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What is a gem ?
It's a top spot, an absolute must, somewhere you love bringing friends to, a really special place - in a nutshell, the best your region has to offer.
Gems of Europe
Going from one discovery to the next
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Travel with a difference: discover the territories of Europe


  © R. Sandraz

Where to go at the weekend, or on holiday? Rome, Berlin, the South of France… Europe abounds in destinations, each more enticing than the last.


But away from these major capitals and prestigious regions, there is another Europe every bit as delightful: the Europe of small provincial towns where time passes leisurely; where hidden churches and castles are waiting to be explored; where vineyards serve their own wine; where you can observe a mountain valley in total solitude…

 

This Europe needs to be revealed and discovered – and this is what we aim to do by unearthing the ‘gems’ of these territories of Europe.

 

What are these gems we have chosen? They are spots off the beaten track, addresses recommended by friends, original activities, or maybe just an artwork, a sensation or a flavour…

 

In this website, you will discover the first territories of Europe assembled to show you their riches: Vilafranca del Penédès in Catalonia; Dolomites and Piemonte in Italia ; the mountains of Bulgaria; ; the region of Maurienne, Narbonne, Strasbourg, the Ecrins and the Pays des Maures in France.

 

In each country, top publishing houses have collaborated with the tourist offices and local communities in these regions: Prisacom in Spain, the Touring Editore in Italy, Gallimard in France, Atlas in Bulgaria.

 

Together, they will unveil the best of these territories: attractive places to stay, culinary specialities, unusual landscapes. An array of ‘gems’, ‘jewels’, ‘pearls’ awaiting inquisitive tourists just like you. And now, set off to discover the gems of Europe.



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137 gems in the area
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2008/06/12

the spirit of charles trenet lives on

The spirit of Charles Trenet lives on
Narbonne, his native town, inspired the “singing fool” (fou chantant). Follow the guide…

2008/10/27

pierrefeu circuit from puget ville to chateau reillane

Circuit 2 : from Puget Ville to Chateau Reillane
At the foot of the Maures hills, on the plain which stretches between Puget-Ville and Pierrefeu,...

2008/12/15

dolcetto dogliani wine shop langhe langa piedmont piemonte

Dolcetto di Dogliani Wine Shop
At the Bottega del Vino Dolcetto di Dogliani, an historic vaulted stone cellar beneath the town...

2009/01/27

barolo wine route piedmont langhe roero barbaresco dolcetto strada grandi vini

The Barolo Wine Route
Perhaps you've never come here, but you've certainly come across their flavours. Barolo,...

2008/05/16

rice trading in the alps industrial history in modane

Rice trading in the Alps: industrial history in Modane
An important passageway in the 17th and 18th centuries, the many well kept roads in the Vanoise...

2008/11/03

saint-tropez markets in the maures country symbols of the eternal provence

Markets in the Maures country, symbols of the eternal Provence
On Tuesday and Saturday mornings, the Provence hill country meets up with the Provence of the...

2008/06/16

jean dubuffet the architect in the archbishops palace

Jean Dubuffet the architect in the Archbishops’ Palace
A striking medieval setting for the little-known monumental works by the father of Art Brut.

2008/10/27

gonfaron decouverte chene-liege

Gonfaron: learning about cork oaks
The Maures country derives its name from the Provencal maouro, which means "dark wood",...

2008/10/27

rayol canadel rayol all of the mediterranean in one garden

Rayol : all of the Mediterranean in one garden
The Garden of Eden must have looked like this. Six magical hectares perched above the Maures...

2008/10/15

routes history

Routes with history
Five walking or cycling ways to discover the capital of Penedes.

2009/02/03

birthplace charles trenet

The birthplace of Charles Trénet
Behind the green shutters, the poet’s soul suffuses a haven of nostalgia, with its memories...

2008/11/13

saint-tropez saint-tropez the ambassador of place lices

Saint-Tropez : the ambassador of Place des Lices
Saint Tropez would not be Saint Tropez without its petanque players. Jean-Annick Papazian is...

2008/05/16

marcel bantin the soul of termignon blue

Marcel Bantin: the soul of Termignon blue
This cheese varies according to the area of production, and enjoys an excellent reputation within...

2009/04/30

aura maurienne solid art saint-jean-de-maurienne

The ‘Aura’ of the Maurienne region
Come enhance the biggest Land’Art solidarity-based art creation in the world in Savoy.

2008/10/06

vinos epoca

Vinos de época
La relación de la comarca del Penedès con la vid se remonta al siglo IV a.C.

2008/10/27

londe-les-maures londe maures olive oil nectar of the maures

La Londe des Maures: olive oil, nectar of the Maures
If it's Eden, then there has to be olive trees. This goes for the Maures country too, which has...

2008/10/27

saint-tropez celebrity sandals the tropezienne

Celebrity sandals : the tropézienne
Gracing the feet of every self-respecting fashionista, the tropézienne was this summer's...

2009/02/04

hidden canal midi make detour robine

The hidden Canal du Midi: make a detour on the Robine (1)
Less crowded and just as magical as the renowned Canal du Midi, the Robine flows through Narbonne...

2008/12/15

cavour castle grinzane benso piedmont piemonte

Camillo's Castle
The castle of Grinzane is an imposing squared building, with a high tower, whose origins date...

2008/09/05

lucienne zinant and the tales of bygone days

Lucienne Zinant and the tales of bygone days
Lucienne Zinant lives in a delightfully restored farmhouse on the upper slopes of...

2008/10/27

grimaud life before the stars local heritage

Grimaud : life before the stars
What was life like in Saint Tropez before the stars arrived? Take a journey back in time in the...

2008/10/27

bormes-les-mimosas gui gedda pape cuisine provencale

Bormes les Mimosa : Gui Gedda, the "Pope" of Provencal cuisine
His father, grandfather and uncle were all chefs, and he himself is one of the most well-known...

2008/10/27

collobrieres archaeology historical immersion in the maures

Archaeology : historical immersion in the Maures
Bronze Age menhirs, Celto-Ligurian strongholds, the remains of Roman villas… There are numerous...

2008/10/27

ramatuelle plan tour daniel van velde landscape sculptor

Plan de la Tour : Daniel Van de Velde, landscape sculptor
There are all sorts of ways to discover the Maures, by sea, by land, on foot, on horseback, by...

2008/12/16

cheese cansiglio dairy tambre spert centro caseario agrituristico altopiano

Cheese from Cansiglio
The Cansiglio Dairy Centre produce both fresh milk and cheese made only with organic milk,...

2008/12/15

sappada dolomiti belluno plodn architecture sport blockbau

Sappada. Architectures amongst Dolomites
The upper Piave river valley stands at the north end of the Veneto region and the Belluno...

2008/12/23

climbing first 4000

Dôme des Ecrins: braving your first "4000er"
The splendour of the Alps at your feet and the elation of pushing yourself to the limit. Good...

2008/12/23

electric mill

How can a windmill work without sails?
For half a century, it was busy milling, sieving and sawing. We asked some older people to...

2008/11/04

alba food wine cheese truffle langhe roero barolo tajarin brasato piedmont piemonte

Civilized Alba
The Langhe region keep an unbelievable heritage of taste. Great wines and cuisine traditions are...

2008/12/23

guesthouse green juliane organic

La Juliane – an all-organic green guesthouse
At an altitude of 1,450 m, in this entirely self-sufficient green guesthouse, you will live...

2009/01/05

ardino traces antiquity

Ardino
Ardino Municipality is situated on the border of the Western and Southern Rhodopes and covers an...

2008/12/15

alpago tambre santa croce lake dolada cansiglio

Alpago: Mountains, Forests & a Lake
The Alpago offers a wide variety of perspectives: the Santa Croce Lake, Mount Dolada, the...

2008/10/27

gassin three circuits to discover some exceptional maures wine on

Three circuits to discover some exceptional Maures wine on
Rich in forests, the Maures hills also feature several vineyards. The Côte de Provence...

2008/10/27

cogolin forest chestnut trees

Cogolin : "I give back to the forest what it gave me."
At the age of 82, Louis Valentin, the owner of Château des Garcinières in Cogolin, has passed...

2008/11/27

pamporovo

Pamporovo
A snow-white cover, majestic pines, sunny mood, excellent opportunities for ski and snowboard in...

2008/12/23

thrills white water

White water thrills in the Ecrins
In the last century, it was skiing which changed the face of the mountains; now it's the turn of...

2008/10/13

castellers within vineyards

Castellers among the vineyards
Vilafranca del Penedès hosts two of the main reasons for pride of Catalan culture: wine and...

2008/12/23

overnight stay dormillouse

An overnight stay in Dormillouse, in the heart of the National Park
It is the last inhabited village before the eternity of the upper mountain reaches. It stretches...

2008/10/13

penedes cava ways

Penedes cava's ways
Cult of grape vines and the tradition on a walk through the major wineries in Vilafranca

2008/11/04

dolomites park national schiara agordino hospices vedana imperina mine

Another side of the Dolomites
The Parco Nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesi is situated in the Veneto Region, precisely in the...