What began in the 3rd century BC with the Romans planting 200 hectares of vines evolved into a vast 5,400 hectares and 800+ wineries producing delightfully smooth French wine. We made a quick stop to Chateau Cadet Bon, a small family-owned winery for a taste of Saint-Emilion wine, and the trip left us wanting for more.
Continue reading “A Quick Wine Tasting Trip to Saint-Émilion”
A rainy day couldn’t stop us from taking a road trip to France’s Atlantic coast and explore the quiet beauty of Royan and Talmont-sur-Gironde. Inland, we cruised through Dordogne, home of famed Périgord black truffles.
Continue reading “A Rainy Day Trip in Dordogne: coastal charm and historic villages”
A trip to France wouldn’t be complete without exploring its many wine regions and options. Bordeaux is at the top of that list! Beyond its wines, the city offers ornate Baroque and Rococo 18th century buildings, Neoclassical and Gothic 19th century architecture, views of Garonne River which flows from Spain’s Pyrenees to the Gironde estuary in Bordeaux, botanical gardens, art museums, and of course many cafés.
Continue reading “It’s (Not) All About the Wine: Bordeaux, France”
During our month and a half trip, we visited with friends, made new ones, shopped fabulous fresh markets, picked mushrooms, indulged in way too much cheese, moules marinières, and wine, and explored the sunny Mediterranean coast.
Our journey started in Angoulême, then took us to Bordeaux, Royan, Talmont-sur-Gironde, Mortagne-sur-Gironde, Brantôme, Saint-Émillion, Cognac, Carcassonne, Montpellier, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Caumont-sur-Durance, Gordes, Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Baux-de-Provence, Arles and Salin de Giraud, Lyon, Bedoin & Foret Domaniale de Vantouret, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, La Ciotat, Antibes, Eze, Monte Carlo – Monaco, Menton, Nice, Cassis, and Marseille.
Continue reading “The Joy of Discovering France Beyond Paris”
By Oana Harrison
Published in 2025 Mar/Apr Cityview Magazine
Underestimated. Beautiful. Complicated history. Home. That’s Romania, the beautiful country where I was born and lived until coming to the U.S. mid-90s. For 18 years, I called Knoxville and the Smokies home, while returning to my true home, the Carpathian Mountains, almost every year.
Continue reading “The Heart of Romania-Journeying Home for an Epic Visit”
