All in all, the Loire Valley offers everything the travelling golfer requires.The Loire valley area in France offers great accommodation at a reasonable price, lots of things to see and do and, of course, a multitude of superb courses. This region has been providing a temporary home for golfers from the United Kingdom for the past few years.

It is a stunning area and one that definitely deserves special attention for any budding photographers out there. One of the Loire Valley’s major attractions is that usually an impressive, majestic chateau overlooks the golf chateau course.

As its names suggests, Chateau de Cheverny is a grand setting for a day’s golf. The course was designed in 1989 and is located among 350 acres of stunning woodland, lakes and open countryside for a quite magnificent experience. Tourraine is another beautiful course. Although short, its raised small greens make approach shots extremely tough while various natural hazards keep you on your guard at all times. Ardree, a rolling parkland with natural lakes, is dominated by a turreted 16th century chateau that is awaiting development.

Les Aisses is another of those European style courses where you can choose from three loops of nine to form your round. Chateau des Sept Tours and Limere Orleans are also not to be missed.

The finest golf course in the area, however, is Les Bordes, consistently ranked in the top five of France’s best courses. The golf course is thoroughly deserving of its secluded location not far from Chateau Chambord and a work of art. In terms of cost and convenience, Les Bordes is eminently achievable and should rank high on your itinerary.

Built at the behest of the industrial magnate Baron Marcel Bich (of the Bic empire) and his Japanese trading partner, Mr Yoshiaki Sakurai, Les Bordes was originally dreamt up as a private club for their own pleasure and that of their friends. Leading architect Robert von Hagge was drafted in and handed a simple but determined brief “to create a golf course that would prepare French golfers to play the finest courses in the world without being intimidated”.

Construction commenced in 1984 and, with money no object – a useful clause in anyone’s contract. Von Hagge’s creation is today the centrepiece of a course that enjoys to the full its charmed position in the Sologne, the ancient lake-studded forest at the heart of the Loire Valley.

In accordance with the owner’s wishes, scrupulous care was taken to minimise disruption to the surroundings, and what was once Bich’s hunting domaine has been blessed with a course that has been ranked as one of the finest – and toughest – in Europe. Best of all, the place retains an air of privilege and privacy, but is without the tiresome airs and graces that can so often put you off a destination.

The risk-reward element is very much the name of the game at Les Bordes, and though the course does open up a good bit on the homeward nine, your ball-striking is tested even more thoroughly, with the slightest errors multiplied the further back you choose to play. Jean van de Velde’s course record of 71 gives you some idea of just how demanding the course is, not that the difficulty should in any way put you off playing here.

Les Bordes is one of only two courses in Continental Europe to enjoy the highest rating in the Peugot Golf Guide to 1000 European courses.

We run a luxury chateau in the Loire Valley ideal for visiting vineyards, castles and perfectly located to play on all these golf castle courses. It is a great venue for visiting many fine golf castle courses.

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A Wonderful Golf Holiday In The Spectacular Loire Valley In France

The King encouraged discussion, experimentation and much thought at Clos Luce. In this pretty chateau, he happily continued to paint, sketch, and work as an engineer, architect, and festival organizer for the court. Francois I found great pleasure in listening to Leonardo.

Da Vinci arrived at Amboise over 60 years old with his disciple da Melzi and three paintings, Saint Anne, Saint John the Baptist which he finished at Clos Luce and the Mona Lisa.

In a corner of the basement is an entrance to the underground passage connecting Chateau Amboise with Clos Luce, giving Francois I a direct link to the Leonardo’s home.

The chateau is open to tourists every day of the year except Christmas Day and New Years Day.

It is situated on a quiet back street of Amboise, a town south of the Loire River between Tours and Blois about 2 hours from Paris by train. The village street has troglodyte houses opposite built into the limestone cliff face.

Da Vinci’s chateau is not large, but it is warm, inviting and personable. You get a sense of his life in the early 16th century as you wander unescorted throughout the sparsely decorated chateau. The chateau is surrounded by a magnificent treed park with a bubbling brook and peaceful pond with paddle boats available to hire. There is a small formal Renaissance garden in the courtyard behind the chateau with perfumed roses and clipped box hedges. It is peaceful, ideal for bird watching, conversation and quiet contemplation.

You can visit his study, salons, kitchen and bedrooms, the chapel and see frescoes painted by his pupils. Renaissance artifacts, paintings, tapestries, and furniture adorn the rooms which have high, timbered ceilings, huge fireplaces and well worn plank flooring.

There is a large four poster canopied bed in Leonardo’s bedroom swayed with gold and red fabric. Cherubs are carved into the dark wood on his bed.

It is most likely that the yellow salon bathed in light, functioned as studio space for Leonardo. It is probably here that he finished his painting of John the Baptist.

The kitchen has a huge fire big enough to spit-roast a wild boar whole. In winter Leonardo would have warmed himself beside this fire.

His paintings and drawings are set out in the park of the chateau with giant models of the most spectacular machines he invented with voice-overs of Leonardo da Vinci and his disciple Melzi.

Downstairs in the basement, 40 models made by IBM from Leonardo’s drawings are displayed. These military, naval, hydraulic, mechanical, and aeronautical inventions demonstrate his sheer genius. Many of these designs were envisioned centuries before they were first constructed. Devices such as swing bridges, a machine gun, a flying machine and an automobile all show sound principles of design.

“A well filled day gives a good sleep. A well filled life gives a peaceful death.” After only three years in Amboise, he died on May 2, 1519 and is buried in the Chapelle St. Hubert on the chateau’s grounds

We run Chateau du Guerinet a luxury french wedding castle in the Loire Valley near Blois. Our wedding castle is perfect for a fantastic french holiday with family and friends and for touring vineyards, historic chateaux and unwinding. It is also a fairytale castle wedding.

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Da Vinci’s Last Home – Chateau Of Clos Luce In France’s Glorious Loire Valley

A civil marriage is obligatory in France and religious ceremonies, which are optional, are not legally binding in any way and can only be performed after the civil ceremony. To be legal, a marriage in France needs to be performed by a French civil authority. In practice this means that the mayor or his legally authorized replacement performs the wedding.

A civil wedding in France requires legal procedures and advance planning, as well as a minimum stay of 4 weeks and blood tests to complete the necessary documentation prior to the wedding.

As this is usually difficult to comply with, many couples opt to have a legal wedding in their home country, before flying to France for a religious ceremony held at an amazing location like a fairytale chateau in the Loire Valley or in Paris and they then honeymoon in France. Either a religious or civil ceremony in France will offer you a romantic and picturesque setting for your special day.

For a civil ceremony there is a requirement of residency in France which one of the parties to be married must comply with. One of the parties must reside in the town or the arrondissement if in Paris, for the thirty days prior to the marriage. In addition to these thirty days, French law requires the publication of the marriage banns at City Hall for 10 days which makes a total residency requirement of 40 days before the ceremony can be scheduled to take place at City Hall.

Documents for a civil ceremony are as follows:
1. Birth certificate not from a hospital but from the official government Bureau for recording births like the Bureau of Vital Records in the United States of America.
2. A notarized “Affidavit of Law” (Certificat de Coutume), drawn up by an attorney in law licensed in the State of residence of the party, swearing:
- that this person is free to marry
- that the marriage to be performed in France will be recognized as valid in their home country
- and that publication of marriage banns is not required in their home country, neither under States nor Federal law.

3. In the case of previous marriages, a certified copy of the death certificate of the deceased spouse or a certified copy of the final divorce decree needs to be produced.

4. Prenuptial certificate of health issued not more than 2 months prior to the date of the marriage by a medical doctor after:
- serological tests for syphilis,
- serological tests to determine blood types and possibly the presence of irregular anti-bodies,
- and further for females also serological tests for rubella and toxoplasma.
It is possible to have all these tests done in France.

[spin]Regarding prenuptial agreements, if no special measures are taken by the parties with a French Notary or an attorney at law in the States, prior to the marriage, then the couple are considered married under the communaute reduite aux acquets. This means that what each party owns personally prior to the marriage, or whatever comes to them afterwards through inheritance, remains their own property. Only what is acquired during the marriage is owned equally by both parties.

|[/spin]In all cases, it is recommended that the couple contact the Marriage Bureau of City hall upon arrival in France as extra documents may be required, such as a residence affidavit. All the documents listed above must be translated into French for presentation to French officials. Translations can be done in the United States by a Translating Agency or by a certified translator in France. If the translations are done in America the translations as well as the original of the document must be presented to the French Consulate General for verification.

All foreign documents must be legalized prior to being presented in the French authorities. American documents can be legalized by obtaining the Apostille provided for by the Hague Convention which was signed by the United States on October 15, 1981. The apostille is usually obtained through the office of the Secretary of State of whatever state the document was issued in.

[spin]American citizens holding ordinary American passports are not required to obtain a visa for a trip to France as long as they do not stay longer than three months. The visa exemption does not apply to members of airline crews or to journalists no matter what the length of their stay. American citizens holding diplomatic or official passports must obtain a visa before going to France no matter what the length of their stay. Other foreign nationals must check with the visa section of the Consulate General of France.

|[/spin]As the legal requirements for getting married in France are detailed and may be reviewed or amended at any time, it is recommended that you engage a competent wedding planner if you wish to get married in France. Not only will she advise you on up-to-date legal requirements she can assist you with every little detail for your special day.

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What You And Your Fiance Need To Do To Tie The Knot In France The Land Of Romance

When she came with Louis de Breze to the court of Francois I, she found herself immersed in the wonderful Renaissance atmosphere that she loved. This was a time when France was discovering the new wonders of architecture and art brought back to France by Francois I from his travels in Italy, where, of course, the Renaissance was in full swing.

Her elderley husband died in 1531, but Diane remained at court. Whilst there she not surprisingly managed to catch the eye of young Henri who later became Henri II. Although she was in her 30s by then, and surrounded at court by many women who were much younger, she was considered to be one of the dazzling court beauties. Before Henri’s arranged marriage to Catherine de Medicis in 1533, Diane became his mistress. Henri was 14. Incidentally, at the time of the marriage, Catherine was herself something of a looker and she was 18 years younger than Diane.

Despite Henri seemed to try to shun Catherine as much as he could, continuing to pursue his interest in Diane. [Spin] |You might guess that [/spin]Catherine de Medicis did not take nicely to her husband’s pursuit of Diane, especially when Diane was officially acknowledged as his mistress three years after the marriage. The age dynamic added insult to injury, and things just seemed to go from bad to worse for Catherine.

As Henri’s wife, it was of course her duty to produce an heir (or better yet, several of them), preferably male, since, a daughter could not succeed to the throne in France. Catherine appeared to be incapable of fulfilling her duty in this respect. Of course, this failure may have had something to do with the fact that Henri seemed resolute to spend all his time, day AND night, with Diane.

Now this is where the story gets really good.Diane appreciated that there was no love lost between her and Catherine, of course, but she was also conscious that if Henri’s marriage were annulled because there was no heir, he might have to marry someone even less accommodating. Being something of a pragmatist, she made a deal with Catherine, agreeing that on some evenings Henri would spend a few hours in Diane’s bed, then go to Catherine’s for a while, then return to Diane’s bedchamber. We are told that Diane also gave Catherine some practical hints which we guess were not directed toward how she could cook a better pot roast.

Apparently this did the job, because the future Francois II was born in 1544, followed by the future Charles IX in 1550, and the future Henri III in 155l, plus several other children..

So Diane did not exactly marry a younger man. She did come close, managing to retain Henri’s interest and love until his demise in 1559. Although Diane did present an enduring distraction, Henri II managed to enjoy some other interests. One of them, unfortunately, was jousting.

Every so often, Henri would host a huge fete, which would customarily involve consuming copious amounts of wine, eating the French equivalent of a bar-be-que, and enjoying, as entertainment, a sort of recreation of a medieval tournament. Now this would have been fine, as long as the King just sat in the stands and barracked for his favorites. But that was not the sort of man Henri was.

One day, Henri, always the life of the party, mounted his horse and prepared to have a go at his opponent with what we believe were tipped lances. This did not turn out to be a good idea. Although the sport was aimed at simply knocking your opponent off his horse, something went wrong. Henri zigged when he should have zagged and the next thing he knew he had been nearly run through by a lance, which pierced deeply into his eye.

Henri should have known better than to intentionally expose himself to such danger, because there was really no able heir ready to succeed him. In spite of his heroic efforts to produce children by his wife Catherine de Medicis, not one of his sons was yet of age to assume the throne. This meant, of course, that when he succumbed to his injuries subsequent to the tournament in 1559, he left France in the hands of at least one minor children.

Soon a new king on the throne, Diane suddenly found herself persona non grata at court. Since Catherine de Medicis was now in a better position to exact her revenge, being the mother of the king instead of simply an out-of-favor wife, she began to pressure Diane to hand over one of the most important presents she had been given by Henri II – the castle of Chenonceau, something of a sore point between the two women.

Diane loved the castle of Chenonceau. In 1547 Henri II had made her a gift of the castle and in 1551, she had become the Duchess of Valentinois there. If the accounts are correct, she ran the castle with an iron but artistic hand, turning the already lovely area into a garden spot with plants and trees personally selected by her, including such exotic offerings as artichokes and melons. The balls and hunts given by her at Castle Chenonceau became legendary.

By 1552, Henri was spending most of his time, frequently without Catherine, at Chenonceau. It was probably expected that Catherine would want Chenonceau returned if anything untoward ever happened to the man in both women’s lives. But when Henri died, Catherine discovered that Henri had not simply given Diane the use of the property instead, the title to the castle had been given outright to Diane, in spite of legal restrictions which specified that such royal property could not be alienated.

Since it was potentially no longer part of the royal estate, it would be difficult for Catherine to assert a claim to Chenonceau on purely legal grounds. On her side, Diane had not been naive enough to trust that all would be well forever between her and Henri, and she had sensibly set about to make her own castle of Anet quite comfortable just in case.

The battle began, but since Catherine’s power was clearly on the ascent, Diane did the sensible thing and decided to yield, however painful that may have been for her. There is some reason to believe that Catherine offered to provide her rival with the castle of Chaumont in exchange for Chenonceau, but in the end, Diane retired to Anet, where she died in 1566, seven years after Henri’s passing.

We run a luxury wedding castle near Blois, for up to 15 people ideal for visiting vineyards, Loire Valley chateaux and relaxing.
It is a perfect location for a castle wedding. Why get married in your home town when instead you could get married in a fairytale wedding castle.

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The Amazing Story Of Diane De Poitiers And You Think Your Marriage Is Difficult

The Loire Valley is a splendid region awarded world heritage listing because of its amazing castles. We operate a luxury rental castle near Blois, for up to 15 people ideal for a castle wedding. It is a perfect romantic wedding castle.

The royalty of France, seduced by the mild climate and the game-filled oak forests built their sumptuous homes here in the Loire Valley. They surrounded themselves with the greatest artists and architects of this era. This is the country of a thousand castles.

Chateau Blois
Chateau Blois is almost like four separate chateaux rolled into one – so diverse are the architectural styles at play here. The Medieval heart is centred around the Salle des Etats Generaux which is where the court and council were based. Flamboyant Gothic flair is evident in the Louis XII wing whereas Renaissance architecture is the dominant style in the Francois 1 wing. It is in the Francois 1 wing that you’ll find Catherine de Medici’s private rooms complete with array of poisons. This was also the spot where the Duc de Guise was brutally murdered in 1588 after he was thought to be planning a Catholic uprising against Henri III. Apparently, it was Henri who carried out the deed himself only to be murdered himself a year later by a monk. Evenings are a particularly good time to visit Blois especially if you book to see the ‘son et lumiere’ shows that recount the chateau’s turbulent past.

Chateau de Blois: Place du Chateau, Blois, 41000 Tel: +33 (0)2 54 90 33 33 Open: Closed on 25th Dec and 1st Jan

Chateau du Chaumont
Chateau du Chaumont is located on the southern bank of the Loire River about twenty minutes west of Blois. It was the first chateau at Chaumont-sur-Loire, Loir-et-Cher, France. Originating in the eleventh century, it was built by Eudes II, Count of Blois.

In 1560, the castle became the property of Catherine de’ Medici who entertained numerous astrologers there, including Nostradamus. On the death of her husband, King Henry II, Catherine used her power to take over the much coveted Chateau de Chenonceau from her husband’s mistress, Diane de Poitiers. As certain legalities had to be met, Diane was forced to accept the Chateau de Chaumont as payment for her beloved Chenonceau.

The chateau holds an international garden event covering a different theme each year from April to October.

Chateau de Beauregard
Chateau de Beauregard was largely built at the same time as Chateau de Cheverny as a hunting lodge for Francois I. It is famous for its Galerie des Portraits which comprises over 327 portraits of Kings and their mistresses plus famous dignitaries from fourteenth to 17th centuries. Take note of the unique flooring that is covered in 17th century porcelain tiles.

Chateau de Beauregard: 6 kilometres south of Blois, Cellettes, 41120 Tel: +33 (0)2 54 70 36 74 Open: Closed Wed in winter months and entirely for the month of January

Chateau de Villandry
Villandry was one of the last of the very big castles built around 1536 in the Loire valley during the renaissance. It houses some interesting and very valuable antiques and furnishings but it is probably best known for its Italian Renaissance garden created by Dr Carvallo. As well as being very ornate and decorative, the gardens produce fruit, vegetables and herbs which are sold locally to raise funds for the maintenance of the chateau.

Chateau de Cheverney
Chateau de Cheverny is unmistakedly the most lavishly furnished of all the Loire Chateaux. Built between 1604 and 1634 little has changed. Its present owner is a direct descendant of the original owner and his 70 hounds or so are still used for regular stag hunting. Some of the chateau’s masterpieces include paintings by old masters, tapestries from Paris and Holland plus Louis XIV’s commode and unforgettable grandfather clock. The 1640s interior decoration, consisting of panelling, painted ceilings, and fireplaces, and paintings by Jean Monnier, is among the finest of its kind.

There are two interesting facts pertaining to Cheverny. Firstly, serious Tintin fans will note that Herge based the mythical Moulinsart on Cheverny. If this appeals, check out the Tintin exhibition situated directly opposite the chateau. Secondly, the 18th century Orangerie served as a hiding place for the Mona Lisa during world war 2. From here, you’ll be able to take in the majesty of the park and its canals which are open to the public from April to November.

Chateau de Cheverny: 16 kilometres south-east of Blois, Cheverny, 41700 Tel: +33 (0)2 54 79 96 29 Open: Open daily

Chateau de Chenonceau
Le Chateau des Dames built on a bridge across the river Cher is one of the more beautiful castles of the Loire with elegant turrets, arches and stately avenues bordered by plane trees. It’s romantic feel is further heightened by the fact that its stylised and symmetrical structure is reflected in the waters of the Cher.

Chenonceau owes much of its design and beauty to four women in particular. It was Catherine de Briconnet who first started the trend and was largely responsible for its early Renaissance style. Catherine then passed the baton to Diane de Poiters (mistress of Henri II) who was responsible for the formal gardens to the left of the chateau as you approach it. Unfortunately Diane de Poitiers was forced to relinquish ownership of Chenonceau to Catherine de Medici (the bitter wife of Henri II) who offered Chateau de Chaumont in exchange. Not entirely a fair swap! Later the castle was inherited by Louise de Lorraine, the bereaved wife of Henri III Catherine’s favourite son. Louise painted her bedroom ceiling black and white out of respect for her late husband.

Madame Dupin also had a pivotal role in the development of Chenonceau in the 18th century and was responsible for encouraging literary events to be held here. The likes of Rousseau, Voltaire and Montesquieu all spending time here. Today Chenonceau is a profitable business owned by the Menier family who are known as respected chocolatiers.

Chateau de Chenonceaux: Chateau de Chenonceau, 30 minutes from Blois, Chenonceau, 37150 Tel: +33 (0)2 47 23 90 07 Open: Closed 25th Dec & 1st Jan, 1st May

Chateau de Chenonceau
Le Chateau des Dames built on a bridge across the river Cher is one of the more beautiful castles of the Loire with elegant turrets, arches and stately avenues bordered by plane trees. It’s romantic feel is further heightened by the fact that its stylised and symmetrical structure is reflected in the waters of the Cher.

Chenonceau owes much of its design and beauty to four women in particular. It was Catherine de Briconnet who first started the trend and was largely responsible for its early Renaissance style. Catherine then passed the baton to Diane de Poiters (mistress of Henri II) who was responsible for the formal gardens to the left of the chateau as you approach it. Unfortunately Diane de Poitiers was forced to relinquish ownership of Chenonceau to Catherine de Medici (the bitter wife of Henri II) who offered Chateau de Chaumont in exchange. Not entirely a fair swap! Later the castle was inherited by Louise de Lorraine, the bereaved wife of Henri III Catherine’s favourite son. Louise painted her bedroom ceiling black and white out of respect for her late husband.

Madame Dupin also had a pivotal role in the development of Chenonceau in the 18th century and was responsible for encouraging literary events to be held here. The likes of Rousseau, Voltaire and Montesquieu all spending time here. Today Chenonceau is a profitable business owned by the Menier family who are known as respected chocolatiers.

Chateau de Chenonceaux: Chateau de Chenonceau, 30 minutes from Blois, Chenonceau, 37150 Tel: +33 (0)2 47 23 90 07 Open: Closed 25th Dec & 1st Jan, 1st May

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The Ten Most Impressive Chateaux To Visit In The Loire Valley Of France

They are not cheap and the locals prefer to avoid them where possible and stick to the national routes (the RN and D roads).

The minimum driving age in France is 18 years old. All drivers in France need a valid driver’s licence. Proof of insurance coverage is necessary. The gendarmes may request to see your license, insurance certificate, and vehicle registration at any time. You should also carry a National Identity Card or passport.

Beware because on the spot fines are imposed for not carrying the proper documentation. All drivers should carry a red warning triangle in their boot, together with spare head-light bulbs, a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher.

If you are driving to France from another country, there is a good choice of car-ferry operators from England and the Eurotunnel.

In France to rent a car you must be over 20 years of age and have held a full driving license for at least a year. Insurance is compulsory. All of the main car rental companies have offices in all major railway stations and airports, as well as in major city centers.

All foreign cars need to display a sticker showing the country of registration displayed close to the rear number plate. Right hand drive vehicles need to have the head-lights adjusted or have deflector kits fitted which are easily available at all the English ports.

You will need to obtain a green card from your UK insurer for full cover abroad. If you do not have a green card your UK insurance will not cover you outside of England. You can also arrange for rescue and recovery service with the AA, RAC and Europ Assist. The most expensive place to buy this is at the ferry or train terminal.

In France you must give way to the right unless road signs indicate otherwise. Like in England, cars already on a roundabout have right of way.

Permanent speed cameras are normally well signposted and are big rectangular boxes painted with bright fluorescent black and yellow diagonal stripes to warn you. The Michelin website lists where these fixed speed cameras are on your journey and advises the speed limit at those locations. It will also calculate the toll for you on motorways.

On autoroutes the speed limit is 130 kilometres and 110 when it rains. On dual carriage ways the speed limit is reduced to 110 kilometres and 90 when it rains. On other roads the speed limit is 90 kilometres and 80 when it rains. In hamlets, towns, villages, the normal limit is 50 kilometres and the French do not always display the speed limit.

If you are travelling on the national routes you have to be really careful about buying petrol or diesel on a Sunday. Almost every service station is closed on a Sunday (except those on Autoroutes) and all of the automatic petrol pumps do not accept international credit cards only French debit and credit cards. Hypermarkets and large supermarkets sell petrol at a discount but remember only to locals with French cards on a Sunday.

We operate Chateau du Guerinet a luxury french chateau in the Loire Valley near Blois, for up to 24 people perfect for a fantastic french vacation with friends and family and for visiting vineyards, historic castles and unwinding. The castle can be rented as a fully catered chateau or a self-catered chateau. You can rent a castle and drive from England or hire a car to explore this incredible region.

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The Beautiful Loire Valley Of France And What You Need To Know To Drive Through It

At that time Villandry when Dr Carvallo purchased the property it was on the point of being demolished. It had been disfigured by the walling up of the arches, fake windows and additions and the moat had been filled in. Joachim Carvallo envisaged the original designs and the harmonious renaissance architecture. He devoted himself to the restoration of the chateau and its gardens giving up an impressive career in science under the tutelage of a professor who later went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Dr Carvallo went on to found the Association de la Demeure Historique with the objective of saving historic buildings throughout France. He sure saved Villandry which is now one of the most visited Loire Valley chateaux.

Carvallo’s best work was the restoration of the gardens, which still make the reputation of Villandry today. Gardens existed as early as the 16th century and these were recreated under Carvallo’s instructions following evidence of engravings found in “Les plus Excellents Bastiments de France” (1576-1579) by Jacques Androuet Du Cerceau.

The gardens at Chateau Villandry are the grandest examples of formal Renaissance style gardens in France. The gardens, which are terraced on three levels, were influenced by Italian gardeners brought in by Charles VIII. The protocol for plantings on each level are:

The first level is the highest, at or above ground level with the chateau, is the Le Jardin d’Eau, (water garden) featuring fountains, lawns and the reflecting pool whose edges are bounded by arbors.

The second level, includes the : Le Jardin d’Ornement, (ornamental gardens), consisting of the Decorative Flower Garden, the Garden of Music, the Garden of Love and the Garden of Simple delights. In the front of this level where the castle stands is a bed planted with a pergola walk shaded by vines.

The third and lowest level, is the kitchen garden Le Potager, (vegetable garden), consists of fruit trees and bushes, vegetable plantings,as well as herbs for medical or seasoning purposes. This garden, in the Louis XIV style, and takes the form of a rectangle of slightly irregular shape surrounding on three sides the two higher tiers of gardens. It is devoted to vegetables and has 9 square sections divided into beds of various coloured plants, surrounded by box hedges and hardy plants. Villandry is a vegetal feast, with big purple cabbages, beds of yellow and green peppers, zigzags of crazy-growing leeks, blocks of autumn pumpkins and mounds of celery all replanted twice a year with a brilliant eye for the colours of the changing seasons.

At the opposite side of the garden to the castle, there is a maze of 12000 clipped beech trees. Each of these gardens is impressive in their own rights, so I will not recommend one more than the others. Without too much pomp and ceremony you can witness a chateau that lives in harmony with nature, and the remarkable beauty of these gardens. Villandry is well worth the visit Eight gardeners work at Chateau Villandry full time, and plant about 60,000 vegetables and 45,000 plants in its gardens each year.

In July every year Chateau Villandry holds Les Nuits des Mille Feux, when they light up the magical gardens of the Villandry castle with 2000 candles. Lit just as the sun begins to set, the candles burn on until after midnight in the beautiful grounds of the Loire’s most famous chateau. Baroque music, played live by strolling musicians, adds to the mystical atmosphere during this quintessential Loire experience. It really is spectacular, so don’t miss it if you can.

If you can not make it to the Les Nuits des Mille Feux (The Night of a 1000 Candles) in July, then you definitely should try to see all the Chateau Villandry gardens in the summertime, and preferably about 2 hours before sun-down, as the light adds that certain ‘Je-ne-sais-quoi’.

We operate a luxury french castle wedding in the Loire Valley near Blois, perfect for a fantastic french vacation with family and friends and for unwinding and touring historic chateaux and vineyards,. It is a perfect castle wedding. You can rent the whole castle or rent a luxury suite. Do not just get married at home you can opt for a fairtyale wedding castle.

Post from: Vacations Destinations

The Spectacular Gardens At Chateau Villandry In France

Obviously, you can’t miss this one. This is solid stock. 440 rooms, 420 feet wide, 84 staircases, 365 chimneys, …. Inside the chateau the highlight is the double helix staircase which serves as the axis for the whole chateau, and is thought to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci.

We run a luxury french wedding castle in the Loire Valley near Blois, ideal for a fantastic destination wedding or vacation with friends and family and for visiting vineyards, historic chateaux and unwinding. The castle is also perfect for a fairytale french castle wedding, party or any event. Go ahead and spoil yourself with a castle wedding. We always recommend our guests go and visit Chateau Chambord.

Chateau de Chambord was commissioned in 1510 by the young King Francois definitely an egomaniac when he was only 25 years of age, to help establish his power. He was not content with the amazing chateaux of Amboise and Blois.

He wanted a hunting lodge. Francois I spent without caring to realise his masterpiece project. He even went so far as to change the natural course of the Loire River. The castle we see today was not completed until 1685, and it is the largest chateau in the Loire by far.

The Royal Chateau at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is the most recognisable chateau in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture that combines classical Italian structures with traditional medieval forms and a variety of towers and turrets. The roofline really is amazing.

The chateau is in the centre of a thirteen thousand acre wooded park and game reserve with [red deer and wild boar|wild boar and red deer[/spin], surrounded by a 20 mile wall. It is the largest walled forest park in Europe.

If you’re going to visit one chateau on the Loire, it should be this one.

Obviously, you can’t miss this one. This is solid stock. 440 rooms, 420 feet wide, 84 staircases, 365 chimneys, …. Inside the chateau the highlight is the double helix staircase which serves as the axis for the whole chateau, and is thought to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci.

The castle was rarely inhabited. Francois I spent barely seven weeks at Chateau Chambord on short hunting trips. Because the castle had been constructed for the purpose of short visits, it was not practical to stay there on a longer-term basis. The massive rooms, high ceilings and huge windows made heating a logistical impossibility. This was exacerbated by the fact that the castle was not surrounded by a estate or a village. There was no immediate source of food other than game. The end result was that all the food had to be brought in for the hunting parties which typically numbered between 2000 to 3000 people at a time. This puts catering for the extended family for the holiday season into perspective doesn’t it.

When the castle was not inhabited it was left completely devoid of furniture. All of the tapestries, paintings, furniture, eating implements, were brought in especially for each hunting trip. Imagine trying to co-ordinate a party of two thousand odd including the royal family going camping.

This is why much of the furniture from this era was built to be disassembled in order to aid transportation. French beds and armoires all disassemble beautifully. Contrary to popular belief flat-packing was not invented by Ikea.

After King Francois died, Chateau de Chambord remained unoccupied for some 80 years falling into a horrible state of decay. In 1639 Louis XIII gave it to his brother, Gaston d’Orleans who carried restoration work which was greatly needed. Gaston d’Orleans saved the castle.

Louis XIV furnished the royal apartments and added a horse stable for just 300 horses to allow him to use the castle as a hunting lodge.

In 1930 the chateau became the property of the French Government but restoration work was not begun until a few years after World War II ended in 1945.

Next time you are thinking about complaining about packing for a camping trip remember Chateau Chambord and King Francois’ seven weeks of hunting.

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The Historic Hunting Lodge – Chateau Du Chambord In The Incredible Loire Valley

It is amazing the diversity in quality of wedding speeches and how many speakers panic at the thought of delivering their speeches.

Here are a few pitfalls to avoid, and a few tips to heed, when giving a wedding toast that will leave other wedding guests impressed.

Prepare for Your Wedding Toast

The first key to an impressive speech is preparation. Decide first whether you will you just wing it or whether you will you write it out and read it verbatim, use notes for reference?

Normally just winging is best left to the naturally gifted speakers and unless you fall into that category unquestionably it is most likely to get you in to difficulties on the day. If you want to wing it on the day, it is worth making some well-rehearsed mental notes before going into it.

Writing Out a Toast

If you’re a great writer, there’s nothing wrong with writing out your entire toast. Your ease with language and your ability to string together impressive words won’t be lost on your audience provided only if you read your toast with conviction. Just don’t get too stuffy like Frasier would. Read it convincingly and pause and remember to breath.

Or alternatively you can elect to just to make some notes to keep you on track as you go – this will allow empathy from the wedding party and your fellow guests, and it gives you the flexibility to make changes on the fly as you see what’s working and what’s not as you deliver your toast.

Here is a simple but universally effective game plan for delivering a fail safe wedding toast.

No-Fail Toast Game Plan

First introduce yourself, and your relationship to the bride or groom. Explain how you came to know them, and how far the three of you go back. Next think funny, but don’t be obnoxious. Share a witty story about how you met either the bride or groom, and how their lives became better after they were together.

Talk about some quirky characteristic that one of them has which completely complements the other. Remember that wedding audiences are generally easy going. They are all friends, and they’re probably a little drunk or even a lot drunk.

A good natured approach will get them smiling and if your lucky laughing with almost no effort. But remember whatever you do, the goal is to NOT embarrass the bride and groom in front of everyone they know. Never mention ex-girlfriends or boyfriends, This is a toast, not a roast.

Make the Wedding Toast Emotional

Talk about what an incredible couple they are, how inspiring they are to all those around them, and how the world is a better place with them together. Bring up the beautiful union of families. You can hint about the expectation of incredible kids down the line.

Keep the Toast Positive

If you are in trouble, go for compliments. The poor wedding couple have been through a lot to get to this day, and sometimes it’s just nice to hear how much your friends and family dig you. Also be sure to steer clear of these all-too common snares:

Wedding Toast Faux Pas

Boring your guests, insulting your inlaws, and pronouncing your love for your best friend’s wife are all pretty much faux pas in the game of life.

Don’t drink too much before your toast – a drink to loosen up is okay, but much more than that and you’ll be telling old college stories that are best left in college.

Never use an insult of any kind – this is a festival of love, remember? Don’t use any corny one-liners, make sure that any humor in your toast comes from genuine emotions.

Staying Cool During the Toast

But if all this sounds totally daunting and you have broken into a sweat just reading this because you are simply terrified of speaking in front of other people, just keep it simple.

Tell the bride and groom how much you care about them, and how much it means that they have included you in their wedding celebration. Wish them all the success in the world, have everyone raise a glass, and give them a big hug.

Easy, peasy. No sweat necessary.

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How To Deliver An Amazing Wedding Toast At A French Castle Wedding

Douce nuit is the French version of Silent Night. They are sung to the same tune, but the translation given is the literal translation of the French Christmas carol Douce nuit, which is quite different than Silent Night.

Douce nuit, sainte nuit !

Dans les cieux ! L’astre luit.

Le mystère annoncé s’accomplit.

Cet enfant sur la paille endormit,

C’est l’amour infini,

C’est l’amour infini !

Sweet night, holy night!

In the heavens the star shines.

The foretold mystery comes true.

This child sleeping on the hay,

Is infinite love,

Is infinite love!

Lyrics for “Au Royaume du bonhomme hiver,” a French Christmas carol

Au Royaume du bonhomme hiver is a French Christmas carol, the equivalent of “Winter Wonderland.” They are sung to the same lyrics, but the translation of the French given here is literal, as the French lyrics are quite different than the English ones.

Écoutez les clochettes
Du joyeux temps des fêtes
Annonçant la joie
De chaque coeur qui bat
Au royaume du bonhomme hiver.

Listen to the bells
Of the joyful holiday times
Announcing the joy
Of each heart that beats
In the kingdom of the winter snowman.

Sous la neige qui tombe
Le traîneau vagabonde
Semant tout autour
Une chanson d’amour
Au royaume du bonhomme hiver.

Under the falling snow
The sleigh wanders
Spreading all around
A love song
In the kingdom of the winter snowman.

Le voilà qui sourit sur la place
Son chapeau, sa canne et son foulard
Il semble nous dire d’un ton bonasse
Ne voyez-vous donc pas qu’il est tard ?

France is magnificent at Christmas time. The little french villages are a mass of Christmas Decorations, spirits are high, the shopping is to die for.

We now rent out our chateau during the festive season as a holiday christmas castle. Come and lord it up at our christmas castle and enjoy roaring fires with your family and friends, walks through the forest, roast goose, foie gras, champagne and shrimp. Come and experience a christmas castle.

Christmas is a very special time of year to visit France. It is a particularly handy time for antipodeans to visit France and Europe as the festive season co-incides with the big summer school vacation.

France is a very catholic nation and many french go off to Christmas Mass.

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Carols In French – A Fairytale Christmas Castle For Rent

If the prospect of yet another dry turkey with all its trimmings leaves you feeling a little jaded, try a French favourite and serve Roast Goose rather than the boring old turkey.

You can have your golden goose and eat it at our chateau this Christmas.

Goose is Gordon Ramsay’s favourite Christmas roast. This is our favourite recipe for Roast goose. We now rent the chateau out for a weekly rental over the Christmas and New Year holidays fully-catered. Last year we received lots of compliments on our roast goose at our christmas castle.

Tips if you are doing this at home yourself:-

For those of us who take on the responsibility of preparing Christmas dinner (voluntarily or not) this can be a very stressful time of the year. But as any chef will tell you, the key to providing a successful meal is mise en place – in other words, preparation and organisation.

If you buy your goose in advance you’ll need to know how to store it. Always unwrap the bird and place it either in a refrigerator or cool larder. Place the giblets into a refrigerator. If you want to store longer than two days (for giblets) or five days
for (geese), it is best to freeze. Geese freeze very well, thawing takes around 24-30 hours. Pat dry with a dry cloth and they will roast to perfection.

The roast goose can be prepared or assembled the night before, so that all you’ll need to do is put it into the oven on Christmas morning.

Make sure that your to go in[spin] the oven.

Do remember to use some of the rendered fat from the goose to baste the potatoes with, as it imparts a wonderfully rich flavour to the spuds. Keep the rest of the fat to use through the winter months.

Lastly you do not have to wait for Christmas for “One Goose A Roasting” you can serve Roast Goose for a wonderful Sunday roast at any time of year.

This year let us spoil you over Christmas. Rent a christmas castle and sit back and relax and enjoy lording it up with your family over the festive season.

Ingredients:-

1 large yellow onion (chopped)
1 large tart apple (chopped)
1/4 cup chicken stock (organic is best)
6 cups toasted fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup currants or chopped raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds (toasted)
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 goose – 4 kilos, giblets removed

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Calculate the cooking time (see tips, below). If the goose is ready-trussed, then loosen the string and pull out the legs and wings a little – this helps the bird cook better. Check the inside of the bird and remove any giblets or pads of fat. Using the tip of a sharp knife, lightly score the breast and leg skin in a criss-cross. This helps the fat to render down more quickly during roasting.

2. Combine the onion, apple, and 1/4 chicken stock in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until onion and apple are tender.

3. Combine onion mixutre, bread crumbs, currants, almonds, parsley, sage, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Toss 1/3 cup stock with bread crumb mixture.

4. Rinse goose; drain, and pat dry. Prick the skin on the lower breast, legs, and around the wings with a skewer. Stuff and truss goose. Then, place goose, breast-side-up, on a rack in large roasting pan. Insert a roasting thermometer in its thigh without touching bone.

5. Place remaining stuffing into a lightly greased casserole; cover and refrigerate.

6. Roast goose for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the thermometer registers 175°F, drain fat often. A goose gives off more fat during roasting than most other poultry. Every 30 mins or so, baste the bird with the pan juices, then pour off the fat through a sieve into a large heatproof bowl . You will end up with at least a litre of luscious fat – save this for the potatoes and other vegetables. At the end of the cooking time, leave to rest for at least 30 minutes, covered loosely with foil. The bird will not go cold, but will be moist and much easier to carve.

7. Bake the covered casserole of stuffing alongside the goose during the last 30 minutes of roasting.

8. Let the goose stand for 30 minutes and then serve.

Makes 6 servings.
Preparation time: 20 minutes.
Cooking time: 8 minutes.
Roasting time: 2 hours.
Standing time: 15 minutes.

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Spoil Yourself – Rent A French Castle For Christmas – Christmas Castle Goose With All Of The Trimmings

Details of 5 of the best-known castles are below.

Chateau Chenonceau

Chenonceau Chateau amazes you with its two-story, 260-foot Great Gallery spanning across the River Cher. Originally “acquired” by King Francois I, it passed to his successor, Henri II, who gave it to Diane de Poitiers his mistress. Diane expanded the castle and constructed a bridge over the river.

When Henri II died, his bittered wife, Catherine de Medici, took revenge on her rival by forcing Diane to exchange Chateau Chenonceau for nearby Chateau Chaumont. Catherine then commissioned the construction of the bridge gallery. Unbelievably extravagant galas were hosted here until Catherine’s son, Henry III, was murdered. His wife, Louise de Savoie, placed the castle in mourning, furnishing it entirely in black and white.

History leaps out as you tour the rooms and the gardens. In world war I the Great Gallery was converted to a hospital. In WWII the castle marked the boundary between free and Nazi-occupied France and became the site of prisoner exchanges. Today the castle and grounds are maintained at their height as if they were at under Catherine de Medici.

Chateau Clos Luce

Not more than a half mile from the village centre is Chateau Le Clos Luce, a castle built and designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Under the generous sponsorship of Francois I’ he lived the last three years of his life here. The rooms are filled with 40 models of Leonardo’s inventions so you can marvel at his impressive mental powers and foresight five hundred years earlier.

Chateau Amboise

The narrow cobbled streets of Amboise wind at the base of the huge Chateau Amboise. Although only 25% of the original castle survives, the fortress walls with flying banners look down river and the village at its feet. It was here that King Francois I hit his head on a low arch, bringing an early end to his life.

Chateau Chambord

King Francois I was not content with just the castles at Amboise and Chenonceau. He acquired over 10,000 acres of hunting land and decided to build the world’s most incredible “hunting lodge.” Chambord was constructed over many decades by Francois and his successors, Henri II and Charles IX in the 16th century.

Fully restored now, Chambord stands as the most extravagant of all the Loire chateaux – 500 feet wide with 440 rooms and 365 fireplaces. The central grand staircase was supposedly designed by the great Italian, Leonardo da Vinci. It has double spirals which enable two parties of people to descend and climb simultaneously on foot or horseback without meeting. Chambord will reward any visit with its grandeur and extravagance.

Chateau Chaumont-sur-Loire

Built in the fifteenth century by Lord Amboise on the site of a tenth century feudal fortress, Chaumont has incredible views of the Loire Valley. It was later the home of both Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici of Castle Chenonceau fame. Enjoy this castle for its furnishings, drawbridge, fortress feeling, tapestry, and incredible vistas.

Rememer whilst castle hopping to take the time to happen upon some local wine cellars, for tasting or “degustation”. Take the time to relax and soak up the atmosphere and enjoy your vacation.

We run a luxury castle in the Loire Valley, perfect for a wedding castle and for visiting vineyards, castles and relaxing with family and friends. A french wedding castle is a wonderful location for a wedding.

Go ahead and spoil yourself with a wedding chateau

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France’s Beautiful Loire Valley And The Wonderful Adventure Of Chateau Hopping

Visitors flock to Villandry for its harmonious vision of gardens and architecture.

Fifteen kilometres west of Tours, and nine kilometres west of Azay-le-Rideau, Villandry built in 1536 is the last in the series of the great Renaissance chateaux of the Loire. It was the seat neither of a king, nor of a king’s mistress, but of one of France’s ministers, Jean Le Breton.

Le Breton’s had considerable architectural experience and he oversaw work for the Crown for many years and directed construction of Chambord. Earlier in his career he had been stationed as an Ambassador in Italy and he had the opportunity to study the art of gardening.

The gardens were designed by Joachim Carvallo a spanish doctor and laid out between 1907 and 1920. He drew his inspiration from local tradition and the remains of the original layout.

At the highest level is a large basin in the shape of a Louis XV mirror. It is called “Le Miroir d’eau” Its water feeds the moat, the fountains, and the irrigation system. The fountains at Villandry play an important role bringing music to the gardens with the gentle splashing of water on stone andd lending a freshness to the air.

In the middle is the ornamental or pleasure garden – “Jardin d’ornement” with flower beds framed by box hedges.

Under the windows of the west wing and on the same level as the outbuildings, is the third garden – the ornamental kitchen garden.

Each of the three gardens is surrounded and overlooked by a raised and covered pathway. Limetree-vaulted pergolas on the top and grapevines trailingover a trellis below.

One of the premiere design features of the gardens of Chateau Villandry is that gardens should be viewed from abvoe, either from contiguous buildings, or from raised terraces surrounding the beds.

Gardening techniques

In total, the gardens at Villandry cover 5 hectares tendered by only nine full time gardeners. This is an incredibly low ration of gardeners given the density of the planting.

Rigorous planning and a precisely organised timetable is implemented. The kitchen garden uses some twenty thousand flowering plants, sixty thousand vegetables in spring and forty thousand in summer.

The whole gardening team participate in the design of the planting arrangements for the kitchen garden each year. Two plans are needed each year. The spring plan which uses peas, broad beans, radishes, lentils, springn cabbage, lettuce (romaine, red and green). Some perennials are also included – strawberries, sorrel, chives. Various spring flowers are planted in the edging to bring some colour to the kitchen garden like alternating reda nd yellow pansies, large white daiseies, blue pansies, forget-me-knots and stock.

The summer plan fixes the arrangement of flowers and vegetables from June into autumn. the main vegetables are cabbages, pumpkins, spinish, beets, swiss chard, celery, celeriac, carrots, leeks, aubergines, capsicums, tomatoes, chives, parsley, basil, round or long beetroot, gourds, endives and cardoons. Petunias, verbena, purple sage, marigold, begonias, tobacco plants are used as edgings.

Technical factors for Chateau Villandry.

Each planting for spring and summer for the kitchen garden need to take into account both the technical and aesthetic factors.

Crop Rotation

Careful crop rotation is essential if soil exhaustion and plant disease are to be avoided.

It is not a good idea to plant vegetables of the same family in a bed the following year because they take the same nutrients from the soil and are vulnerable to the same soil-borne diseases. For example you should not plant carrots in a bed used the previous year for celery as they are both members of the Umbellifer family. Similarly cabbages and radishes both Crucifers, should not be allowed to follow each other.

Balancing this technical factor can be quite a challenge given that there are eight botanical families planted in the kitchen garden and it is advisable to wait three years before replanting a bed with a member of the same family and there are two plantings a year for each bed in the kitchen garden at Chateau Villandry.

Originally the kitchen garden was watered from the fountain in the middle of each squaree. Now an automatic irrigation is now used to water all five hectares.

Aesthetic factors

The patterns of form and colour are the second major factor in planning the kitchen garden. The texture, form and colour of each vegetable all contribute to the multicoloured chequerboard of the kitchen garden. It is a difficult exercise because vegetables often offer little in the way of colour contrast.

The gardening team at Chateau Villandry try to bring together contrasts such as the jade green of the carrots and the blue of the leeks, or the red of the beetroot leaves and the golden-tinted green of celery.

The kitchen garden covers a hectare and consists of nine identical sized squares in a square pattern. The square beds were popular in France during the Renaissance period. Each square has a different box hedge pattern. Inside the hedges forty-odd varieties of vegetables and floweres are planted out with their alternating colours making up a rainbow chequerboard. Each of the squares has thirty standard roses, laid out in geometric patterns, and sixteen pyramid-trained pear-trees.

Words can not do the gardens justice and no trip to the Loire Valley in France would be complete without a visit to Villandry and its magnificent gardens.

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The Spectacular Chateau Gardens Of The Incredible Loire Valley

[/spin]Traditionally on or about Christmas eve, a big log was brought into a home or large hall. Songs were sung and stories told. Children danced. Offerings of food and wine and decorations were placed upon it.

Personal faults, mistakes and bad choices were burned in the flame so everyone’s new year would start with a clean slate. The log was never allowed to burn completely, a bit was kept in the house to start next years log. It was believed that the log brought good luck. Any pieces that were kept protected a house from ligtning or fire, or hail. Ashes of the log would be placed in wells to keep the water good. Ashes were also placed at the roots of fruit trees and vines to help them bear a good harvest.

The log also predicted bad luck. If the fire went out before the night was through, tragedy would strike the home in the coming year. If its flame cast someone’s shadow without a head, supposedly that person would die within the year.

In England the log was supposed to burn for the twelve days of Christmas, from Christmas eve on December 24th to Epiphany on January 6th. Some English Yule logs were large enough that a team of horses were required to drag it to the christmas castle or manor. Some English preferred a log from an ash tree. In the Slavic and other countries oak was the wood of choice. Almost everywhere, the fire was started with that bit of the last year’s log, to symbolize continuity and the eternal light of heaven.

In some parts of France, a special carol was sung when the log was brought into the home. The carol prayed for health and fertility of mothers, nanny-goats, ewes, and an abundant harvest.

Of course the French were probably the first to eat their yule logs. They started out burning them like everyone else, but when big open fireplaces began to disappear in France, they moved the tradition to the table by making a cake roll that looked like a Yule log, called a “Buche de Noel”.

At first, burning a Yule log was a celebration of the winter solstice. In Scandinavia, Yule ran from several weeks before the winter solstice to a couple weeks after. This was the darkest time of year, and the people celebrated because days would start getting longer after the solstice.

There was a lot of ceremony and ritual tied to the Yule log, for it marked the sun’s rebirth from its southern reaches.

[spin]The Yule log gets its name from the Scandinavian tradition, but the ritual burning of a special log during winter solstice took place as far west as Ireland, as far south as Greece, and as far north as Siberia.

|In the fourth century AD When Pope Julius I decided to celebrate Christmas around the Winter Solstice, the Yule log tradition continued, but the fire came to represent the light of the Savior instead of the light of the Sun.

If you don’t need anymore Christmas goodies around the house, you can light a special candle as they do in Denmark and Norway. Or you can use a decorated log as a center piece like the Italian “ceppo”. However you mark your Yuletide, the spirit of the tradition requires gathering family and friends for a warm and cheery celebration. The burning of the Yule log marked the beginning of Festive celebrations.

[/spin]Traditionally on or about Christmas eve, a big log was brought into a home or large hall. Songs were sung and stories told. Children danced. Offerings of food and wine and decorations were placed upon it.

Personal faults, mistakes and bad choices were burned in the flame so everyone’s new year would start with a clean slate. The log was never allowed to burn completely, a bit was kept in the house to start next years log. It was believed that the log brought good luck. Any pieces that were kept protected a house from ligtning or fire, or hail. Ashes of the log would be placed in wells to keep the water good. Ashes were also placed at the roots of fruit trees and vines to help them bear a good harvest.

The log also predicted bad luck. If the fire went out before the night was through, tragedy would strike the home in the coming year. If its flame cast someone’s shadow without a head, supposedly that person would die within the year.

In Appalachia, as long as the log, or “backstick” burned you could celebrate. Often a very large “backstick” was chosen and soaked in a stream to ensure a nice long celebration. In the early nineteenth century, American slaves didn’t have to work as long as the Yule log burned, so they would choose the biggest, greenest log they could find. If they did have to work while it burned their master had to pay them for the work.

You have a choice. You can burn your yule log like the English. Or if you don’t have a fireplace, you can eat it like the French.

We rent our chateau out over the festive season for Christmas and New Year as a holiday rental by owner. You can experience a christmas castle with all of the French traditions. You can have your yule log and eat your buche de noel as well. Come and experience a christmas castle.

Post from: Vacations Destinations

Christmas Traditions In France – Yule Tide Log

It is believed the wedding itself will take place on June 12 — but guests won’t know until the last minute. Guests, who include boxer RICKY HATTON and a handful of Man United players and their partners, have been told to clear their diaries from June 10 to June 14. The pre-wedding celebrations will kick off earlier in the weekend with a themed ball, with guests invited to wear black or white outfits.

And over the next three days Wayne and Coleen will also treat their family and friends to a champagne lunch and play hosts at a barbeque. A source close to the couple said: “Coleen wanted to spread the event over a few days because people are travelling so far.

Wayne and Coleen follow a long line of celebrities who have tied the knot in France, the latest being “Desperate Housewives” Eva Longoria and Tony Parker NBA basketball champion who rented a wedding castle

Just 60 family and friends will watch Wayne and Coleen take their wedding vows — with private jets ferrying the wedding party across the Channel on June 10.

Coleen chose the venue after months of agonising between Italy and France.

But the actual site remains top secret — the only people who know are the bride and groom, immediate family, oh, and a Manchester-based events company.

”You can virtually guarantee the weather at that time of the year so they’ve gone for lots of outdoor celebrations. Coleen and Wayne take regular holidays in the area, so they’re very familiar with the place.”

Coleen will wear a £100,000 gown by New York fashion house Marchesa. She has already made several trips to the US for fittings for the wedding dress of her dreams.

The wedding costs will partly be covered by Wayne and Coleen’s £2.5million deal with a glossy mag for exclusive coverage of the nuptials — though a chunk of that cash is being given to a Liverpool charity.

Castle weddings are becoming incredibly fashionable and are now all the rage following the weddings of Madonna, Tom Cruise, David Beckham. Undoubtedly Eva and Tony’s wedding will fuel the popularity. But you do not need to be a celebrity to get married in France. Anyone can rent a luxury chateau and have a fairytale french wedding.

When a celebrity wedding in an exotic location makes headlines people see it and want to copy it. While the price tag for a celebrity chateau wedding often runs well over a $1 million your typical chateau wedding can be done for far less. European wedding chateau are being booked by non-celebrities in droves.

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Wayne Rooney To Get Married In France In June

Eva Longoria star of “Desperate Housewives” and Tony Parker NBA basketball champion held their celebrity wedding in France. The civil ceremony was conducted by non-other than the mayor of Paris on the Friday. The couple held their religious ceremony on the 7th July 2007 at a 16th century cathedral opposite the Louvre.

The couple then held their wedding reception at 17th Century Chateau Vaux-le- Vicomte one hour south east of Paris. This luxury privately-owned chateau near the village of Maincy is said to have inspired Versaille. Louis XIV had its creator Nicolas Fouquet imprisoned for the rest of his life, because he did not like the guests applauding someone else, or visiting a home more luxurious than his old palaces. This envy fuelled his desire to destroy his then finance minister who wound up spending the rest of his life imprisoned. There is a famous saying about Nicolas Fouquet by Voltaire regarding the opening of Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte in 1661: “On 17 August, at six in the evening Fouquet was the King of France: at two in the morning he was nobody.”

The chateau will close its grounds to the public for the first time ever. The couple have hired the entire Chateau for 6 and 7 July and their guests have been invited to stay in the numerous bedrooms and private apartments on the grounds.

The privately owned chateau was shielded from prying eyes by 8 miles of high stone walls. A small troupe of guards were called in to lock down the sprawling, 1,235-acre grounds, and a public road leading to the chateau was sealed off for the wedding reception.

Tony booked Eva’s favourite singers, Lionel Richie and Jamie Foxx, to perform at the ceremony as a surprise It’s the second time this month that Lionel has filled the role as wedding singer having sung at the wedding of English captain John Terry last weekend. Other guests at their big day included Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones and Eva’s Desperate Housewives co-stars and Tony’s Spurs team mates.

After the ceremony there was a fountain show within the French style gardens. When darkness fell guests admired the spectacular views of the Chateau and the surrounding grounds by candlelight. More than 2,000 candles were lit throughout the Chateau and gardens to create the romantic effect.

OK! secured the exclusive deal for the wedding at a reputed cost of 2 million dollars.

Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte is where Kirsten Dunst’s Marie Antoinette film was shot. It is also where of Indian steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal’s daughter was married at what has been claimed to be the most expensive nuptials of all time at over $55 million.

Typically three weddings a year are held at the chateau. Renting the facilities for five hours will set you back upwards of $47,596. Eva and Tony have contracted a two-day rental so that the massive crew of construction workers, decorators and security guards could get everything perfect for the big day. Eva’s lavish wedding was splashed on the pages of OK! magazine for a reported 2 million dollar exclusive deal which will helped cover the costs of their nuptials.

But do not despair, you do not need to be able to sell your wedding photos for 2 million to have a fairytale french castle wedding.

Post from: Vacations Destinations

Incredibly Fashionable Destination Weddings In A Chateau In France

Marrying in a chateau means “becoming part of a fairytale,” says Mindy Weiss, Eva Longoria’s wedding planner “You’re walking into a chapter of a romance novel.”

While the price tag for a celebrity castle wedding often runs well over a $1 million your typical chateau wedding can be done for far less. European chateaux are being booked by non-celebrities in hoardes.

Apparently the Material Girl Madonna (Skibo Castle in 2000) and Spice Girl Victoria Adams (Irish castle wedding in 1999) are credited with heightening interest in “castle weddings” with pomp and circumstance.

Saying “I do” in a castle wedding is as fashionable as carrying the latest Chanel handbag for Hollywood celebrities today.

Destination weddings are a thriving business with 16% of U.S. brides choosing them last year, up 400% ten years ago.

Last autumn, the castle wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes inspired many a bride to put a castle wedding on her wish list.

Interest in the Odescalchi Castle has soared since Tom and Katie held their wedding there. Skibo Castle has a waiting list with hopeful brides paying a $40,000 initiation fee prior to a wedding booking.

Eva Longoria and Tony Park’s wedding on the auspicious 7th July 2007 at Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte has only fueled the trend. When a celebrity wedding in an exotic location makes headlines people see it and want to copy it.

According to Brides editor in chief Millie Martini Bratten, “The average U.S. wedding costs $27,850”. The 2006 average price tag of a destination wedding was $25,800, plus travel and hotel costs. Away-from-home weddings can be cheaper, because there are typically are fewer guests to wine and dine. The guests for a hometown event average 165 and 47 for an overseas location. However, a destination wedding at a luxury lodging attended by 30-40 people might run to $30,000-$40,000 a day, not including airfare.

Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte was created by Nicolas Fouquet, then finance minister to Louis XIV and opened on August 17, 1661. For the King to witness such applause going to someone else, to visit a home more luxurious than his old palaces and a magical garden, were trials for his self-esteem that were hard to endure, and they fuelled Louis XIV’s desire to destroy Fouquet. He was arrested two weeks later and never left prison.

Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte is said to have inspired Versailles and is no stranger to over-the-top festivities. The chateau hosted the wedding of Indian steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal’s daughter, claimed to be the most expensive nuptials of all time at a reported $55 million.

Typically only three weddings a year are held at the chateau. Renting the facilities for five hours will set you back upwards of $47,596. Eva and Tony have contracted a two-day rental so that the massive crew of construction workers, decorators and security guards could get everything perfect for the big day. Eva’s lavish wedding will be splashed on the pages of OK! magazine for a reported 2 million dollar exclusive deal which will help cover the costs of their nuptials. You do not need to be able to sell your wedding photos for 2 million to have a French fairytale wedding.

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Say I Do In A Castle Wedding And Be Ultra Trendy

Whether he sees himself as the next Tiger Woods or simply enjoys the sport, he is sure to appreciate the resort
facilities and perfectly manicured 18-hole championship golf course set in dramatic natural beauty and boasting exquisite views. He will be able to enjoy his scenic golf in an unhurried manner.

France boasts only 280,000 registered golfers for 340 courses. This means lots of available tee times and no crowds on a course. Most guests just roll on up to the pro shop and take a choice from many available tee times.

Amongst historic chateaux, wine cellars, food specialities, son et lumiere (laser fireworks shows) are a selection of reputed golf courses: Les Bordes, Chateau Sept Tours, Ardree & Touraine, Cheverny, Orleans Donnery, Les Aisses, Sully-sur-Loire, Limere, Ganay.

The peacefulness and scenery in the Loire Valley make a golfing vacation a truly relaxing experience. You can add to the luxury of your vacation exploring the legendary Loire Valley by staying at one or more of the romantic castles available.

It is cheaper to play in France than on any of the top British courses. The money that you save on your green fees can pay for you to stay a golf chateau.

Famous the world over, the Loire Valley with its magnificent golf chateau courses is the third most visited region in France, just after Paris and the Cote d’Azur. Tours is now only one hour from Paris by high-speed TGV.

The Les Bordes Resort not far from Chateau Chambord is undoubtedly the most remarkable of all the resorts in terms of exclusivity and quality challenging golf. It was designed as a golfing Valhalla for Bic ballpoint millionaire, Baron Bich by Robert Von Hagge see Seignosse. It has been named the best course in Europe by the Peugeot Golf Guide.

The course was created 20 years ago on part of the late Baron Bich’s hunting esate in the heart of the ancient Sologne forest. It was designed with an unlimited budget. No expense was spared. A series of massive lakes was created and the millions of tones of displaced soil from the lakes were used to create the raised fairways twelve of which wrap around the water.

Les Bordes is consistently ranked amongst the top 100 courses in Europe and one of France’s top 5. Water features on 12 of the 18 holes on this course and it really is a challenge even for low handicappers.

Each of the 18 holes would qualify as a signature hole on most courses.

Expect to enjoy this spectacular course, but scoring well may prove to be more difficult. The best round ever played was by French professional Jean Van de Velde who went around in 71 shots.

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A Golf Castle Vacation For Father’s Day – Go Ahead And Spoil Your Dad

Because of this law, most people who have their heart set on a wedding in France (but not planning on moving to France) choose to have a vow renewal ceremony instead. The couple may have a small private ceremony before a judge in their hometown, and then travel to France with their wedding party and guests for another ceremony. Most of the time, the bride and groom (and the officiant) are the only people who know that the ceremony is a vow renewal and not the real deal. This way, you can still have your dream wedding in France, but you can also avoid the residency requirements and the extensive amount of paperwork, rules, and regulations.

In some cases, such as a couple living in France to attend school, or if you or your partner is a resident of France, and you wish to obtain a marriage license, here are a few of the requirements for a marriage in France:

All marriages in France must be performed by a French civil authority (an officier de l’état civil) before any religious ceremony takes place. This is usually performed by the Mayor – maire.

A religious ceremony may be performed after the civil ceremony. The minister, priest or rabbi performing the religious ceremony will require the certificate of civil marriage (certificat de célébration civile) as proof that the civil ceremony has taken place.

The bride or the groom must have resided in France for forty (40) days prior to the marriage.

The civil ceremony will take place in the town of residence.

French law requires the posting of marriage banns at the appropriate city hall no less than ten days before the marriage.

The first publication of the banns can be made only after thirty days of residence in France.

Required Documents (if you are traveling to France, be sure you pack these in your carry-on bag and not your checked luggage):

Most city halls (mairies) in France require some or all of the following documents:

A valid passport, or a French residence permit (carte de sejour);

A birth certificate (extrait d’acte de naissance) less than 3-months-old. Because the information on some birth certificates differs from that provided on French birth certificates, some individuals must submit additional information about their marital status.

Proof of domicile (justificatifs de domicile): You will need to present 2 proofs of domicile in the city of marriage (i.e.: electricity or telephone bills, rent etc.)

An affidavit of marital status (Certificat de Célibat ou de non-remariage) less than 3-months old: French city halls also usually require a certificate of celibacy. It can be done in the form of a notarized affidavit signed before an American Consular officer in France.

An affidavit of law (certificat de coutume): Some mairies may request an Affidavit of Law and Customs in addition to the Affidavit of Marital Status. The Affidavit of Law and Customs is a statement about U.S. marriage laws, certifying that the American citizen is free to contract marriage in France and that the marriage will be recognized in the United States.

A medical certificate (certificat d’examen médical prénuptial) less than 2 months-old:

Each party to marriage must obtain a pre-nuptial medical certificate attesting that the individual was examined by a doctor.

Remember that many documents in English will need to be officially translated into French, and in many cases, your ceremony will be performed in French, so you will need a translator at the ceremony.

Notwithstanding the beurocracy if you want a fairy tale last minute wedding you can not beat France.

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French Wedding – Essential Information

Marinated Shrimp with Champagne Beurre Blanc

Now that we are open as a christmas castle vacation rental, we get to share our favourite Christmas recipes with a chateau full of lovely guests. This is one of our favourite Christmas recipes. We found it originally at epicurious.com and made some minor changes. We use Vouvray as it is our local bubbly and absolutely to die for. We save the champagne for drinking. We also use only 3/4 of the butter in the recipe, otherwise it can turn out a bit greazy.

A nice festive touch is to use Pink peppercorns as opposed to black peppercorns. May be next time we do a black and white theme christmas dinner or dinner party and we will use black peppercorns, but I think pink is pretty for Christmas.

Shrimp
1 cup Champagne or brut Vouvray locally from the Loire Valley
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
24 extra-large uncooked shrimp (about 1 kilo), peeled with tail left intact, deveined
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces

Sauce base
2 cups Champagne or other dry sparkling wine like Vouvray
1/3 cup shallots finely chopped
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/4 teaspoon whole black or pink peppercorns

Preparation

For sauce base:
Combine Champagne, shallots, vinegar, and peppercorns in heavy medium saucepan. Boil until reduced to 1/4 cup liquid, about 20 minutes. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
For shrimp:
Combine Champagne, olive oil, shallots, and ground pepper in resealable plastic bag. Add shrimp to bag and seal; shake bag to coat shrimp evenly. Marinate shrimp at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour, turning bag occasionally. Mix chives, tarragon, and parsley in small bowl.

Preheat broiler. Spray broiler pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Drain shrimp; discard plastic bag with marinade. Arrange shrimp on prepared pan in single layer. Broil shrimp until just opaque in center, about 2 minutes per side. Stand 3 shrimp, tails upright, in center of each plate.

Rewarm the sauce base over medium-low heat. Whisk in butter one piece at a time, just allowing each to melt before adding next (do not boil or sauce will separate). Season beurre blanc to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon warm sauce around shrimp. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve.

Go ahead and spoil yourself this year with a christmas castle

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Shrimps, Champagne And A French Chateau – Can Your Christmas Get Any Better

As internet gained popularity , audio methods of learning language gained high popularity. It is a well accepted fact that learning a language by hearing an audio will be of great use than simply learning the language from books. One of the methods that become popular in a short period and is used by millions of people around the world is the Pimsleur audio books for language learning.

Pimsleur methods mainly make use of listening skills to teach a language. The listener can concentrate on the audio books while learning. Later he can try recollecting the words and phrases from his memory and try for reconstructing. This is not simpl repetition of words. The length of the lesson is generally 30 minutes and can be repeated until the learner attains 70 – 80 % ability in comprehension. When he has attained this ability, he can switch to the next lesson. When the audio books add material and repeat themselves, there is no need for the learner to try to learn the lesson in full before moving to the next lesson. The learning material will automatically retest the study material and reinforce the memory of the student and he need not have to take extra strain. This will be repeated at regular intervals.

Those who have tried other methods of learning a foreign language and have failed in their attempt to do so can try using this method for learning a language such as using a English German Dictionary. You can go download Pimsluer audio books for language learning and start using them. You can repeat hearing these audio books as many times as you need. Learning a second language will seem to be easy when the learning is at your convenience.

You can get the audio books downloaded from various internet sites. There is a large selection of audio books available throughout the internet. You can make a browsing and get one downloaded to your system easily. They are adding new audio books regularly and are coming with new entertainment audio books as well. Thus the number of audio books online is increasing rapidly.

You can browse the site you want and click on the link to download the audio books.

Once you download the audio files, you can use it in your iPod or digital music player. You can even make a copy of the CD and give others for use. You can try using them in the car entertainment system as well while driving. It is easy to use in the desktop PC at your home or office. Using it in the laptop in a street side café is also possible. Usage in mobile phones is also simpler with Pimsleur audio books.

The choice of audio books is vast. If you need help in between the use of the audio books, you can easily approach them and they are ready to help you in the use of the books. There are quick references provided along with it. You are guaranteed 100% satisfaction on using the audio books and the speed with which you will learn the language is also praise worthy.

You know that reading books can be a boring task. You can be tired of reading and understanding simultaneously. It is for this reason that you love to hear audio books. You can keep your concentration on the books without being distracted for a long time. Such intense listening can be obtained easily when you are in a car or even when you are cooking. This is the success of Pimsleur audio books in language learning. It is your convenience that matters rather than the convenience of the teacher.

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Pimsleur Audio Books For Language Learning

Learning a language through group courses is a suitable method if you can find such a course in your country. Usually different courses are available under part time and full time course categories and usually require a English German Dictionary. There are short intensive courses and courses which offer qualifications in various countries for learning a language. The greatest benefit in learning language in this way is that you will have a teacher or a tutor to help you with enough guidelines and feedback.

There are chances of learning a language abroad in a country where the language is spoken. Here you will have a deep knowledge in the language as this is the place where it is spoken by native people. The speed with which you will learn will be great as compared to other methods.

There are online teaching methods for learning a language. There are courses online for which you will have to pay or there are even courses that are paid. For paid ones you can get a support from an online teacher through chat, email or video conferencing methods.

Self study is another option in learning a language. You can use text books, Pimsleur, CDs, cassettes etc. to learn a language sitting at your home. Using text books is preferred if you are intending on how to learn to write and read rather than speaking this language. You can use text books for learning grammar and dictionaries to learn meanings as well. There are number of text books in various stores online and offline.

CDs or cassettes are available along with text books. Colloquial language will be given high importance in the courses using this method. There are CDs that are concentrating on reading and writing as well. These are mainly helpful for beginners in this area or those who have minimal knowledge about a language. Popular languages like French, Spanish and German can be learned in this manner.

There are purely audio based languages including cassettes and CDs. But there are a few languages with printed materials as well. The dialogues and exercises in this course will be given as recorded. The main focus of this language is to aid speaking and understanding the language better. You will get the best understanding of pronunciation and vocabulary if you opt for this method in learning a language. The best feel is obtained in this method of learning.

There are various computer aided language learning methods as well. They are using DVDs and CD-ROMs. There are phrase books, dictionaries and games along with these courses to simplify the process of learning a language. You can get a telephonic or online support to learn the language better. Audio magazines are available at online stores. This is mostly used when you have got the basics of learning a language. This will help you to improve the language by increasing vocabulary.

Getting a partner to exchange language is the best choice to learn a language. Here if the first person is well versed in L1 and the other in L2, they can easily exchange their language and both will learn a new language easily.

Every method has its own advantages and bad results. The choice can be purely based on our interest and facilities available.

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Learning A Language With Pimsleur

A survey shows that 65% of the companies based in America consider knowing Deutsch as a basic requirement for their employees while hiring. It is also a fact that Deutsch is one of the most commonly used languages in the internet world. The country domain of Deutsch y is second to the .com extension in internet. Another prominent reason why people are trying to learn Deutsch is the ease in learning the language. It is easy to learn to speak and write Deutsch when compared to many other languages.

Deutsch are a major tourist population in many countries. Hence for the people working in tourism departments in such countries, it is an added benefit that they try to learn Deutsch. Research papers and other presentations are most commonly found written in [spin] Deutsch | Deutsch Hence it becomes an important necessity to learn Deutsch . Deutsch is also useful in music. World famous music schools are found in Austria and Deutsch y. For most of the countries, Deutsch y is their main trading partner. This makes Deutsch an important language in business as well.

Most of the world famous universities are in Deutsch y. They recommend learning Deutsch as a part of their curriculum. To understand about the origin and history of many languages like English, learning Deutsch is essential. Because of these reasons, people working in different sections are forced to learn Deutsch from their circumstances.

As a result, there are various methods available in which one can learn Deutsch There are language schools which offer courses online to learn Deutsch . This includes interactive exercises and grammar lessons to learn, as those in English German Dictionary Deutsch . You can attend tests conducted online to measure the level of your progress. Free online tutors and email support are provided to learn Deutsch from such institutions Pimsleur.

You can measure your own skills using various tests available online. While choosing a method to learn Deutsch , you can evaluate the methods that are available in many ways. You can check if they are offering interactive exercises to practice your skills in listening, speaking and understanding the language. Check if they are provision sufficient materials for learning the language. If it is an online method, try to see if they have offline materials available with them to learn Deutsch . See if they are offering online tests quite often to evaluate you. Most importantly, you must make sure that you are getting necessary attention on a personal basis from the centre.

While you try to learn Deutsch , you will find some aspects of Deutsch grammar tough to follow. The main problem will be with the genders of Deutsch nouns. The case of nouns might also seem to be a little difficult for you to understand.

The statistics show that Deutsch is the official language of many countries. It is most commonly spoken native language in Europe. This has created such a situation that every year 15 to 18 million people are trying to learn Deutsch . Understanding the importance of learning Deutsch and the chances in this area, various institutions are coming online and offline to offer courses to learn Deutsch . While this has increased the facilities for people to learn Deutsch , this has created a bloom of unorganized centers for learning Deutsch as well. It is the people who are expected to be cautious.

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Learn German With Pimsleur

As any other language, the most important and easiest method to learn French is through practice. You must dedicate your time, effort and patience in learning this language. Memorizing the words in French is not that easy and will not bring you any good. You have to understand how to use these words in the right place. Mingling with local people in France will help you a lot. But for this you must have facilities for going there.

You can go for French classes to learn French. There can be institutions in your locality where you can get courses on how to learn French, English German Dictionary would be useful. If you are not interested on any such institutions, you can try attending their online courses. There are online courses taught directly from France. There are immersion intensive courses which will take you to the depth of the language.

There are courses which are suitable for special age groups. You can select the one that will fit you the best and go for that course. There are adult specific courses which are intended to people above a specific age limit. While learning French, learn the basics of the language including the vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. You can keep a checklist or a study order by topic to make learning easier.

For beginners trying to learn French, get special learning materials with dictionary and grammar selections. You can get videos or CD programs such as Pimsleur to make learning simpler. There is non-fiction programs included in such training sections to re-inspire people when they lose concentration. The fun factor of such courses is of high benefit to teachers and students and they will help them to keep alert and interesting throughout the course.

There are ultimate French learning sections. It is generally for eight hours and includes a text book. This will be equivalent to a two year college program. There are four tapes provided which can be used along with the book. Another four tapes are given that can be used while cooking and doing other works. Simple conversations in French are easily taught in this course. You will get a chart to learn pronunciations. Cultural explanations and written exercises will be of great use to you. Greetings, descriptions and use of French in various walks of life are clearly explained to you.

When you visit a country, you will enjoy it more if you know their native language. This is the case with French also. Knowing this language will make you feel that the place is more beautiful to your eyes. You can make an impression among the French that you also know their language and can join with them in having fun when hunting and on holidays. Go and find out the easy way for you to learn French.

As with any other language, learning French depends on various factors. It greatly depends on your ability to learn a language as well as your skill in mingling with people. Your skill to enjoy life will be reflected in the way in which you learn French. Hence it is not important how to learn French, but a great dependency is on how well you make use of it.

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How To Learn French With Pimsleur

Why does Holiday Tuscany villa continue to be the most popular region visited in Italy? I’ve learned from experience that if you go once, it woos you back again and again. It has an addicting charm. Here you have the dominant city of Florence, where the Renaissance began. At this time in history an optimism and confidence was born that is reflected in great works of art and sculpture that still inspire us today. The Renaissance lasted 2 centuries, with capitalism making it possible to finally bless the world with incredible architecture and art. Architectural feats of towers, courtyards and piazzas, interspersed with Italian gardens such as the famous Boboli are everywhere. The Duomo in Florence is one of the largest in the world, a blend of art and science that still boggles the engineering mind.
Tuscany is a relatively small area, giving the traveler a chance to drive easily from one end to the other on day trips. And so it lends itself again to the rental of a country villa or an apartment in Siena or Florence. The landscape varies from fishing villages and beaches along the Tuscan Coast, to the many hill towns including Siena and San Gimignano, to the peaceful Chianti which is a land of rolling hills and delicate lanes of Cypress running through the clefts of the hills. . Pisa and Lucca display well preserved high protective city walls, and Lucca is famous for its ramparts along these walls. During the rule of Duchess Marie Louise they were planted with a double row of trees to create a splendid elevated garden boulevard that extends around the city for nearly 4 kilometers, offering a continuous bird’s eye view over the old center of Lucca (a must see!). Don’t miss the opportunity to see the nearby Apuan Alps where you find the marble cutters that inspired Michelangelo.

Down the ‘boot’ of Italy is the lovely Amalfi Coast. As you tour this warm and dynamic coastline your senses will be filled to overflowing. Each area has its unique and fascinating sights, sounds, and tastes. We had some of our best and most reasonably priced meals in small family owned restaurants in the countryside along the way. This is where you find the locals dining, which is a good indication of excellence. The people are warm and friendly, very proud of this area and their heritage, and will make you feel welcome. While here be sure to stay at one of the Amalfi coast villa to rent and take a tour of Naples and the ruins of Pompei in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius. Take one of the modern ferries from Sorrento or Positano out to the garden island of Capri. There are several grottos that are fascinating excursions as well, both on Capri and on the mainland.

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I Like To Stay At Villas In Italy

In most of the restaurants in Berlin, breakfast will be served from 8 am onwards till 11 or 12 noon. Majority of international restaurants include the breakfast dishes of diverse culture in their menu card, especially to attract tourists. The restaurants are constructed in such a way to make the morning so special for all the dealings of the day to be great.
While fruits, mueslis, smoked salmon etc come under the category of international breakfast dishes served by restaurants in Berlin, dishes like cheeses and cold meet that are very typical and traditional of Berlin find its own hot place in the menu cards. Both cooked as well as uncooked dishes are available. Twisted eggs as well as grilled American bacon are a couple of the very common breakfast dishes available all over Berlin. It has to be specially mentioned that sausages and meat balls are the very typical and most chosen local breakfast dish of Berlin. Apart fro all these, some common freshly baked breads and fresh juices could be chosen as the breakfast, since Berlin affords the flexibility in serving breakfast dishes for the tourists as well as natives.
If you move around the streets of Berlin, you will find some delicious, in fact traditional breakfast dishes near the market region of Berlin. You will have the flexibility to choose from number of coffee varieties and it is for sure and certain that you will find the best taste. Donuts as well as pastries would simply add the flavour. It is the best way to start off your day to explore Berlin since that simple menu of breakfast would make you delectably anew
This article was translated into English by twigg’s translations (englisch übersetzung).

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Typical Breakfast In Berlin Hotels

The weather condition around Ibiza and Formentera is typically good for sailing especially during the summer season. This climate is an ideal environment for your sailing charter in Ibiza and Formentera because the sea is relatively calm. The summer temperature is approximately from 23° to 28° Celsius. From the month of June to September, the islands have small or no rainfall at all. The hottest months in the summer season, which averages about 30 º Celsius, are from August to September.

On the other hand, Ibiza and Formentera’s winter season stretches from November to April. Normally, the winter temperature will not drop below 0º. Aside from sailing, the islands’ beaches are also affected during the winter season. However, several tourists still come to the islands during this time of the year.

The island of Ibiza has 4 regions. Sailing in Ibiza and Formentera through Sant Antoni de Portmany can be an exciting holiday. This place has been a popular tourist destination particularly by the British. There are several resto bars and nightclubs in this town making it one of Ibiza’s most active areas. Apart from this, Sant Antoni de Portmany also has eye-catching beaches.

The region of Sant Joan de Labritja, located on the northern portion of Ibiza, is more calm and relaxing. Among other things, Sant Joan de Labritja possesses an exceptional type of Mediterranean vegetation.

Find more information on sailing in Ibiza and Formentera and Caribbean sailing here. In this website you can find information on sailing holidays from other parts of the world.

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Tips For A Sailing Holiday – Ibiza And Formentera

The Adriatic Sea starts from the Balkan to Apennine peninsula. However, Croatia only covers the east coast area of the sea. This is where many tourists, especially avid sailors, enjoy yachting. Moreover, aside from sailing, the sea is also a perfect place for motor yachting, diving, snorkeling, and speed boating. The shallowest part of the Adriatic Sea lies in Istria – one of the country’s best sailing areas. In this region, the depth is estimated to be 50 meters. On the other hand, the deepest is located in Juznojadranska Dolina, wherein the depth is projected to be 1,300 meters. When it comes to the sea’s ecology, the government of Croatia has made a good job in preserving its biodiversity. The water environment is preserved and the biological species are protected.

A sailing charter in Croatia is available everyday. One of Croatia’s Yacht Charterbeautiful|gorgeoustourists because of its stunning coastline and rugged mountain range. The place also has a very gentle and mild climate. Most of Croatia’sthe place’s tourists are upper class or elite individuals.

Find more information on yacht charter Croatia here. In this website you can find information on sailing holidays from other parts of the world.

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Tips For A Yacht Charter – Croatia

Kerlann campsite has a wide array of fun and entertaining adventures to enjoy. In the park, you will enjoy countryside of shady woods and luscious beach areas. Along the area are stones dating back for years. You have a guarded entryway that spreads over to the gardens and onto the park. The children will enjoy flopping about in the splash zone or pool. In the park people, enjoy horseback rides, ball, bicycling, sailing, and more.

Then there are the hotels. How do I book a room or make reservations? Online you will find travel sites. The sites offer you the ability to book rooms or make reservations. When you visit online sites to book rooms or make reservations take note. If the site is unsecured and has no proven history, avoid giving your credit card or other personal information. Conduct a quick BBB (Better Business Bureau) check of the site, as well check for reviews. The reviews should offer you verified details on the site operation.

To learn more about Paris hotels, go online and check out the travel packages.

The final option are Paris apartments which can save you money if you are travelling a large group. Again there are many websites apartments in all districts of the city.

Paris Tours

Taking tours to Paris can be very educational and enjoyable as well. When taking a tour they are already planned out for you and
sometimes you will have a guide to tell you about each stop you make along the way.

One of the most important stops you may have on a tour is the La Louvre. Take a walk around the outside and you will see as much as you would when going inside. Notice the fountain standing at the front entrance with the walkway going around it. Inside the La Louvre, you will be able to see the one and only La Pyramid. Check out the shape. At night when it is, all lit up you will see beauty you will never forget. Looking out of the Louvre you can see the Buran Statues in the Paris Royal.

Go inside the Pyramid and you will see the winding staircase going straight to the top. Get a haircut while inside at one of the many salons.

When cruising the waters of Seine river searching for the finer areas to visit, consider the areas around the river. Seine River stretches out River Shannon, Saóne River, Yonne River and so on. Down the river stream, you will come to the sandy beaches at
Normandy. Here you will enjoy fishing, diving, skiing, lodging, fine meals, beautiful nature surroundings, wildlife, pines and
more. Down further you will come upon Rhóne River, which are Europe’s chief rivers. The river stretches throughout France and Switzerland.

Enjoy your stay in Paris, don´t try and do too much as you´ll be coming back soon!

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Finding Apartments In Paris And Planning Your Holiday

The Dodecanese (Twelve Islands or Dodekanes) is the most southerly group of islands in the Greek archipelago. Visit Rhodes and Kos, islands full of history and beautiful beaches, Symi and Patmos is islands uncorrupted from the civilization. Did you know that “Dodecanese” means “twelve islands” in Greek and that is why these groups of islands sometime is called “Twelve Islands”.

The 14 Dodecanese islands captivated travelers since Odysseus. You will find a wonderful blend of architectural styles of eastern and western civilizations. Almost every island has its classical remains, its Crusaders’ castle, and its traditional villages.

The Meltemi wind has its peak in July and August. It starts sporadic
in June, blows more strongly in July through to September and again sporadic
in October These northerly winds do affect any travel plan and consider a one-way charter from Kos to Rhodes during July to September.

Usually sailing charter companies in Dodecanese have their bases in either Rhodes or Kos.

Kos is overlooked,dominated
by a Crusader castle and known as the place of birth of Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine. The beautiful harbor at Kos city is a popular place to put a yacht. The harbor is filled with sights and sounds both day and night as visitors party on boats just off the coast, and in bars, restaurants and clubs located on the harbor itself. The island of Kos is populated by nearly 180,000 people, many of them still living the old-fashioned lives of Greek fishermen.

Rhodes is the largest island in the Dodecanese. Rhodes has everything from beautiful beaches to a lush, green interior, a capital full of energetic and noisy activity and one of the top sunshine records in the region. The rock-rose is so productive here that it has been called the ‘Island of Roses’ and whiles the northern coast is famous for its lively tourist resorts the south offers nice beaches and a slower, more simple pace of life.

Find more information on sailing Greece here. In this website you can find information on sailing charter from other parts of the world.

Post from: Vacations Destinations

Enjoy a Yacht Charter in Dodecanese