Experience a night in an Igloo

If you are looking for original and exciting experiences during your ski vacation, here is one of them. For a romantic night or a unique moment shared with friends, bring a warm sleeping bag and come discover your minimal Inuit home made up of snow and blocks of ice. At 2000-2300 meters high, your room won’t be warmer than 3°C but you will wake up in the middle of an immaculate white landcape and feel very far away from the agitated ski resort down in the valley. Don’t wait and go enjoy the quiet and untouched magnificence of the mountain. A restaurant is usually set nearby the igloo village for dinner and breakfast.




A few Igloo villages are set this winter in different locations in the Alps and the Pyrenees.

• Orcières: At the Williwaw Village (around 10 igloos) where you can enjoy dog sledding as well with Alpi-traineaux: 44Ph.desmurger@orange.fr, phone +33 (0)6 60 68 32.
  
• Valmorel: The Kanata Village is located at the top of the ski lift Bois de la Croix. 20 euro/pers for the night with breakfast. Booking a table at the restaurant is highly recommended. cs.kanata@wanadoo.fr, phone: +33 (0)6 22 32 24 61.
  
• Le Sauze: Until March, 31st, 5 to 7 igloos are waiting for you at the top of the Dôme chairlift in the Kanata village. 90 euro/pers includes dinner and the night in the igloo. Ecole d'aventure, phone : +33 (0)4 92 81 29 97.
  
• Iglu Hotel offers igloo accommodation with bars, restaurants, sauna and Jacuzzi in Switzerland, Germany and Andorra with different packages possible. Standard igloo stay starts at 99 euro/pers for the night including dinner, breakfast, sleeping bags, mattress, sauna and Jacuzzi access. info@iglu-dorf.com, +41 (0)4 16 12 27 28.

Tours, the city in the heart of the Renaissance Chateaux valley

Royal Chateaux, elegant French gardens, vignards and relaxing biking rides along the Loire River are some of the attractions the Loire valley offers to the visitors. The main city of the area is Tours and capital of Touraine region, home of many French royal families since the 10th century. Centrally located, Tours is a few steps from the mains most famous Renaissance Castles that participated to the splendor of this exceptional French Culture landscape that is since 2000 declared World Heritage by UNESCO.

This post focuses on the city itself and its cultural value. Indeed, tours was a major site of medieval and renaissance history and has kept in very good shape traces of its glorious past that you can discover visiting the old town.

Take the narrow streets and enjoy the enchanting 15th and 16th centuriy private houses that accompany you to the splendid Plumereau square where terraces of cafés and restaurants pop up on sunny days. On the side of the square Plumereau, there is a passageway to another charming square: Place Saint-Pierre-le-Puellier. The street Briconnet is particularly interesting in term of old architecture. Five minutes’ walk north from the square Plumereau, there are two interesting monuments: The Basilica Saint-Martin and the Tower Charlemagne.

Don’t miss the remarkable Cathedral Saint-Gatien. The cathedral sits on the east side of the city center. The edification of the cathedral sarted in 1170 and finishes with the eriction of the towers in 1547. It is an exemple of roman, gothic and renaissance architecture. The building is famous for its fantastic glass windows.


A walk around the building is very nice with the square Grégoire-de-Tours and the garden of the museum of art.





Most of the restaurants of the city are located around the square Plumereau and on the street Colbert.

My suggestions are:
Charles Barrier (one Star on the Michelin Red Guide, 101, av. Tranchée),
L’Atelier Gourmand (37, rue Etienne Marcel),
La Deuvalière (18, rue de la Monnaie),
le Rococo restaurant (14, Rue de la Grosse Tour),
Les linottes gourmandes (22, rue Georges Courteline),
L’escabeau (crepes only, 23, Rue de la Monnaie),
Le Timbre Poste (crepes only, 12, Rue Châteauneuf).

The city is very pleasant to walk but the bus system is also very well developed. The city tourism office in collaboration with private tour companies organizes very interesting day or half-day tours to visit the surrounding Chateaux, gardens, and vinyards (Prices are per person for minibus transportation, lunch and entrance fees for monuments not included).

• Vinyards visit and wine tasting: half-day tours for 35 and 45 euros per person.
  
• Visits of castles: Half-day tours start from 18 euro per person, full day tours start from 43 euro per person.


• In addition, air balloon rides over the castles start from 200 euro per person.

Aix en Provence

When we think about Provence, we see Lavender fields, picturesque villages, and healthy meals taken with a glass of wine in a sunny and colorful garden….but do not forget the Provencal cities.




My favorite by far is Aix-en-Provence, Founded in 122 B.C. by the Romans. The city has seen Paul Cezanne becoming one of the most influent impressionist painters of the 19th century. More elegant than Avignon, Aix-en-Provence is ideal if you love discovering Provencal architecture by walking in shaded ancient streets mostly pedestrians.
Starting from « rue cardinal » and passing by « Place Forbin », you meet typical Provencal buildings and fountains. The old city, from « rue fabrot », is extremely pleasant with charming streets and shops, squares and terraces, all calling you for a fresh drink in one of the most romantic and historical sights of France. Do not miss the « Place Richelme » with its big plane trees and the ancient grain storage center (la Halle aux grains). Guided visits of the old city organized every Saturdays (and Tuesday from April till October) in English.


Another exciting moment is simply the weekly street markets on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The antiques and flea markets are located at the Place Verdun. You will find the flower market at the “Place de l'Hôtel de Ville ». Place Richelme sees the Provencal market and finally the food market is Place de la Madeleine.
Aix is also well known for art and culture events. In July, the city holds an International festival with opera performances in the courtyard of the archiepiscopal palace, the Cathedral of St Sauveur or other castles and abbeys.




My favorite accomodation: Hotel Pigonnet, Hotel Le Mas d’Entremont, B&B Pavillon de la Torse , B&B Le Clos des Freres Gris


A restaurant to try: La Tomate Verte

• Tips and advice: Promotional offer from November to March 2 hotel nights for the price of 1 in selected hotels.