decouvrez.fr Vilafranca del Penedès Pays des Maures Narbonne
              
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
Share your discoveries

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.



  Register to make a contribution

 

137 gems in the area
  1/4   <-- | -->
2008/11/27

dospat

Dospat
Famous with its marvellous nature and beautiful sightseeings, the municipality of Dospat hosts...

2008/12/23

guides alps tackling ridges

Tackle the mountain ridges with an Alpine guide
Forty enthusiastic guides are available to assist apprentice mountaineers and hikers on the...

2008/04/02

the sardieres monolith tamed giant

The Sardières monolith, a tamed giant
In the Maurienne, geology has devised a spectacular landscape, featuring this monolith for example.

2009/04/30

city below the city drains wastewater paris sewers

A city below the city
Have you ever wonder what was happening to the water emptied out of the sink, flushed out of the...

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...

2008/12/23

welcoming refuges glacier hike nature helicopter snow mountaineering ailefroide pre madame carle marmots sealskin

The smile of the White Glacier
Don't let the marmots' mocking whistle deter you - there is a fine solid house waiting for you at...

2008/06/24

on the cathar trail

On the Cathar trail
A few miles from Narbonne, a path leads up to the “vertiginous citadels”.

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...

2008/10/27

saint-tropez dany lartigue the star-hunter of saint tropez

Dany Lartigue the "star-hunter" of Saint Tropez
He collects them, steeps them in formaldehyde and displays them. Come and admire Dany's stars.

2008/12/23

ski resorts pelvoux puy aillaud puy saint vincent

Slide sports in the Ecrins - guaranteed sunshine and a village atmosphere
Enjoy a true Mediterranean climate and the preserved environment in the Ecrins country's two...

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.

2008/12/15

barbaresco wine cellar regional

Barbaresco Regional Wine Cellar
The Enoteca Regionale del Barbaresco was created to promote the local wine production. It is...

2008/11/13

saint-tropez the seamen cemetery dreaming by the grave of hindu princess

The seamen's cemetery: dreaming by the grave of a Hindu princess
What a striking contrast between the port and the cemetery! Situated at the foot of the citadel,...

2009/01/08

monumental vilafranca

Monumental Vilafranca
A stroll along the Catalan Gothic architecture without moving the center of the capital del Penedes

2008/12/15

canale wine cellar regional roero

Roero Regional Wine Cellar
The Enoteca Regionale del Roero's offering includes the entire range of Roero wines from the...

2009/07/01

alps mountaineering centenary guides ecrins

Alpine mountaineering: 100 years of guides
The Ecrins Mountain Guide Bureau is celebrating its centenary. Attention all peak lovers!...

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...

2008/12/15

windsurf kite surf alpago santa croce lake

Windsurf & Kitesurf in Alpago
Special climate conditions around Santa Croce Lake produce a regular daily breeze, which in the...

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.

2008/12/15

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...

2009/04/30

artists frigos parisien paris area left bank

Artists in the Parisian fridge
A former SNCF refrigerated storage has been transformed into an artists’ workshop in the 13th...

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",...

2008/05/14

on the cistercian track fontfroide abbey

On the Cistercian track: Fontfroide Abbey
Immerse yourself for a day in the silent universe of the Cistercian Monks, who had only the...

2008/12/23

mountain lionel daudet alpine mountaineering

The Ecrins - Lionel Daudet's base camp
"All I need to do is lift up my eyes to feel happy here", says Lionel Daudet, twice...

2008/11/13

collobrieres gonfaron welcome to bastide cabriere

Collobrières : welcome to Bastide de la Cabrière
Aristocrat, rugby player, farmer, goat breeder and poet, Loïc de Saleneuve has a warm welcome...

2008/04/02

in hannibal footsteps in the ambin valley

In Hannibal’s footsteps in the Ambin valley
Did the Carthiginian general’s elephants really pass through here? The Ambin valley runs...

2008/11/04

piave sorgenti refuge hutte mountain alp river source sesis valle val valley alta via high route

Where the river comes from
The Sorgenti del Piave Refuge stands near the source of the River Piave, 1830 meters above...

2008/12/22

laki municipality magic mountain waters

Laki Municipality – the magic of the mountain waters
Situated in the Western Rhodopes it has a total area of 260 02 ha. Its administrative...

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...

2008/12/23

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...

2008/05/16

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...

2008/12/23

interpretive paths irrigation

Mountain canals and the irrigation system
An irrigation system laid out in the Middle Ages is still in evidence on the mountainside in the...

2008/11/04

fontanafredda vino langhe langa

Fontanafredda
Fontanafredda lies at the heart of the Langhe, a world of hills dating back to ancient times...

2008/10/27

draguignan follow the nature guide on cap taillat

Follow the nature guide on Cap Taillat
Geology and botany, heritage and history, landscape reading and coastal paths... You can learn an...

2008/10/10

miraculous bridges erkyupria

“The Miraculous Bridges – Erkyupria”
This is a unique natural phenomenon, consisting of three naturally-formed bridges above the small...

2008/12/15

valle imperina visitor centre dolomiti dolomites bellunesi belluno national park mine

"Uomini di Valle Imperina" Visitor Center
The Centro Visitatori del Parco Nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesi "Uomini di Valle Imperina"...

2009/04/30

misfortune greatness vaux-le-vicomte nicolas fouquet chateau

Nicolas Fouquet’s greatness and misfortune
As a tribute to Nicolas Fouquet, the richest French intendant, the Vaux-Le-Vicomte castle invites...

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...

2008/10/10

chepelare hospitality four seasons

“Chepelare – hospitality in four seasons”
The municipality of Chepelare is located in the central part of the Rhodopi Mountain, and has a...

2008/12/18

prompting palate

Prompting the palate
The cuisine of Vilafranca retrieves the flavors of the region