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 beautiful Emerald Coast
Desert Island Discs, Robinson Crusoe, Castaway, they all have a lot to answer for when it comes to finding the perfect beach; the ideal is that there should be nobody there, and you can stroll along on the soft white/yellow sand enjoying the turquoise sea all by yourself. There are plenty such beaches in France, […]
The Cotentin’s secret beaches
Where to find the best beaches in Normandy, the secret beaches, the hidden beaches, the best beaches for families, hikers and picnics
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 […]
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 […]
Visit Normandy’s D-Day sites
Visit the D-Day Beaches on Normandy’s coast
Best places to stay in Brittany
If you clicked onto this post from the map, you might have noticed there are a lot of stories about Brittany… I’m rather in love with it at the moment. And if you’re going, you’ll need somewhere lovely to stay. There are 20 in the article – click here to read it – to […]
Reasons to love Roscoff
When we Brits think of ferry ports, we tend to imagine Dover, Portsmouth or Plymouth. While each have their merits, they’re not exactly the kinds of places you would spend a holiday. Over the Channel, however, it’s a different case. Many of the ferry ports, such as Saint Malo, Le Havre and Dieppe are lovely […]
Renaissance treasures in the Loire Valley
Mona Lisa’s eyes are said to follow you everywhere, but the same can’t be said when you’re sitting on her forehead. We’ve followed those eyes to get to this position; they drew us up a main street in Blois to the town’s Escalier Denis Papin where Leonardo da Vinci’s painting has been mounted on the […]