Europe

Normandy, D-Day, and Remembrance

Mary Gilbert Europe, History, Tours and Sightseeing May 23, 20141944, 70th Anniversary of D-Day, American Landing, Battle of Normandy, D-Day, Dale Booth, English Channel, France, German Occupation of France, June 6, La Cambe German War Cemetery, Nazi occupation of France, Normandy, Normandy American Cemetery, Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Normandy American Cemetery Visitor Center, Normandy Battle Tours, Omaha Beach, Operation Overlord, Sainte Mere Eglise, Stuart Robertson, Sword Beach, The Allies, Travel, Travel blog, Travel writing, Utah Beach, World War II 4 Comments

“D-Day, June 6, 1944, was a day without precedent,” said our guide, Stuart Robertson of Normandy Battle Tours. We were on the Normandy coast of France, the region that was the site of the D-Day invasion and the subsequent 11-week-longRead more

What’s Cooking in Burgundy

Mary Gilbert Europe, Food and Wine May 9, 2014Alain Hess Fromager, Beaune, Bourgogne, Burgundy, Cooking class, Crémant, Époisses Cheese, French Market, Gougeres, Joie de vivre, Kendall Smith Franchini, La Place Carnot, Marjorie Taylor, Market tour, TGV Train, The Cook's Atelier, Travel, Travel blog, Travel writing 4 Comments

“It’s all about the ingredients and knowing where they come from,” says Marjorie Taylor, chef and co-founder of The Cook’s Atelier. She’s leading us through the bountiful and beautiful stalls of fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, olives, and herbs from someRead more

The Great Apple Tart Hunt

Mary Gilbert Europe, Food and Wine May 5, 201448 rue de Verneuil, Apple, Apple pie, Apple tart, Dessert, Farida Cabado, France, John Chapman, Johnny Appleseed, Jose Cabado, La Bonne Excuse, Molten Chocolate Cake, Paris, Restaurant, Travel, Travel blog, Travel writing 8 Comments

Apples have always been my favorite fruit. Baked, crisped, sauced, sautéed, turnovered, caramelized, roasted, or juiced – or best of all, just freshly picked from a tree – apples are an enduring touchstone in my life. When I was learning theRead more

Versailles — The Ultimate Royal Residence

Mary Gilbert Europe, History, Tours and Sightseeing May 1, 2014Apollo, Ceremony of the Rising Sun, Chateau de Versailles, France, French Revolution, Grand Trianon, Hall of Mirrors, King Louis XIV, King Louis XV, King Louis XVI, Louis III, Marie Antoinette, Napoleon, Palace of Versailles, Paris, Petit Trianon, Private Tours Paris, Royal Etiquitte, Sun King, Travel, Travel blog, Travel writer, UNESCO, Versailles, World Heritage Site 0 Comment

It’s good to be king. Surely that thought occurred to King Louis XIV of France in 1682 when he moved his family and the seat of the country’s government to the Chateau de Versailles, the extravagant and majestic 2,300-room palaceRead more

First Impressions of Paris

Mary Gilbert Europe, Tours and Sightseeing April 28, 2014Boulevard St. Germain, Dalloyau, Eiffel Tower, France, Fromagerie Barthélemy, Grand Palais, Jardin des Tuileries, Jardin du Luxembourg, Left Bank, Louvre Museum, Maison Guyard, Montmartre, Musee d'Orsay, Napoleon III, Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, Petit Palais, Place de la Concorde, Poilâne, Pont Alexandre III, Private Tours Paris, River Seine, Rue de Verneuil, Sacre Coeur, St. Germain des Pres, Travel, Travel blog, Travel writing, Vedette 10 Comments

“We’ll always have Paris.” That’s my favorite line from my favorite movie – Casablanca. Rick sure knew what he was talking about when he said his final goodbye to Ilsa. You change and your circumstances change, but Paris stays withRead more

The Secret Bunker Where Churchill Battled World War II

Mary Gilbert Europe, History, Tours and Sightseeing April 23, 2014Adolph Hitler, Cabinet War Rooms, Churchill Museum, Churchill War Rooms, England, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Imperial War Museums, London, Luftwaffe, Number 10 Downing Street, The Blitz, Travel, Travel blog, Travel writing, V-bomb, Winston Churchill, World War II 6 Comments

The year was 1938. The times in London were tense and uncertain as Adolph Hitler threatened mass war in Europe. As a safeguard against sudden and unexpected air attack, the British government decided to establish a central emergency working refugeRead more

Help! We’re Imprisoned In The Tower of London!

Mary Gilbert Europe, History, Tours and Sightseeing April 21, 2014Anne Boleyn, Ceremony of the Keys, Edward II, John the London, Thames River, Tower of London, Travel, Travel blog, Travel writing, William the Conqueror, Yeoman Warder 4 Comments

Under the gleam of the full moon, Bill, Ann and I were locked inside the Tower of London. Literally. Locked up in the formidable stone-walled complex on the bank of the Thames River that has served as a fortress, palaceRead more

A Panoramic Look at London

Mary Gilbert Europe, Hotels and Rentals, Tours and Sightseeing April 19, 2014airbnb, Berry Bros. & Rudd, Big Ben, British Tours, Buckingham Palace, Changing of the Guard, Christopher Wren, Chunnel, Crown Jewels, Duchess Kate, England, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, London, Lord Nelson, National Gallery, Nelson's Column, Palace of Westminster, Parliament, Prince Albert Memorial, Prince Harry, Princess Diana, Princess Diana Memorial, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria, St. George's Chapel, St. James's Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral, Thames River, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, Travel, Travel blog, Travel writing, Windsor Castle, Yeoman Warder 4 Comments

London and Paris are two of Bill’s and my favorite destinations. How could they not be? Both cities are uniquely beautiful and enchanting, and have much in common: they exude a vibrancy that belies their ages, revere their storied histories,Read more

Brainstorm in Burgundy

Mary Gilbert Europe, Hotels and Rentals July 6, 2013Beaune, Burgundy, Charlotte Observer, Detours in France, Extended stays, France, The Cook's Atelier, Travel, Travel blog, Travel writing 6 Comments

During a trip to the Burgundy region of France last year, Bill (my husband and favorite travel partner) and I experienced an epiphany. Although we had traveled quite a bit over the years, it was generally of the one week-to-10-days variety consistentRead more

Welcome to The Roads Traveled

Greetings! I’m Mary Gilbert, a writer and blogger sharing stories and discoveries about people, places, and passions. While I live in Charlotte, NC, travel begins as soon as I walk out the front door, and home becomes wherever I am at the moment. Click here to learn more.

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