These two beautiful islands off the coasts of Brittany and Normandy form part of the larger group known in English-speaking countries as the Channel Islands, or les Iles de la Manche from the French perspective. Easily accessible by the regular car ferries plying back and forth from St Malo a couple of times a day, they offer a fascinating, and quite unique, addition to a European itinerary.
The capital of Brittany, Rennes is a picture-perfect gem that will richly reward a couple of days’ exploration. At a little over an hour and half by TGV from Paris, it’s the ideal starting point for a tour of Brittany.
Like many people familiar with the rugged coastal landscapes of Monet and other Impressionist painters, we had long been curious about this small island, 15 kms off the southern coast of Brittany. As its name suggests, Belle Île is certainly one of France’s most beautiful islands.
A fitting celebration of the designer’s life and work, this jewel of a museum was opened by the French Minister of Culture in October 2017. Housed in a beautiful Second Empire mansion, which was formerly the premises of his haute couture maison in the discreetly elegant 16th arrondissement, it is an enduring tribute to this legendary designer.
We recently discovered one of the gems of Paris that we had been meaning to visit for a very long time. Off the tourist beaten track in the north east of Paris in the 19th arr., the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is one of the largest outdoor spaces in the city.
