Bulgaria is the European Union’s poorest country, with an average wage of less than €400 a month. An economic and social problem which particularly hits the rural areas. Since the fall of communism there has been a steady drain of people from farming communities. To the west of the country, an NGO is resisting.
In France, spanning the Hautes-Alpes and Drôme departments, the new Parc naturel régional des Baronnies (pictured) puts climate change at the heart of its projects. A solar-powered generating plant, emphasis on wood, environmental education. Visits in the villages where these initiatives are being developed.
Agro-ecology – a mixture of ancestral farming techniques and cutting-edge research, respectful of nature and man. Championed for decades by Pierre Rabhi, it could be a real answer to the problems of drought and famine in the world.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a small village of the Vaucluse with an international reputation for the quality of its wines. The AOC (appellation d’origine controlée) was created here 80 years ago, paving the way for all the others.
In the 1990’s, faced with the collapse of the island’s wine production, Corsican winemakers responded by going for quality rather than quantity. Thanks to their uniqueness, Corsican wines are appreciated now around the world.
Joan Miró was always very attached to Palma de Mallorca, in the Balearic Islands. Falling in love with its natural beauty, poetry and light, he decided to spend the rest of his life there. The “Fundació Pilar i Joan Miró” brings together 25 years of the Catalan artist’s work.
The French Riviera is home to architectural gems, often unknown to the general public. These palaces and villas with their beautiful gardens, Renaissance-style or inspired by ancient Greece, all have their own story, tinged with dream and romance.
The fame of this cream cake has now spread far beyond the mythical village of Saint Tropez where it was created in 1955 by an exiled Polish pâtissier. The following year, on the set of the film “And God Created Woman”, Brigitte Bardot gave a name to this cream-topped bun: the tarte tropézienne. 60 years later, artisan pastry-making has developed and last summer celebrated the anniversary of its flagship product.
