Day 1665 (Wednesday) 29th December 2021

Normality has resumed and the blue sky is back and there is some wonderful heat in the sun.

 

Huw went up to the apartment early this morning and I joined him a few hours later to get it all done ready for tomorrow’s check-in. I did some chores around our place and enjoyed a cup of coffee in the sunshine. Getting the apartment ready is bloody hard work, we managed to get most of it done but Huw will have to do another hour tomorrow morning.

This is their neighbour’s house

There were a lot of Italians in town today and the seafront restaurants were very busy, which is so good to see.

This was Badger last night being impossibly handsome

I found this lovely article about 29 Top Tourist Attractions in France it’s rather long so I will post a few every day – enjoy…

Famous for its wines and cheeses, France is the world’s most popular tourist destination receiving 82 million foreign tourists annually. Visitors are attracted by historic cities, a beautiful countryside, the castles of the Loire Valley, and Brittany and Normandy. In addition, France offers an agreeable climate, some excellent beaches on the French Riviera, the Atlantic coast and the island of Corsica, wide possibilities for winter sports, most notably in the Alps and the Pyrenees, and a rich culture with food and wines that are among the most celebrated in the world.

The top tourist attractions in France:

29. Chateau de Chenonceau

The Chenonceau Chateau is perhaps the most well-known chateau in the Loire Valley. The chateau, built in the 16th century, spans the River Cher, with passageways for boats at the bottom. After Versailles, it is the most visited chateau in France, and is noted for lovely gardens. It was restored after being bombed in World War II.

28. Le Puy-en-Velay

 

Le Puy-en-Velay, in southern France, is famous for three things: its cathedral, lentils and making lace. A shrine to the Virgin Mary atop Mons Anicius has attracted pilgrims from before the Middle Ages. Notre Dame Cathedral is the most popular tourist attraction. Visitors also might want to try Verveine, green liquor flavoured with verbena.

27. Epernay Champagne

Travellers who like to sip the bubbly will enjoy a visit to Epernay, a small town south of Reims that is famous for its champagne. Indeed, it calls itself the capital of champagne, since many of the top champagnes are produced here. The Avenue du Champagne is the place to taste as it’s flanked by champagne makers.

26. Cannes Film Festival

Every May, the elite of the world’s movie-making industry descends upon this French Riviera city for the Cannes International Film Festival. While screenings are not open to the public, fans can look for their favourite stars as they enter and leave film venues, dine out in restaurants, shop or visit one of the pretty beaches.

25. Val d'Isere

Val d’Isère is a popular ski resort in southeastern France close to the border with Italy. It hosted men’s ski racing, including downhill and slalom, in the 1992 Winter Olympics and regularly hosts World Cup races. The charming village finds its 1,800 residents outnumbered 15 to one by guests in winter.

24. Nimes Roman Monuments

Nîmes is a city in southern France, that was once one of the most important cities of Roman Gaul. –A fact that’s made clear by the city’s collection of Roman buildings, including a marvellous amphitheatre and a well preserved Roman temple. Because of this, Nîmes is often referred to as the French Rome.

23. Camargue

Located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Rhone River delta, the Camargue is the largest river delta in Western Europe. The wetland area is famous for its teeming birdlife – about 500 species including the pink flamingo. Equally famous are the Camargue’s small white horses which roam the extensive marshlands.

22. Vieux Lyon

Vieux Lyon, or Lyon Old Town, is the largest Renaissance district in Lyon, if not in Europe, and the first in France to be covered under French laws protecting cultural sites. The Old Town is filled with narrow streets lined with picturesque buildings that now house museums and shops instead of people.

21. Bonifacio

Bonifacio is a city in the southwest region of the island of Corsica. The nearby coast features chalk white limestone cliffs the ocean has carved into unusual shapes. Erosion has whittled away at the cliffs so that buildings appear to be almost hanging over the edge. A former fortress once housed the French Foreign Legion but is now a museum.

20. Millau Bridge

The Millau Bridge or Viaduct is a cable bridge that happens to be the tallest bridge in the world at 343 metres (1,125 feet). The four-lane bridge spans the valley of the River Tarn in southern France. Opening in 2004, the bridge is considered one of France greatest engineering feats.

19. Etretat Cliffs

Étretat Cliffs is France’s answer to England’s White Cliffs of Dover. It has tall white cliffs with arches that jut out into the English Channel in Upper Normandy. In years past, this farming village was a draw for artists, including painter Claude Monet and author Guy de Maupassant.

18. Reims Cathedral

The Reims Cathedral is important to the French monarchy since that is where the country’s kings were crowned. The imposing structure was built in the French Gothic style from 1211 to 1275. It replaced a cathedral built around 400. The cathedral draws about 1 million visitors annually.

We had a gorgeous pink sky again this evening