Nestled just beneath Croix de Fer Pass in the upper portion of
the Maurienne Valley, St. Sorlin D'Arves in
August is much more than a ski resort gone to sleep for the summer. Easy access
to great hiking, quaint Savoyard villages, marmots and spectacular views—all
beneath the gaze of a giant cat made of rock—make a snow-free visit to this
Alpine resort worth the trip.
Vacation/Travel
Sunday 4 September 2011
St. Sorlin D'Arves
By Baron von Rupp on Sunday 4 September 2011, 15:14
Tuesday 23 August 2011
Iceland Air: Weirdest, most wonderful airline ever?
By Baron von Rupp on Tuesday 23 August 2011, 16:39
During a
recent intercontinental voyage, time constraints and positively psychotic
ticket prices led me to Iceland Air and one of the stranger trips I've taken in
a while.
Tuesday 22 March 2011
Biarritz
By Baron von Rupp on Tuesday 22 March 2011, 09:43
What pops
into foreigners' minds when the subject of French seaside bliss comes up? Why
the French Riviera, of course. The southern portion of the
Atlantic coast (i.e. Basque Country) is, however, a worthy
candidate for those in search of an ocean muse: gorgeous weather, vast beaches,
friendly locals, good restaurants, and fabulous architecture all combined to
make my first visit one to remember.
Sunday 30 January 2011
Hyères
By Baron von Rupp on Sunday 30 January 2011, 17:31
This, the southernmost town on the Côte d'Azur, is a world
apart from a particularly gray and cold Lyon winter.
Tuesday 25 January 2011
The Presqu'île de Giens
By Baron von Rupp on Tuesday 25 January 2011, 13:37
It's
January: what better place to spend a week than the southernmost tip of the
Côte d'Azur? The islands, beaches, open skies and bird sanctuaries just south
of Hyères are the perfect antidote to winter's darkest days.
Sunday 7 November 2010
Gay Paris
By Baron von Rupp on Sunday 7 November 2010, 17:33
While I've not found it to be especially gay in any known sense of the term, a
recent foray into the capital of my adopted country confirmed beyond any doubt
that Paris is still...Paris.
Saturday 2 October 2010
Leonard Cohen Road Trip, Part II
By Baron von Rupp on Saturday 2 October 2010, 12:05
If you want to
know how we got here, read this.
Saturday 25 September 2010
Leonard Cohen Road Trip, Part I
By Baron von Rupp on Saturday 25 September 2010, 11:00
Although the gravel-voiced singer/songwriter has little do do with the road trip in question, I've got to give credit where credit is due: it never would've happened without L. Cohen and the undisclosed "sports injury" he suffered last spring. Read on for details.
Thursday 27 May 2010
Marseille!!
By Baron von Rupp on Thursday 27 May 2010, 12:04
For this adopted Lyonnais, France's other second city was a pleasant
surprise.
Fort St. Jean (under
renovation) in the Vieux Port, with the Cathédrale de la Major in the
background
Tuesday 4 May 2010
Castles of the Loire Valley
By Baron von Rupp on Tuesday 4 May 2010, 17:05
The valley of the Loire, one of France's major rivers,
contains more castles per square inch than anywhere in the known universe. OK,
I can't prove that but it just has to be true: it seems that every
French nobleman who ever lived built some sort of oversized dwelling and/or
hunting facility in this area, and the modern tourist is the primary
benefactor. Although it's not possible to visit all of the castles on the map
below, the sheer density of interesting targets makes castle hunting in
the Loire Valley a rewarding adventure.
Thursday 22 April 2010
Northern Bretagne (Brittany)
By Baron von Rupp on Thursday 22 April 2010, 11:06
Everyone
knows Gaelic culture calls Ireland home, as well as certain
parts of the British Isles. Thanks to a high school history
lesson that somehow stuck I even knew of the Gaelic influence on Galicia, a region in the
northwest corner of Spain. But France? France?? Who knew? OK so a lot of
people knew, but I wasn't one of them. As it turns out, the Gaelic heart beats
a forceful rhythm in the French region of Bretagne: even the street signs are
often doubled in the Breton language.
La Côte d'Émeraude, near Cap Fréhel
Monday 15 March 2010
The French Riviera
By Baron von Rupp on Monday 15 March 2010, 18:06
The French Riviera is, besides Paris and that tall metal thing they have, the most famous place in France and certainly worth a visit. While trip cost and the risk of being tourist-trapped are certainly pitfalls to consider, the smart traveler can enjoy this lovely stretch of Mediterranean coastline on almost any budget.
Sunday 7 March 2010
Vacationing in France: A Primer
By Baron von Rupp on Sunday 7 March 2010, 15:17
This is the first of many posts about the dazzling array of vacation options that France has to offer. Before getting into the specific places and spaces you absolutely need to see before you die, this introduction is designed to introduce relative newcomers to vacationing in la République, as well as to the country's quixotic relationship with vacationing and tourism.
