While summer days spent in Provence, Paris, Dordogne or Normandy may now be treasured memories and holiday snaps, this is the time to plan your next adventure in la belle France.
To provide you with inspiration, our writers have criss-crossed the country to report on an eclectic array of superb destinations – some of them already well-known to Francophiles, others perhaps less so but worthy of discovery for the first time. Our Great Destinations feature, which sees Caroline Mills explore the western section of the sprawling Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, includes both household names (Bordeaux, Cognac) and hidden gems (Le Train de la Rhune tourist train!). Elsewhere, we go underground to explore France’s impressive range of caves and grottoes open to tourists; and we meet some of the passionate purveyors of antiques and trinkets at the famous Marché aux Puces in Paris. Plus we take in Colmar, a stunning city that’s not just for Christmas; medieval eye-pleaser Carcassonne; cherry capital Céret; the impressive and tasty Valley of Gastronomy route; Brittany’s superb parish closes; Matisse’s Nice, and much more.
Meanwhile, our Remembrance Guide features the best museums, memorials and cemeteries to honour the soldiers lost in France.
All this plus your favourite regulars: language learning pages, best reader letters and photos, crossword, superb recipes, What’s on Guide, restaurant reviews and much more.