- La Grande Vadrouille
A mural with Louis de Funès and Bourvil in Rue Rousseau Deslandes. What a fantastic film! - Basilique Notre-Dame de Beaune
Chapel of Saint Leger or the Chapel of the Cardinal Jean Rolin (15th century). The paintings by Pierre Spicre depict the raising of Lazarus and Saint Martha on the right. - Basilique Notre-Dame de Beaune
A lovely detail in the chapel of Saint Leger. - Vézelay Abbey
The famous tympanum, which is within the narthex, serves as a spiritual defense of the crusades. It was here that King Richard the Lionheart and King Phillip Augustus met for the Third Crusade. - Vézelay Abbey
The ones who have not yet received the Word of God are not quite human: some are dwarfes... - Vézelay Abbey
... and some have elephant ears. - Vézelay - St anthony's vision
Probably Saint Anthony's vision. With St Anthony on the left, there is a figure tortured by three feathered demons. - Vézelay Abbey
Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine was under repair, so we only saw a part of it. - Château de Chenonceau
16th century door leading into Salle des gardes, saying: "S'il vient à point, me souviendra". Basically - if I ever finish building this castle, I will be remembered. But I forgot who wrote it :-) - Château de Chenonceau
Lions on a 16th century Flemish tapestry. Their faces seem somewhat off. - Château de Chenonceau
The butchery. Of course the castle had its own butchery, right above the water and separated from the rest of the kitchen. - Château de Chenonceau
Every room had its own fireplace, making the castle rather cosy. This is a detail on the fireplace in Chambre de François Ier. - Château de Chenonceau
The classical view of the castle. Built in 1514-1522 on the foundations of an old mill, the bridge was added in 1556-1559 and the gallery in 1570-1576. - Château de Chenonceau
Royal pharmacy - Château de Chambord
A very symmetric Renaissance castle. Sorry, hunting lodge. - Château de Chambord
Royal oratory of François Ier has a wonderful vaulted ceiling. There is the letter F (for François Ier) and the salamanders extinguishing "bad" fire. - Château de Chambord
The vaulted ceilings in the 2nd floor: F as the initials of François Ier and plenty of salamanders, some eating the good fire and others putting out the bad fire. Just don't know which are which. - Château de Chambord
Lapidary deposit. Some original carvings of F, with a crown and plenty of ropes. Now imagine a gigantic castle full of such beauty! Sorry, hunting lodge. - Château de Chambord
My kids were fascinated by the 'minecraft trees'. - Château de Chambord
View of the castle from the road. - Biblioteca Malatestiana, Cesena
Renaissance Library, build in 1447-1452 with original furniture and books. It holds about 400 000 books and 3200 manuscripts. - Bibllioteca Malatestiana, Cesena
It was built in the shape of a basilica - representing the temple of knowledge and culture. - Contrada Uberti, Cesena
- Cesena cathedal, Saint John the Baptist
My OCD hates the tower windows. - Zebra church: basalt and travertine stones
Orvieto. - Palazzo del Capitano and Palazzo del Popolo
Palazzo del Capitano (1293, left) and Palazzo del Popolo (1213-1228, right) Just a lovely stroll under an 800-YEAR-OLD building... - Via Santa Chiara, Assisi
Four different types of lions. - Temple of Minerva -> Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Assisi
- Etruscan well in Perugia
37 m deep and built in the second half of the 3rd century, - Fontana Maggiore
Fontana Maggiore (1275-1278), Perugia. The fountain decorated by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano. Palazzo dei Priori (1293-1443) in the background. - Palazzo dei Priori, Perugia
Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, Palazzo dei Priori (1293-1443), Perugia. - Palazzo dei Consoli, Gubbio
Palazzo dei Consoli (1332-42), Gubbio - Palazzo dei Consoli
Palazzo dei Consoli (1332-42), Gubbio - Roman Theatre, Gubbio
Roman Theatre (1st century BC), Gubbio - Palazzo Ducale, Urbino
Palazzo Ducale, Urbino (1454) - Palazzo Ducale, Urbino
Palazzo Ducale, Urbino (1454) - Palazzo Ducale, Urbino
- Laundry and fabric dyeing room in the palace
Palazzo Ducale, Urbino. - Ice cave in Palazzo Ducale, Urbino.
- Warehouses in Palazzo Ducale, Urbino.
- Napoleon's villa
Napoleon used this house in 1814-15. - Napoleon's villa
Kitchen - Napoleon's villa
Bathroom - Lacona
A granary, I believe. - LIguella Museum, Portoferraio
Archeological museum in Portoferraio is in the old salt store rooms of the Linguella Medicean Fortresses. - LIguella Museum, Portoferraio
Remains of a Roman villa. - Villa Romana delle Grotte, Portoferraio
A wonderful Roman villa from I century BC. If I'm not mistaken, this is the spa that included calidarium and frigidarium. - Villa Romana delle Grotte, Portoferraio
This was the upper pool of the villa. Not bad. Not bad at all. - Villa Romana delle Grotte, Portoferraio
A huuuge villa with an even larger garden. - Palace of Holyroodhouse
The official Scottish residence of British monarchs since the 16th century, including Mary, Queen of Scots and James VI and I. - Teviot Row House
- Capilla Real
The Royal Chapel was built in the 16th century (1505-1521) as the burial site for Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand. - Puerta de la Justicia
The southern entrance to Alhambra palace, built in 1348 by Yusuf I. - Alhambra hammam
Ceiling in the Alhambra's public hammam, constructed under Muhammad III. - El Bañuelo
These baths are very similar to the Alhambra baths. - El Bañuelo
Lovely baths, but this reminds me of some Star Wars helmet... - El Bañuelo
These 11th century Arab baths are a lovely place to chill on a warm day. - Granada
View from the El Maristan. the first hospital in Granada. The hospital was built in the 14th and destroyed in the 19th century, now being renovated. These houses could also use a bit of renovation. - Roman Theatre
Dating from the 1st and used until the 3rd century, the theatre was discovered in 1951! Parts of the theatre were used to build Alcazaba. - Beaune
What a lovely sign above the O'100dwich sandwicherie in Beaune :-) - Beaune
Remparts de la Comédie, the ramparts around the town is actually a street with some charming houses. - Beffroi de Beaune
Belfry, dating from the 13th-14th century, renovated and repaired multiple times after that. - Basilique Notre-Dame de Beaune
The porch dates from the mid-13th century. A great place that protects you from the elements. - Basilique Notre-Dame de Beaune
A 12th century romanesque basilica in Beaune. - Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune
The reason why we came to Beaune: The hospices. Founded in 1443 as a hospital for the poor by Phillip the Good was in use until 1971. - Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune
Trente-trois. Trente-trois. Trente-trois... Thirty three. Thirty three. Thirty three... Oui, oui, oui, oui, oui... - Christ of Pity
A 15th century sculpture of Christ of Pity sculpted from one oak trunk. The craftsmanship on the crown of thorns and ropes is wonderful! - Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune
The ceiling in the Room of the Poor is an upside-down boat-skiff shape. - Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune
Such lovely beams under the ceiling. I think the inscription says Seule * as seule etoile, meaning the founder's wife. - Hospice kitchen
The kitchen in the Hospice. My (second) favourite part in this kitchen is the rotating spit with Mr. Bertrand apparently rotating it. It was made in 1698 by a local clockmaker Defresne. - Hospice kitchen
This is my favourite part in the kitchen. The two swan-like faucets for running hot water. - Hospice Pharmacy
A very interesting pharmacy. - Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune
View of the glazed-tiled hospice roof from the cour d'honneur, the main inner court. The roof type probably has central European origins, but is now a trademark of Burgundy. - Maison du Colombier, Beaune
What a lovely house with plenty of dovecotes. And doves in the cotes. - Basilique Notre-Dame de Beaune
A magnificent stained glass window. But I have no idea how old it is. May be old, but my uneducated guess would say quite recent. - Meursault
We obviously went to Meursault because of the Grande Vadrouille, but did not regret it. What a picturesque, friendly and lovely town. - Meursault
A restaurant in the town centre. - Vézelay Abbey
This Benedictine abbey, which is a well-known pilgrimage church, was constructed between 1120 and 1150. Here stood initially a Roman villa, then two Carolingian convents, then then reformed Benedictine order of Cluny. Built to accommodate pilgrims, and extended to accommodate even more pilgrims... - Vézelay Abbey
The portal on the exterior of the church. - Vézelay Abbey
A lovely detail on the facade indicates the grandeur inside. - Vézelay Abbey
The narthex was added to accommodate the influx of pilgrims, who came to see the relics of Mary Magdalene. - Vézelay Abbey
St Paul the Hermit's burial. Saint Anthony burying Saint Paul, with two lions digging the grave. - Vézelay Abbey
The crypt - Vézelay Abbey
Adam and Eve. A snake climbs the Tree of life and gives grapes(!) to Eve. - Derrière une porte
I once had to write a story "Derrière une porte" being given an image similar to this one. I probably could write another one for this door as well. - Vézelay
The hollyhock grows in every corner of the town. So beautiful. - Vézelay Abbey
- Château de Chenonceau
Chambre de Diane de Poitiers. - Château de Chenonceau
One of the many chandeliers in the Gallery across the river. - Château de Chenonceau
One part of the castle kitchen, with modern equipment. - Château de Chenonceau
Another magninficent fireplace, this one is in the Salon Louis XIV. The salamander and the ermine are the symbols of Francis I and his wife Claude of France. - Château de Chenonceau
La tour des Marques The only remaining (and renovated) part of the medieval castle owned by the Marques family. - Château de Chenonceau
La chambre de Catherine de Médicis A typical renaissance baldachin bed. - Château de Chenonceau
Chambre de Louise de Lorraine, the black room. She was mourning the death of her husband Henri III. - Château de Chenonceau
View of the castle from the gardens of Catherine de Médicis. - Château de Chenonceau
A 16th century farm in the castle gardens. Here all the flowers used for the castle decoration are grown. - Château de Chambord
Chambord is the largest château in the Loire Valley. Built in 1519–1547 as a hunting lodge for François Ier. A hunting lodge! - Château de Chambord
The double-spiral staircase in the centre of the castle. The castle is so wonderfully symmetric, it's quite easy to lose orientation. - Château de Chambord
The 18th century castle kitchen. - Château de Chambord
The centre of the spiral staircase has a lantern at the top.