Things to do in France
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Euskal-Jaï
Regular professional cesta punta matches (admission €10 to €20) are held at 9pm at the Parc des Sports d'Aguiléra Complex, 2km east of central Biarritz, between mid-June and mid-September. Bus 1 stops nearby.
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Eurocentre d'Amboise
Small, well-organised school in the charming Loire Valley. Eurocentre has branches in La Rochelle and Paris.
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Espi
Gorge yourself on Espi's homemade chocolates, multicoloured macaroons and tempting ice creams. They'll even, given notice, knock you up a multistoreyed birthday cake. It's also a pleasant café serving good coffee.
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Espace Latipolia
There's a critical mass of discos outside town in Espace Latipolia, about 10km from Montpellier on route de Palavas heading towards the coast. Major players include La Nitro, which thumps out techno and house, and Le Matchico, good for retro music.
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École du Ski Français
The largest ski school in the world, operating everywhere in France big enough to have a ski lift and high enough to be snow-sure. The tuition is first rate.
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Domaine de Licetto
If you're after an authentic Corsican experience, this place is hard to beat. Bring an empty tum: the five-course menu is a culinary feast based on local ingredients that come directly from small-scale farmers. Menu stalwarts include suckling lamb and aubergines à la bonifacienne. It's right in the maquis, on the way to Phare de Pertusato.
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Cycling Trails
Lower-altitude trails like the Petit Balcon Sud (250m) from Argentière to Servoz are perfect for biking. Most outdoor-activity specialists arrange guided mountain- biking expeditions.
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Cycling
Hop on le vélo rental bikes and pedal towards the Pharo area, then south along the corniche to take in the seascape. Stop at cute little fishing port Vallon des Auffes before pressing on towards the beaches and leisure areas of Espace Borély, where cycle lanes start. The trip is about 6km. For the energetic, it's 10km round trip from Borély to the charming hamlet of Les Goudes, where it used to be all the rage to own a fishing cabin.
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Cours Paoli
A gentle wander along the main strip makes a pleasant prelude to an aperitif or a fine meal at one of the town's good restaurants. Start from place Paoli, Corte's focal point, which is dominated by a statue of Pascal Paoli, and stroll down the cours. It's a short walk, but allow plenty of time as there are lots of temptations along the way.
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Conservation Corps
Volunteer 15 hours a week to teach a French family English in exchange for room and board.
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Club du Vieux Manoir
Restore a medieval fortress, an abbey or a historic château at a summer work camp.
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Club Alpin Français de l'Isère
Runs most of the refuges in the area and posts a list of activities in its window.
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Club Alpin Français
This highly regarded organisation groups 280 local mountain sports clubs and arranges professional guides for escapades in alpinisme (mountaineering), escalade (rock climbing), escalade de glace (ice climbing) and other highland activities. They also run many of the refuges (mountain huts) in the French Alps.
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Citadelle de Besançon
Besançon's crowning glory is this Unesco-listed, formidable feat of engineering, designed by the prolific Vauban for Louis XIV in the late 17th century. Dominating a hilltop and dramatically lit by night, the citadel commands sweeping views of the city's mosaic of red rooftops and the serpentine River Doubs.
The citadel harbours a trio of museums: the Musée Comtois zooms in on local traditions, the Musée d'Histoire Naturelle covers natural history, and the harrowing Musée de la Résistance et de la Déportation takes an in-depth look at the rise of Nazism and fascism, and the French Resistance movement. The latter is unsuitable for young children.
To boost the citadel's…
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Citadelle
This is the only way to see the inside of the Citadelle, usually a closed military zone. Sign up for the tour (in French) at least 24 hours ahead and bring a passport or national ID card.
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Citadel (Haute Ville)
Much of Bonifacio's charm comes from strolling the citadel's shady streets, soaking up the architecture and the atmosphere. From the marina, the paved montée Rastello and montée St-Roch bring you to the citadel's old gateway, the Porte de Gênes, complete with its original 16th-century drawbridge. Inside the gateway is the 13th-century Bastion de l'Étendard, which houses a small historical museum exploring Bonifacio's past. Stroll the ramparts to place du Marché and place de la Manichella, which both offer jaw-dropping views over the Bouches de Bonifacio.
Several streets are spanned by arched aqueducts, which originally collected rainwater to fill the communal cistern…
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Citadel
Of Corsica's six citadels, Corte's is the only one not on the coast. Jutting out above the Rivers Tavignanu and Restonica and the cobbled alleyways of the Haute Ville, the citadel's highest point is the château (known as the Nid d'Aigle – the Eagle's Nest), built in 1419.
The town's finest views are from the belvédère (viewing platform), reached via a steep staircase just outside the citadel's ramparts. Inside the walls are the former barracks and administrative buildings, which previously served as a WWII prison and a French Foreign Legion base. They now house the tourist office and the Museu di a Corsica, a definite must-see for anyone interested in Corsica's…
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Citadel
The 15th-century citadel, an imposing military fortress overlooking the sea that was a prison during WWII. It is normally off-limits to the general public, but the tourist office runs guided tours from June to September. Ask at the tourist office for the exact dates.
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Citadel
Set atop a lofty promontory, Calvi's massive fortified citadel offers superb wraparound views of the town and the bay at almost every turn. Built by the town's Genoese governors, Calvi's citadel has seen off several major assaults down the centuries, fending off everyone from Franco-Turkish raiders to Anglo-Corsican armies. Inside the battlements, don't miss the well-proportioned Caserne Sampiero, which was the seat of power for the Genoese administration, and the 13th-century cathédrale St-Jean Baptiste; its most celebrated relic is the ebony Christ des Miracles, credited with saving the town from Saracen invasion in 1553.
The citadel has five bastions, each offering…
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Ciné St-Leu
An art-house cinema with nondubbed films, some in English.
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Ciao a Te
Stylish yet relaxed, Ciao dishes up authentic Italian cuisine: handmade pasta, crispy panzerotti (filled pastries), tender veal and the freshest seafood in town. It's a Grenoblois favourite, so book ahead.
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Chez Toi
Minimalist furniture and technicolour trappings meet head-to-head in this zippy little lounge-bar, much favoured by the trendy Angevin set. All the dishes are named after friends to emphasise the chummy vibe, and the terrace is great for people-watching on a sunny day.
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Chez Saskia
This brasserie, which offers tasty, great-value dishes and a particularly rich range of desserts, belongs to Hôtel de la Cité. All around its walls are photos of the great and good who have stayed at the hotel: Jacques Chirac, Winston Churchill, Yves Montand and many more, recognisable and less so.
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Chez Mémé Paulette
Mémé Paulette is an old curiosity shop of a café, crammed with antique books, milk jugs, cuckoo clocks and other eye-catching collectables. It draws a young, arty crowd with its boho vibe and wallet-friendly soul food, from chunky soups to tartines and homemade tarts.
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Chés Cabotans d'Amiens
A theatre whose stars are all traditional Picard marionettes. Great fun even if you don't speak Picard or French.
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