Sunday 31 October 2010
Introduction to Piles Treatment
Friday 29 October 2010
8 Important Facts About the Mediterranean Diet
A diet regimen that is gaining in popularity in many parts of the world is based upon the dining practices of the people that populate the Mediterranean region. Many people have heard of the Mediterranean d
Remove Those Dark Circles From Under The Eyes
Nice: France's alternative to winter blues in Britain
With the weather turning colder, wetter and windier - the clocks falling back, we can easily be tempted to warmer climes. The Daily Telegraph reports on Nice, France. Here is an extract....
Low-cost airlines flock into Nice, and hotels and restaurants need be no more expensive than they are in Calais. It is, in short, time to reinstitute the winter season in Nice. There's no more satisfying spot in France. Here's how to do it.
Day 1
Wake up, brush your teeth and, simultaneously, open the shutters. The light will be as fresh and sparkling as your toothpaste. Make first for Place Masséna, the rhythmic central space where the big city – France's fifth – breathes out amid gardens, fountains and arcaded buildings brilliant in Pompeian red. Some morning people rush through, a metropolitan click to their heels. Others linger. Japanese couples, who know a thing or two about urban harmony, photograph one another. Linger with them.
Then cross into the Old Town, which was all there was of Nice before foreign aristocrats started showing up in the early 19th century. It's a warren of wriggling streets no thicker than a fisherman's forearm. The Niçois were packed in pretty snug. They still are, now jostling to sell us Provencal frocks, dodgy art, olive oil – and simmered lambs' trotters on restaurant terraces crammed in so tight, you're effectively sitting in the coffee shop opposite.
"Touristy," cry the purists. Purists know nothing. Nice has always done commotion and boisterous commerce. They're as traditional as the buildings' ochre tones, the old dears chatting on chairs or the baroque churches beseeching in such florid fashion that the Almighty must surely shade His eyes. (Pop into the Eglise du Gésu, jammed in at 12 rue Droite.)
If shops and bars weren't there, you'd be left with purists and guidebooks, and where's the life in that? So buy an ice cream at Fenocchio's on Place Rossetti, wander on and burst out into the Cours Saleya. On flower market mornings, the Cours is a barely- controlled explosion of colours and aromas. "All the sensuousness of Provence," says a French woman I know. "Except the sex." I'm not sure she's right. I'm not sure there's not something promising about the succession of stalls with their effusion of pert blooms, their rounded fruit, their suggestion of juicy fertility. But doubtless I've been travelling alone too long.
Whatever the level, it's a seductive spectacle, concentrated by Italianate buildings all around, and defiant of winter. By now, well-dressed restaurant tables will be edging out for al fresco lunchtime, professional chaps in aprons will be opening the necessary oysters, and you will be overcome with food lust, at least.
Best move briskly out through the arches to the most dazzling city sea- front in Europe. And I mean "dazzling". When I was there a few days ago, I couldn't look at the stretch of sea upon which the sun was shining. Someone had turned the sky up to "max". I'm not going to go on about the Promenade des Anglais. You've seen the photos, and the movies in which gaily laughing beauties are driven along in open- topped cars by Cary Grant or similar. You know the score. I'll be brief.
La Prom curves almost five miles around the Bay of Angels. It's punctuated by palms and pergolas. And it's been the favoured stroll of fashionable folk since the British community funded the initial length in the 1820s. Leisure-wear has dumbed down since the days of frock-coats and bustles. There are now also more joggers – and very, very small dogs – than I deem desirable. But the aura remains, underwritten grandly by the sheen of the elements.
This draws the sting of the ugliness of many buildings. Here and there, lovely 19th-century edifices survive. Elsewhere, they have been substituted by utilitarian 20th-century blocks doodled not so much by architects as by their guide dogs. Ugliest of the lot is the Méridien Hotel, which is why you should enter for lunch. For a start, once inside, you can't see the outside. But rise nine floors to the rooftop Terrasse restaurant and what you see are the most arresting seaside views in Nice. Food's good, too, from about £40 for a full meal.
Stroll on. Skirt the Promenade hustlers, stop at the Palais Masséna, for an idea of how Nice life was lived when the aristos dominated. Both gardens and palace have escaped redevelopment, the palace to become a museum. This tells the Nice story from Napoleon through the mid-20th century. But it also tells its own story, a grandiose tale of wintering nobles trying to out-pomp one another. Marble halls and reception rooms swamp you with sumptuousness. There's not a shred of self-doubt. And, like most Nice museums, it's free.
Day 2
To the Promenade des Anglais, opposite the Albert I gardens, and onto the open-topped Grand Tour tourist bus. You may think this is naff. It isn't. For £17, it's the most effective way of looping around some of Nice's greatest hits without undue effort. It's a hop-on, hop-off service, so you can spin it out all day. The English-language commentary is excellent. When the chap shuts up, Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto takes over – a stirring soundtrack for a trip around the headland to the port, onto Mont Boron for more posh villas and inland to Cimiez hill. Hop off at the top. Cross the magnificent olive grove to the monastery church. Louis Bréa's three great 15th-century religious paintings show he'd got the hang of the Renaissance. Cross back to the Matisse Museum. You can't miss it – it's the red-ochre Genoese villa – and you shouldn't. Almost all the artist's career is covered in riveting fashion.
Have a glance at the nearby classical remains. The Romans established their settlement here on the hill, but a glance suffices to appreciate what's left. Then make for the road and the thumpingly huge Regina, built as a hotel specifically to cater to Queen Victoria. She'd take over the entire west wing – look out for the crown on top – to receive other royals visiting Nice, musicians and French dignitaries.
Victoria was enormously popular, partly because she gave presents to everyone but mainly because she was in Nice in the first place. As far as locals understood, the British queen ruled a quarter of the world. To have bagged her for their town was wonderful PR. After she died, they erected a fine statue in front of the Regina gardens. It shows the queen in her middle years – regal, serene and not a bit frumpy.
Victoria's presence on Cimiez hill made it the Belle Époque des-res district, as you'll appreciate as you saunter down the Boulevard Cimiez spotting villas all-but-edible in their frothy ornamentation.
Thursday 28 October 2010
Paris France Tourist Attractions
Heading to Paris? Then enjoy this video and plan your tour.
Wednesday 27 October 2010
French Rail Guide
Eurostar
The Eurostar is a wonderfully stress-free way to travel from London to Paris or Lille, where you can then connect with a high speed TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) train to almost any city in France. Eurostar rates compare favourably to other transport methods, with London to Paris starting at £69 return and £109 return tickets available from London to Lyon. Moreover, with city to city connection, no departure taxes and no waiting around departure lounges, the whole experience is much more enjoyable than flying as well as being far kinder to the environment. Departures arenapproximately every hour during the day from St Pancras station and the journey time to Paris`s central Gare du Nord station is only 2 hours 15 minutes. Ticket options from Eurostar include single and return fares in either first or second class carriages as well as fully-flexible tickets that allow passengers to travel at any time.
More about TGV and booking tickets: Rail Travel in France
Tuesday 26 October 2010
Mediterranean Diet Food List
"The history of diet plan dated from the moment that the first monkey evoluted to be a lady". My confidant jessica always says so. Wow, you may get the point. Just as what she says, her "process of becoming beauty" turns out to be a long lo
Has Your View of France changed?
Monday 25 October 2010
How do you view the French? Video out-take!
Friday 22 October 2010
French Property of the Week: Renovated mill house nr Sea
Department: Finistere
Region: Brittany (France)
Price: €367,500At the end of the lane and tucked out of sight you'll find this lovely renovated mill. Offering 100m2 of living space including fitted and equipped kitchen, lounge/living room (32m2) with a fireplace steps away.A good renovation by architect using quality materials and lots of original ideas to utilise the different levels within the original moulin.More details and Photos: Mill Property in Brittany
Thursday 21 October 2010
Top 10 places to retire overseas : #1 France
The Daily Telegraph today highlights that France is the #1 destination for retiring overseas!
For Britons unfazed by language barriers, the south of France remains the perfect retirement location. It has a warm climate, a wonderfully lazy lifestyle and easy access from Britain. Property-buyers for whom money is no object will probably still head for the Côte d'Azur, but there is better value – and, arguably, more charming scenery – in the Languedoc and Gascony, where you can buy farmhouses for under £500,000.
Wednesday 20 October 2010
Mountain Fever for Tour de France 2011
Here is a video which traces the route of 2011 Tour de France that starts in the Vendee on 2nd July (1st Stage)
Tuesday 19 October 2010
The solution to our housing problem? Let's send our parents off to France - Telegraph.co.uk (blog)
What a brilliant idea? This will invigorate the French Property market! Bring it on .... Not sure the French will be too pleased about the Brits taking over villages and playing cricket on the village green! Word of warning: don't bring your caravan - you know what happened to the Romanys!
In his column today, Boris Johnson has needled the real problem in this country – the reason why we’re never going to be able to go back to really cheap houses. Quite simply, there are too many of us. As Boris puts it, 10 million people are due to “crash land” into the country like a fleet of gliders on D-Day, and they all need somewhere to live. Well I would like to propose a solution. On one day in 1944 we managed to send 175,000 young men into France. Given twenty years, would it be so difficult to send 10 million?
Let me elaborate. As a nation we have clearly decided that we don’t want many more houses. Hating suburban sprawl goes back as far as suburbia – the ugliness of new houses was something even George Orwell and Evelyn Waugh could agree on – but only now are we in the enviable position where we can probably avoid making it worse. How so? Well thankfully, a large chunk of the population doesn’t have to go to work, and so probably doesn’t need to be here at all. Not the unemployed I mean – but retired people. Conveniently, there are almost exactly 10 million of them, and that number is only going to grow. Wouldn’t they like to relocate en masse to somewhere a little cheaper?
Obviously the Dordogne is traditional, but retirees have a whole world of options. America has got a lot cheaper recently. So has Spain. Even tiny Ireland has 300,000 empty houses, all desperately in need of people to live in them. If a few hundred thousand British OAPs were willing to move to Ireland, not only would we relieve a bit of the pressure back here, we’d help a small country get through a drastic economic crisis.
You may ask how we’d pay for it, but it’s simple. Young people can cough up – we’re happy to, providing we can move into the newly empty houses. By the latest measure, the average first time buyer is 37. I’m 22, so apparently I have a good fifteen years left before I’m likely to be able to buy somewhere. Since I’m working in journalism, and living in London, even that number is probably hopeful. Rather than make us wait decades to buy ugly Barratt boxes, old people should just sell us theirs.
So how do we bring about this great migration? Obviously we can’t actually force pensioners onto planes, but surely we could give them an incentive to go? I’ve not worked out the best way yet, but exclusively from the evidence of my parents and their friends, I’d start with a hefty tax on golf courses.
Ref:
More about Dordogne
Properties in the Dordogne
The Dordogne is in the region of Aquitaine: more Aquitaine properties
Monday 18 October 2010
Property sales in France soaring compared with last year
Residential property prices in France remained stable in the third quarter of 2010 with only Paris and the Ile de France seeing any significant increases, according to the latest figures to be published.
Although overall the outlook is positive, some regions of the country are still seeing prices fall, most notably in Normandy, Picardie and Lorraine, the figures from FNAIM, the national association of French estate agents, show.
The figures are very general, with the FNAIM saying that prices are up between 2.5% and 6% in Paris and the Ile de France and have also increased in Aquitaine, Brittany and PACA (Provence and the Cote D’Azur). And they have fallen between 2.5% and 6% in lower Normandy, Picardie and Lorraine.
The outlook is for sales activity to rise. FNAIM estimate that sales will exceed 700,000 this year, against less than 600,000 last year and over 800,000 in 2007. It is also predicting an increase in prices of between 2% and 3%. This is a more positive forecast than the last one from FNAIM which suggested that prices could go either up or down by 2% or 3%.
One of the main reasons for the improvement in their forecast is because of the fall in mortgage interest rates, which, at an average of 3.3%, are at their lowest for over 50 years.
Other factors driving the market are the prospective end to mortgage tax relief, as well as a reduction in tax breaks for investment properties, both effective from 1st January 2011.
There is far less detail in the report from FNAIM than is normally the case, suggesting that they are far less confident of their analysis than may have been the case in the past. However the situation in Paris and the Ile de France is confirmed by figures from French Notaires who reported recently that prices in the second quarter had risen by 6%.
Slightly more detail can be found in the latest figures from Century 21, one of the largest chain of estate agents in France. They state prices are stable apart from in Burgundy where they are down 5.9%) Auvergne down 4.5%, Lower Normandy down 2.27% and Champagne Ardennes down 2.25%
Friday 15 October 2010
Combat IBS With A Good Diet
Robert Redford receives Legion of Honour in Paris
Daily Telegraph reports ....
Mr Sarkozy told Redford – "you are the incarnation of the United States and all that that country represents."
He said Redford's roles in films like 1969's "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," 1985's "Out of Africa" and "The Great Gatsby," from 1974, continue to delight viewers.
"Those who love cinema long remember ... (your) films, which we watch and re-watch with the same emotion each time," Mr Sarkozy said.
Napoleon Bonaparte created the legion in 1802. It recognises military, cultural, scientific or social contributions to France, including by people who are not French citizens. Previous inductees include Clint Eastwood, another actor-turned-director, and Canadian director David Cronenberg.
Thursday 14 October 2010
Anger at Ryanair Marseille closure
RYANAIR is to close its base at Marseille, cutting 200 jobs and 13 routes out of 23.
The base will close on January 11 next year after magistrates charged the company with employing staff there on Irish employment contracts.
The 13 axed routes include domestic links to Lille, Brest, Nantes, Paris and Tours.
The other routes to close are Agadir, Eindhoven, Marrakesh, Nador, Palmero, Tangier, Tenerife and Venice
Ten other routes will remain, but the planes will not be based at Marseille. They are: London, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Fez, Madrid, Malta, Porto, Rome, Seville and Valencia.
Ryanair has argued that the staff�s workplace is on the planes, which are Irish-registered and therefore count as Irish territory.
The company pays social insurance contributions and taxes in Ireland and says the French stance is contrary to the European Directive on Transport Workers.
Ryanair chief executive Michael O�Leary said: �Sadly the loss of these four aircraft, 200 jobs and 13 routes at Marseille is the high price necessary to demonstrate that these are mobile Irish workers, which is why they are covered by the EU regulations for mobile transport workers; and not by a local French decree which Ryanair is currently appealing to the European courts.
�This ill-judged legal action has therefore cost Marseille and France jobs, foreign investment and lost visitors. Sadly the loser in all of this will be Marseille Airport, tourism and jobs in the Provence region.�
However, Mr O�Leary said Ryanair remained �committed to Marseille� and its low-cost terminal, MP2, and would consider launching new routes in the future using craft based outside France.
Marseille-Provence Chamber of Commerce said Ryanair�s decision to pull out was �very bad news� and would hit the area�s development.
The body estimates that Ryanair has helped create 1,000 jobs in the region and has boosted the local economy by �550m in four years.
Marseille-Provence airport said traffic would fall by 30,000 passengers next January and 50,000 in February and March.
However, it said it was hopeful that Ryanair would launch more routes at Marseille for the summer season. It said there was no risk that the MP2 terminal would have to close.
Marseille UMP mayor Jean-Claude Gaudin said the two unions that had brought the legal action against Ryanair had behaved irresponsibly.
French pilots� unions SNPL and Unac had filed a complaint with the court in Aix-en-Provence that Ryanair was ignoring employment laws.
The Office central de lutte contre le travail ill�gal ruled last month that the company, which flies 1.4 million passengers in and out of Marseille a year, had a case to answer.
If convicted, Ryanair could face a fine of �225,000, and could also face paying retroactive social charges for its employees since its launch in the city in 2006.
In April, budget airline EasyJet was fined �1.4m for employing 170 staff at Paris Orly Airport under British contracts.
Meanwhile, Ryanair has won a battle to take control of a website describing it as �the world�s most hated airline�.
UK domain name registrar Nominet ruled that ihateryanair.co.uk took unfair advantage of the Ryanair brand name.
Wednesday 13 October 2010
Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid
"The history of diet plan dated from the moment that the first monkey evoluted to be a lady". My confidant jessica always says so. Wow, you may get the point. Just as what she says, her "process of becoming beauty"
French Property of the Week: Pocket Money needed to buy Cottage
Department: Haute-Vienne
Region: Limousin
Price: € 20,000 This cute little detached cottage sits in a quiet hamlet just a couple of minutes from the well-appointed town of Magnac Laval and around 45 minutes from Limoges. The cottage needs to be completely renovated but it could be charming once finished.More details and photos: Limousin Bargain
Tuesday 12 October 2010
10 lesser-known French ski resorts
However, with skiing and snowboarding now more popular than ever, it can seem like the world and his wife have all had the same idea, and you may be sharing your idyllic winter getaway with thousands of others.
Don’t get lost in the crowd and put up with long lift lines and busy slopes; for unexplored pistes and lesser-known resorts, Hetty Partington of Lagrange Holidays introduces 10 serect French ski resorts.
1. Cauterets
The French Pyrenees are ideal for anyone looking for a change of scene from crowded Alpine resorts, whilst getting great value for money on their ski break. For nervous beginners or those who prefer gentler slopes, Cauterets offers ideal ski conditions set against a traditional mountain village backdrop.
2. Champagny-en-Vanoise
With quick and easy access to the La Plagne ski area via cable car, and cross country skiing in the spectacular Vanoise National Park, Champagny is perfect for anyone looking for a real ‘mountain’ experience.
3. Chatel
Nestled in the Portes du Soleil ski area, Chatel boasts excellent skiing in a village resort atmosphere, and is ideal for any intermediate skiers looking to try more challenging slopes whilst avoiding the people traffic usually found in larger resorts.
4. Les Saisies
A haven for those who are still finding their ‘snow legs’, Les Saisies offers dramatic views and gentle tree-lined slopes, as well as boasting 80km of Olympic cross-country ski tracks for anyone feeling a little more adventurous.
5. La Toussuire
Both family and expert skier-friendly, plus the added benefit of awe-inspiring views, the slopes of La Toussuire rival those in big name resorts in the Three Valleys. Offering an enormous ski area for keen snow bunnies to explore, La Toussuire is an excellent alternative to the huge crowds and high prices of famous name resorts, such as Tignes or Val Thorens.
6. Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise
A real hidden Alpine gem, Sainte-Foy is the youngest ski resort in the French Alps and is celebrating its twentieth birthday this year. Also boasting excellent off-piste opportunities, any skiers hoping to truly escape the crowds and explore a relatively untouched corner of the French Alps will not be disappointed.
7. Saint-Gervais
One of the original French ski resorts, Saint-Gervais boasts impressive views across the Mont-Blanc mountain range and a traditional nineteenth-century spa town atmosphere and is ideal for skiers hoping to experience an authentically ‘French’ winter break.
8. Saint-Lary
A great destination for groups made up of skiers of mixed abilities and ages, Saint-Lary offers some of the best skiing opportunities in the French Pyrenees. This picturesque resort’s slopes offer both more challenging runs for intermediates and gentle slopes to ease in even the most nervous of beginners.
9. Samoens
Those seeking chocolate box villages and a traditional Alpine atmosphere should head to Samoens, a beautifully preserved resort tucked in the heart of the Grand Massif ski domain. Samoens is a classified ‘Monument Historique’, ideal for families and beginners. Visitors heading to Samoens during December will find the festive cheer positively contagious, thanks to the Christmas markets and vin chaud on offer in the resort.
10. Valloire
Linked to Valmeinier and part of the wider Galibier/Thabor ski domain, Valloire is a charming family resort with slopes to suit skiers of all abilities, whilst still offering a traditional mountain village atmosphere. The resort is also home to an international ice and snow sculpture festival every January, providing entertainment for skiers and non-skiers alike.
Compiled by Hetty Partington of Lagrange Holidays
Read more ski and snowboard articles
Monday 11 October 2010
Asbestos in your French property
Derived from the Greek word "unquenchable", asbestos is a natural material and has been used since 2500 BC in the winding sheets , pottery and various other applications.It can be found in the tiles, false ceilings, roofs, cement drainage pipes, panels, partitions, insulation boards, etc.Asbestos is considered a deadly product in France and the use and manufacture of materials based Asbestos has been banned since 1997 but nevertheless remains widespread in buildings because of its ability to resist corrosion and maintain high temperatures without deterioration.
In the process of buying French property, it is required by law that a property inspection is made before the signing of contracts to determine the presence of asbestos. This law applies to all properties built before 1 July 1997 and must be performed by a registered, qualified surveying company who will then provide a certificate and a report. For asbestos, the certificate is valid for one year only and must be renewed if a contract is signed after that period. If asbestos is found, owners are required to immediately inform employees about the ownership of its existence while wearing protective clothing and dispose of waste properly. If asbestos is in poor condition but the owner may be required to check its status on a regular basis, or an expert to remove it within three years. The inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause serious illnesses such as lung cancer, asbestosis, asbestos warts, pleural plaques and other lung diseases and usually affect people.....
Sunday 10 October 2010
Lose Weight Live Longer With Mediterranean Diet
It is common knowledge that people who live around the Mediterranean region tend to live longer and have less overweight related diseases than people in the developed countries except perhaps, Japan.
Not very long ago, th
Friday 8 October 2010
Healthy Weight Loss Mediterranean Diet
It is a well known fact that people who live around the Mediterranean region tend to live longer and have less overweight related diseases than people in the developed countries except perhaps, Japan. Not very long ago, the Mediterra
Family Camping Holidays in France
When you think of a French camping holiday you may start to think of cold wet weekends away, you could not be so wrong, and with absolutely thousands of campsites in France, you have so many different ones to choose from, and whether you have your own tent, are touring with a caravan or a motor home, the choice of camp sites is endless.
If you were to pick an area of France, then you will not have any trouble in obtaining information on campsites in that particular province and in fact you would probably be spoilt for choice. But there is one place called Brittany that is one of the most popular destinations for a family camping holiday in France and this is due to sandy beaches, hidden coves, rock pools and the coastline that the children just adore.
Yet the Alps is a vast area waiting for the more adventurous camper with mountainous climbs, pretty villages and lakes to explore along with Chamonix, which is the highest town in Europe.
Then there is Paris, the capital city of France, which has everything a beautiful city can offer, and with several campsites around Paris, the closest is just a few minutes from the centre, you will also find others that are located near to Versailles and Disneyland Paris, let alone others near golf courses and fishing lakes.
And although most people end up going through the Rhone Valley without really much of a stop, it is well worth taking a detour either side of the river which is where you can find some beautiful countryside to explore, and in this area you will also be able to find some glorious wine produced on these slopes bordering the river, along with major towns like Lyon.
Most places will be able to provide hook ups for electricity from either 6 amps or 10 amps, plus many other facilities. And on a lot of different sites, rather just touring you can even hire out the caravans, chalets or mobile homes, but whatever you decide is best for you, this is a great way of touring through France.
As you can imagine, there are a vast amount of campsites with lots of different facilities, which you will find are rated with stars in a similar way to that of hotels, so the more stars a site has, the better it will be, although inevitably the more expensive they will be, especially in certain areas of France.
A camping site with one star is a basic site and there is no where near as many these days, due to competition from other campsites, whereas a two star camping site is rated for comfort and has some good amenities, then three star and four star campsites are of a very high standard, not only for the amenities and facilities they have to offer, but also for the quality of these facilities. For example, on a four star site you will often find top class restaurants that are even frequented by the locals for their phenomenal French cuisine, but also complete pool complexes and evening entertainment as a regular occurrence.
But apart from the typical camping sites available, you can also find places to pitch such as camping on farms, but lots of these do not have a wide range of facilities available, in fact some are so basic you will need to have all of your own facilities or they may just about have a toilet and hot shower for you to use.
One quick point, please do remember that it is only in authorised locations around France that you are able to camp and not in places such as woods, yet saying that, when travelling through France it can take hours or days, and we have seen many tired travellers putting up their tents on the grassy areas in the service stations alone the toll roads!.
Most people think of camping as purely a summer activity, but for an extremely reasonable holiday, which can be as low as 50 to 60 percent less in cost, you can go camping in the low season, and dependant upon the area of France you wish to go to, some campsites are even open all year round and still even have facilities such as indoor swimming available.
France can therefore offer you freedom and flexibility, whether you wish to stay in one place for the duration of your holiday, or why not try hopping from camping site to campsite, these types of holidays can offer you everything from excitement and family fun by the coast in places such as Brittany, through to the more sedate holiday staying in the grounds of chateaux in rolling countryside of the Loire valley, but for the more adventurous, you could even have a camping holiday incorporating adventures like kayaking in the Dordogne, or mountaineering in the French Alps
You will be able to get to see ancient ruins, quaint villages, monuments and scenery that you would never think possible in any country, but France has it all, and this is possible in many regions within only a few miles of where you have decided to stay, yet do not forget about the wonderful activities that are available to you on site, which sometimes makes it a hard job deciding on whether you want to leave!
Thursday 7 October 2010
Vacuum Cleaners For Dust Allergy Sufferers
Golf Holidays in France and Top Courses
French golf holidays are more popular than ever thanks to the superb variety of courses that are available across the entire country. Each region has its own individual character and attractions to keep you occupied away from the golf courses and you will probably find yourself spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing where to go for your golf break! Here is a brief run through each of the regions, along with a selection of the finest golf courses in France.
Northern France and Normandy
Quite apart from the quality of the courses, a golf trip here offers one distinct advantage – location. It’s only a short hop across the Channel to the northern regions of France, and a golf holiday here will place you amidst some of the finest golf courses in the country. The region also offers up a great coastline, picturesque towns and ports and expansive forests and lively resorts to keep you entertained between rounds.
Top Courses:
• La Touquet La Mer – This challenging course has hosted the French Open in the past and is kept in outstanding condition all year round.
• Golf Parc – Widely rated as one of the best golf courses in France, Golf Parc in Nantilly is a large, varied and exciting place for a round of golf.
Paris, Champagne and Alsace
Golf near Paris has the obvious advantage of being close to one of Europe’s most exciting capital cities, and there’s plenty of world-class golf (four courses in the World Top 100 to be precise and many good ones besides) to be had in the surrounding countryside. If your French golf holiday takes you further east to Champagne and Alsace, there are numerous Michelin-starred restaurants and (of course!) lots of Champagne and wine to keep you happy.
Top Courses:
• Chantilly Vineuil – This course has hosted the French Open ten times, and is kept in perfect condition
• Chateau d’Augerville – This beautiful course is based around a 17th-Century chateau (also a four-star hotel) – a perfect place for lunch overlooking the 18th green.
• Le Kempferhof – Not many people know about Le Kempferhof, but it is a superbly designed course with a variety of challenges at each hole. Rated No.2 in France and among Europe’s finest.
The Loire, Burgundy and Central France
As well as being “littered” with famous and beautiful Chateaux, the Loire is also home to some of the best golf courses in France, including the joint no 1. course in Europe. The central region can be especially good if you are looking for a more relaxed golf holiday in France.
Top Courses:
• Royan – Set in a pine forest and reckoned by experts to be one of the finest courses in the region, Royan presents a tough challenge in a beautiful location
• Les Bordes – This is regarded as being one of the two best courses in Europe, and features a tough array of holes in spectacular surroundings – it really is a must play!
• Limere Orleans – This course is great fun to play with numerous water hazards and impeccable presentation, and has hosted several French PGA Championships
The Alps
If you are considering a golf holiday in France, the Alps may not immediately spring to mind, but amid the spectacular mountains and valleys are a number of superb golf courses.
Top Courses:
• Golf Club de Lyon – This gorgeous course is a real treat to play on, combining some tricky holes with beautiful scenery.
• La Bresse – La Bresse is a highly enjoyable course, designed to be challenging but rewarding for intelligent players.
• Evian Masters Golf Course – The course hosts the world’s premier ladies tournament each year. A good layout and maintained impeccably.
Southern France
Anyone who wants to go on a golf holiday to France will surely be tempted by the south. With over three hundred days of sunshine each year, world famous cuisine and superb beaches, there is plenty to draw you here. But it’s not all fine wine and sunbathing, as the region also features numerous superb golf courses designed by the lacks of Trent Jones, Gary Player, Pete Dye, Robert von Hagge and Peter Alliss. Biarritz in the south west has long been regarded as a golfer’s haven with five courses in Europe’s Top 100 and there are plenty of other courses in the area to keep even the most avid golfer occupied.
Top Courses:
• Barbaroux – This is one of the toughest golf courses in France, with each hole presenting its own unique challenge. Well worth a visit for golfers who really want to push themselves.
• Seignosse – In the world Top 100, Seignosse is as pretty, intricate and devious a course as you are likely to play.
• Taulane – This course isn’t as tough as some of the others in the region but the great design by Gary Player makes for a very satisfying round of golf.
Wednesday 6 October 2010
Heart Healthy Mediterranean Diet Foods
There is a reason that people all over the world are starting to lean toward very simple Mediterranean diet foods for their own daily consumption. The Mediterranean people are well known for looking younger and mor
Taxe Fonciere goes through the Roof
Tuesday 5 October 2010
The Best Holidays in France?
The choice of holiday in destination in France is a difficult question. There are just so many places to visit whatever the time of year. Here are a few pointers .... So, here’s my pick of the best luxury holidays in France for…
Families
In truth, most areas have plenty to do for children, but what parents won’t have felt the tug on their clothes and an insistence that a trip to Disneyland is all they’ll ever want? This, combined by the other excellent theme park in the area – Park Asterix – and the range of entertainments provided in the city, makes Paris a worthwhile stop for those looking to keep families entertained. If you want to make either park the main focus of your holiday in France, hotels are available on both sites. Other good mentions are the south with its sunny beaches and child friendly atmosphere, and Brittany/Normandy for its short journey time.
Gourmets
To be perfectly honest, from a food perspective, you’ll be well served by every area of France. Each region has its own unique specialities, and you could go for months with unique meals touring the place! That said, for its wine as well as fine cuisine, you can’t fault the Burgundy region. Everyone knows it’s the premier region of the country for wine, and its food is excellent as well – amongst the best produce of the region are the Charolais beef, fine cheeses, splendid mushrooms and truffles, and some very moreish chocolate!
Skiers
Skiing fanatics won’t be surprised by this revelation – the Three Valleys is clearly the best region in France for ski lovers. A massive 600km of ski slopes, 200 ski lifts and 8 ski resorts ensure that this will keep you coming back for luxury holidays in France for years to come, if hurtling down an icy slope attached to two planks is your idea of a good time…
Beach Lovers
France is blessed with many outstanding beaches, so narrowing it down to one region was always going to be tricky. That said, in terms of quality, quantity and variety the Cote d’Azur wins hands down for me. The pick of the lot is Plage Port Grimaud, an outstanding picturesque beach with visitors from every section of society enjoying the sands. Nearby, you have great variety – from those where clothes are optional (Plage de Tahiti) to the ones with beachside playgrounds that children will love (Plage de la Bouillabaisse, Plage des Jumeaux).
Walkers and Cyclists
While experienced cyclists may prefer to pay homage to the yellow jersey and head to the French Alps, you can’t go wrong with a hotel in France’s Provence region. It has everything which those who love exploring the outdoors need – lovely weather, stunning scenery and nice, empty roads. Novices will want to explore the Luberon’s hilltop villages, while experts will find the intimidating Mont Ventoux a real challenge. Wrap up each trek with some charming food and excellent local wine and you’re really onto a winner.
Romantics
A hotel in France is amongst the most romantic places to mark that anniversary or make the most of that special weekend. While there are great spots for honeymooners and romantics all over the country, my first instincts would be to recommend not the bustle of Paris, but the understated charm of the Loire Valley. The glorious countryside is littered with charming castles, the food and wine is exceptional, and the whole peaceful mood is just designed for romance. Some of the chateaux’s have actually been converted to hotels – can you imagine anything more suited to a honeymoon?
Culture Vultures
Of course for culture, you cannot recommend anywhere but Paris. True, there are museums, galleries and historical points of interest all over France, but nowhere do you find such a high density as in the capital. Of course, the guide books will tell you to visit the Louvre and the Pompidou Centre, but there are literally hundreds of monuments, museums, galleries and cultural sights for those with the stamina. For culture vultures on holiday in France, there really is no better choice.
Of course most people will want to mix and match their interests, but with many of these in easy reach, a day trip is never too far away…
Monday 4 October 2010
Pyrenees and Geology
You cannot accuse of us of not catering for minority interests! Here, I have to admit that I took a degree in Geology many moons ago (although a pinhead in Geologucal time) so I might be biased.
Raimon Pallàs et al., Depto. Geodinamica i Geofisica, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain. Pages 891-894.
The Pyrenees form a mountain range in western Europe that links the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Because they are highly sensitive to variability in the North Atlantic atmosphere-ocean circulation system, the Pyrenees are ideally located for retrieving valuable climatic information of the past. However, the age of Pyrenean glacier fluctuations is not well established. A combination of dating methods suggests a long period of maximum and near-maximum ice extent ranging from more than 30,000 to 20,000 years ago. However, this interpretation is challenged by ecological reconstructions based on pollen-bearing lake sediments that indicate increased aridity in the Mediterranean region during the global Last Glacial Maximum (the period between 23,000 and 19,000 years ago). Raimon Pallas of the University of Barcelona and colleagues showcase the potential of small, isolated, low-gradient glacial catchments to improve the chronology of peak glacial fluctuations using specific isotopes that accumulate at Earths surface under the effect of cosmic radiation. Focusing on a small catchment in the southeastern Pyrenees, they present a new data set that introduces unprecedented coherence to the Pyrenean chronology while also narrowing discrepancies between glacial and ecological reconstructions in the Mediterranean region.
Friday 1 October 2010
Gout: Know What It Is And What You Can Do About It
How does 35 TONNES of grapes go missing?
Mind bending? This story is true .... !!!
Thieves harvested an entire crop of prime cabernet sauvignon grapes in a "wine mafia" raid.
The gangsters stole 35 tonnes of the ripened fruit from a vineyard in the South of France.
Two harvesting machines were driven on to the site in the middle of the night to collect the top-quality red wine grapes, which the owner had spent a year cultivating.
The crop has a raw value of only about £15,000 but could be used to make some of the world's finest wine.
Police said: "These are some of the best grapes in France, and we fear a wine mafia gang has stolen them. We are undoubtedly dealing with the kind of upmarket criminals who steal old master paintings and antiques to order."
Officers believe a Russian gangster could be behind the raid that has left the owner of the vineyard, near Sauvian in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, facing financial ruin.