Western Europe Archives - Page 2 of 6 - ETB Travel Photography

Gimel-les-Cascades

Gimel-les-Cascades is a small commune in the Corrèze region of France. Not in my France guide book, this tiny town is truly a hidden gem. It is a picture-perfect French village and was one of my favorite places in the Limousin and the surrounding area.

I was thankful to arrive around lunch time, as most everything closes between 12-2 in the Corrèze, and I didn’t have to contend with any traffic. As such, somehow, I managed to drive my giant rental car through the few narrow streets that we were wide enough for only one vehicle at a time.

There was so much to see in Gimel-les-Cascades including remains of castle La Rouche Haute, Church Saint Pardoux and its treasury, Chapel of the Penitents, the home of Gaston Vuillier, and of course the waterfalls for which Gimel-les-Cascades is named.

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A Guide to Uzerche, France

History of Uzerche

The Roman Times

Uzerche is a town in the Corrèze department of the Nouvelle-Aquitane region of France which includes the Limousin. The town is perched on a rocky outcrop above the Vézère River. Uzerche dates back to the Roman times, and it was the last place the Gauls fought Julius Caesar.

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The Ruins of Oradour-sur-Glane

Oradour-sur-Glane is a village in the Haute-Vienne department of the Limousin region (now part of Nouvelle-Aquitaine) of France. The new Oradour-sur-Glane was rebuilt after World War II next to the original village which was destroyed by a German Waffen-SS company.

DELVE INTO HISTORY

Life on a French Farm in Corrèze

Trusted Housesitters

I wanted to go to the French Open in Paris for a day, but it was a long way to go from the USA without other plans. Having visited Paris previously, I was looking for other options when I found a “housesit” in Lagraulière, a town in Corrèze on a website called Trusted Housesitters. There are several other similar ones, but basically the site matches house and pet sitters with homeowners who need help with pet and home care.

I paid my application fee for the site, applied to the job in Corrèze which includes details about the owners, pets and home, and miraculously got it! After some communication back and forth, I booked my plane and train tickets in preparation for my next adventure.

PET A FARM ANIMAL

Danube River Cruise

The Danube River

The Danube River originates in Germany and flows southeast 1,770 miles through ten countries and into the Black Sea. With the help of a lock system, 1,500 of those miles are navigable, thus it is an attractive river cruise destination.

TAKE A CRUISE

Kutná Hora and the Sedlec Ossuary

Kristin and I planned two and a half days in Prague. Then I found out about this town, Kutná Hora, and the Sedlec Ossuary, and I wasn’t sure how to spend my time. My friends have raved about Prague, and many have claimed Prague was their favorite European City to visit. As such, with all the places to see and things to do, I figured I at least needed our planned two and a half days to visit, maybe more.

But after seeing pictures of the Sedlec Ossuary, I felt like I was too close (only an hour away by train) to pass up a chance to see it. After much deliberation, I signed on to a six-hour tour of Kutná Hora and the Sedlec Ossuary with Discover Prague. While I really enjoyed Prague, I’m so glad I took the time to see Kutná Hora and Sedlec Ossuary.

If you find bone art as fascinating as I do after reading this post, you may book the tour at Get Your Guide on the Prague Day Trips section.

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Top Places to See in Prague

Praha Train Station

Once the historical capital of Bohemia, Prague is now the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic with 1.3 million people. We arrived in the fifth most visited European city via bus from Nuremberg which was the fastest mode of public transportation. The bus dropped us off at the main train station, Praha, which interestingly used to be called the Wilson Station, after American president Woodrow Wilson!

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Nuremberg’s Walkable Old Town

We arrived in the morning to Nuremberg on our last day of our Danube Cruise and organized a taxi ride from port to our hotel in Old Town for around 20 euro.

Where to Stay in Nuremberg

Our hotel, Gideon Designhotel, was in the Old Town of Nuremberg’s southeast corner. The hotel was conveniently located near a variety of restaurants, the pedestrian area, as well as the train and bus station. We really liked the location.

TAKE A WALK!

A History Lesson in Nuremberg

Nuremberg

When in Nuremberg, it’s worth investigating the history of the Nazi Regime and World War II. Just visiting the Documentation Center, Nazi Party Rally Grounds, and the Memorium Nuremberg Trials which includes Courtroom 600 takes an entire winter day!

HISTORY LESSON

Top Places to Visit in Regensburg

Cruising the Danube

Our seventh stop on the Danube was in Regensburg, the fourth largest city in Bavaria, Germany with a population of 150,000. Due to the challenging parking, many residents bike, thus we dodged several cyclists as we walked Regensburg’s Old Town.

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