Planning to visit Brittany? What do you do after visiting Mont-Saint-Michel and Saint-Malô on the northern coast?  Why not take in some of the lesser-known, but still charming sites?

Drive west along the coast from Saint-Brieuc and stop at Perros-Guirec.  This is the beginning of a delightful hiking trail that stretches to Trébeurden in the west, but is most spectacular between Perros-Guirec and Ploumanac’h.  This is part of Brittany’s Sentier de Douaniers, a trail created at the French Revolution to guard again smuggling which hugs the entire coast of Brittany for 800 miles, from Saint-Malo in the north to Saint-Nazaire in the south.  The very walkable 3-mile stretch between Perros-Guirec and Ploumanac’h along the Pink Granite Coast, so called from the pink color of the unusual rock which dot the coastline.   Tourists stopping at the beach in Ploumanac’h can find an unusual little shrine containing the statue of St. Guirec, one of the many Breton saints, whose nose is punctured by a pin by the young ladies of the region looking to get married within the year, according to local legend.  If you pay a visit to this statue, beware!  The saint’s oratory is on a boulder that becomes its own island at high tide.

Continue to stroll along the coast and you will find huge boulders strewn along the beach , piled high on each other, forming all kinds of unusual rock formations; sometimes it’s hard to fathom how they are still free standing.  Many of the rock formations have been given names, such as “Napoléon’s hat”; others resemble a witch, a rabbit, and even a pig.  Hikers leaving from Ploumanac’h can expect the round trip to take about two hours.

Once back in Ploumanac’h, visitors can stop and admire the Château de Costaérès, which was constructed at the end of the 19^th century.  This enormous castle built to look like a medieval chateau is located on a rocky island just off the shore of the town; built by a Polish engineer, the German army inhabited it during World War II and is now owned by the German comedian, Dieter Hallervorden.   The name of the castle comes from the Breton phrase “hozh-sec’herezh”, because fishermen used to dry their fish on the rock.   Although it is not possible to tour the castle, tourists love to walk around the exterior and take photos.

So, after climbing up Mont-Saint-Michel and walking around the ramparts of Saint-Malô, continue your trip along the coast to enjoy the la côte de Granit Rose.

Tour de France               Champs Elysees

On Sunday July 27, 2014, the 101st Tour de France ends on the Champs-Elysées in Paris.  It has been a particularly challenging event; there have been spectacular crashes, and very bad weather.  A crash at the end of the first stage took out one of the favorites, Britain’s Mark Cavendish, who was unable to ride the next day.  Since then, several other race favorites have also withdrawn from the Tour because of injury: Luxumburg’s Andy Schleck, Britain’s Kenya-born Christopher Froome, Spain’s Alberto Contador, and America’s Andrew Talansky.  Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali wears the leader’s yellow jersey and is expected to ride down the Champs-Elysées as the winner.  Much to the delight of French cycling fans, two French riders are racing for the second and third spots on the podium: Thibaut Pinot and Jean-Christophe Péraud.

The first Tour de France was organized in 1903 to increase circulation of L’Auto, a daily sports newspaper.  Initially envisioned as a five-stage race that started and ended in Paris,  the stages went through the night and finished the following afternoon; cyclists found that format very daunting, so no one entered.  Henri Desgrange, the newspaper editor, changed the race to a more feasible 19 days, and the Tour debuted on July 1, 1903. The race is run in a clockwise fashion in even years, counterclockwise in odd years; the Tour has started in other countries, such as Germany, and England.  The Tour has been held every year, with the exceptions of World War I and II.

There are 19 stages over 21 days, with flat stages, hilly stages, and the ever popular mountain stages in the Alps and the Pyrénées.  The most challenging stages are

Tour de France 2014

those that climb Alpe d’Huez, Mont Ventoux, the Col du Tourmalet.  The most visited mountain is the Col du Galibier, located in the Alps near Grenoble; it is the ninth highest paved road in the Alps.

Besides the yellow jersey, awarded daily to the rider who has the lowest elapsed time, and then overall at the end of the race, there are other categories that have their own jerseys.  The best in the mountains wears a white jersey with red polka dots; the best young rider wears a white jersey.  The most aggressive rider is awarded daily with a special number – white on red – to wear the next day.  In addition, there is a jersey

The winner’s maillot jaune

for the rider who collects the most points during the stages and there is a special jersey designation for the best team.

The last stage of the Tour de France concludes in Paris, when the cyclists race through the streets of the capital.  If the competition for the yellow jersey is concluded, the winner will often enjoy a glass of champagne just before finishing the race and climbing the podium.  So, as you watch the cyclists cruise up the Champs-Elysées, lift your own glass to celebrate such a storied bicycle race.

If you are in France this weekend, you might wonder what is going on –the roads leading to the south of France are jammed with cars, campers and some small RVs, Paris seems to be less crowded, and perhaps your favorite little café is closed.  Voilà pourquoi: Monday is Independence Day, or le Quatorze Juillet, in France.  (It seems that only English speakers refer to the day as Bastille Day)

Storming of the Bastille, 1789

In 1789, French commoners – bourgeois and peasant alike – were in the midst of breaking away from the monarchy and establishing a constitution.  On July 14, Parisians were afraid that they would be attacked by the royal military and were looking for arms and gunpowder.  Both were stored at the Bastille, a fortress like prison in Paris, which also held political prisoners.  The crowd overwhelmed the guards, released the seven political prisoners, killed the warden, and stole the guns and gunpowder.  Soon afterwards, in August 1789, feudalism was abolished, the Ancien Régime was finished, and France was on its way to becoming…an empire, then another kingdom, and finally a Republic.

The French have commemorated July 14 since 1790. In 1880, July 14 was officially declared France’s national holiday: la fête nationale.

Official celebrations of July 14 includes the Défilé du 14 juillet, or Military Parade, that

14 Juillet in Lyon

has been held in Paris since 1880.  Since 1918, with the exception of the German occupation years, this parade has descended the Champs Elysées, from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde.  Over 7,000 soldiers march in the parade, including cadets from various military schools, as well as 240 horses, 300 vehicles and tanks, and more than 80 planes and helicopters.  The famous Patrouille de France, the French Air Force’s precision flying team, soars over the Arc de Triomphe and the crowd trailing blue, white and red contrails.  The President of the French Republic reviews the troops in an open Jeep before joining his guests at the reviewing area in the Place de la Concorde. In the past several years, groups from other countries have been a part of the parade, most notably members of the French Foreign Legion, Malian soldiers, and the Entente Cordiale, from Great Britain.

Le Bal des Pompiers, 14 juillet

Throughout the country, French people celebrate with Fireman’s balls, street festivals, dances, and other fun events.  In many cities, some museums are free.  And there are fireworks! In Paris, the fireworks display is at the Trocadéro, across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower.  Crowds gather to watch the show on the Champ de Mars that stretches out behind the Tower, as well as on boats in the Seine.

In the United States, there are July 14^th festivities in over fifty cities, including Baltimore, Chicago, Minneapolis, Sacramento, and Saint Louis.  Naturally, New Orleans has a party in the French Quarter, while in Philadelphia there is a reenactment of the storming of the Bastille, held at the Eastern State Penitentiary.

So, no matter where you are, on Monday July 14, you can celebrate French Independence Day with a baguette, a glass of wine, and maybe participating in an event held in your town.

Bonne fête!

If you are in France this weekend, you might wonder what is going on –the roads leading to the south of France are jammed with cars, campers and some small RVs, Paris seems to be less crowded, and perhaps your favorite little café is closed.

Voilà pourquoi: Monday is la fête nationale, or le Quatorze Juillet, in France.  (It seems that only English speakers refer to the day as Bastille Day)

In 1789, French commoners – bourgeois and peasant alike – were in the midst of breaking away from the monarchy and establishing a constitution.  On July 14, 1789 Parisians were afraid that they would be attacked by the royal military and were looking for arms and gunpowder.  Both were stored at the Bastille, a fortress like prison in Paris, which also held political prisoners.  The crowd overwhelmed the guards, released the seven political prisoners, killed the warden, and stole the guns and gunpowder.  Soon afterwards, in August 1789, feudalism was abolished, the Ancien Régime was finished, and France was on its way to becoming a Republic, although it  took a few more monarchs and emperors before a Republic was born.

The French have commemorated July 14 since 1790. In 1880, July 14 was officially

Fireworks in all the cities

declared France’s national holiday: la fête nationale.

Official celebrations of July 14 includes the Défilé du 14 juillet, or Military Parade, that has been held in Paris since 1880.  Since 1918, with the exception of the German occupation years, this parade has descended the Champs Elysées, from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde.  Over 7,000 soldiers march in the parade, including cadets from various military schools, as well as 240 horses, 300 vehicles and tanks, and more than 80 planes and helicopters.  The famous Patrouille de France, the French Air Force’s precision flying team, soars over the Arc de Triomphe and the crowd trailing blue, white and red contrails.  The President of the French Republic reviews the troops in an open Jeep before joining his guests at the reviewing area in the Place de la Concorde. In the past several years, groups from other countries have been a part of the parade, most notably members of the French Foreign Legion, Malian soldiers, and the Entente Cordiale, from Great Britain.

Le Bal des Pompiers, 14 juillet

Throughout the country, French people celebrate with Fireman’s balls, street festivals, dances, and other fun events.  In many cities, some museums are free.  And there are fireworks! In Paris, the fireworks display is at the Trocadéro, across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower.  Crowds gather to watch the show on the Champ de Mars that stretches out behind the Tower, as well as on boats in the Seine.

In the United States, there are July 14^th festivities in over fifty cities, including Baltimore, Chicago, Minneapolis, Sacramento, and Saint Louis.  Naturally, New Orleans has a party in the French Quarter, while in Philadelphia there is a reenactment of the storming of the Bastille, held at the Eastern State Penitentiary.

So, no matter where you are, on Monday July 14, you can celebrate French Independence Day with a baguette, a glass of wine, and maybe participating in an event held in your town.

Bonne fête!

Cathedral of Chartres

The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Chartres, located in Chartres, about 50 miles southwest of Paris, is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture.  The current cathedral is was built between 1194 and 1250, the fifth church built on the same site since the 4^th century.  The construction of the cathedral actually started in 1145, but a fire damaged part of the building; reconstruction and renovation took place over the following 26 years.

The cathedral has survived lightning strikes, the French Revolution and heavy bombing during World War II, which destroyed most of the surrounding city. In addition to its remarkable architecture, two other factors make the cathedral of Chartres worthy of its UNESCO World Heritage Site classification:   its beautiful original stained glass windows and the labyrinth located in the center of the church. The majority of the stained glass windows in the basilica were made and installed between 1205 and 1240, however, some date from even earlier.

Stained glass windows Chartres

from even earlier.  Located below the rose window in the west façade, the Passion, Infancy of Christ, and the Tree of Jesse windows are believed to date from 1145, but have been restored at least twice. Many of the windows reflect stories from the Old and New Testament, and the Lives of the Saints; they also include images of local tradesmen with details of their equipment and their work.  All the windows, along with all the glass from the cathedral were removed from Chartres in 1939, just before the Germans invaded France. After the war, the windows were cleaned and releaded before they were replaced.

Set into the floor of Chartres cathedral is a labyrinth of over 42 feet in diameter.  It represents the spiritual quest of pilgrims; it is suggested that these type of labyrinths served as a substitute for pilgrimage paths, with the center being the Holy City of Jerusalem.  The center of the labyrinth in Chartres is now empty, but at one time there was an image of the Minotaur, a common motif in mazes and labyrinths. In medieval times, the pilgrims to Chartres would follow the path of the labyrinth on their

Candle-lit labyrinth at Chartres

knees while praying; today, pilgrims still continue to visit the stone paved labyrinth, and walk the path to the center.   Usually the labyrinth in the basilica is covered by rows of chairs, however it is traditionally uncovered every Friday from 10 am to 5 pm from Lent until Toussaint on November 1.

Tourists to Paris can easily visit the town and cathedral of Chartres by train or car, and many day trips are offered by tour companies.  Regular train service is available several times a day from the Montparnasse train station; trip takes a little over an hour and costs roughly 15,00E one way.  Other interesting sites in the town include beautiful gardens to stroll through, the “Picassiette” house, and the Fine Arts Museum.  A busy Tourist Office located near the cathedral offers a variety of tours.