View from the Back
Ramblings of a retiree in France
Category: Europe
Sights Tourists Often Miss in Nice
Nice, on the French Riviera, is one of France’s most-visited cities after Paris, but there’s a whole lot more to it than the beach and the Promenade des Anglais. Here’s what many visitors miss! 1. Villa Les Palmiers When Nice voted to join… Continue Reading “Sights Tourists Often Miss in Nice”
Porto’s Tiled Buildings
Something that makes Porto unique is its tiled facades and walls which are everywhere, from iconic buildings to train stations. Most churches are embellished with blue and white tiles showing specific parts of Portuguese life or loral themes. How it all began The history… Continue Reading “Porto’s Tiled Buildings”
History of Porto
Porto’s history goes back further than many other European cities, as there are Palaeolithic rock drawings and other archaeological findings indicating homo sapiens was present more than 20 thousand years ago in an area between the Alto Douro Wine Region and Vale do Côa.… Continue Reading “History of Porto”
Postcard from Porto: Part II
Built across hills that drop sharply to the banks of the Douro River, Porto showcases its attractions at every turn — from hilltop viewpoints to cast-iron bridges, waterside promenades and the boats that skim across to its south-bank twin city, Vila Nova de Gaia.… Continue Reading “Postcard from Porto: Part II”
Postcard from Porto: Part I
When I received an email late last year from EasyJet telling me the expiry date of my vouchers for Covid-cancelled flights to Bordeaux and Barcelona had been extended, my beloved elected to visit Porto in March and Mallorca in April. Neither of us has… Continue Reading “Postcard from Porto: Part I”
Trip to the only Chateau in Paris
After my brief incursion into the Basque Country, in spirit if not in the flesh, it’s back to my most recent trip to Paris and the continuation of my objective of visiting all its 5* hotels, at least once. We popped into this one… Continue Reading “Trip to the only Chateau in Paris”
Welcome back
One of our favourite watering (and brunching) holes in Cannes recently re-opened and we couldn’t be more delighted with the result. The Carlton Intercontinental Hotel in Cannes is one of France’s most famous hotels. Built at the turn of 20th century, it has a… Continue Reading “Welcome back”
Trip to Le Meurice
While in Paris, we popped into the hotel Le Meurice to shelter from the rain, use its facilities and enjoy an afternoon cup of tea. The hotel is a Brunei-owned five-star luxury hotel in the 1st arrondissement of Paris opposite the Tuileries Garden, between Place… Continue Reading “Trip to Le Meurice”
Living the Dream
Before we lunched at the LVMH-owned Le Cheval Blanc we investigated what was going on at another LVMH building opposite. Over its 160-year history, the Louis Vuitton monogram has adorned everything from dumbbells and bikes, to coffee cups and popcorn boxes. But it’s only in… Continue Reading “Living the Dream”
[Another] Trip to Fondation Louis Vuitton
When I told someone I was going to the Fondation Louis Vuitton, they questioned why I was going again. I told them I was going to see a new exhibition! We had booked tickets for opening and made use of the Fondation’s shuttle bus… Continue Reading “[Another] Trip to Fondation Louis Vuitton”
View from the Back 