Domes of Sacre Coeur

Photo by Stephen Bohn

Another view of the Sacre Coeur basilica from a nearby street in Montmartre.

Paris Gargoyle

Photo by Stephen Bohn

An animal gargoyle perched Sacre Coeur basilica in Montmartre, Paris.

Tuileries Color

Colorful flowers planted in the Tuileries park in Paris, France. Created by Catherine de Medicis, the gardens and park were opened to the public after the French Revolution.

Eiffel View

Photo by Stephen Bohn

View from the Eiffel Tower looking down over the Seine River shortly after twilight.

Sacre Coeur Facade

A view of several of the domes and the statue of Jesus on the facade of the basilica of Sacre Coeur in Montmartre, Paris.

Notre Dame, Across the Seine

Photo by Stephen Bohn

The cathedral of Notre Dame as seen from across the Seine and through the trees of the Left Bank.

Left Bank View

We delighted in our view of gargoyles and flying buttresses on the old Saint Severin church across from our hotel in the Latin Quarter of Paris.

Avignon Opera House

Situated beside the City Hall on the Place de L'Horloge, this Italianate opera house built in the mid-1850s hosts dance, theater, symphony and opera performances throughout the year.

Roussillon

Roussillon is a village in the Vaucluse region of France. It is well known for the ochre pigments found in the surrounding clay. These pigments were mined in the 18th century and then added to textiles for coloration. After the closure of the Roussillon ochre mines in the 20th century, tourism and agriculture became the town's primary industries. Due to its popularity, parking can be quite a challenge, but the village is very picturesque and well worth a visit.

Les Baux Overlook

Photo by Stephen Bohn

A view of the Provencal countryside from the ruins of the 10th century Chateau des Baux.

Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France

Photo by Stephen Bohn

View overlooking the Baie des Formis from Villa Kerylos on the French Riviera. If you are ever in this area, don't miss a visit to the villa. It is outstanding!

Pont Saint-Benezet

This historic bridge is the inspiration for the children's song "Sur le Pont d'Avignon" and was originally constructed over the Rhone between 1177 and 1185. According to traditional, a local shepherd boy was commanded by angels to build a bridge across the river between Avignon and Villeneuve-les-Avignon and he miraculously lifted a large block of stone as proof of his divine inspiration. This boy later became Saint Benezet and was interred in a chapel on the bridge after his death. For a long time, the bridge was the only fixed river crossing between Lyon in central France and the Mediterranean Sea.

Chez Felix, Antibes

Photo by Stephen Bohn

Aside from the restaurant Chez Felix, where the writer Graham Greene once frequently lunched, this little square in Antibes contains the Aguillon fountain, built as a tribute to the Brigadier d'Aguillon of the royal army of King Louis XVI because he restored the Roman aqueduct and brought drinking water to the town in 1785.

Tree Along the Seine

Photo by Stephen Bohn

Green leaves frame the Seine river in Paris on an overcast day.

Fort Mont Alban

Photo by Stephen Bohn

Built between 1557 and 1562, the fort defended the high ground of the Nice coastline. It can be glimpsed from Castle Hill above the old town and harbor of Nice.

Bell Tower, LaCoste, France

Photo by Stephen Bohn

A bell tower in the medieval town of LaCoste looks out over the wooded hills of the Luberon. Trivia: in 2003 the town served as the location for the film "Swimming Pool" starring Charlotte Rampling.

A Most Beautiful Village

Photo by Stephen Bohn

Rising above the Plateau de Vaucluse, and not far from Avignon, Gordes is one of the better known hilltowns in Provence. It attracts artists, the film crowd and other creatives types, as well as its share of tourists in the summer months.

Fort Saint-Andre

Photo by Stephen Bohn

Rising above the town of Villeneuve-les-Avignon, the well preserved fort of Saint-Andre was built in 1292 and offers beautiful views across the Rhone to Avignon, but with far fewer tourists than the papal city.

Across the Rhone

Photo by Stephen Bohn

Looking down over the Rhone river and the partial remains of the St. Benezet bridge (Pont d'Avignon) from atop the Rocher des Doms above the Palace of the Popes. The town across the river is Villeneuve-les-Avignon, which was once connected to Avignon by the bridge until its collapse in the mid-1600s.

The Road to Gordes

Photo by Stephen Bohn

Gordes is a beautiful hilltop village in the Vaucluse region of southern France.