Is the data from twenty-four US Government satellites circling the globe correct?
Could the information provided from map-reading “back-seat” drivers be more precise?
It depends.
Category Archives: France
La Grande Paella Spanish Influence in Provence
Bastille Day (La Fête Nationale) commemorates the 1789 storming of the Bastille in Paris. Two years running, our village attempted to host fireworks on the 14th only to be stymied by the wind. Leave it to the Parisians to have their traditional parade on the Champs-Élysées. Eygalières was going to party the night before.
18h: Sounds of the band testing their equipment – CHECK!
Anglo-French Wars
The centuries of Anglo-French wars are overwhelming, even for those most dedicated to the subject. Battles for geographic territory and ideological control started in Roman times. In one short post, it would be impossible to provide sufficient detail on this lengthy history of conflict.
Instead, here is a list of a few of the famous engagements:
- 1066 – The Battle of Hastings – the Norman conquest of England, by William the Conqueror
- 1337 – 1453 The Hundred Years’ War – technically 116 years and numerous battles
- 1755 – 1763 The Seven Years’ War – the fight over control of North America which the British won
- 1779 – 1783 The American Revolution – the French aided the American rebel troops in forcing a British surrender
- 1792 – 1802 The French Revolution – the British were opposed to the anti-monarchical ideals of the French
- 1803 – 1815 The Napoleonic Wars – in 1810 the French Empire at its broadest reach, then Napoleon was defeated
And so on…
Pétanque Provence’s Other Religion
The game of pétanque, sometimes called boules is a form of religion in Provence. Most villages have an official or unofficial boules pitch. The more elaborate centres will even have a “club house” offering refreshments.
The word pétanque is Provencal in origin from the word petanca, which means “feet anchored”. The game in its’ present day format started in La Ciotat (on the Mediterranean coast) in 1907. Other similar games are bocce, bowls and horseshoes.
Hiking Les Gorges de Régalon in Provence
The idea for this hike came from a friend at the International Hiking group of Provence. The twosome needed to find a short hike that was not too far from the house, so they would have enough time to get the car to the mechanic.
Nutmeg consulted her “Must Do” list for Provencal activities; it was February so a day at the beach was not rising to the top of the chart. Not too far down the list, was this walk, les Gorges de Régalon a short, challenging hike that was close to home. (Walking in Provence West Guidebook).
Top Reasons to Explore Sete
Recently, Nutmeg introduced her friend Nancy McGee the founder and visionary behind Absolutely Southern France.
You can read the full article here.
Nancy moved to Sète, the ‘Venice of Southern France’ after 20-years in Aix-en-Provence. Here, is how Nancy describes the two areas: Continue reading
Grottos of Provence the Caves of Villecroze
Millions of years of seismic activity, tectonic plate movement and freeze-thaw cycles created the diverse geology of present-day Provence. The region is also known as the Bouches de Rhone where the Mediterranean shoreline runs the gambit of beaches, brackish wetlands and vertigo inducing cliffs. Other natural phenomena in the area include the steep contours of the Gorges de Verdon and the volcano shaped Mont Ventoux.
The caves of Villecroze are carved into the side of a sheer limestone cliff. A grotto formed by hundreds of thousands of years of water flowing over porous rock. The continuous water created tufa rock-hard calcium carbonate deposits along the cliff face. Cycles of natural erosion and deposits formed caves of smooth stone and flowing stalactites.
The Donkey of Provence Le Bourriquet
A.A. Milne may have made Eeyore famous in his Winnie-the-Pooh books, however in reality the hardworking donkey has been helping humans out for thousands of years.
Manguin Perfecting the Art of Distillation in Provence
The fruit is put into jail in May when the Manguin Distillery imprisons roughly 1400 pears in glass bottles in their orchard. Nutmeg had to see for herself how the new owners at this distillery were re-crafting a traditional industry into more of an art form.
Discover Absolutely Southern France
Nancy McGee installed herself in France some 30-odd years ago. A Canadian by birth she speaks both official languages (French and English) thanks to her French-Canadian mother. Nancy says that growing up in Baie Comeau, Quebec for those who do not know the geography is “ Basically not very far from the North Pole.”
