Experience the Allure of France: A Journey Through Time and Beauty

Step into the enchanting realm of France, a country that has captivated the hearts of travelers for centuries. With its roots reaching deep into the annals of history, France's narrative weaves through the eras of the Gauls, the might of the Roman Empire, the opulence of the French monarchy, and the revolutionary spirit that reshaped its destiny. This land of elegance and diversity invites you to explore its rich culture, iconic landmarks, and exquisite cuisine.
The Saga of France: A Legacy of Civilization
France's story is painted with the brushstrokes of time, from the prehistoric Lascaux caves to the grandeur of the Renaissance, and beyond to the modern-day Republic. It's a history filled with artists, warriors, and visionaries, all of whom have left indelible marks on the fabric of French society.
Paris: The Heartbeat of France
The City of Light beckons with its timeless charm. Paris, France's capital, is an anthology of artistic and architectural masterpieces, with the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the Louvre Museum as its crowning jewels.
The Riviera: Azure Shores and Glitzy Glamour
Delve into the chic allure of the French Riviera. Nice, Cannes, and Saint-Tropez are synonyms for sun-drenched beaches, cultural festivals, and the sparkling Mediterranean.
Provence: A Tapestry of Lavender Fields and Ancient Ruins
Provence enchants with its rolling vineyards, fragrant lavender fields, and Roman heritage, epitomized by the well-preserved Pont du Gard and the historic city of Avignon.
The Loire Valley: A Castle-Studded Dreamscape
Travel back in time in the Loire Valley, a region dotted with fairy-tale châteaux and verdant, vineyard-laced landscapes that inspired generations of royalty and artists alike.
From the windswept coasts of Normandy, rich with history from medieval times to World War II, to the gastronomic pleasures of Lyon and the snowy peaks of the French Alps, France offers a tapestry of experiences. Join us at travel.frogsfolly.com as we guide you through the cobbled streets, into the heart of French culture, and through the doorways of history. Embark on a French adventure that will leave you with memories as rich as a Bordeaux wine and as vivid as a Cézanne painting.





![<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/11561957@N06/">failing_angel</a> posted a photo:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/11561957@N06/55633071570/" title="Qingming shanghe tu"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55633071570_36393d0e7f_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Qingming shanghe tu" /></a></p>
<p>Handscroll known as the Qingming shanghe tu (Along the River during the Spring Festival) <br />
Painting by Yao Wenhan, with a poem by Qianlong<br />
1768 (painting), 1771 (poem)<br />
Ink and colour on paper<br />
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This scroll is a miniature version of the Qingming shanghe tu, which was produced in 1768 for the Qianlong emperor (1736-1795) who attached a poem to it in 1771. The Qingming shanghe tu is a horizontal scroll created by Zhang Zeduan (1085-1145) during the Song dynasty (960-1279). It describes the city of Kaifeng, the Song capital, during the Qingming festival (a tomb-sweeping festival). It is a landmark work of Chinese painting, and one which regularly inspired copies after its creation. Each version is different. This one depicts urban life as industrious and peaceful: an allegory for good government.*<br />
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From the exhibition<br />
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A Passion for China: The Adolphe Thiers Collection<br />
May – August 2025<br />
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The Department of Decorative Arts holds more than 600 Chinese works, most of which come from the collections of Adolphe Thiers and Adèle de Rothschild and from the royal collections. Among them, some veritable treasures are to be found. A number of these were highlighted by recent research among the collection of Adolphe Thiers, who was a journalist, historian, and a major political figure in the 19th century (as deputy, minister, president of the council and, ultimately, president of the French Republic).<br />
The exhibition aims to reveal these exceptional works to the general public, putting them in the historical, diplomatic and cultural context of their creation and their acquisition by Thiers for his collection. It explores Thiers’s little-known passion for China. The exhibition will present over 170 works dating mainly from the 18th and 19th centuries: scrolls, album pages, engravings, prints, porcelains, jades, lacquers, and precious objets d’art in ivory, bronze, or wood inlaid with gems and mother-of-pearl.<br />
The first part of the exhibition will present Adolphe Thiers, his particular vision of art, his collecting practices and his passion for the Renaissance. The second part, the heart of the exhibition, will present the full collection of Chinese art. Thiers, in view of publishing a work on Chinese art, concurrently collected books, documents and objets d’art related to the subject. The exhibition highlights the major themes of his collection: ancient and contemporary history, images of China (landscapes, architecture and dress), some staples of Chinese culture (language, literature and the literati), the ‘Three Teachings’ (Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism), Chinese porcelain (of which he was an expert of renown), and, finally, imperial art. The collection holds a number of masterpieces in this last area, including an exceptional scroll, the Qingming shanghe tu created for the Qianlong emperor.*<br />
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Taken in Musée du Louvre<br />
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The Louvre began as a fortress with thick defensive walls, built in 1190 during the reign of Philippe Auguste. It became a royal residence in 1364 and was modified over the centuries according to changing styles and royal preferences. The Grande Galerie was built between 1595 and 1610, during the reign of Henri IV.<br />
In 1791, during the French Revolution, it was decreed that the Louvre should become a museum of the arts. The Muséum Central des Arts was inaugurated in 1793, and thereafter the palace was increasingly given over to the museum collections and their display to the public. From 1981 to 1989, the Pyramid project focused on putting visitors at the heart of the museum and its collections. The Department of Islamic Art was inaugurated in 2012. The opening of the new rooms of the Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art is scheduled for 2028.<br />
[*Musée du Louvre]</p>](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55633071570_36393d0e7f_s.jpg)














