For the Guardian in February 2020, I chose five different areas of France that readers may not have been familiar with. Read the story here.
The Var, in Provence – just an hour from the chic town of St Tropez, the Massif de Maures is a stark contrast with its rustic villages, vineyards and chestnut forests.
Compiegne, Picardy – whizz up to Oise (!) from Paris, where the sophisticated town makes a good base for exploring the surrounding forests and chateaux.
Drome and Isere, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes – south of Lyon lies an extraordinary landscape: to the east are the plateaux and gorges of the Vercors and, further west, vineyards border the Rhône. To the south, the mighty river snakes towards an area of gastronomic abundance – nougat in Montélimar, olives in Nyons.
Finistere. Brittany– head west ’til you can go no further and find charming seaside towns, remote and fascinating islands and glorious beaches.
The Basque Country, Nouvelle Aquitaine – Tucked away in the curve where France runs into Spain, the Basque country offers a different flavour of France, with its red or green timber-framed architecture, its own curious language and piquant cuisine.