Resting on a natural terrace above Lake Geneva’s southern shore is the spa resort of Thonon-les-Bains. There’s a trusty old funicular railway running up the slope, dropping you at Thonon’s panoramic gardens where it’s a wrench to turn away from the epic lakeside views. Thonon was the capital of the historic province of Chablais, and …
This venerable spa town became fashionable with the rich and famous after Napoleon III took a shine to it in the 1860s. At this time it was dubbed the “Reine des Villes d’Eaux”, “Queen of the Water Towns”. Mountains were moved by Napoleon III’s decree, and in a matter of years there were pavilions, hotels, …
Affluent, green and residential, Saint-Cloud is a western suburb of Paris but isn’t very city-like at all. There’s boundless parkland and golf courses, and the centre of Saint-Cloud is so unhurried it’s been nicknamed “Le Village”. Go exploring and take a peek at the mansions behind gates on leafy, hilly streets, and amble up to …
Developed in one go in the 17th century by Louis XIV’s right-hand man Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Rochefort is a genteel former naval town overflowing with history. Next to the broad Charente river is the Royal Arsenal, which by the King’s decree had to be the largest but also most beautiful dockyard in the world. With foundries, …
West of Nice, Cagnes-sur-Mer is a seaside resort that seduces tourists with its 3.5-kilometre beach and chic new shopping mall, the Polygone Riviera. But there’s also a venerable side to the city, huddled around a medieval château built for the Grimaldis of Monaco. This arty neighbourhood was the haunt of many Impressionists, and one of …
The Provençal harbour town of La Ciotat is bordered by the mighty seascapes of the Calanques National Park. The scenery is out of this world, whether you see it by car on a twisting coastal road or from below on a sea cruise. The town also has a calmer side where there’s a string of …
In Burgundy on the navigable River Yonne, Auxerre is an inland port with a lovable old town and solemn churches that power above the skyline. Those old religious buildings are even more ancient than they appear from the outside: The Abbaye Saint-Germain goes deep into the Dark Ages and has the earliest Christian church frescos …
In Aquitaine’s Lot-et-Garonne Department, Agen is a conventional town that doesn’t concern itself much with tourism. But that isn’t to say there’s nothing to see or do. The Fine Arts Museum is a match for any in the region, and the Canal de Garonne promises bike rides or boat trips along a verdant valley beside …
Starting out as a humble royal hunting lodge for the Forest of Compiègne, this cultured town quickly came into fashion in the 1800s when it won the approval of Napoleon I and Joséphine. In the First and Second Empires Compiègne hosted the imperial court and was completely transformed. Top of your list should be the …
A Provençal town climbing the stiff slope of the Colline du Castéou, Hyères is almost anything you want to it be. For summer fun like watersports and lazing by the sea, there are paradisiacal sandy beaches and matchless conditions for sailing and diving. For culture there’s a lovely old town that winds up the hill, …