Silk Threads and River Light in Lyon

Vintage travel poster greeting from Lyon, France with a collage of landmark photos and bold red title text.

The Croix-Rousse hill climbs sharply above the Saône, its streets still marked by the tall windows and high ceilings built for the silk looms. Most visitors head straight for Vieux Lyon or the Presqu’île, but the real character of Lyon lingers in this northern quarter. The morning I arrived, the Boulevard de la Croix-Rousse was … Read more

Twin Towers of the Porte Chaussée on the Meuse in Verdun

Vintage postcard-style poster saying 'Greetings from Verdun, France' with six arched photos of landmarks: Le Pont de Verdun, Cathédrale Notre-Dame, Rue Mazel, Monument de la Victoire, Canal de l’Est, and Vitrail de la Paix.

I stopped first at the Porte Chaussée, not at a memorial parking lot. Two round stone towers sit in ordinary traffic, straddling the old road that once crossed the Meuse into the walled town. Cars slide under the arch. A cyclist rings through. The river moves slow and greenish under the bridge, and for a … Read more

Sant’Agnello: A Quieter Base on the Sorrento Coast

Most visitors to the Sorrento Peninsula head straight for the bustle of Piazza Tasso and the crowded lanes of the historic center. Just a short train ride or pleasant walk away, however, lies Sant’Agnello—a residential neighborhood that offers the same sweeping views of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius without the constant foot traffic. … Read more