France

Exclusive guide to the best holiday destinations in France, independent reviews from award-winning travel writers

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Avignon at Christmas

Avignon celebrates catholic festivals the same way it celebrates its gastronomy and culture, with a genuine reverence for its past and a real enthusiasm for modernity. Next time you fancy a Christmas market with a soul, Avignon at Christmas is the place

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Languedoc wine tasting: B&B and Wine

It was, it must be said, the perfect evening. Languedoc wine tasting with dark chocolate, a delicious regionally inspired dinner and then sleeping it all off in a 13th century chateau. Such is life these days in the Languedoc-Rousillon, a region reinventing itself from mediocre table wine producer into highly respected vintner of outstanding quality while at the same time embracing the tourism industry with arms open wide.

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HOTEL DE LA CITE

It may only be 108 years old, but the Hotel de la Cite is the last and most decorative piece in the 1200-year-old jigsaw puzzle which makes Carcassonne such a fascinating place to visit. It was at the beginning of the 9th century that this ancient citadel got its name when it survived a siege by Charlemagne with the help of its moat, drawbridge and thick Roman walls.

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A weekend wonder on the Calais Coast

From his lofty perch some 53 metres up, Napoleon Bonaparte gazes across at what might have been. Back in 1804 over 100,000 men of his grand army stood alongside him right here at Boulogne sur Mer on the Calais coast poised to invade England.

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Walking the Camino de Santiago

When I was walking the Camino de Santiago, my companion John was by all accounts not looking very well. To be fair, he had been walking solidly for the last two weeks and had completed nearly 500 kilometers. I suppose his generous girth and the fact that he had recently undergone bypass surgery didn’t help […]

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The Loire Valley: Enchanted gardens

The French have gone all “English Country Garden” on us.

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