Program 332: Regions of France; Chateaux Country; Ancient Stones of Brittany

Release Date: 07-13-2013

Description

France offers visitors a great deal of variety including the vineyards and elegant castles and mansions in the Loire Valley. Hear how the pre-historic stone formations on the hillsides of Brittany provide a link to unknown peoples from long ago.

Guests

  • Virginie Moré, tour guide based in Brittany, France
  • Danielle Farineau, tour guide based in the Loir Valley, France
  • Mark Seymour, tour guide based in Brittany, France

Related Links

  • Mont Saint-Michel is one of the most visited attractions is France, off the coast on the Normandy-Brittany border.
  • The About-France.com website has maps and descriptions of the various official "regions of France."
  • Tours is the main city in the Loire River valley area. 
  • Wikipedia has a geographical list of chateaux in France
  • The Western France Tourist Board has information about attractions in the Loire Valley. 
  • Photos of many of the Carnac stones are on a Wikipedia entry about the site.

Haiku Awards

Sweet burgundy pearl

Humble onion so sublime

Only in Provence

— Jessica Baen, New York City  

 

Pamukkale pools

Cotton castle ancient cliffs

Soft blue goddess gifts

— Vanessa Zimmer-Powell, Houston TX 

 

Heaven's canopy

Beneath boughs of oak and pine

The soil tinted green

— Brian Alcorn, Thousand Oaks CA, describing California's Big Sur

 

"We've arrived," she spoke

Softly in my tired ears,

"It's time to explore!"

— Alan Powell, Nashville TN

Program Extras

Program 332 Extra #1 - <p> Virginie Mor&eacute; tells us how the people of Brittany arranged it so that France could never impose tolls on that region&#39;s highways. Also, listener Jane from New Orleans notes the cultural contrasts within the regions of France, such as what she observed in the Dordogne, and Virginie explains how that also holds true in her home region, Brittany. (runs 2:47)</p>

Program 332 Extra #2 - Danielle Farineau and Rick discuss how the French system of "gites" accommodations works for renting accommodations in the French countryside. (runs 1:34)