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 […]
Inside guide: Nîmes
Boasting some of Europe’s best preserved Roman monuments, the lively city of Nîmes hasn’t earned its nickname as the ‘French Rome’ for nothing. And with an enchanting old town, excellent restaurants and shopping, it easily rivals other, better-known destinations in the south of France – or indeed Italy – for a short break. It has […]
Angers: the best summer city break
Ahhh, pre-pandemic travel – we didn’t know how good we had it, did we? That said, Angers is a great place for post-pandemic travel too. It’s really outdoorsy, excellent for exploring on bike and by boat, and there’s a fantastic riverside bar scene. They’re called ‘guinguettes’ and it was fun to explore so many for […]
The best autumn breaks in France
With travel picking up in autumn 2021, The Guardian asked me to select 20 ideas for autumn in France. It was a pleasure to tap into my many great experiences of autumn in France, as well as some of my favourite places to stay. Read them here While this was written for 2021, they’re not […]
Best affordable places to stay in France
It’s rare to be able to delve into your heart and pull out all your favourite places for one article, but this feature for The Guardian allowed me to do just that. And even though I’m lucky enough to have stayed in some pretty luxurious places, these easily rival them for comfort and friendliness of […]
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 […]
Brittany’s Wild West
The rumble of the Atlantic ocean as it beats against the rocks on the Ile d’Ouessant is deafening, even on a clear, bright day, and it’s one of the most intoxicating places I’ve ever been in France. The Pointe de Pern is the island’s (and so France’s) westernmost spot and I covered it in a […]
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 […]
Five under-the-radar areas of France
Five great places to visit in France that are off the beaten track