Recent articles for The Times / Sunday Times
As a regular contributor to The Times and Sunday Times, I have been proud to dig out some unusual stories and be the first to report on certain subjects in the UK media. These include: A family travel piece about the Atlantic Riviera, on the Pays de la Loire coast. It featured a visit to […]
A taste of France in six drinks
Story for National Geographic Traveller Food: link The French have had winemaking down to a fine art for centuries, but so too are they experts at creating liqueurs, spirits, aperitifs and digestifs. Each region has its libation of choice and each will tell you something of the land around you, its history, its produce and, often, the families who have been making […]
Best stopovers en route south
“Where do you stop when you drive south?” is possibly the number one question I get asked… and it’s so good to have dozens of suggestions up my sleeve. Whether you want to just enjoy a bit of luxury and switch off at a beautiful boutique hotel, or have a more adventurous stay in a […]
30 best B&Bs in France
I love a chambres d’hotes – the French answer to a BnB gives you a chance to chat to the owners, get the inside track on what the best places to visit, best restaurants, and the history of an area. This made it a joy to put together my favourite 30 in France for The […]
50 best holidays in France
Some of my recent pieces for The Times’ travel section
My first book! France, From the Source
Lonely Planet’s series of books, titled ‘From the Source’, explores the local cuisine in countries around the world, combining regional and traditional recipes with the stories behind them, and the people who cook them. [Read more about the series here] . Having explored so much of France’s food culture during my time at France Magazine, I was […]
The best French hotels for foodies
Being a bit of a foodie, I already knew some of the best hotels in France for a gourmet experience but during the course of researching and writing Lonely Planet’s France From the Source I stayed in some excellent hotels that offer a superb gastronomic experience for a variety of budgets. It was great, therefore, to pull […]
The best French destinations for interiors shopping
So much of France remains undiscovered by the British and so when Homes & Gardens wanted a feature on the best ‘hidden’ destinations for their annual French special I was delighted to reveal some of my favourite places, each with a different USP. Knowing their audience love interiors, I chose destinations that are great for […]
Raconteur Made in France
In June 2016, Raconteur ran a France special in The Times, for which I contributed two pieces – the lead editorial about what visitors to France can expect in the coming years, as the country’s tourism embraces new technology. In addition, I was delighted to write a piece about how the use of traditional French spirits […]
Discover the real France
A useful little round-up for The Independent on how to dig a bit deeper on a trip to France and find some true Gallic charm. [Read it here]