Brittany has some 1780 miles of glorious coastline, that’s around a third of France’s total coastline – in one region. Everywhere you go there are great beaches, from the Pink Granite coast and hidden coves in the north to the idyllic beaches of Morbihan, Brittany really does have beaches to suit everyone. Inland, the unspoiled […]
There’s something about Provence. Those who visit, long to return, charmed by its beauty, wowed by its markets, awed by the sight of fields of lavender, poppies, sunflowers… and much much more. We asked long term expat in Provence, as well as renowned tour guide, Emily Durand of Your Private Provence to share her top […]
Spring is the perfect time to enjoy a detour to some of the most fabulous cities and towns in France. Spring in Alsace Alsace in the north east of France is a land of pine-clad forests, the Vosges Mountains and fairy-tale-like hamlets. Eguiseheim is the birthplace of wine making in Alsace and its pointy roofed […]
This fabulous ladies-only tour takes in the most magnificent gardens in France, from Claude Monet’s glorious masterpiece in Giverny to Great Dixter in Kent and many more besides. On this once in a life time tour, you’ll be pampered along your journey with exquisite accommodation and wonderful food and wines. You’ll get access to the […]
We’re thrilled to have teamed up with Lagrange Holidays to offer a week for up to 4 people in one of Lagrange’s fabulous holiday residences in France including Brittany, La Rochelle, Loire Valley, Cote d’Azur, the alps, Biarritz and in all of the most beautiful areas of the country. And, if you’re the lucky winner […]
Bong. Bong. Bong. From a tranquil sleep I’m slowly returning to the present moment. The warm glow of the morning sun fills the room. I recognize the sound of the church bells calling me to another day of leisurely indulgence. Easing myself out of my cozy nest is easy, knowing what awaits. I slip into […]
It’s truly horrible when you’ve planned your perfect trip to France, everything is packed, you’re so ready to go… and then you’re told right at the last minute that your flight has been cancelled. Apart from the big let-down, you may lose your money. However, there are ways you can achieve flight cancellation compensation. Here […]
Toulouse is a colourful city – a place of rose coloured brick buildings under a deep blue sky. It’s always been colourful. In fact, it’s where the dye which coloured the cloth worn by the Kings of France was created. And, to this day, a few artisans have carried on the legacy of those early […]
If you crave beautiful Alpine runs, dramatic mountain backdrops, sun, fantastic ski conditions and lovely wide pistes – then you’ll certainly be in your element if you follow in our snowy footsteps to Meribel. Meribel – Picturesque resort As a seasoned skier, and regular visitor to the Alps over the last decade, I’m no stranger […]
A light, airy and utterly scrumptious dessert. Most people think it’s a tricky recipe but it’s not really that difficult when you know how. The soufflé as we know it is said to have originated in France in the 18th century when it was apparently created as a dish for the mistress of Louis XV, […]
Whenever I visit the small town of Buxy in France’s Côte Chalonnaise, you will likely find me at the tiny market held in the centre ville on Thursday mornings. Though there aren’t many stalls, every-thing on offer is absolutely delicious. I especially look forward to stopping by the stand selling honey and French gingerbread, or […]
Taking hardly any time at all to prepare these sweet, crunchy meringues filled with chestnut cream and covered in hot chocolate sauce are a dreamy dessert! Serves 6 Preparation time: 10 minutes 1.5 cups (200g) thick crème fraiche 1 heaped tablespoon mascarpone 2 teaspoons sweet chestnut purée (crème de marrons) 50z (150g) bittersweet chocolate 5 […]
What do an abandoned quarry and an old iron foundry have in common? They both house magical sound-and-light shows that must be seen to be believed. The Carrières de Lumières (“Quarries of Light”) has been operating for decades near the mountaintop fortress of Les Baux-de-Provence, and is one of the most popular tourist sites in […]
Claude Monet’s paintings of the Alabaster coast in Normandy, and in particular Etretat, are hung on the walls of the most prestigious art museums throughout the world. (Above: Etretat painted by Monet in 1885, now hangs in the Musee des Beaux Arts, Dijon). Monet spent time in the Etretat fishing village in February of 1883. […]
Stanley George, his wife, and two dogs Fritz and Truda took a leap into a new life in France thirteen years ago, after enjoying many holidays there. Both retired, house sold, with the world their oyster they hadn’t decided on the region they were going to live in, however they knew it would be a […]
With thousands of restaurants to choose from in Paris, just how do you pick the authentic and delicious eatery you’ve been dreaming of? Paris may be full of eating choices but not all restaurants and cafés are created equal. And it isn’t just about picking a place without English menus (in fact, this rule has […]
France offers a vast network of cycle routes across all regions, with some of the best of them in the Pays de la Loire region. With 2,800km of cycle routes, the Pays de la Loire really does offer something for all levels of riders. In 2018 the Grand Depart of the Tour de France was […]
The vast and varied region of Pays de la Loire (Atlantic Loire Valley) is a fabulous holiday destination when you have the kids in tow, from its crazy cultural attractions to endless cycling and watersports. It’s home to zoos, interactive museums, giant mechanical creatures to ride, a world-famous race track and France’s second most-visited amusement […]
“Just borrow a dog for a few hours,” a Toronto friend once told me. I was trying to figure out ways to become more local – to connect more deeply – during the three-or-so months that we spent in the South of France each year. I could see myself gliding through Antibes’ streets with little […]
Social media remains awash with post Brexit scaremongering! ‘They’re going to abolish the pet passport system’ is just one headline I’ve read recently, although it doesn’t appear to have any foundation in fact. For those of us who now regularly travel with our pets (I’m predominantly talking about dogs, but I have met a few […]
There has been a sharp decline in many common garden birds across the whole of Europe over the last 40 years. Winter and early Spring often present bleak and extremely cold conditions, with long periods of sub-zero temperatures in many parts of France. It’s important to remember that birds die of hunger, rather than cold, […]
The last few years have seen unprecedented numbers of buyers seeking homes in France and particularly homes that can be run as a gite business. It seems that TV shows like Place in the Sun and Escape to the Chateau have fuelled the desires of many Brits to give up the rat race and escape […]
The department of Charente in southwest France, is in Nouvelle Aquitaine, previously known as Poitou-Charentes. It’s one of the sunniest corners of France with roughly 25% more sunshine hours than the UK. Served by excellent motorways, airports close by, plus fast trains to Paris from the departmental capital Angouleme. There are plenty of opportunities for […]
Dick and Angel Strawbridge of Escape to the Chateau fame share their top tips for those dreaming of buying a chateau and moving to France. But these do’s and don’t’s are good for anyone making the move to the good life in France… Key things to consider when you move to France Location is key: […]
Bonjour, Hope you had a great week. As I write this the Le Touquet car rally is going on outside. It’s an annual event which apparently kickstarts the rally season in France. It also shakes my pigsty/office, as what sounds like hundreds of drivers fling their cars down our little rue and round hairpin bends […]
Bonjour Hope you had a good week. Here, I thought maybe it was time to build an ark – the rain we’ve had! Thank you so much to everyone who sent such lovely messages about poor old Gregory Peck Jr the sick cockerel. I’m sorry to tell you that he has departed for a heavenly […]
I live part of the year in Provence and one day I was reading Le Monde and a headline about a “sexy politician” caught my eye. “Well, those are two words you don’t see together very often,” I thought. So I read the article and found out that there had been a poll asking French […]
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I live part of the year in Provence and one day I was reading Le Monde and a headline about a “sexy politician” caught my eye. “Well, those are two words you don’t see together very often,” I thought. So I read the article and found out that there had been a poll asking French […]
It was lunchtime in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area of Paris, and I was ravenous looking for a place to eat away from the usual tourist traps. I turned down a quiet street and saw the most unassuming bistro. In fact, I wouldn’t usually have considered going in but I decided to take a chance. As soon […]
Catharism has been described as “the most successful heresy in history”. In Languedoc, “Pays Cathare” signs dot the countryside. One cannot drive far in any direction without coming upon the ruins of a Cathar fortress. Who were the Cathars? “Cathar” is allegedly derived from the Greek word, katharos, meaning “pure”. The Cathars were also known […]
The people of Provence have been raising sheep for centuries. You see flocks of them all over the countryside, grazing under the watchful eye of shepherds. But Provencal summers are scorching hot and sheep have heavy wool coats so they’re moved to cooler pastures. The transhumance in Provence The answer to dealing with the heat, […]
There have been many famous families in history. Take the Curies, for example: Marie Curie won two Nobel Prizes and her husband, daughter and grandson each won one. Quite the talented family! And then there are the Wright brothers and the Brontë sisters. And let’s not forget those comic masters, the Marx brothers. But imagine […]
“They are NOT babies, they are chickens” remonstrated my French neighbour Jean-Claude. He had come to inspect the eight point of lay hens and two “babies” with which I had returned from the local street market. “I’m going to call that scrawny baby one Eaglet” I said “Non, non, non” came the emphatic response “You […]
“When I move to France I only want to have French friends”. This was a line in an email I received from a couple of Brits. They wanted advice on where to move to in France and this was one of their criteria. They also wanted to be near a town that has a market, […]
June 2005 was a difficult month for Peter Friend and his partner Mark. After a change of jobs, relocation and redundancy they decided they didn’t want the sort of stressful lives they were leading in marketing and business development for much longer. Considering their skills, passion for travel, good food and wine, setting up their […]