Feb 1
When you think of ski resorts in the French Alps, it’s probably the big names that come to mind: Courcheval, Val D’Isere, Tignes, Chamonix. But there are hundreds of smaller resorts scattered across the Alps which don’t get the same amount of publicity, or visitors. Read more
When you picture steep white chalk cliffs battered by the Channel seas, you probably think of England’s White Cliffs of Dover. But the French have their own lesser-known version on the other side of the Channel – La Côte d’Albâtre, or the Alabaster Coast. Read more
Paris is one of my favourite European cities – I usually try and spend a few days out there most years, and was lucky enough to spend last autumn house-sitting there. But even though I had somewhere to stay, Paris is an easy place to spend money – with fantastic restaurants, shops and wine bars on every corner, and the entrance fees to all those world-class museums and attractions which soon start to add up. Read more
Walking into the harbour of Honfleur is a bit like walking into one of the Impressionist paintings it inspired. This pretty Normandy port town avoided the bombing during World War II that hit a lot of its neighbours, so still looks a lot like it did in the seventeenth century. Read more
One of the great things about travel is coming across something unexpectedly amazing. I’d never heard of Jumièges Abbey until spotting it on the map on a last-minute trip to Normandy. Near the banks of the Seine between Rouen and Le Havre, this Benedictine abbey was originally built in the seventh century. Read more
So I know I said I wanted to see some of the more unusual sights of Paris, but aren’t the sewers a step too far? After visiting another of Paris’ underground attractions, the catacombs, I heard that part of the sewer system had been turned into a museum – Le Musée des Égouts de Paris. Read more
Hidden away behind tall hedges near the Seine in Paris’ 5th arrondissement is the city’s Jardin des Plantes, or botanical gardens. These gardens stretch over almost 70 acres, with more than 4500 different plants – from rose and iris gardens to alpine plants and tropical greenhouses – filling it with beautiful colours and perfumes throughout the year. Read more
Boules on the beach, building sandcastles and relaxing in a deckchair – it’s your traditional French seaside holiday. But in the centre of Paris? In 2002 the mayor of Paris came up with the idea of creating an urban beach for Parisians who had to stay in the city over the summer when most residents leave for the coast or countryside. Read more
After spending last autumn in Paris, I’ve done most of the famous sights, so am always on the lookout for unusual and interesting things to see in the city. So when I came across some photos of a hidden Moroccan-style courtyard garden in the middle of Paris, I had to go and check it out on my last trip. Read more
As part of a new initiative to picture the world, bloggers at The Departure Board website are creating a gallery of stunning photos with one from every country in the world. I thought it was a great idea so went looking for something to submit. Read more
Theme: Linen by The Theme Foundry
