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The View From Bout du Monde The Cirque du Fer-a-Ceval is a unique place in the French Alps. There is a trail in that neck of the woods that the French call Bout due Monde, The End of the World Hike. We first hiked this trail back in 2021 and I was thrilled to discover that it was only an hour drive from our location in Combloux which gave us to see it again. I would have to say that this hike ranks as the best hike in France for us. The visuals are like something out of th

Yvoire Castle on Lake Geneva We scheduled one of our sight seeing day this week on a rain day and headed our to the medieval town of Yvoire. Located on the French side of Lake Geneva (or as the French call it Lac Leman) it was about an hour's drive from our place in Combloux. We were blown away by the beauty and charm of this colorful little village. One of the Village Entrances Jardin des Cinq Sens Turns out we were lucky to visit Yvoire on a rain day as it is a very popu

A Mountain Vibe at Panier des 4 Saison Back in the summer of 2021, in the throes of Covid-19, Michelle and I had planned an international trip and were crossing our fingers that Europe would open up for travel for the U.S. Ten days before our scheduled departure date Europe gave the green light to travel and we were lucky enough to get out to the Alps for some hiking. Our first stop on that trip was the French Alps and Chamonix. While there we found a fantastic restaurant,

Village Center in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgues When we were planning our two weeks in Provence the big question was where do we stay? There are so many great choices; the bigger cities of Aix, Avignon, Arles or the smaller villages of Gordes & St. Remy. Eventually we settled on L'Isle-sur-la Sorgue. We had never heard of it before starting our research but it sounded unique and the town checked so many boxes. It was central to everything we wanted to see (and we saw quite a bit)

A View of Gordes When you do the research on an area for places to go sometimes you get it right and sometimes you flop. And every so often you fall in love with a place that keeps calling you back. Gordes is one of those places. On the Hiking Trail in Gordes Pineapple Carpaccio in a Vanilla Bourbon with Passion Fruit Sorbet & Meringue at L'Estellan We have found ourselves back at Gordes several times. Whether it is sightseeing, making the village part of a hiking route, h

The First Course: Mussels & Celery in a Saffron Veloute with Pickled Beet & Onion August 8 Provence. An area of France centrally located where nature's bounties are plentiful and on full display. The markets feature local herbs, olives, tempenades, and seafood fresh from Marsaille. The expectations for excellent food in Provence are high and there are many good restaurants to chose from. We made an evening of it at Le Petit Henri located in the Grand Hotel Henri, a four s

Cauterets August 3, 2026 As an avid bike rider I have watched many Tour d' France races over the years and witnessed some of the great mountain stage battles in the French Pyrenees vowing to one day make it a bucket list visit. After many years, hours of research and coordinating our efforts with the 2026 Tour d' France schedule we settled on Cauterets as a home base for our Pyrenees holiday. Cauterets is a beautiful spa town located about two hours from Toulouse. It is cen

Lunch on the Lutour Waterfalls July 30, 2026 Just two kilometers south of Cauterets sits the small village of Raillere. It is an incredible area that is a starting point for several waterfall hikes that go south to Pont d'Espagne and east to the La Fruitiere valley. Nestled along the Cascade du Lutour is a wonderful restaurant, L'Abri du Benques. As with all the restaurants located in Raillere they are only open for lunch. This restaurant is a must try. While there are ma

Lac d'Ilheou July 31 2026 While most Cauterets tourists looking for a beautiful lake hike head fifteen minutes south to Pont d'Espagne for the walk to Lac Gaube there is a lake right in town that the locals love, Lac d'Ilheou. The owner of my Airbnb duplex, Xavier, couldn't stop raving about it and said it only takes him an hour from the starting point in Cambasque to get to the lake. We made our way to the out & back hike from Cambasque the next day at Xavier's recommendati

July 29 A day off hiking in the Pyrenees yielded more than we bargained for when we set out for a one hour drive to Pau (pronounced Poe). The small city of eighty thousand yields a beautiful food gem, L' Esprit des Halles, a two story food market that features farmers, local artisans and many cooked to order food stalls. The Sleek, Modern Food Hall in Pau We walked around in a delightful bliss trying to understand how such a small city in Southwestern France had a square blo

In The Gastronome Teaching Kitchen in Bordeaux July 22 There probably is no better place to get a tutorial on cooking duck than in the Southwestern Region of France where it is a staple of French Cuisine. We booked a dinner class at The Gastronome in Bordeaux with Chef Daniel Bowers, owner, and an Expat from the U.S.A. Along with the duck there was plenty of cremant, white and red Bordeaux wine to taste. The goal of the evening was to brush up on a couple of sauces as well

Cirque de Garvanie in the French Pyrenees July 20 2026 If you ever get to the French Pyrenees there is one place to visit that is a must; The Cirque de Garvanie. Located in the commune of Garvanie there have been many descriptions over the years but Victor Hugo described it best as "the Colosseum of nature". The cirque was Placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997 and is the gem of the Pyrenees. Horseback riding on Garvanie river into the cirque. The best way to reac

Team Bora at the sign in before the start of Stage 6 in Pau July 10-11 2026 As an avid rider I have always dreamed of seeing the Tour de France. With generous retirement gifts from family, friends and former colleagues we were finally able to see two days of the tour. At the Stage 5 event our VIP section was positioned 25 meters from the finish line. We snacked on some great food including duck breast & peach skewers along with some wonderful berry & banana sorbet prepared

The Seafood Bar on Damrak July 5, 2026 The Seafood Bar in old town Amsterdam (family run business with multiple locations) is a great place to get a very tasty dinner in a city full of tourist trap restaurants. The dining room was bustling on a Sunday night and the line at the door was long but the staff handled the crowds with grace and efficiency. We called ahead with a reservation and were seated in the beautifully designed dining hall within ten minutes. Our order (mix

Solitude Nordic Center in Brighton, Utah March 2026 On paper, Solitude Nordic Center may not seem impressive, with just 20km of trails. However, the location and terrain will keep you coming back for more. Situated at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon, be prepared with chains or all-weather tires on a snowy day; otherwise, good luck. The drive up the canyon is beautiful, steep, and dotted with avalanche warning signs. Upon reaching Brighton, you're at 8,700 feet, making it one

February 2026 If you're a cross-country skier who enjoys valley terrain, the Euer Valley at Tahoe Donner Nordic Center in Truckee, California has the perfect trails. This serene valley offers a beautiful escape into nature, far away from the crowds. My eleven-mile journey covered most of the valley floor (a few trails were closed) with minimal elevation gain, except for the 400 foot climb back to the Adventure Center, and involved only a few repeated trails. For those seeking