This French Life

La France en relief captures towns from the past

WHAT looks to be an intriguing exhibition of relief models of fortified towns in France is currently on display at the Grand Palais in Paris.

The incredibly detailed maps were produced for military purposes from the reign of Louis XIV to the end of the 19th century.

For example, the map of Cherbourg covers an area of 160m² and would have provided military officers with information on siege warfare and fortifications, but also planners an insight into the geography of the area.

Some of the plans show a France long gone, for example the relief map of Brest shows the town before the bombs of world war two destroyed much of it.

The list of towns on show:
Montmélian (Savoie), Embrun (Hautes-Alpes), Briançon (Hautes-Alpes), Montdauphin (Hautes-Alpes), Grenoble (Isère), Fort Barraux (Isère), Exilles (Italie), Fenestrelles (Italie), Besançon (Doubs), Neuf-Brisach (Haut-Rhin), Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin), Luxembourg, Berg-op-Zoom (Pays-Bas), Saint-Omer (Pas-de-Calais), Cherbourg (Manche), Brest (Finistère).

La France en relief - De Louis XIV à Napoléon III
Grand Palais, Nef.
18 January to 17 February 2012

What's On Feb: Festivals, film and Russian classics

KEEN to get some fresh air? Then check out some of the events and festivals taking place in France in February.

La Folle Journée, Nantes, 1 to 5 February, 2012
One of the most popular classical music festival in France with this year's theme eing Russia.

Percée du Vin Jaune, the Jura, 4 and 5 February, 2012
Vin Jaune, the unique nectar of the Jura area in Franche-Comté, is aged in oak barrels for six years, and the Percée du Vin Jaune celebrates the breaking of its protective layer of yeast and the bottling of a new vintage. In a different village each year, Ruffey sur Seille is the host location in 2012.

Des enfants du Cinema, the Ardennes, 7 to 24 February, 2012
Children and teenagers are the heroes and actors of the movies projected during this original film festival. The film selection is various and international and is aimed at youngsters as well as adults, with showings in the main towns of the Ardennes.

Transjurassienne, Franche-Comté, 11 and 12 February, 2012
The ultimate cross country ski marathon conquers the Jura mountain range with the main event broken up into a series of challenges from the 10 and 25km Mini Trans through the 42km Transmarathon to the awe-inspiring Lamoura-Mouthe Transjurassienne World Cross Country Skiing Cup itself over courses of 50 and 76km.

Menton Lemon Festival, 17 February to 7 March, 2012
The 79th annual festival offers many a surprise from the golden parade of fruit-filled floats to the citrus decorations in the Biovès gardens, this is a grandiose festival that is unique to this scenic seaside town in the Riviera.

Nice Carnival welcomes UK and sporting world

A TASTE of the UK will be on offer for the three weeks of the Nice Carnival as the streets jump and dance to a musical beat.

Guest of honour is the UK as sport will form the key theme of the event, and with the 2012 London Olympics on the way sporting exploits will be celebrated.

Over a million visitors will head to the city and enjoy street performers, market stalls and some delicious Mediterranean food.

This year’s Nice Carnival, which starts on Friday 17 February, will feature processions that show off the many hours people have spent decorating floats and creating giant cardboard masks.

The official poster presents all sports on the same level, using symbolic objects for each.

A magical walk with the trois évêques

YOU are sure to see the steep rock face from the road as you navigate the tight bend, but not many people stop and take a stroll to the Fontaine des trois évêques.

Thanks to a recommendation from my friend Cro, we took a magical walk past rushing springs, overhanging rock walls and sparkling sunlit woods, all of which can be found near the small hamlet of Lavaur, in the Dordogne (map).

The mid-morning sun was trying its best to take the chill off the icy air, but with a faint mist rising off a small stream, and the light playing tricks with your eyes, there was a medieval touch to the day.

Beneath the steep cliff face you will first cross the Fontaine des trois évêques where the old feudal boundaries, and the powerful, were able to meet without fine or charge.

There is also a tumbledown lavoir with its wooden frame and tiled roof taped off to keep the inquisitive at bay.

Continuing past the waterpump house, the path takes you close to the sheer rock faces and although evidence of small streams is still there, the past year has been very dry so the occasional trickle soon heads back underground.

Walking along, with only stout shoes required, their was still a chill along the track but as it rose the air warmed and the icy tree tops began to melt with droplets splashing onto the leaves and twigs below.

The path is established enough to drive along, and car tracks could be seen, but no one else was out that day, just the occasional jay and crow screeching and squawking as we headed deeper into the woods.

As the path gently rises small patches of open space, with banks of wood behind, point to how the forest may have been worked in the past, and possibly sheep and other animals were kept when the area was intertwined with agriculture.

But today it is another trade that leads the way with yellow capped sign-posts pointing to a new belief in tourism and the euros that might bring.

Related: A walk around Prats-du-Périgord, the Dordogne

Festivals, film and plenty to discover in January

LOOKING for a bit of inspiration at the start of the new year, or just a different take on things, then check out some of the events taking place across France in January.

Paris Jazz Club Festival, 2 to 25 January
Check out this festival which brings together 16 jazz clubs in and around Paris for a special buy-one-get-one–free promotion for all concerts.

Les Coquecigrues, various locations in Brittany, 22 January to 25 March
A fabled bird that takes flight throughout Brittany, every Sunday, Les Coquecigrues puts on two brilliantly entertaining shows for children as well as a guided visit for all the family.

International Comic Strip Festival, Angoulême, Poitou-Charentes, 26 to 29 January
The French are big fans of comic strips (Bande Dessinée or BD as they are affectionately known in France) and this enormously popular festival is hosted every year in the city which is home to the Centre National de la Bande Dessinée et de l’Image.

Contemporary Art Market, Paris, 26 to 29 January
150 artists, painters and sculptors come together at the Halle Freyssinet in the 13th arrondissement to showcase their art.

International Short Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand, 27 January to 4 February
French and foreign short films are showcased at this festival, which has become the most attended in France after Cannes. A simultaneous English translation of films will be provided by headphones.

Saint Vincent Tournante, Dijon, Burgundy, 28 and 29 January
In one of the most famous wine growing regions in the world, the Saint Vincent Tournante wine festival brings back the spirit and ritual of Saint Vincent, the patron saint of wine-growers with a religious service, numerous processions and plenty of wine-tasting opportunities.

What's on in the mountains of France this winter

HERE is a quick look ahead to what's on in the mountains of France for the early months of 2012, pointing out some of the shows and festivals that may appeal.

Full Moon Evening, Les 2 Alpes, 9 Janaury
The ultimate night skiing experience. Ski on the glacier until sunset, then head downhill in the moonlight from the summits to the ski station.

The evening is rounded off with a mountain dinner at altitude (3,200m) with music. Skiers and non skiers are welcome, so all the family can enjoy a full moon evening on Les 2 Alpes glacier. www.les2alpes.com

The Grand Odyssey, Maurienne Valley, 11 to 13 January
The famous course runs through the Diamond Zone and the resorts of La Belle Montagne, the biggest dog-sled race in the world in which, 'man and animal move in perfect harmony in the wilderness'.

The race runs through the Savoy region over 800km and climbs up to 25,000m of height difference. www.lessaisies.com

Salsa en la Montana, Saint Lary, The Pyrénées, 13 to 15 January
Free salsa sessions in the snow. A weekend of fun and frolics with DJ sets, sledging and copious amounts of the traditional tartiflette. www.saintlary.com

The first French Ice-Climbing Competition, Champagny en Vanoise, La Plagne, 2 and 4 February
Taking place on an ice tower, competitors will climb as high as they possibly can on a wall of ice which gets steadily more and more difficult towards the top. With only six to 12 minutes to climb, the winner will be the one who gets to the highest heights. www.la-plagne.com

French and European Skicross Cup, Val Thorens, 9 to 11 February
With the sport’s recent accession to the Olympic status, the Skicross Cup is a ski competition in which a group of skiers (usually four) start simultaneously on top of an inclined course with jumps and woops, then race to reach the finish line first.
www.valthorens.com

Nordic festival la vallée du Haut Giffre, 12 February
The resorts of Morillon, Samoëns, Sixt-Fer à Cheval and Verchaix rally together to reveal Nordic sports, but also to promote an exceptional area dedicated to the world of Nordic skiing: la vallée du Haut Giffre.

The Nordic festival offers a whole day of play and festivities to discover free of charge the joys of Nordic skiing, in the Haut Giffre valley: cross country skiing, ski Joëring with dogs or horses, biathlon- with rifles, Nordic-Walking, snow-shoeing, dog-sledding for the youngsters and learn about Nordic equipment adapted for handicapped people. A prime opportunity to be introduced to snow sports. www.festinordic-hautgiffre.com

More events and festivals taking place in the mountains of France.

Lyon lights up for Fête des Lumières

Aquastell - Pitaya par ville-de-lyon
IF you can get to Lyon this weekend then you are sure to be dazzled and delighted by the Fête des Lumières 2011.

With thousands of people expected between 8 and 11 December, the city will mark the 13th edition of its illuminations festival.

More than 70 locations across Lyon will be lit up and around 15,000 people are expected at the Bellecour place for the switching on of the illuminations on 7 December, and 200,000 visitors in the La Tête d’Or Park during the four evenings.

Monuments, rivers and the surrounding countryside become the perfect setting and everyone has the opportunity to showcase their talents: lighting-technicians, designers, architects, video directors, artists and young students.

The traditional lighting up of the city dates back to 8 December 1852 when Lyon’s inhabitants decided to illuminate their windows and railings with candles.

They came down in to the street to celebrate the installation of the Virgin Mary’s statue on the Fourvière hill for the festive season.

The Museum of the Great War opens its doors

PRESIDENT Sarkozy officially opened the Musée de la Grande Guerre, in Meaux to the east of Paris, on 11 November.

The Museum of the Great War displays a vast selection of objects and documents to illustrate daily life during world war one.

Wishing for the return of water lily gardens at Latour-Marliac

AS I walked around the water lily garden at Latour-Marliac, in the Lot-et-Garonne, I thought it was surprisingly small, there were many worn concrete rectangles containing water pools, but only a few people were wandering between them.

So it was something of a surprise to feel the refreshing air that drifted across the garden and seeing the spots of colour as I got nearer the plants.

Chestnut festival in Villefranche du Perigord (24)

ON Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 October, 2011, Villefranche du Perigord will be hosting its popular festivities marking the chestnut, and if available the cèpe mushroom.

Over the two days there will be chance to try a variety of chestnut and cèpe delicacies, as well as take in local music and dance, and don't forget the chestnut spitting competition on Sunday - it always draws the crowds.