Exotic France

Because the sun appears less often here than in the south, some people think of Nord-Pas de Calais as a gloomy region. They have clearly never paid it a visit: it’s probably one of the jolliest regions in France, and always ready to celebrate. Parades, carnivals, fairs and fanfares – good habits endure in this land of memory, bristling with belfries. To get the right feel for the region’s spirit, you need to join the crowd during the great collective celebrations, and share their meals based on seafood – the famous moules-frites, the traditional waterzoï (a court-bouillon of fish and chicken) – washed down with some of the local beer. It’s a lively region where tradition is part of daily life – a region open to the major capitals cities of Europe such a short distance away! Read the rest of this entry »

Suddenly, I know how Posh feels – what to wear to the airport? Not, in my case, because I need to assemble yet another fabulous couture ensemble for the awaiting paparazzi, but because it’s one of those scorching late September days Britain sometimes serves up by way of apology for another underwhelming summer. And I’m going snowboarding.
Read the rest of this entry »

The Loire is France’s longest river, and one of its most untamed. But it’s not its landscape that draws most tourists to the lower Loire, but the fine chateaux and palaces along its banks.
Castle building on the Loire started in the Middle Ages with keeps like that at Blois, but it was in the Renaissance that the mania for fine chateaux really began. French kings sponsored huge building programmes at Amboise and Chambord, while rich nobles built palaces like Azay-le-Rideaux, Chaumont and Chenonceaux.
Read the rest of this entry »

As one of France’s most famously picturesque regions, Provence is packed full of worthy destinations. I chose to make Avignon my base camp. It is a lovely, mid-sized city with plenty of restaurants, shops, history, and day-trip opportunities to make for a great lavender scented vacation escape.

When we arrived in Avignon on June 21st, to my surprise we were greeted by thick traffic and large crowds; not exactly what I expected. But there was actually a rather fortunate reason for all the hustle and bustle. It turns out that on this particular day in France, the national Fête de la Musique (Festival of Music) is held. People pour into the cities to enjoy free concerts held simultaneously throughout the streets. Read the rest of this entry »

Normandy echoes the history of past struggles: the Norman Conquest woven into the tapestry at Bayeux, the perils of Jeanne d’Arc recorded in Rouen, the drama of the D-Day landings recorded along the Normandy beaches. The violence of its history is at odds with the ethereal landscapes that inspired Corot, Monet and Pissarro, a region to take it slow by boat, balloon or bicycle
An inspiring gateway to Normandy is Giverny, a village that would be sleeping still had it not captured the heart and imagination of Claude Monet. While the great painter’s pink farmhouse is charming and now a museum, Monte’s masterpiece was his garden, still complete with water lilies. Travelers following the route from here to Rouen can detour to Les Andelys, crowned by the fragmentary remains of Chateau Gaillard, a fortified castle built by Richard the Lion-Hearted in 1196 overlooking the River Seine
Read the rest of this entry »