Toulouse boasts many wondrous sights, but the biggest and most famous is the enormous Romanesque Basilica of Saint-Sernin. The huge brick and stone structure was begun in the 11th century to serve the crowds of pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, in Spain. It’s 115 meters (377 feet) long, 64 meters (210 feet) wide, and 21 meters (68.8 feet) high, the largest in Europe, if not the ... Read Full Article
Toulouse: Violets, Airplanes and Pilgrims
The thriving city of Toulouse, spreading from the banks of the Garonne River only 60 miles from Spain, is a great place to explore. With a 2400-year history, it is rich with ancient artifacts and buildings, centuries of art, and attractions that extend into the space age. It is known as the Ville Rose, named so because of the pink brick used in many of its buildings.Explore ... Read Full Article
Surf’s Up at France’s Basque Coast
We spent a few days in Basque Country located in the Southwest corner of France in the early spring. We were delighted to find that this area is France's other summer playground offering travelers a unique cultural experience as well as beaches galore.The Basque region is comprised of seven provinces, four in Spain and three in France, that straddle the western Pyrenees Mountains. The ... Read Full Article
Le Puy-en-Velay: Stepping Back in Time
If it weren't for the cell phones and sunglasses, I'd have sworn we were in 16th-century France, walking on cobblestones and avoiding donkey dung on the streets of Le Puy-en-Velay.Peasants in plain brown tunics and aristocrats in velvet cloaks filled the narrow lanes, drinking ale from horns, buying meat pies, watching jugglers and stilt-walkers, and attending Mass in the ... Read Full Article
Sightseeing in Spain Delights Your Senses
The third largest country in Europe; Spain includes two island groups, the Canaries and the Balearics and reaches down to the tip of North Africa. Spain has a predominantly warm Mediterranean climate, with dry summers and winters with balanced temperatures. Here you can enjoy more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. It's no wonder that Spain and its islands are a favorite winter escape for ... Read Full Article