France's Classic Trips
Author: Lonely Planet
Date: 2015-10-15 06:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Travel
Description: Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Discover the freedom of open roads with Lonely Planet France's Classic Trips. We've chosen ten of our all-time favourite road trips that showcase the best France has to offer, thrown in up-to-date city guides for Paris, Lyon, and Nice for stretch-your-legs stops along the way, and provided essential road trip information to get you cruising. Explore island abbeys, rustic wine cellars, sobering memorials, Alpine villages and the Mediterranean's shimmering coast all with your trusted travel companion. Get to France, rent a car, and hit th
Rights: Copyright © 2015 by Lonely Planet

CONTENTS

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to France

France Classic Trip

France’s Map

Need to Know

Paris City Guide

Lyon City Guide

Nice City Guide

FRANCE BY REGION

PARIS & NORTHERN FRANCE

1 Essential France

2 Champagne Taster

3 Unesco Treasures

4 D-Day’s Beaches

LOIRE VALLEY & CENTRAL FRANCE

5 Châteaux of the Loire

ALPS & EASTERN FRANCE

6 Alpine Adventure

PROVENCE & SOUTHEAST FRANCE

7 The Corniches

8 Riviera Cruising

PYRENEES & SOUTHWEST FRANCE

9 Pyrenees

ATLANTIC COAST & WESTERN FRANCE

10 Atlantic to Med

ROAD TRIP ESSENTIALS

FRANCE DRIVING GUIDE

Driving Licence & Documents

Insurance

Hiring a Car

Bringing Your Own Vehicle

Maps

Roads & Conditions

Road Rules

Parking

Fuel

Satellite Navigation Systems

Safety

Radio

FRANCE TRAVEL GUIDE

Getting There & Away

Air

Car & Motorcycle

Sea

Train

Directory A–Z

Accommodation

Electricity

Food

Gay & Lesbian Travellers

Internet Access

Money

Opening Hours

Public Holidays

Safe Travel

Telephone

Toilets

Tourist Information

Travellers with Disabilities

Visas

LANGUAGE

BEHIND THE SCENES

OUR WRITERS

WELCOME TO FRANCE

Iconic monuments, island abbeys, fabulous food, world-class wines – there are so many reasons to plan your very own French voyage.

Whether you’re planning on cruising the corniches of the French Riviera, getting lost among the snowcapped Alps or tasting your way around Champagne’s hallowed vineyards, this is a nation that’s made for road trips. In this book, we’ve put together 10 unforgettable routes that will plunge you straight into France’s heart and soul.

There’s a trip for everyone here: family travellers, history buffs, culinary connoisseurs and outdoor adventurers. These Classic Trips show you the very best France has to offer.Buckle up, and bon voyage – you’re in for quite a ride.

Provence

Rolling fields of lavender (Trip 22)

MICHAEL BUSSELLE/GETTY IMAGES ©

FRANCE CLASSIC TRIP

WHAT IS A CLASSIC TRIP?

We’ve chosen 10 of our all-time favourite road trips – the ones that lead you to the best iconic sights, the top activities and some unique French experiences. We suggest the route, show what you’ll find along the way and start you off with aplace to stay and where to eat.

Alpine Adventure

Wander the town of Annecy alongside geranium-strewn houses and romantic canals

MARCEL MALHERBE/ARCAID/CORBIS ©

D-Day’s Beaches

Caen’s Mémorial – Un Musée pour la Paix remembers those who died in WWII

NON-VIOLENCE BY CARL FREDRIK REUTERSWÄRD; PHOTOGRAPHER: RENE MATTES/HEMIS/CORBIS ©

Unesco Treasures

Sunset over Avignon and its Unesco-listed Palais des Papes

RICHARD SUSANTO/GETTY IMAGES ©

NEED TO KNOW

CURRENCY

Euro (€)

LANGUAGE

French

VISAS

Generally not required for stays of up to 90 days (or at all for EU nationals); some nationalities need a Schengen visa.

FUEL

Petrol stations are common around main roads and larger towns. Unleaded costs from around €1.60 per litre; gazole (diesel) is usually at least €0.15 cheaper.

RENTAL CARS

ADA (www.ada.fr)

Auto Europe (www.autoeurope.com)

Avis (www.avis.com)

Europcar (www.europcar.com)

Hertz (www.hertz.com)

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Ambulance (15)

Police (17)

Fire brigade (18)

Europe-wide emergency (112)

When to Go

Climate

High Season (Jul & Aug)

A  The main holiday season in France – expect traffic jams and big queues, especially in August.

A  Christmas, New Year and Easter are also busy times to travel.

A  Late December to March is high season in French ski resorts.

Shoulder Season (Apr–Jun & Sep)

A  Balmy temperatures, settled weather and light crowds make this an ideal time to travel.

A  Hotel rates drop in busy areas such as southern France and the Atlantic coast.

A  The vendange (grape harvest) happens in early autumn.

Low Season (Oct–Mar)

A  Expect heavy discounts on accommodation (sometimes as much as 50%).

A  Snow covers the Alps and Pyrenees, as well as much of central France.

A  Many sights and hotels close down for winter.

Daily Costs

Budget: Less than €100

A  Double room in a budget hotel: €50–70

A  Set lunchtime menus: €10–15

Midrange: €100–€200

A  Double room in a midrange hotel: €70–120

A  À la carte mains: €15–20

Top End: Over €200

A  Luxury hotel room: €150–200

A  Top-end restaurant meal: menus from €50, à la carte from €80

Eating

Cafes Coffee, drinks and bar snacks.

Bistros Serve anything from light meals to sit-down dinners.

Restaurants Range from simple auberges (country inns) to Michelin-starred wonders.

Vegetarians Limited choice on most menus; look out for restaurants bios in cities.

In this book, price symbols indicate the cost of a two-course set menu:

€

under €20

€€

€20–40

€€€

more than €40

Sleeping

Hotels France has a wide range of hotels, from budget to luxury. Unless indicated otherwise, breakfast is extra.

Chambres d’hôte The French equivalent of a B&B; prices nearly always include breakfast.

Hostels Most large towns have a hostel operated by the FUAJ (Fédération Unie des Auberges de Jeunesse).

Price symbols indicate the cost of a double room with private bathroom in high season unless otherwise noted:

€

under €20

€€

€20–40

€€€

more than €40

Arriving in France

Aéroport Roissy Charles de Gaulle (Paris)

Rental cars Major car-rental agencies have concessions at arrival terminals.

Trains, buses and RER To Paris centre every 15 to 30 minutes, 5am to 11pm.

Taxis €50 to €60; 30 minutes to Paris centre.

Aéroport d’Orly (Paris)

Rental cars Desks beside the arrivals area.

Orlyval rail, RER and buses At least every 15 minutes, 5am to 11pm.

Taxis €45 to €60; 25 minutes to Paris centre.

Mobile Phones

Most European and Australian phones work, but turn off roaming to avoid heavy data charges. Buying a French SIM card provides much cheaper call rates.

Internet Access

Wi-fi is available in most hotels and B&Bs (usually free, but sometimes for a small charge). Many cafes and restaurants also offer free wi-fi to customers.

Money

ATMs are available everywhere. Most major credit cards are accepted (with the exception of American Express). Larger cities have bureaux de change.

Tipping

By law, restaurant and bar prices are service compris (include a 15% service charge). Taxis expect around 10%; round up bar bills to the nearest euro.

Useful Websites

France Guide (www.franceguide.com) Official website run by the French tourist office.

Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/france) Travel tips, accommodation, forum and more.

Mappy (www.mappy.fr) Online tools for mapping and journey planning.

France Meteo (www.meteo.fr) The lowdown on the French weather.

About France (www.about-france.com/travel.htm) Tips for driving in France.

For more, see Road Trip Essentials.

CITY GUIDE

Paris

The city at sunset, viewed from Cathédrale de Notre-Dame

SYLVAIN SONNET/GETTY IMAGES ©

PARIS

If ever a city needed no introduction, it’s Paris – a trend setter, fashion former and style icon for centuries, and still very much at the cutting edge. Whether you’re here to tick off the landmarks or seek out the secret corners, Paris fulfils all your expectations, and still leaves you wanting more.

Getting Around

Driving in Paris is a nightmare. Happily, there’s no need for a car. The metro is fast, frequent and efficient; tickets cost €1.70 (day passes €6.70) and are valid on the city’s buses. Bikes can be hired from 1800 Vélib (www.velib.paris.fr) stations; insert a credit card, authorise a €150 deposit and pedal away. Day passes cost €1; first 30 minutes free, subsequent 30 minutes from €2

Parking

Meters don’t take coins; use a chip-enabled credit card. Municipal car parks cost €2 to €3.50 an hour, or €20 to €25 per 24 hours.

Discover the Taste of Paris

Le Marais is one of the best areas for eating out, with its small restaurants and trendy bistros. Don’t miss Paris’ street markets: the Marché Bastille, rue Montorgueil and rue Mouffetard are full of atmosphere.

Live Like a Local

Base yourself in Montmartre for its Parisian charm, if you don’t mind crowds. Le Marais and Bastille provide style on a budget, while St-Germain is good for a splurge.

Useful Websites

Paris Info (http://en.parisinfo.com) Official visitor site.

Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/paris) Lonely Planet’s city guide.

Secrets of Paris (www.secretsofparis.com) Local’s blog full of insider tips.

Paris by Mouth (www.parisbymouth.com) Eat and drink your way round the capital.

For more, check out our city and country guides. www.lonelyplanet.com

TOP EXPERIENCES

A  Eiffel Tower at Twilight

Any time is a good time to take in the panorama from the top of the ‘Metal Asparagus’ (as Parisians snidely call it) – but the twilight view is extra special (www.toureiffel.fr).

A  Musée du Louvre

France’s greatest repository of art, sculpture and artefacts, the Louvre is a must-visit – but don’t expect to see it all in a day (www.louvre.fr).

A  Basilique du Sacré-Coeur

Climb inside the cupola of this Montmartre landmark for one of the best cross-city vistas (www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com).

A  Musée d’Orsay

Paris’ second-most-essential museum, with a fabulous collection encompassing originals by Cézanne, Degas, Monet, Van Gogh and more (www.musee-orsay.fr).

A  Cathédrale de Notre-Dame

Peer over Paris from the north tower of this Gothic landmark, surrounded by gargoyles and flying buttresses (www.cathedraledeparis.com).

A  Les Catacombes

Explore more than 2km of tunnels beneath the streets of Montparnasse, lined with the bones and skulls of millions of Parisians (www.catacombes.paris.fr).

A  Cimetière du Père-Lachaise

Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, Marcel Proust and Jim Morrison are just a few of the famous names buried in this wildly overgrown cemetery (www.pere-lachaise.com).

A  Canal St-Martin

Join the locals for a walk or bike ride along the tow-paths of this 4.5km canal, once derelict but now reborn as a haven from the city hustle.

Lyon

The Saône River at nightfall

STEFANO SCATA/GETTY IMAGES ©

LYON

For centuries, Lyon has served as a crossroads between France’s south and north, as well as a gateway to the nearby Alps. A commercial and industrial powerhouse for over 500 years, it’s now a cosmopolitan and sophisticated city, with some outstanding museums and a notoriously lively nightlife.

Getting Around

Cars aren’t much use for getting around Lyon itself. The same €1.60 tickets are valid on all the city’s public transport, including buses, trams, the four-line metro and the two funiculars linking Vieux Lyon to Fourvière and St-Just. Day passes cost €4.90.

Parking

As always, parking is expensive, so pick a hotel with a private car park if you’re planning on arriving with wheels.

Discover the Taste of Lyon

The classic place to eat in Lyon is a bouchon (literally, ‘bottle stopper’), a small, cosy bistro that cooks up regional cuisine such as boudin blanc (veal sausage) and quenelles de brochet (pike dumplings in a creamy crayfish sauce). Afterwards, browse the stalls of the city’s wonderful covered market, Les Halles de Lyon.

Live Like a Local

Vieux Lyon and Presqu’Île both have a fantastic range of hotels and guesthouses that combine old Lyonnaise architecture with modern style. Croix Rousse is the handiest area for visiting the Roman remains around Fourvière.

Useful Websites

Lyon (www.lyon.fr) Official city website.

My Little Lyon (www.mylittle.fr/mylittlelyon) Catch up with the cultural trends.

Petit Paume (www.petitpaume.com) Savvy city guide written by students.

Nice

View across the city

WERNER DIETERICH/GETTY IMAGES ©

NICE

The classic metropolis of the French Riviera, Nice has something to suit all moods: exceptional museums, atmospheric street markets, glittering Mediterranean beaches and a rabbit-warren old town, all bathed in radiant year-round sunshine. With its blend of city grit and old-world opulence, it deserves as much time as you can spare.

Getting Around

The complicated one-way system and heavy traffic can make driving in Nice stressful, especially in the heat of summer. Walking is the easiest way to get around. There’s a handy tram line from the train station all the way to Vieux Nice and place Garibaldi; tickets cost €1 and are valid on buses.

Parking

Nearly all parking in Nice is payant (chargeable) – assuming you manage to find a space. Car parks are usually cheapest (around €2 to €3 per hour, or €17 to €30 per day). All parking meters take coins; car-park pay stations also accept credit cards.

Discover the Taste of Nice

Head for the alleyways of Vieux Nice (Old Nice) for the most authentic neighbourhood restaurants. Don’t miss the local specialities of socca (chickpea-flour pancake), petits farcis (stuffed vegetables) and pissaladière (onion tart topped with black olives and anchovies).

Live Like a Local

Old town equals atmosphere, but for the best views and classiest rooms you’ll want to base yourself near the seafront – the Promenade des Anglais has several landmark hotels. The city’s cheapest hotels are clustered around the train station.

Useful Websites

Nice Tourisme (http://en.nicetourisme.com) Informative city website with info on accommodation and attractions.

TOP EXPERIENCES

A  Strolling the Promenade des Anglais

Join sun worshippers, inline skaters and dog walkers on this magnificent boulevard, which runs right along Nice’s shimmering seafront.

A  Musée Matisse

Just 2km north of the centre, this excellent art museum documents the life and work of Henri Matisse in painstaking detail. You’ll need good French to get the most out of your visit (www.musee-matisse-nice.org).

A  Shopping on Cours Saleya

This massive market captures the essence of Niçois life. A chaotic assortment of stalls sells everything from fresh-cut flowers to fresh fish.

A  Parc du Château

Pack a picnic and head to this hilltop park for a panorama across Nice’s red-tiled rooftops.

Paris & Northern France

From the boulevards of Paris to the cliffs of Brittany, northern France is primed with possibilities – whether that means touring Champagne’s vineyards, sampling Norman cheeses, admiring art in Metz or simply moseying around Rouen’s old town. And with its abundance of coast and countryside, it’s a pleasure to drive, too.

It’s a region whose long (and turbulent) history is plain to see. Two thousand years of royalty, renaissance and revolution have left their mark on the streets of Paris, while the scars of war can still be traced on the fields of Flanders and the beaches of Normandy. Elsewhere, cathedrals and châteaux hint at the splendour of a bygone age, and experimental art museums point to an equally flashy future.

Essential France 2 Weeks

Tick off the mustn’t-misses on this epic cross-country adventure.

Champagne Taster 3 Days

Taste your way around the cellars of Champagne on this fizz-fuelled trip.

Unesco Treasures 10 Days

From Gothic cathedrals to papal palaces, take a tour through France’s World Heritage Sites.

D-Day’s Beaches 3 Days

Follow the course of the WWII invasion on Normandy’s beaches.

Paris

Conciergerie and the Seine River

SYLVAIN SONNET/GETTY IMAGES ©

Essential France

Paris

Versailles

Chartres

Bayeux

Mont St-Michel

Chambord

Bordeaux

Sarlat-la-Canéda

Lyon

Chamonix

French Riviera

Aix-en-Provence

Gorges du Verdon

ESSENTIAL FRANCE

City to city, coast to coast, this grand tour follows a route around some of France’s most unmissable sights. There’s some epic driving involved, but this is one trip you won’t forget in a hurry.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

2 WEEKS

3060KM / 1902 MILES

GREAT FOR…

BEST TIME TO GO

April to June.

ESSENTIAL PHOTO

Overlooking the Parisian panorama from the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur.

BEST FOR FAMILIES

Brave the space-age rides and roller-coaster thrills of Futuroscope.

Mont St-Michel

A stunning 11th-century abbey set in a golden bay

DEA / W. BUSS/GETTY IMAGES ©

Essential France

This is the big one – an epic trek that travels all the way from the chilly waters of the English Channel to the gleaming blue Mediterranean. Along the way, you’ll stop off at some of France’s most iconic sights: the château of Versailles, the abbey of Mont St-Michel, the summit of Mont Blanc and the beaches of the French Riviera. Allez-y!

TOP OF CHAPTER

1  Paris

For that essentially Parisian experience, it’s hard to beat Montmartre – the neighbourhood of cobbled lanes and cafe-lined squares beloved by writers and painters since the 19th century. This was once a notoriously ramshackle part of Paris, full of bordellos, brothels, dance halls and bars, as well as the city’s first can-can clubs. Though its hedonistic heyday has long since passed, Montmartre still retains a villagey charm, despite the throngs of tourists.

The centre of Montmartre is place du Tertre, once the village’s main square, now packed with buskers and portrait artists. You can get a sense of how the area would once have looked at the Musée de Montmartre (www.museedemontmartre.fr; 12 rue Cortot, 18e; adult/child €9/5; 10am-6pm; Lamarck-Caulaincourt), which details the area’s bohemian past. It’s inside Montmartre’s oldest building, a 17th-century manor house once occupied by Renoir and Utrillo.

Nearby, Montmartre’s finest view unfolds from the dome of the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur (www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com; Place du Parvis du Sacré Coeur; dome €6/4, cash only; 6am-10.30pm, dome 9am-7pm Apr-Sep, to 5.30pm Oct-Mar; Anvers). On a clear day, you can see for up to 30km.

To see more Parisian sights, check out our walking tour on Click here.

54  Click here

The Drive » From the centre of Paris, follow the A13 west from Porte d’Auteuil and take the exit marked ‘Versailles Château’. Versailles is 28km southwest of the city.

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2  Versailles

Louis XIV transformed his father’s hunting lodge into the Château de Versailles (www.chateauversailles.fr; estate-wide admission €18, palace only €15; 8am-6pm Tue-Sat, 9am-6pm Sun Apr-Oct, 8.30am-5.30pm Tue-Sat, 9am-5.30pm Sun Nov-Mar) in the mid-17th century, and it remains France’s most majestic palace. The royal court was based here from 1682 until 1789, when revolutionaries massacred the palace guard and dragged Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette back to Paris, where they were ingloriously guillotined.

The architecture is truly eye-popping. Highlights include the Grands Appartements du Roi et de la Reine (State Apartments) and the famous Galerie des Glaces (Hall of Mirrors), a 75m-long ballroom filled with chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Outside, the vast park incorporates terraces, flower beds, paths and fountains, as well as the Grand and Petit Canals.

Northwest of the main palace is the Domaine de Marie-Antoinette (Marie-Antoinette’s Estate; admission €10; noon-6.30pm Tue-Sat Apr-Oct, to 5.30pm Tue-Sat Nov-Mar), where the royal family would have taken refuge from the intrigue and etiquette of court life.

5  Click here

The Drive » The N10 runs southwest from Versailles through pleasant countryside and forest to Rambouillet. You’ll join the D906 to Chartres. All told, it’s a journey of 76km.

VISITING VERSAILLES

Versailles is one of the country’s most popular destinations, so planning ahead will make your visit more enjoyable. Avoid the busiest days of Tuesday and Sunday, and remember that the château is closed on Monday. Save time by pre-purchasing tickets on the château’s website, or arrive early if you’re buying at the door – by noon queues spiral out of control.

You can also access off-limits areas (such as the Private Apartments of Louis XV and Louis XVI, the Opera House and the Royal Chapel) by taking a 90-minute guided tour (01 30 83 77 88; tours €16; English-language tours 9.30am & 2pm Tue-Sun).

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3  Chartres

You’ll know you’re nearing Chartres long before you reach it thanks to the twin spires of the Cathédrale Notre Dame (www.cathedrale-chartres.org; Place de la Cathédrale; 8.30am-7.30pm, to 10pm Tue, Fri & Sun Jun-Aug), considered to be one of the most important structures in Christendom.

The present cathedral was built during the late 12th century after the original was destroyed by fire. It’s survived wars and revolutions remarkably intact, and the brilliant-blue stained-glass windows have even inspired their own shade of paint (Chartres blue). The cathedral also houses the Sainte Voile (Holy Veil), supposedly worn by the Virgin Mary while giving birth to Jesus.

The best views are from the 112m-high Clocher Neuf (New Belltower; adult/child €7.50/free).

54  Click here

The Drive » Follow the D939 northwest for 58km to Verneuil-sur-Avre, then take the D926 west for 78km to Argentan – both great roads through typical Norman countryside. Just west of Argentan, the D158/N158 heads north to Caen, then turns northwest on the N13 to Bayeux, 94km further.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

4  Bayeux

The Tapisserie de Bayeux (Bayeux Tapestry; www.tapestry-bayeux.com; rue de Nesmond; adult/child incl audioguide €9/4; 9am-6.30pm mid-Mar–mid-Nov, to 7pm May-Aug, 9.30am-12.30pm & 2-6pm mid-Nov–mid-Mar) is without doubt the world’s most celebrated (and ambitious) piece of embroidery. Over 58 panels, the tapestry recounts the invasion of England in 1066 by William I, or William the Conqueror, as he’s now known.

Commissioned in 1077 by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, William’s half-brother, the tapestry retells the battle in fascinating detail: look out for Norman horses getting stuck in the quicksands around Mont St-Michel, and the famous appearance of Halley’s Comet in scene 32. The final showdown at the Battle of Hastings is particularly graphic, complete with severed limbs, decapitated heads, and the English King Harold getting an arrow in the eye.

54  Click here

The Drive » Mont St-Michel is 125km southwest of Bayeux; the fastest route is along the D6 and then the A84 motorway.

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5  Mont St-Michel

You’ve already seen it on a million postcards, but nothing prepares you for the real Mont St-Michel (02 33 89 80 00; www.monuments-nationaux.fr; adult/child incl guided tour €9/free; 9am-7pm, last entry 1hr before closing). It’s one of France’s architectural marvels, an 11th-century island abbey marooned in the middle of a vast golden bay.

When you arrive, you’ll be steered into one of the Mont’s huge car parks. You then walk along the causeway (or catch a free shuttle bus) to the island itself. Guided tours are included, or you can explore solo with an audioguide.

The Église Abbatiale (Abbey Church) is reached via a steep climb along the Grande Rue. Around the church, the cluster of buildings known as La Merveille (The Marvel) includes the cloister, refectory, guest hall, ambulatory and various chapels.

For a different perspective, take a guided walk across the sands with Découverte de la Baie du Mont-Saint-Michel (02 33 70 83 49; www.decouvertebaie.com; adult/child from €6/4) and Chemins de la Baie (02 33 89 80 88; www.cheminsdelabaie.com; adult/child from €6.90/4.70), both based in Genêts. Don’t be tempted to do it on your own – the bay’s tides are notoriously treacherous.

54  Click here

The Drive » Take the A84, N12 and A81 for 190km to Le Mans and the A28 for 102km to Tours, where you can follow our tour through the Loire Valley if you wish (see Click here). Chambord is about 75km from Tours via the D952.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

PATRICK DESGUÉ, MONT ST-MICHEL WALKING GUIDE

There’s nowhere else like Mont St-Michel in France. Most people only visit the island and the abbey, but it’s only once you see it from the sands that you appreciate what a unique place this is. Every day the bay is covered by the sea, creating a new landscape which is completely different to the one of the day before. I have been working here as a guide for many years, but I never seem to get tired of it here. I’m not a spiritual man, but there is something magical about this place.

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6  Chambord

If you only have time to visit one château in the Loire, you might as well make it the grandest – and Chambord (www.chambord.org; adult/child €11/9, parking €4, 9am-6pm Apr-Sep, 10am-5pm Oct-Mar) is the most lavish of them all. It’s a showpiece of Renaissance architecture, from the double-helix staircase up to the turret-covered rooftop. With over 440 rooms, the sheer scale of the place is mindboggling – and in the Loire, that’s really saying something.

4  Click here

The Drive » It’s 425km to Bordeaux via Blois and the A10 motorway. You could consider breaking the journey with stop-offs at Futuroscope and Poitiers, roughly halfway between the two.

FUTUROSCOPE

Halfway between Chambord and Bordeaux on the A10, 10km north of Poitiers, Futuroscope (www.futuroscope.com; adult/child €42/32; 10am-dark, closed Jan–mid-Feb) lies one of France’s top theme parks. It’s a futuristic experience that takes you whizzing through space, diving into the ocean depths, racing around city streets and on a close encounter with creatures of the future. Note that many rides have a minimum height of 120cm.

You’ll need at least five hours to check out the major attractions, or two days to see everything. The park is in the suburb of Jaunay-Clan; take exit 28 off the A10.

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7  Bordeaux

When Unesco decided to protect Bordeaux’s medieval architecture in 2007, it simply listed half the city in one fell swoop. Covering 18 sq km, this is the world’s largest urban World Heritage Site, with grand buildings and architectural treasures galore.

Top of the heap is the Cathédrale St-André, known for its stone carvings and generously gargoyled belfry, the Tour Pey-Berland (adult/child €5.50/free; 10am-1.15pm & 2-6pm Jun-Sep, shorter hr rest of year). But the whole old city rewards wandering, especially around the Jardin Public (cours de Verdun), the pretty squares of esplanade des Quinconces and place Gambetta, and the city’s 4km-long riverfront esplanade, with its playgrounds, paths and paddling pools.

The Drive » Sarlat-la-Canéda is a drive of 194km via the A89 motorway, or you can take a longer but more enjoyable route via the D936.

Cathédrale St-André, Bordeaux

SILVIA OTTE/GETTY IMAGES ©

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

8  Sarlat-la-Canéda

If you’re looking for France’s heart and soul, you’ll find it among the forests and fields of the Dordogne. It’s the stuff of French fantasies: riverbank châteaux, medieval villages, wooden-hulled gabarres (barges) and market stalls groaning with foie gras, truffles, walnuts and wines. The medieval town of Sarlat-la-Canéda makes the perfect base, with a beautiful medieval centre and lots of lively markets.

It’s also ideally placed for exploring the Vézère Valley, about 20km to the northwest, home to France’s finest cave paintings. Most famous of all are the ones at the Grotte de Lascaux (05 53 51 95 03; www.semitour.com; adult/child €9.50/6; 9am-8pm Jul & Aug, 9.30am-6pm Apr-Jun & Sep–early Nov, 10am-12.30pm & 2-5.30pm rest of year, closed Jan), although to prevent damage to the paintings, you now visit a replica of the cave’s main sections in a nearby grotto.

The Drive » The drive east to Lyon is a long one, covering well over 400km and travelling across the spine of the Massif Central. A good route is to follow the A89 all the way to exit 6, then turn off onto the N89/D89 to Lyon. This route should cover between 420km and 430km.

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9  Lyon

Fired up by French food? Then you’ll love Lyon, with its bouchons (small bistros), bustling markets and fascinating food culture. Start in Vieux Lyon and the picturesque quarter of Presqu’île, then catch the funicular to the top of Fourvière to explore the city’s Roman ruins and enjoy cross-town views.

Film buffs will also want to make time for the Musée Lumière (www.institut-lumiere.org; 25 rue du Premier Film, 8e; adult/child €6.50/5.50; 10am-6.30pm Tue-Sun; Monplaisir-Lumière), where the Lumière Brothers (Auguste and Louis) shot the first reels of the world’s first motion picture, La Sortie des Usines Lumières, on 19 March 1895.

The Drive » Take the A42 towards Lake Geneva, then the A40 towards St-Gervais-les-Bains. The motorway becomes the N205 as it nears Chamonix. It’s a drive of at least 225km.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT
a  Chamonix

Snuggling among snow-clad mountains – including Europe’s highest summit, Mont Blanc – adrenaline-fuelled Chamonix is an ideal springboard for the French Alps. In winter, it’s a mecca for skiers and snowboarders, and in summer, once the snows thaw, the high-level trails become a trekkers’ paradise.

There are two really essential Chamonix experiences. First, catch the dizzying cable car to the top of the Aiguille du Midi (place de l’Aiguille du Midi; adult/child return to Aiguille du Midi €55/47, to Plan de l’Aiguille summer €29.50/25, winter €16/14; 8.30am-4.30pm) to snap a shot of Mont Blanc.

Then take the combination mountain train and cable car from the Gare du Montenvers (35 place de la Mer de Glace; adult/child/family €26.40/22.30/79.20; 10am-4.30pm) to the Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice), France’s largest glacier. Wrap up warmly if you want to visit the glacier’s sculptures and ice caves.

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The Drive » The drive to the Riviera is full of scenic thrills. An attractive route is via the D1212 to Albertville, and then via the A43, which travels over the Italian border and through the Tunnel de Fréjus. From here, the N94 runs through Briançon, and a combination of the A51, N85 and D6085 carries you south to Nice. You’ll cover at least 430km.

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b  French Riviera

If there’s one coast road in France you simply have to drive, it’s the French Riviera, with its rocky cliffs, maquis-scented air and dazzling Med views. Sun-seekers have been flocking here since the 19th century, and its scenery still never fails to seduce.

Lively Nice and cinematic Cannes make natural starts, but for the Riviera’s loveliest scenery, you’ll want to drive down the gorgeous Corniche de l’Estérel to St-Tropez, still a watchword for seaside glamour. Summer can be hellish, but come in spring or autumn and you’ll have its winding lanes and fragrant hills practically to yourself. For maximum views, stick to the coast roads: the D6098 to Antibes and Cannes, the D559 around the Corniche de l’Estérel, and the D98A to St-Tropez. It’s about 120km via this route.

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The Drive » From St-Tropez, take the fast A8 for about 230km west to Aix-en-Provence.

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c  Aix-en-Provence

Sleepy Provence sums up the essence of la douce vie (the gentle life). Cloaked in lavender and spotted with hilltop villages, it’s a region that sums up everything that’s best about France.

Cruising the back roads and browsing the markets are the best ways to get acquainted. Carpentras and Vaison-la-Romaine are particularly detour-worthy, while artistic Aix-en-Provence encapsulates the classic Provençal vibe, with its pastel buildings and Cézanne connections.

The Drive » The gorges are 230km northeast of Aix-en-Provence via the A51 and D952.

Market stall, Aix-en-Provence

PETE GODING/4CORNERS ©

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT
d  Gorges du Verdon

Complete your cross-France adventure with an unforgettable expedition to the Gorges du Verdon – sometimes known as the Grand Canyon of Europe. This deep ravine slashes 25km through the plateaus of Haute-Provence; in places, its walls rise to a dizzying 700m, twice the height of the Eiffel Tower (321m).

The two main jumping-off points are the villages of Moustiers Ste-Marie, in the west, and Castellane, in the east. Drivers and bikers can take in the canyon panorama from two vertigo-inducing cliffside roads, but the base of the gorge is only accessible on foot or by raft.

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Women crushing walnuts

J BOYER/GETTY IMAGES ©

EATING & SLEEPING

Paris 1

5  Cul de Poule MODERN FRENCH €€

(01 53 16 13 07; 53 rue des Martyrs, 9e; 2-/3-course menus lunch €16/19, dinner €24/29; noon-2.30pm & 8-11pm Mon-Sat; Pigalle) Don’t be deceived by the plastic chairs outside: this is one of the best kitchens in the Pigalle neighbourhood, with excellent neo-bistro fare. And yes, there is a chicken’s derrière mounted on the wall.

5  Le Miroir BISTRO €€

(01 46 06 50 73; 94 rue des Martyrs, 18e; menus lunch €18, dinner €25-40; noon-2.30pm & 7.30-11pm Tue-Sat; Abbesses) This modern bistro is on the Montmartre tourist trail, yet remains a local favourite. There are pâtés and rillettes to start, followed by well-prepared standards like stuffed veal shoulder. The lunch special includes a glass of wine, coffee and dessert.

4  Hôtel Amour BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€

(01 48 78 31 80; www.hotelamourparis.fr; 8 rue Navarin, 9e; s €145, d €170-225; ; St-Georges or Pigalle) One of Paris’ trendiest hotels, the black-clad Amour (formerly a love hotel by the hour) features original design and artwork in each of the rooms. There are no TVs, but who needs them when you’re in love?

4  Hôtel des Arts HOTEL €€

(01 46 06 30 52; www.arts-hotel-paris.com; 5 rue Tholozé, 18e; s/d from €145/160; ; Abbesses or Blanche) The Hôtel des Arts is a friendly, attractive 50-room hotel, convenient to both place Pigalle and Montmartre. It has comfortable midrange rooms that are excellent value; consider spending an extra €25 for the superior rooms, which have nicer views.

Versailles 2

5  À la Ferme SOUTHWEST FRENCH €€

(01 39 53 10 81; www.alaferme-versailles.com; 3 rue du Maréchal Joffre; menus lunch €14-24, dinner €22-26; noon-2pm & 7-10pm Wed-Sun) Cowhide seats and rustic garlands strung from old wooden beams add a country air ‘At the Farm’, a temple to grilled meats and cuisine from southwest France.

5  Angelina TEAROOM €

(www.angelina-versailles.fr; snacks €14-25, mains €23-35; 10am-6pm Tue-Sat Apr-Oct, to 5pm Tue-Sat Nov-Mar) This tearoom inside the Versailles estate is famed for its decadent hot chocolate. In addition to the branch by the Petit Trianon, there’s another inside the palace.

Chartres 3

5  Le Saint-Hilaire REGIONAL CUISINE €€

(02 37 30 97 57; www.restaurant-saint-hilaire.fr; 11 rue du Pont Saint-Hilaire; 3-course menus from €29; noon-2pm & 7-9.30pm Tue-Sat) Local products are ingeniously used in to-die-for dishes like stuffed mushrooms with lentils, snails in puff pastry with leek fondue, a seasonal lobster menu, and aromatic cheese platters at this pistachio-painted, wood-beamed charmer.

5  Le Serpente BRASSERIE, TEAROOM €

(02 37 21 68 81; www.leserpente.com; 2 Cloître Notre Dame; mains €16-18.50; 11am-11pm) Its location slap-bang opposite the cathedral ensures this traditional brasserie and salon de thé (tearoom) – one of the oldest in Chartres – is always full. Specialities span everything from pigs’ trotters and veal kidneys to fresh fish and salads.

4  Best Western Le Grand Monarque HOTEL €€

(02 37 18 15 15; www.bw-grand-monarque.com; 22 place des Épars; d €139-206, f €206; ) With its teal-blue shutters gracing its 1779 façade, lovely stained-glass ceiling and treasure trove of period furnishings, the refurbished Grand Monarch is a historical gem and very central. Its restaurant has a Michelin star.

4  Hôtel du Boeuf Couronné HOTEL €€

(02 37 18 06 06; www.leboeufcouronne.com; 15 place Châtelet; s €65-85, d €75-109; ) The red-curtained entrance lends a vaguely theatrical air to this two-star Logis guesthouse in the centre of everything. Its summertime terrace restaurant cooks up cathedral-view dining.

Mont St-Michel 5

4  Hôtel Du Guesclin HOTEL €€

(02 33 60 14 10; www.hotelduguesclin.com; Grande Rue, Mont St-Michel; d €80-95; mid-Mar–mid-Nov) This hotel on the Mont is worth recommending for its affordable rates, even in high season – a rarity for the location. Best of all, five rooms have views of the bay – priceless! – as does the on-site restaurant.

4  La Bourdatière B&B €

(02 33 68 11 17; www.la-bourdatiere.com; 8 rue Maurice Desfeux, Beauvoir; d €39-43; Apr-Sep) This charming stone farmhouse in Beauvoir is excellent value. The decor of the four rooms could do with updating, but the rural setting and blissful gardens are tough to top.

Gorges du Verdon d

5  Auberge du Teillon PROVENÇAL, GASTRONOMIC €€

(04 92 83 60 88; www.auberge-teillon.com; D4805, direction Grasse, La Garde; menus €26-56; lunch Tue-Sun, dinner Tue-Sat Apr-Jun, Sep & Oct, lunch Wed-Sun, dinner Tue-Sat Jul & Aug, closed Nov-Mar) Roadside auberge (country inn) serving the best food this side of Moustiers – pâtés, tender-roasted pigeon and unusual tarte tatin au foie gras. Reservations essential; located 5km east of Castellane.

5  La Bastide de Moustiers GASTRONOMIC €€€

(04 92 70 47 47; www.bastide-moustiers.com; menus €38-79) This splurge-worthy Provençal nest, domain of legendary chef Alain Ducasse, is famous for fine cuisine – hence the helicopter pad in the garden – and provides a chance to dress for dinner, a rarity in Provence.

5  La Ferme Ste-Cécile GASTRONOMIC €€

(04 92 74 64 18; D952; menus €27-36; lunch Tue-Sat, dinner Tue-Sun, closed Nov–mid-Mar) The delicious culinary surprises served on the terrace of this authentic ferme auberge (farm restaurant) may include the thinnest slice of Roquefort and pear warmed in filo pastry, or foie gras wrapped in sweet quince.

4  La Ferme Rose HOTEL €€

(04 92 75 75 75; www.lafermerose.com; chemin de Quinson; d €80-150; ) This inviting converted farmhouse, now a three-star hotel, contains quirky collectibles – Wurlitzer jukebox, display case of coffee grinders – but its dozen rooms are uncluttered, colourful and airy. Great bathrooms.

Champagne Taster

Reims

Verzenay

Verzy

Hautvillers

Épernay

Cramant

Le Mesnil-sur-Oger

CHAMPAGNE TASTER

From musty cellars to vine-covered hillsides, this oenological adventure explores the world’s favourite celebratory tipple. Cleanse your palate and ready your taste buds: it’s time to quaff.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

3 DAYS

85KM / 53 MILES

GREAT FOR…

BEST TIME TO GO

April to June for spring sunshine or September and October to see the Champagne harvest.

ESSENTIAL PHOTO

Overlooking glossy vineyards from the Phare de Verzenay.

BEST FOR CULTURE

Sip Champagne in the cellars of Moët et Chandon.

Champagne

Sip your way through the region’s famed vineyards

STUART BLACK/GETTY IMAGES ©

Champagne Taster

‘My only regret in life is that I didn’t drink enough Champagne,’ wrote the economist John Maynard Keynes, but by the end of this tour, you’ll have drunk enough bubbly to last several lifetimes. Starting and ending at the prestigious Champagne centres of Reims and Épernay, this fizz-fuelled trip includes stops at some of the world’s most famous producers – with ample time for tasting en route.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

1  Reims

There’s nowhere better to start your Champagne tour than the regal city of Reims. Several big names have their caves (wine cellars) nearby. Mumm (03 26 49 59 70; www.www.mumm.com; 34 rue du Champ de Mars; one-hour tours incl tasting €14-25; tours 9am-11am & 2-5pm daily, closed Sun Nov-Feb), pronounced ‘moom’, is the only maison in central Reims. Founded in 1827, it’s the world’s third-largest Champagne producer. One-hour tours explore its enormous cellars, filled with 25 million bottles of bubbly, and include tastings of several vintages.

North of town, Taittinger (03 26 85 84 33; www.taittinger.com; 9 place St-Niçaise; tours €16.50-45; tours 9.30-11.50am & 2-4.20pm, closed Sat & Sun Dec–mid-Mar) provides an informative overview of how Champagne is actually made – you’ll leave with a good understanding of the production process, from grape to bottle. Parts of the cellars occupy Roman stone quarries dug in the 4th century.

Before you leave town, don’t forget to drop by Waïda (5 place Drouet d’Erlon; Tue-Sun), an old-fashioned confectioner which sells Reims’ famous biscuits roses (pink biscuits), a sweet treat traditionally nibbled with a glass of Champagne.

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The Drive » The countryside between Reims and Épernay is carpeted with vineyards, fields and back roads that are a dream to drive through. From Reims, head south along the D951 for 13km. Near Mont Chenot, turn onto the D26, signposted to Rilly and the ‘Route Touristique du Champagne’. The next 12km takes you through the pretty villages of Rilly-la-Montagne and Mailly-Champagne en route to Verzenay.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

2  Verzenay

Reims marks the start of the 70km Montagne de Reims Champagne Route, the prettiest (and most prestigious) of the three signposted road routes which wind their way through the Champagne vineyards. Of the 17 Grand Cru villages in Champagne, nine lie on and around the Montagne, a hilly area whose sheltered slopes and chalky soils provide the perfect environment for viticulture (grape growing).

Most of the area’s vineyards are devoted to the pinot noir grape. You’ll pass plenty of producers offering dégustation (tasting) en route. It’s up to you how many you visit – but whatever you do, don’t miss the panorama of vines from the top of the Phare de Verzenay (Verzenay Lighthouse; www.lepharedeverzenay.com; D26; adult/child €3/2, incl museum €7/4; 10am-5pm Tue-Fri, to 5.30pm Sat & Sun, closed Jan-Mar), a lighthouse constructed as a publicity gimmick in 1909. Nearby, the Jardin Panoramique (admission free) demonstrates the four authorised techniques for tying grapevines to guide wires.

The Drive » Continue south along the D26 for 3km.

CHAMPAGNE KNOW-HOW

Champagne Types

»  Blanc de Blancs Champagne made using only chardonnay grapes. Fresh and elegant, with very small bubbles and a bouquet reminiscent of ‘yellow fruits’ such as pear and plum.

»  Blanc de Noirs A full-bodied, deep golden Champagne made solely with black grapes (despite the colour). Often rich and refined, with great complexity and a long finish.

»  Rosé Pink Champagne (mostly served as an aperitif) with a fresh character and summer-fruit flavours. Made by adding a small percentage of red pinot noir wine to white Champagne.

»  Prestige Cuvée The crème de la crème of Champagne. Usually made with grapes from Grand Cru vineyards and priced and bottled accordingly.

»  Millésimé Vintage Champagne produced from a single crop during an exceptional year. Most Champagne is nonvintage.

Champagne Sweetness

»  Brut Dry; most common style; pairs well with food.

»  Extra Sec Fairly dry but sweeter than Brut; nice as an aperitif.

»  Demi Sec Medium sweet; goes well with fruit and dessert.

»  Doux Very sweet; a dessert Champagne.

Serving & Tasting

»  Chilling Chill Champagne in a bucket of ice 30 minutes before serving. The ideal serving temperature is 7°C to 9°C.

»  Opening Grip the bottle securely and tilt it at a 45-degree angle facing away from you. Rotate the bottle slowly to ease out the cork – it should sigh, not pop.

»  Pouring Hold the flute by the stem at an angle and let the Champagne trickle gently into the glass – less foam, more bubbles.

»  Tasting Admire the colour and bubbles. Swirl your glass to release the aroma and inhale slowly before tasting the Champagne.

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3  Verzy

This small village is home to several small vineyards that provide an interesting contrast to the big producers. Étienne and Anne-Laure Lefevre (03 26 97 96 99; www.champagne-etiennelefevre.com; 30 rue de Villers) run group tours of their family-owned vineyards and cellars – if you’re on your own, ring ahead to see if you can join a pre-arranged tour. There are no flashy videos or multimedia shows – the emphasis is firmly on the nitty-gritty of Champagne production.

The Drive » Stay on the D26 south of Verzy, and enjoy wide-open countryside views as you spin south to Ambonnay. Detour west onto the D19, signed to Bouzy, and bear right onto the D1 along the northern bank of the Marne River. When you reach the village of Dizy, follow signs onto the D386 to Hautvillers. It’s a total drive of 32km or 45 minutes.

Pinot meunier grapes

STEVEN MORRIS PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES ©

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4  Hautvillers

Next stop is the hilltop village of Hautvillers, a hallowed name among Champagne aficionados: it’s where a Benedictine monk by the name of Dom Pierre Pérignon is popularly believed to have created Champagne in the late 16th century. The great man’s tomb lies in front of the altar of the Église Abbatiale (abbey church; daily).

The village itself is well worth a stroll, with a jumble of lanes, timbered houses and stone-walled vineyards. On place de la République, the tourist office (03 26 57 06 35; www.tourisme-hautvillers.com; 9.30am-1pm & 1.30-5.30pm Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun) hands out free maps detailing local vineyard walks; one-hour guided tours cost €3 (€5 with a tasting).

Steps away is Au 36 (www.au36.net; 36 rue Dom Pérignon; 10.30am-1pm & 3-7pm Thu-Tue), a wine boutique with a ‘wall’ of Champagne quirkily arranged by aroma. There’s a tasting room upstairs; a two-/three-glass session costs €10/15.

The Drive » From the centre of the village, take the rte de Cumières for grand views across the vine-cloaked slopes. Follow the road all the way to the D1, turn left and follow signs to Épernay’s centre-ville, 6km to the south.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

5  Épernay

The prosperous town of Épernay is the self-proclaimed capitale du champagne and is home to many of the most illustrious Champagne houses. Beneath the streets are an astonishing 110km of subterranean cellars, containing an estimated 200 million bottles of vintage bubbly.

Most of the big names are arranged along the grand av de Champagne. Moët & Chandon (03 26 51 20 20; www.moet.com; 20 av de Champagne; adult incl 1/2 glasses €21/28, 10-18yr €10; tours 9.30-11.30am & 2-4.30pm, closed Sat & Sun mid-Nov–mid-Mar) offers frequent and fascinating one-hour tours of its prestigious cellars, while at nearby Mercier (03 26 51 22 22; www.champagnemercier.fr; 68-70 av de Champagne; adult incl 1/2/3 glasses €13/18/21 Mon-Fri, €15/19/25 Sat & Sun, 12-17yr €6; tours 9.30-11.30am & 2-4.30pm, closed mid-Dec–mid-Feb) tours take place aboard a laser-guided underground train.

Finish with a climb up the 237-step tower at De Castellane (03 26 51 19 11; www.castellane.com; 64 av de Champagne; adult incl 1 glass €10; tours 10am-noon & 2-6pm, closed Christmas–mid-Mar), which offers knockout views over the town’s rooftops and vine-clad hills.

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The Drive » Head south of town along av Maréchal Foch or av du 8 Mai 1945, following ‘Autres Directions’ signs across the roundabouts until you see signs for Cramant. The village is 10km southeast of Épernay via the D10.

Marne River with Épernay in background

YVES TALENSAC/GETTY IMAGES ©

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6  Cramant

You’ll find it hard to miss this quaint village, as the northern entrance is heralded by a two-storey-high Champagne bottle. From the ridge above the village, views stretch out in all directions across the Champagne countryside, taking in a patchwork of fields, farmhouses and rows upon rows of endless vines. Pack a picnic and your own bottle of bubbly for the perfect Champagne country lunch.

The Drive » Continue southeast along the D10 for 7km, and follow signs to Le-Mesnil-sur-Oger.

Cramant vineyard

MICHEL MASTROJANNI/GETTY IMAGES ©

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

DAVID LEVASSEUR, CHAMPAGNE MAKER

We’ve been making Champagnes at our vineyard for three generations, starting with my grandfather. We’re typical of many of the small Champagne producers along the Route du Champagne – a traditional family-run business. If you really want to understand Champagne, visit the winemakers’ cellars and see first-hand how they work. Of course, you must also visit the av de Champagne in Épernay, where all the ‘grandes maisons’ are based – it’s magnificent.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

7  Le Mesnil-sur-Oger

Finish with a visit to the excellent Musée de la Vigne et du Vin (03 26 57 50 15; www.champagne-launois.fr; 2 av Eugène Guillaume, cnr D10; adult incl 3 flutes Champagne €8; tours 10am &3pm Mon-Fri, 10.30am Sat & Sun), where a local wine-growing family has assembled a collection of century-old Champagne-making equipment. Among the highlights is a massive 16-tonne oak-beam grape press from 1630. Reservations can be made by phone or online; ask about the availability of English tours when you book.

Round off your trip with a dinner at Le Mesnil (03 26 57 95 57; www.restaurantlemesnil.com; 2 rue Pasteur; menus €23-29; closed Wed, dinner Sun), a quintessentially French restaurant that takes its culinary cue from the seasons – washed down, of course, with a flute or two of vintage Champagne.

THE SCIENCE OF CHAMPAGNE

Champagne is made from the red pinot noir (38%), the black pinot meunier (35%) or the white chardonnay (27%) grape. Each vine is vigorously pruned and trained to produce a small quantity of high-quality grapes. Indeed, to maintain exclusivity (and price), the designated areas where grapes used for Champagne can be grown and the amount of wine produced each year are limited.

Making Champagne according to the méthode champenoise (traditional method) is a complex procedure. There are two fermentation processes, the first in casks and the second after the wine has been bottled and had sugar and yeast added. Bottles are then aged in cellars for two to five years, depending on the cuvée (vintage).

During the two months in early spring that the bottles are aged in cellars kept at 12°C, the wine turns effervescent. The sediment that forms in the bottle is removed by remuage, a painstakingly slow process in which each bottle, stored horizontally, is rotated slightly every day for weeks until the sludge works its way to the cork. Next comes dégorgement: the neck of the bottle is frozen, creating a blob of solidified Champagne and sediment, which is then removed.

EATING & SLEEPING

Reims 1

5  Brasserie Le Boulingrin BRASSERIE €€

(03 26 40 96 22; www.boulingrin.fr; 31 rue de Mars; menus €18.50-29; noon-2.30pm & 7-10.30pm Mon-Sat) A genuine, old-time brasserie – the decor and zinc bar date back to 1925 – whose ambience and cuisine make it an enduring favourite.

5  Le Foch GASTRONOMIC €€€

(03 26 47 48 22; www.lefoch.com; 37 bd Foch; lunch menus €27-33, dinner menus €50-85; 12.15-2pm Tue-Fri & Sun, 7.30-10pm Tue-Sat) Described as ‘one of France’s best fish restaurants’ by food critic Michael Edwards, Michelin-starred Le Foch serves up cuisine that is as beautiful as it is delicious.

4  Hôtel de la Paix HOTEL €€€

(03 26 40 04 08; www.bestwestern-lapaix-reims.com; 9 rue Buirette; d €170-220; ) This contemporary, Best Western–affiliated hotel is just off cafe-lined place Drouet d’Erlon. Relax in your choice of pool, Jacuzzi, hammam or courtyard garden.

4  Les Telliers B&B €€

(09 53 79 80 74; http://telliers.fr; 18 rue des Telliers; s €76, d €87-110, tr €123, q €142; ) On a quiet alley near the cathedral, this bijou B&B extends one of Reims’ warmest bienvenues. The high-ceilinged rooms ooze art deco character, with ornamental fireplaces, polished oak floors and the odd antique.

Épernay 5

5  La Cave à Champagne REGIONAL CUISINE €€

(03 26 55 50 70; www.la-cave-a-champagne.com; 16 rue Gambetta; menus €20-38; noon-2pm & 7-10pm Thu-Mon, noon-2pm Tue) ‘The Champagne Cellar’ is a local favourite for champenoise cuisine such as artichoke hearts with snails in parsley cream, or duck cooked in grape juice. Sample four different Champagnes for €24.

5  La Grillade Gourmande REGIONAL CUISINE €€

(03 26 55 44 22; www.lagrilladegourmande.com; 16 rue de Reims; menus €19-55; noon-2pm & 7.30-10pm Tue-Sat) An inviting bistro, ideal for char-grilled meats and rich dishes such as crayfish pan-fried in Champagne and lamb roasted in rosemary and honey. Diners spill onto the covered terrace in the warm months.

5  La Table Kobus BRASSERIE €€

(03 26 51 53 53; www.latablekobus.com; 3 rue du Docteur Rousseau; menus €19.50-45; noon-2pm & 7-9pm Tue-Sat, noon-2pm Sun) French cuisine, both traditional and creative, is the speciality at this fin-de-siècle brasserie.

4  Hôtel Jean Moët HISTORIC HOTEL €€

(03 26 32 19 22; www.hoteljeanmoet.com; 7 rue Jean Moët; r €125-190; ) Housed in an 18th-century mansion, this old-town hotel is big on atmosphere, with its skylit tearoom, antique-meets-boutique-chic rooms and cellar bar, C Comme.

4  Le Clos Raymi HISTORIC HOTEL €€

(03 26 51 00 58; www.closraymi-hotel.com; 3 rue Joseph de Venoge; s €120, d €170-190; ) Staying here is like being a personal guest of Monsieur Chandon himself, who occupied this luxurious house over a century ago. The seven romantic rooms all have high ceilings, French windows and parquet floors.

Unesco Treasures

Paris

Fontainebleau

Provins

Vézelay

Fontenay

Arc-et-Senans

Orange

Avignon

Pont du Gard

Albi

UNESCO TREASURES

This top-to-tail adventure is a must for lovers of French history and architecture. Tour across France to some of its most precious assets, all inscribed on Unesco’s list of World Heritage Sites.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

10 DAYS

1156KM / 718 MILES

GREAT FOR…

BEST TIME TO GO

April to June or September and October to avoid the main French holiday periods.

ESSENTIAL PHOTO

Standing on the viewing platform of the Eiffel Tower.

BEST FOR ART

The world-class collection at the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi.

Palais des Papes

Inside Avignon’s immense Gothic cathedral

LUIGI VACCARELLA/SIME/4CORNERS ©

Unesco Treasures

When it comes to World Heritage Sites, France is in the European premier league, with an impressive 35 (topped only by Spain and Italy). This cross-country tour explores some of our favourites – both well known and off the beaten track.

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1  Paris

In 1991, the banks of the River Seine were designated as a World Heritage Site in recognition of the central role the river has played in the city’s history.

The site encompasses much of the city centre, from the Pont de Sully (east of the Île de la Cité) to the Pont d’Iéna (west of the Parc du Champ de Mars). Also included are the city’s famous boulevards, laid out by Baron Haussmann in the 19th century.

Walking from east to west, you’ll pass a string of Parisian landmarks. Start at the Cathédrale de Notre Dame (www.cathedraledeparis.com; 6 place du Parvis Notre Dame, 4e; admission free; 7.45am-7pm), arguably the world’s most precious Gothic structure. Afterwards, walk along bd St-Germain, stopping at the Église St-Germain des Prés (www.eglise-sgp.org; 3 place St-Germain des Prés, 6e; 8am-7pm Mon-Sat, 9am-8pm Sun), Paris’ oldest standing church, and Les Deux Magots (www.lesdeuxmagots.fr; 170 bd St-Germain, 6e; 7.30am-1am), a favourite literary hang-out for many early-20th-century writers and philosophers.

Spend the afternoon at the Musée d’Orsay (www.musee-orsay.fr; 62 rue de Lille, 7e; adult/child €11/free; 9.30am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 9.45pm Thu), which houses the country’s top collection of impressionist, post-impressionist and art nouveau masterpieces.

Finish with a twilight climb up the Eiffel Tower (www.tour-eiffel.fr; lift to top adult/child €15/10.50, lift to 2nd fl €9/4.50, stairs to 2nd fl €5/3, lift 2nd fl to top €6; lifts & stairs 9am-midnight mid-Jun–Aug, lifts 9.30am-11pm, stairs 9.30am-6.30pm Sep–mid-Jun) for a twinkling view across Paris’s night-time streets.

If you’re still hankering to see more of Paris, try our walking tour on Click here.

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The Drive » The most direct route to Fontainebleau from Paris is on the A6 motorway, but there’s a more peaceful route on the N104/D606. Head east from Paris on the A4, and look out for signs to the N104, indicated to Troyes. This route covers about 75km.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

2  Fontainebleau

It might not quite hit the ostentatious heights of Versailles, but in many ways the Château de Fontainebleau (www.musee-chateau-fontainebleau.fr; adult/child €11/free; 9.30am-6pm Wed-Mon Apr-Sep, to 5pm Wed-Mon Oct-Mar) is a more rewarding place to visit. The crowds are nothing like as intense as at Versailles, but the history and heritage are just as fascinating. The entire palace complex has been protected by Unesco since 1981.

Built by Louis IX, overhauled during the Renaissance by François I and later enlarged by Henri II, Catherine de Médici and Henri IV, Fontainebleau is a harmonious blend of architectural eras. Highlights include the Grandes Appartements, the 30m-long Salle de Bal (ballroom), the gilded Salle de Trône (Throne Room) and the Chambre de l’Impératrice (Empress’ Bedroom), designed for Marie-Antoinette but never used. Private tours (in French) explore other areas.

Outside, the château’s gardens are equally extraordinary, and include the Jardin de Diane, a formal garden created by Catherine de Médici, a 17th-century Jardin Français (French Garden) designed by Le Nôtre and an informal Jardin Anglais (English Garden), laid out in 1812. The Grand Canal was excavated in 1609 and predates the canals at Versailles by more than half a century.

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The Drive » Take the D210 east of Fontainebleau. You’ll drive through the Forêt Dominiale de la Champagne and cross under the A5 motorway, then join the D403 to Provins. Plan on 55km.

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3  Provins

The walled town of Provins (www.provins.net) is listed by Unesco as the ‘Town of Medieval Fairs’, and it certainly does a convincing job of transporting you back into the Middle Ages (though, thankfully, minus the stink, plague and squalor). The town is home to over 150 medieval structures including the Tour César (adult/child €4.30/2.80; 10am-6pm Mar-Oct, to 5pm Nov-Feb), the church of Saint Quiriace (admission free) and the Grange aux Dîmes (Tithe Barn; adult/child €4.30/2.80; 10am-6pm Mar-Aug, Sat & Sun only Sep-Feb), where you can watch a live re-enactment of a medieval market. Elsewhere you can explore the town’s ramparts, fortified gates and over 10km of underground tunnels.

But it’s the medieval-themed spectacles that most convincingly bring the period to life. Between April and November there are regular displays of falconry, horsemanship and medieval warfare (complete with trebuchets and jousting), as well as a weekly banquet on Saturday, where you can tuck into medieval food while being entertained by troubadours, acrobats and jugglers.

The Drive » Take the D403 south, then detour south onto the D412 and D976. You’ll join up with the D606, a great road that passes through the pleasant towns of Sens and Auxerre and runs south, detouring onto the D951 for the final stretch to Vézelay. You’ll cover about 160km.

PROVINS TICKETS

If you’re planning on visiting all the museums and shows in Provins, you’ll find it cheaper to buy a combination ticket, known as the Pass Provins. The most expensive pass (adult/child €29/19, family of four €88) covers all the town’s monuments plus the two main shows, and gives you discounts on other spectacles and events. It stays valid for a year; buy online to save time.

Medieval festival, Provins

RIEGER BERTRAND/GETTY IMAGES ©

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

4  Vézelay

France isn’t short of churches, but there are few that capture the same sense of spirituality as Vézelay’s. Jutting out from a rocky outcrop surrounded by flat fields, it’s one of France’s most gorgeous holy structures.

The centrepiece of the town is the Basilique Ste-Madeleine (www.basiliquedevezelay.org). Founded in the 880s, it’s had a chequered history: it was trashed by the Huguenots, desecrated during the Revolution and, to top off the human ravages, repeatedly struck by lightning. But the basilica was saved by 19th-century architect Viollet-le-Duc, who rebuilt its western façade and preserved its priceless stone carvings, including the famous tympanum (decorative arch) depicting Christ surrounded by the apostles. Viollet-le-Duc’s work was rewarded when the basilica was awarded World Heritage status in 1979.

Beyond the basilica itself, Vézelay is an absolute pleasure to wander, with a muddle of cobbled lanes and carefully restored medieval buildings. Don’t miss the view from the park behind the church, which affords knockout views across lush Burgundian countryside.

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The Drive » Drive east from Vézelay on the D957, a winding road that runs through Avallon and crosses through delightful Burgundian forests and fields. Just north of the village of Bierry-les-Belles-Fontaines, turn off onto the D957A, signed to Montbard. Follow signs to Montbard, then to the Abbaye de Fontenay. It’s a drive of around 63km.

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5  Fontenay

Many of France’s great medieval abbeys were razed to rubble during the Revolution and the Reign of Terror, which makes the survival of the Abbaye de Fontenay (Fontenay Abbey; 03 80 92 15 00; www.abbayedefontenay.com; adult/child €9.50/5.50; 10am-6pm Apr-11 Nov, 10am-noon & 2-5pm 12 Nov-Mar) all the more important.

Founded in 1118 and restored a century ago before becoming Unesco listed in 1981, this serene Cistercian abbey gives a unique insight into monastic life during the Middle Ages. You can sit in the refectory where the monks would have eaten their meals, wander the landscaped gardens where they would have raised their crops and livestock, and even peep inside their barrel-vaulted dormitory and metal forge – the earliest surviving example in Europe. There’s even a monastic fish pond.

The Drive » Head back towards Montbard and turn onto the D905, following signs to Dijon. Drive through the city, tracking signs to the D905/Dole. Once you reach Dole, you need to find the D7, so following signs to Poligny, then Pontarlier, should get you in the right area. Once you’re on the D7, it runs to Arc-et-Senans. All told you’ll cover about 165km.

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6  Arc-et-Senans

Hidden among the verdant plateaus of the Jura mountains, the village of Arc-et-Senans conceals one of France’s more peculiar Unesco-protected sites. This area was once the country’s most important centre of salt production – a vital ingredient for preserving food in the days before refrigeration. Lying 35km west of Besançon, the 18th-century Saline Royale (Royal Saltworks; www.salineroyale.com; adult/child €8.80/4.50; 9am-noon & 2-6pm) was envisaged by its designer, Claude-Nicolas Ledoux, as an ‘ideal city’, with workers’ accommodation and industrial buildings blended into one harmonious whole. Although his urban dream was never fully realised, his semicircular salt works are one of France’s finest examples of 18th-century industrial architecture, and have been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1982.

The Drive » The next stage is a long one – between 390km and 425km – depending on your route. The easiest option is also the fastest. Backtrack to Dole, and pick up the A39, A40 and A42 motorways towards Lyon. South of Lyon, you can follow the more peaceful N7 along the banks of the Rhône as it runs south into Provence and on to Orange.

WHY THIS IS A CLASSIC TRIP

OLIVER BERRY, AUTHOR

Following the Unesco trail across France provides a great introduction to the country’s history and landscapes, and also makes sure you’ll tick off some of the most important sights along the way. We’ve picked out a mix of the essential and the esoteric in this trip but, for me, there are two experiences here that sum up everything I love about France: sipping a coffee on the banks of the Seine, and cruising down the Canal du Midi in a river barge. You’ll never feel more French.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

7  Orange

Provence is littered with Roman remains, but to get a sense of the majesty of Roman Gaul, you have to head to Orange’s Théâtre Antique (www.theatre-antique.com; adult/child €9.50/7.50; 9am-6pm, to 4.30pm Nov-Feb) – France’s answer to the Colosseum. In its heyday, this massive amphitheatre would have staged gladiatorial contests, mock battles and other large-scale spectacles for up to 10,000 spectators. It’s in a remarkably good state of repair, considering it’s over 2000 years old – the 37m-high stage wall is one of the best preserved anywhere in the world.

Nearby, Orange’s 1st-century Arc de Triomphe stands on the Via Agrippa, the city’s ancient thoroughfare, and commemorates various military victories in stunning stone relief.

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The Drive » Take the D976 southwest across the Rhône to Roquemaure, then follow signs to Avignon and the D6580. It’s a varied drive of 30km that travels through classic Provençal vistas.

Théâtre Antique, Orange

PHILIP LEE HARVEY/GETTY IMAGES ©

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

8  Avignon

When Pope Clement V abandoned Rome in 1309 to settle in Avignon, this southern city became the seat of Catholic power in Europe. Though the popes only remained here for 70-odd years, they somehow found time to build themselves the immense Palais des Papes (www.palais-des-papes.com; place du Palais; adult/child €11/9; 9am-8pm Jul & early–mid-Sep, to 9pm Aug, to 7pm mid-Mar–Jun & mid-Sep–Oct, to 6.30pm early–mid-Mar, to 5.45pm Nov-Feb), France’s largest Gothic structure, which has been on the Unesco list since 1995.

The rooms are mostly bare these days, but the gargoyle-covered rooftop view is a wraparound wonder. The immense scale of the palace testifies to the popes’ wealth; the 3m-thick walls, portcullises and watchtowers emphasise their insecurity.

Outside, the place du Palais, graced with a 4.5-ton golden statue of the Virgin Mary, is also included within the World Heritage Site – as is the Pont St-Bénezet (adult/child €4.50/3.50; 9am-8pm, 9.30am-5.45pm Nov-Mar), considered by many to be France’s finest medieval bridge. Combination tickets with the Palais des Papes get a €3 discount.

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The Drive » The Pont du Gard is 26km west via the N100 and D6100.

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9  Pont du Gard

Many of Provence’s Roman remains have made it onto Unesco’s radar, including this monumental aqueduct over the River Gard. It’s a structure that demonstrates ancient Rome’s unique combination of art, architecture and engineering, and was built to carry water from Gaul’s wet interior to the dry plains of the south, where wine and crops were cultivated. You can walk across the bridge’s top tier or, better still, hire a canoe to float under its mighty spans.

The Drive » The most scenic route to Albi is to follow our drive on p317 through the Parc National des Cévennes to Millau, then pick up the D999 west to Albi.

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a  Albi

The provincial town of Albi earned its place on the World Heritage list in 2010 thanks to the Cathédrale Ste-Cécile (place Ste-Cécile; adult/child €2/free; 9am-6.30pm), which looks closer to some Tolkienesque tower than a place of worship. Its fortified façade is a result of the many religious wars that marked the medieval era, particularly the persecution of the Cathars during the early 13th century. The cathedral was supposed to project the power of the medieval church, and it certainly makes a statement – it’s one of the largest brick structures on earth.

Apart from its pretty old town, Albi’s other selling point is as the birthplace of artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who depicted the bars and brothels of turn-of-the-20th-century Paris in his own inimitable style. The Musée Toulouse-Lautrec (www.museetoulouselautrec.net; place Ste-Cécile; adult/student €8/4; 9am-6pm Jun-Sep, closed noon-2pm & all day Wed-Mon Tue Oct-Mar) has France’s top collection of his works outside the Musée d’Orsay, ranging from portraits to posters.

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DETOUR:

CANAL DU MIDI

Start a  Albi

Stretching for 240km between Toulouse and Sète, the Canal du Midi is one of the great waterways of southern France. Completed in 1681 and classified as a World Heritage Site since 1996, the canal was designed to provide a trading route between major French ports: with the Canal de Garonne, it forms part of the ‘Canal des Deux Mers’ (Canal of the Two Seas), which enables boats to travel all the way from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.

It’s a work of art as much as engineering, lined with stately lime trees, puttering houseboats and gorgeous riverside towns. You can cycle along the tow-paths or, better still, hire a boat and head out onto the canal proper from towns along the canal’s route – Toulouse, Agde, Béziers, Narbonne and Sète all make good bases.

It’s also worth stopping at the Musée Canal du Midi (www.museecanaldumidi.fr; bd Pierre-Paul Riquet; adult/child €4/2; 10am-7pm) in St-Ferréol, which explores the history of the waterway and the life of its chief engineer, Paul Riquet.

Cathédrale Ste-Cécile, Albi

AZAM JEAN-PAUL/HEMIS.FR/GETTY IMAGES ©

EATING & SLEEPING

Paris 1

5  Brasserie Lipp BRASSERIE €€

(01 45 48 53 91; 151 bd St-Germain, 6e; mains €17-24; 11.45am-12.45am; St-Germain des Prés) Waiters in black waistcoats, bowties and long white aprons serve brasserie favourites such as choucroute garnie and jarret de porc aux lentilles (pork knuckle with lentils) at this celebrated wood-panelled establishment.

5  L’AOC REGIONAL CUISINE €€

(01 43 54 22 52; www.restoaoc.com; 14 rue des Fossés St-Bernard, 5e; 2-/3-course lunch menus €21/29, mains €18-32; lunch & dinner Tue-Sat; Cardinal Lemoine) The concept here revolves around Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status, meaning everything has been produced according to strict guidelines within a tiny geographical area.

4  Hôtel Crayon BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€€

(01 42 36 54 19; www.hotelcrayon.com; 25 rue du Bouloi, 1e; s €129-249, d €149-299; ; Les Halles or Sentier) Line drawings by French artist Julie Gauthron adorn walls and doors at this creative boutique hotel. Rooms sport a different shade of each floor’s chosen crayon colour.

4  L’Hôtel BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€€

(01 44 41 99 00; www.l-hotel.com; 13 rue des Beaux Arts, 6e; d €285-795; ; St-Germain des Prés) This award-winning hotel is the stuff of Parisian legend: rock- and film-star patrons fight to sleep in room 16, where Oscar Wilde died in 1900, or in the art deco room 36 of dancer Mistinguett.

Fontainebleau 2

5  Côté Sud REGIONAL CUISINE €€

(01 64 22 00 33; 1 rue Montebello; lunch menu €14.50, mains €16.50-22; lunch & dinner daily) Dishes at this welcoming bistro have a southern accent, such as daube de sanglier (wild boar stew). Bring your appetite.

5  Dardonville PATISSERIE €

(24 rue des Sablons; 7am-1.30pm & 3.15-7.30pm Tue-Sat, 7am-1.30pm Sun) Join the queues for melt-in-your-mouth macarons and amazing breads at this exceptional patisserie and boulangerie (bakery).

4  Hôtel de Londres HOTEL €€

(01 64 22 20 21; www.hoteldelondres.com; 1 place Général de Gaulle; d €100-180; ) Classy, cosy and beautifully kept, the 16-room ‘Hotel London’ is charmingly furnished in reds and royal blues. The priciest rooms (eg room 5) have balconies with dreamy château views.

4  La Guérinière B&B €

(06 13 50 50 37; balestier.gerard@wanadoo.fr; 10 rue de Montebello; d €70; ) This charming B&B provides some of the best-value accommodation in town. Owner M Balestier speaks English and has five rooms, each named after a different flower.

Vézelay 4

4  Hôtel Le Compostelle HOTEL €

(03 86 33 28 63; www.lecompostellevezelay.com; 1 place du Champ-de-Foire; d €50-66; closed Jan–mid-Feb; ) Eighteen spotless, practical rooms afford romantic views of the valley or the village.

4  Les Glycines HISTORIC HOTEL €

(03 86 32 35 30; www.glycines-vezelay.com; rue St-Pierre; s €40, d €72-94; ) A 1763 bourgeois town house built and enveloped in ancient wisteria is now a hotel that’s overflowing with old-fashioned character. The 11 rooms are all named after famous artists, and solid regional fare is served in the restaurant.

Orange 7

5  À la Maison BISTRO €

(04 90 60 98 83; 4 place des Cordeliers; menus lunch €12.50-15, dinner €25-32, mains €10-16; lunch & dinner Mon-Sat) There’s no lovelier spot on a warm night than the leafy fountain courtyard at this simple bistro, which serves consistently good, honest cooking.

4  Hôtel Arène HOTEL €€

(04 90 11 40 40; www.hotel-arene.fr; place de Langes; d €88-132; ) With the best and biggest bathrooms in Orange, the Arène is the closest you’ll get to business class. Kids love the two heated pools (one indoors, one out); parents appreciate the family-sized rooms.

Avignon 8

5  Cuisine du Dimanche PROVENÇAL €€

(04 90 82 99 10; www.lacuisinedudimanche.com; 31 rue Bonneterie; mains €15-25; lunch & dinner daily Jun-Sep, Tue-Sat Oct-May) Spitfire chef Marie shops every morning at Les Halles to find the freshest ingredients for her earthy flavour-packed cooking. Reserve.

5  L’Epice and Love TRADITIONAL FRENCH €

(04 90 82 45 96; 30 rue des Lices; mains €11-12; dinner Mon-Sat) Tables are cheek by jowl at this tiny bohemian restaurant – a favourite for straightforward bistro fare, stews, roasts and other French dishes. Cash only.

4  Hôtel Boquier HOTEL €

(04 90 82 34 43; www.hotel-boquier.com; 6 rue du Portail Boquier; d €50-70; ) The owners’ infectious enthusiasm informs this upbeat, colourful, small, central hotel; try for themed rooms Morocco or Lavender. Excellent value.

4  Le Limas B&B €€

(04 90 14 67 19; www.le-limas-avignon.com; 51 rue du Limas; d/tr from €120/200; ) Chic B&B in an 18th-century town house straight out of Vogue Living – minimalist white decor complements antique fireplaces and 18th-century spiral stairs. Breakfast on the terrace is a treat, as is bubbly owner Marion.

Albi a

5  L’Epicurien MODERN FRENCH €€€

(05 63 53 10 70; www.restaurantlepicurien.com; 42 place Jean Jaurès; menus €19-48; Tue-Sat) The steel-grey and glass façade says it all: this establishment is a temple to contemporary French cuisine, run by Swedish chef Rikard Hult and his wife, Patricia. Presentation takes precedence over portions.

4  La Maison B&B €

(05 63 38 17 35; www.chambre-hote-albi.com; 40 bd Andrieu; s €60-75, d €75-90; ) In contrast to Albi’s olde-worlde feel, this B&B is a model of modernity. The three rooms are sharp, sexy and swish. It also has a garden and parking.

4  La Tour Sainte Cécile B&B €€

(05 81 40 51 52; www.toursaintececile.com; 14bis rue Saint Cécile; d €130-180; ) Built from stout brick with its own tower (hence the name), this attractive chambre d’hôte (B&B) has four regal rooms stuffed with period detail. The Toulouse-Lautrec room is reached via its own spiral staircase. Rates include entry to the Toulouse-Lautrec museum.

D-Day’s Beaches

Caen

Ouistreham

Juno & Gold Beaches

Arromanches

Longues-sur-Mer

Bayeux

Omaha Beach

Pointe du Hoc

Utah Beach

D-DAY’S BEACHES

Explore the events of D-Day, when Allied troops stormed ashore to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation. From war museums to landing beaches, it’s a fascinating and sobering experience.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

3 DAYS

142KM / 88 MILES

GREAT FOR…

BEST TIME TO GO

April to July, to avoid summer-holiday traffic around the beaches.

ESSENTIAL PHOTO

Standing next to the German guns at Longues-sur-Mer.

BEST FOR HISTORY

The Caen Mémorial provides you with a comprehensive D-Day overview.

Normandy American Cemetery & Memorial

A place to remember

GAVIN HELLIER/GETTY IMAGES ©

D-Day’s Beaches

The beaches and bluffs are quiet today, but on 6 June 1944 the Normandy shoreline witnessed the arrival of the largest armada the world has ever seen. This patch of the French coast will forever be synonymous with D-Day (known to the French as Jour-J), and the coastline is strewn with memorials, museums and cemeteries – reminders that though victory was won on the Longest Day, it came at a terrible price.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

1  Caen

Situated 3km northwest of Caen, the award-winning Mémorial – Un Musée pour la Paix (Memorial – A Museum for Peace; 02 31 06 06 44; www.memorial-caen.fr; esplanade Général Eisenhower; adult/child €19/11.50; 9am-6.30pm, closed Jan & Mon mid-Nov–mid-Dec) is a brilliant place to begin with some background on the historic events of D-Day, and the wider context of WWII. Housed in a purpose-designed building covering 14,000 sq metres, it’s an immersive experience, using sound, lighting, film, animation and audio testimony to evoke the grim realities of war, the trials of occupation and the joy of liberation.

The visit begins with a whistle-stop overview of Europe’s descent into total war, tracing events from the end of WWI through to the rise of fascism in Europe, the German occupation of France and the Battle of Normandy. A second section focuses on the Cold War. There’s also an underground gallery dedicated to winners of the Nobel Peace Prize, located in bunkers used by the Germans in 1944.

On your way round, look out for an original Typhoon fighter plane and a full-size Sherman tank.

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The Drive » From the museum, head northeast along Esplanade Brillaud de Laujardière, and follow signs to Ouistreham. You’ll join the E46 ring road; follow it to exit 3a (Porte d’Angleterre), and merge onto the D515 and D84 to Ouistreham. Park on the seafront on bd Aristide Briand. In all it’s a trip of 18km.

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2  Ouistreham

On D-Day, the sandy seafront around Ouistreham was code named Sword Beach and was the focus of attack for the British 3rd Infantry Division.

There are precious few reminders of the battle now, but on D-Day the scene was very different: most of the surrounding buildings had been levelled by artillery fire, and German bunkers and artillery positions were strung out along the seafront. Sword Beach was the site of some of the most famous images of D-Day – including the infamous ones of British troops landing with bicycles, and bagpiper Bill Millin piping troops ashore while under heavy fire.

The Drive » Follow the seafront west onto rue de Lion, following signs for ‘Overlord – L’Assaut’ onto the D514 towards Courseulles-sur-Mer, 18km west. Drive through town onto rue de Ver, and follow signs to ‘Centre Juno Beach’.

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3  Juno & Gold Beaches

On D-Day, Courseulles-sur-Mer was known as Juno Beach, and was stormed mainly by Canadian troops. It was here that the exiled French General Charles de Gaulle came ashore after the landings – the first ‘official’ French soldier to set foot in mainland Europe since 1940. He was followed by Winston Churchill on 12 June and King George VI on 16 June. A Cross of Lorraine marks the historic spot.

The area’s only Canadian museum, Centre Juno Beach (02 31 37 32 17; www.junobeach.org; adult/child €7/5.50; 9.30am-7pm Apr-Sep) has exhibits on Canada’s role in the war effort and the landings, and offers guided tours of Juno Beach (€5) from April to October.

A short way west is Gold Beach, attacked by the British 50th Infantry on D-Day.

The Drive » Drive west along the D514 for 14km to Arromanches. You’ll pass a car-park and viewpoint marked with a statue of the Virgin Mary, which overlooks Port Winston and Gold Beach. Follow the road into town and signs to Musée du Débarquement.

D-DAY DRIVING ROUTES

There are several signposted driving routes around the main battle sites – look for signs for ‘D-Day-Le Choc’ in the American sectors and ‘Overlord – L’Assaut’ in the British and Canadian sectors. A free booklet called The D-Day Landings and the Battle of Normandy, available from tourist offices, has details on the eight main routes.

Maps of the D-Day beaches are available at tabacs (tobacconists), newsagents and bookshops in Bayeux and elsewhere.

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4  Arromanches

This seaside town was the site of one of the great logistical achievements of D-Day. In order to unload the vast quantities of cargo needed by the invasion forces without capturing one of the heavily defended Channel ports, the Allies set up prefabricated marinas off two landing beaches, code named Mulberry Harbour. These consisted of 146 massive cement caissons towed over from England and sunk to form a semicircular breakwater in which floating bridge spans were moored. In the three months after D-Day, the Mulberries facilitated the unloading of a mind-boggling 2.5 million men, four million tonnes of equipment and 500,000 vehicles.

At low tide, the stanchions of one of these artificial quays, Port Winston (named after Churchill), can still be seen on the sands at Arromanches.

Beside the beach, the Musée du Débarquement (Landing Museum; 02 31 22 34 31; www.musee-arromanches.fr; place du 6 Juin; adult/child €7/5; 9am-6pm, closed Jan) explains the logistics and importance of Port Winston.

The Drive » Continue west along the D514 for 6km to the village of Longues-sur-Mer. You’ll see the sign for the Batterie de Longues on your right.

Arromanches and Gold Beach

PAUL THOMPSON/GETTY IMAGES ©

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5  Longues-sur-Mer

At Longues-sur-Mer you can get a glimpse of the awesome firepower available to the German defenders in the shape of two 150mm artillery guns, still housed in their concrete casements. On D-Day they were capable of hitting targets over 20km away – including Gold Beach (to the east) and Omaha Beach (to the west). Parts of the classic D-Day film, The Longest Day (1962), were filmed here.

The Drive » Backtrack to the crossroads and head straight over onto the D104, signed to Vaux-sur-Aure/Bayeux for 8km. When you reach town, turn right onto the D613, and follow signs to the ‘Musée de la Bataille de Normandie’.

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6  Bayeux

Though best known for its medieval tapestry (see link to Bayeaux in 08-t01-essential-france-tr-fra1), Bayeux has another claim to fame: it was the first town to be liberated after D-Day (on the morning of 7 June 1944).

It’s also home to the largest of Normandy’s 18 Commonwealth military cemeteries – the Bayeux War Cemetery, situated on bd Fabien Ware. It contains 4848 graves of soldiers from the UK and 10 other countries – including Germany. Across the road is a memorial for 1807 Commonwealth soldiers whose remains were never found. The Latin inscription reads: ‘We, whom William once conquered, have now set free the conqueror’s native land’.

Nearby, the Musée Mémorial de la Bataille de Normandie (Battle of Normandy Memorial Museum; bd Fabien Ware; www.bayeuxmuseum.com; adult/child €7/3.80; 9.30am-6.30pm May-Sep, 10am-12.30pm & 2-6pm Oct-Apr) explores the battle through photos, personal accounts, dioramas and film.

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The Drive » After overnighting in Bayeux, head northwest of town on the D6 towards Port-en-Bessin-Huppain. You’ll reach a Super-U supermarket after about 10km. Go round the roundabout and turn onto the D514 for another 8km. You’ll see signs to the ‘Cimetière Americain’ near the hamlet of Le Bray. Omaha Beach is another 4km further on, near Vierville-sur-Mer.

D-DAY IN FIGURES

Code named ‘Operation Overlord’, the D-Day landings were the largest military operation in history. On the morning of 6 June 1944, swarms of landing craft – part of an armada of over 6000 ships and 13,000 aeroplanes – hit the northern Normandy beaches, and tens of thousands of soldiers from the USA, the UK, Canada and elsewhere began pouring onto French soil. The initial landing force involved some 45,000 troops; 15 more divisions were to follow once successful beachheads had been established.

The majority of the 135,000 Allied troops stormed ashore along 80km of beaches north of Bayeux code named (from west to east) Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. The landings were followed by the 76-day Battle of Normandy, during which the Allies suffered 210,000 casualties, including 37,000 troops killed. German casualties are believed to have been around 200,000; another 200,000 German soldiers were taken prisoner. About 14,000 French civilians also died.

For more background and statistics, see www.normandiememoire.com and www.6juin1944.com.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

7  Omaha Beach

If anywhere symbolises the courage and sacrifice of D-Day, it’s Omaha – still known as ‘Bloody Omaha’ to US veterans. It was here, on the 7km stretch of coastline between Vierville-sur-Mer, St-Laurent-sur-Mer and Colleville-sur-Mer, that the most brutal fighting on D-Day took place. US troops had to fight their way across the beach towards the heavily defended cliffs, exposed to underwater obstacles, hidden minefields and withering crossfire. The toll was heavy: of the 2500 casualties at Omaha on D-Day, over 1000 were killed, most within the first hour of the landings.

High on the bluffs above Omaha, the Normandy American Cemetery & Memorial (www.abmc.gov; Colleville-sur-Mer; 9am-5pm) provides a sobering reminder of the human cost of the battle. Featured in the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan, this is the largest American cemetery in Europe, containing the graves of 9387 American soldiers, and a memorial to 1557 comrades ‘known only unto God’.

White marble crosses and stars of David stretch off in seemingly endless rows, surrounded by an immaculately tended expanse of lawn. The cemetery is overlooked by a large colonnaded memorial, centred on a statue dedicated to the spirit of American youth. Nearby is a reflective pond and a small chapel.

The Drive » From the Vierville-sur-Mer seafront, follow the rural D514 through quiet countryside towards Grandcamp-Maisy. After about 10km you’ll see signs to ‘Pointe du Hoc’.

Normandy American Cemetery & Memorial

MATTES RENÃ©/HEMIS.FR/GETTY IMAGES ©

WHY THIS IS A CLASSIC TRIP

OLIVER BERRY, AUTHOR

You’ll have heard the D-Day story many times before, but there’s nothing quite like standing on the beaches where this epic struggle played out. D-Day marked the turning point of WWII and heralded the end for Nazism in Europe. Paying your respects to the soldiers who laid down their lives in the name of freedom is an experience that’ll stay with you forever.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

8  Pointe du Hoc

West of Omaha, this craggy promontory was the site of D-Day’s most audacious military exploit. At 7.10am, 225 US Army Rangers commanded by Lt Col James Earl Rudder scaled the sheer 30m cliffs, where the Germans had stationed a battery of artillery guns trained onto the beaches of Utah and Omaha. Unfortunately, the guns had already been moved inland, and Rudder and his men spent the next two days repelling counterattacks. By the time they were finally relieved on 8 June, 81 of the rangers had been killed and 58 more had been wounded.

Today the site (02 31 51 90 70; admission free; 9am-5pm), which France turned over to the US government in 1979, looks much as it did on D-Day, complete with shell craters and crumbling gun emplacements.

The Drive » Stay on the D514 to Grandcamp-Maisy, then continue south onto the D13 dual carriageway. Stay on the road till you reach the turn-off for the D913, signed to St-Marie-du-Mont/Utah Beach. It’s a drive of 44km.

Pointe du Hoc

MOIRENC CAMILLE/HEMIS.FR/GETTY IMAGES ©

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9  Utah Beach

The D-Day tour ends at St-Marie-du-Mont, aka Utah Beach, assaulted by soldiers of the US 4th and 8th Infantry Divisions. The beach was relatively lightly defended, and by midday the landing force had linked with paratroopers from the 101st Airborne. By nightfall, some 20,000 men and 1700 vehicles had arrived on French soil, and the road to European liberation had begun.

Today the site is marked by military memorials and the Musée du Débarquement (Landing Museum; 02 33 71 53 35; www.utah-beach.com; Ste-Marie du Mont; adult/child €7.50/3; 9.30am-7pm) inside the former German command post.

DETOUR:

COUTANCES

Start 9  Utah Beach

The lovely old Norman town of Coutances makes a good detour when travelling between the D-Day beaches and Mont St-Michel. At the town’s heart is its Gothic Cathédrale de Coutances (parvis Notre-Dame; admission free; 9am-7pm). Interior highlights include several 13th-century windows, a 14th-century fresco of St Michael skewering the dragon, and an organ and high altar from the mid-1700s. You can climb the lantern tower on a tour (adult/child €7/4; in French 11am & 3pm Mon-Fri, 3pm Sun Jul & Aug).

Coutances is about 50km south of Utah Beach by the most direct route.

EATING & SLEEPING

Caen 1

5  A Contre Sens MODERN FRENCH €€

(02 31 97 44 48; www.acontresenscaen.fr; 8 rue Croisiers; mains €28-32, menus €22-48; lunch Wed-Sat, dinner Tue-Sat) Under the helm of young chef Anthony Caillot, meals are thoughtfully crafted and superbly presented. Given its quality, A Contre Sens is remarkably good value, especially at lunchtime.

5  Le Bouchon du Vaugueux NORMAN €€

(02 31 44 26 26; www.bouchonduvaugueux.com; 4 rue Graindorge; menus €21-33; noon-2pm & 7-10pm Tue-Sat) Caen’s most popular and buzzing restaurant. You may well be the only foreigner here, so don’t expect a translation of the chalkboard menu – but if your French is up to it, you’ll enjoy modern Norman cooking and well-priced wines. Book ahead.

4  Hôtel des Quatrans HOTEL €€

(02 31 86 25 57; www.hotel-des-quatrans.com; 17 rue Gémare; s €68-81, d €80-95; ) The outside might look like a set of concrete boxes, but inside this typically modern hotel you’ll find a surprising range of comfy, unfussy rooms, handy for exploring the city centre.

4  La Maison de Famille B&B €€

(06 61 64 88 54; www.maisondefamille.sitew.com; 4 rue Elie de Beaumont; d €70-90, q €105-130; ) A divine four-room town house B&B. Each room has personality: Baldaquin has a romantic four-poster bed, wooden floors and an old fireplace, while families plump for spacious Sous Les Toits (‘Under the Roof’) or garden-side Suite Jardin. Private parking is a bonus.

Bayeux 6

5  La Rapière NORMAN €€

(02 31 21 05 45; 53 rue St-Jean; menus €15-34; lunch & dinner Fri-Tue) Housed in a late-1400s mansion, this beamed restaurant specialises in Normandy staples such as terrine, duck, and veal with Camembert. Four fixed-price menus assure a splendid meal on any budget.

5  Le Pommier NORMAN €€

(02 31 21 52 10; www.restaurantlepommier.com; 38-40 rue des Cuisiniers; menus €15-30; noon-2pm & 7-9pm, closed Sun Nov-Feb; ) A celebration of all things Norman, Le Pommier’s menus include such classics as Caen-style tripe and steamed pollock. A vegetarian menu – a rarity in Normandy – is also available.

4  Les Logis du Rempart B&B €

(02 31 92 50 40; www.lecornu.fr; 4 rue Bourbesneur; d €60-100, q €130; ) This three-room maison de famille (guesthouse) oozes old-fashioned cosiness. Our favourite, the Bajocasse, has a parquet floor and Toile de Jouy wallpaper. There’s a tasting shop downstairs that sells homemade Calvados and cider, and breakfast features organic apple juice and apple jelly.

4  Villa Lara BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€€

(02 31 92 00 55; www.hotel-villalara.com; 6 place de Québec; d €180-280, ste €290-450; ) Clean lines, trendy colour schemes and minimalist motifs distinguish this new boutique hotel, which also has a bistro and a gym. The best rooms are blessed with views of the cathedral.

2  STRETCH YOUR LEGS PARIS

Paris is one of the world’s most strollable cities, whether that means window-shopping on the boulevards or getting lost among the lanes of Montmartre. This walk starts by the Seine, crosses to the Île de la Cité and finishes in the Latin Quarter, with monuments and museums aplenty en route.

START PLACE DE LA CONCORDE

FINISH PLACE DU PANTHÉON

DISTANCE 4.5KM

DURATION THREE HOURS

Place de la Concorde

If it’s Parisian vistas you’re after, the place de la Concorde makes a fine start. From here you can see the Arc de Triomphe, the Assemblée Nationale (the lower house of parliament), the Jardin des Tuileries and the Seine. Laid out in 1755, the square was where many aristocrats lost their heads during the Revolution, including Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The obelisk in the centre originally stood in the Temple of Ramses at Thebes (now Luxor).

The Walk » Walk east through the Jardin des Tuileries.

Jardin des Tuileries

This 28-hectare landscaped garden (7am-7.30pm, 9pm or 11pm) was laid out in 1664 by André Le Nôtre, who also created Versailles’ gardens. Filled with fountains, ponds and sculptures, the gardens are now part of the Banks of the Seine World Heritage Site, created by Unesco in 1991.

The Walk » Walk across place du Carrousel onto the Cour Napoleon.

Musée du Louvre

Overlooking the Cour Napoleon is the mighty Louvre, with its controversial 21m-high glass Grande Pyramide, designed by IM Pei in 1989. Nearby is the Pyramide Inversée (Upside-Down Pyramid), which acts as a skylight for the underground Carrousel du Louvre shopping centre.

The Walk » Continue southeast along the riverside Quai du Louvre to the Pont Neuf metro station.

Pont Neuf

As you cross the Seine, you’ll walk over Paris’ oldest bridge – ironically known as the ‘New Bridge’, or Pont Neuf. Henri IV inaugurated the bridge in 1607 by crossing it on a white stallion.

The Walk » Cross the Pont Neuf onto the Île de la Cité. Walk southeast along Quai des Horloges, and then turn right onto bd du Palais.

Conciergerie

On bd du Palais, the elegant Conciergerie (www.monuments-nationaux.fr; 2 bd du Palais, Île de la Cité, 1e; adult/child €8.50/free; 9.30am-6pm; Cité) is a royal palace that became a prison and torture chamber for enemies of the Revolution. The 14th-century Salle des Gens d’Armes (Cavalrymen’s Hall) is Europe’s largest surviving medieval hall.

The nearby church of Sainte-Chapelle (combined ticket with Conciergerie €12.50/free) has stunning stained glass.

The Walk » Continue east along rue de Lutèce, then cross place du Parvis Notre Dame and walk towards the cathedral.

Cathédrale de Notre Dame

At the eastern end of Île de la Cité, showstopper Notre Dame (www.cathedraledeparis.com; 6 place du Parvis Notre Dame, 4e; admission free; 7.45am-7pm) is the heart of Paris in more ways than one – it’s from here that all distances in France are measured.

Built in stages between the 11th and 15th centuries, it’s on a gargantuan scale; the interior alone is 130m long, 48m wide and 35m high. Don’t miss the three rose windows, the 7800-pipe organ and a walk up the gargoyle-covered Gothic towers.

The Walk » Cross the river on Pont au Double and follow rue Lagrange to bd St-Germain. Then take rue des Carmes and rue Valette south to the place du Panthéon.

Panthéon

Once you reach the left bank you’ll be in the Latin Quarter, the centre of Parisian higher education since the Middle Ages, and still home to the city’s top university, the Sorbonne.

It’s also where you’ll find the Panthéon (www.monum.fr; place du Panthéon; adult/child €7.50/free; 10am-6.30pm Apr-Sep, to 6pm Oct-Mar), the neoclassical mausoleum where some of France’s greatest thinkers are entombed, including Voltaire, Rousseau and Marie Curie.

The Walk » It’s a long walk back, so it’s easier to catch the metro. Walk east to place Monge, take Line 7 to Palais Royal Musée du Louvre, then Line 1 west to Concorde.

Loire Valley & Central France

World-renowned châteaux and fine wines may be the two most obvious reasons to visit central France, but they’re only the tip of the iceberg. When you’ve had your fill of château gawking and vineyard hopping, make some time for roads less travelled: wind through the Auvergne’s magnificent landscape of green pastures and volcanic cones; go underground to discover the Loire’s ancient troglodyte culture; or spend a week exploring Burgundy’s medieval churches, abbeys and walled towns. Central France is also prime walking and cycling country; look for paths wherever you go.

On this classic trip we showcase the luxurious architecture and indulgent gardens of the Loire Valley’s most beautiful chateaux.

Châteaux of the Loire 5 Days

Tour France’s greatest châteaux, from austere medieval towers to exuberant royal palaces.

Azay-le-Rideau

Châteaux and moat

RICCARDO SPILA/SIME/4CORNERS ©

Châteaux of the Loire

Chinon

Langeais

Villandry

Azay-le-Rideau

Chenonceau

Amboise

Blois

Cheverny

Chambord

Châteaux of the Loire

For centuries, France’s great river has been the backdrop for royal intrigue and extravagant architecture. This trip weaves together nine of the Loire Valley’s most classic châteaux.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

5 DAYS

225KM / 140 MILES

GREAT FOR…

BEST TIME TO GO

May and June for good cycling weather; July for gardens and special events.

ESSENTIAL PHOTO

Chenonceau’s graceful arches reflected in the Cher River.

BEST TWO DAYS

The stretch between Chenonceau and Chambord takes in all the classics.

Villandry

Château de Villandry and its glorious ornamental garden

JMICHEL DEBORDE/GETTY IMAGES ©

Châteaux of the Loire

From warring medieval counts to the kings and queens of France, countless powerful figures have left their mark on the Loire Valley. The result is France’s most diverse and magnificent collection of castle architecture. This itinerary visits nine of the Loire’s most iconic châteaux, running the gamut from austere medieval fortresses to ostentatious royal palaces; midway through, a side trip leads off the beaten track to four lesser-known châteaux.

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1  Chinon

Tucked between its medieval fortress and the Vienne River, Chinon is a lovely place to start exploring the magnificent châteaux of central France. The town is forever etched in France’s collective memory as the place where Joan of Arc first met future King Charles VII in 1429. Take in all the highlights on our walk (Click here), and stay overnight to appreciate the town’s relaxed pace.

4  Click here

The Drive » Follow the D16 north of Chinon for 10km, then head 15km east on the D7 past the fairy-tale Château d’Ussé (the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty) to Lignières, where you catch the D57 3km north into Langeais.

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2  Langeais

Built in the 1460s to cut off the likely invasion route from Brittany, Château de Langeais (www.chateau-de-langeais.com; adult/child €8.50/5; 9.30am-6.30pm Apr–mid-Nov, 10am-5pm mid-Nov–Mar) was designed first and foremost as a fortress. Ironically, three decades later this was the very same château where Charles VIII married Anne of Brittany, bringing about the historic union of France and Brittany and effectively ending the threat of Breton invasion.

One of the few châteaux with its original medieval interior, the castle (reached via a creaky drawbridge) is fantastically preserved inside and out, its flag-stoned rooms filled with 15th-century furniture, its crenellated ramparts and defensive towers jutting out from the jumbled rooftops of the surrounding village.

Up top, stroll the castle’s ramparts for a soldier’s-eye view of the town: gaps underfoot enabled boiling oil, rocks and ordure to be dumped on attackers. Across the courtyard, Langeais’ ruined keep, constructed in 992 by the granddaddy of medieval power mavens, Foulques Nerra, is the oldest such structure in France.

5  Click here

The Drive » Backtrack south across the Loire on the D57, then follow the riverbank east 10km on the D16 to Villandry.

Château de Langeais

INCAMERASTOCK/ALAMY ©

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3  Villandry

Renowned for its glorious landscaped gardens, Château de Villandry (www.chateauvillandry.com; château & gardens adult/child €9.50/5.50, gardens only €6.50/4; 9am-6pm Apr-Oct, earlier closing Nov-Mar, closed mid-Nov–Dec) was the brainchild of Jean le Breton, François I’s finance minister and Italian ambassador. Today visitors can stroll pebbled walkways through 6 hectares of formal water gardens, a maze, vineyards and multiple themed gardens including the fabulous 16th-century potager (kitchen garden), where even the vegetables are laid out in regimental colour-coordinated fashion. The gardens bloom between April and October, although they’re most spectacular in midsummer.

For bird’s-eye views across the gardens and the nearby Loire and Cher Rivers, climb to the top of the donjon (keep), the only medieval remnant in this otherwise Renaissance-style château.

The Drive » Go southwest 4km on the D7, then turn south 7km on the D39 into Azay-le-Rideau.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

4  Azay-le-Rideau

Romantic, moat-ringed Azay-le-Rideau (azay-le-rideau.monuments-nationaux.fr/en; adult/child €8.50/free; 9.30am-6pm Apr-Sep, 10am-5.15pm Oct-Mar) is one of France’s absolute gems, wonderfully adorned with slender turrets, geometric windows and decorative stonework, all wrapped up within a shady landscaped park on a natural island in middle of the Indre River. Built in the 1500s, the château’s most famous feature is its open loggia staircase, in the Italian style, overlooking the central courtyard and decorated with the royal salamanders and ermines of François I and Queen Claude. In summer, one of the region’s oldest and best son et lumière (sound and light) shows is projected onto the castle walls nightly.

The Drive » Follow the D84 east 6km through the tranquil Indre valley, then cross the river south into Saché, home to an attractive château and Balzac museum. From Saché continue 26km east on the D17, 11km northeast on the D45 and 9km east on the D976. Cross north over the Cher River and follow the D40 east 1.5km into Chenonceau.

DETOUR:

SLEEPY CHÂTEAUX OF THE SOUTH

Start 4  Azay-le-Rideau

Escape the crowds by detouring to four less-visited châteaux between Azay-le-Rideau and Chenonceau.

First stop: Loches, where Joan of Arc, fresh from her victory at Orléans in 1429, famously persuaded Charles VII to march to Reims and claim the French crown. The undisputed highlight here is the Cité Royale (www.chateau-loches.fr; adult/child €7.50/5.50; 9am-7pm Apr-Sep, 9.30am-5pm Oct-Mar), a royal citadel that spans 500 years of French château architecture in a single site, from Foulques Nerra’s austere 10th-century keep to the Flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance styles of the Logis Royal. To get here from Azay-le-Rideau, head 55km east along the D751, A85 and D943.

Next comes the quirky Château de Montrésor (www.chateaudemontresor.fr; adult/child €8/4; 10am-7pm Apr-Oct, to 6pm Sat & Sun Nov-Mar), 19km east of Loches on the D760, still furnished much as it was over a century ago when it belonged to Polish count, financier and railroad magnate Xavier Branicki. The eclectic decor includes a Cuban mahogany spiral staircase, a piano once played by Chopin and a treasury room filled with Turkish hookahs and other spoils from the 17th-century Battle of Vienna.

Next, head 20km north on the D10 and D764 to Château de Montpoupon (www.chateau-loire-montpoupon.com; adult/child €8/4.50; 10am-7pm), idyllically situated in rolling countryside. Opposite the castle, grab lunch at the wonderful Auberge de Montpoupon (www.aubergedemontpoupon.com; menus €21-67; lunch & dinner daily).

Continue 12km north on the D764 to Château de Montrichard, another ruined 11th-century fortress constructed by Foulques Nerra. After visiting the château, picnic in the park by the Cher River, or go wine tasting at Caves Monmousseau (www.monmousseau.com; 71 rte de Vierzon; tours adult/child €3.50/free; 10am-noon & 2.30-5.30pm).

From Montrichard, head 10km west on the D176 and D40 to rejoin the main route at Chenonceau.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

5  Chenonceau

Spanning the languid Cher River via a series of supremely graceful arches, Château de Chenonceau (www.chenonceau.com; adult/child €12.50/9.50; from 9am year-round, closes 5pm to 8pm depending on month) is a study in elegance, with its remarkable architecture, exquisite landscaping and fabulous furnishings.

Several noteworthy women have left their mark on Chenonceau, hence its alternative name, Le Château des Dames (Ladies’ Château). The distinctive arches were added by Diane de Poitiers, mistress of King Henri II. Henri’s widow, Catherine de Médici, added the yew-tree labyrinth and the western rose garden. In the 18th century, the aristocrat Madame Dupin made Chenonceau a centre of fashionable society and attracted guests including Voltaire and Rousseau. Legend has it that she also single-handedly saved the château from destruction during the Revolution, thanks to her popularity with local villagers.

The château’s pièce de résistance is the 60m-long window-lined Grande Gallerie spanning the Cher, scene of many a wild party over the centuries. The gallery was legendarily also used as an escape route for refugees fleeing the Nazi occupation during WWII, when the Cher marked the boundary between free and occupied France.

In summer, don’t miss the chance to stroll Chenonceau’s illuminated grounds at night during the Promenade Nocturne (adult/child €5/free).

The Drive » Follow the D81 north 13km into Amboise; 2km south of town, you’ll pass the Mini-Châteaux theme park, whose intricate scale models of 44 Loire Valley châteaux are great fun for kids!

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

6  Amboise

Elegant Amboise perches on the Loire’s southern bank, overlooked by the fortified 15th-century Château Royal d’Amboise (www.chateau-amboise.com; adult/child €10/7; from 9am year-round, closes 4.45pm to 7pm depending on month). Thanks to the château’s easily defensible position, it saw little military action, serving more often as a weekend getaway from the official royal seat at nearby Blois. Charles VIII, born and bred here, was responsible for the château’s Italianate remodelling in 1492.

Just up the street, Amboise’s other main sight is Le Clos Lucé (www.vinci-closluce.com; adult/child €13.50/8.50; 9am-7pm Feb-Oct, 10am-6pm Nov-Jan), the grand manor house where Leonardo da Vinci took up residence in 1516 and spent the final years of his life at the invitation of François I. Already 64 by the time he arrived, da Vinci spent his time sketching, tinkering and dreaming up new contraptions, scale models of which are now abundantly displayed throughout the home and its expansive gardens.

54  Click here

The Drive » Follow the D952 northeast along the Loire’s northern bank, enjoying 35km of beautiful river views en route to Blois. The town of Chaumont-sur-Loire makes a pleasant stop for lunch (see p146) or for its imposing château and gardens.

St Hubert Chapel, Château Royal d’Amboise

CHRISTOPHE LEHENAFF/GETTY IMAGES ©

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7  Blois

Straddling a rocky escarpment on the Loire’s northern bank, the Château Royal de Blois (www.chateaudeblois.fr; place du Château; adult/child €9.50/4; 9am-6.30pm Apr-Sep, to 12.30pm & 1.30-5.30pm Oct-Mar) bears the creative mark of several successive French kings. More a showpiece than a military stronghold, its four grand wings offer a superb overview of Loire Valley architectural styles, with elements of Gothic (13th century), Flamboyant Gothic (1498–1503), early Renaissance (1515–24) and classical (1630s).

Highlights include the loggia staircase, decorated with salamanders and curly ‘F’s (François I’s heraldic symbols); the studiolo, within whose elaborately panelled walls Catherine de Médici allegedly maintained secret cupboards for stashing poisons; and the 2nd-floor king’s apartments, which witnessed one of the bloodiest episodes in French royal history. In 1588 Henri III had his arch-rival, Duke Henri I de Guise, murdered here by royal bodyguards (the king himself hid behind a tapestry). Period paintings chronicle the gruesome events.

The Drive » Cross the Loire and continue 16km southeast into Cheverny via the D765 and D102.

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8  Cheverny

A masterpiece of French classical architecture, beautifully proportioned Château de Cheverny (www.chateau-cheverny.fr; adult/child €9/6; 9.15am-6.15pm Apr-Sep, 9.45am-5pm Oct-Mar) was built between 1625 and 1634 by Jacques Hurault, an intendant (royal administrative official) to Louis XII, and has been continuously inhabited by the same family for four centuries. Highlights of the sumptuously furnished interior include a formal dining room decorated with scenes from Don Quixote and a children’s playroom filled with Napoléon III–era toys.

Outside amid sprawling lawns, Cheverny’s kennels house pedigreed hunting dogs; feeding time, known as the Soupe des Chiens, takes place daily at 5pm. Behind the château, the 18th-century Orangerie, which sheltered priceless artworks including the Mona Lisa during WWII, is now a tearoom.

Tintin fans may recognise the château’s façade as the model for Captain Haddock’s ancestral home, Marlinspike Hall.

4  Click here

The Drive » Take the D102 10km northeast into Bracieux, then turn north on the D112 for the final 8km run through the forested Domaine National de Chambord (Europe’s largest hunting reserve). Catch your first dramatic glimpse of France’s most famous château on the right as you arrive in Chambord.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

9  Chambord

For over-the-top splendour, nothing compares to Château de Chambord (www.chambord.org; adult/child €11/9, parking €4; 9am-6pm Apr-Sep, 10am-5pm Oct-Mar), one of the supreme examples of French Renaissance architecture.

Begun in 1519 as a weekend hunting lodge by François I, it quickly snowballed into France’s most ambitious (and expensive) royal architectural project. When construction finally ended 30-odd years later, the castle boasted some 440 rooms, 365 fireplaces and 84 staircases, all built around a rectangular keep, crossed by four great hallways and flanked at the corners by circular bastions. Up through the centre of it all winds Chambord’s crowning glory, the famous double-helix staircase designed by Leonardo da Vinci, with two intertwining flights of stairs leading up to the great lantern tower and rooftop, from where you can survey the landscaped grounds and marvel at the exuberant jumble of cupolas, turrets, chimneys and lightning rods.

4  Click here

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

ELSA SAUVÉ, CHÂTEAU DE CHAMBORD

The double-helix staircase that whisks visitors from Chambord’s ground floor to its rooftop keep is the highlight, the magic being that two people can see each other go up and down it without their paths ever crossing. A magnificent view of the estate unfolds from the rooftop terrace, an unforgettable place with its sculpted chimney and turrets, really a place of contemplation and daydream.

Château de Chambord

MARC DOZIER/GETTY IMAGES ©

EATING & SLEEPING

Chinon 1

4  Hostellerie Gargantua HISTORIC HOTEL €

(02 47 93 04 71; www.hotel-gargantua.com; 73 rue Voltaire; d €55-81; ) Superior rooms with fireplaces or château views are worth the extra cash at this turret-topped medieval mansion with spiral staircases, pitch-dark wood and solid stone.

Langeais 2

5  Au Coin des Halles TRADITIONAL FRENCH €€

(02 47 96 37 25; www.aucoindeshalles.com; 9 rue Gambetta; menus lunch €16-19, dinner €24-49; 12.15-2pm & 7.15-9pm Fri-Tue) Enjoy bargain-priced gourmet lunches on the terrace at this elegant family-run bistro paces from Langeais’ château.

Amboise 6

5  Auberge de Launay TRADITIONAL FRENCH €€

(02 47 30 16 82; www.aubergedelaunay.com; Le Haut Chantier, Limeray; menus €19.50-38; noon-1.30pm Tue-Fri, 7.30-9.30pm Mon-Sat) This renowned country inn 8km east of Amboise incorporates herbs and vegetables from the kitchen garden into classic meat, fish and poultry dishes, accompanied by a superb wine list, divine artisanal cheese platters and desserts like wine-poached pears.

5  La Fourchette TRADITIONAL FRENCH €

(06 11 78 16 98; 9 rue Malebranche; lunch/dinner menus €15/24; noon-1.30pm Tue-Sat, 7-9.30pm Fri & Sat) Chef Christine’s down-to-earth home cooking makes you feel like you’ve been invited to her house for lunch; daily specials include spare ribs, roast chicken and veal stew.

4  Le Manoir Les Minimes DESIGN HOTEL €€€

(02 47 30 40 40; www.manoirlesminimes.com; 34 quai Charles Guinot; r €139-225, ste €305-530; ) This riverside pamper-palace would put most châteaux to shame. The best rooms have tall windows opening onto Loire or castle views.

4  Au Charme Rabelaisien B&B €€

(02 47 57 53 84; www.au-charme-rabelaisien.com; 25 rue Rabelais; d €92-175; late Mar-Oct; ) Three comfy rooms share a grassy yard, a swimming pool and free enclosed parking at this centrally located haven.

Cheverny 8

4  La Levraudière B&B €

(02 54 79 81 99; www.lalevraudiere.fr; 1 chemin de la Levraudière; d €66-69) Amid 3 hectares of grassland, this peaceful and meticulously kept 19th-century farmhouse offers crisp linens and delicious breakfasts with homemade jams.

Chambord 9

4  Hôtel Grand St-Michel HOTEL €€

(02 54 20 31 31; www.saintmichel-chambord.com; place St-Louis; d €60-106; ) This faded two-star hotel directly opposite Château de Chambord offers the unforgettable experience of wandering the château grounds alone at dawn or dusk, observing deer and wild boars in the adjacent park.

2  STRETCH YOUR LEGS CHINON

This relaxed walk leads you through Chinon’s medieval centre from one end to the other, visiting both the lower town and the historic castle above, culminating in a scenic stroll along the cave-riddled cliff face to the east.

START/FINISH HOSTELLERIE GARGANTUA

DISTANCE 3KM

DURATION THREE HOURS

Hostellerie Gargantua

Renowned author François Rabelais (c 1483–1553) grew up in Chinon; this atmospheric hotel (73 rue Voltaire), housed in a Gothic palace that once served as headquarters for the king’s representative in Chinon, is one of several places bearing Rabelais-related names that you’ll find scattered throughout the old town. On the same street, look for the Hôtel du Gouverneur, an impressive town house with a double-flighted staircase ensconced behind a carved gateway.

The Walk » Head east a few paces along rue Haute St-Maurice to the museum on the opposite side of the street.

Musée d’Art et d’Histoire

This small municipal museum (44 rue Haute St-Maurice; adult/child €3/free; 2.30-6.30pm Wed-Mon May–mid-Sep, 2-6pm Fri-Mon mid-Sep–mid-Nov & mid-Feb–Apr, closed mid-Nov–mid-Feb) has a collection of Chinon-related art and archaeological finds dating from prehistory to the 19th century, including a painting of Rabelais by Delacroix. Outside the museum is the intersection of two medieval streets, whose half-timbered buildings are said to have housed Joan of Arc while she awaited her audience with the dauphin Charles.

The Walk » Continue east along rue Haute St-Maurice, which soon changes its name to rue Voltaire. Look for the Caves Painctes de Chinon in the cliff face to your left.

Caves Painctes de Chinon

Hidden at the end of a cobbled alleyway off rue Voltaire are the Caves Painctes de Chinon (impasse des Caves Painctes; www.chinon.com; admission €3; guided tours 11am, 3pm, 4.30pm & 6pm Tue-Sun Jul & Aug), a network of former quarries that were converted into wine cellars during the 15th century. Local winegrowers run tours of the caves (wine cellars) in summer.

The Walk » Return to rue Voltaire, then walk diagonally across the street to La Cave Voltaire.

La Cave Voltaire

A great place for a mid-afternoon snack or an evening drink, La Cave Voltaire (13 rue Voltaire) stocks over 200 wines from the Chinon region and beyond. Tasty platters of local cheese and charcuterie are served with hearty fresh bread at pavement tables with nice views up to Chinon’s castle.

The Walk » Follow rue Voltaire three blocks east into Chinon’s picturesque main square, place du Général de Gaulle, then turn left (uphill) two blocks and take the free elevator to the upper town. Once up top, turn left and climb to the castle.

Forteresse Royale de Chinon

Chinon’s star attraction is this fabulous castle (www.forteresse-chinon.fr; adult/child €8.50/6.50; 9.30am-7pm May-Aug, to 5pm or 6pm rest of year). The 12th-century Fort St-Georges and Logis Royal (Royal Lodgings) date from the Plantagenet court of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, while the 14th-century Tour de l’Horloge (Clock Tower) houses exhibits commemorating Joan of Arc’s 1429 meeting with the future Charles VII. For stupendous panoramas, climb atop the 13th-century Fort du Coudray.

The Walk » Descend rue du Puy des Bancs to rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, turn left and continue two blocks to St-Mexme church. Climb left of the church on rue de Pitoche, then follow rue du Coteau Ste-Radegonde 500m past cave-pockmarked cliffs to Chapelle Ste-Radegonde.

Chapelle Ste-Radegonde

Surrounded by abandoned troglodyte dwellings, this mystical, half-ruined medieval chapel (rue du Coteau Ste-Radegonde; adult/child €3/free; 3-6pm Sat & Sun May, Jun & Sep, 3-6pm Wed-Mon Jul & Aug) is built partly into a cave, accessed by a red door in an old stone wall. The chapel’s 12th-century ‘Royal Hunt’ fresco is said to represent members of the Plantagenet royal family; inside, a staircase descends to a subterranean spring associated with a pre-Christian cult.

The Walk » Retrace your steps to Hostellerie Gargantua via St-Mexme church, rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau and place du Général de Gaulle.

Alps & Eastern France

From the Rhône River to Europe’s highest mountain, eastern France is a crazy quilt of inspirational landscapes.

To the northwest of Lyon, narrow roads snake through the vine-covered Beaujolais; to the south, the Rhône flows through increasingly sunny country past Gallo-Roman ruins, medieval hilltop fortresses and precipitous gorges. East lie the mountains: the Jura, land of Comté cheese and golden wine; the Vercors’ poppy-strewn plateaus and limestone peaks; Haute-Provence’s lavender fields and multihued canyons.

But on this classic trip we concentrate on the Alps, towering high above, where France’s most spellbinding high-country scenery revolves around hulking Mont Blanc.

Alpine Adventure 6 Days

Revel in France’s high-country grandeur, from lakeside Annecy to top-of-the-world Chamonix.

The Jura

Cross-country skiing

PRISMA BILDAGENTUR AG/ALAMY ©

Alpine Adventure

Annecy

St-Gervais-les-Bains

Chamonix

Val d’Isère

Col de l’Iseran

Bonneval-sur-Arc

Col du Galibier

Briançon

ALPINE ADVENTURE

Combining take-your-breath-away grandeur with a delightful dose of French mountain culture, France’s Alps provide a stunning and incomparable setting for a summer road trip.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

6 DAYS

363KM / 225 MILES

GREAT FOR…

BEST TIME TO GO

Mid-June to mid-September – mountain passes are snow-free.

ESSENTIAL PHOTO

Alpine crags and colourful boats reflected in the lake at Annecy.

BEST TWO DAYS

The section between Annecy and Chamonix: the French Alps’ most classic scenery.

The Alps

Breathtaking Mont Blanc views from on top of the world

GIOVANNI SIMEONE/SIME/4CORNERS ©

Alpine Adventure

A study in superlatives, this outdoorsy ramble through the heart of the French Alps runs from Annecy (France’s prettiest lake) to Mont Blanc (western Europe’s highest peak) to Col de l’Iseran (Europe’s highest mountain pass) to Bonneval-sur-Arc (one of France’s most beautiful villages). Along the way you’ll have ample opportunities for high-adrenaline mountain adventure – hiking, mountain biking, white-water rafting, vertigo-inducing cable-car rides and crossings of the French Alps’ most spectacular passes.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

1  Annecy

There’s no dreamier introduction to the French Alps than Annecy. The mountains rise steep, wooded and snow-capped above startlingly turquoise Lac d’Annecy, providing a sublime setting for the medieval town’s photogenic jumble of geranium-strewn houses, romantic canals and turreted rooftops.

Summer is the prime time to visit, when everyone is outdoors, socialising at pavement cafes, swimming in the lake (among Europe’s purest) and boating, walking or cycling around it. Evening street performers feature during July’s Les Noctibules festival, and there are lakeside fireworks during August’s Fête du Lac.

Wander through the narrow medieval streets of the Vieille Ville (Old Town) to find the whimsical 12th-century Palais de l’Isle (3 passage de l’Île; www.musees.agglo-annecy.fr; adult/child €3.50/1.50; 10.30am-6pm) on a triangular islet in the Canal du Thiou. Next stroll the tree-fringed lakefront through the flowery Jardins de l’Europe, linked to the popular picnic spot Champ de Mars by the graceful Pont des Amours (Lovers’ Bridge) and presided over by the perkily turreted Château d’Annecy (rampe du Château; adult/child €5/2.50; 10.30am-6pm).

Cycling paths encircle the lake, passing by several pretty beaches en route. Boats (per hr €15-50) can be hired along the canal-side quays, and several companies offer adventure sports. For details, visit Annecy’s tourist office (04 50 45 00 33; www.lac-annecy.com; Centre Bonlieu; 9am-6.30pm Mon-Sat, to 12.30pm & 1.45-6pm Sun).

54  Click here

The Drive » This 70km drive starts with a pretty southeastern run along Annecy’s lakeshore, passing through the wildlife-rich wetlands of Bout du Lac on the lake’s southern tip before continuing east on the D1508, then northeast on the D1212 and D909 into St-Gervais.

Canal du Thiou and château, Annecy

STUART BLACK/GETTY IMAGES ©

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2  St-Gervais-les-Bains

Basking in the shadow of Mont Blanc, St-Gervais-les-Bains is a postcard-perfect Savoyard village, centred on a baroque church and old-fashioned carousel.

Panoramic hiking trails in the Bettex, Mont d’Arbois and Mont Joly areas head off from town. Some of the best mountain-biking terrain is marked between Val d’Arly, Mont Blanc and Beaufortain.

For spirit-soaring mountain views with zero effort, board the Tramway du Mont Blanc (rue de la Gare; www.compagniedumontblanc.co.uk; return to Bellevue/Nid d’Aigle €29.50/35; 9am-4.50pm), France’s highest train. Since 1913 it has been labouring up to Bellevue (1800m) in winter and Mont Lachat (2113m) in summer.

Train buffs will also love the narrow-gauge Mont-Blanc Express (www.ter-sncf.com), which trundles along a century-old rail line from St-Gervais-Le Fayet station to Martigny in Switzerland. For info, enter ‘Mont-Blanc Express’ into the website’s ‘Rechercher sur le site’ pane.

4  Click here

The Drive » The 24km route to Chamonix follows the D902, N205 and D243 into the heart of the Alps.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

3  Chamonix

An outdoors playground of epic proportions, Chamonix sits directly at the foot of western Europe’s highest peak, the pearly white massif of Mont Blanc (4810m).

Climbers with the necessary skill, experience and stamina flock here for the incomparable Mont Blanc ascent. If you’re not quite ready to scale ‘the big one’, consider circumnavigating it on the classic six- to 10-day Tour du Mont Blanc, which takes in majestic glaciers and peaks in France, Italy and Switzerland; local outfitters organise excursions including half-board in refuges (mountain huts), lift tickets and luggage transport. Other peak experiences include Chamonix’s dozens of day hikes (Click here), the unforgettable cable-car ascent to Aiguille du Midi (Click here) and the train ride (adult/child/family €26.40/22.30/79.20) to France’s largest glacier, the glistening 200m-deep Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice).

Chamonix has an unparalleled menu of adrenaline sports including rafting, canyoning, mountain biking and paragliding down from the heights of Planpraz (2000m) or Aiguille du Midi (3842m). For details, visit the tourist office (04 50 53 00 24; www.chamonix.com; 85 place du Triangle de l’Amitié; 8.30am-7pm).

54  Click here

The Drive » From Chamonix, take the E25 southeast 17km through the Mont Blanc Tunnel into Italy. From the Aosta/Courmayeur exit, continue 31km southwest back towards France along the SS26. Once across the border, follow the D1090 and D84 southwest, then the D902 southeast for a total of 40km into Val d’Isère.

AIGUILLE DU MIDI

A jagged needle of rock rearing above glaciers, snowfields and rocky crags, 8km from the hump of Mont Blanc, the Aiguille du Midi (3842m) is one of Chamonix’s most distinctive landmarks. If you can handle the height, don’t miss taking a trip up here; the 360-degree views of the French, Swiss and Italian Alps are breathtaking.

All year round the vertiginous Téléphérique de l’Aiguille de Midi (place de l’Aiguille du Midi; www.compagniedumontblanc.co.uk; adult/child return to Aiguille du Midi €55/47, to Plan de l’Aiguille summer €29.50/25, winter €16/14; 8.30am-4.30pm), one of the world’s highest cable cars, climbs to the summit. Halfway up, Plan de l’Aiguille (2317m) is a terrific place to start hikes or paraglide. In summer you’ll need to obtain a boarding card (marked with the number of your departing and returning cable car) in addition to a ticket. Bring warm clothes; even in summer the temperature rarely rises above -10°C up top!

From the Aiguille du Midi, between late June and early September you can continue for a further 30 minutes of mind-blowing scenery – think suspended glaciers, spurs, seracs and shimmering ice fields – in the smaller bubbles of the Télécabine Panoramique Mont Blanc (adult/child return from Chamonix €80/68; 8.30am-3.30pm) to Pointe Helbronner (3466m) on the Franco–Italian border.

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4  Val d’Isère

This world-renowned, end-of-the-valley resort is home to the gargantuan Espace Killy skiing area, named after French triple Olympic gold medallist Jean-Claude Killy. Even in July, you can ski the Pisaillas Glacier above town, though many summer visitors also come to hike, mountain bike and enjoy off-season hotel discounts.

The trails weaving into the nearby valleys of Parc National de la Vanoise are a hiker’s dream. For more of a challenge, play among the peaks at neighbouring La Daille’s two via ferrate fixed-rope routes.

Mountain biking (VTT) is big in Val, especially since the resort hosted stages of the UCI World Cup in 2012. Five lifts offer cyclists access to 16 downhill routes, seven endurance runs and two cross-country circuits. Bike rental is available at local sport shops. Bureau des Guides (06 87 52 85 03; www.guides-montagne-valdisere.com) arranges guided hiking, mountain biking, canyoning and rock-climbing excursions.

Visit the tourist office (04 79 06 06 60; www.valdisere.com; place Jacques Mouflier; 8.30am-7.30pm) for details on family-friendly activities, from donkey trekking to farm visits.

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The Drive » Prepare for a dizzying climb as you leave Val d’Isère, steeply switchbacking 17km up the D902 to Col de l’Iseran.

HIKING CHAMONIX

Chamonix boasts 350km of spectacular high-altitude trails, many reached by cable car. In June and July there’s enough light to walk until at least 9pm. Here are a few recommended walks to get you started.

»  Lac Blanc From the top of Les Praz l’Index Télépherique (cable car; one-way/return €20/24) or at La Flégère (€12/14), the line’s midway point, gentle 1¼- to two-hour trails lead to 2352m Lac Blanc, a turquoise-coloured lake ensnared by mountains. Stargazers can overnight at the Refuge du Lac Blanc (04 50 47 24 49; dm incl half-board €49; mid-Jun–Sep), a wooden chalet favoured by photographers for its top-of-Europe Mont Blanc views.

»  Grand Balcon Sud This easygoing trail skirts the western side of the valley, stays at around 2000m and commands a terrific view of Mont Blanc. Reach it on foot from behind Le Brévent’s télécabine station.

»  Grand Balcon Nord Routes starting from the Plan de l’Aiguille include the challenging Grand Balcon Nord, which takes you to the dazzling Mer de Glace, from where you can walk or take the Montenvers train down to Chamonix.

Val d’Isère ski resort

NEIL EMMERSON/ROBERT HARDING/GETTY IMAGES ©

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5  Col de l’Iseran

No doubt about it, you’re really far above sea level here! Indeed, the D902 over Col de l’Iseran (2770m) is the highest paved through road in Europe. Meteorological conditions at the summit are notoriously fickle – witness the Tour de France stage that was supposed to pass through here on 8 July 1996 but had to be rerouted due to snow and -5°C temperatures!

The Drive » Spellbinding views unfold as you navigate the D902’s hairpin turns 14km downhill into Bonneval-sur-Arc.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

6  Bonneval-sur-Arc

Heralded as one of the plus beaux villages de la France (prettiest villages in France), this high mountain hamlet is filled with stone and slate cottages that wear their winter preparations proudly (notice all the woodpiles up on 2nd-floor porches).

Bonneval makes a tranquil base for exploring the 530-sq-km Parc National de la Vanoise (www.parcnational-vanoise.fr), whose rugged snowcapped peaks, mirror-like lakes and vast glaciers dominate the landscape between the Tarentaise and Maurienne Valleys. This incredible swath of wilderness was designated France’s first national park in 1963, protecting habitat for marmots, chamois and France’s largest colony of ibexes, along with 20 pairs of golden eagles and the odd bearded vulture.

The park is a hiker’s heaven between June and September. The Grand Tour de Haute Maurienne (www.hautemaurienne.com), a seven-day hike around the upper reaches of the valley, takes in national-park highlights. For information on local day hikes, visit Bonneval-sur-Arc’s tourist office (04 79 05 95 95; www.bonneval-sur-arc.com; 9am-noon & 2-6.30pm Mon-Sat).

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WINTER DRIVING

Parts of this route (notably the northern stretches around Annecy and Chamonix) are accessible to drivers in winter, but the high mountain passes further south are strictly off-limits outside summer. See Click here for further notes on driving in the French mountains.

4  Click here

The Drive » Cruise 55km down the Arc River valley on the D902 through Lanslebourg and Modane to St-Michel de Maurienne, then climb 35km through the ski resort of Valloire to the ethereal heights of Col du Galibier.

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7  Col du Galibier

The signposts say you’re simply crossing the departmental border from Savoie into the Hautes Alpes. The landscape says that you’ve entered another universe. Col du Galibier (2642m) is a staggeringly beautiful Alpine pass, whose forbidding remoteness may make you feel like the last living person on earth. To the west lies the Parc National des Écrins, a 918-sq-km expanse of high mountain wilderness. Stop and savour the top-of-the-world feeling before returning to the squiggling ribbon of roadway below.

The Drive » Despite the distance on the signpost (35km), the incredibly twisty and scenic descent into Briançon on the D902 and D1091 feels longer; stupendous views will stop you in your tracks every couple of minutes. Enjoy every horn-tooting, head-spinning, glacier-gawping moment, with views of thundering falls, sheer cliffs and jagged peaks razoring above thick larch forests.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

ERIC FAVRET, MOUNTAIN GUIDE, COMPAGNIE DES GUIDES DE CHAMONIX

The best-ever Mont Blanc view? No hesitation: the Traverse from Col des Montets to Lac Blanc. I love swimming in mountain lakes, so I like to stop at Lac des Chéserys, just below, where it’s quieter: what’s better than a swim in pure mountain water, looking at Mont Blanc, the Grandes Jorasses and Aiguille Verte? This is what I call mountain landscape perfection!

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8  Briançon

Perched astride a high rocky outcrop, the fairy-tale walled city of Briançon affords views of the snowcapped Écrins peaks from almost every corner. The centre’s Italian ambience is no coincidence; Italy is just 20km away.

Briançon’s old town is a late-medieval time capsule, its winding cobbled lanes punctuated by shuttered, candy-coloured town houses and shops selling whistling marmots. The steep main street, Grande Gargouille, links two town gates, Porte de Pignerol and Porte d’Embrun. Crowning the old city is the massive Fort du Château. Daily guided walks are run by Service du Patrimoine (04 92 20 29 49; Porte de Pignerol; adult/child €7/5.50; 2-5.30pm Mon, 9am-noon & 2-5.30pm Tue-Fri).

Briançon’s biggest drawcard is its Unesco-listed ensemble of 17th- and early-18th-century structures designed by pioneering French military architect Vauban, including the old town’s signature star-shaped fortifications, the coral-pink Collégiale Notre Dame et St Nicolas, several nearby forts and the Pont d’Asfeld bridge.

There are outstanding hiking opportunities in the mountains of nearby Parc National des Écrins (www.ecrins-parcnational.fr). Pick up maps and info at the Maison du Parc (04 92 21 08 49; place du Médecin-Général Blanchard; 2-6pm Mon-Fri). For guided treks, glacier traverses, mountain biking, rafting, kayaking, canyoning and via ferrate, check with Bureau des Guides et Accompagnateurs (04 92 20 15 73; www.guides-briancon.fr).

EATING & SLEEPING

Annecy 1

5  L’Esquisse REGIONAL CUISINE €€

(04 50 44 80 59; www.esquisse-annecy.fr; 21 rue Royale; menus lunch €19-22, dinner €29-60; lunch & dinner Mon, Tue & Thu-Sat) Book ahead at this intimate six-table bistro, whose owners’ passion shines through in the service, wine list and menus singing with integral flavours, from wild mushrooms to spider crab.

4  Hotel Splendid BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€

(04 50 45 20 00; www.hotel-annecy-lac.fr; 4 quai Eustache Chappuis; s/d €109/121; ) ‘Splendid’ sums up the lakefront position of this friendly, family-oriented hotel, with breezy views from its boutique-chic, parquet-floored rooms.

St-Gervais-les-Bains 2

4  Les Dômes de Miage CAMPGROUND €

(04 50 93 45 96; www.camping-mont-blanc.com; 197 rte des Contamines; campsites €23-28.50; May–mid-Sep; ) Mont Blanc is your wake-up call at this beautifully set, well-equipped campground with on-site restaurant and playground.

Chamonix 3

5  Les Vieilles Luges TRADITIONAL FRENCH €€

(06 84 42 37 00; www.lesvieillesluges.com; Les Houches; menus €20-35; lunch & dinner daily) At this dreamy 250-year-old farmhouse, reached via a scenic 20-minute hike from Maison Neuve chairlift, Julie and Claude spoil you with their home-cooked bœuf bourguignon and creamy farçon (prepared with potatoes, prunes and bacon). Magic!

4  Auberge du Manoir HOTEL €€

(04 50 53 10 77; aubergedumanoir.com, in French; 8 rte du Bouchet; s €109-122, d €126-176, q €178; ) Ablaze with geraniums in summer, this beautifully converted farmhouse has it all: pristine mountain views, quaint but never cloying pine-panelled rooms, an outdoor hot tub and a bar. Tasty breakfasts feature fruit, homemade yoghurt, cakes and tarts.

Val d’Isère 4

5  L’Étable d’Alain SAVOYARD €€

(04 79 06 13 02; www.fermedeladroit.com, in French; mains €22-29; ) Feast on deliciously gooey fondues and raclette (an Alpine speciality consisting of boiled potatoes and melted cheese) at this attractively converted stable, watched by cud-chewing cows in the family dairy barn next door.

Bonneval-sur-Arc 6

4  Auberge d’Oul B&B €

(04 79 05 87 99; www.auberge-oul.com; dm/d/q incl breakfast €25/68/130, incl half-board €36/80/148) Smack on the village square, this flowery-balconied, slate-walled gîte (self-catering cottage) has one seven-person dorm and three rustic but spotless rooms; add a few euros for home-cooked mountain meals.

Provence & Southeast France

With its shimmering coast and rustic Provençal heart, the Mediterranean south has a timeless allure. Driving here you’ll travel through wildly divergent landscapes: cinematic coastline, rugged hinterland and bucolic valleys.

The Cote d’Azur’s glamorous cities, deep-blue Med and chic hilltop villages never fail to delight. Inland, you can weave between fragrant fields, forested gorges and Roman ruins. Along the way you’ll connect with the poets, painters and writers who flocked here during the 20th century, chasing sun and inspiration.

Cote d’Azur

Corniche de l’Estérel

RUTH TOMLINSON/GETTY IMAGES ©

The Corniches 3 Days

Not one but three thrilling coastal roads – the ultimate French drive.

Riviera Cruising 7 Days

The best beaches, cities, villages and nature along the Med coast.

Mont Ventoux

Cycling to the observatory

CHRISTOPHE LEHENAFF/GETTY IMAGES ©

The Corniches

Nice

La Turbie

Roquebrune-Cap-Martin

Menton

Cap d’Ail

Èze-sur-Mer

Èze

Monaco

THE CORNICHES

This trio of spectacular coastal roads makes for one of the world’s most cinematic drives. There are glamorous towns ahead, and some vertiginous bends. Get ready for a jaw-dropping experience.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

3 DAYS

75KM / 47 MILES

GREAT FOR…

BEST TIME TO GO

Avoid August’s traffic, but otherwise enjoy winter or summer.

ESSENTIAL PHOTO

Under Augustus’ Trophée des Alpes in La Turbie, with Monaco far beneath you.

BEST FOR GLAMOUR

Pull up a cliffside seat for aperitifs on Château Eza’s charming stone terrace.

Roquebrune

Glorious coastal views over terracotta roofs

BANANA PANCAKE/GETTY IMAGES ©

The Corniches

Don’t save the best for last. Say goodbye to Nice from on high, and head onto Napoléon’s cliff-hanging Grande Corniche, taking its sweep all the way to the Italian border. Come to your senses as you skim the waterfront on the Corniche Inférieure (aka Corniche Basse), then there are more bedazzling vistas along the Moyenne Corniche before your triumphal entry into Monaco. There’s method to the double-back madness – it’s all about eastbound views.

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1  Nice

You’ll begin your trip in Nice (a great place to sleep and gather snacks and supplies), heading out through Riquier on the D2564. The trip, and the thrilling views, officially begins at l’Observatoire de Nice (04 92 00 30 11; bd de l’Observatoire; adult/child €6/3) up on the summit of Mont Gros. Take it all in, wander the beautiful parkland and get ready to really drive.

54  Click here, Click here, Click here

The Drive » This is, without a doubt, 12 spectacular kilometres. Note that the Parc Naturel Départemental de la Grande Corniche will be on your left and stretches almost all the way to La Turbie. Pull over and make use of its picnic tables and dozens of hilly trails – Guides RandOxygène (www.randoxygene.org) has maps.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

LEE (LINO) LATEGAN-MCGREGOR, REAL ESTATE AGENT, NICE

Cheap and chic does exist on the Riviera, even in Monaco. Lounge about on imported sand with the glitterati on the beach along av Princess Grace, then head up to quaint L’Estragon in Monaco-Ville for €9 pizzas and an evening stroll. Want to party with the rich and famous? La Rascasse in Monaco’s port has happy hour every night until 11pm – that’s €7 cocktails in one of the area’s coolest, and hottest, outdoor DJ bars.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

2  La Turbie

If you were approaching from the east, you might mistake the Trophée des Alpes (18 av Albert Ie; adult/child €5.50/free; 9.30am-1pm & 2.30-6.30pm Tue-Sun) for a nuclear reactor or a concrete smelter, so gigantic is its scale. From the west, though, you can’t miss the stunning classical façade. Yes, it’s a triumphal Roman monument! Built by Emperor Augustus in 6 BC to celebrate his victory over the remaining Celto-Ligurian Alpine tribes that had resisted Roman sovereignty, this amazing tower teeters on the highest point of the old Roman road. It’s a joy to visit, with dramatic views of Monaco, and a wooded park setting.

La Turbie often plays bridesmaid to Èze’s bride, but it’s something of an insider favourite; it’s a real town going about its business, nonchalantly blessed with one of the world’s most sublimely lovely locations. It’s a magical place for a meal or, even better, an overnight stay.

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The Drive » Monte Carlo may sparkle and beckon below, but keep your eyes on the road; the principality will keep for another day. Stay on the D2564 to skirt Monaco for another amazing 10km, then turn right into the D52 to Roquebrune.

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3  Roquebrune-Cap-Martin

This village of two halves feels a world away from the urban glitz of nearby Monaco: the coastline around Cap Martin remains relatively unspoilt, as if Roquebrune had left its clock on medieval time. The historic half of the town, Roquebrune itself, sits 300m high on a pudding-shaped lump. It towers over the Cap, but they are, in fact, linked by innumerable, very steep steps.

The village is delightful, free of tack, and there are sensational views of the coast from the main village square, place des Deux Frères. Of all Roquebrune’s steep and tortuous streets, rue Moncollet – with its arcaded passages and stairways carved out of rock – is the most impressive. Scurry upwards to find architect Le Corbusier’s grave at the cemetery at the top of the village (in section J, and, yes, he did design his own tombstone).

The Drive » Continue along the D52 towards the coast, following promenade du Cap-Martin all the way along the seafront to Menton. You’ll be there in 10 minutes, traffic permitting.

CABANON LE CORBUSIER

On a rocky parcel of land between the railway line and the sea, surrounded by eucalypts, Cabanon Le Corbusier (promenade Le Corbusier, Cap Martin; www.capmoderne.com; guided tours adult/child €15/10; guided tours only 10am & 3pm Tue-Sun Jul & Aug, 10am & 2pm 2pm Tue-Sun May, Jun & Sep-mid-Oct), French architect Le Corbusier’s midcentury beach shack, draws design pilgrims from around the world. Come for the architecture, but also for a glimpse of the Riviera that drew the creative classes long before the days of super-yachts and Michelin-star dining.

The cabanon was designed using the Modulor, a mathematical benchmark based on the height of a man with his arms held up. It’s tiny, and yet a perfect distillation of Corbusier’s high Modernist ideals, a place created in which to live a simple, sensual life. It was the only building he ever designed for himself; he declared it ‘extravagant in comfort and gentleness’.

Visits are only possible with two-hour guided tours run by the Roquebrune-Cap-Martin tourist office (04 93 35 62 87; www.roquebrune-cap-martin.com; 218 av Aristide Briand). Check here first, as the site has been undergoing renovations.

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4  Menton

Menton’s townscape reads like a history book. Its hilltop Vieille Ville (old city) is Ligurian to its core, a veritable mini-Genoa, while its sprawling gardens and belle èpoque mansions are a legacy of its 19th-century Brit invasion (it was the place to cough your last, darling). Meander the historic quarter all the way to the Cimetière du Vieux Château (montée du Souvenir; 7am-8pm May-Sep, to 6pm Oct-Apr) for great views. From place du Cap a ramp leads to the south’s grandest baroque church, the Italianate Basilique St-Michel Archange (place de l’Église St-Michel; 10am-noon & 3-5.15pm Mon-Fri, 3-5.15pm Sat & Sun), its creamy façade flanked by a towering steeple.

Menton’s famed sunny microclimate is a botanist’s dream, and there are many historic gardens to wander, including the Jardin Botanique Exotique du Val Rahmeh (http://jardinvalrahmeh.free.fr/; av St-Jacques; adult/child €6/5.50; 10am-12.30pm & 3.30-6.30pm Wed-Mon) where terraces overflow with exotic fruit-tree collections, and the beautiful, once abandoned Jardin de la Serre de la Madone (04 93 57 73 90; www.serredelamadone.com; 74 rte de Gorbio; adult/child €8/4; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun), overgrown with rare plants. The tourist office’s dedicated garden website (www.jardins-menton.fr) has a comprehensive list and opening times.

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The Drive » Leave Menton on the D6007, the Moyenne Corniche, skirting the upper perimeter of Monaco. Veer left onto the D37 and follow the signs to Cap d’Ail, around a 30-minute trip all up.

DETOUR:

ACROSS THE ITALIAN BORDER

Start: 4  Menton

Menton’s leafy ‘suburbs’ reach right to the border with Italy, so getting two countries out of your Côte d’Azur jaunt is simple and highly recommended.

Join hordes of bargain-conscious French shoppers heading to Ventimiglia (Vintimille in French) for the daily produce market. Stock up on fruit and fabulous deli and baked goods, such as mozzarella-stuffed peppers, chard tarts, parmesan and tallegio cheeses, and bresaola (air-dried salt beef). The larger Friday market sprawls along the seafront for more than 1km, offering fresh produce as well as general market stalls. It’s so popular it routinely results in border gridlock. Unless you’re keen to pick up imitation leather goods and bargain clothes, go another day. The town is also known for its cheap alcohol outlets, a good bet for spirits and aperitifs, but not so great for wine.

Hey, you’re in Italy! That means pasta for lunch, so head to Pasta & Basta (39 184 230878; 20/A Via Marconi, Maria San Giuseppe, Ventimiglia; mains €15-20; lunch & dinner Tue-Sun, lunch Mon; ) via the underpass before the town to the perpetually redeveloping port area (don’t ask when it will be finished). Various house-made fresh pasta can be matched with a large menu of sauces. Go for a Ligurian speciality: Genovese pesto or salsa di noci (a pesto-like blond walnut sauce), and wash it down with a carafe of local white, such as a pale and refreshing pigato.

If you’ve got time, head down the valley to Dolceaqua, a steeply sited medieval charmer. It’s marvellous how essentially Italian it all feels, when you’ll be back in France in mere minutes.

Marina, Menton

HANS-PETER MERTEN/GETTY IMAGES ©

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5  Cap d’Ail

Ditch the car for a day, hang out on hedonist’s favourite Plage Mala (a tiny gravel cove where a couple of restaurants double up as private beach and cocktail bars) or do some spectacular coastal walking. Monaco’s stretch aside, you can hike the 13km along the Sentier du Littoral between Cap d’Ail and Menton without passing a car. Follow the rugged coastline from Mala to Plage Marquet in the Fontvieille neighbourhood of Monaco. The path then picks up at the other end of Monaco, in Larvotto, from where you can walk to Menton along the beaches and wooded shores of Cap Martin, including the beautiful Plage Buse. The walk is easy going (although often tricky in bad weather) and well marked; walk small sections and include beach stops and lunch. This is also a good place to stay overnight if you’re shy of Monaco’s hotel rates.

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The Drive » Take the D6098 west out of Cap d’Ail for 5km, passing through the giant headland via a tunnel, and then emerge on the coast at Èze-sur-Mer on av de la Liberté.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

6  Èze-sur-Mer

Èze-sur-Mer can seem a bit dull from the road. But do pull up on av de la Liberté and find a park. Keep your eyes peeled for the underpass, near the main bus stop, which takes you to the beach, hidden behind a row of cute old beach houses. It’s a sweet, intimate stretch of pebbles fronted by a gentle cove and bookended with dark mountains. Head to one of the low-key beach clubs, such as friendly Papaya Beach (04 93 01 50 33; www.papayabeach.fr; 28 av de la Liberté; Easter-Oct), and sit back and watch the odd luxury yacht bobbing beyond the pontoon. There’s a nice public strip here, too.

The Drive » Continue towards Cap Ferrat. Past Beaulieu-sur-Mer’s marina, turn into the D133 at the roundabout (signposted Èze village/Moyenne Corniche). Turn right after 4km into the Moyenne Corniche; another 1km or so along are a number of safe spots to stop and admire the view. From here it’s around 10 minutes to Èze. Turn right to park at the Fragonard sign.

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7  Èze

This rocky little village perched on an impossible peak is the jewel in the Riviera crown. The main attraction is technically the medieval village, with small higgledy-piggledy stone houses and winding lanes (and, yes, galleries and shops). It’s undoubtedly delightful but it’s the ever-present views of the coast that are truly mesmerising. They just get more spectacular from Jardin d’Èze (adult/child €6/2.50; 9am-sunset), a surreal cactus garden at the top of the village, so steep and rocky it may have been purpose-built for mountain goats. It’s also where you’ll find the old castle ruins; take time to sit, draw a deep breath and gaze, as few places on earth offer such a panorama.

On your way down, look for some horrible histories remnants: the village back door, known as the Moor’s Gate, where the Saracens invaded in the 8th century; and a strategically placed hole near the village entrance where boiling oil and shot were launched.

You’ve already dipped your toes in the Med at Èze-sur-Mer, but if you’re up for it, scamper back down via the steep chemin de Nietzsche (45 minutes one way); this German philosopher wrote parts of Thus Spoke Zarathustra while staying in Èze and enjoyed a daily walk down this uber-path.

Èze gets very crowded between 10am and 5pm; if you prefer a quiet wander, plan to be here early in the morning or before dinner. Or even better, stay in the village.

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The Drive » Stay on the D6007 for the 20-minute descent into Monte Carlo. Avoid temptation to make like Mark Webber when you see your first red and white marked shoulders – this is F1 territory. The Casino de Monte Carlo is well signposted; there’s a massive underground car park opposite the fountain, by allèes des Boulingrins.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

8  Monaco

This confetti principality squeezed into just 200 hectares is fabulous, absurd, banal and delicious all at once. Come to be part of the gilded, giddy circus or just play voyeur; either way, it’s a blast. For conspicuous consumption at its most naked and theatrical, head to the Casino de Monte Carlo (www.montecarlocasinos.com; place du Casino; Salon Europe/Salons Privés €10/€20; visits 9am-noon, gaming 2pm-2am or 4am), or for a ringside seat on the action take an outside table at the historic Café de Paris (www.montecarloresort.com; place du Casino; mains €17-53; 7am-2am).

Take in the city from the Jardin Exotique (www.jardin-exotique.mc; 62 bd du Jardin Exotique; adult/child €7/3.70; 9am-dusk), where succulents and cacti tumble down the slopes of Moneghetti through a maze of paths, stairs and bridges.

Keen sailor Albert I, great-grandfather of the current Prince Albert, established the Musée Océanographique de Monaco (www.oceano.org; av St-Martin; adult/child €13/6.50; 9.30am-7pm); its centrepiece aquarium features a 6m-deep lagoon, and it’s as absorbing as it is huge.

Head to Le Rocher, Monaco’s old quarter, for a sense of the original town, if not for its souvenir shops and ice-cream sellers. Perfect for an early-evening stroll, or for added royal pomp, time your visit to coincide with the 11.55am changing of the guard at the Grimaldi palace; the Carabiniers du Prince sport high helmets with fetching red tassels. To get here, park at the port and take the path up through the shady Jardins St-Martin.

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Monte Carlo

KAI WIECHMANN/GETTY IMAGES ©

EATING & SLEEPING

La Turbie 2

5  Café de la Fontaine MODERN FRENCH €€

(04 93 28 52 79; 4 av Général de Gaulle; mains €18-25; noon-2.30pm & 7-11pm) This inconspicuous village bistro often doesn’t get a second glance. Take a tip from the clued-up Monégasques: it’s where Michelin-starred chef Bruno Cirino’s gets back to his culinary roots with simple dishes like osso bucco à la Niçoise.

Menton 4

5  Maison Martin et Fils MODERN FRENCH €€

(04 93 35 74 67; http://www.maison-martin-et-fils.com/; 7 rue des Marins; menus from €16) Come for a house-made menu that highlights local specialities such as zucchini-flower beignets and soca (chickpea fritter)-wrapped burgers. Tucked behind Menton’s covered market.

Cap d’Ail 5

4  Hôtel Normandy HOTEL €€

(04 93 78 77 77; www.hotelnormandy.no; 6 allée des Orangers; d €89-179; ). Rooms here have real charm with their simple, old-school furniture and venetian mirrors; some have amazing sea views.

Èze 7

5  Château Eza GASTRONOMIC €€€

(04 93 41 12 24; www.chateaueza.com; rue de la Pise; mains €39-65) This 10-bed hotel has an excellent Michelin-starred gastronomic restaurant where the seasonal menu will impress as much as the views. The cute stone bar is open to the public, and the staff is welcoming.

4  Domaine Pins Paul B&B €€

(04 93 41 22 66; www.domainepinspaul.fr; 4530 av des Diables Bleus; d €175; ) Swim in the pool with panoramic views of the sea and Èze village. Rooms in this grand Provençal bastide (fortified town) are beautiful and the surrounding fragrant woods perfect for a stroll.

Monaco 8

5  Bouchon BISTRO €€

(97 77 08 80; www.bouchon.mc; 11 av Princesse Grace, Monte Carlo; mains €21-32; 7am-11pm) This Lyonnais bouchon (bistro) might be a box-ticker (we could be in Manhattan), but its dark charm works. Standards are done ‘correctly’ and a weekly changing lunch menu is a bargain at €17. Bonus: they’ll make you a big salad or omelette outside lunch and dinner time.

5  Tip Top PIZZERIA €

(11 rue Spélugues, Monte Carlo; mains €12-24; 9-5am; ) This is where Monégasques gather all night long for pizza, pasta and gossip, and it’s a good late-night bet in a town that can be surprisingly sleepy.

4  Columbus BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€€

(92 05 90 00; www.columbushotels.com; 22 av des Papalins, Monte Carlo; d from €230; ) Smart Fontvieille rooms, beautifully decorated in designer greys, elegant striped fabrics and ‘back to nature’ bathrooms. All have little balconies and views.

Riviera Cruising

Cannes

Mougins

Juan-les-Pins

Antibes

Biot

St-Paul de Vence

Nice

Ville Franche

Cap Ferrat

RIVIERA CRUISING

This seductive Riviera route takes you to the coast and its dazzling, decadent cities, and inland to its clutch of chic hilltop villages. Along the way there are some deliciously serene surprises.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

7 DAYS

85KM / 53 MILES

GREAT FOR…

BEST TIME TO GO

June or September – you’ll avoid the crowds but still can swim.

ESSENTIAL PHOTO

On the 22 red-carpeted steps leading up to the cinema at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes.

BEST FOR OUTDOORS

Find a secluded spot for a divine dip on Cap Ferrat’s west coast.

Nice

Stroll along sun-kissed cours Saleya for a mellow Riviera vibe

GLENN VAN DER KNIJFF/GETTY IMAGES ©

Riviera Cruising

From the glitz of Cannes to the hushed wealth of Cap Ferrat, you’ll discover the Riviera of Picasso, F Scott Fitzgerald and a million paparazzi pictures. But this is not just a landscape of the imagination. Along the way, the sun-kissed cuisine of Nice will enchant, the sea will sparkle, and you’ll breathe in the scent of wooded isles and feel the cobbles of hilltop villages beneath your feet.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

1  Cannes

Join the hard-to-faze Cannois who come to bd de la Croisette (aka La Croisette) to stroll beneath the celebrated palms (at night all is bathed in coloured lights). It’s often heaving, sometimes it’s verging on vulgar, but La Croisette is always exhilarating.

Take in the sweep of the bay and the Estérel mountains, and drop into the elegant Hotel Martinez or the Carlton InterContinental for tea. Walk west and you’ll hit the imposing Palais des Festivals (Festival Palace; bd de la Croisette; 1½hr guided tours adult/child €4/free; tours 2.30pm Jun-Apr), host of the world’s most glamorous film festival.

Head further west and you’ll hit old Cannes. Follow rue St-Antoine and snake your way up Le Suquet, Cannes’ atmospheric original village. Pick up the region’s best produce at Marché Forville (rue du Marché Forville; 7am-1pm Tue-Sun), a couple of blocks back from the port.

Not seduced? Natural beauty is all around; peace-seeking locals head to the Lérins, two islands a 20-minute boat ride away. Tiny and traffic-free, they’re fragrantly forested, perfect for walks or a picnic. Boats for the islands leave from quai des Îles, on the western side of the harbour: Riviera Lines (www.riviera-lines.com) to Île Ste-Marguerite; Compagnie Planaria (www.cannes-ilesdelerins.com) to Île St-Honorat.

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The Drive » Head directly north on the D6285 (bd Camot) from central Cannes. Mougins is 15 minutes away if you clear the bd de la Farage in good time.

DETOUR:

CORNICHE DE L’ESTÉREL & ST-TROPEZ

Start: 1  Cannes

St Tropez might be the destination but this detour is just as much about the journey. West of Cannes, take the winding Corniche de l’Estérel (also called Corniche d’Or, the ‘Golden Coast’; the N98). The Touring Club de France opened this narrow and tortuous 30km road in 1903 for driving pleasure as much as for utility: the views are spectacular, and small summer resorts and dreamy inlets are dotted along it. It gets very busy in summer – if you’re in a hurry take the N7 or A8 instead.

Around 10km along, at Le Trayas, the rugged jewel-like calanques (tiny coves) begin. Behind you the wild country of Massif de l’Estérel rises up, its beautiful red slopes dotted with gnarly oaks, juniper and wild thyme. Beaches run the gamut of possibilities: sandy, pebbled, nudist, cove-like, you name it. But wherever you go, the sea remains that crystal-clear turquoise and deep blue.

You’ll then reach the towns of St Raphael and Fréjus, both with good sleeping and eating options. Visit the Roman ruins in Fréjus or wander its old town’s maze of pastel buildings, then head back to the coast road for a final hour.

Brigitte Bardot came to St Tropez in the ’50s and transformed the peaceful fishing village into a sizzling jet-set favourite. Tropeziens have thrived on their sexy image ever since. At the Vieux Port, yachts like spaceships jostle for millionaire moorings, famous faces shop for K Jacques’ Tropezien sandals, cashed-up kids dance until dawn at Nikki Beach (www.nikkibeach.com/sttropez; rte de l’Epi) and the restaurants are really fabulous, if only you weren’t picking up the tab.

There is another side to this village trampled by 100,000 visitors a day in summer. Out of season, you’ll find the St Tropez of mesmerising quaint beauty and ‘sardine scales glistening like pearls on the cobblestones’ that charmed Guy de Maupassant (1850–93). It’s perfect for meandering cobbled lanes in the old fishing quarter of La Ponche or sipping pastis at a place des Lices cafe.

HARBOUR, CANNES

DOUGLAS PEARSON/GETTY IMAGES ©

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2  Mougins

Picasso lived in little Vieux Mougins from 1961 until his death. These days it’s an elite Anglo-expat favourite, with prestigious hotel-restaurants, great golfing and France’s most sought-after international school. Happily, despite its pristine pulchritude, it’s far from intimidating and has plenty to see.

The Musée d’Art Classique de Mougins (www.mouginsmusee.com; 32 rue Commandeur; adult/child €12/5; 10am-6pm) contains 600 works spanning 5000 years. The concept? Juxtapose antiquities with seminal modern works to illuminate how ancient civilisations inspired neoclassical, modern and contemporary art. On a different scale completely, but exciting in its own way, Musée de la Photographie André Villers (Porte Sarrazine; admission free; 10am-noon & 2-6pm Tue-Fri, 11am-7pm Sat & Sun) has fascinating black-and-white photos of Picasso and others of his Riviera milieu, and also hosts excellent temporary exhibitions.

At the Les Jardins du MIP (www.museesdegrasse.com; 979 chemin des Gourettes, Mouans-Sartoux; adult/child €3/free; 10am-6pm Apr-Oct), a living extension of Grasse’s Musée International de la Parfumerie, you can pick, rub and smell your way around its plant collection that’s organised by olfactory families (woody, floral, ambered, fougère etc).

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The Drive » Double back towards Cannes, turning left into bd d’Alsace, continuing along bd Vautin and bd Alexandre III, following the signs on to the D6007. The av des Frères Roustan, before Golfe Juan, skirts the waterfront, turning into the bd du Littoral, which takes you right into Juan-les-Pins, a 30-minute drive if you don’t hit a traffic snarl.

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3  Juan-les-Pins

Be prepared for an initial let-down if your imagined Juan-les-Pins is the one of vintage tinted postcards, all palazzo pants and picture hats. Today the ‘strip’ is far less cinematic, with only a few traces of its early-20th-century architecture and the glamour turned down a notch. Spend some time here, though, and Juan’s old-fashioned knack for fun and relaxation are winning. Get to know its charming little bars, shops and restaurants in the town’s pedestrianised heart behind av Maupassant, settle in at a beach club or head to the western end of bd du Littoral where there’s a small public patch of soft sand and showers.

The Drive » You could gun this in 20 minutes, but we suggest taking your time. Head south, hugging the coast, taking in the manicured lawns and rugged seascapes. Stop for a drink with literary ghosts at Hotel Cap du Eden Roc. Cut across bd Kennedy to the east coast, lingering in Plage de la Salis for a swim or an unbeatable view of Antibes and beyond. Antibes is just a short hop along the waterfront.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

4  Antibes

With its harbour full of pleasure boats, its 16th-century ramparts and narrow cobblestoned streets festooned with flowers, Vieux Antibes is the quintessential Mediterranean port. The Musée Picasso (www.antibes-juanlespins.com; Château Grimaldi, 4 rue des Cordiers; adult/reduced €6/3; 10am-noon & 2-6pm Tue-Sun, to 8pm Wed & Fri Jul & Aug) is a highlight, both for its location and collections. Don’t miss the views from the sea walls, from sprawling Nice to the snowy peaks of the Alps. If you’re here in the morning, the excellent Marché Provençal (cours Masséna; 7am-1pm Tue-Sun Sep-Jun, daily Jul & Aug) will be in full swing.

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The Drive » Brave the traffic on the D6007 and turn left on the roundabout onto the D4 (after about 4.5km), then head directly to Biot; with luck this should be a 20-minute stretch.

PINK WINE TIME

At the end of a long day’s drive, you’ve undoubtedly earned an apéro – a pre-dinner drink. So what’s on the menu?

The wine of the south is rosé. Banish thoughts of sickly sweet new-world styles. The pink stuff here is dry, fresh and crisp. Under French law it cannot be a blend; rather, it’s made in the same manner as reds and with dark-skinned grapes, but with far shorter skin contact. Depending on the magic combination of grape and timing, the colour of rosé runs a glorious spectrum from the most delicate pinks to warm deep salmons.

There are several Provençal Appellations d’Origine Contrôlée (AOCs), including the Cote de Provence itself, which takes in St Tropez. The only super local appellation is the tiny Bellet, high in the hills 10 minutes northwest of Nice.

Enjoyed your first pichet (little jug) and want to taste more? In Nice, talk to the cavistes (cellarmen) at Cave de la Tour (3 rue de la Tour), or in Antibes try wine bar Les Sens (04 93 74 57 06; 10 rue Sade; 10am-midnight Tue-Sat).

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5  Biot

This 15th-century hilltop village is as fashionable and well-to-do as its hinterland neighbours but retains the air of a real town – it’s a lovely place for a laid-back stroll or lingering in the village square. It was once an important earthenware manufacturer (and one-time headquarters of the Knights Templar, then the Knights of Malta), but today it is known for its signature bubbled glasswork. The famous Verrerie de Biot (www.verreriebiot.com; chemin des Combes; 9.30am-6pm Mon-Sat, 10.30am-1.30pm & 2.30-6.30pm Sun) is at the foot of the village – watch skilled glass-blowers at work and browse their galleries and shop. Back down on the road to Antibes is the Musée National Fernand Léger (www.musee-fernandleger.fr; chemin du Val de Pome; adult/child €5.50/free; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun May-Oct, to 5pm Nov-Apr).

The Drive » Leave Biot on the D4; after 1.4km turn left into chemin des Cabots. Continue as it winds down onto the D6007. After 3km turn left into D2085 (av du Grasse). Dogleg to the D336 (the av des Alpes), then veer right onto rte des Cerres to St-Paul de Vence. St-Paul is closed to traffic; car parks fill up in high season.

WHY THIS IS A CLASSIC TRIP

DONNA WHEELER, AUTHOR

This legendary drive is one that we can all imagine (flash car and film-star beau, right?). But the experience surpasses cliché – it’s infinitely richer, and brims with history, culture and natural beauty. Spend a dreamy day with the monks on Île St-Honorat or a few hours poring over the collection at Mougins’ Musée de la Photographie André Villers and you’ll see what I mean.

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6  St-Paul de Vence

Strolling the narrow streets is how you’ll pass the time in picturesque St-Paul: the village has been beautifully preserved and the panoramas from the ramparts are stunning. The main artery, rue Grande, is lined with shops and galleries. The highest point in the village is occupied by the Église Collégiale; the adjoining Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs was redecorated by Belgian artist Folon.

St-Paul was a favoured haunt of artists; today the village claims a Rolling Stone, philosopher prince Bernard Henri Levy and actress Arielle Dombasle. The tourist office (04 93 32 86 95; www.saint-pauldevence.com; 2 rue Grande; 10am-7pm) runs themed guided tours (1½ hours, adult/child €7/free) that delve into the town’s illustrious past.

The Drive » You’ll return the way you came, then jump on the A8 to Nice. Take exit 50 for the Promenade des Anglais, an 18km drive. There’s a real thrill following the Baie des Anges – the beach vibe is instantly intoxicating.

ST-PAUL DE VENCE

DOUGLAS PEARSON/GETTY IMAGES ©

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

7  Nice

With its unusual mix of real-city grit, old-world opulence, year-round sunshine and exceptional location, Nice pleases everyone from backpackers to romance-seeking couples and families. If you’re suffering glam-overload on this trip, kick back at a cafe on cours Saleya in Vieux Nice or relax on a bench on the legendary Promenade des Anglais and clock an epic sunset.

Eating options are some of the best you’ll find in France, the nightlife is buzzing and the art scene is thriving. In fact, civic pride is at an all-time high with a new garden set to snake its way up the Promenade du Paillon, and bars, restaurants and shops popping up in the rapidly gentrifying port area. This is a great base, with a good range of hotels.

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The Drive » At the port get on the D6098 to Ville Franche. As you climb up the hill, don’t miss the fantastic historic architecture and the sparkling blue of the Mediterranean. There’s car parking on your right, just before the exit to the old town.

VIEUX NICE

SANDRA RACCANELLO/SIME/4CORNERS ©

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8  Ville Franche

Heaped above a postcard-perfect harbour, this picturesque village overlooks the Cap Ferrat peninsula and, with its deep rade (harbour), is the port of call for supersized cruise ships. Walk down into the 14th-century vieille ville (old city). Its tiny, evocatively named streets, broken by twisting staircases and glimpses of the sea, is reason enough to visit and it feels so Italian you’ll find yourself saying ‘ciao’ to the local old ladies perched on their front steps. Don’t miss arcaded rue Obscure, an ancient fully enclosed street, a block in from the water.

Artist Jean Cocteau managed to convince local fishermen to let him paint the neglected 14th-century Chapelle St-Pierre (admission €2.50; 10am-noon & 2-6pm Wed-Mon). He transformed it with a barrage of mystical frescos and a beautiful pattern.

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The Drive » Head back onto the D6098, skirting the bay on high, for a spectacular 10-minute drive. After 2km, turn right onto the D25 to reach the entrance of Cap Ferrat.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

9  Cap Ferrat

As you head down this narrow isthmus you leave the coast’s crowds behind and enter the fragrant and leafy, walled realm of the ultrawealthy.

The best way to experience the Cap (besides an invite from Bill Gates or Bono) is to swing by the tourist office (04 93 76 08 90; www.saintjeancapferrat.fr; 59 av Denis Séméria; 9am-4pm Mon-Fri) and grab a trail map. There are some 14km of easygoing eucalyptus-scented paths skirting the exquisite coastline.

Villa Santo Sospir (04 93 76 00 16; www.villasantosospir.fr; 14 av Jean Cocteau; admission €12; by appointment), tucked away on the Cap’s far point, was the home of actress Francine Weisweiller. Jean Cocteau, whilst a houseguest, covered the walls with his signature mythological illustrations. The views and interiors are stunning, and the villa has a touching human scale and warmth. Tours are led by Weisweiller’s former nurse and friend, and delightfully peppered with anecdotes about her and Cocteau’s exploits.

EATING & SLEEPING

Cannes 1

5  Mantel MODERN EUROPEAN €€

(04 93 39 13 10; www.restaurantmantel.com; 22 rue St-Antoine; menus €35-60; Fri-Mon, dinner Tue & Thu) Discover why Noël Mantel is the hotshot of the Cannois gastronomic scene at his refined old-town restaurant. Service is stellar and the seasonal cuisine spot on (poached octopus bourride-style is Cannes on a plate).

4  Hôtel Le Canberra BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€

(04 97 06 95 00; www.hotel-cannes-canberra.com; 120 rue d’Antibes; d from €155; ) Wow, a Cannes hotel that’s reasonably priced, glamorous and intimate. A couple of blocks back from La Croisette, Le Canberra impresses with impeccable service, black marble bathrooms and a heated pool (April to October).

Mougins 2

5  L’Amandier MODERN FRENCH €€

(04 93 90 00 91; www.amandier.fr; 48 av Mallet; menus from €29; Fri-Tue) Young chef Denis Fétisson has brought Roger Vergé’s baby back to its former glory. Set in an old mill, it’s considered casual in these parts, but comes with chandeliers and breathtaking views. Various themed menus (fixed-price meals) let you shape your culinary experience.

5  La Cave de Mougins DELICATESSEN, WINE BAR €

(www.lacavedemougins.com; 50 av Charles Mallet) Come for the stunning vaulted ceiling, events-packed calendar (tastings, ‘meet the winemakers’ evenings, little concerts etc) and atmospheric terrace. During the day, nibble on pâté and cheese platters with a glass of wine.

Antibes 4

4  Hôtel La Jabotte B&B €€

(04 93 61 45 89; www.jabotte.com; 13 av Max Maurey; s/d €124/142; ) Just 10 rooms and an individual sense of style give this hotel a charming chambre d’hôte feel. It’s only 50m from the sea at Salis and a 20-minute stroll from Vieil Antibes. Complimentary breakfast is served on the garden patio.

Nice 7

5  La Merenda NIÇOIS €€

(www.lamerenda.net; 4 rue Raoul Bosio; mains €12-15; Mon-Fri) Simple, on-the-money Niçois cuisine by former Michelin-starred chef Dominique Le Stanc draws the crowds to this hectic, pocket-sized bistro. No credit cards, no phone bookings.

4  Hôtel La Pérouse BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€€

(04 93 62 34 63; www.hotel-la-perouse.com; 11 quai Rauba Capeu; d from €330; ) A small, genteel, hushed hotel built into the rock cliff next to Tour Bellanda. Bright front rooms have magnificent views out to sea; others look over the lemon trees and pool. Service here is far from stuffy, but exceptionally attentive. A bargain in winter.

Ville Franche 8

4  Hôtel Welcome BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€€

(04 93 76 27 62; www.welcomehotel.com; 3 quai Amiral Courbet; d from €235; ) Teetering on the edge of Ville Franche’s picturesque port, the Welcome has 35 individually decorated rooms, some Cocteau-themed, others Provençal, others art deco; all share sea views.

2  STRETCH YOUR LEGS NICE

Get to know Nice’s bustling heart with this walk that begins with a seaside stroll, then takes you into the tangled alleys of the old town and finally up and over the city’s soaring headland to the port. Along the way shop, eat and drink with the fun-loving Niçois.

START/FINISH HOTEL NEGRESCO, PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS

DISTANCE 7KM

DURATION 2.5 HOURS

Promenade des Anglais

Nice to a tee, the Prom seductively blends hedonism with history, pumping beach clubs with quiet seaside gazing. Why ‘Anglais’? English expats paid out-of-work citrus farmers to build the Prom in 1822 – a civic win-win. Don’t miss the palatial façades of belle époque Hôtel Negresco and art deco Palais de la Méditerranée.

The Walk » Turn up av de Verdun past palms and posh shops to the place Masséna. Take in the elegant Italian architecture, then head down the steps. Take rue de l’Opéra, a quick walk to our next stop.

Rue St-François de Paule

Window-shop, pick up snacks or do your take-home gift hit in one go on this elegant street just back from the seaside. First stop: Moulin à Huile d’Olive Alziari (www.alziari.com.fr; 14 rue St-François de Paule) for superb local olive oil, tapenade (olive spread) and olives. Head west to the florid Opera House; across the road is Henri Auer Confiserie (www.maison-auer.com; 7 rue St-François de Paule), a film-set-perfect sweet shop; pick up amandes enrobé (cocoa-dredged chocolate-covered almonds).

The Walk » Continue on past soap sellers and wine bars and into the open square. This eventually becomes cours Saleya.

Cours Saleya

A top tourist destination that remains Niçois to the core, this bustling market square does different moods according to the hour. Greet the day with espresso and a banter with the produce and flower sellers, lunch with locals or get rowdy after dark with the town’s cool kids and students.

The Walk » Any of the streets running away from the beach take you to rue de la Préfecture.

Vieux Nice

Soak in the labyrinthine streets of Nice’s old town, stumbling upon Baroque gems like Cathédrale Ste-Réparate (place Rossetti). Stop to eat – book Le Bistrot d’Antoine (04 93 85 29 57; 27 rue de la Préfecture; mains €14-25; noon-2pm & 7-10pm Tue-Sat), or grab an apéritif at Les Distilleries Idéales (24 rue de la Préfecture; 9am-12.30am) and snack at Lou Pilha Leva (10 rue Collet; 9am-midnight). Grab the best gelato this side of the border at Fenocchio (2 place Rossetti; 9am-midnight).

The Walk » Take the stairs at rue Rossetti (or the lift at rue des Ponchettes). Skip the next stop if you can’t face the climb and instead follow quai Rauba Capeu around the headland, passing the massive war memorial on the way.

Colline du Château

On a rocky outcrop towering over Vieux Nice, the Parc du Château (8am-6pm winter, to 8pm summer) offers a panorama of the whole city – Baie des Anges on one side, the port on the other. Fabulous for picnics (there’s a waterfall) or let kids loose in the playground.

The Walk » Take the Montée de Montfort down the hill. Turn right and wander back along pretty rue Ségurane down to quai Lunel, stopping at the Marché aux Puces on the way.

Port Lympia

Be prepared for yacht envy. Want to get out on the water for a better gawp? In summer Le Passagin (10am-7pm) will ferry you across the mouth of the port.

The Walk » Skirt the water and then head up rue Cassini or rue Bonaparte to take in the port’s increasingly hip shops and bars.

Place Garibaldi

Named for Italian patriot Giuseppe Garibaldi, who was born in Nice, this stately Italianate square is a low-key favourite of locals, who come to sit in its cafes, eat gelato, visit its indie cinema and meet at the fountain. Kick back with them at Café de Turin (www.cafedeturin.fr; mains from €15; 8am-10pm), oysters and icy rosé optional.

The Walk » Head back to the start directly along bustling bd Jean Jaurès, soon to be lined with spectacular gardens.

Pyrenees & Southwest France

Peaks to plains, valleys to villages, mountains to Med: the southwest encompasses the French landscape in all its drama and diversity. Stretching from the dog’s-tooth peaks of the Pyrenees all the way to the scrubby, sun-baked plains of the Languedoc, it’s a region that’s made for driving. In the west, you’ll meander across mountain passes and delve into remote valleys where life still feels timeless and traditional. As you move east, you’ll discover the flat plains of Bas-Languedoc and the wild hills and rocky gorges of Haut-Languedoc.

Our classic trip has you traversing hair-raising roads and sky-high passes in the breathtaking Pyrenees.

Pyrenees 7 Days

Explore this majestic mountain landscape, easily the equal of the Alps.

Pyrenees

View of the hills from a ruined fortress

GIOVANNI SIMEONE/SIME/4CORNERS ©

Pyrenees

Pau

Vallée d’Aspe

Vallée d’Ossau

St-Savin

Argelés-Gazost

Cauterets

Col du Tourmalet

Foix

Tarascon-sur-Ariège

PYRENEES

Traversing hair-raising roads, sky-top passes and snow-dusted peaks, this trip ventures deep into the unforgettable Pyrenees. Buckle up – you’re in for a roller coaster of a drive.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

7 DAYS

522KM / 324 MILES

GREAT FOR…

BEST TIME TO GO

June to September, when the road passes are open.

ESSENTIAL PHOTO

Standing on top of the Pic du Midi.

BEST FOR OUTDOORS

Hiking to the Lac de Gaube near Cauterets.

Lac de Gaube

Sapphire-tinted lake beneath peaks of snowy splendour

NICK INMAN/GETTY IMAGES ©

Pyrenees

They might not have the altitude of the Alps, but the Pyrenees pack a mighty mountain punch, and if you’re an outdoors-lover, you’ll be in seventh heaven here. With quiet villages, rustic restaurants, spectacular trails and snowy mountains galore, the Pyrenees are a wild adventure – just remember to break in your hiking boots before you arrive.

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1  Pau

Palm trees might seem out of place in this mountainous region, but Pau (rhymes with ‘so’), has long been famed for its mild climate. In the 19th century this elegant town was a favourite wintering spot for wealthy Brits and Americans, who left behind many grand villas and smart promenades.

Its main sight is the Château de Pau (www.musee-chateau-pau.fr; adult/child €6/free; 9.30am-12.30pm & 1.30-6.45pm, garden longer hr), built by the monarchs of Navarre and transformed into a Renaissance château in the 16th century. It’s home to a fine collection of Gobelins tapestries and Sevres porcelain.

Pau’s tiny old centre extends for around 500m around the château, and boasts many attractive medieval and Renaissance buildings.

Note that street parking in Pau is nearly all payant (chargeable), so it’s worth choosing a hotel with its own car park.

54  Click here

The Drive » To reach the Vallée d’Aspe from Pau, take the N193 to Oloron-Ste-Marie. The first 30km are uneventful, but over the next 40km south of Oloron the mountain scenery unfolds in dramatic fashion, with towering peaks stacking up on either side of the road.

Château de Pau

ESCUDERO PATRICK/GETTY IMAGES ©

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

2  Vallée d’Aspe

The westernmost of the Pyrenean valleys makes a great day trip from Pau. Framed by mountains and bisected by the Aspe River, it’s awash with classic Pyrenean scenery. The main attraction here is soaking up the scenery. Allow yourself plenty of time for photo stops, especially around pretty villages such as Sarrance, Borcé and Etsaut.

Near the quiet village of Bedous, it’s worth detouring up the narrow road to Lescun, a tiny hamlet perched 5.5km above the valley, overlooking the peak of Pic d’Anie (2504m) and the cluster of mountains known as the Cirque de Lescun.

The valley comes to an end 25km further south near the Col du Somport (1631m), where a controversial tunnel burrows 8km under the Franco-Spanish border. The return drive to Pau is just over 80km.

The Drive » To reach the Vallée d’Ossau from Pau, take the N134 south of town, veering south onto the D934 towards Arudy/Laruns. From Pau to Laruns, it’s about 42km.

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3  Vallée d’Ossau

More scenic splendour awaits in the Vallée d’Ossau, which tracks the course of its namesake river for a spectacular 60km. The first part of the valley as far as Laruns is broad, green and pastoral, but as you travel south the mountains really start to pile up, before broadening out again near Gabas.

Halfway between Arudy and Laruns, you can spy on some of the Pyrenees’ last griffon vultures at the Falaise aux Vautours (Cliff of the Vultures; www.falaise-aux-vautours.com; adult/child €7/5; 10.30am-12.30pm & 2-6.30pm, closed Jan & Mar). Once a common sight, these majestic birds have been decimated by habitat loss and hunting; they’re now protected by law. Live CCTV images are beamed from their nests to the visitors centre in Aste-Béon.

The ski resort of Artouste-Fabrèges, 6km east of Gabas, is linked by cable car to the Petit Train d’Artouste (www.train-artouste.com; adult/child €24.50/20), a miniature mountain railway built for dam workers in the 1920s. The train is only open between late May and September; reserve ahead and allow four hours for a visit.

The Drive » The D918 between Laruns and Argelès-Gazost is one of the Pyrenees’ most breathtaking roads, switchbacking over the lofty Col d’Aubisque. The road feels exposed, but it’s a wonderfully scenic drive. You’ll cover about 52km, but allow yourself at least 1½ hours. Once you reach Argelès-Gazost, head further south for 4km along the D101 to St-Savin.

THE TRANSHUMANCE

If you’re travelling through the Pyrenees between late May and early June and find yourself stuck behind a cattle-shaped traffic jam, there’s a good chance you may have just got caught up in the Transhumance, in which shepherds move their flocks from their winter pastures up to the high, grassy uplands.

This ancient custom has been a fixture on the Pyrenean calendar for centuries, and several valleys host festivals to mark the occasion. The spectacle is repeated in October, when the flocks are brought back down before the winter snows set in.

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4  St-Savin

After the hair-raising drive over the Col d’Aubisque, St-Savin makes a welcome refuge. It’s a classic Pyrenean village, with cobbled lanes, quiet cafes and timbered houses set around a fountain-filled main square.

It’s also home to one of the Pyrenees’ most respected hotel-restaurants, Le Viscos (05 62 97 02 28; www.hotel-leviscos.com; 1 rue Lamarque; r €99-135, full board €67, menus €27-89; ), run by celeb chef Jean-Pierre St-Martin, known for his blend of Basque, Breton and Pyrenean flavours (as well as his passion for foie gras). After dinner, retire to one of the cosy country rooms and watch the sun set over the snowy mountains.

4  Click here

The Drive » From St-Savin, travel back along the D101 to Argelès-Gazost. You’ll see signs to the Parc Animalier des Pyrénées as you approach town.

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5  Argelés-Gazost

Spotting wildlife isn’t always easy in the Pyrenees, but thankfully the Parc Animalier des Pyrénées (www.parc-animalier-pyrenees.com; adult/child €16/13; 9.30am-6pm Apr-Oct) does all the hard work for you. It’s home to a menagerie of endangered Pyrenean animals including wolves, marmots, lynxes, giant ravens, vultures, racoons, beavers and even a few brown bears (the European cousin of the grizzly bear).

The Drive » Take the D921 south of Argelès-Gazost for 6km to Pierrefitte-Nestalas. Here, the road forks; the southwest branch (the D920) climbs up a lush, forested valley for another 11km to Cauterets.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

6  Cauterets

For alpine scenery, the century-old ski resort of Cauterets is perhaps the signature spot in the Pyrenees. Hemmed in by mountains and forests, it has clung on to much of its fin-de-siècle character, with a stately spa and grand 19th-century residences.

To see the scenery at its best, drive through town along the D920 (signed to the ‘Pont d’Espagne’). The road is known locally as the Chemins des Cascades after the waterfalls that crash down the mountainside; it’s 4 miles of nonstop hairpins, so take it steady.

At the top, you’ll reach the giant car park at Pont d’Espagne (Spanish Bridge; per day €5.50, over 12 hr €8). From here, a combination télécabine and télésiege (adult/child €11.50/9.50) ratchets up the mountainside allowing access to the area’s trails – including the popular hike to the sapphire-tinted Lac de Gaube.

4  Click here

The Drive » After staying overnight in Cauterets, backtrack to Pierrefitte-Nestalas, and turn southeast onto the D921 for 12km to Luz-St-Saveur. The next stretch on the D918 is another mountain stunner, climbing up through Barèges to the breathtaking Col du Tourmalet.

DETOUR:

CIRQUE DE GAVARNIE

Start: 6  Cauterets

For truly mind-blowing mountain scenery, it’s well worth taking a side trip to see the Cirque de Gavarnie, a dramatic amphitheatre of mountains 20km south of Luz-St-Saveur. It’s a walk of about two hours from the village, and you’ll need to bring sturdy footwear.

There’s another spectacular circle of mountains 6.5km to the north, the Cirque de Troumouse. It’s reached via a hair-raising 8km toll road (€4 per vehicle; open April to October). There are no barriers and the drops are really dizzying, so drive carefully.

Cauterets ski resort

FELIX ALAIN/GETTY IMAGES ©

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

7  Col du Tourmalet

Even in the pantheon of Pyrenean road passes, the Col du Tourmalet commands special respect. At 2115m, it’s the highest road pass in the Pyrenees, and usually only opens between June and October. It’s often used as a punishing mountain stage in the Tour de France, and you’ll feel uncomfortably akin to a motorised ant as you crawl up towards the pass.

From the ski resort of La Mongie (1800m), a cable car climbs to the top of the soaring Pic du Midi (www.picdumidi.com; adult/child €32/22; 9am-7pm Jun-Sep, 10am-5.30pm Oct-May). This high-altitude observatory commands otherworldly views – but it’s often blanketed in cloud, so make sure you check the forecast before you go.

The Drive » The next stage to Foix is a long one. Follow the D918 and D935 to Bagnères-de-Bigorre, then the D938 and D20 to Tournay, a drive of 40km. Just before Tournay, head west onto the A64 for 82km. Exit onto the D117, signed to St-Girons. It’s another 72km to Foix.

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8  Foix

Foix is a quiet mountain town, but it’s an excellent base for exploring the eastern Pyrenees. Looming above town is the triple-towered Château des Comtes de Foix (05 61 05 10 10; adult/child €4.50/3.30; 10am-6pm summer, shorter hr other times), constructed in the 10th century as a stronghold for the counts of Foix. The interior is rather bare, but there’s a small museum, and the view from the battlements is glorious. There’s usually at least one daily tour in English in summer.

Afterwards, head 4.5km south to Les Forges de Pyrène (05 34 09 30 60; adult/child €8/4.70; 10am-7pm summer, shorter hr other times) a fascinating ‘living museum’ that explores Ariège folk traditions. Spread over 5 hectares, it illustrates traditional trades such as glass blowing, tanning, thatching and nail making, and even has its own blacksmith, baker, and cobbler.

4  Click here

The Drive » Spend the night in Foix, then head for Tarascon-sur-Ariège, 17km south of Foix on the N20. Look out for brown signs to the Parc de la Préhistoire.

WHY THIS IS A CLASSIC TRIP

OLIVER BERRY, AUTHOR

The craggy peaks of the Pyrenees are home to some of France’s rarest wildlife and most unspoilt landscapes, and every twist and turn in the road seems to reveal another knockout view – one of my personal favourites is the amazing road over the Col d’Aubisque, which feels closer to flying than driving. I love the traditional way of life here, too. Visit during the Transhumance (see Click here) to be treated to one of France’s great rural spectacles.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

9  Tarascon-sur-Ariège

Thousands of years ago, the Pyrenees were home to thriving communities of hunter-gatherers, who used the area’s caves as shelters and left behind many stunning examples of prehistoric art.

Near Tarascon-sur-Ariège, the Parc de la Préhistoire (05 61 05 10 10; Tarascon-sur-Ariège; adult/child €9.90/6; 10am-6pm) provides a handy primer on the area’s ancient past. It’s a mix of multimedia exhibits and hands-on outdoor displays, exploring everything from prehistoric carving to the art of animal-skin tents and ancient spear-throwing.

About 6.5km further south, the Grotte de Niaux (05 61 05 88 37; adult/child €12/7; tours hourly 10.15am-4.15pm, extra tours in summer) is home to the Pyrenees’ most precious cave paintings. The centrepiece is the Salon Noir, reached after an 800m walk through the darkness and decorated with bison, horses and ibex. To help preserve the delicate paintings, there’s no artificial light inside; you’re given a torch as you enter. The cave can only be visited with a guide. From April to September there’s usually one daily tour in English at 1.30pm. Bookings are advisable.

ROAD PASSES IN THE PYRENEES

The high passes between the Vallée d’Ossau, the Vallée d’Aspe and the Vallée de Gaves are often closed during winter. Signs are posted along the approach roads indicating whether they’re ouvert (open) or fermé (closed). The dates given below are approximate, and depend on seasonal snowfall.

Col d’Aubisque (1709m; May-Oct) On the D918, linking Laruns in the Vallée d’Ossau with Argèles-Gazost in the Vallée de Gaves. An alternative that’s open year-round is the D35 between Louvie-Juzon and Nay.

Col de Marie-Blanque (1035m; May-Oct) The shortest link between the Vallée d’Aspe and the Vallée d’Ossau is the D294, which corkscrews for 21km between Escot and Bielle.

Col du Pourtalet (1795m; most of the year) The main crossing into Spain generally stays open year-round except during periods of exceptional snowfall.

Col du Tourmalet (2115m; Jun-Oct) Between Barèges and La Mongie, this is the highest road pass in the Pyrenees. If you’re travelling east to the Pic du Midi (for example from Cauterets), the only alternative is a long detour via Lourdes and Bagnères-de-Bigorre.

EATING & SLEEPING

Pau 1

5  Le Majestic TRADITIONAL FRENCH €€

(08 92 68 06 89; 9 place Royale; lunch menus €15-24, dinner menus €28-39; lunch & dinner Mon-Sat) Top-notch French cuisine on central place Royale. The atmosphere is formal – ice-white tablecloths, razor-sharp napkins – but it suits the sophisticated food, heavy on quality ingredients such as turbot, sea bass, Bigorre pork and Pyrenean lamb.

4  Hôtel Bristol HOTEL €€

(05 59 27 72 98; www.hotelbristol-pau.com; 3 rue Gambetta; s €55-97, d €93-110, f €120-129; ) Pau’s best midrange option, in a quintessentially French 19th-century building that offers surprisingly modern rooms. Cool whites are the keynote, but stripy fabrics, throws and modern art liven things up considerably. Ask for a balcony overlooking the mountains.

4  Hôtel Roncevaux HOTEL €€

(05 59 00 00 40; www.hotel-roncevaux.fr; 25 rue Louis Barthou; d €82-160; ) Modern, business-orientated hotel with four room categories, from ‘Confort’ to ‘Luxe’ – ‘Grand Confort’ are the best compromise between price and comfort.

St-Savin 4

4  Hôtel des Rochers HOTEL €

(05 62 97 09 52; www.lesrochershotel.com; 1 place du Castillou; d/tr/f €57/78/95; ) If you can’t get a room at Le Viscos (Click here), this cute hotel in St-Savin makes a useful fall-back. It has plain rooms, friendly owners and a decent restaurant with home-cooking and valley views from the dining room.

Cauterets 6

4  Hôtel du Lion d’Or HOTEL €€

(05 62 92 52 87; www.liondor.eu; 12 rue Richelieu; d €88-147; ) This sweet alpine-style hotel, under the Logis umbrella, oozes mountain character. Knick-knacks and curios are dotted throughout the building, and the restaurant serves up classic Pyrenean cuisine in cosy surroundings.

4  Hôtel-Restaurant Astérides-Sacca HOTEL €€

(05 62 92 50 02; www.asterides-sacca.com; 11 bd Latapie-Flurin; r €70-98) This grande-dame hotel is on Cauteret’s prettiest street, lined with well-preserved 19th-century buildings and often used as a film set. Rooms come in checks or floral fabrics, and the restaurant is splendid.

Foix 8

4  Hôtel Restaurant Lons HOTEL €€

(05 34 09 28 00; www.hotel-lons-foix.com; 6 place Dutilh; r from €62, menus €18.50-25.70) A traditional and very cosy Logis-affiliated hotel in the middle of Foix, in a super spot overlooking the river. Rooms are fairly functional, but the river-view restaurant serves solid regional cuisine.

4  Auberge les Myrtilles B&B €

(05 61 65 16 46; www.auberge-les-myrtilles.com; Salau; r €63.50-67.50, with half-board €91.50-96.50; ) This mountain retreat in Salau 10km west of Foix, is tailor-made for active types: owners Anouk and René are mad-keen hikers and bikers. Expect simply furnished rooms and a beamed restaurant serving filling Ariègeois cuisine: try the local speciality of azinat, a hot pot of sausage, duck and vegetables.

2  STRETCH YOUR LEGS TOULOUSE

Known to the locals as ‘La Ville Rose’ (The Pink Town), the vibrant city of Toulouse has a sun-baked southern air, a reminder that Languedoc lies just to the south. It’s France’s fourth-largest city, and is well worth a stroll for its buzzing markets, cafe culture and atmospheric old quarter.

START PLACE WILSON

FINISH QUAI DE LA DAURADE

DISTANCE 3KM

DURATION THREE HOURS

Les Halles Victor Hugo

Start on place Wilson and head along rue Victor Hugo to Toulouse’s covered food market (www.marchevictorhugo.fr; place Victor Hugo; around 8am-5pm), where shoppers stock up on fresh meat and veg. Look out for the long, curly saucisse de Toulouse, the city’s trademark sausage.

For a quintessentially Toulousien experience, join the locals at the busy restaurants (menus €10-20; lunch Tue-Sun) on the 1st floor.

The Walk » Follow rue du Périgord, then head north along rue du Taur.

Basilique St-Sernin

This basilica (place St-Sernin; 8.30am-noon & 2-6pm Mon-Sat, 8.30am-12.30pm & 2-7.30pm Sun) is one of France’s finest Romanesque structures. It’s topped by a soaring spire and octagonal tower, and inside is the tomb of St Sernin himself, sheltered beneath a sumptuous canopy. The basilica was an important stop on the Chemin de St-Jacques pilgrimage route.

The Walk » Head south on rue du Taur all the way to place du Capitole.

Place du Capitole

At the end of rue du Taur, you’ll emerge onto place du Capitole, Toulouse’s grand main square, where Toulousiens turn out on sunny evenings to sip a coffee or an early aperitif.

On the eastern side is the 128m-long façade of the Capitole, the city hall, built in the 1750s. Inside is the Théâtre du Capitole, one of France’s most prestigious opera venues. To the south are the alleys of the Vieux Quartier, the heart of old Toulouse.

The Walk » Take rue de la Pomme, which runs southwest to another cafe-lined square, place St-Georges. Before you reach it, turn right onto rue des Arts, then right onto rue de Metz, where you’ll find the museum entrance.

Musée des Augustins

Toulouse’s fabulous fine arts museum (www.augustins.org; 21 rue de Metz; adult/child €4/free, temporary exhibitions €6/free; 10am-6pm, to 9pm Wed) spans the centuries from the Roman era through to the early 20th century. The highlights are the French rooms, with Delacroix, Ingres and Courbet representing the 18th and 19th centuries, and Toulouse-Lautrec and Monet among the standouts from the 20th-century collection. It’s in a former Augustinian monastery, and its two 14th-century cloister gardens are postcard pretty.

The Walk » Turn right onto rue d’Alsace-Lorraine, then left onto rue Peyras. Follow this street to place de la Bourse, then turn left along rue de la Bourse.

Hôtel d’Assezat

This area has some of Toulouse’s most elegant hôtels particuliers, private mansions built during the 16th and 17th centuries. Among the finest is the Hôtel d’Assezat, built for a woad merchant in 1555. It now houses a private art collection belonging to the Fondation Bomberg (www.fondation-bemberg.fr; place d’Assézat; 10am-12.30pm & 1.30-6pm Tue-Sun, to 9pm Thu). The 1st floor is mainly devoted to the Renaissance, while impressionism, pointillism and other 20th-century movements occupy the upper floor.

The Walk » Walk onto rue du Metz and follow it to the elegant Pont Neuf, spanning the Garonne. Turn left onto quai de la Daurade.

Quai de la Daurade

Toulouse looks its best when seen from the water. From March to October, scenic boat cruises run along the Garonne from the quai de la Daurade; in summer, some boats also travel onto the Canal du Midi.

The two main companies are Les Bateaux Toulousains (www.bateaux-toulousains.com) and Toulouses Croisières (www.toulouse-croisieres.com). Trips cost around €8/5 per adult/child for an hour’s cruise.

The Walk » From quai de la Daurade, follow rue Malbec and rue Gambetta back towards place Wilson.

Atlantic Coast & Western France

The Atlantic Coast is where France gets back to nature. Much more laid-back than the Med, this is the place to slow the pace right down.

Driving through this region is all about quiet country roads winding through vine-striped hills, glimpsed views of dead-at-noon villages and the occasional foray into energetic cities such as Marseille.

The region’s wine is famous worldwide, and to wash it down you’ll find fresh-from-the-ocean seafood wherever you go and plenty of regional delicacies including snails in the north, foie gras further south and, in the unique Basque regions, chilli-tinted dishes filled with hints of Spain.

Atlantic to Med 10 Days

Running between two very different seas, this is the ultimate south-of-France trip.

Biarritz

Turreted house perched on rocky coastline

SHAUN EGAN/GETTY IMAGES ©

Atlantic to Med

La Rochelle

St-Émilion

Biarritz

Cirque de Gavarnie

Toulouse

Carcassonne

Arles

Marseille

Cannes

Nice

ATLANTIC TO MED

Salty Atlantic ports, pristine mountain vistas, the heady bouquet of fine wine, reminders of Rome and Hollywood glam: this classic trip from sea to sea takes you through the best of southern France.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

10 DAYS

1498KM / 931 MILES

GREAT FOR…

BEST TIME TO GO

Spring or autumn, for fine weather without the summer crowds.

ESSENTIAL PHOTO

Pose like a film star on the steps of Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes.

BEST FOR FAMILIES

La Rochelle, with child-friendly attractions and stunning looks.

La Rochelle

Arcaded walkways and luminous limestone façades

STEFANO CELLAI/SIME/4CORNERS ©

Atlantic to Med

In May the film starlets of the world pour into Cannes to celebrate a year of movie-making. Let them have their moment of glam – by the time you’ve finished scaling Pyrenean highs, chewing Basque tapas, acting like a medieval knight in a turreted castle and riding to the moon in a spaceship, you too will have the makings of a prize-winning film.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

1  La Rochelle

Known as La Ville Blanche (the White City), La Rochelle is home to luminous limestone façades, arcaded walkways, half-timbered houses and ghoulish gargoyles glowing in the bright coastal sunlight. One of France’s foremost seaports from the 14th to the 17th century, it remains a great seafaring centre and one of the most attractive cities in France.

There are several defensive towers (adult/child €8.50/free; 10am-6.30pm) around the harbour area that once served to protect the town at night in times of war. They can be climbed for stunning views.

La Rochelle’s number-one tourist attraction is the state-of-the-art aquarium (www.aquarium-larochelle.com; quai Louis Prunier; adult/child €14.50/11; 9am-11pm). Highlights include UFO-like rays and fearsome sharks, teeth-gnashing piranhas, timid turtles and the bizarre half-newt, total fish mudskippers.

54  Click here

The Drive » Using the main A10 toll road it’s 187km (about 2½ hours) to St-Émilion. Turn off the A10 at exit 39a, signed for Libourne. Skirt this industrial town and follow the D243 into St-Émilion.

DETOUR:

ÎLE DE RÉ

Start: 1  La Rochelle

Bathed in the southern sun, drenched in a languid atmosphere and scattered with villages of green-shuttered, whitewashed buildings with red Spanish-tile roofs, Île de Ré is one of the most delightful places on the west coast of France. The island spans just 30km from its most easterly and westerly points, and just 5km at its widest section. But take note: the secret’s out and in high season it can be almost impossible to move around and even harder to find a place to stay.

On the northern coast about 12km from the toll bridge that links the island to La Rochelle is the quaint fishing port of St-Martin-de-Ré, the island’s main town. Surrounded by 17th-century fortifications (you can stroll along most of the ramparts), the port town is a mesh of streets filled with craft shops, art galleries and sea-spray ocean views.

The island’s best beaches are along the southern edge – including unofficial naturist beaches at Rivedoux Plage and La Couarde-sur-Mer – and around the western tip (northeast and southeast of Phare-des-Baleines). Many beaches are bordered by dunes that have been fenced off to protect the vegetation.

From La Rochelle it’s 24km and a half-hour drive to St-Martin-de-Ré via a very expensive toll bridge (€8 mid-September to mid-June, €16 mid-June to mid-September).

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2  St-Émilion

Built of soft honey-coloured rock, the medieval village of St-Émilion produces some of the world’s finest red wines. Visiting this pretty town, and partaking in some of the tours and activities on offer, is the easiest way to get under the (grape) skin of Bordeaux wine production.

The tourist office runs several guided tours (adult/child €7-14/free) as well as two-hour afternoon château visits (adult/child €14/free). Be sure to reserve ahead.

The Drive » The obvious route from St-Émilion to Biarritz is down the N10 via Bordeaux, but it’s likely to be slow going for the next couple of years thanks to major road works. Instead, take the D670 to Sauveterre-de-Guyenne, the D672 to Langon, the A65 to Mont-de-Marson and the D824 toward Dax before joining the A63 to Biarritz. It’s 257km (about 3½ hours).

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3  Biarritz

This coastal town is as ritzy as its name makes out. Biarritz boomed as a resort in the mid-19th century due to the regular visits by Napoléon III and his Spanish-born wife, Eugénie. Along its rocky coastline are architectural hallmarks of this golden age, and the belle époque and art deco eras that followed.

Biarritz is all about its fashionable beaches, especially the central Grande Plage and Plage Miramar. In the heat of summer, you’ll find them packed end to end with sun-loving bathers.

The Drive » It’s 208km (2¾ hours) to the village of Gavarnie. Take the A64 toll road, turn off at exit 11 and take the D940 to Lourdes (worth a look for its religious Disneyland feel), then continue south along the D913 and D921.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

4  Cirque de Gavarnie

The Pyrenees certainly doesn’t lack impressive scenery, but your first sight of the Cirque de Gavarnie is guaranteed to raise a gasp. This breathtaking mountain amphitheatre is one of the region’s most famous sights, sliced by thunderous waterfalls and ringed by sawtooth peaks, many of which top out at over 3000m.

There are a couple of large car parks in the village of Gavarnie, from where it’s about a two-hour walk to the amphitheatre. Wear proper shoes, as snow lingers along the trail into early summer. Between Easter and October you can clip-clop along on a horse or donkey (around €25 for a round-trip).

The Drive » Retrace your steps to Lourdes, then take the N21 toward Tarbes and veer off onto the A64 toll road to reach Toulouse. It takes nearly three hours to cover the 228km.

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5  Toulouse

Elegantly situated at the confluence of the Canal du Midi and the Garonne River, the vibrant southern city of Toulouse is often known as La Ville Rose, a reference to the distinctive hot-pink stone used to build many of its buildings.

Toulouse’s magnificent main square, place du Capitole, is the city’s literal and metaphorical heart. To the south of the square is the city’s Vieux Quartier (Old Quarter), a tangle of lanes and leafy squares.

The sky’s the limit at the fantastic Cité de l’Espace (08 20 37 72 33; www.cite-espace.com/en; av Jean Gonord; adult €20.50-24, child €15-17.50; 9.30am-7pm mid-Jul–Aug, 9.30am-5pm or 6pm Sep-Dec & Feb–mid-Jul, closed Jan). Since WWII, Toulouse has been the centre of France’s aerospace industry, developing many important aircraft (including Concorde and the Airbus A380) as well as components for many international space programs. The museum brings this interstellar industry vividly to life through hands-on exhibits including a shuttle simulator, a planetarium, a 3-D cinema and a simulated observatory.

For more on the city, see Click here.

54  Click here

The Drive » It’s an easy 95km (one hour) down the fast A61 to Carcassonne. Notice how the vegetation becomes suddenly much more Mediterranean about 15 minutes out of Toulouse.

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6  Carcassonne

Perched on a rocky hilltop and bristling with zigzagging battlements, stout walls and spiky turrets, from afar the fortified city of Carcassonne looks like something out of a children’s storybook and is most people’s perfect idea of a medieval castle.

Today around four million tourists a year stream through the city gates in search of knights in armour and damsels in distress. Instead they find a lot of tacky souvenir shops. Even so, this is a fascinating place to explore, and, when it’s bathed in afternoon sunshine and highlighted by dark clouds, Carcassonne is simply breathtaking.

The Drive » Continue down the A61 to the Catalan-flavoured town of Narbonne, where you join the A9 (which can get very busy in summer) and head east to Nîmes. From there the A54 will take you into Arles. Allow just over two hours to cover the 223km and expect lots of toll booths.

Canal du Midi, Carcassonne

HOWARD KINGSNORTH/CULTURA/CORBIS ©

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT

7  Arles

Arles’ poster boy is the celebrated impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh. If you’re familiar with his work, you’ll be familiar with Arles: the light, the colours, the landmarks and the atmosphere, all faithfully captured. But long before Van Gogh rendered this grand Rhône River locale on canvas, the Romans valued its worth. Today it’s the reminders of Rome that are probably the town’s most memorable attractions.

At Les Arènes (Amphithéâtre; adult/child incl Théâtre Antique €6.50/free; 9am-7pm) slaves, criminals and wild animals (including giraffes) met their dramatic demise before a jubilant 20,000-strong crowd during Roman gladiatorial displays.

The Théâtre Antique (04 90 96 93 30; bd des Lices, enter on rue de la Calade; admission incl in Amphithéâtre ticket; 9am-7pm), which dates from the 1st century BC, is still regularly used for alfresco concerts and plays.

54  Click here

The Drive » From Arles take the scenic N568 and A55 route into Marseille. It’s 88km (an hour’s drive) away.

DETOUR:

AIX-EN-PROVENCE

Start: 7  Arles

Aix-en-Provence is to Provence what the Left Bank is to Paris: an enclave of bourgeois-bohemian chic. Art, culture and architecture abound here. A stroller’s paradise, the highlight is the mostly pedestrian old city, Vieil Aix. South of cours Mirabeau, Quartier Mazarin was laid out in the 17th century, and is home to some of Aix’s finest buildings. Place des Quatre Dauphins, with its fish-spouting fountain (1667), is particularly enchanting. Further south still is the peaceful parc Jourdan, home to the town’s Boulodrome Municipal, where locals gather beneath plane trees to play pétanque.

From Arles it’s a simple 77km (one-hour) drive down the A54 toll road to Aix-en-Provence. To rejoin the main route take the A51 and A7 for 32km (30 minutes) to Marseille.

Les Arènes, Arles

LUIGI VACCARELLA/SIME/4CORNERS ©

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8  Marseille

With its history, fusion of cultures, souq-like markets, millennia-old port and corniches (coastal roads) along rocky inlets and sun-baked beaches, Marseille is a captivating and exotic city.

Ships have docked for more than 26 centuries at the city’s birthplace, the colourful Vieux Port (Old Port), and it remains a thriving harbour to this day. Guarding the harbour are Bas Fort St-Nicolas on the south side and, across the water, Fort St-Jean, founded in the 13th century by the Knights Hospitaller of St John of Jerusalem. At the time of writing, the national Musée des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Méditerranée (Museum of European & Mediterranean Civilisations; 04 84 35 13 13; http://www.mucem.org/; 11am-7pm) Wed, Thu & Sat) was getting set to open a brand-new 40,000-sq-m state-of-the-art museum here in 2013.

From the Vieux Port, hike up to the fantastic history-woven quarter of Le Panier, dubbed Marseille’s Montmartre as much for its sloping streets as its artsy ambience. It’s a mishmash of lanes hiding artisan shops, ateliers (workshops) and terraced houses strung with drying washing.

The Drive » To get from Marseille to Cannes take the northbound A52 and join the A8 toll road just east of Aix-en-Provence. It’s 181km and takes just under two hours.

Rue St-Ferréol, Marseille

GIANLUCA SANTONI/SIME/4CORNERS ©

WHY THIS IS A CLASSIC TRIP

STUART BUTLER, AUTHOR

The scenic highlight of this trip is undoubtedly the Pyrenees. Many people would say that the Cirque de Gavarnie is, if you’ll excuse the pun, the high point, but for an even more heart-wrenching view try the nearby Cirque de Troumouse. To reach it involves a stomach-churning drive that’s absolutely not for vertigo sufferers. The turnoff is signed near the village of Gèdre, 6.5km north of Gavarnie.

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9  Cannes

The eponymous film festival only lasts for two weeks in May, but thanks to regular visits from celebrities the buzz and glitz are in Cannes year-round.

The imposing Palais des Festivals et des Congrès (Festival Palace; bd de la Croisette) is the centre of the glamour. Climb the red carpet, walk down the auditorium, tread the stage and learn about cinema’s most prestigious event on a guided tour (adult/child €4/free; 2.30pm Jun-Apr). The 1½-hour tourist-office-run tours take place several times a month, except in May.

The Drive » Leave the motorways behind and weave along the D6007 to Nice, taking in cliffs framing turquoise Mediterranean waters and the yachties’ town of Antibes. It’s 31km and, on a good day, takes 45 minutes.

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TRIP HIGHLIGHT
a  Nice

‘Most people come here for the light. Me, I’m from the north. What moved me are January’s radiant colours and luminosity of daylight.’ The words are Matisse’s, but they could be those of any painter – or, in fact, of any visitor who comes to Nice, for it’s true: the light here is magical. The city has a number of world-class sights, but the star attraction is probably the city itself. Atmospheric, beautiful and photogenic, it’s a wonderful place to stroll or watch the world go by, so make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to soak it all in.

For more on the city, see Click here.

5  Click here

EATING & SLEEPING

La Rochelle 1

5  Le Soleil Brille Pour Tout Le Monde INTERNATIONAL, VEGETARIAN €

(05 46 41 11 42; 13 rue des Cloutiers; menus/mains from €13/9.50; lunch & dinner Tue-Sat; ) There’s a distinctly bohemian air to this excellent little place, decked out in hippy colours. Some highly original dishes originate from the kitchen, many of them inspired by the tropical French islands of Réunion and Martinique.

4  Trianon de la Plage HISTORIC HOTEL €€

(05 46 41 21 35; www.hoteltrianon.com; 6 rue de la Monnaie; r €80-111,; closed Jan; ) A fading world of art deco stained-glass windows, curly-whirly staircases, a grand dining room and multihued rooms dominate this character-laden hotel. The in-house restaurant (mains €15 to €18) has well-priced, high-quality meals.

Toulouse 5

5  Chez Navarre REGIONAL CUISINE €€

(05 62 26 43 06; 49 Grande Rue Nazareth; menus €13-20; noon-1.30pm & 8-10pm Mon-Fri) Fancy rubbing shoulders with the locals? Then this wonderful table d’hôte is definitely the place, with honest Gascon cuisine served up beneath a creaky beamed ceiling at communal candlelit tables.

4  Les Bains Douches HOTEL €€€

(05 62 72 52 52; www.hotel-bainsdouches.com; 4 & 4bis rue du Pont Guilhemery; d €140-210, ste €280-330; ) If it’s style you want, it’s style you’ll find at this ubercool establishment: shimmering chrome, sleek surfaces, statement light fittings and a salon-bar that wouldn’t look out of place in Paris’ more fashionable arrondissements.

Arles 7

4  Hôtel de l’Amphithéâtre HISTORIC HOTEL €€

(04 90 96 10 30; www.hotelamphitheatre.fr; 5-7 rue Diderot; s/d/tr/q from €57/67/117/137; ) Crimson, chocolate, terracotta and other rich earthy colours dress the exquisite 17th-century stone structure of this stylish hotel, with narrow staircases, roaring fire and alfresco courtyard breakfasts.

Nice a

5  Le Chantecler GASTRONOMIC €€€

(04 93 16 64 00; www.hotel-negresco-nice.com; Le Negresco, 37 promenade des Anglais; menus €110, mains €62-85; dinner Wed-Sun, lunch Sun) Make sure you’re in a grand mood if you’re going to splash out at this two-Michelin-star restaurant: every dish is the most exquisite creation, both in cuisine and presentation, and there’s a seemingly endless succession of appetisers, palate cleansers and petits fours.

2  STRETCH YOUR LEGS BORDEAUX

Bordeaux looks good. In fact it looks so good that it has been granted World Heritage status. With pedestrian-friendly streets and stately architecture, this is a city made for exploring on foot. This walking tour reveals the city at its finest. And best of all, it’s just a short detour from St-Émilion on our Atlantic to Med classic trip.

START/FINISH CATHÉDRALE ST-ANDRÉ

DISTANCE 5KM

DURATION 1½ HOURS

Cathédrale St-André

Lording over the city, the cathedral dates from 1096, but most of what you see today was built in the 13th and 14th centuries. Next door is the gargoyled, 50m-high Gothic belfry, Tour Pey-Berland (adult/child €5.50/free; 10am-1.15pm & 2-6pm Jun-Sep, shorter hours rest of year), erected between 1440 and 1466.

The Walk » Head up rue Elisée Reclus and turn right to enter the small but elegant Jardin de la Mairie, where you’ll find the Musée des Beaux-Arts.

Musée des Beaux-Arts

The evolution of Occidental art from the Renaissance to the mid-20th century is on view at this museum (20 cours d’Albret; 11am-6pm mid-Jul–mid-Aug). Occupying two wings of the 1770s-built Hôtel de Ville (city hall), the museum was established in 1801; highlights include 17th-century Flemish, Dutch and Italian paintings.

The Walk » Continue down cours d’Albret, across place Gambetta and onto cours Georges Clemenceau. At place Tourny turn left onto rue Fondaudège and then take the second right.

Jardin Public

For art of a different sort take a stroll through these gorgeous gardens (cours de Verdun). On sunny days it can seem as though half of Bordeaux has come to feed the ducks here.

The Walk » Exit the park via cours de Verdun, then head down cours du Maréchal Foch, turn left onto rue Ferrére and continue to CAPC.

CAPC Musée d’Art Contemporain

Built in 1824 as a warehouse for French colonial produce such as coffee, cocoa, peanuts and vanilla, the cavernous Entrepôts Lainé building creates a dramatic backdrop for cutting-edge modern art at the CAPC (rue Ferrére, Entrepôt 7; 11am-6pm Tue & Thu-Sun, to 8pm Wed). The contrast between the works on display here and those in the Musée des Beaux-Arts could hardly be greater.

The Walk » Follow the river along the quai des Chartrons to the esplanade des Quincones. Walk through this square, past the Girondins monument, and continue 100m down cours du 30 Juillet to the Maison du Vin de Bordeaux.

Bar du Vin

Time for a drink? In Bordeaux there’s only one place to wet the whistle. Wine’s holy of holies, the Bar du Vin (3 cours du 30 Juillet; 11am-10pm Mon-Sat), inside the hallowed Maison du Vin de Bordeaux, is the place to come for a tipple with people who really know their wine from their beer.

The Walk » With a wine-induced skip in your step continue 150m down Bordeaux’s swankiest street to the magnificent Grand Théâtre.

Grand Théâtre

Designed by Victor Louis (of Chartres cathedral fame), this 18th-century theatre is a breathtaking venue for operas, ballets and classical-music concerts. Guided behind-the-scenes tours of the building (€3) are possible on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons at 3pm, 4pm and 5pm.

The Walk » Turn left behind the theatre and walk down the attractive cours du Chapeau Rouge, home to a number of decent restaurants. Turn right and walk along the waterfront to place de la Bourse.

Place de la Bourse & Quai de la Douane

Surrounded by magisterial public buildings that attest to Bordeaux’s 18th-century wealth is the place de la Bourse. Opposite, the quai de la Douane has been given a facelift and now incorporates playgrounds and a wafer-thin ‘swimming pool’ that hot and sticky young Bordelaise roll about in during summer.

The Walk » Head up rue Fernand Philippart to place du Parlement with its numerous cafes, then weave along rue du pas-St-George, rue St-Siméon and rue de la Merci to turn left onto rue de Cheverus and back to the cathedral.

2  STRETCH YOUR LEGS BORDEAUX

Bordeaux looks good. In fact it looks so good that it has been granted World Heritage status. With pedestrian-friendly streets and stately architecture, this is a city made for exploring on foot. This walking tour reveals the city at its finest.

Take this walk on Trips

START/FINISH CATHÉDRALE ST-ANDRÉ

DISTANCE 5KM

DURATION 1½ HOURS

Cathédrale St-André

Lording over the city, the cathedral dates from 1096, but most of what you see today was built in the 13th and 14th centuries. Next door is the gargoyled, 50m-high Gothic belfry, Tour Pey-Berland (adult/child €5.50/free; 10am-1.15pm & 2-6pm Jun-Sep, shorter hours rest of year), erected between 1440 and 1466.

The Walk » Head up rue Elisée Reclus and turn right to enter the small but elegant Jardin de la Mairie, where you’ll find the Musée des Beaux-Arts.

Musée des Beaux-Arts

The evolution of Occidental art from the Renaissance to the mid-20th century is on view at this museum (20 cours d’Albret; 11am-6pm mid-Jul–mid-Aug). Occupying two wings of the 1770s-built Hôtel de Ville (city hall), the museum was established in 1801; highlights include 17th-century Flemish, Dutch and Italian paintings.

The Walk » Continue down cours d’Albret, across place Gambetta and onto cours Georges Clemenceau. At place Tourny turn left onto rue Fondaudège and then take the second right.

Jardin Public

For art of a different sort take a stroll through these gorgeous gardens (cours de Verdun). On sunny days it can seem as though half of Bordeaux has come to feed the ducks here.

The Walk » Exit the park via cours de Verdun, then head down cours du Maréchal Foch, turn left onto rue Ferrére and continue to CAPC.

CAPC Musée d’Art Contemporain

Built in 1824 as a warehouse for French colonial produce such as coffee, cocoa, peanuts and vanilla, the cavernous Entrepôts Lainé building creates a dramatic backdrop for cutting-edge modern art at the CAPC (rue Ferrére, Entrepôt 7; 11am-6pm Tue & Thu-Sun, to 8pm Wed). The contrast between the works on display here and those in the Musée des Beaux-Arts could hardly be greater.

The Walk » Follow the river along the quai des Chartrons to the esplanade des Quincones. Walk through this square, past the Girondins monument, and continue 100m down cours du 30 Juillet to the Maison du Vin de Bordeaux.

Bar du Vin

Time for a drink? In Bordeaux there’s only one place to wet the whistle. Wine’s holy of holies, the Bar du Vin (3 cours du 30 Juillet; glasses of wine from €2; 11am-10pm Mon-Sat), inside the hallowed Maison du Vin de Bordeaux, is the place to come for a tipple with people who really know their wine from their beer.

The Walk » With a wine-induced skip in your step continue 150m down Bordeaux’s swankiest street to the magnificent Grand Théâtre.

Grand Théâtre

Designed by Victor Louis (of Chartres cathedral fame), this 18th-century theatre is a breathtaking venue for operas, ballets and classical-music concerts. Guided behind-the-scenes tours of the building (€3) are possible on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons at 3pm, 4pm and 5pm.

The Walk » Turn left behind the theatre and walk down the attractive cours du Chapeau Rouge, home to a number of decent restaurants. Turn right and walk along the waterfront to place de la Bourse.

Place de la Bourse & Quai de la Douane

Surrounded by magisterial public buildings that attest to Bordeaux’s 18th-century wealth is the place de la Bourse. Opposite, the quai de la Douane has been given a facelift and now incorporates playgrounds and a wafer-thin ‘swimming pool’ that hot and sticky young Bordelaise roll about in during summer.

The Walk » Head up rue Fernand Philippart to place du Parlement with its numerous cafes, then weave along rue du pas-St-George, rue St-Siméon and rue de la Merci to turn left onto rue de Cheverus and back to the cathedral.

ROAD TRIP ESSENTIALS

FRANCE DRIVING GUIDE

Driving Licence & Documents

Insurance

Hiring a Car

Bringing Your Own Vehicle

Maps

Roads & Conditions

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Parking

Fuel

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France Driving Guide

With stunning landscapes, superb highways and one of the world’s most scenic and comprehensive secondary road networks, France is a road-tripper’s dream come true.

DRIVING LICENCE & DOCUMENTS

Drivers must carry the following at all times:

A  passport or an EU national ID card

A  valid driving licence (permis de conduire; most foreign licences can be used in France for up to a year)

A  car-ownership papers, known as a carte grise (grey card)

A  proof of third-party liability assurance (insurance)

An International Driving Permit (IDP) is not required when renting a car but can be useful in the event of an accident or police stop, as it translates and vouches for the authenticity of your home licence.

ROAD TRIP WEBSITES

AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATIONS

RAC (www.rac.co.uk/driving-abroad/france) Info for British drivers on driving in France.

CONDITIONS & TRAFFIC

Bison Futé (www.bison-fute.equipement.gouv.fr)

Les Sociétés d’Autoroutes (www.autoroutes.fr)

ROUTE MAPPING

Mappy (www.mappy.fr)

Via Michelin (www.viamichelin.com)

DRIVING FAST FACTS

A  Right or left? Drive on the right

A  Manual or automatic? Manual

A  Legal driving age 18

A  Top speed limit 130km/h on autoroutes (highways, motorways)

A  Signature car Citroën 2CV

INSURANCE

Third-party liability insurance (assurance au tiers) is compulsory for all vehicles in France, including cars brought from abroad. Normally, cars registered and insured in other European countries can circulate freely. Contact your insurance company before leaving home to make sure you’re covered, and to verify whom to call in case of a breakdown or accident.

In a minor accident with no injuries, the easiest way for drivers to sort things out with their insurance companies is to fill out a Constat Amiable d’Accident Automobile (accident report), a standardised way of recording important details about what happened. In rental cars it’s usually in the packet of documents in the glove compartment. Make sure the report includes any proof that the accident was not your fault. If it was your fault you may be liable for a hefty insurance deductible/excess. Don’t sign anything you don’t fully understand. If necessary, contact the police (17).

French-registered cars have their insurance-company details printed on a little green square affixed to the windscreen (windshield).

LOCAL EXPERT: DRIVING TIPS

France driving tips from Bert Morris, Research Consultant for IAM (www.iam.org.uk) and former Motoring Policy Director for the AA:

A  First thing if you’re British: watch your instinct to drive on the left. Once I was leaving a supermarket using the left-turn exit lane. I turned by instinct into the left lane of the street and nearly had a head-on collision. My golden rule: when leaving a parking lot, petrol station or motorway off-ramp, do it on the right and your instinct to stay right will kick in.

A  French law says to give way to traffic on the right, even when you’re on a main road. So I advise people to ease off on the foot whenever you get to a junction.

A  Never go below a third of a tank, even if you think there’s cheaper petrol further down the road; sometimes the next station’s a long way off. My approach is, don’t fret about cost; you’re on holiday!

HIRING A CAR

To hire a car in France, you’ll need to be older than 21, with an international credit card. Drivers under 25 usually must pay a surcharge.

All car-hire companies provide mandatory third-party liability insurance, but prices and conditions for collision-damage waiver insurance (CDW, or assurance tous risques) vary greatly from company to company. Purchasing the CDW can substantially reduce the franchise (deductible/excess) that you’ll be liable for if the car is damaged or stolen, but car-hire companies sometimes charge exorbitant rates for this protection; if you travel frequently, sites like insurance4carhire.com may provide a cheaper alternative. Your credit card may also cover CDW if you use it to pay for the rental; verify conditions and details with your card issuer.

Arranging your car hire from home is usually considerably cheaper than a walk-in rental, but beware of online offers that don’t include CDW or you may be liable for up to 100% of the car’s value.

Be sure your car has a spare tyre (it’s not uncommon for rentals to be missing these).

International car-hire companies:

Avis (www.avis.com)

Budget (www.budget.com)

Europcar (www.europcar.com)

Hertz (www.hertz.fr)

National-Citer (www.nationalcar.com)

Sixt (www.sixt.com)

French car-hire companies:

ADA (www.ada.fr)

DLM (www.dlm.fr)

France Cars (www.francecars.fr)

Locauto (www.locauto.fr)

Renault Rent (www.renault-rent.com)

Rent a Car Système (www.rentacar.fr)

Internet-based discount brokers:

Auto Europe (www.autoeurope.com)

DriveAway Holidays (driveaway.com.au)

Easycar (www.easycar.com)

Holiday Autos (www.holidayautos.co.uk)

Rental cars with automatic transmission are rare in France; book well ahead for these.

For insurance reasons, rental cars are usually prohibited on ferries, for example to Corsica.

BRINGING YOUR OWN VEHICLE

Any foreign motor vehicle entering France must display a sticker or licence plate identifying its country of registration. Right-hand-drive vehicles brought from the UK or Ireland must have deflectors affixed to the headlights to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic.

MAPS

Michelin’s excellent, detailed regional driving maps are highly recommended as a companion to this book, as they will help you navigate back roads and explore alternative routes; IGN’s maps are ideal for more specialised activities such as hiking and cycling. Look for both at newsagents, bookshops, airports, supermarkets, tourist offices and service stations along the autoroute.

A  Institut Géographique National (IGN; www.ign.fr) Publishes regional fold-out maps as well as an all-France volume, France – Routes, Autoroutes. Has a great variety of 1:50,000-scale hiking maps, specialised cyclocartes (cycling maps) and themed maps showing wine regions, museums etc.

A  Michelin (boutiquecartesetguides.michelin.fr) Sells excellent, tear-proof yellow-orange 1:200,000-scale regional maps tailor-made for cross-country driving, with precise coverage of smaller back roads.

ROADS & CONDITIONS

France has one of Europe’s densest highway networks. There are four types of intercity roads:

A  Autoroutes (highway names beginning with A) Multilane divided highways, usually with tolls (péages). Generously outfitted with rest stops.

A  Routes Nationales (N, RN) National highways. Some sections have divider strips.

A  Routes Départementales (D) Local highways and roads.

A  Routes Communales (C, V) Minor rural roads.

The latter two categories, while slower, offer some of France’s most enjoyable driving experiences.

Motorcyclists will find France great for touring, with high-quality roads and stunning scenery. Just make sure your wet-weather gear is up to scratch.

Note that high mountain passes, especially in the Alps, may be closed from as early as September to as late as June. Conditions are posted at the foot of each pass (‘ouvert’ on a green background means open, ‘ferme’ on a red background means closed). Snow chains or studded tyres are required in wintry weather.

ROAD RULES

Enforcement of French traffic laws has been stepped up considerably in recent years. Speed cameras are increasingly common, as are radar traps and unmarked police vehicles. Fines for many infractions are given on the spot.

Speed Limits

Speed limits outside built-up areas (unless signposted otherwise):

A  Undivided N and D highways 90km/h (80km/h when raining)

A  Non-autoroute divided highways 110km/h (100km/h when raining)

A  Autoroutes 130km/h (110km/h when raining)

Unless otherwise signposted, a limit of 50km/h applies in all areas designated as built up, no matter how rural they may appear. You must slow to 50km/h the moment you come to a town entry sign; this speed limit applies until you pass a town exit sign with a diagonal bar through it.

You’re expected to already know the speed limit for various types of roads; that’s why most speed-limit signs begin with the word rappel (reminder). You can be fined for going as little as 10km over the speed limit.

PRIORITY TO THE RIGHT

Under the priorité à droite (priority to the right) rule, any car entering an intersection from a road on your right has the right of way. Don’t be surprised if locals courteously cede the right of way when you’re about to turn from an alley onto a highway, yet boldly assert their rights when you’re the one zipping down a main road.

Priorité à droite is suspended on some main roads marked with a yellow diamond-shaped sign. The same sign with a diagonal bar through it reinstates the priorité à droite rule.

At roundabouts where you don’t have the right of way (ie the cars already in the roundabout do), you’ll see signs reading vous n’avez pas la priorité (you do not have right of way) or cédez le passage (yield/give way).

Alcohol

A  The blood-alcohol limit is 0.05% (0.5g per litre of blood) – the equivalent of two glasses of wine for a 75kg adult.

A  Police often conduct random breathalyser tests. Penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.

Motorcycles

A  Riders of any two-wheeled motorised vehicle must wear a helmet.

A  No special licence is required to ride a motorbike whose engine is smaller than 50cc, which is why rental scooters are often rated at 49.9cc.

A  As of 1 January 2013, all riders of motorcycles 125cc or larger must wear high-visibility reflective clothing measuring at least 150 sq cm on their upper bodies.

Child Seats

A  Up to age 10 (or 1.4m tall), children must use a size-appropriate child seat or booster.

A  Children under 10 cannot ride in the front seat (unless the back is already occupied by other children under 10).

A  A child under 13kg must travel in a backward-facing child seat.

Other Rules

A  All passengers, including those in the back seat, must wear seat belts.

A  Mobile phones may be used only if equipped with a hands-free kit or speakerphone.

A  Turning right on a red light is illegal.

A  All vehicles driven in France must carry a high-visibility safety vest, a reflective triangle, a spare set of headlight bulbs and (as of 1 July 2012) a portable, single-use breathalyser kit. Non-compliant drivers are subject to fines.

For pictures and descriptions of common French road signs, see the inside back cover.

DRIVING PROBLEM-BUSTER

I can’t speak French; will that be a problem? While it’s preferable to learn some French before travelling, French road signs are mostly of the ‘international symbol’ variety, and English is increasingly spoken among the younger generation. Our Language chapter can help you navigate some common roadside emergency situations; in a worst-case scenario, a good attitude and sign language can go a long way.

What should I do if my car breaks down? Safety first: turn on your flashers, put on a safety vest (legally required, and provided in rental-car glove compartments) and place a reflective triangle (also legally required) 30m to 100m behind your car to warn approaching motorists. Call for emergency assistance (112) or walk to the nearest orange roadside call box (placed every 2km along French autoroutes). If renting a vehicle, your car-hire company’s service number may help expedite matters. If travelling in your own car, verify before leaving home whether your local auto club has reciprocal roadside-assistance arrangements in France.

What if I have an accident? For minor accidents you’ll need to fill out a constat amiable d’accident (accident statement, typically provided in rental-car glove compartments) and report the accident to your insurance and/or rental-car company. If necessary, contact the police (17).

What should I do if I get stopped by the police? Show your passport (or EU national ID card), licence and proof of insurance. See our Language chapter for some handy phrases.

What’s the speed limit in France and how is it enforced? Speed limits (indicated by a black-on-white number inside a red circle) range from 30km/h in small towns to 130km/h on the fastest autoroutes. If the motorbike police pull you over, they’ll fine you on the spot or direct you to the nearest gendarmerie to pay. If you’re caught by a speed camera (placed at random intervals along French highways), the ticket will be sent to your rental-car agency, which will bill your credit card, or to your home address if you’re driving your own vehicle. Fines depend on how much you’re over the limit.

How do French tolls work? Many French autoroutes charge tolls. Take a ticket from the machine upon entering the highway and pay as you exit. Some exit booths are staffed by people; others are automated and will accept only chip-and-PIN credit cards or coins.

What if I can’t find anywhere to stay? During summer and holiday periods, book accommodation in advance whenever possible. Local tourist offices can sometimes help find you a bed during normal business hours. Otherwise, try your luck at national chain hotels such as Etap and Formule 1 (Click here), which are typically clustered at autoroute exits outside urban areas.

FRANCE PLAYLIST

Bonjour Rachid Taha and Gaetan Roussel

Coeur Vagabond Gus Viseur

La Vie en Rose Édith Piaf

Minor Swing Django Reinhardt

L’Americano Akhenaton

Flower Duet from Lakmé Léo Delibes

De Bonnes Raisons Alex Beaupain

PARKING

In city centres, most on-the-street parking places are payant (metered) from 9am to 7pm Monday to Saturday (sometimes with a midday break). Buy a ticket at the nearest horodateur (coin-fed ticket machine) and place it on your dashboard with the time stamp clearly visible. Bigger cities also have public parking garages.

FUEL

A  Diesel (gazole or gasoil) – €1.35/L; many cars in France run on diesel.

A  Essence (gas/petrol), or carburant (fuel) – €1.50/L for 95 unleaded (SP95).

A  Filling up (faire le plein) is most expensive at autoroute rest stops, cheapest at hypermarkets.

A  When renting a car, ask whether it runs on gazole or essence.

A  At the pump, diesel nozzles are generally yellow, unleaded gas nozzles green.

A  Many petrol stations close on Sunday afternoon; even in cities, staffed stations are rarely open late.

A  After-hours purchases (eg at hypermarkets’ fully automatic 24-hour stations) can only be made with a credit card that has an embedded PIN chip. If you don’t have a chip-and-PIN card, try to get one from your card company before leaving home; chip-and-PIN cards are also required at many toll booths and train-ticket dispensers throughout France.

SATELLITE NAVIGATION SYSTEMS

Sat-nav devices can be helpful in navigating your way around France. They’re commonly available at car-rental agencies, or you can bring your own from home. Accuracy is more dependable on main highways than in small villages or on back roads; in rural areas, don’t hesitate to fall back on common sense, road signs and a good Michelin map if your sat nav seems to be leading you astray.

SAFETY

Never leave anything valuable inside your car, even in the boot (trunk). Note that thieves can easily identify rental cars, as they have a distinctive number on the licence plate.

Theft is especially prevalent in the south. In cities like Marseille and Nice, occasional aggressive theft from cars stopped at red lights is also an issue.

RADIO

For news, tune in to the French-language France Info (105.5MHz), the multilanguage RFI (738kHz or 89MHz in Paris) or, in northern France, the BBC World Service (648kHz) and BBC Radio 4 (198kHz). Popular national FM music stations include NRJ (www.nrj.fr), Skyrock (www.skyrock.fm) and Nostalgie (www.nostalgie.fr).

In many areas, Autoroute Info (107.7MHz) has round-the-clock traffic information.

France Travel Guide

GETTING THERE & AWAY

AIR

International Airports

Rental cars are available at all international airports listed below.

Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG; www.aeroportsdeparis.fr)

Paris Orly (ORY; www.aeroportsdeparis.fr)

Aéroport de Bordeaux (www.bordeaux.aeroport.fr)

Aéroport de Lille (www.lille.aeroport.fr)

Aéroport Lyon-Saint Exupéry (www.lyonaeroports.com)

EuroAirport (Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg; www.euroairport.com)

Aéroport Nantes Atlantique (www.nantes.aeroport.fr)

Aéroport Nice Côte d’Azur (societe.nice.aeroport.fr)

Aéroport International Strasbourg (www.strasbourg.aeroport.fr)

Aéroport Toulouse-Blagnac (www.toulouse.aeroport.fr)

CAR & MOTORCYCLE

Entering France from other parts of the EU is usually a breeze – no border checkpoints and no customs – thanks to the Schengen Agreement, signed by all of France’s neighbours except the UK, the Channel Islands and Andorra. For these three, old-fashioned document and customs checks are still the norm when exiting France (as well as when entering from Andorra).

Channel Tunnel

The Channel Tunnel (Chunnel), inaugurated in 1994, is the first dry-land link between England and France since the last ice age.

High-speed Eurotunnel Le Shuttle (www.eurotunnel.com) trains whisk cars and motorcycles in 35 minutes from Folkestone through the Chunnel to Coquelles, 5km southwest of Calais. Shuttles run 24 hours, with up to three departures an hour during peak time. LPG and CNG tanks are not permitted; gas-powered cars and many campers and caravans have to travel by ferry.

Eurotunnel sets its fares the way budget airlines do: the earlier you book and the lower the demand for a particular crossing, the less you pay; same-day fares can cost a small fortune. Fares for a car, including up to nine passengers, start at £30.

SEA

P&O Ferries (www.poferries.com) and DFDS Seaways (www.dfdsseaways.co.uk) both operate regular trans-Channel car ferry service from England to France (primarily from Dover to Calais, with less frequent services from Dover to Dunkirk). Brittany Ferries (www.brittanyferries.com) offers additional services from Plymouth, Portsmouth and Poole to the French ports of Roscoff, St-Malo, Cherbourg and Caen.

Ferry companies typically offer discounts for advance booking and/or off-peak travel. Seasonal demand is a crucial factor (Christmas, Easter, UK and French school holidays, July and August are especially busy), as is the time of day (an early-evening ferry can cost much more than one at 4am).

For the best fares, check Ferry Savers (www.ferrysavers.com).

Train

Rail services link France with virtually every country in Europe. The Eurostar (www.eurostar.com) whisks passengers from London to Paris in 2¼ hours.

You can book tickets and get train information from Rail Europe (www.raileurope.com). In France ticketing is handled by the national railway company SNCF (www.sncf.com). High-speed train travel between France and the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Austria is covered by Railteam (www.railteam.co.uk) and TGV-Europe (www.tgv-europe.com).

Avis (www.avis.fr), in partnership with SNCF (www.voyages-sncf.com/train/train-avis), has rental-car agencies in most major French railway stations. Cars booked through the SNCF website may be picked up from an SNCF representative after hours if the Avis office is closed.

DIRECTORY A–Z

ACCOMMODATION

Be it a fairy-tale château, a boutique hideaway or floating pod on a lake, France has accommodation to suit every taste, mood and pocket.

Categories

Budget covers everything from hostels to small, simple family-run places; midrange means a few extra creature comforts such as satellite TV and free wi-fi; and top-end places stretch from luxury five-star palaces with air conditioning, pools and restaurants to boutique-chic chalets in the Alps.

Costs

Accommodation costs vary wildly between seasons and regions: what will buy you a night in a romantic chambre d’hôte (B&B) in the countryside may only get you a dorm bed in a major city or high-profile ski resort.

Reservations

Midrange, top-end and many budget hotels require a credit-card to secure a reservation. Tourist offices can often advise on availability and reserve for you, sometimes charging a small fee.

Seasons

A  In ski resorts, high season is Christmas, New Year and the February-March school holidays.

A  On the coast, high season is summer, particularly August.

A  Hotels in inland cities often charge low-season rates in summer.

A  Rates often drop outside the high season – in some cases by as much as 50%.

A  In business-oriented hotels in cities, rooms are most expensive from Monday to Thursday and cheaper over the weekend.

A  In the Alps, hotels usually close between seasons, from around May to mid-June and from mid-September to early December; many addresses in Corsica only open April to October.

B&Bs

For charm, it’s hard to beat privately run chambres d’hôte (B&Bs), available throughout rural France. By law a chambre d’hôte must have no more than five rooms and breakfast must be included in the price; some hosts prepare home-cooked evening meals (table d’hôte) for an extra charge of €20 to €30. Pick up lists of chambres d’hôte at local tourist offices, or consult the websites below:

Bienvenue à la Ferme (www.bienvenue-a-la-ferme.com) Farmstays.

Chambres d’hôtes de Charme (www.guidesdecharme.com) Boutique B&Bs.

Chambres d’Hôtes France (www.chambresdhotesfrance.com)

en France (www.bbfrance.com) B&Bs and gîtes (self-catering cottages).

Fleurs de Soleil (www.fleursdesoleil.fr) Stylish maisons d’hôte, mainly in rural France.

Gîtes de France (www.gites-de-france.com) France’s primary umbrella organisation for B&Bs and gîtes. Search for properties by region, theme (with kids, by the sea, gourmet, etc), activity (fishing, wine tasting etc) or facilities (pool, dishwasher, fireplace, baby equipment etc).

Guides de Charme (www.guidesdecharme.com) Upmarket B&Bs.

Samedi Midi Éditions (www.samedimidi.com) Chambres d’hôte organised by location or theme.

PRACTICALITIES

A  Time France uses the 24-hour clock and is on Central European Time, which is one hour ahead of GMT/UTC. During daylight-saving time, from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October, France is two hours ahead of GMT/UTC.

A  TV & DVD TV is Secam; DVDs are zone 2; videos work on the PAL system.

A  Weights & Measures France uses the metric system.

SLEEPING PRICE RANGES

The following price ranges refer to a double room with private bathroom in high season (breakfast is not included, except at B&Bs).

€ less than €80

€€ €80–180

€€€ more than €180

Camping

Camping is extremely popular in France. There are thousands of well-equipped campgrounds, many considerately placed by rivers, lakes and the sea. Gîtes de France and Bienvenue à la Ferme coordinate camping on farms.

A  Most campgrounds open March or April to late September or October; popular spots fill up fast in summer, when it’s wise to book ahead.

A  Economisers should look out for local, good-value but no-frills campings municipaux (municipal campgrounds).

A  Many campgrounds rent mobile homes with mod cons like heating, kitchen and TV.

A  Camping ‘wild’ in nondesignated spots (camping sauvage) is illegal in France.

A  Campsite offices often close during the day.

Websites with campsite listings searchable by location, theme and facilities:

Camping en France (www.camping.fr)

Camping France (www.campingfrance.com)

Guide du Camping (www.guideducamping.com)

HPA Guide (http://camping.hpaguide.com)

Hostels

Hostels in France range from spartan rooms to hip hang-outs with perks aplenty.

A  In university towns, foyers d’étudiant (student dormitories) are sometimes converted for use by travellers during summer.

A  A dorm bed in an auberge de jeunesse (youth hostel) costs from €10.50 to €28 depending on location, amenities and facilities; sheets are always included, breakfast more often than not.

A  Hostels by the sea or in the mountains sometimes offer seasonal outdoor activities.

A  French hostels are 100% non-smoking.

Hotels

We have tried to feature well-situated, independent hotels that offer good value, a warm welcome, at least a bit of charm and a palpable sense of place.

Hotels in France are rated with one to five stars, although the ratings are based on highly objective criteria (eg the size of the entry hall), not the quality of the service, the decor or cleanliness.

A  French hotels rarely include breakfast in their rates. Unless specified otherwise, prices quoted don’t include breakfast, which costs around €7/10/20 in a budget/midrange/top-end hotel.

A  A double room generally has one double bed (sometimes two singles pushed together!); a room with twin beds (deux lits) is usually more expensive, as is a room with a bathtub instead of a shower.

A  Feather pillows are practically nonexistent in France, even in top-end hotels.

A  All hotel restaurant terraces allow smoking; if you are sensitive to smoke sit inside or carry a respirator.

Chain Hotels

Chain hotels stretch from nondescript establishments near the autoroute (motorway, highway) to central four-star hotels with character. Most conform to certain standards of decor, service and facilities (air conditioning, free wi-fi, 24-hour check-in etc), and offer competitive rates as well as last-minute, weekend and/or online deals. Countrywide biggies include:

B&B Hôtels (www.hotel-bb.com) Cheap motel-style digs.

Best Western (www.bestwestern.com) Independent two- to four-star hotels, each with its own local character.

Campanile (www.campanile.com) Good-value hotels geared up for families.

Citôtel (www.citotel.com) Independent two- and three-star hotels.

Contact Hôtel (www.contact-hotel.com) Inexpensive two- and three-star hotels.

Etap (www.etaphotel.com) Ubiquitous chain.

Formule 1 (www.hotelformule1.com) Nondescript roadside cheapie.

Ibis (www.ibishotel.com) Midrange pick.

Inter-Hotel (www.inter-hotel.fr) Two- and three-star hotels, some quite charming.

Kyriad (www.kyriad.com) Comfortable midrange choices.

Novotel (www.novotel.com) Family-friendly chain.

Première Classe (www.premiereclasse.com) Motel-style accommodation.

Sofitel (www.sofitel.com) Range of top-end hotels in major French cities.

BOOK YOUR STAY ONLINE

For more accommodation reviews by Lonely Planet authors, check out http://hotels.lonelyplanet.com. You’ll find independent reviews, as well as recommendations on the best places to stay. Best of all, you can book online.

ELECTRICITY

European two-pin plugs are standard. France has 230V at 50Hz AC (you may need a transformer for 110V electrical appliances).

FOOD

Food-happy France has a seemingly endless variety of eateries; categories listed below are found throughout the country: The Eating & Sleeping sections of this guide include phone numbers for places that require reservations (typically higher-end bistros or family-run enterprises such as tables d’hôte).

A  Auberge Country inn serving traditional fare, often attached to a B&B or small hotel.

A  Ferme auberge Working farm that cooks up meals – only dinner usually – from local farm products.

A  Bistro (also spelt bistrot) Anything from a pub or bar with snacks and light meals to a small, fully fledged restaurant.

A  Brasserie Much like a cafe except it serves full meals, drinks and coffee from morning until 11pm or later. Typical fare includes choucroute (sauerkraut) and moules frites (mussels and fries).

A  Restaurant Born in Paris in the 18th century, restaurants today serve lunch and dinner five or six days a week.

A  Cafe Basic light snacks as well as drinks.

A  Crêperie (also galetterie) Casual address specialising in sweet crêpes and savoury galettes (buckwheat crêpes).

A  Salon de Thé Trendy tearoom often serving light lunches (quiche, salads, cakes, tarts, pies and pastries) as well as black and herbal teas.

A  Table d’hôte (literally ‘host’s table’) Some of the most charming B&Bs serve table d’hôte too, a delicious homemade meal of set courses with little or no choice.

EATING PRICE RANGES

The following price ranges refer to a two-course set menu (ie entrée plus main course or main course plus dessert), with tax and service charge included in the price.

€ less than €20

€€ €20–40

€€€ more than €40

GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELLERS

The rainbow flag flies high in France, a country that left its closet long before many of its European neighbours. Laissez-faire perfectly sums up France’s liberal attitude towards homosexuality and people’s private lives in general. Paris, Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Montpellier and Toulouse are among the many cities with thriving gay and lesbian scenes. Attitudes towards homosexuality tend to be more conservative in the countryside and villages. France’s lesbian scene is less public than its gay male counterpart.

Publications

Damron (www.damron.com) Publishes English-language travel guides, including the Damron Women’s Traveller for lesbians and the Damron Men’s Travel Guide for gays.

Spartacus International Gay Guide (www.spartacusworld.com) A male-only guide with more than 70 pages devoted to France, almost half of which cover Paris. iPhone app too.

Websites

France Queer Resources Directory (www.france.qrd.org) Gay and lesbian directory.

French Government Tourist Office (www.us.franceguide.com/special-interests/gay-friendly) Information about ‘the gay-friendly destination par excellence’.

Gay France (www.gay-france.net) Insider tips on gay life in France.

Gayscape (www.gayscape.com) Hundreds of links to gay- and lesbian-related sites.

Gayvox (www.gayvox.com/guide3) Online travel guide to France, with listings by region.

Tasse de Thé (www.tassedethe.com) A webzine lesbien with lots of useful links.

INTERNET ACCESS

A  Wireless (wi-fi) access points can be found at major airports, in many hotels and at some cafes.

A  Some tourist offices and numerous cafes and bars tout wi-fi hot spots that let laptop owners hook up for free.

A  To search for free wi-fi hot spots in France, visit www.hotspot-locations.co.uk or www.free-hotspot.com.

A  Internet cafes are becoming less rife, but at least one can still be found in most large towns and cities. Prices range from €2 to €6 per hour.

A  If accessing dial-up ISPs with your laptop, you’ll need a telephone-plug adaptor, available at large supermarkets.

MONEY

ATMs

Known as distributeurs automatiques de billets (DAB) or points d’argent in French, ATMs are the cheapest and most convenient way to get money. Those connected to international networks are ubiquitous and usually offer an excellent exchange rate.

Cash

You always get a better exchange rate in-country, but if arriving in France by air or late at night, you may want to bring enough euros to take a taxi to a hotel.

Credit & Debit Cards

A  Credit and debit cards, accepted almost everywhere in France, are convenient and relatively secure and usually offer a better exchange rate than travellers cheques or cash exchanges.

A  Credit cards issued in France have embedded chips – you have to type in a PIN to make a purchase.

A  Visa, MasterCard and Amex can be used in shops and supermarkets and for train travel, car hire and motorway tolls, though some places (eg 24-hour petrol stations, some autoroute toll machines) only take French-style credit cards with chips and PINs.

A  Don’t assume that you can pay for a meal or a budget hotel with a credit card – enquire first.

A  Cash advances are a supremely convenient way to stay stocked up with euros, but getting cash with a credit card involves both fees (sometimes US$10 or more) and interest – ask your credit-card issuer for details. Debit-card fees are usually much less.

Moneychangers

A  In Paris and major cities, bureaux de change (exchange bureaus) are open longer hours, give faster and easier service and often have better rates than banks.

A  Some post-office branches exchange travellers cheques and banknotes; most won’t take US$100 bills.

TIPPING GUIDE

By law, restaurant and bar prices are service compris (include a 15% service charge), so there is no need to leave a pourboire (tip). If you were extremely satisfied with the service, however, you can – as many locals do – leave a small ‘extra’ tip for your waiter or waitress.

bars

round to nearest euro

hotel cleaning staff

€1-1.50 per day

hotel porters

€1-1.50 per bag

restaurants

5-10%

taxis

10-15%

toilet attendants

€0.20-0.50

tour guides

€1-2 per person

OPENING HOURS

Below are standard hours for various types of business in France (note that these can fluctuate by an hour either way in some cases). For individual business listings in this book, we’ve only included opening hours where they differ significantly from these standards:

banks

9am-noon & 2-5pm Mon-Fri or Tue-Sat

bars

7pm-1am Mon-Sat

cafes

7am or 8am-10pm or 11pm Mon-Sat

nightclubs

10pm-3am, 4am or 5am Thu-Sat

post offices

8.30am or 9am-5pm or 6pm Mon-Fri, 8am-noon Sat

restaurants

lunch noon-2.30pm, dinner 7-11pm six days a week

shops

9am or 10am-7pm Mon-Sat (often with lunch break noon-1.30pm)

supermarkets

8.30am-7pm Mon-Sat, 8.30am-12.30pm Sun

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

The following jours fériés (public holidays) are observed in France:

New Year’s Day (Jour de l’An) 1 January.

Easter Sunday and Monday (Pâques and lundi de Pâques) Late March/April.

May Day (Fête du Travail) 1 May.

Victoire 1945 8 May – commemorates the Allied victory in Europe that ended WWII.

Ascension Thursday (Ascension) May – celebrated on the 40th day after Easter.

Pentecost/Whit Sunday and Whit Monday (Pentecôte and lundi de Pentecôte) Mid-May to mid-June – celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter.

Bastille Day/National Day (Fête Nationale) 14 July – the national holiday.

Assumption Day (Assomption) 15 August.

All Saints’ Day (Toussaint) 1 November.

Remembrance Day (L’onze novembre) 11 November – marks the WWI armistice.

Christmas (Noël) 25 December.

SAFE TRAVEL

France is generally a safe place to travel, though crime has risen substantially in recent years. Property crime is much more common than physical violence; it’s extremely unlikely that you will be assaulted while walking down the street. Always check your government’s travel advisory warnings.

Hunting is traditional and commonplace throughout rural France, and the season runs from September to February. If you see signs reading ‘chasseurs’ or ‘chasse gardée’ strung up or tacked to trees, think twice about wandering into the area.

Natural Dangers

A  There are powerful tides and strong undertows at many places along the Atlantic coast, from the Spanish border north to Brittany and Normandy.

A  Only swim in zones de baignade surveillée (beaches monitored by life guards).

A  Be aware of tide times and the high-tide mark if walking on a beach.

A  Thunderstorms in the mountains and the hot southern plains can be extremely sudden and violent.

A  Check the weather report before setting out on a long walk and be prepared for sudden temperature drops if you’re heading into the high country of the Alps or Pyrenees.

A  Avalanches pose a significant danger in the Alps.

Theft

There’s no need to travel in fear, but it is worth taking a few simple precautions against theft.

A  Break-ins to parked cars are not uncommon. Never leave anything valuable inside your car, even in the boot (trunk).

A  Aggressive theft from cars stopped at red lights is occasionally a problem, especially in Marseille and Nice. As a precaution, lock your car doors and roll up the windows in major urban areas.

A  Pickpocketing and bag snatching (eg in dense crowds and public places) are prevalent in big cities, particularly Paris, Marseille and Nice. Be especially vigilant for bag-snatchers at outdoor cafes and beaches.

TELEPHONE

Mobile Phones

A  French mobile-phone numbers begin with 06 or 07.

A  France uses GSM 900/1800, which is compatible with the rest of Europe and Australia but not with the North American GSM 1900 or the totally different system in Japan (though some North Americans have tri-band phones that work in France).

A  Check with your service provider about roaming charges – dialling a mobile phone from a fixed-line phone or another mobile can be incredibly expensive.

A  It may be cheaper to buy your own French SIM card – and locals you meet are much more likely to ring you if your number is French.

A  If you already have a compatible phone, you can slip in a SIM card (€20 to €30) and rev it up with prepaid credit, though this is likely to run out fast as domestic prepaid calls cost about €0.50 per minute.

A  Recharge cards are sold at most tabacs and newsagents.

A  SIMs are available at the ubiquitous outlets run by France’s three mobile-phone companies, Bouygues (www.bouyguestelecom.fr), Orange (www.orange.com) and SFR (www.sfr.com).

Phone Codes

A  Calling France from abroad Dial your country’s international access code, then 33 (France’s country code), then the 10-digit local number without the initial zero.

A  Calling internationally from France Dial 00 (the international access code), the indicatif (country code), the area code (without the initial zero if there is one) and the local number. Some country codes are posted in public telephones.

A  Directory enquiries For national service des renseignements (directory enquiries) dial 11 87 12 (€1.46 per call, plus €0.45 per minute), or use the service for free online at www.118712.fr.

A  Emergency numbers Can be dialled from public phones without a phonecard.

A  Hotel calls Hotels, gîtes, hostels and chambres d’hôte are free to meter their calls as they like. The surcharge is usually around €0.30 per minute but can be higher.

A  International directory enquiries For numbers outside France, dial 11 87 00 (€2 to €3 per call).

Phonecards

A  For explanations in English and other languages on how to use a public telephone, push the button engraved with a two-flags icon.

A  For both international and domestic calling, most public phones operate using either a credit card or two kinds of télécartes (phonecards): cartes à puce (cards with a magnetic chip) issued by Orange (formerly France Télécom) and sold at post offices for €8 or €15; and cartes à code (cards where you dial a free access number and then the card’s scratch-off code), sold at tabacs, newsagents and post offices.

A  Phonecards with codes offer much better international rates than Orange chip cards or Country Direct services (for which you are billed at home by your long-distance carrier).

A  The shop you buy a phonecard from should be able to tell you which type is best for the country you want to call. Using phonecards from a home phone is much cheaper that using them from public phones or mobile phones.

TOILETS

Public toilets around France are signposted WC or toilettes. These range from spiffy 24-hour mechanical self-cleaning toilets costing around €0.50 to hole-in-the-floor toilettes à la turque (squat toilets) at older establishments and motorway stops. In the most basic places you may need to supply your own paper.

The French are more blasé about unisex toilets than elsewhere, so save your blushes when tiptoeing past the urinals to reach the ladies’ loo.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Almost every city, town, village and hamlet has a clearly signposted office de tourisme (government-run tourist office) or syndicat d’initiative (tourist office run by local merchants). Both can supply you with local maps as well as details on accommodation, restaurants and activities such as walking, cycling or wine tasting. Useful websites:

A  French Government Tourist Office (www.franceguide.com) The low-down on sights, activities, transport and special-interest holidays in all of France’s regions. Brochures can be downloaded online. There are links to country-specific websites.

A  Réseau National des Destinations Départementales (www.fncdt.net) Listing of CRT (regional tourist board) websites.

TRAVELLERS WITH DISABILITIES

While France presents evident challenges for handicapés (people with disabilities) – namely cobblestone, cafe-lined streets that are a nightmare to navigate in a wheelchair, a lack of curb ramps, older public facilities and many budget hotels without lifts – you can still enjoy travelling here with a little careful planning.

Whether you are looking for wheelchair-friendly accommodation, sights, attractions or restaurants, these associations and agencies can help:

A  Association des Paralysés de France (APF; www.apf.asso.fr) National organisation for people with disabilities, with offices throughout France.

A  Tourisme et Handicaps (www.tourisme-handicaps.org) Issues the ‘Tourisme et Handicap’ label to tourist sites, restaurants and hotels that comply with strict accessibility and usability standards. Different symbols indicate the sort of access afforded to people with physical, mental, hearing and/or visual disabilities.

VISAS

For up-to-date details on visa requirements, see the website of the Ministère des Affaires Étrangères (Ministry of Foreign Affairs; www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en) and click ‘Coming to France’. Visas are not required for EU nationals or citizens of Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, and are required only for stays greater than 90 days for citizens of Australia, the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and many Latin American countries.

LANGUAGE

The sounds used in spoken French can almost all be found in English. There are a couple of exceptions: nasal vowels (represented in our pronunciation guides by o or u followed by an almost inaudible nasal consonant sound m, n or ng), the ‘funny’ u (ew in our guides) and the deep-in-the-throat r. Bearing these few points in mind and reading our pronunciation guides below as if they were English, you’ll be understood just fine.

BASICS

Hello.

Bonjour.

bon·zhoor

Goodbye.

Au revoir.

o·rer·vwa

Yes./No.

Oui./Non.

wee/non

Excuse me.

Excusez-moi.

ek·skew·zay·mwa

Sorry.

Pardon.

par·don

Please.

S’il vous plaît.

seel voo play

Thank you.

Merci.

mair·see

You’re welcome.

De rien.

der ree·en

Do you speak English?

Parlez-vous anglais?

par·lay·voo ong·glay

I don’t understand.

Je ne comprends pas.

zher ner kom·pron pa

How much is this?

C’est combien?

say kom·byun

ACCOMMODATION

Do you have any rooms available?

Est-ce que vous avez

es·ker voo za·vay

des chambres libres?

day shom·brer lee·brer

How much is it per night/person?

Quel est le prix

kel ay ler pree

par nuit/personne?

par nwee/per·son

DIRECTIONS

Can you show me (on the map)?

Pouvez-vous m’indiquer

poo·vay·voo mun·dee·kay

(sur la carte)?

(sewr la kart)

Where’s …?

Où est …?

oo ay …

EATING & DRINKING

What would you recommend?

Qu’est-ce que vous

kes·ker voo

conseillez?

kon·say·yay

I’d like …, please.

Je voudrais …,

zher voo·dray …

s’il vous plaît.

seel voo play

I’m a vegetarian.

Je suis végétarien/

zher swee vay·zhay·ta·ryun/

végétarienne.

vay·zhay·ta·ryen (m/f)

Please bring the bill.

Apportez-moi

a·por·tay·mwa

l’addition,

la·dee·syon

s’il vous plaît.

seel voo play

EMERGENCIES

Help!

Au secours!

o skoor

I’m lost.

Je suis perdu/perdue.

zhe swee·pair·dew (m/f)

I’m ill.

Je suis malade.

zher swee ma·lad

Call the police!

Appelez la police!

a·play la po·lees

Call a doctor!

Appelez un médecin!

a·play un mayd·sun

WANT MORE?

For in-depth language information and handy phrases, check out Lonely Planet’s French Phrasebook. You’ll find it at shop.lonelyplanet.com, or you can buy Lonely Planet’s iPhone phrasebooks at the Apple App Store.

SIGNS

Cédez la Priorité

Give Way

Sens Interdit

No Entry

Entrée

Entrance

Péage

Toll

Sens Unique

One Way

Sortie

Exit

ON THE ROAD

I’d like to hire a/an …

Je voudrais louer …

zher voo·dray loo·way …

4WD

un quatre-quatre

un kat·kat

automatic/manual

une auto-matique/manuel

ewn o·to·ma·teek/ma·nwel

motorbike

une moto

ewn mo·to

How much is it daily/weekly?

Quel est le tarif par

kel ay ler ta·reef par

jour/semaine?

zhoor/ser·men

Does that include insurance?

Est-ce que l’assurance

es·ker la·sew·rons

est comprise?

ay kom·preez

Does that include mileage?

Est-ce que le kilométrage

es·ker ler kee·lo·may·trazh

est compris?

ay kom·pree

What’s the speed limit?

Quelle est la vitesse

kel ay la vee·tes

maximale permise?

mak·see·mal per·meez

Is this the road to …?

C’est la route pour …?

say la root poor …

Can I park here?

Est-ce que je peux

es·ker zher per

stationner ici?

sta·syo·nay ee·see

Where’s a service station?

Où est-ce qu’il y a une

oo es·keel ya ewn

station-service?

sta·syon·ser·vees

Please fill it up.

Le plein, s’il vous plaît.

ler plun seel voo play

I’d like (20) litres.

Je voudrais (vingt)

zher voo·dray (vung)

litres.

lee·trer

Please check the oil/water.

Contrôlez l’huile/l’eau,

kon·tro·lay lweel/lo

s’il vous plaît.

seel voo play

I need a mechanic.

J’ai besoin d’un

zhay ber·zwun dun

mécanicien.

may·ka·nee·syun

The car/motorbike has broken down.

La voiture/moto est

la vwa·tewr/mo·to ay

tombée en panne.

tom·bay on pan

I had an accident.

J’ai eu un accident.

zhay ew un ak·see·don

BEHIND THE SCENES

SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK

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AUTHOR THANKS

Oliver Berry

Biggest thanks go to all my hard-working co-authors, who have helped make this book what it is. Thanks also to Susie, Mo and Gracie Berry, Justin Foulkes and Patrick Desgué for their help with Mont St-Michel, David Levasseur for his assistance on the finer points of Champagne production, and everyone else I met out on la route.

Stuart Butler

I want to thank my wife, Heather, for everything she does and my young son, Jake, who has brought us so much happiness (and sleepless nights!). Thanks to Jake’s grandparents and aunties for babysitting during my research for this book. I would also like to thank Rosie Warren in Bordeaux and the good people of France who knowingly or unknowingly helped out on this project.

Jean-Bernard Carillet

A huge thanks to everyone who made these trips a pure joy, including Didier Ferat, Laurent and Bea in Normandy. At Lonely Planet, a big thanks to Jo, Annelies and the carto team for their support. I’m also grateful to monsieur Oliver Berry, coordinating author extraordinaire, for his help, tips and support.

Gregor Clark

Un grand merci to countless people who shared their love and knowledge of France with me, especially Alisa, Jean-Philippe, Alain, Aline, Andy, Mary, Conor and Gloria. Back home, hugs to my wife, Gaen, and daughters, Meigan and Chloe, who helped me immeasurably in researching the Loire Valley’s châteaux and boulangeries.

Donna Wheeler

Big love to the Nice gang and to Lino Lategan-McGregor for Monaco nous. Thanks to hospitable Pascal Hauer, Flavie Gil, Brigitte Walzing and Mamashelter Bob. More mercis to Jo Cooke, Annelies Mertens and Laura Stansfeld in-house. Final thanks to Joe Guario: that Webber-esque fang outside the Fairmont was really something.

Nicola Williams

On the road, merci mille fois to Corsica aficionado Vincent Lehoux (unsurpassable Ajaccio recommendations); Kasia Dietz and Lindsay Tramuta (Corsica tips by way of Paris); Charlie Johnson (best hidden beach camping); travel-mad husband Matthias and our trilingual tribe (only one case of car sickness during the entire 2500km of extreme hairpins covered).

PUBLISHER THANKS

Climate map data adapted from Peel MC, Finlayson BL & McMahon TA (2007) ‘Updated World Map of the Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification’, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 11, 163344.

Cover photographs Front (clockwise from top): The medieval fortress of Carcassonne, Luigi Vaccarella/4Corners; Vase of sunflowers on a table with an antique chair, Barbara Van Zanten/Lonely Planet Images; A red citroen 2CV car, Ruaridh Stewart/Corbis Back: Rows of lavender in bloom, Provence, David Tomlinson/Lonely Planet Images.

THIS BOOK

This 1st edition of Lonely Planet’s France’s Best Trips guidebook was researched and written by Oliver Berry, Stuart Butler, Jean-Bernard Carillet, Gregor Clark, Donna Wheeler and Nicola Williams. Contributors to this title were Alexis Averbuck, Kerry Christiani, Emilie Filou, Catherine Le Nevez, Chris Pitts and John Vlahides.

This guidebook was commissioned in Lonely Planet’s London office, and produced by the following:

Commissioning Editor Joanna Cooke Coordinating Editors Sarah Bailey, Susan Paterson Coordinating Cartographer Gabriel Lindquist Coordinating Layout Designer Wibowo Rusli Managing Editors Annelies Mertens, Kirsten Rawlings Senior Editors Andi Jones, Catherine Naghten Managing Cartographers Anita Banh, Anthony Phelan Managing Layout Designer Jane Hart Assisting Editors Carly Hall, Helen Koehne, Joanne Newell Assisting Cartographers James Leversha, Cameron Romeril Cover Research Timothy O’Hanlon Internal Image Research Aude Vauconsant Language Content Branislava Vladisavljevic Thanks to Sasha Baskett, Jennifer Bilos, Laura Crawford, Janine Eberle, Ryan Evans, Jennye Garibaldi, Joshua Geoghegan, Liz Heynes, Laura Jane, Jennifer Johnston, David Kemp, Wayne Murphy, Trent Paton, Jessica Rose, Mik Ruff, Julie Sheridan, Amanda Sierp, Laura Stansfeld, Matt Swaine, John Taufa, Diana Von Holdt, Gerard Walker, Juan Winata

OUR STORY

A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

OUR WRITERS

Jean-Bernard Carillet

As a Paris-based (and Metz-born) journalist and photographer, I was delighted to rediscover my own turf. For this Lonely Planet title I couldn’t resist the temptation of exploring Burgundy and Beaujolais, if only to sample some of the best wines in the world. I confess a penchant for the Meursault whites (in Burgundy) and the Fleurie reds (in Beaujolais).

Donna Wheeler

I’ve been visiting France for many years, but I really got to know the south when living just over the border in Turin. I’m the author of several Lonely Planet guidebooks and have published elsewhere on art, architecture and design, history, and food. I’m also a creative consultant and travel experience planner. My Australian childhood was one epic coastal road trip, hunting down the best swimming spots and seafood dinners – something that stood me in good stead for this assignment.

Read more about Donna at: lonelyplanet.com/members/donnawheeler

Gregor Clark

My first epic French road trip came on Bastille Day at age 20. Nearly broke and hitchhiking towards my next fruit-picking job, I landed a 400km lift from a lost tourist and proceeded to spend the night winding through the fireworks-lit streets of every little village in Haute-Provence. To this day, I love nothing better than aimlessly wandering France’s back roads in search of hidden villages and unexpected treasures. I contribute regularly to Lonely Planet’s European and South American guidebooks.

Read more about Gregor at: lonelyplanet.com/members/gregorclark

Nicola Williams

Originally from Britain, I’ve lived in France for over a decade. From my hillside house on the southern shore of Lake Geneva, it’s a quick and easy motor to the Alps (call me a ski fiend…), Paris (art buff…), southern France (foodie…). For this Lonely Planet title I clocked up 2500km – all at a graceful average speed of 38km/h – on the island of Corsica. I blog at tripalong.wordpress.com and tweet @Tripalong.

Read more about Nicola at: lonelyplanet.com/members/nicolawilliams

Oliver Berry

My first trip to France was a family holiday to Provence at the age of two, and I’ve been back many times since while working on Lonely Planet’s bestselling France guide. I’ve covered nearly every corner of L’Hexagone on my travels, but I have an especially soft spot for Corsica and the Pyrenees. When not in France, I can usually be found wandering the beaches and clifftops of my home county, Cornwall. I’m also a regular contributor to many other websites, newspapers and magazines, including Lonely Planet Traveller. Check out my latest travels at www.oliverberry.com.

Read more about Oliver at: lonelyplanet.com/members/oliverberry

Stuart Butler

My first encounters with southwest France came on family holidays. When I was older I spent every summer surfing off the beaches of the southwest until one day I found myself so hooked on the region that I was unable to leave – I’ve been here ever since. When not writing for Lonely Planet I hunt for uncharted surf on remote coastlines. The results of these trips appear frequently in the world’s surf media. My website is www.stuartbutlerjournalist.com.

Read more about Stuart at: lonelyplanet.com/members/stuartbutler

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

ABN 36 005 607 983

1st edition – July 2015
eISBN 978 1 76034 116 9

© Lonely Planet 2015 Photographs © as indicated 2015

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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