In Hue, the old imperial city remains, sacked by wars, which are being reconstructed little by little. In the surrounding countryside are scattered the tombs of the emperors, the funerary residences rather, including temples, dignitaries and servants' houses, water features and gardens, all within vast parks designed with art.
After these historic splendours, a four-hour drive south, you will discover near Da Nang, two gulfs of perfect proportions. Separated by a wooded mountain converted into a nature reserve overlooking the China Sea, a luxurious and extravagant hotel complex, the intercontinental Danang, has been built. Built on the heights, on the rock itself, you have to take a cable car to reach its magnificent private beach. After lounging on a deckchair, we take a bicycle for a bucolic stroll to Tra Que, a small village typical of the Vietnamese countryside dotted with organic vegetable crops. Or a car to reach
Hoi An, the ancient port city, also classified as a World Heritage Site by Unesco. We stroll through the old quarter to admire the ancient mansions built by wealthy merchants, the magnificent Japanese bridge erected in 1593, the pagodas, the Quan Cong temple, and the lively and fragrant central market. 40 years after the fall of Saigon which marked the end of the war, Viet Nam is THE new destination, to be discovered before the tourist rush.
- Where to sleep in Hue?
- The Residence Hotel and Spa
- Intercontinental Danang Sun Peninsula
www.danang.intercontinental.com
- Where to eat in Hué?
- Ancien Hué restaurant
104/47 Phu Mong, Kim Long, Hue. www.ancienthue.com.vn
- Y Thao Garden
03 Thach Han, Hue.
- Mermaid (Nhu Y),
2 Tran Phu, Hoi An
- Dao Tien,
21 Phan Boi Chau St, Hoi An
- Water Wheel, in the village of Tra Que, we taste the "Banh xeo", delicious Vietnamese pancakes, cooking classes and massages are also on the menu.
- How to go to Hue?
Flights Paris-Hanoi or Paris-Ho Chi Minh City: from 644 € A / R, inclusive of tax, economy class.
Flights Hanoi or Ho-Chi- Min-Ville to Hue, 90 € A / R, TTC Reservations: www.vietnamairlines.com
As of October 2015, Vietnam Airlines will carry out its France-Vietnam routes in new A350. The company will thus offer its customers more comfort on board thanks to these last generation tri-class aircraft.
