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 […]
Blog: 7 reasons to love self-catering in France
Some of the best trips we’ve had in France have been when we’ve been based at a gite or villa and this style of holiday works perfectly for France. Yet you don’t often find recommendations for individual rental properties in the press. This tends to be because editors prefer to recommend accommodation that will have […]
Take the train to Angers
Take the train to Angers in the Western Loire, France. What to see and do
A weekend in Marseille
What to see and do in Marseille, France. Explore its different neighbourhoods, museums, shops and restaurants
Weekender in Northern Finistere
For Britain, it’s Land’s End. In Spain, it’s Finisterra. And where France swirls its Breton arm into the wild Atlantic, it’s Finistère. The end of the earth. On parts of this most north-western coast of France the waves can be ferocious, but so too can this coastline be temperate, gentle and exotic thanks to the […]
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, […]
Best budget hotels in Paris
Best Budget Hotels in Paris for The Independent, March 2018. Paris: so much to see, do eat, shop, admire and ogle, so why bother splurging on an expensive bed for the night when you’re hardly going to be there? But before you go roughing it, remember that Paris demands a certain level of style – […]
How to do France on a budget
With Brexit bashing the exchange rate, many of those looking for a trip to France want to do it without breaking the bank. For this story in The Guardian I showed how, by emulating the French style of holidaying, you can save money on a trip, be it food, accommodation or driving. Read it here.