FrenchDuck UK - France maps

59 Nord, Nord Pas-de-Calais

duck — Fri, 30 May 2008 17:48:09 +0000

Flanders and the Belgian border just a few kilometres away from the vibrant city of Lille and adjacent Tourcoing and Roubaix. Traditionally heavily industrialised, the region now flourishes from its position midway between Paris, London and Brussels.

See our customised Google Map of the Pas-de-Calais

Official Tourist Office site: www.cdt-nord.fr/

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62 Pas-de-Calais, Nord Pas-de-Calais

duck — Fri, 30 May 2008 17:28:13 +0000

Probably the département most visited by Brits, because it is home to 3 of the main cross-channel ferry ports and the Eurostar and Eurostar Channel Tunnel terminals, Too many of us just hurtle through without stopping to enjoy the treasures of the area.

See our customised Google Map of the Pas-de-Calais

Official Tourist Office website at www.uk.pas-de-calais.com/

Recent content on the Nord, Pas-de-Calais:-

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17 Charente-Maritime, Poitou-Charentes

duck — Wed, 28 May 2008 20:25:54 +0000

Home to Cognac and Pineau des Charentes. (together with the neighbouring departement of Charente) the departement includes numerous attractions including the ports and resorts of La Rochelle and Royan, roman Saintes, Rochefort, and the offshore islands of Île d’Aix, Île de Ré and Île d’Oléron.

See our customised Google Map of the Charente-Maritime

Official Tourist Office website for 17 Charente-Maritime

Recent content on Charente-Maritime:-

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60 Oise, Picardie

duck — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:59:27 +0000

A département of Picardie, named after the river Oise, there are 3 major towns – Beauvais (the prefecture), Senlis and Compiegne – straddling the main routes north out of Paris towards Belgium.
See our customised Google Map

Oise official Tourist Office site

15 Cantal, Auvergne

duck — Wed, 21 May 2008 07:50:41 +0000

The département of Cantal is an area which is not exactly “just off the autoroute”. Consequently it remains quiet and unspoilt. The main towns are Aurillac and St Flour.

Life in Cantal is played out against a stunning landscape of immense power and beauty. Home to natural riches as varied as the dramatic gorges of the Lot and Truyère, the ancient woodland of La Châtaigneraie, the wild moorland of the Aubrac and the boundless emerald green pastures of Salers.

But above all Cantal is a land dominated by mountains.

Cows and cheese play an important part in the local economy with Saler and Cantal joined by St Nectaire, Fourme d’Ambert, Bleu d’Auvergne.This is an area full of rich simple food based on the best local ingredients. A wide variety of locally cured and produced charcuterie: hams, fritons, pates, terrines and sausages. Game from the hills and woodland with seasonal hare and rabbit, quail, venison and wild boar. Rustic breads and pastries, nuts, oils, jams and honeys. Famous Gentian liqueur, eaux de vie distilled from plums, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants and chestnuts

For more info on the Cantal département see www.cantaltourisme.fr

See our customised Google map of the region

42 Loire, Rhone-Alpes

duck — Wed, 14 May 2008 07:46:17 +0000

Confusingly the Loire département is not where you think it might be – in the better known part of the valley with its Chateaux. It is near the source of France’s longest river in the Massif Central, and is rather by-passed by the major north-south autoroutes.

The main towns of the region include St Etienne, Montbrison and Roanne which is home to one of France’s best restaurants at Maison Troigros! Another example of how France can surprise you with some of the finest cuisine is a somewhat provincial town.

The departement is also home to the wines of the Cote Roannaise AC – surprisingly rich red wines based on the Gamay grape.

See our customised map

Official Tourist office for Loire département (in French)
Official Tourist office for Roanne

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75 Paris, Ile de France

duck — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:49:54 +0000

Paris is a term which applies to a region, a départment and a city. The region is properly known as Paris – Ile de France, whilst the city and département are one and the same thing.
The city dominates the whole country – until recently all the major train and autoroutes started and finished in Paris.

Our map shows some of the points of interest in Paris

For all our articles about Paris see www.frenchduck.com
Here are a selection:-

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14 Calvados

duck — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:02:37 +0000

Calvados is a département of Normandie centred on the city of Caen. About 10 miles north is the ferry port of Caen-Ouistreham at the mouth of the Orne river with regular crossings to Portsmouth with Brittany Ferries.
Normandy is famed for its milk and dairy produce – cream, butter and cheeses – and for its apple-based cider and Calvados apple brandy.
The sandy coast line is also the site of the Normandy Landings in 1944 and there are numerous museums, war cemeteries and other visitor attractions in the area.
Other significant towns include Bayeux and Lisieux.

Calvados Tourist office site.

Caen Tourist Office – Caen prides itself as the City of William the Counqueror!

See our customised Google Map

72 Sarthe, Pays de la Loire

duck — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 07:29:38 +0000

In the northern Loire, bordering on Normandy, the Sarthe département is named after the river Sarthe – capital town being Le Mans, worth visiting for more than just its famous 24-hour motor race every June.

For our customised, searchable map – CLICK HERE

Sarthe Official Tourist Office

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Franche-Comté

duck — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 07:06:45 +0000

A region of Eastern France comprising the départements of Jura, Doubs, Haut-Saone and the Territoire de Belfort.

see our customised Google Map of the region

Official Tourist Web site for the Franche Comté region

34 Herault, Languedoc

duck — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:08:59 +0000

The Herault departement is at the heart of the Languedoc stretching from north of Montpellier down to beyond Beziers and inland – it includes wine regions such as Coteaux du Languedoc, Pic St Loup, Picpoul de Pinet, St Chinian and Faugeres.

Whilst the coastal strip is flat and sandy with numerous large lakes, inland the landscape is rugged and dramatic as it extends into the Pace Regional du Haut Languedoc.

See our customised Google map
Herault Official Tourism site

86 Vienne, Poitou-Charentes

duck — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:58:43 +0000

Vienne is a département in the Poitou-Charentes region with its capital at Poitiers. Other main towns include Châtellerault and Montmorillon. Lying south of the Loire Valley wine regions include the outlying parts of Saumur and the vineyards of the Vins du Haut Poitou.

See our customised Google Map of Vienne – click here

Vienne Official Tourist Office website

49 Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire

duck — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 07:43:42 +0000

Maine-et-Loire is a département in the Loire Valley with its capital at Angers and includes some of the major Loire Valley vineyards such as Anjou, Anjou-Villages, Coteaux du Layon and Saumur.

For our customised map of the Maine-et-Loire département CLICK HERE

Official Anjou Tourisme Web site

61 Orne. Normandie

duck — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:14:24 +0000

Orne is a departement in Normandie, with its main towns being Alencon, Argenton and Mortagne-surPerche. Home to Camembert and its famous cheese.

See the Orne Official Tourisme site.

See our customised Google Map

12 Aveyron, Midi-Pyrenees

duck — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:48:38 +0000

The Aveyron département in the Upper Lot Valley is in the north of the Midi-Pyrenees region of France, its main towns being Rodez, Millau and Villefranche-de-Rouergue.

With budget airlines now flying into Rodez, and the newly completed A75 autoroute connecting north and central France with Pezenas and Beziers on the Mediterranean coast (via the wonderful Millau viaduct), the area is likely to see more visitors in coming years, attracted by a hitherto unknown part of France.
See our customised Google Map of the Aveyron

….a breathtaking area of extraordinary landscapes: of hills, valleys, and spectacular gorges.

Thanks to the spectacular Millau Viaduct designed by British architect Norman Foster this hidden corner of south west France, is now only two hours away from the Mediterranean. Aveyron offers all the pleasures of the region: traditional welcome, beautiful scenery, dramatic landscapes and picturesque villages.

Aveyron is the home of the famous Causses, the limestone plateaux around the town of Millau, which is equally famous for its luxury-glove-making. The majestic Gorges du Tarn, the Lot and the Aveyron Valleys, the charming classified villages of Najac and Conques (an important stopping place on the Way of St James de Compostela), and the Bastide towns, are all to be found here. And there’s more, there are unique Templar villages and the beautiful Lévezou lakes thrown in for good measure.

Aveyron is also renowned for its excellent cuisine: every auberge has rural delicacies, delicious cheeses (including the unique Roquefort cheese) and local wines for you to try. Other famous product of this area include the splendid Laguiole cutlery and pocket knives.

From the heights of the Aubrac mountains to the depths of the Tarn gorges, everything is to be found here, whether you are searching for a chance to unwind or a physical challenge, taking care of body and soul or just chill. With every step there’s a new discovery !

See the Aveyron Official Tourist Office site

01 Ain, Rhone-Alpes

duck — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:02:09 +0000

In the east of France and to the east of Burgundy adjacent to Switzerland, the Ain is probably a little overlooked by most visitors.

With Bourg-en-Bresse as its principal town it is a region of gentle hills and river valleys – which is one of the hidden parts of France.

The departement includes Bugey and the wines of Bugey. These are VDQS wines (Vins Délimité de Qualité Superieure) – a classification between full Appellation Controllee and Vins de Pays. As such there are restrictions on grape varieties used and planting and harvesting techniques – and the grapes must be grown in the designated region. White wines from Chardonnay, Roussette; Rosé wines from Gamay and Poulsard; Reds from Gamay, Pinot and Mondeuse; and sparkling wines from Chardonnay. Seldom seen in the UK.
For an opportunity to taste some of these wines there is an open tasting in Lyon from 25-26 January 2008 – click here for more details
For more on the wines of Bugey see www.vinsdubugey.net
One of the highlights of the year is the celebration of the famous yellow corn-fed chickens from Bourg-en-Bresse – the Glorieuses de Bresse held every December shortly before Christmas (for 2008 it runs from 16-21 December 2008 – in the form of a market and other festivities held in Bourg-en-Bresse, Louhans, Pont de Vaux and Montrevel-en-Bresse – see www.glorieusesdebresse.com

More info – see the Ain Tourism Office

For an English run B&B in the region with a knowledgeable host and guide see B&B Burgundy

See our customised Google map of the Ain departement

76 Seine-Maritime, Normandy

duck — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:58:26 +0000

Departement with Rouen as its capital and includes Dieppe and Le Havre.

See our searchable Google map

For more info see Seine-Maritime Tourist Office

33 Gironde, Aquitaine

duck — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 10:28:10 +0000

The departement of the Gironde defines Bordeaux wines, and its capital is the historic city of Bordeaux on the Garonne river, which merges with the River Dordogne north of the city to form the Gironde estuary seaward to the north.

href=”http://www.bordeaux-tourisme.com” target=”_blank”>Bordeaux Tourist Office
See our customised Google Map of the Gironde

See all our content on Bordeaux and the Gironde département

11 Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon

duck — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:43:15 +0000

The Aude is also known as “Cathar Country” and straddles north and south of the main A62 autoroute which runs from the Mediterranean at Narbonne through to Carcassonne and on to the Atlantic. It is home to the wine appellations of Corbieres, Minervois and Fitou. Its main towns are Narbonne, Beziers and Carcassonne.

See the official Aude Tourism website

see our map

46 Lot, Midi Pyrenees

duck — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:25:05 +0000

The Lot is home to Cahors and its wines, the rich tannic Malbec red wine. The Lot valley meanders its way from east to west across the departement. and offers a variety of landscapes from deep river valleys, high moorland, expansive oak forests.

Recommended book: Lot: Travels Through a Limestone Landscape in SouthWest Franceby Helen Martin (Moho Books)
See our Map of the Lot département and its attractions

Lot Tourist Information Office

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81 Tarn, Midi-Pyrenees

duck — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:48:35 +0000

The land of Gaillac wines, the striking edifice of Albi Cathedral (and a Toulouse Lautrec museum) and the medieval village of Cordes-sur-Ciel (in the sky). Lautrec holds an annual Garlic festival.

See map

Domaine de Labarthe – Gaillac wines
Manoir des Raynaudes – boutique B&B and apartments

Tarn Tourist Information Office

32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees

duck — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:47:37 +0000

The heart of Gascony = wine (Cotes de Gascogne, Cotes de St Mont, Madiran, Pacherenc du Vic Bilh, Floc de Gascogne and Armagnac + duck and goose = foie gras!
Les Chenes Verts de Gascogne - B&B
Domaine Berthoumieu - Madiran and Pacherenc du Vic Bilh winemaker
Producteurs Plaimont – cooperative wine cellar for Cotes de Gascogne, Cotes de St Mont, Madiran and Pacherenc du Vic Bilh
Peyloubëre - GIte and B&B accommodation
Domaine de Lauroux – English owned vineyard producing Cotes de Gascogne wines, Floc de Gascogne and Armagnac + B&B and self-catering accommodation.
Chateau d’Aydie (Famille Laplace) wine producers at Aydie

Jazz in Marciac events
Tempo Latino music festival in Vic Fezensac
Motor Racing circuit at Nogaro

Gers Tourist Information Office
See map

30 Gard, Languedoc-Roussillon

duck — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:39:36 +0000

The Gard is a departement of Languedoc-Roussillon region with its capital at Nimes.
The area includes parts of the Cotes du Rhone wine region to the east, Vins de Pays d’Oc to the south and west, and the Costières de Nimes vineyards around Nimes.
It has significant Roman sites at Nimes and the Pont du Gard
See our customised Google Map

Gard Tourist Information Office

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47 Lot et Garonne, Aquitaine

duck — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 08:33:44 +0000

The Lot et Garonne departement lies to the east of Bordeaux and south of the Dordogne, with its principal towns being Agen, Duras Villeneneuve-sur-Lot and Marmande.
It is home to the wines of Buzet, Cotes de Brulhois, Cotes de Duras and Cotes du Marmandais.
Lot-et-Garonne Tourist Information Office

See map

24 Dordogne, Aquitaine

duck — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:57:33 +0000

In the south of the Perigord area with the Dordogne river running through it, the département of Dordogne has its capital at Bergerac.

Home to the vineyards of Bergerac and its sub-appellations (e.g. Pecharmant, Saussignac, Montravel, Monbazillac) the département is adjacent to Bordeaux to the west and Duras to the south-west.

It is also home to our favourite French wine producer, Guy Cuisset at Chateau Grinou in Monestier.

See our customised map

Selected content from www.frenchduck.com below
(see all content on 24 Dordogne )

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Paris Carnaval Route

duck — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 11:12:02 +0000

To celebrate Carnaval the Parisian way, join in the fun on the processional route from Porte de Bagnolet to the Hotel de Ville on 3 February 2008 – CLICK HERE for details

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BatoBus River bus route in Paris

duck — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 11:01:25 +0000

One way of getting around some of the main sights of Paris is on the hop-on hop-off ferry that runs a circular route from the Eiffel Tower to St Germain-des-Pres to Musee d’Orsay, Notre Dame, Jardin des Plantes, Hotel de Ville, Louvre and Champs Elysees.
See more on alternative wats of getting around Paris at www.frenchduck.com

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Vire-sur-Lot

duck — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 05:03:20 +0000

Vire-sur-Lot is the home of a number of top rate Cahors wineries to the west of the town of Cahors on the River Lotsee map
For more info see www.frenchduck.com and www.frenchduck.co.uk

Domaine du Fontenay, Côtes Roannaises

duck — Sun, 27 May 2007 09:49:30 +0000

An Englishman and his wife set up a vineyard in the little-known Côtes Roannaises appellation in the Upper Loire Valley, and now have a great success and a B&B/Gite (see www.frenchduck.com)

see map

Vic Fezensac, 32 Gers

duck — Wed, 23 May 2007 14:58:46 +0000

In deepest Gascony, Vic Fezensac in the Gers hosts a number of cultural events throughout the summer, including the Feria de Pentecote, and Tempo Latino.
Whilst in the region you could also visit the Kitchener’s vineyard at Domaine de Lauroux
see map