Paris Plus Plus – Page 29 – Paris and beyond

CHARTRES AND ITS GLORIOUS CATHEDRAL

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The Cathedral’s main facade during the Illuminations.

Just 50 kms southwest from Paris, Chartres is within easy reach if you’re visiting the capital. Notre-Dame de Chartres looms over the surrounding countryside and its tall spires are clearly visible as you approach the town. Its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979 describes it as being “the high point of French Gothic art”. After recent restoration to both the interior and exterior, Chartres and its delightful town is a must-visit for all lovers of medieval architecture.

DISCOVER RUE PONCELET’S OUTSTANDING OUTDOOR MARKET

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According to the Mairie de Paris, there are more than 82 markets in Paris. This equates to at least one market in every one of the 20 arrondissements of Paris, and the number increases the further out you head from the centre.

One of the best-loved markets for Parisians is located in the rue Poncelet in the 17^th arrondissement.

BELLA BELLAGIO, THE JEWEL OF LAKE COMO

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Northern Italy offers a wonderful series of lakes, and Lake Como is generally regarded as the most spectacular of them all. Its unmistakable upturned Y shape was carved out of a glacier that was forced to split into two by the mountain that stood in its path. Today, the dramatic Dolomites surround the lake, with often a dusting of snow at the highest peaks visible even in high summer.

A FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS AT THE JARDIN DES PLANTES, PARIS

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The official poster for the Festival de Lumieres.

This year’s Festival de Lumières at the Jardin des Plantes is the first time the event has been held in Paris and the region. Called Especes en Voie d’Illumination, ‘Species in the Process of Enlightenment’, it’s an incredible visual feast for adults and children alike that takes the form of a nocturnal walk along the paths and lawns, spread out over most of the park.

TRAVELS WITH YOUR NAVIGO – CHATEAU DE VERSAILLES

Posted in Beyond Paris, Paris Not to be Missed. 2 Comments on TRAVELS WITH YOUR NAVIGO – CHATEAU DE VERSAILLES

Neptune Sculpture in the gardens of Chateau de Versailles.

The history of Versailles is inextricably linked with Louis VIV, although there had been a residence there for centuries before he ascended the throne. As Dauphin, Louis XIV had loved to hunt in the forests surrounding the small chateau that his father Louis XIII had rebuilt from the original brick and stone hunting lodge. These works were ongoing until 1634, which laid the basis for the chateau we know today.