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Ever since I arrived in Dordogne, I’ve seen a whole parade of castles and tasted everything the local gastronomy has to offer: foie gras, all sorts of delicacies, and of course the famous Pommes de terre Sarladaises, which have officially become my new weakness. Honestly, I don’t understand how it’s possible to eat this well …
Yesterday we left the Loire Valley and arrived in Dordogne, in Vézac, where George decided it was time to return to our roots. Our real roots. As in Cro‑Magnon. The region is full of painted caves, rock shelters, and archaeological sites; the Vézère Valley — nicknamed the Capital of Prehistory — is dotted with famous …
Continue reading Vézac: four days among cats, quiet, and prehistory
Today we visited Chambord and Chenonceau, two magnificent castles, each with its own personality: Chambord, grand and monumental; Chenonceau, intimate and full of charm. As I mentioned before, from Langeais you can reach both castles in under an hour, so the route is very doable. And the villages where these castles are located are wonderfully …
Continue reading Between Two Castles: From Chambord to Chenonceau
Yesterday we began our day at Château d’Ussé, a place where history and legend meet with surprising ease. Its white towers, rising gracefully above the Indre Valley, instantly reveal why the castle is associated with Sleeping Beauty. Its impeccable silhouette, with tall roofs and Gothic details, radiates a quietness that invites you to slow down …
Continue reading Ussé & Villandry: a day between fairytale and symmetry
Yesterday we left behind the hustle and bustle of Paris and set off toward the Loire Valley. George planned this route, eager to show us a few medieval castles that look as if they were lifted straight out of a fairy tale. So, for the rest of our itinerary, we rented a car — France, …
Continue reading Beyond Paris: The Loire Valley and the Beginning of a Medieval Journey
Yesterday was our last day in Paris in the first stage of our French journey, so we spent it in a very… contemplative way: riding the Big Bus twice, making full use of the 24‑hour ticket. Let’s just say we had absolutely no desire left to tackle the metro stairs — where escalators seem to …
Continue reading A Moody Day in Paris: Between Notre‑Dame and the Seine
Yesterday’s schedule was an easy one for me and Anna, simply because I’m physically exhausted. I sleep very little, and the constant noise outside doesn’t help at all. I need to make a small parenthesis here: back home we wake up to the sound of mourning doves, otherwise it’s complete silence. We have no neighbors …
Continue reading Paris on Fast‑Forward: the cure for tired feet — a double‑decker bus
Our visit yesterday had the calm, gentle feeling of a well‑deserved vacation morning. We set off toward Château de Chantilly without any big expectations, but with that pleasant curiosity that follows you when you’re about to discover a new place. And honestly, from the very first moments I found myself wondering how on earth this …
Continue reading Chantilly: a Must‑See Destination Near Paris
Yesterday felt like a kind of D‑Day for us: we finally managed to escape the “ghetto” of the 20th arrondissement. We are saved, whole, and unharmed — though we’re left with a slight post‑traumatic twitch that makes us look obsessively in every direction when we walk down the street, just in case we step into… …
Continue reading Freed from the 20th Arrondissement, Arrived in Versailles: From Ghetto to Grandeur
Yesterday was a very difficult day and, honestly, a pretty strange one. We woke up, didn’t eat anything — I was already spiraling because I couldn’t find anything that resembled a healthy breakfast — and we decided to try the “old school” method: walking straight into hotel lobbies and asking in person if they had …
