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Pic

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Executive summary by Darmansjah


The Pic family's truffle-coloured, 1889-established inn has ultrachic rooms and public spaces mixing antique, contemporary and kitsch, alongside a couple of stunning restaurants – the top-of-the-line Restaurant Pic and the less formal bistro Le 7. Just down the street, their tony new deli and grocery, L'Épicerie, features wine and gourmet food items hand-picked by Anne-Sophie Pic. Serious foodies will want to sign up at Pic's cutting-edge cooking school, Scook, with 1½-hour courses from €55 through to full-day courses from €250, plus courses for kids aged over six (1½ hours from €39).

With a gastronomic restaurant, a bistro, and a cookery school, this elegant and stylish hotel will appeal to all gourmets wishing to enjoy the very best of French cuisine. The contemporary rooms at the Maison Pic make a statement with signed objects from designers including Bruno Borrione. They are decorated in wood, leather, metal, and glass to create matte and transparent effects. At the Maison Pic’s restaurant you can sample gastronomic delights made by Anne-Sophie Pic, who boasts 3 Michelin stars. The restaurant opens onto a beautiful patio and gardens. The hotel also houses a bistro-style restaurant, a bar, and Anne-Sophie Pic's new cookery school, Scook. Spend your days in the Maison Pic’s beautiful garden, where you can sunbathe by the gorgeous outdoor swimming pool. Free parking is provided at the Maison Pic, making it easy to explore the Drôme region by car.

Food & beverage
The hotel’s gastronomic restaurant is open from Tuesday to Saturday and reservation is advised. The bistro is open 7 days a week. The cookery school is open from Tuesday to Saturday.




Place Stanislas

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Executive summary by Darmansjah


The Place Stanislas, known colloquially as the place Stan', is a large pedestrianized square in Nancy, Lorraine, France. Since 1983, the architectural ensemble comprising the Place Stanislas and the extension of its axis, the Place de la Carrière and Place d'Alliance, has been on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Place Stanislas is 125 meters long and 106 meters wide. It is paved with light ochre stones, with two lines of darker stones forming a diagonal cross motif. The square is surrounded by an architecturally harmonious ensemble of buildings, most notably:

The City Hall of Nancy (Hôtel de Ville), which occupies the entire South side of the square, with the Préfecture of Meurthe-et-Moselle at the South-East corner;

To the East, the Opéra-Theâtre (formerly the bishop's palace) and the Grand Hôtel (originally the Hôtel de la Reine, actually occupied by the Intendant Alliot);

To the West, the Fine Arts Museum (Musée des Beaux Arts, originally the Collège de Médecine) and the Pavillon Jacquet;

On the North side, the buildings were kept lower for defensive purposes (to permit crossfire between the Vaudemont and Haussonville bastions).

An Arc de Triomphe by Héré stands in the centre of the fourth side, leading to the adjoining Place de la Carrière, where the main axis is developed as a double avenue of trees, with symmetrical buildings facing each other down its length.

At the far end is the Place d'Alliance, defined by the hemicycles of colonnades that enclose the sides and are carried across the pre-existing façade of the Palais du Gouvernement.

The statue in the center of the Place Stanislas, created by Georges Jacquot (1794–1874), represents Stanislas standing, dressed in flowing robes, holding a sword in his left hand and pointing towards the north with his right hand. The inscriptions on the high marble pedestal read :


• South face :    "Stanislas Leszczynski, Roi de Pologne, Duc de Lorraine et de Bar, 1737-1766"
(Stanislas Leszczynski, King of Poland, Duke of Lorraine and Bar, 1737–1766)
• North face :    "A Stanislas le Bienfaisant, la Lorraine Reconnaissante, 1831, Meurthe-Meuse-Vosges"
(To Stanislas the Benefactor, Lorraine [is] grateful, 1831, Meurthe-Meuse-Vosges)
The four corners and West and East sides of the square feature gilded wrought iron gates and lanterns, created by Jean Lamour (1698–1771), who was also responsible for the wrought iron balustrade on the main staircase in the Hôtel de Ville and the balcony across the center of its main façade. The North-West and North-East corners also feature ornate fountains designed by Barthélémy Guibal (1699–1757).

Trending

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CHINA’S GREEN LEAP FORWARD

By Costas Christ, Executive summary by darmansjah


A confession: I don’t play golf, partly because I’m unable to reconcile my conservation work with a sport also known for habitat destruction, massive water consumption, and heavy use of herbicides and pesticides. And yet, until the 1950s, the sport of golf as played in the pastures of Scotland existed in harmony with nature. Can the pastime reconnect wit hits greener roots?

Some groups are trying: Europe’s Golf Environment Organization launched a sustainability program, and Dudubon International has eco-certified 988 courses. Now golf may be about to take a big step, in a surprising place. “I want to introduce SUSTAINABLE GOLF on a scale never done before,” says Ken Chu, the chairman of china’s Mission Hills-the largest golf club in the world. We are riding in a solar powered golf cart looking at a few of the 12 coursed he irrigates using only recycled gray water. I meet scientists monitoring air quality in a high-tech field station that Chu established. Shark-fin soup has been banned from resort menus, and no retailer doing business with Mission Hills is allowed to sell ivory. The verdict isn’t in yet, but I’m encouraged enough to start practicing my swing.

Restaurant Paul Bocuse

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Executive summary by Darmansjah


Paul Bocuse (born 11 February 1926) is a French chef based in Lyon who is famous for the high quality of his restaurants and his innovative approaches to cuisine. He is one of the most prominent chefs associated with the nouvelle cuisine, which is less opulent and calorific than the traditional cuisine classique, and stresses the importance of fresh ingredients of the highest quality. Paul Bocuse claimed that Henri Gault first used the term, nouvelle cuisine, to describe food prepared by Bocuse and other top chefs for the maiden flight of the Concorde airliner in 1969.

Bocuse's main restaurant is the luxury restaurant l'Auberge du Pont de Collonges, near Lyon, which has been serving a traditional menu for decades. It is one of a small number of restaurants in France to receive the coveted three-star rating by the Michelin Guide. He also operates a chain of brasseries in Lyon, named Le Nord, l'Est, Le Sud and l'Ouest, each of which specializes in a different aspect of French cuisine. His son, Jérôme, manages the Chefs de France restaurant inside the French pavilion at Walt Disney World's Epcot.
Bocuse is considered an ambassador of modern French Cuisine. He was honored in 1961 with the title Meilleur Ouvrier de France. He had been apprenticed to Fernand Point, a master of classic French cuisine; and Bocuse dedicated his first book to him.

World Calender

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A Kaleidoscope of Spring Events

Executive summary by darmansjah

According to the President

Premiere of Camp David, arena stage, Washington, D.C. March 21-May 4. Pultizer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright brings the backstory of the 1978 Camp David accords center stage. Based on events recorded in Rosalynn Carter’s diary and President Jimmy Carter’s archives, the play offers an inside look at some of the small moments (like an impromptu Gettysburg trip by Carter, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and Israel Prime Minister Menachem Begin) that kept the unprecented Middle East peace talks on track.

Color My World

Holi Festival, India, March 17 Unleash your inner eight-year-old at the often wet-and wild-festival of colors. The color comes from bright red, pink, green, and orange gulal (dry powder) tossed in the air and smeared on faces. Add buckets of water and you’ve got a whirling, dripping sea of neon-tinted bodies.

Tuning in to Texas

South by southwest Austin, March 11-16 Big-name acts get the buzz (the 2013 lineup included Justin Timberlake, Prince, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs), but the main focus at SXSW always is on what’s next. With over 2,200 artists performing on more than 100 stages, it’ll be easy to create a Spotify playlist filled with favorites that few of your friends have heard-yet.

Fired Up in Spain

Las Fallas De Valencia, Spain, March 15-19 Sleep isn’t option at Valencia’s raucous and roaring “welcome spring” fling. The five-day frenzy of parades, parties, fireworks, and flames comes to a blazing conclusion on La Crema (“the burning”). That’s when the festival’s more than 300 polystyrene and wood satirical statues, stuffed with explosives, are torched. The winning entry is spared and displayed.

Let’s Make a Deal

Affordable art fair, Brussels, Belgium, February 7-10 Can’t tell a Picasso from a paint by number? This is your chance to learn about contemporary art, fall in love with an original such as Caroline poulet’s resin sculpture “Royal Blue”, and actually afford to bring something home. Prices start at around $65. If none of the thousands of paintings, prints, and sculptures speaks to you, create your own masterpiece at a hands-on workshop.

STRANGE PLANET

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Original text by Jenna Schnuer, Executive summary by darmansjah

Antward Scissorhandsin the Amazon, foot-long lines of leafcutter ants cart sizable leaf chunks back to their nests to use as compost. RISE UP Bakers at Nashivlle’s renowned Loveless Café get going every morning at 3 a.m. in order to turn out 1.5 million buttermilk biscuits annually. TUNNEL VISION Spring driving on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route-a highway that transects the northern Japanese alps-delivers a different kind of great wall experience: along the Yukino-Otani corridor, snow walls rise up to 60 feet above car level. WATCH YOUR STEP Visitors to the 1,109-foot-tall Macau Tower can bungee jump off the skyscraper, climb ladders to the highest point, or walk around the outside of the building at 765 feet and  glimpse views of Hong Kong. ORANGE YOU GLAD Come spring, orange and yellow Namaqualand daisies blanket most of the South African mining town of Nababiep. DON’T BLINK Wedged between a bar and a sandwich shop in Somerville, Massachusetts, the new, 16-inch wide art Museum-or “micro museum”-claims to be the world’s smallest.

GEOTOURISM MAPGUIDE

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Exceptional Destinations, Authentic Experieces.

Executive summary by darmansjah

NatGeo experts and handpicked locals have develop a one-of-a-kind travel resource to help you plan more enriching journeys, using interactive online maps, guides, and virtual tours; tuck-in-your-pocket print formats; even mobile apps-all filled with inside insights and advice on exploring these legendary locations. Get tips on where to find the most awe-inspiring natural beauty; outdoor adventures; ways to engage and volunteer in communities; homegrown festivals and events; museums, galleries, theaters, and interpretive center; plus favorite spots to stay, eat, and drink.

NatGeo and the National Geotourism Council have created a partnership with tourism destinations that protect, promote, and sustain distinctive environments and cultures. These regions go the extra mile to help you have the most authentic travel experience
.
Explore these destinations more fully with our unique Interactive Destination Guides

Sierra Nevada-California, Nevadasierranevadageotourism.org
 

Four Corners-Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah fourcornergeotourism.com
 

Greater Yellowstone-Idaho, Montana, Wyoming yellowstonegeotourism.org
 

Crown of The Continent-Alberta, British Columbia, Montana crownofthecontinent.net


 
Central Cascades-Oregon, Washington thecentralcascades.com

 

East Tennessee River Valley-Tennessee, North Georgia tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org


Lakes to Locks Passage-New York, Quebec lakestolocks.org


Redwood Coast-California visitredwoodcoast.com


U.S. Gulf Coast States-Lousiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida usgulfcoaststatesgeotourism.com


St.Emilion

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Executive summary by Darmansjah


Saint-Émilion  is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.

Saint-Émilion is one of the principal red wine areas of Bordeaux along with the Médoc, Graves and Pomerol. The region is much smaller than the Médoc and adjoins Pomerol. As in Pomerol and the other appellations on the right bank of the Gironde, the primary grape varieties used are the Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with relatively small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon also being used by some chateaux.

Saint Émilion wines were not included in the 1855 Bordeaux classification. The first formal classification in Saint-Émilion was made in 1955. Unlike the 1855 classification, it is regularly revised.

Château Ausone and Château Cheval Blanc are the only two wines currently classified as Premiers grands crus classes A (First Great Growths category A). There are then 13 Premiers grands crus classés B and 53 grands crus classés. In addition, a large number of vineyards are classified as Grand Cru.


St.Tropez

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Executive summary by Darmansjah


Saint-Tropez in Occitan, San Tropez in Spanish and some older English texts) is a Provençal town, 104 kilometres (65 miles) to the east of Marseille, in the Var department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. It is also the principal town in the canton of Saint-Tropez.

Saint-Tropez is located on the French Riviera. It was a military stronghold and an unassuming fishing village until the beginning of the 20th century. It was the first town on this coast to be liberated during World War II (as part of Operation Dragoon). After the war, it became an internationally-known seaside resort, renowned principally because of the influx of artists of the French New Wave in cinema and the Yé-yé movement in music. It later became a resort for the European and American jet set and a goal for tourists in search of a little Provençal authenticity and an occasional celebrity sighting.

By sea

The 800 berths port with two marinas hosts boats, including ferries. In the summer season there is a ferry service between St-Tropez and Nice, Sainte-Maxime, Cannes, Saint Raphael, or by chartering a private yacht.

Some examples of actual ships near/in the Saint-Tropez port can be shown there.

By air

There is no airport located in Saint-Tropez, but there is a charter service to/from clubs, town, and Tropezian beaches by helicopter.

The nearest airport is La Môle – Saint-Tropez Airport (IATA: LTT, ICAO: LFTZ) located in La Môle, 15 km (9 mi) (8 NM) southwest of Saint-Tropez.

Other main airports are:
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (IATA: NCE, ICAO: LFMN) (~95 km)
Toulon-Hyères Airport (IATA:TLN, ICAO:LFTH) (~52 km)
Marseille Provence Airport (French: Aéroport de Marseille Provence) (IATA: MRS, ICAO: LFML) (~158 km)

Some of the nearby air traffic is shown, for example, here

By land

Rail: There is no rail station in Saint-Tropez. The nearest station is 'Saint-Raphaël-Valescure' located in Saint-Raphaël (39 km (24 mi) from Saint-Tropez), which also offers a boat service to Saint-Tropez.[23] There is also direct bus service to Saint-Tropez, and the rail station is connected with bus station.
Bus: There is a bus station in Saint-Tropez called the French: Gare routière de Saint-Tropez located in Place Blanqui.[26] It is operated by Var department transport division Varlib, which employs other transport companies to operate routes.

Taxi: There are taxi services – including from Nice airport to Saint-Tropez – but this is not a cheap due to long distances, and image of "wealthy Saint-Tropez".

Private car: In the tourist season traffic problems can be expected on roads to Saint-Tropez, so the fastest way to travel is by scooter or bike. There is no direct highway to the village. There are three main roads to Saint-Tropez:

Via the A8 (E80) with the sign "Draguignan, Le Muy-Golfe de Saint-Tropez"– RD 25 Sainte-Maxime, 19 km (12 mi) -> on the former RN 98 – 12 km (7 mi).

A57 with the sign "The Cannet des Maures" -> DR 558, 24 km (15 mi) Grimaud until then by the RD 61 – 9 km (6 mi) through the famous intersection of La Foux

Near the sea, the former RN 98 connects to Toulon-La Valette-du-Var, Saint-Raphaël, Cannes, Nice, Monaco, DR 93, called "Beach Road", with destinations to Pampelonne, Ramatuelle and La Croix – Valmer.
Some services show the actual traffic on the main roads near the Saint-Tropez, for example in English: Via
Town transport

Public transport in Saint-Tropez includes mini buses, which maintain a shuttle service between town and Pampelonne beaches.

Other means of transport include scooters, cars, bicycles and taxis.[28] There are also helicopter services, and boat trips.

Because of traffic and short distances, walking is an obvious choice for trips around town and to the Tropezian beaches

Taillevent

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Executive summary by Darmansjah


Taillevent is a restaurant in Paris, founded in 1946 by André Vrinat, and now owned by the Gardinier family.

In 1987, Taillevent opened a wine shop, Les Caves Taillevent, at 199 Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. This wine shop is under the direction of Valérine Vrinat, who began to work for Taillevent the same year.

In 2001, Taillevent's owners opened another restaurant, L'Angle du Faubourg, located at 195 Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Michel del Burgo left Taillevent's kitchens to lead L'Angle du Faubourg, and was replaced by head chef Alain Solivérès. Alain Lecomte became head pastry cook.

In 2004, Jean-Claude Vrinat decorated the restaurant with contemporary art, and in 2005 Les Caves Taillevent opened a second wine shop at Marunouchi, Tokyo in Japan.

In June 2006 Jean-Claude Vrinat launched a blog[1] in order to share his art-of-cooking experiences. The same year, a third wine shop, Les Caves Taillevent, opened in Printemps Haussmann, Paris.

In 2013, Les Caves de Taillevent opened its first Middle Eastern branch in Beirut, Lebanon, in Les Jardins de Tabaris.

After Alain Lecomte left Taillevent, Arnaud Vodounou became the new head pastry cook.

Cologne’s Cathedral Quarter

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Executive summary by darmansjah

Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city (after Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich), and is the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.

Cologne is located on both sides of the Rhine River. The city's famous Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Cologne. The University of Cologne (Universität zu Köln) is one of Europe's oldest and largest universities.

Cologne was founded and established in the first century AD, as the Roman Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium in Ubii territory. It was the capital of the Roman province of Germania Inferior and the headquarters of the military in the region until occupied by the Franks in 462. During the Middle Ages it flourished as one of the most important major trade routes between east and west in Europe. Cologne was one of the leading members of the Hanseatic League and one of the largest cities north of the Alps in medieval and renaissance times. Up until World War II the city had undergone several other occupations by the French and also the British. Cologne was one of the most heavily bombed cities in Germany during World War II. The bombing reduced the population by 95% and destroyed almost the entire city. With the intention of restoring as many historic buildings as possible, the rebuilding has resulted in a very mixed and unique cityscape.

Cologne is a major cultural center of the Rhineland; it is home to more than thirty museums and hundreds of galleries. Exhibitions range from local ancient Roman archeological sites to contemporary graphics and sculpture. The Cologne Trade Fair hosts a number of trade shows such as Art Cologne, imm Cologne, Gamescom, and the Photokina.

The Camargue and the Gypsy Pilgrimage

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Executive summary by Darmansjah


The Camargue  is the region located south of Arles, France, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhône River delta. The eastern arm is called the Grand Rhône; the western one is the Petit Rhône.

Administratively it lies within the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, the appropriately named "Mouths of the Rhône", and covers parts of the territory of the communes of Arles – the largest commune in Metropolitan France, Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer – the second largest – and Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône. A further expanse of marshy plain, the Petite Camargue (little Camargue), just to the west of the Petit Rhône, is in the département of Gard.

Camargue was designated a Ramsar site as a "Wetland of International Importance" on December 1, 1986.
The Camargue is home to more than 400 species of birds and has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International. Its brine ponds provide one of the few European habitats for the greater flamingo. The marshes are also a prime habitat for many species of insects, notably (and notoriously) some of the most ferocious mosquitos to be found anywhere in France. Camargue horses (Camarguais) roam the extensive marshlands, along with Camargue cattle (see below).

The native flora of the Camargue have adapted to the saline conditions. Sea lavender and glasswort flourish, along with tamarisks and reeds.

Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten

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Executive summary by darmansjah

Let us impress you with our services

Luxury means different things to different people … for some luxury is having breakfast in bed; for others luxury is a day without their mobile phone! For us luxury means knowing your wishes before they are even mentioned … Our team is here for you - always.

Would you like to know about our service offerings before your arrival? We would be delighted to tell you more about our sophisticated butler service, our outstanding concierge team headed by Chef Concierge Andrea Busato, and even our popular Kempinski Flower Shop.

The hotel is situated in the heart of Munich and in order to make it as easy as possible for you to get to us, you will find detailed directions under ‘Hotel Location’.

Furthermore, there are useful tips and interesting trivia for many of Munich’s sights and landmarks. Some of which are within walking distance from the hotel.
Have a look at our image gallery or the 360° virtual tour to enjoy a first impression of the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich.

The Dordogne and the Cave of Lascaux

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Executive summary by Darmansjah


The Monte Carlo Casino is a gambling and entertainment complex located in Monte Carlo, Monaco. It inclThe county of Périgord dates back to when the area was inhabited by the Gauls. It was originally home to four tribes, the name for "four tribes" in the Gaulish language was "Petrocore". The area eventually became known as the county of Le Périgord and its inhabitants became known as the Périgordins (or Périgourdins). There are four Périgords in the Dordogne: the "Périgord Vert" (Green Périgord) with its main town of Nontron, consists of verdant valleys in a region crossed by many rivers and streams; the "Périgord Blanc" (White Périgord) situated around the department's capital of Périgueux, is a region of limestone plateaux, wide valleys and meadows; the "Périgord Pourpre" (Purple Périgord) with its capital of Bergerac, is a wine region; and the "Périgord Noir" (Black Périgord) surrounding the administrative center of Sarlat, overlooks the valleys of the Vézère and the Dordogne, where the woods of oak and pine give it its name.

Dordogne River

The Petrocores took part in the resistance against Rome. Concentrated in a few major sites are the vestiges of the Gallo-Roman period-–the gigantic ruined tower and arenas in Périgueux (formerly Vesone), the Périgord museum's archaeological collections, villa remains in Montcaret and the Roman tower of La Rigale Castle in Villetoureix. The earliest cluzeaux, artificial caves either above or below ground, can be found throughout the Dordogne. These subterranean refuges and lookout huts were large enough to shelter entire local populous. According to Julius Caesar the Gauls took refuge in these caves during the resistance.

After Guienne province was transferred to the English Crown under the Plantagenets following the re-marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1152, Périgord passed by right to English suzerainty. Being situated at the boundaries of influence of the monarchies of France and England, it oscillated between the two dynasties for more than three hundred years of struggle until the end of the Hundred Years' War in 1453. The county had been torn apart and, as a consequence, that modeled its physiognomy.

During the calmer periods of the late 15th and early 16th centuries, the Castillon plain on the banks of the Dordogne saw a development in urban architecture. The finest Gothic and Renaissance residences were built in Périgueux, Bergerac and Sarlat. In the countryside, the nobility had the majority of the more than 1200 chateaux, manors and country houses erected. In the second half of the sixteenth century however, the terrors of war again visited the area, as the attacks pillaging and fires of the Wars of Religion reached a rare degree of violence in Périgord. At the time, Bergerac was one of the most powerful Huguenot strongholds, along with La Rochelle. Following these wars, Périgord, fief of Henry of Navarre, was to return to the Crown for good and would continue to suffer from the sudden political changes of the French nation, from the Revolution to the tragic hours of the Resistance.

We also encounter the memory of its most illustrious literary figures: Arnaut Daniel, Bertran de Born, Michel de Montaigne, Étienne de La Boétie, Brantôme, Fenelon, Maine de Biran, Eugene Le Roy and André Maurois; its great captains: Talleyrand, Saint-Exupery, Biron... and even Josephine Baker. A number of ruins (La Chapelle-Faucher, I'Herm...) have retained the memory of the tragedies which took place within their walls. Several of the castles and châteaux are open to visitors and some of them such as Bourdeilles and Mareuil, house remarkable collections.

In addition to its castles, chateaux, churches, bastides and cave fortresses, the Périgord region has preserved from centuries past a number of wonderful villages which still have their market halls, dovecotes, tories (stone huts), churches, abbeys and castles. Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, Connezac, Saint-Jean-de-Côle, La Roque-Gageac and many others are real jewels of architecture. As for the old quarters of Périgueux or Bergerac, restored and developed into pedestrian areas, they have regained their former charm. A number of small towns, such as Brantôme, Issigeac, Eymet and Mareuil, have withstood the often brash changes of modern times. A special mention should be made in this respect to Sarlat and its Black Périgord area.

Dordogne is one of the original 83 departments created on 4 March 1790 during the French Revolution. It was included from the former province of Périgord, the county of Périgord. Its borders would continue to change over the subsequent decades.

In 1793 the communes of Boisseuilh, Coubjours, Génis, Payzac, Saint-Cyr-les-Champagnes, Saint-Mesmin, Salagnac, Savignac, Saint-Trié and Teillots were transferred from Corrèze to Dordogne.

In 1794 Dordogne ceded Cavarc to Lot-et-Garonne. Later in 1794 (albeit during the subsequent year under the Republican Calendar in use at the time) Dordogne gained Parcoul from Charente-Inférieure.
Following the restoration, in 1819, the commune of Bonrepos was suppressed and merged with the adjacent commune of Souillac in Lot.

In 1870, shortly after France went to war against Prussia in a war that the enemy was winning, a young aristocrat called Alain de Monéys was savagely tortured and then burned by a crowd of between 300 and 800 people for two hours on 16 August in a public square in the village of Hautefaye in the north-west of the department. Details of the incident remain unclear: the leading participants appear to have been drunk, and before the introduction of mass education most of the witnesses would have been unable (and possibly unwilling) to write down what they saw. But at some stage the victim died, and following a trial four individuals identified as culpable were in turn condemned to die by guillotine. The sentence was carried out in the same public square on 6 February 1871.

It was suggested that the victim had reported the (bad) news of the war in a way that implied support for the enemy, although subsequently it became clear that his patriotic credentials were beyond reproach. It was also suggested that the mob had been antagonised when he called out, "Vive la République!" (Long live the republic) at a time when the patriotic villagers valued the imperial regime, which Parisian revolutionaries were in the process of destroying.

The incident was widely reported at the time and has been extensively researched subsequently. This summary relies on the work of Alain Corbin, a modern historian specialising in the nineteenth century who analysed the incident and the mass psychology behind it.udes a casino, the Grand Théâtre de Monte Carlo, and the office of Les Ballets de Monte Carlo.

The Monte Carlo Casino is owned and operated by the Société des bains de mer de Monaco, a public company in which the Monaco government and the ruling family have a majority interest. The company also owns the principal hotels, sports clubs, foodservice establishments, and nightclubs throughout Monaco.

Lubeck

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Executive summary by darmansjah

The Hanseatic City of Lübeck , Low German  is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. Situated on the river Trave, it was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League ("Queen of the Hanse"). Because of its extensive Brick Gothic architecture, it is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. In 2005 it had a population of 213,983.

The old part of Lübeck is on an island enclosed by the Trave. The Elbe–Lübeck Canal connects the Trave with the Elbe River. Another important river near the town centre is the Wakenitz. The Autobahn 1 connects Lübeck with Hamburg and Denmark (Vogelfluglinie). The borough of Travemünde is a sea resort and ferry port on the coast of the Baltic Sea. Its central station links Lübeck to a number of railway lines, notably the line to Hamburg.

Much of the old town has kept a medieval appearance with old buildings and narrow streets. At one time the town could only be entered via any of four town gates, of which today two remain, the well-known Holstentor (1478) and the Burgtor (1444).

The old town centre is dominated by seven church steeples. The oldest are the Lübecker Dom (the city's cathedral) and the Marienkirche (Saint Mary's), both from the 13th and 14th centuries.

Other sights include:

.the Lübecker Rathaus (Town Hall).
.Saint Catherine Church, Lübeck, a church that belonged to a former monastery, now the Katharineum, a .Latin school.
.Thomas Mann's house.
.Günter Grass' house.
.Church of St. Peter ("Petrikirche").
.Church of St. Lawrence, located on the site of a cemetery for people who died during the 16th century plague.
.Church of St. Jacob (Lübecker Jakobikirche, 1334).
.Church of the Sacred Heart (Propsteikirche Herz Jesu)
.Church of St. Aegidien ("Aegidienkirche").
. the Salzspeicher, historic warehouses where salt delivered from Lüneburg awaited shipment to Baltic ports.

Like many other places in Germany, Lübeck has a long tradition of a Christmas market in December, which includes the famous handicrafts market inside the Heiligen-Geist-Hospital (Hospital of the Holy Spirit), located at the northern end of Königstrasse.
Museums

Lübeck has many small museums, such as the St. Annen Museum, the Behnhaus and the Holstentor. Lübeck Museum of Theatre Puppets is a privately run museum. Waterside attractions are a lightvessel that served Fehmarnbelt and the Lisa von Lübeck, a reconstruction of a Hanseatic 15th century caravel.

Lübeck is famous for its marzipan industry. According to local legend, marzipan was first made in Lübeck, possibly in response either to a military siege of the city or a famine year. The story, perhaps apocryphal, is that the town ran out of all food except stored almonds and sugar, which were used to make loaves of marzipan "bread". Others believe that marzipan was actually invented in Persia a few hundred years before Lübeck claims to have invented it. The best known producer is Niederegger, which tourists often visit while in Lübeck, especially at Christmas time.

The Lübeck wine trade dates back to Hanseatic times. One Lübeck specialty is Rotspon, wine made from grapes processed and fermented in France and transported in wooden barrels to Lübeck, where it is stored, aged and bottled.


The Grand Casino

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Executive summary by Darmansjah


The Monte Carlo Casino is a gambling and entertainment complex located in Monte Carlo, Monaco. It includes a casino, the Grand Théâtre de Monte Carlo, and the office of Les Ballets de Monte Carlo.

The Monte Carlo Casino is owned and operated by the Société des bains de mer de Monaco, a public company in which the Monaco government and the ruling family have a majority interest. The company also owns the principal hotels, sports clubs, foodservice establishments, and nightclubs throughout Monaco.

The Walls of Carcassonne

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Executive summary by Darmansjah


Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the Region of Languedoc-Rousillon.

Occupied since the Neolithic, Carcassonne is located in the Aude plain between two great axis of circulation linking the Atlantic to the Mediteranean sea and the Massif Central to the Pyrénées. Its strategical importance was quickly recognized by the Romans who occupied its hilltop until the demise of their western empire and was later taken over by the Visigoths in the fifth century who founded the city. Also thriving as a trading post due to its location, it saw many rulers who successively built up its fortifications up until its military significance was greatly reduced by the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659.

The city is famous for the Cité de Carcassonne, a medieval fortress restored by the theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in 1853 and added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997. Consequently, Carcassone greatly profits from tourism but also counts manufacture and wine-making as some of its other key economical sectors.

In the late 1990s Carcassonne airport started taking budget flights to and from European airports and by 2009 had regular flight connections with Porto, Bournemouth, Cork, Dublin, Frankfurt-Hahn, London-Stansted, Liverpool, East Midlands, Glasgow-Prestwick and Charleroi.

The Gare de Carcassonne railway station offers direct connections to Toulouse, Narbonne, Perpignan, Paris, Marseille and several regional destinations. The A61 motorway connects Carcassonne with Toulouse and Narbonne.

Toulouse-Lautrec Museum

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Toulouse-Lautrec Museum


Executive summary byDarmansjah


The Musée Toulouse-Lautrec is a museum in Albi in southern France, dedicated mainly to the work of the painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec who was born near Albi. It opened in 1922 and is located in the historic center of Albi, in the Palais de la Berbie, formerly the Bishops' Palace, an imposing fortress completed at the end of the 13th century.

The museum houses over 1,000 works by Toulouse-Lautrec, the largest collection in the world. It is based on a donation by Toulouse-Lautrec's mother after his death in 1901.


Vence

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Executive summary by Darmansjah


Within the historic village, a medieval walled village, there are numerous interesting sights and monuments. The Peyra Gate was remodelled in 1810. The fountain was rebuilt in 1822 replacing an older one dating from 1578. Nearby is an oak, donated by François I and planted in 1538. The castle is today the Fondation Émile Hugues, a modern and contemporary art museum. The cathedral was built in the 4th century on the site of a Roman temple. The stone of the western façade dates from 239. Another, on the right, was engraved in December 220. Other stones in the external walls represent funerary dedications. Also on the western side of the church, the Pierre du Tauroble evokes the cult of Cybele and also the Great mother of the Gods of Mount Ida. A chapel in the cathedral has a mosaic by Marc Chagall, dated 1911. The rue des Portiques is a section of the old Roman road.

The town has a small chapel, up above the Cité Historique Chapelle du Rosaire (1948, completed in 1951), decorated with stained glass and other fittings by Henri Matisse.

Vence is famous for its spring water, which can be collected from numerous fountains in the town.

Vezelay and L’Esperance

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Executive summary by Darmansjah


Vezelay 

Vézelay is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France. It is a defendable hill town famous for Vézelay Abbey. The town and the famous 11th century Romanesque Basilica of St Magdelene are designated UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Vézelay's hilltop location has made it an obvious site for a town since ancient times. In the 9th century the Benedictines were given land to build a monastery. According to legend, not long before the end of the first millennium a monk named Baudillon brought relics (bones) of Mary Magdalene to Vézelay from Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume.

In 1058 Pope Stephen IX confirmed the genuineness of the relics, leading to an influx of pilgrims that has continued to this day. Vézelay Abbey was also a major starting point for pilgrims on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela, one of the most important of all medieval pilgrimage centres. This was crucially important in attracting pilgrims and the wealth they brought to the town.

Bernard of Clairvaux preached the Second Crusade at Vézelay in 1146.

In 1189, the Frankish and English factions of the Third Crusade met at Vézelay before officially departing for the Holy Land.

Bourgogne Vézelay is the local wine appellation. Vineyards descend to the edge of the town and produce a range of mostly white wines, based mainly on the Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Melon de Bourgogne grape varieties. About half of the production is marketed through the Cave Henry co-operative. The vineyards are believed[according to whom?] to have been established by the Monastery in the ninth century. In the late nineteenth century the vineyards were decimated by phylloxera. The vineyards have been revived since the 1970s Chardonnay, Melon and Pinot noir grape varieties.

L’Esperance

LEspérance, in the lovely country side of Bourgogne (Burgundy), is home to one of France's most creative and innovative chefs, M. Marc Meneau. It is first and foremost his restaurant around which he has developed a luxury hotel filled with Burgundian country ambiance. As his fame has grown, so has his establishment. It seems that he has bought up half the village in which he was born! He has his own winery as he is in the heart of the Vézelay wine district.

The main and original building is an old mill with two millstreams that pass under it and provide a charming watery ambiance to the back garden as they flank an alley of trees and provide an excuse for half a dozen white painted Japanese style bridges heavy with wild roses and climbing vines. The same streams connect the rest of the Meneau estate across the road. He has two annexes that were also mills as well as a motel and more modest restaurant for those wanting either more budget conscious meals or just a break from the haute cuisine of L'Espérance.
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