Raise a glass to the world of sparkling wine! French Champagne is the most famous, of course, but there are many types of bubbly wine enjoyed around the world, and some of the best/most nobale hail from Europe. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or just want to enjoy a glass with friends, there is a sparkling wine out there for everyone. Here are some of the most popular types that you can find at your favorite wine shop or online.
The world´s most renowned bubby
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Over the past decades, destinations in Europe, North America, and the Caribbean have been the stars in both destination branding and popularity among travelers. And while all the above certainly remain among the world´s most powerful performers in tourism, the World Travel Awards (dubbed “the Oscars of travel”) in 2023 have underscored strong showings outside these traditional areas, particularly in Asia and the Middle East. Here´s a quick rundown of this year´s winners:
At the
France´s ravishing, rocky island in the Mediterranean (which the French dub l´Île de la Beauté, the Isle of Beauty) is home to some of the sea´s most stunning beaches, ranging from the more developed strands of the south to the wilder northern beaches with few or no amenities. If you´re looking for a beachy getaway next summer - especially one that allows you to combine it with fabulous history, culture, cuisine, and eco opportunities - do give serious consideration to la Corse. A
Europe’s towns and cities famously light up and don holiday finery for Yuletide, but during the Christmas season in Colmar, in northeast France’s Alsace region – already famous for its charming historic quarter, with its cobblestone streets, canals, and half-timbered houses – the displays reach another level entirely, going far beyond lightbulbs adorning the main streets to the façades of the small houses in its old town illuminated in all the colours of the rainbow. The results, as any perus
photos: Victor Block
Some places are more than a destination, and topping that list is Provence. This Maryland-size region, nestled in France's southeastern corner, immediately immerses visitors in a setting and lifestyle that cajole and captivate. And while the glitzy French Riviera has many advocates, my wife Fyllis and I limited our recent stay to what we what we call the “real” Provence.
It’s an area of tiny towns and even smaller villages. Mountain chains overlook valleys blanketed by a c
Naturally we started our trip off with a glass of wine at lunch. After all, it was too late for breakfast… “Deux verres de vin rouge – um, uh -- pas sec. Un peu…” Finally I just threw my hands in the air and laughed. I meant well but it seemed unfair to make our poor waiter suffer for my lack of versatility with the language. Our waiter obliged with two glasses of wine and a hearty, “Welcome to Provence!
A Typical Cafe in Provence, photo by Victor Block
Our first morning, Vaccination Card in ha
The Duboeuf family has been producing wine in the south of France for more than four centuries, but it wasn't until 1964 that Georges Duboeuf launched Les Vins Georges Duboeuf.
Duboeuf's perpetual quest for high quality grapes adheres to his ancestors’ traditional methods, rooted in unique terroir and authentic winemaking techniques, rigorous selection, and careful monitoring at bottling time. This translates into exporting locally favorite IGP varietals from the Burgundy regions of Beaujolais an
Paris and Lile аrе undеnіаblу twо of the world’s grеаtеѕt сіtіеѕ but Itаlу’ѕ hеаrt lіеѕ іn France. Rolling hills tорреd with mеdіеvаl towns and wіndіng rоаdѕ lіnеd with cypress gіvе France a tіmеlеѕѕ арреаl but to rеаllу experience
France уоu’vе gоt tо еxреrіеnсе it’s wіnе. Going оn a wine tоur іn France tорѕ many Itаlіаn trip wіѕhlіѕtѕ but wіnе tasting іn France іѕ a bit dіffеrеnt than іn the Unіtеd States. On a recent trір tо Paris I got tо explore France’s rich hеrіtаgе on a рrіvаtе France fоо
A UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as France's third largest wine-producing region, The Loire Valley's Touraine appellation is defined by rivers, castles, châteaux, and vineyards as far as the eye can see. No wonder it was the preferred residence of French royalty for centuries. The Touraine also has a uniquely ideal terroir making it France's leading region for white wines and second for sparkling and rose. Vineyards are concentrated around the city of Tours bordering the Loire River, stretc
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Le Miroir
This hamlet is tucked among several ski resorts in the French Alps, boasting some of the longest off-piste ski runs in the world. This ideal winter hideout is perfect for skiers who crave serious adventure and still get luxury accommodation at the Chalet Pelerin.
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This beautiful car-free village (top) offers cross-country skiing, tobogganing, and some of the most reliable snow conditions in the Alps. For your Switzerland vacation Allain Apartments
Are you the one who is turned off by the mere sight of meat and sausages? Well, we totally understand the struggles pure vegetarians must be going through, while traveling. It’s quite a task to get pure organic vegetables and meatless food even these days. Especially in the Islamic countries you would rarely find a vegetarian restaurant, food joint. Now, if you are of impression that Europe too will give you a hard time at meals, here’s a sweet surprise for you!
While Europe is a famously known f
The word Chablis is said to derive from two Celtic words: cab (house) and leya (near the wood). The village and surrounding wine region of Chablis is situated near Champagne, France in Bourgogne's northern extremity between Paris and Beaune. Over 13,300 acres packed with vineyards comprising four appellations flourish in gray marl and bands of limestone rich in exogyra virgula (small, comma-shaped oyster) fossils dating back 150 million years. The soil combined with a semi-continental climate fa
Students in the Art History program at University of Redlands, a top Southern California university, spend time exploring the classics through studying the paintings and sculptures found in museums like the Louvre in Paris, British Museum in London, or the Vatican Museum in Rome.
But art in Europe doesn’t necessarily mean
Castle and Chateaux weddings in the Dordogne and Loire Valley areas of France are extremely popular. We are taking applications for 2011 already! We have on-site wedding planners in both areas who have been working with us for many years and have direct exclusive relationships with the owners of several castles.
France has changed their residency regulations regarding civil weddings as they aren't as stringent as they used to be. Most people (it used to be difficult--if they don't want to "live"
Located in southeastern France's Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region - about an hour 15 minutes east of the closest air gateway, Geneva and a six-hour drive from Paris- this charming village of a bit over 1,200 permanent residents also happens to be one of Europe's top mountain-biking meccas. Les Gets boasts some 650 kilometers of marked tracks and 25 ski lifts also open all summer long to easily get from one place to another. Les Gets has also repeatedly hosted the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (below)
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It's still winter, of course, and we've been reading about (and a lucky some of us even participating in) the frosty fun for which Europe's most extensive mountain range system is famous. But summer is coming, too, and it's not too early to consider your getaway options. The Alps provide a great way to enjoy your holiday with family and friends, and you will find it a fantastic experience and opportunity for bonding.
There's a lot to choose from, because, they stretch approximatel
Somewhere in the Caribbean between Puerto Rico and St Lucia is the archipelago of Guadeloupe (pronounce gwa-day-LOOP). The French West Indies or French Caribbean are currently comprised of two territories (St Barthélemy aka St Barth and St Martin) and two overseas states -“départements” in French (Guadeloupe along with Martinique). The French West Indies have always looked towards the old continent rather towards their Caribbean neighbors. Flying from the USA, a long journey and a couple of con
by Judy Antell
Theme parks are a natural fit for Halloween festivities: On a certain level, you might say it's always a Halloween party at theme parks - plus, most of the rides are already designed to scare the living daylights out of you. In October (and sometimes even earlier), some of theme parks have gently scary daytime Halloween events for kids as well as night terrors for teens and adults. Here's a (non-exhaustive) sampling from across the world (and keep in mind, for
