One of the many beauties of France is the diversity it has to offer; each region has its own unique landscape, individual charms & gastronomic specialities. Many people head off the ferries and straight through the Pas de Calais, but this over-looked region has sandy beaches, green undulating landscapes and is rich in wartime history. Likewise, Normandy is a wonderfully convenient destination for a short break, be it following the dramatic cliffs along the rocky coastline or exploring verdant pastures far from the tourist traps. Still within striking distance of the UK is the Champagne region, renowned of course for it's world-famous bubbly, but with beautiful rolling vine-covered hills and some fascinating cathedrals.
Paris needs no introduction, and makes an ideal place to break your journey for a couple of nights. With museums, galleries, wonderful shops and pavement cafés on every corner, this vibrant city is not to be missed. For centuries, the Loire Valley was France’s focal point, frequented by royalty whose legacy was the wonderful chateaux they left behind. Known as the Garden of France, the mild climate, vineyards and picturesque villages make it a favourite with visitors, and it’s a relatively flat area so great for first-time cyclists or walkers! If you like your wines, then Burgundy is an obvious destination. Best known for some of the world’s finest vintages, the region also boasts an array of magnificent architecture and evocative medieval towns.
France has a lot of coastline, and Brittany is a perennial favourite, offering 800 miles of rocky coastline with numerous bays, busy little fishing villages and broad sandy beaches. Strong Celtic roots provide this region with its own distinctive traditions, evident in the local Breton costume, religious festivals and cuisine, very different from the rest of France. Heading south along the Atlantic coastline, the Charente is popular with British visitors because of its micro-climate and sandy beaches. The region is one of the most unusual in France, with a vast tract of marshland with a thousand or more tree-lined canals and streams where everything is moved by punt. The port of La Rochelle, once a Protestant stronghold, with massive medieval towers, buzzes with life.
Heading to the Mediterranean coastline, the ancient land of Languedoc combines two distinct regions: the vineyards of Corbières and Minervois, and the coastal plain stretching from the Rhône to the Spanish border. Much of the region is rugged and unspoilt and there is ample evidence of the dramatic past. The walled city of Carcassonne with its towers, dungeons, moats and drawbridges is one of the most impressive examples of medieval France. The mention of Provence immediately draws to mind lavender fields and olive groves; it is a sunny bright region backed by mountains, with a glittering coastline. The legacy of the Romans remains in the great amphitheatres and monuments of Nimes & Arles. The Rhone valley divides above Arles into two arms which encircle the marshlands of the Camargue where wild white horses gallop.
North of this coastline is the Ardèche, whose deep gorges and high plateaux are ideal for exploring on foot, studded with prehistoric caves and chestnut groves. Likwise, the Cévennes offers gorges and valleys, spectacular rivers, underground caves and grottoes and thickly forested mountains.
If you’re after a holiday in the mountains then the Alps are an obvious choice. One of the world’s foremost wintersports areas, the region also has much to offer in the summer, with a wide range of outdoor activites and major spa towns on hand for relaxation, not to mention the dramatic mountainscapes. This is an area of enormous granite outcrops, deeply riven by spectacular glacier hewn and river etched valleys. The hills of the neighbouring Jura region offer a greener, less challenging terrain.
If you prefer an easier take on a hilly holiday, the Dordogne has honey-colured villages nestling within beautiful valleys. The history of the Dordogne goes back many thousand of years when man lived in the caves of the Perigord and left cave paintings at sites such as Les Eyzies and Lascaux. The Auvergne has much the same appeal as the Dordogne, but with the overriding sense of much still to be discovered, including awe-inspiring extinct volcanoes, lakes, rivers and forests.
With such diversity, it’s no wonder that many of our customers chose France year after year, as there’s always something new to explore. If you’re spoilt for choice, our friendly team would be delighted to advise you which of these fascinating regions is best for your individual holiday requirements.
