BBC Radio 4: The Food Programme
In spring 2025, I was invited to contribute to an episode of BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme about the world’s oldest restaurants, and the secret to their longevity and success.
Club Oenologique Magazine
I loved working with the team at Club Oenologique magazine on this feature about vegetable-forward chefs for their France special. They asked me for some ideas along some themes suggested by their guest editor Hélène Darroze, and we landed on this feature, which leaned heavily into my knowledge and expertise about French cuisine and 20 […]
The best baguette in Paris
One of my favourite food stories in France is Paris’ competition to find the city’s best baguette. I interviewed one of the winners for France: From the Source but it was great to speak to another winner a few years later for this article in National Geographic Traveller Food. Photo by Bas Peperzak on Unsplash
Paris for families
In November 2019 we went to Paris en famille for a story for The Independent. Story below… For further tips not included in the story, scroll down! Paris for families The child-friendly guide to Paris – not including Disney! Strolling the elegant boulevards, dining in atmospheric brasseries and admiring world-class art in Paris can be […]
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 […]
New luxury Paris hotels
Paris often has new luxury hotels opening, but those that came on the scene in autumn 2018 were unique – Hotel Fauchon – the first hotel from the French food brand, Hotel Lutetia – a reincarnation of the legendary hotel, and Brach Paris – a jaw-dropping new hotel from the genius (imho) designer Philippe Starck. […]
50 best holidays in France
Some of my recent pieces for The Times’ travel section
Where to find the best ‘brocante’
If you love bric-a-brac or antiques, then you can’t go too far in France without finding a ‘brocante’, rammed with all sorts of objets and vintage items. The best place I’ve found, in terms of variety, is Le Perche in Normandy, which is included in this feature for Homes & Antiques magazine, along with Paris, […]
What to do in Paris in the rain
Have you seen the Woody Allen movie Midnight in Paris? In it, Owen Wilson describes how he loves Paris in the rain, and the film does depict a romantic version of the City of Lights in La Pluie. That said, it can’t half put a dampener on a weekend in Paris – the answer? Head […]