Countryside and Windfarms
by tiabunna
This photo was taken from the TGV, enroute to Tours, as we flashed through what appeared to be wheatfields. Coming from Australia, where ongoing droughts have left much of the country very brown, it was fascinating to see how insanely green was the French countryside.
Equally as interesting was to see the rows of wind generators, quietly generating electricity in their Quixotic way. I found myself wondering if these also had generated as much debate and discussion as happens in Australia whenever there is a proposal to erect a windfarm!
Chateau de Chenonceau
by K1W1
This place is like it has been created from a fairytale. The castle, moat and grounds are in impeccable condition and it would rate as one of the most impressive castles I've seen in Europe. I would love to have seen it at night with the flood lights on it. It took just under an hour and a half to reach by bike from Tours and was easy to find.
Origines of the Verdon.
by rachel_sun
The Verdon river starts at a height of 2150m in the Sestriere Massif near Allos Pass.Down to the valleys,the water it stopped by the hydrolic dams of Castillon and Chaudanne.Then once released again,it rushes into the gorges that has with years eroded Jurassic limestone.
The most breath taking part is between Castellane and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie,where the water has eroded a beautiful huge canyon,which is unique in Europe.
TOURS!
by mallyak
"Where pure french is spoken"
Tours is a city in France, the préfecture (capital city) of the Indre-et-Loire département, on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection (as perceived by some speakers) of its local spoken French, and for the famous Battle of Tours in 732. It is also the site of the cycling race Paris-Tours. Tours is the largest city in the Centre region of France, although it is not the regional capital, which resides in its second-largest city of Orléans. In 2006, the city itself had 142,000 inhabitants and the metropolitan area had 297,631.
The inhabitants of Tours (Tourangeau) are renowned for speaking the "purest" form of French in the entire country. The pronunciation of Touraine is widely regarded as the most standard pronunciation of the French language, devoid of any perceived accent (unlike that of most other regions of France, including Paris). Gregory of Tours wrote in the 6th century that some people in his area could still speak Gaulish.
France. The dordogne
by larry_lamb
"The river of life"
I have jist returned from the Dordogne valley. What an amazing place. Medieval villages built into the face of cliffs following the banks of the Dordogne river. History abounds in these places. Apart from the tourists who flock to see them life goes on much as it has for who knows how many years. Places like Rocamadour,
Le Roque Cageac, Beynac, Domme, Sarlat.I stayed in a village called Carennac. Beautiful. Dating back to the 11th Century. You have to see these places to believe it. Next time you re in France give it a try.
Tours, typical house
The Flamboyant Gothic facade of Tours Cathedral
Tours - Old Town - Basilique St-Martin
Gare de Tours
