Following the Equator

Focus On: Loire Valley

To the southwest of Paris lies the Loire Valley, the lush and fertile valley of the Loire River.

French kings relocated here from Paris in the 16th century, attracted to the beauty and bounty of the landscape (and the practicality of a large navigable river). The valley was soon dotted with castles—châteaux, in French—and even after the kings moved back toward Paris, those in royal circles (kings and queens included) continued to build summer homes there, earning it the moniker, "playground of the kings."

EF groups that go to the Loire Valley will (depending on the specific itinerary) see some of the most spectacular châteaux—Chenonceau (above, literally spanning the Cher River, a tributary of the Loire) and/or Amboise—and/or have a photostop at Chambord, the largest Loire château. 

The Loire Valley was named a World Heritage Site in 2000.

(Editor's note: Each Monday, Focus On highlights a different destination included on one or more EF Educational Tours itineraries.)

Photo: MllePeterson via Flickr (CC license)

Our 10 Best of 2008

This is the 320th post of 2008 at Following the Equator, and we decided to commemorate our blog's first full calendar year with a top-10 list of favorite posts.

We had a lot of stories, videos, photos, interviews, tips and perspectives about educational travel. We launched some regular weekly features, including our Tip of the Week and Photo of the Week. We debuted Life on Tour, introduced EF on YouTube and EF on Facebook and promoted the EF Tours group on Flickr (above). And, along the way, we encountered a lot of inspiring travelers.

Following the Equator also was nominated for a Blogger's Choice Award and finished fifth out of 1,177 blogs for Best Travel Blog. Thank you to everyone who supported our blog in 2008 by voting, reading, sharing, commenting and subscribing. We're looking forward to an even more successful 2009.

Life on Tour's Top 10 Moments

Six strangers brought together on one educational tour through Switzerland, France and Italy. That's Life on Tour. EF's reality web series produced countless memorable moments, as the student travelers made it up Mount Pilatus, up the Eiffel Tower and up to their elbows making pizza in Rome.

Now that the first season is complete, I watched all 10 episodes again and compiled my list of the most memorable moments of Life on Tour.

Let us know what you think of the list and post your own comments
(or even your own list) below. And be sure to cast your vote for your favorite moment in our Life on Tour Poll.

Our photos in Schmap Paris Guide

A pair of our Paris pictures are picking up a bit of publicity.

Schmap Paris Guide has just selected our photo of Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Montmartre and our photo of the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles for inclusion in its sixth edition.

Schmap publishes digital travel guides for more than 200 destinations around the world and integrates maps, photos and place reviews for easy viewing online or on an iPhone. The site has generated a lot of positive press since launching nearly three years ago.

We're excited to be included in the revised Schmap Paris Guide. You can see more of Following the Equator's Paris photos on Flickr.

Life on Tour Poll: Favorite city

The student travelers on Life on Tour have already visited a trio of Europe's most amazing cities in Switzerland, France and Italy. Where would you most want to travel?

poll by twiigs.com

Life on Tour Episode 6: 'Ciao Bella'

Who had the best look for the night out in Florence? What do you think about Brandon's stylish outfit? Chat with other Life on Tour fans and cast members on EF Tours' Facebook fan page. And stay tuned for the continuation in Episode 7 next Tuesday.

Group Leader Spotlight: Jeremy George

A few years ago, Jeremy George, a high school history teacher from Springfield, Missouri, had never traveled abroad. Then he found EF.

Since taking his first group abroad, Jeremy has traveled everywhere from Austria to Australia with EF Educational Tours. Next year, he will travel on tours to Amsterdam and Paris and France and Spain, and he is already planning a tour to England, Ireland and Wales in 2010.

Jeremy—pictured above with students in Australia (he's in the black-and-blue jacket to the right of the guy in the cool hat)—talked with us about the "irreplaceable experience" of travel, establishing a reputation for taking students on tour and his own dream tour of Italy:

Life on Tour Episode 5: 'Bastille Day'

What could be better than celebrating Bastille Day under the Eiffel Tower? What do you think about the spectacular fireworks show?
And what do you think about the caricatures that Briana and Malia
had drawn in Montmartre?

Chat with other Life on Tour fans and cast members on EF Tours' Facebook fan page.

Friday Fun Fact: Eiffel Tower names

The Eiffel Tower's name is synonymous with iconic images, but its image also includes the names of six dozen French icons.

Gustave Eiffel, who designed the tower in the 1880s, engraved the names of 72 French scientists, engineers and other prominent people on the four façades of the tower as a tribute to their scientific contributions. The notable names, located under the first balcony, were painted over around the turn of the century but were restored in 1986-87.

Photo: Booches via Flickr (CC license)

Life on Tour Episode 4: 'The City of Love'

Would you try escargot in Paris? And what do you think about the river cruise? Chat with other Life on Tour fans and cast members on EF Tours' Facebook fan page. And stay tuned for Episode 5 next Tuesday!