My favourite finds in 2019
What were France travel expert Carolyn Boyd’s favourite finds in 2019 – ranked 1 to 10! From beaches to hotels to food trails, add them to your list for 2020.
Lyon’s food: past, present and future
If you love food, you’ll love Lyon: it’s not for nothing it’s known as France’s gastronomic capital. And researching this story for National Geographic Traveller Food was probably the most gut-busting few days I’ve ever had in France (even including researching France From the Source! ) but also an absolute joy – from the Ile […]
Lyon’s Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie
Do you like food? I do. Imagine then, a whole interactive, whizz-bang tourist attraction dedicated to it. In France, its host city could only be the country’s capital of gastronomy: Lyon. After Bordeaux’s Cité du Vin gave travellers a brilliant reason to return to Bordeaux, the foodie equivalent in Lyon – a huge attraction with […]
Take the train to Angers
Take the train to Angers in the Western Loire, France. What to see and do
Local’s guide to Biarritz
This story for National Geographic Traveller included a foodie guide to the town which you can read here: Local’s Guide to Biarritz Besides the brilliant offerings for food-lovers, though, there are myriad ways to enjoy the sea, whether you want to take a dip in it or not. Besides the seaside If the town’s surf scene […]
A weekend in Marseille
What to see and do in Marseille, France. Explore its different neighbourhoods, museums, shops and restaurants
A weekend in Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Many of the locals I met in the French Basque country said you were either a lover of Biarritz or Saint-Jean-de-Luz, and while I can see what they mean (the former is loved by chic fashionistas, surfers and spa-goers, the latter is certainly more ‘Basque’ in character) I really love both – perhaps it’s because […]
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, […]
A weekend in Montreuil-sur-Mer
When it comes to a foodie weekend in France, there are certain things on most wish lists: markets, wine, cheese, Michelin stars if you can, some seafood if possible and something to take home (preferably more wine). So it is most convenient that the small town of Montreuil-sur-Mer has reinvented itself as “La Destination Gastronomique” […]
Best places to stay in Languedoc
With its Roman architecture, varied coastline, Pyrenean foothills and vibrant cities, Languedoc is the ‘other’ south of France, but oh so different to Provence. Here are my pick of the 20 best places to stay in the region. 20 best places to stay in Languedoc One of my favourites among them is Village Castigno (pool […]