Europe Travel Guide

The Pheonix Parc Floral is one of the Vast tourist attraction. Its a cross between botanical gardens, a bird and inject zoo and a tactid theme park Automad dinosaurs and Moch Mayan temples along with Alpine strems ginkgo trees butterflies fluttering arround is wonderul but the assumption that the world’s Fauna and Flora is yours to admire may make you feel a bit uneasy. Don’t miss to make the trip out to the Park is Nice’s newest Museum the Musee Departmental des Artes Asiatilves – Daily except Tue : May :Sept : 10.00am-06.00 pm rest or year 10.00 am-05.00 pm, 35F 15.34, designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tango. It includes a collection of Enthno graphic ardefacts including silk goods and Pottery as well as traditional and contemporary art.

Asterix located in a heart of protected forest 35 km north of paris the park takes visitors on a humorous journey through ancient Gaul, the Roman empire and the middle ages to the 21st centurey. It opened in 1987 is a giant theme park based on the adventuire of the populr cartoon character. Visitors can meet the Gavis of Prehistoric times step back in time to le Moyon Age travel through Rome and Ancient grece abd shake hands with the three musketeers. Three around 30 permanent rides at the park as well as regular shows to entertain visitor. Highlights include the Tonnere de zeus rolle-coaster the main Basse sur ia Jcoconde suspense show to steal the Mona Lisa and theatre do Posei don Sea lion and dolphin dispaly. New for 2001 is the Le Trace du Hourr against slide which is 850 m long and 31 m high.

Futuroscope located just outside Poitiers in western Francea, is a giant 53 hectare-theme park-131 acres with a difference with 3-D cinemas giant screens and interactive attractions, the park offers visitors numerous exihibits and shows using the latest audio-visual technologies. This park which was opened in 1987, features futuristic architecture including silver spheres and crystal cubes had more than 20 hightech attrations. These include Lesalido cinema and Le Tapis Magique-flying carpet attraction lovated in a cathedral like structure allowing visitors to watch natural delights pass before their eyes in a giant audiovisual display a Particular highlight is chance to watch to 3000 km (1304 mile) jouney undertaken by Monarch butterflies migrating from canada to Mexico.

Villandry is an elegant Castle from the Renaissance Period, originally a feudal stronghold stood on the spot where Philip Augustus King of France and Henry II Pantagenet kint of England met on July 4, 1189, there contrast were arbitrated in the medeival tower that still stands in the southwest corner of the castle. Phillip Augustus worn out and his victory was then sanctioned by the Peace of Azay. A few centuries later the manor became the Property of Jean le Breton President of the Blois exchequer. The two large L-shaped wings contain typically Ranaissance elements borrowed from Palace built at the beginning of the 16th century. Large windows framed by Pilasters with capitals in classic style horozontal moldings large dormer windows decorated by superstructures with pediments and volvtes.

Versaille’s palaces was the official residence of the Kings of France from 1682 untill 1790. It was originally a hunging lodge built in 1624 by Louis XIII. It was expanded by Louis XIV beginning in 1669. He used it as a little lodge as a secret refuge for his amorous trysts with the lovely lovise de la vallira and built a fairy tale park around it. Jules Hardouin Mansart the King’s Princiapal architect drew the plans to enlarge what was tunning more and more into a Palace from A thousand and one nights. The terrace that over tooked the gardens was removed to make way for the magnificient hall of mirrors, the galarie de giaces. It is here from which the king radiated his power and where the destiny of Europe was decided over a century. The French classical architecture was complemented by extensive gardens.

Lemond-saint Michel, rochy cone shpaed islet in the gulf of saint Mclo connected by a Causeway with the mainland. The islet clebrated for its Benecitine abbey has small housed and shops on its lowest level, The monstic buildings many of which date from the 13th century and are considered outstanding examples of gothic architecture. The entire islet is crowned by the abbey church about 73 m above sea level. The Archangel Michel appeared here in the year 708, The Abbdy takes the name of mont saint Michel.

Fontainebleau was one of the Privileged residences of the Sovereigns who ruled France. The love of the hunt made it into all of its occupants head their hearst set on improving it through new decorations. After that it results in the present protusion of courty arts and buildings with different decorative and architectural styles. Almost eight centuries of French history was affected by this chateau from 1137, The years of the coronation of Louis VII to the fall of the second Empire in 1870.

Chinon chateau was built for the first time in stone in 954 by theobald I, comte de Blois on a steep Plateau. The stronghold has replaced a lighter wooden structure, the passed to the rival comte d’Anjou Geoffroy Martel in 1044. The comte d’Anjou was the first to join the walls of the original defensive structures as well as adding towrs and the chapel of St. Melanie. The far east wing was added by Henry II Plantagenet until 1205 he and his descendants continued construction work adding the frotress to the east and the internal Chapel, the mill tower and the numerous reinforcement towers.

The chateau of chambord in one fo the loveliest Ranaissance buildings in the valley of the Loire. Chambord, chateau Park and village in the department of Loire-et-cher in central France. The chateau of chambord was a retreat for French Kings especially Lounis XIV it was under his auspices that French dramatist mollere’s Monsieur de Pourceaugnac and Le bourgeois gentllhomme were first produced there. Building of the chateau was begun by Francis I in 1549 and was completed in 1547. Florentine artist Leonardo de Vinci paid a short visit to the building during its construction and added a few embelli shments to it. The Structure containing 440 rooms, 365 fireplace, 13 great staircases and stables to accomodate 1200 horses stands in a Park surrounded by a wall of 22 miles in circumference 1800 main worked on the chateau.

The old city of Carcasssone was built by the Romans and occupied by the Visigoths in the fifth century. Carcassone is located on a strategic site overlooking the main road between the city of Toulouse and the Mediterranean sea. Carcassone was ruled by the Trencava family early in the 13th century, the city was conquered by northern French forces. The walled form of Carcassone is roughly rectangular in shape up to 525 meters long and 250 m wide. It is surrounded by its medieval double enclousure wall the inner curtain is 1245 m length with 29 towers while the outer has 18 towers and is 1320 m long. The inner wall started by the visigoths and Roman foundation and added to by King Louis IX in the 1240s contains seventeen towers and barbicans. In the 12th century the building was described as a Palace but it was transformed into a genuine fortress when the earlist enclosure wall was consolidated and the second ramiart built. Three curtain walls were built to the south east and north of the palace proceded by a more and flanked by six round towers with the same characteristics as those of the outer wall battered bases superimposed rib-vaulted chambers and stirrup-shaped loop holes. The walls were restored by the Frank architect viollet-le-Duc in the mid-19th century.