With explosions of color and soft floral aromas, spring in Europe is a festival for the senses. There is a long list of options when it comes to celebrating this season of rebirth—some well-known, others off the beaten path. Here are some of our favorites. The Patios Festival in Cordoba, Spain For one week in…
Category Archives: France
An Ode to Provence
I like wine. And when the cork on a bottle of wine is popped in Provence, it’s an occasion. The moment is made. I also like to travel. New places, new friends, new tastes and smells. It brings my senses to the surface and makes my brain buzz with delight and curiosity. Traveling to a place…
Paris’s Lovely Îles de la Cité and St-Louis, Jewels of the Seine
As long as there has been a Paris, there has been life on the Ile de la Cité. Though many of the buildings on the island were demolished during the Haussmann era, vestiges of the foundations and walls from homes dating back 2,000 years can be found in the crypt just near the Notre Dame…
Parisian Passion: A First Impression
Our UnTours Foundation Co-CEO Jonathan Coleman recently returned from his first UnTour trip, and his first time ever visiting Switzerland and France. Here he shares his first impression of Paris. I arrived in Paris on a train from Basel by way of Strasbourg. For the last leg of the trip, I had the bad luck…
Three Kings Cake: A European Tradition for Epiphany
Our colleague Anne in Provence has shared one of her favorite traditions with us, the galette des rois, a sweet enjoyed for Epiphany (just after the new year). The guest who finds the fève in his or her piece is thought to be lucky. Make your own! Here’s how. Almond Filling 1 cup almond flour 1/2…
A Taste of Burgundy: A Canal Cruise in Pictures
We love France, as you probably can tell by the way we tout our popular UnTour programs there in Paris, Provence, and Alsace. But we love all of France, and some areas are best explored by water. That is why several years ago we started partnering with Savoir Vivre to offer barge cruises in France….
Echoes of Ancient Rome in Provence: Pont du Gard and Beyond
Provence has so many appeals, it is easy to overlook its impressive endowment of archaeological sites. Evidence of the Roman presence is all over the area. In fact, Provence has some of the best preserved vestiges of the Roman Empire in all of Europe. Southern France was a very important part of the vast Empire….
To Châteauneuf du Pape with Anne: A Trip to the Vineyards
We miss travel. We miss France. We miss the the vineyards of Southern France. Our UnTours at Home series has helped us bridge the time until we can return to Europe. Our Provence UnTour staff person Anne Plomb has helped bring France to us on Zoom. Before travel was suspended, Anne hosted Wine and Food…
Provence in Primary Color: Matisse and the Art of Cut-Outs
From his mid 60s to the end of his life in his 80s, Henri Matisse worked in paper. After a long and illustrious art career as a painter, his move into this new art realm pushed modern art and design forward. He cut forms from brightly painted and colored paper and worked with gallery assistants…
Matisse in the South of France
One of modern art’s best known and loved artists, Matisse was critical in the development of art. His innovative use of color, line, and form were. He was also a big part of the story of art in Southern France and will be included in our upcoming series of Saturdays in Europe. Here our host,…