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Author: Cheryl Brooks

THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF JOSEPHINE BAKER – CABARET STAR, RESISTANCE HEROINE, ACTIVIST AND OWNER OF A DORDOGNE CHATEAU

Josephine wearing her famous banana costume.

Iconic entertainer of the Jazz Age, famous for her risqué performances, Josephine Baker’s extraordinary story is one of perseverance, bravery, and incredible talent.  She was a force to be reckoned with, whether fighting racism in her native America or spying on top Nazis.  She found new ways to challenge those who sought to diminish or silence her, and innumerable ways to both charm and resist.  She has now been honoured in the Panthéon, Paris.

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SARLAT, MEDIEVAL GEM OF THE DORDOGNE

The beautiful medieval town of Sarlat in the Dordogne. 

The town of Sarlat-la-Canéda is the capital of the Périgord Noir.  Located between the Dordogne and Vézère Valleys, it is regarded as having one of the most beautiful and cohesive collection of medieval buildings in Europe and classified as a Ville d’Art et d’Histoire.  Sarlat has the highest density of listed historic buildings per square metre in France.  Every year thousands of visitors are attracted to its picturesque squares, charming medieval streets, splendid architectural heritage, multiple markets, shops and restaurants.  Food lovers are drawn to Sarlat for its array of delicious local specialities, notably duck, particularly foie gras, walnuts and of course that rarest and most prized of delicacies, truffles.

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LES PLUS BEAUX VILLAGES IN THE DORDOGNE-PÉRIGORD

Views such as this are typical of the Dordogne-Perigord region. 

Boasting more villages designated as Les Plus Beaux Villages de France than any other region, except perhaps Provence, the Dordogne has some of the finest treasures of natural and cultural heritage in the country.  You’ll find fortress châteaux, churches, honey-coloured stone buildings, troglodyte cave dwellings, ancient barns, medieval villages, beautiful woodlands, meandering rivers and panoramic views.  The food is sensational, based on locally grown produce and specialties such as duck, walnuts and truffles.

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LES PLUS BEAUX VILLAGES DE FRANCE

The village of Polignac and its fortress, listed in Sept. 2021. 

In September 2021 two more villages achieved the highly prized acceptance into the association of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, namely Polignac in the Haute-Loire, and Le Malzieu-Ville in the Lozere.  It’s certainly no secret that France abounds with picture-perfect destinations.  If you’ve ever spent time exploring rural France, you probably thought that surely you must have discovered the most beautiful villages in the country—and we all have our favourites.  There are villages that exude a deep sense of timeless, ancient France, where rural life exists, unhurried by modern pressures and the intrusiveness of excessive technology.

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WHEN A PARIS PÉNICHE IS MORE THAN JUST A BARGE

A variety of boats & peniches moored along the Seine in Paris. 

One of the most pleasant ways to relax in Paris is to take a stroll along the banks of the Seine.  It’s a busy, working river with a constant flow of craft of all descriptions.  Ranging from the many tourist boats crammed with sightseers enjoying the unique perspective of the city’s great landmarks from the river, to serious, business-like barges riding low in the water, filled with anything from building site rubble to bales of shredded paper heading to the recycling depot, while others are piled high with freight.  Many also have homey touches such as pot plants, plastic garden furniture, laundry fluttering in the breeze, and perhaps a small car and bicycles perched on the back deck.  As well, there are other barges, tied up dockside, that are clearly used as floating homes.  Aside from these though, there are a number of traditional barges, or péniches, that have been converted to quite different uses.

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