Visiting Southern France in Winter, Episode 148
Join Us in France Travel Podcast My guest today is Christine Hegerty from Australia, and she joins me today to talk about visiting Southern France in winter. They started their trip in Nice and exited via the Basque Country, so they really went all the way across.
What is it like in France in the winter? Are the weather conditions good enough for touring? Aren't most attractions closed? Christine answers all my questions and brings a lot of zest and astute observations about France in the winter.
Places Mentioned in this Episode: Nice, Toulouse, Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Nîmes, Pont du Gard, Uzès, Montpellier, Carcassonne, Mirepoix, Forges de Pyrène, Grotte de Niaux, Foix, Camon (09), Rennes-le-Château, Carla-Bayle, Grotte du Mas d'Asil, Toulouse, Albi and the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, Cordes-sur-Ciel, Moissac, Bordeaux, San-Sebastian, New Caledonia
Episode Highlights with Timestamps [7'15] Why did you choose to come to France in the winter? [8'50] What sort of weather did you encounter? [10'30] Flying into Nice instead of Paris [12'30] Finding accommodations where we could park a car + using a car elevator in Toulouse [15'] A lovely cooking class in Nice [22'] Panisse and Socca, food specialties from Nice [23'] Aix-en-Provence and Marseille by Regional Bus [24'] Cours Mirabeau, Les Deux Garçons, and the Christmas Market in Aix-en-Provence [24'45] A day in Marseille: Musée d'Histoire de Marseille, great street for restaurants, rue Sainte, lunch at Les Echevins (best steak ever says John!), [28'30] Walking tour with a volunteer greeter, meeting on Quai des Belges in Marseille, a look at the Mirror Pavilion by Foster [30'] Musée Archéologique de Marseille in Le Panier [31'45] Marseille City Greeters [33'06] Lovely Tea House called Cup of Tea, tea shop and book shop [34'] Great food in Marseille, and not just Bouillabaisse! [35'] The realities of planing a trip from home vs. taking the trip: cutting things out [36'] Worries about leaving luggage in the car and Annie's recommendation about that [37'48] Two nights in Nîmes and what they loved about it: les Arênes de Nîme, la Maison Carrée [39'] Carré d'Art by Norman Foster in Nîmes, a great place for photography, among other things [40'] Stumbling Upon a light show projected on the Maison Carrée in Nîmes. This happens a lot around Christmas, not just in Nîmes, but in other French cities too. [42'] Around Christmas is busy for people, but tourist attractions are empty. [43'] Pont du Gard and getting lost looking for it. Don't set your GPS to the village called Vers-Pont-du-Gard. Set your GPS to either the attraction called Pont du Gard OR the village of Remoulins or Collias. [46'] Lunch at Uzès on Place Aux Herbes, great place to spend a couple of hours. [47'] Tour Magne, Le Jardin de la Fontaine, le Temple de Diane in Nîmes [48'] Montpellier, a large and charming city. Air B&B apartment that used to be a butcher's shop for one night. [50'] Musée du Vieux Montpellier, running into churches with Crêches and Santons, and [50'30] More podcast listeners eating at L'Entrecôte, they should sponsor the show! [52'] What's nearby? Sète, Camargue [53'30] Daylight hours are shorter in winter, fewer hours for touring. [53'47] Christmas in Carcassonne, lunch at the Michelin Star at the Hôtel de la Cité, La Barbacane. [57'39] Carcassonne is not busy and crowded in the winter, and certainly not on Christmas Day! [58'33] The Christmas Market in Carcassonne. [62'] Staying in Mirepoix for one week. [65'] New Year's Even in Mirepoix, le Réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre with a group of all-French people who didn't speak English! <--Funny [68'] Typical New Year's Eve celebrations in France [72'] Attractions near Mirepoix: Montsegur (Cathat, hike), Les Forges de Pyrène (demonstrations of old techniques), Grotte de Niaux (painted caves), Foix (hike). [78'] Most Beautiful Villages in France: Camon. Beautiful but completely empty this time of year. This is an obvious problem with visiting southern France in winter: many things are closed! [80'] The Arriège is a part of France that doesn't get a lot of tourists any time of the year, and in the middle of the winter, you have to find ways to keep busy. [81'] Market Day in Mirepoix is Monday, the town comes to life. Visiting Rennes-le-Château, must read-up on the conspiracy theories. Pack a picnic! [83'] Even in a remote part of France that is not very touristy, the food is quite good. [84'] Visiting Carla-Bayle and the Grotte du Mas d'Asil on the way to Toulouse. Don't go in the middle of the winter, it's empty! [86'] Toulouse is like a small little Paris, a lot of life, even in the middle of the winter. [88'] Going to Albi and the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, Cordes-sur-Ciel (Cordes is also dead in the winter!) [89'] Museums in Toulouse: Natural History Museum, Musée Saint-Raymond, Basilique Saint-Sernin, Musée des Augustins, Musée des...
The Congo Dandies: living in poverty and spending a fortune to look like a million dollars
“La Sape” is a unique movement based in Congo that unites fashion-conscious men who are ready to splurge money they don’t really have on designer clothes. Dressing in stark contrast with their surroundings, these elegant ambiance-makers become true local celebrities… but this fame comes at a price.
The Republic of the Congo in Central Africa can’t boast of high standards of living. Yet, there are men here who are prepared to spend a fortune on designer suits. They call themselves “sapeurs” – members of the “La Sape” movement. “La Sape” comes from French and stands for “The Society of Ambiance-Makers and Elegant People”. For its adherents, it’s all about style and elegance, the right combination of colours and textures, brand-names and the highest quality materials. They derive true joy from showing off their attire on the streets of Brazzaville – the country’s capital and the centre of the “La Sape” movement. Walking down dusty streets lined with clay houses, they turn heads and feel like kings. And there’s no price they won’t pay for this.
In fact, behind the image of success these dandies project, there are often stories of significant financial troubles caused by their extravagant hobby. To afford the price tag of their designer clothes, “sapeurs” have to save, borrow and even steal money, sometimes bringing ruin to their families. But even the grim consequences of their indulgent dressing habits often don’t stop “sapeurs” from spending money they don’t really have. They are in constant competition with each other and investing in their image is more important to them than improving their living conditions. Dressing smartly becomes a true addiction that is very hard to conquer.
However, some “sapeurs” do strive to find a balance between looking chic and being reasonable with their spending. They insist that the “La Sape” movement isn’t about designer suits but rather developing impeccable taste. They make an emphasis on learning to dress well but within one’s means. This way, style and elegance will demand fewer sacrifices from their devotees and will be accessible to more sophisticated men.
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Road trip from Rio de Janeiro: CABO FRIO, BRAZIL! (2018)
Cabo Frio! A great road trip from Rio de Janeiro and awesome for a weekend getaway from Rio. Join me on this Brazil trip to the beach!
If you're not sure about where to go in Brazil, here's an idea! Cabo Frio is about 2 hours from Rio de Janeiro, and it's worth it! In this trip to Brazil, I vlog about this beach together with my family :)
Cabo Frio is the Caribbean of Brazil, one of the best beaches in the country!
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