french destination wedding for that extra wow factor for your special day. Some chateaux even offer you a french wedding package and they are more affordable than you may think. A destination wedding package package includes use of a castle, chapel, horse and carriage, fabulous french food and wine for your wedding breakfst, photographer, flowers, decoration, music, wedding planning. All the bride and groom have to do is turn up in their wedding attire with rings to exchange.

The Loire Valley in France is a stunning destination for a hoiday or a french wedding. The Loire Valley is a spectacular holiday destination. Why just visit a chateau when you can stay in a real one and be waited on like a Lord of the Manor. You can hire a Loire Valley chateau for a french wedding and even select a wedding package for that wow factor wedding. Your destination wedding guests can spend days visiting the historic chateaux and gardens of the Loire Valley sampling fine wine and cheese and gastronomic delights along the way. Your history buff friends and family will be delighted.

Chateau de Chambord was commissioned in 1510 by the young King Francois definitely an egomaniac when he was only 25 years of age, to help establish his power. He was not content with the amazing chateaux of Blois and Amboise.

He fancied a hunting lodge. Francois I spent without counting to realise his masterpiece project. He even went so far as to change the natural course of the Loire River. The chateau we see today was not completed until 1685, and by far it is the largest chateau in the Loire.

The Royal Chateau at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is the most recognisable chateau in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture that blends classical Italian structures with traditional medieval forms and a variety of towers and turrets. The roofline really is incredible.

If you’re going to visit one chateau on the Loire, it should be this one. This is solid stock. 84 staircases, 18 stories high 440 rooms, 420 feet wide, …. Inside the chateau the highlight is the double helix staircase which serves as the axis for the entire chateau, and is thought to have been designed by da Vinci.

The chateau is in the centre of a 13,000 acre wooded park and game reserve with red deer and wild boar, surrounded by a twenty mile wall. It is the largest forest park in Europe.

The castle was rarely occupied. Francois I spent barely 7 weeks at Chateau Chambord on short hunting trips. The chateau was never constructed to be a permanent residence and it was not practical to stay there on a longer term. This was exacerbated by the fact that the chateau was not surrounded by a estate or a village. Other than game, there was no immediate source of food.

When the chateau was vacated it was left completely unfurnished. All of the tapestries, paintings, furniture, eating implements, were brought in especially for each hunting trip. It would have been like co-ordinating a party of two thousand odd including the royal family going camping.

This is why much of the furniture from this era was built to be disassembled in order to aid transportation. French armoires and beds all disassemble beautifully. Contrary to popular belief Ikea did not invent flat-packing.

After King Francois died, Chateau de Chambord remained unoccupied for some eighty years falling into a terrible state of decay. In 1639 Louis XIII gave it to his brother, Gaston d’Orleans who carried restoration work which was greatly needed. He saved the castle.

Louis XIV furnished the royal apartments and added a horse stable for a mere 300 horses to allow him to use the castle as a hunting lodge.

In 1930 the chateau became the property of the French Government but restoration work was not begun until a few years after World War II ended in 1945.

Make sure you have good pair of walking shoes, a little snack and a bottle or two of water, and a camera preferably with a fish eye lense. Park your car in the free parking lot. Try to get there before or after all the tourist buses.

France’s Loire Valley offers goat cheese lovers a veritable paradise. This region is is sprinkled with amazing Renaissance chateaux open to the public and an abundance of fine wine and cheeses. It is justly called the Garden of France.

Chateau du Guerinet near Blois is a perfect base for a cheese lover’s Loire Valley holiday and for a fairytale french destination wedding. They also have a new credit crunch buster wedding package offering incredible value.

The history of goat’s milk cheese in France started in the Loire Valley In the 8th Century, the Saracens of Arab descent were repelled at Poitiers. When they were expelled from France they left behind their goats and the recipes for making incredible cheese from goats milk.

The quaint villages on either side of the Loire River produce goat’s cheeses of different sizes and shapes. There are six AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlee) cheeses: Crottin de Chavignol, Sainte-Maure de Touraine, Selles-sur-Cher, Valencay, Pouligny-Saint-Pierre,and Chabichou du Poitou. An AOC cheese is made within a specified region following established methods of production. Quality is guaranteed with an AOC cheese.

Pouligny-Saint-Pierre nicknamed the Eiffel Tower or Pyramid because if its shape. The rind is of natural mould. The pate is a soft moist white and crumbly. The taste is at first sour and salty followed by sweetness. This cheese goes wonderfully with a glass of Reuilly or Sancerre.

Chabichou du Poitou has a thin rind of white, yellow or blue mould and a delicate slightly sweet flavour. Pouilly Fume and Sancerre wines go nicely with this cheese.

Crottin de Chavignol known as Chavignol is hard black and knobbly on the surface, and the taste is a balance of sourness, sweetness and a little salt to be enjoyed with a glass of Sancerre de Chavignol.

Valencay cheese looks like a small black pyramid. It is purported that the shape of the cheese was originally a perfect pyramid. But when Napoleon returned from a disastrous campaign in Egypt he stopped at Valencay Castle, the cheese reminded him of the Egyptian pyramids and in a furry he chopped of the top of the cheese with his sword. The Valencay goat’s cheese has a rind of natural mould, covered with salted powdered charcoal and goes nicely with a glass of Quincy, Reuilly or Sancerre.

Sainte-Maure de Touraine is a blue-grey mould covered long truncated log of goat’s cheese. The cheese is mature, balanced, round with salt, sourness and an aroma of walnut. This cheese is produced all year long and is nicely complimented by a glass of Chinon or Vouvray.

Selles-sur-Cher also has a rind of natural mould covered with powdered and salted charcoal. The pate is hard at first, then moist, heavy and clay-like as it blends and melts in the mouth. The taste is slightly sour and salty with a touch of sweetness. A glass of Sancerre or Pouilly Fume accompanies this cheese beautifully.

What better way to enjoy these cheeses than driving through the Loire Valley visiting historic chateaux, maybe a hot-air balloon ride in the morning, gourmet lunch in village bistros, meeting cheese and wine producers sampling their products and returning at night to a friendly inviting boutique chateau hotel.

Don’t just visit a french chateau - stay in one. Guests get to truly experience the grandeur of living in a french chateau. If you love goat’s cheese you will not regret it.

For prospective brides you could entertain your french destination wedding guests with wine and cheese tastings on a trail meandering through the Loire Valley visiting historic chateaux. At your wedding breakfast you could serve goats cheese as part of your entree as well as on your cheese plate.

The Ciutadella Park: meeting point for young people in Barcelona.

Saturday afternoon, after a rather painful awakening, due to the late night finish of Barcelona nights, generally not before 5 am, a friend suggested I go to the Ciutadella park, according to him “a cool place for cool people.”
I have a quick breakfast, a shower, and then go off with my bicing (in Barcelona) to the park. The sun is shining, and I must admit that being outside in a T-shirt at the beginning of March is very pleasant and very different than in my location paris.

I finally get to Ciutadella Park, located next to the Arc de Triomf metro station. At the entrance to the park on the left, groups of youths from all walks of life are there to have a picnic, sunbathe or practice many unique activities such as tightrope walking between 2 trees, unicycling, diabolo, juggling with 5 clubs or playing hoop-da-loop! Guitarists and percussionists make this sunny afternoon more lively. My friend was right; this really is a cool place with cool people. Hippies, Rasta men, athletes, musicians, children, families … everyone finds their place here.

I meet up with my friends. It turns out we are sitting beside a group of circus amateurs. I was thinking about lying down and sunbathing for a bit, but I am currently juggling with 5 giant clubs (or rather with two small balls which are more often on the floor than in my hands), walking along the tightrope (desperately clung to the tree for fear of crash against the floor), playing frisbee and even improvising an harmonica tune! This afternoon was certainly full of new things for me, and I really spent a good time far away from my comfortable location appartement paris

The Ciutadella Park is a nice place to spend an afternoon and meet people.
The park is also home to a lake where you can rent a boat and have a pleasant stroll, a zoo, many statues, and you can also visit the Catalonia’s Modern Art Museum…

French is the second most taught language in the world only after English. French as well as English is the official working language of the International Red Cross, NATO, the United Nations, the International Olympic Committee and many other International Organizations. And France was the United States first ally. There is no secret to learning a French language. It requires a commitment to daily practice, energy and patience. You can read more about learning French : learn to speak french.

On vacation internationally, travelers must take certain precautions to protect themselves from harm. Fully understanding the language of the country which you’re planning to visit is imperative to the success of your vacation and to your safety while traveling abroad. It is much more difficult to get around if you don’t know the language and the people of the country look at you and react to you differently than they do if you know their language. The first thing that you need to do is realize that French is probably the easiest language to learn.

Check if your local community college has a French club then you could have other French speakers to practice with on a weekly basis. Buy or rent French films. By hearing the language you quickly become familiar with the different sounds that you will need to be learning anyway. Listen to French audio lessons daily. Keep in your mind that your goal is to be able to speak with the local people, not to become a French teacher. What you need is to learn and memorize all the basic French phrases. Just learn short-short things about French language and make sure that you choosing a good French-English dictionary as well.

There are a lot of different ways to practice French. Just choose a few of these and practice that and the thing which is important is that it is essential that you practice a lot if you want to become fluent. Go to rosetta stone french to start a free trial of the top-ranked self-study French program online.

The MAP - International Exhibition of travel and leisure, from Thursday 19th to Sunday 22nd March in Paris.

Le Monde à Paris, “International Exhibition of Travel and Leisure” will take place
from Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 March 2009 in Paris close to your location paris. If you are passionate about travel, discovery, and want to know more about the world of tourism, this exhibition offers you the chance to get to know the various actors of this dream and escape world.

If you’re wondering how to organise your holidays this summer, the MAP will give you lots of ideas to make a trip of your dreams a reality. Representatives from all sectors of tourism will be present to allow you to get to know the services they offer: hotels, clubs, holiday rentals, tours, sports trips, outdoor activities … lots of ideas so you can have a unique holiday this summer.

The MAP also supports associations that you can find out about, such as tourism development projects in the developing countries, ways which make travel accessible to the deaf and disabled …, with the purpose of improving tourism as a whole.

Recreational activities will also be held, to the delight of the children, and traditional performances for adults will take place throughout the exhibition as well as games that can give you the chance to become one of the lucky winners of a trip for two to Marrakesh, as well as many other prizes on offer.

Don’t miss the chance to discover the world of tourism in all its diversity through Le Monde à Paris, International exhibition of travel and leisure few minutes away from your location appartement paris.

Practical Information:

Where? Parc des Expositions de la Porte de Versailles, Hall 4. Paris

When? From Thursday 19th of March to Sunday 22nd of March 2009 from 10am to 7pm – late-night opening on Thursday 19th of March from 7 to 10pm.

How much? € 8.50 per person - Free for children under 12

Drink and be merry is a familiar phrase that people would usually say back to you when you are on a vacation in Cork, Ireland. Car hire can provide assistance in bringing tourists to the various bars and pubs located all over Ireland. In the same way, this allows them total flexibility, since car for hire vehicles allow tourists the benefit of choosing the desired place, or to be able to hop from one bar to another. Refer to hotel for more information.

These benefits are limited in a way when people disregard their need for mobility and transportation, having to look at time always to be able to ensure that they go home safe and sound, without the hassles of needing to worry about their means of getting back to their lodging accommodations. Unimportant as it may seem for most people, a vehicle for hire really has a lot of benefits rather than worrying about the expenses. Not only concentrated on the pubs, but car hire also extends its coverage into other tourist wants, as nearby sites, drinking, dining and other activities that tourists would prefer while they are on vacation.

Ideally, people will be restless once they are in Ireland. Thinking of what to do and where to go are only some of the issues that they have to address. Car hire also extends assistance on this aspect, providing tourists with information as to what ideal places would be worth their while. This car for hire organization is not solely aimed at providing vehicles for profit, but would also like to ensure that such tourists will get the most out of their vacation. Besides, a one shot deal is nothing compared to customer loyalty on their next visit and referral to their friends, if people are to find a trustworthy organization when they go on tour in Ireland. Go to hotel laois for more information.

Among the alternative places where people may meet and bring women would be that of bars. Mixing alcohol with music and some pleasantries along the way are a good mix of better things to come, even perhaps leading to a stage where they can be able get to know each other better. Part of this of course comes from enjoying the company of each other and this proves to be an advantage on the part of the guy. You see, one of the hardest parts of trying to gain the nod of women is providing them a good time and impressing them that they made the right decision in giving in to your company.

By all means, this is one hard thing to do if a man is not careful. The judgment phase, that of which is trying to win the woman’s nod is perhaps the most invigorating part that cannot promise anything frugal. It is an open battle field for them as they try to save face or obtain their trophy of trust from the apple of their eyes.

Women of course will not give in to easily. Men have to find out the funny bone of their intimate and romantic desires. The things that make them click as a whole are the most important aspect since women rarely have the time to waste time for men who pursue them without purpose. Flings may be possible but honestly, women today have become wiser. Time is an essential element in maturity and this can be seen once a woman shows that she is not playing around with men. Companionship is one thing but going towards the next level is something else.

Moreover, women value the effort and persistence. A woman will automatically not entertain the would-be suitors if they are not interested. With an open minded, most women would provide equal chances. If in the first try you are turned down, then perhaps it would be better not to pursue or expect more. The whole thing will become useless and moot.

These are the realities in love and relationships. Many would want to get intimate and take on life together even if there is not seen bond just yet. However, for most people wanting something serious, their road towards it will say it all. Persistence and sincerity will be tested and all of these can be seen sooner than they think. Visit hotel dublin for further information.