From legendary cakes to brilliant bees: 8 things we discovered about France in the September 2020 issue of FRANCE Magazine
The September issue of FRANCE Magazine is available to buy now - Credit: Archant
We never stop learning about France with every issue of the magazine! Here’s what intrigued us this month
The enormous Dune du Pilat. Pic: Rundvald/Wikimedia - Credit: Archant
1) The Dune du Pilat, Europe’s tallest sand dune, is a whopping 2.7km long and 500m wide!
Climb to the top for amazing views of the Arcachon Bay on France’s west coast.
Discover this natural wonder on an off-season jaunt with Alison Weeks on page 18.
2) Sarah Bernhardt, one of France’s most famous actresses, was the first person of either gender to play Hamlet on film
The eccentric star was also renowned for her menagerie of animals including alligators and tigers, and was rumoured to sleep in a coffin.
Get to know the legendary woman on page 76.
Cyrano de Bergerac's statue. Pic: Fennells/Wikimedia - Credit: Archant
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3) The Aquarium de Paris is home to 13,000 fish and sea creatures
It’s also home to one of France’s biggest shark tanks, with 3 million litres of water.
Find out more family-friendly things to do in Paris with Brigitte Nicolas on page 30.
4) Cyrano de Bergerac never actually visited the town that bears his name
Nonetheless, there is still a fantastic statue of him in the town that’s a must-see.
Take a tour of the Dordogne gem with Sandra Haurant on page 32.
Beautiful Annecy, the so-called Venice of the Alps. Pic: NonoVLF/Wikimedia - Credit: Archant
5) There’s an unassuming ice cream parlour in Cannes that boasts celebrity fans.
Leonardo DiCaprio, among others, is said to be partial to the ice creams at Glacier Vilfeu.
See another side to Cannes with Heidi Fuller-love on page 38.
6) The gâteau de Savoie is the stuff of legend
It’s said that the cake was invented when the Count of Savoy wanted to impress a visiting royal and asked his chef to create a super-light cake.
See what Jan Mitchell makes of the resulting dessert and of the Alpine town of Annecy on page 44.
7) The mur à abeilles is a restoration project making a buzz in Normandy
In the village of Tessy-Bocage, you’ll find a wall of beehives originally built in the early 18th century.
Delve into the history of these incredible structures with Alison Hughes on page 48.
8) TE Lawrence once undertook an epic bicycle ride through south-west France
Now you, too, can follow in his tracks on the official Route de Lawrence d’Arabie, from Gironde to Haute Vienne.
See how Todd Mauer fared when he tackled the trail on page 50.
So what are you waiting for? The September 2020 issue of FRANCE Magazine is out now: order your copy here.
Or take advantage of our great subscription offers and get FRANCE Magazine delivered straight to your door every month!
