F R A N C E
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Cannes - Courchevel - Nice - Paris - Toulouse
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Nice, the capital of the Côte d'Azur, is not 'nice' - what an insult! Nice is a sparky, sexy city, with a gritty underside that keeps it grounded. If Nice were a person, it would wear designer cocktail dresses with old army boots, cause lots of trouble and be livid about that insipid adjective.
Nice's beaches are pebbly. On the other hand there are a lot of them, and most are free, warm and clean as a whistle. The city itself is brash and bold (there's no such thing as being too old to wear a bikini) and enormously popular, so if you're looking for a place of serenity and Zen-like peace... move on.
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Courchevel is the name of a ski area located in the Savoie region of the French Alps, and part of Les Trois Vallées, the largest linked ski area in the world. The original resort was planned during the Second World War with a study in 1942 by the Vichy regime and in a doctorate by the town planner Laurent Chappis. Chappis was a natural choice to direct the development of the resort in the immediate post war years. Courchevel 1850 was significant as it was the first resort in France to be constructed from scratch rather than based around an existing village. It therefore served as an open air laboratory of ideas.
Courchevel refers to the towns of Courchevel 1300 (Le Praz), Courchevel 1550 (the original Courchevel), Courchevel 1650 (Moriond), and Courchevel 1850, which are named for their altitudes in metres. The highest point in Courchevel 1850 is in fact only 1747 meters[1], the name was chosen for marketing reasons to compete with arch rivals Val d'Isère. The Courchevel valley also includes the town of La Tania, built as competitors accommodation for the 1992 Albertville Olympics. Le Praz hosted the Olympic ski jump in that year.
Courchevel's airport also has a certain degree of infamy in the aviation industry as home to one of the shortest runways in the world, with a length of 525 metres and a gradient of 18.5% in order to help slow landing aircraft.
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(Click to got back up the page)
Nice, the capital of the Côte d'Azur, is not 'nice' - what an insult! Nice is a sparky, sexy city, with a gritty underside that keeps it grounded. If Nice were a person, it would wear designer cocktail dresses with old army boots, cause lots of trouble and be livid about that insipid adjective.
Nice's beaches are pebbly. On the other hand there are a lot of them, and most are free, warm and clean as a whistle. The city itself is brash and bold (there's no such thing as being too old to wear a bikini) and enormously popular, so if you're looking for a place of serenity and Zen-like peace... move on.
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Paris stimulates the senses, demanding to be seen, heard, touched, tasted and smelt. From romance along the Seine to landscapes on bus-sized canvases to the pick-an-ism types in cafes monologuing on the use of garlic or the finer points of Jerry Lewis, Paris is the essence of all things French.
Gaze rapturously at its breezy boulevards, impressive monuments, great works of art and magic lights. Savour its gourmet selection of cheese, chocolate, wine and seafood. Feel the wind in your face as you rollerblade through Bastille, or a frisson of fear and pleasure atop the Eiffel Tower.
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Toulouse has an extremely rich and unique culture that goes back thousands of years. Aside from the French aspect of their culture, they also have roots with Roman and Visigoth rulers. Toulouse is known as the "Pink City" because of its brick buildings that are found all throughout the city. Still, there are other designs as well. There are some Roman influences, as well as older buildings that build off of the influences of the Renaissance. Toulouse is also a city that has extreme artistic and musical roots. Ever since the Romans were in control, Toulouse was an intellectual hub. Artisans and skilled workmen have been coming to this city for thousands of years, and because of this, it is a center of intellectual grown and progression. This is party why so many intellegent people have come out of the city, and why the city has been the home of many aeronautical pioneers. Toulouse also has a big passion with rugby. Rugby is a huge sport in the city, and the city team has won many championships which the locals are very proud of. Soccer, or football, is also a very big deal and a huge part of the culture. Of course, the locals are also proud of their French traditions and heritage. They love their food and wine, and they are eager to show you how good it is.
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