Paul
Shawcross is a Francophile, a travel
writer and a photographer who first fell in love
with France when passing through on the way to
Spain way back in 1979. Since then he has been
back every year, sometimes several times, in
order to research books and articles for
magazines as well as taking photographs and
enjoying the occasional amazing and relaxing
holiday.
Paul has
revised and added new text to several Michelin
Green Guides and written articles for several
leading periodicals such as France
Magazine and Living
France. He is the author of the
Dordogne Explorations and Provençal Roaming apps
by published Sutro Media. Following the launch
of his latest travel app Paul has now become an
Independent Apple Developer which means that he
will be producing several more of these
successful mini travel guides over the next
year.
What is
Provençal Roaming about?
Provence is one of those
magical destinations with blue skies, warm days,
balmy evenings, healthy cuisine, splendid
architecture, a fascinating heritage and the
wonderful sing-song accent of the local
inhabitants, the Provençaux. It is almost as
much a state of mind as a geographical area? But
where exactly is Provence? Technically it is
contained within the Région of Provence-Alpes-Cote-d'Azur
but for these purposes, I have followed many
Provençeaux and include the territory on both
sides of the River Rhône before and after it
reaches the massive delta beyond Arles. It is
around here that Nîmes, Aix-en-Provence and
Avignon are found, as well as the amazing
Regional Nature Park of the Camargue. To the
north-east and east it extends beyond the Grand
Canyon like Verdon Gorges into the Alps and on
to the border with Italy. The Côte d'Azur is not
included here (see French Riviera Roaming by
Kimberley Lovato and the author's forthcoming
app about Nice and its hinterland).
How this guide
may help you.
It will guide you
through entries for the most fascinating places
and quickly provide you with insights and
information which would require hours of
trawling through guide books, websites or
tourist offices. There are website links which
provide further information where required and
cross references to other attractions so that
you don't have to scroll through all the entries
to find what you need. There are also entries
for places to stay and restaurants located
mostly in the main centres and cool web links.
Recreational activities and other attractions
are also listed as are entries for some famous
regional characters like Pagnol and Daudet not
to mention the saviour of its culture, Mistral.
Apart from all the usual cities, villages and
attractions, Provençal Roaming includes an entry
on Brennand Buildings featuring the beautiful
artwork of
Catherine Brennand including
architectural studies of Aix-en-Provence. There
is also an entry on artist David
Welsh, whose impressionist paintings
of Provence are featured too. Also featured is a
fantastic activity holiday in
Hidden Provence organised by Mel
Jones and Liz Lord of
Space
Between based in the old market town
of Forcalquier in Haute-Provence which includes
guided walks along the long ridge of the
Montagne de Lure, down into the fabulous Verdon
Gorge, up the Mourre Negre, the highest point in
the Luberon and into the amazing red ochre
Colorado de Rustrel.
His recently released
travel app, Provençal Roaming, is available on
both the iPhone/iPad
and Android
platforms.
The latest edition of
Paul's top selling travel app Dordogne
explorations on itunes and Android is
now available with an extra 31 entries and
another 160 stunning images. There are 2 new
'About' entries, one dealing with FAQs and the
other with useful information about travelling
to the region. In addition there are 15 extra
fascinating places to visit, 9 new places to
stay and 5 new restaurants.
Both apps are regularly
updated and Paul is always happy to take into
consideration additional entries, improvements
and updates from his customers. At present he is
working on the next app in the series which will
feature Nice and its hinterland including the
fabulous Mercantour and later it is proposed to
have apps on Corsica, Languedoc-Roussillon and
perhaps even his native Northumbria!