 Pont du Gard |  |
2 NEW AIRES IN GARD
An aire has been newly installed ( April, 2010) in the small rural village of Arre in the Gard department of Languedoc-Roussillon (about 30kms East of Millau) & is located close to the village centre in a small parking area next to the D999 thru the village. The parking is level on gravel/ grass in a residential area, shaded by mature trees & there are picnic tables adjacent. There is a Euro-Relais service point with drainage grid -- for more details see the Aires directory.
A new aire has also been opened last month in the small town of Bellegarde where there are 6 spaces available with drainage facilities, water & electricity. Jetons are available for the services at 4€ each. The nearby villages of Beaucaire & Vallabregues are also planning to open aires in 2011 -- vastly improving available motorhome facilities in this area of the Gard.
NORMANDY IMPRESSIONIST FESTIVAL
The first Normandy Impressionist Festival will be held from June to September 2010, with events taking place right across Normandy. The festival will encompass a variety of artistic forms, including painting, contemporary art, video, music and theatre. There'll also be a real festive air throughout the summer, with traditional guingettes (restaurants with music), sound and light shows and "déjeuner sur l'herbe" picnics.
PONT DU GARD LIGHT SHOW
On 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19 June 2010 at 10.30 pm, 4 exceptional light and pyrotechnic shows will take place at the famous Pont du Gard in Languedoc Roussillon.
Two years after the success of the "Lux Populi" night show given before 31, 000 spectators on le Pont du Gard [a Roman aqueduct], Groupe F will present a new creation taking place on the monument which is a listed UNESCO World Heritage site. The evening will begin at cocktail hour with a farmers' market and a giant Gard region-themed picnic. Street music and brass bands will set the tone and will play as the night falls before the main event with Groupe F.
MEET THE TROGLODYTES
The "Rendez-Vous aux Troglos" festivities are the perfect time to discover one of the little-known yet truly astonishing aspects of the Loire Valley: the troglodyte dwellings, many of which will be opened exceptionally to the public on June 12 and 13. These underground dwellings were once home to farmers in the region. From the Middle Ages up until the last century, they dug into the tufa slopes, quarrying this magnificent calcite stone used in the construction of the stately homes and castles of the Loire. In order to protect themselves from brigands and the devastation of war, the farmers carved out an ingenious maze of underground refuges, now transformed into private homes, wine cellars, restaurants, hotels and B&Bs.
NATURAL SWIMMING POOL
Weary feet or feeling the heat? Good news: all it will take you to relax and cool off is a refreshing dip in the largest natural swimming pool in France, which will open to the public in June 2010. A stone's throw from the Chateau Chambord in the Loire Valley - water for this new 2,000 sq. m. swimming area will be purified exclusively through an organic process, without chlorine or any other chemical products. Harmoniously integrated in the existing landscape, surrounded by grassy banks and oak trees, and nestled into a vast 1.5 hectare park, Chambord's new pool has the look & feel of one of the natural ponds or lakes typical of the neighbouring Sologne region.
20TH ANNIVERSARY OF OCEANOPOLIS
This year the Oceanopolis Aquarium celebrates its 20th birthday and more than 4 million visitors have passed through its gates in Brest since its extension in 2000. Such popularity is no doubt linked to the judicious mix of detailed accurate information, and simplicity of presentation. The three themed exhibition buildings are each devoted to a different ecosystem: polar, tropical or temperate, and the content is constantly updated by a team of scientists.
D-DAY FESTIVAL
From the 5th -- 7th June, the town of Bayeux will be paying tribute to the Allied landings in 1944 with various events, displays of military vehicles, picnics & evening entertainment.
MEDIEVAL DISPLAYS AT PROVINS
Provins in Seine-et-Marne will be holding its 27th medieval extravaganza 12th& 13th June which as usual will incorporate street theatre, jousting tournaments, markets & falconry displays. Shuttle buses are available from the various car parks into the town but the aire de services will be closed on these days.
VERDUN
The town of Verdun in Meuse will be staging a theatrical reconstruction of its history on the 18th& 19th June involving 300 actors using up to 900 costumes to cover a historical period that culminates in the famous battle of Verdun in the First World War. Entry will be 20€ per person but parking for motorhomes is free.
BRITISH CAR SHOW
The town of Nantua in Ain is holding a British Car Show on 13th June with entries of British classic cars including Austin, Bentley, Jaguar, Lotus, MG, Morgan, Triumph, Rolls-Royce & many more.