Tulle - not just ballet costume netting - a old town in France

When you are driving through the south central region of France be sure to visit the old town of Tulle.

How old is Tulle?  Well Tulle was settled by the Gauls, then the Romans established a temple there,  and in the seventh century a monastery was built which was destroyed by the Vikings in 846…so you figure it out!!!

Yes, Tulle  is the home of the starchy, sometimes scratchy,  net-like fabric that ballet costumes are made of. And, it is also the world accordion capital. (Did you know a single accordion has between 3500 and 6800 parts and takes more than 200 hours to make.. and can cost up to €9000, about $11,700?) Usine Maugein - the last of the traditional accordion makers still produces instruments in Tulle.

But more importantly, Tulle is the scene of a really nice 4-day street music festival (Nuits de Nacre - September) and it is a GREAT place to just get off the beaten path… and roam around a bit.

Take a look at this video… Great isn’t it? Want more information?  Contact me. Let me help you plan the ‘roaming’ tour of your dreams.

 

Roaming thru Europe, off the beaten path… by car.

On your next vacation trip to Europe, why not get off the beaten path? Rent a car and explore!!

If you need help in planning your adventure, let me know.  Having lived in Europe for more than 22 years, I know a lot about Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland and the BeNeLux (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg). I can give you advice on which routes to take, towns and villages to visit, nice places to stay, great places to eat, interesting things to see, as well as fun and cultural things to do. I can provide first-hand information on just about anything an American baby-boomer or woman traveler would want or need to know. (I am one, you know!!)

When I travel by car, I do so slowly. I take my time. I stop here. I explore there. If I see something - even a sign - that looks a bit interesting… I go there. I read the guide books. I stop at the tourist offices. But, most times, I just wander… I just roam… here and there. As a result, I have seen many ‘off the beaten path’ places that most Americans (and sometimes Europeans!!) have never seen.  (Ok, ok… truth be told… sometimes I had not really planned to see some of those places [read: lost, ever so lost]. But none-the-less, I have been there!!)

Getting off the beaten path is easy these days. All you need is a GPS-system in your car, a mobile and a WiFi-equipped tablet.  Years ago, without these devices, it was a bit more problematic. However, I quickly learned that back-country roads generally lead to post roads (postal service) and those roads lead to the national highway system. So all’s good, as they say!! Soft adventure, slow travel - at its best!!!

But now back to the point of this blog.

If you are planning a self-drive European vacation and have some questions or need some information… send me an email (Vicki@roaming-thru-europe.com). If it is something which I can answer off the top of my head (and it, usually, is) … I won’t charge you. But if I have to do some research, we can agree on a small nominal fee.  Sound fair???