On the eastern shore of France’s largest freshwater lake, Aix-les-Bans is a chic Savoy resort that radiates old-world glamour. In the 19th century the lake, mountains and curative waters contributed to one of Europe’s most fashionable destinations. Kings, queens, dukes, maharajas and counts all descended on the resort, and opulent art nouveau palace hotels were …
For a champagne aficionado a trip to Épernay is a lifetime ambition. The Avenue de Champagne is a who’s who of champagne houses, where Moët et Chandon, De Castellane and Mercier are all cosy neighbours. You’ll be led beneath the earth to 200-year-old tunnels where the steady cool temperatures allow champagne to mature in peace. …
On the right bank of the Isle River, Périgueux is a gorgeous city with not one but two historic centres: The Cité district is a cultured quarter of 19th century boulevards and is strewn with little hints left behind by its ancient Roman residents. The best of these is the Vesunna Museum, where the ground …
A perched village on the French Riviera, Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a little place with a big name. Just look at the personalities seduced by the atmosphere, landscapes and clear light: Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, James Baldwin, the list goes on. Being here means following a path beaten by the leading lights of 20th-century culture, as you’ll …
In Morbihan on the southern side of Brittany, Lorient is an oceangoing city of five ports, with the second-largest fishing harbour in France and an enthralling former naval base. Nearly everything you do in Lorient will have a maritime theme, whether you explore an indestructible Nazi submarine base or dive into the high-tech world of …
At Saint-Louis in Alsace’s Sundgau, you’re just a couple of kilometres from the Tripoint, where France, Germany and Switzerland meet. A day out might entail a trip on the river ferry in the Swiss city in Basel before a meal at a traditional Alsatian restaurant and then a few hours seeing the design classics at …
In the Tarn Department in southwestern France, the city of Albi’s calling card is its architecture made from red brick. This material seems to change colour depending on the light or time of day and permeates the six quarters of Albi’s sizeable historic centre. The red-brick showpiece is the Episcopal City, a fortified cathedral complex …
Halfway between Lyon and Avignon, Valence lies in a plain in the Middle Rhône Valley on the edge of the “pre-Alps”. The city is sometimes dubbed “La Porte du Midi de la France” (The gateway to the south of France), and you’ll sense Mediterranean influences creeping into the architecture and streetscapes in Valence. You’ll have …
On a rocky crag beside the River Orb, Béziers is an understated city a few kilometres in from the Mediterranean and its long sandy beaches. These old stone streets are rarely swamped with tourists, but for five days in mid-August the Féria de Béziers brings a program of bullfights, and aficionados pour into the city. …
You might come to Provence city of Fréjus for the beaches, which are plentiful and sandy, or the port, which is an upmarket base for summer fun. The city’s military legacy is compelling, and there are museums and monuments that commemorate a heritage going back to the 17th century. There’s ancient history to uncover too, …