If it’s Friday, it must be France …
I love it when I can tie the travel photo theme into something I know about France. This week’s theme of “Glass” is a perfect opportunity for me to share one of my favourite villages with you.
Biot is a picturesque medieval hilltop village that’s not too high up … unless you decide to walk up from the train station as my DH once suggested (before I knew better), assuring me it was just a few minutes … 4 km later in my strappy little sandals and silk sundress, covered in sweat and puffing my way up the final 50 steps … oh wait … that’s a whole other story …
BTW, that 1565 is NOT the street address! LOL
Biot is an easy 10-minute drive from the coast and about a half-hour west of Nice. Click here to see a fab website with great photos and info. We rented a house there a few years ago for a wonderful three months filled with visits from family and friends … hmmm, many other stories …
*bringing my focus back to GLASS* – Rich in fine clay, the area around Biot has been known for its pottery since antiquity. Today, the village is renowned for its glass works, typically a clear or colored transparent glass with little bubbles. I absolutely LOVE the variety of colours! This photo just shows a small sample.
There are several glassworks down the hill around the outskirts of the village and an excellent Galerie Internationals Du Verre with world-class works of art.
In La Verrerie de Biot, you can see the artisans at work and a comprehensive gallery of this famous studio and its award-winning pieces is displayed in beautifully lit showcases. Attached to this is an enormous sales area with a selection of something for everyone. Be forewarned: you will leave with parcels!!!
There are several small glass-making studios, including one right on the main street where you look through an open window to watch the craftsmen work their magic.
There are many reasons to visit this historic village but, as you can see, the glass of Biot makes it even more special.
Do you have a fascination with the art of glass-blowing? Have you ever tried it? I am always intrigued and impressed by the tremendous effort, delicate touch, and creative talent of these artists when I have the opportunity to see them in action.
In case you missed it, here’s the link to my post about the October 2013 12-day tour of the south of France that I, along with Susan Sommers, will be leading! Join us … sorry, guys, it’s a women-only party! Only 16 spots and they are going fast.
Check out some of these excellent photos sites from photographers who aren’t quite as obsessed with France!
http://wheresmybackpack.com/2013/01/11/travel-theme-glass/
http://imagesoftheheart.wordpress.com/
http://www.richardsugden.com/blog – I LOVE his quote “The important thing is not the camera but the eye”.
http://thewanderlustgene.wordpress.com/
And for my fellow writers, I wanted to share JoAnna Penn’s latest post from The Creative Penn. If you don’t follow her blog, I highly recommend it along with these:
http://www.thebookdesigner.com/
HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND … and yes, I do know it is Saturday and not Friday … sometimes these posts take longer to put together than my optimistic nature imagines!
