Arriving on the Normandy Beaches
On June 6, 1944, Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy to open the way to Germany from the West. Victory in the Normandy campaign would come at a terrible cost. The Canadians suffered the most casualties of any division...
The Baroque Fantasy Melk Abbey
from the followsummer archives We had a leisurely chat with our host, Martin, this morning over breakfast and discovered that he is quite an accomplished young man. We don’t have to be in Austria before 6 pm, so we linger and...
Three Gorgeous Islands in Croatia
Croatia’s popularity has soared in recent years due to its historic cities such as Dubrovnik, Split and Zagreb, and national parks such as Plitvice Lakes and Krka. But for many, the real beauty of Croatia travel lies in...
Discover the Many Charms of Guadeloupe
“Nous sommes en grève.” Thierry, our friendly guide, tries to soothe the first-morning bad news. ‘It took me twice as long to cross the bridge this morning as it normally does. We are going to have to change our...
A Paris Christmas
Christmas in Paris is indeed a city full of lights: everywhere you look, store windows and restaurants beckon with beautiful and unique displays with each arrondissement lighting their streets and neighbourhoods with distinctive...
Evian-les-Bains: The Ultimate Guide!
Here are Evian-les-Bains Best Restaurants, Hotels, Must-Sees and Must Visits! The car rounds a sharp corner and our driver, Laurence, pulls over and leaves the car running. ‘Usually, at this point, I stop and show you the...
Across the Normandy Countryside to Vimy
We start our drive out of France, our longest stay in one country since Australia, by heading to Dieppe (pronounced, we learned last night, as “deep” in Kiwi) and onwards towards the beaches of Normandy and, ultimately Vimy....
The Day Before All Souls
It is the day before All Souls Day, and it seems appropriate today that we join friends and family as they visit the graves of their loved ones, for we will visit a couple of the many WWI cemeteries that dot this part of the...
The Ultimate Lyon France Travel Guide
Lyon makes an excellent historical and tasty home base should you consider exploring further afield.
Half-Timbered Rouen: Jeanne d’Arc’s Garden
The days continue grey and autumnal. It is this way as we head out onto the autoroute for our drive to Rouen, and it stays the same until we arrive in the city of the famous St Joan of Arc a couple of hours later. Down the Avenue...