Sawday’s Detours – how to explore France

Alistair Sawday’s forays into France for his guide books inspired many people to take it slow and see the best of France and now that his publishing empire has extended into accommodation collection, their website is a great resource for planning a trip. I love their B&Bs, hotels and self-catering properties because they always feel […]
A family road trip through France

On July 4th, 2020, the British government gave the green light for travel in France after four months of lockdown during the pandemic, so I booked the Eurotunnel and put together a trip of a lifetime through France, taking the route straight through the middle, stopping for adventures on the way that ranged from a […]
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 […]
See the Loire Valley with kids

Why brave the queues at The Louvre in Paris to show the kids the Mona Lisa when, in 2019, you can sit on her eyebrows in Blois? This giant reproduction on the Escalier Denis Papin was the highlight of our trip to the Loire Valley to research the 500th anniversary of Leonardo Da Vinci’s death […]
The craziest place to stay?

In April 2015, I stayed in what is possibly the craziest accommodation in France – an ecolodge shaped like a cow. It’s in deepest Burgundy, and is the brainchild of a rare breed cow collector and owner of the Divertiparc tourist attraction. Find out what it was like to stay there… [Read more]
