Online dictionary of France travel and tourism: tourist resort

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Avignon

French words: Avignon
keywords: human heritage , southern france , tourist resort , town
related topics: Pope palace , Avignon bridge
related web sites: http://www.ot-avignon.fr , http://www.avignon.fr , http://www.festival-avignon.com , http://www.avignon-tourisme.com
explanation: Located in southern France on the bank of Rhone river, Avignon had been a small town in the shadow of other big Roman cities like Orange, Arles and Nimes nearby. In 737, Charles Martel destroyed Avignon because it had supported Saracens while in 1226 by Louis VIII because of Catharism. Avignon seizes a chance when the pontificate moved there in 1309. Enlisted to human heritage since 1995, Avignon is the capital of Vaucluse prefecture and the population 86000. It organizes "Festival of Avignon" each summer.

Avignon bridge

French words: Pont d'Avignon , Pont Saint-Benézet
alternative words: Pont d'Avignon, Saint Benezet bridge
keywords: human heritage , southern france , tourist resort
related topics: Avignon
related web sites: http://www.avignon.fr/fr/culture/musees/pont.php , http://www.romanes.com/Avignon/SaintBenezet/ , http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/avignon/monuments/stBenezet/
explanation: Though there had existed already a Roman bridge over the Rhone at Avignon, after its disappearance, there was no more bridge between Lyon and Mediterranean Sea In order to remedy this situation, Saint Benezet collected donations to build a new one. This bridge, achieved in 1185 had 22 arches and 4m width, not enough to dance in circle contrary to a popular song. It was destroyed in 1226 during a crusade against Cathars by King Louis VIII, but soon replaced by another with Saint Nicolas Chapel over deck.

Azay-le-rideau castle

French words: Château d'Azay-le-Rideau
alternative words: Château d'Azay-le-Rideau, Azay-le-Rideau
keywords: castle , human heritage , loire region , tourist resort
related topics: Tours
related web sites: http://www.linternaute.com/sortir/chateaux-loire/7.shtml , http://www.loire-france.com/visites/chateaux/azay-le-rideau/ , http://www.casteland.com/pfr/chateau/centre/indreloire/azay/azay_hist.htm
explanation: There had existed already a medieval castle on an islet inside Indre, tributary of Loire, since 11th century, but the crown prince (future Charles VII) being insulted by the garrison of the castle in 1418, he ordered to burn it out. Later, King's treasurer and Tours' mayor, Gilles Berthelot, began to build a new castle in 1518, inspired by Blois castle. Though, Gilles, being accused of a fraud, couldn't add the eastern wing, its stairwell is one of the master pieces among French renaissance style castles.

Barbizon

French words: Barbizon , Ecole de Barbizon
alternative words: School of Barbizon, Barbizon school
keywords: museum , tourist resort , town
related web sites: http://www.barbizon-france.com , http://www.artcult.com/barbi.htm
explanation: Tiny village located 60km southeast of Paris near Fontainebleau forest, has got fame as "School of Barbizon" when many impressionist painters such as Corot, Rousseau, Millet and Daubigny settled there during 19th century. In fact, since French revolution of 1789 had condemned the main painting subject of that epoch, like portrays of rich people or mythological sceneries, man tried to draw ordinary people working in the nature. The atelier of Jean-Francois Millet who painted "The Gleaners" is now a museum.

Beaujolais

French words: Beaujolais
keywords: bourgogne , tourist resort , wine
related topics: Lyon
related web sites: http://www.beaujolais.net , http://www.vins-du-beaujolais.com , http://www.beaujeu.com
explanation: Located northwest of Lyon in south Bourgogne, Beaujolais is a reputed region for its vineyard. Beaujolais wines are divided into 4 categories. Beaujolais: classic Beaujolais wine (3/4 of the production). Beaujolais villages: classic Beaujolais wine but only 38 villages bear this name (1/4 of the production). Crus du Beaujolais: the best Beaujolais vintage and only 10 villages bear this name. Beaujolais nouveau: wine consumed cold in first November without reaching a maturity (1/3 of the first 2 categories).

Beaune Hospice

French words: Hospices de Beaune
alternative words: Hospice de Beaune, Hospice of Beaune, Hospices de Beaune
keywords: bourgogne , museum , tourist resort , wine
related topics: Dijon
related web sites: http://www.ot-beaune.fr , http://www.hospices-de-beaune.com , http://beaune.free.fr
explanation: Located at Beaune, in 40 km south of Dijon, the hospice of Beaune was founded in 1443 by the chancellor of Burgundy, Nicolas Rolin as a charity running hospital. The hospice had continued to receive patients until 1971 when a new hospital was built. "Hospices de Beaune", covered with polychrome tiles, stocks also about 5000 art collections, most of them offered as a donation. Each November, the hospice of Beaune organizes a charity auction of wines coming from its prestigious vintage, covering 60 hectares.

Beauvais Cathedral

French words: Cathédrale de Beauvais
alternative words: Cathedral of Beauvais, Beauvais
keywords: church , paris suburb , tourist resort
related web sites: http://architecture.relig.free.fr/bvs1.htm
explanation: In 1225, the bishop of Beauvais, Milon de Nanteuil decided to build the largest cathedral of the world by replacing the old Roman style church destroyed by a fire. After a collapse of the vault in 1284, supplementary props were added but soon the construction halted due to 100 year war. After a collapse of the central spire of 153m high in 1573, the ambitious construction plan was given up. Located 60 km north of Paris, Cathedral of Beauvais impresses tourists by gigantism in spite of repeated misfortunes.

Beziers

French words: Béziers
keywords: human heritage , southern france , tourist resort , town , wine
related topics: Canal du midi
related web sites: http://www.ville-beziers.fr , http://www.beziers-tourisme.fr
explanation: Located in southern France on the bank of Orb river, Beziers had been inhabited by Greeks in 5th century BC. Romans built a new colony named Baeterrae in 36-35 BC and its wine already exported to Rome. After a chaos of the end of Roman empire, Beziers was invaded by Saracens in 8th century. In 1209, as a stronghold of Cathars, the inhabitants of Beziers were massacred by Albigensian Crusade. The bridge of "Canal du midi" crossing over Orb river nearby belongs to the human heritage. Its population 80,000.

Biarritz

French words: Biarritz
keywords: sea , tourist resort , town
related web sites: http://www.ville-biarritz.fr , http://www.biarritzsurffestival.com
explanation: Located on the Biscay bay cost and near Spain frontier, Biarritz had been a tiny whaling village during the middle ages. But slowly people began to bath on the beach of Biarritz by the recommendation of doctors, first, inhabitants of Bayonne nearby, then the celebrity such as Victor Hugo in 1843 and Empress Eugenie Napoleon in 1854 followed by British royal family. The casino opened in 1901 and the first class beach fit for wave surfing make Biarritz an attractive tourist spot. Its population is 30,000.

Blois castle

French words: Château de Blois
alternative words: Blois, Château de Blois
keywords: castle , human heritage , loire region , tourist resort
related web sites: http://www-02.ville-blois.fr , http://www.casteland.com/puk/castle/centre/loir_cher/blois/blois_desc.htm
explanation: Located at the hill which commands Blois on the northern bank of Loire river, there had existed already a medieval castle since Carolingian period, but only the Chamber of the Estates General in the north and the tower of Foix in the south remain until today. The real expansion of the castle started when King Louis XII installed his court there in 1498 and added a renaissance flavour to it. The next king, Francois 1st transformed it to a full renaissance style castle with a magnificent spiral stairwell.

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104 articles extracted from postgresql database.