Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Daniel Benchimol takes us to Mont-Valérien, the highest vantage point just outside of Paris, where you will be able to take in a sweeping view of the capital. Mont-Valérien also represents a sad part of history, a site where thousands were executed during World War II. General de Gaulle inaugurated a memorial in 1962 to honor its victims.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Daniel takes us to town of Rueil-Malmaison and its famous castle, which once housed Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Joséphine. Besides being Empress of France, Joséphine also invented the concept of the rose garden during her stay in the castle.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Daniel Benchimol takes us to Lagny-sur-Marne, a medieval town on the outskirts of Paris. If history is not your thing, you can visit a small museum where neo-impressionists works are displayed. The pioneers of pointillism made their debut in this charming little town.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Daniel shows us some more of Lagny-sur-Marne. This small town is famous for its battle with the English (or les Anglois in Old French), valiantly fought by Joan of Arc in 1430. You will also find more peaceful sites like the washhouse, where, by municipal decree, everyone had to be silent....
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Daniel continues his visit to Lagny-sur-Marne, a small town where extraordinary events took place. Joan of Arc is said to have performed a miracle there on her second visit to Lagny. And the abbey-church of Saint Pierre once harbored a great secret: a nail from Jesus's cross. Unfortunately, the nail was lost, but not forgotten, as it now features on Lagny's coat of arms.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Daniel gives us a historical overview of the town of Lagny-sur-Marne, about thirty kilometers southeast of Paris. This small town is full of historical landmarks dating from the Middle Ages, and includes many Art Nouveau-style buildings from the Belle Époque. On a more whimsical note, you will also find a free outdoor library made up of a few books and DVDs in a glass case. Help yourself but don't forget to put them back!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
In this video, Daniel shows us around the town of Chantilly, famous for its horse races and for its beloved Chantilly cream (also known as whipped cream). You'll get an inside look at the town's beautiful racetrack, which is home to over three hundred events each year.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Continuing his tour of the town of Chantilly, Daniel takes us to a bucolic vegetable garden called the "Potager des Princes" (Princes' Vegetable Garden), which was frequented by many of France's most famous writers and dramatists, including Racine, Molière, and the Madame de Sévigné. Today it also includes a goat petting zoo!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
In the final part of his tour of Chantilly, Daniel takes us back to the "Potager des Princes" (Princes' Vegetable Garden) and introduces us to some adorable barnyard critters, including a rooster, a pigeon, and some rabbits. The rabbits even have their own French-style village to roam around in, complete with a café, a town hall, and some villas too!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Nogent-sur-Marne is a charming town that has been the home of many celebrities, including the scientist Marie Curie and the singer Charles Trenet. Daniel shows us some of the town's beautiful landmarks, including the Baltard Pavilion and the Passerelle des Arts.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
In addition to housing the second largest port in the Paris region, Nogent-sur-Marne also includes a promenade dedicated to the "accordion queen" Yvette Horner and a square named after the famous Corsican singer Tino Rossi. The latter is located on the Marne River's "Île de Beauté" (Island of Beauty), which is also a nickname for Corsica.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Along the banks of the Marne, Daniel gives us some more insight into the town of Nogent-sur-Marne, including a few real estate tips and a brief biography of Jean Sablon, a famous crooner of French chansons who was born in the town.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
This video on Nogent-sur-Marne focuses on the town's beautiful architectural heritage, from the Royal Palace Cinema, to the Art Nouveau houses, to the Coignard mansion and its gardens. Daniel concludes with a discussion of the song that made Nogent famous, "Le petit vin blanc" (The Little White Wine).
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Daniel shows us two historic landmarks in the town of Sceaux: the Saint John the Baptist Church, which contains many valuable artifacts, and the Félibres Garden, which is named after the Félibrige literary movement. He starts out his tour at a former railway station that is now the town's market hall.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
In addition to its historic castle, the town of Sceaux is also home to a group of vegetated islets that provide passersby with a place to rest and wild birds with a place to nest. The castle grounds also include an orangery and numerous pavilions to explore.
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