French Travel Blog

Be sure to swing by the outstanding Loire Valley on your next vacation to France for castles, nature and plenty of wine! When you think of France your mind probably goes to the leafy boulevards of Paris or the glittering coastline of the French Riviera . It might even go to the vineyards of Bordeaux . But, there is a beautiful, unassuming part of the country that also deserves your attention and recognition: The Loire Valley . The Loire Valley is just northwest of the centre of France and is named such for its location...

Jean-Marie Avisard will be replacing the legendary Gilbert Vahé as head gardener at Giverny , the home of Claude Monet. The job will include keeping the beautiful gardens , which inspired so much of Monet’s work, in pristine condition. This includes the flowerbeds, water garden, and lily ponds and it is no easy task. Jean Marie Avisard, the new head gardener of the Giverny gardens - © Autour de Overblog Gilbert Vahé has been in charge of the gardens since the project was first conceived back in 1977. He then retired in 2011 and was replaced by British...

A vacation to France is guaranteed to be one you will never forget – so long as you do it right. A self-drive trip around France is the best way to explore the country. You become your own tour guide and have complete autonomy as to how you want your holiday to be. Add to that virtually unlimited mobility and the comfort of your own vehicle and you are probably starting to wonder why you’ve never done one of these before. Need a bit more convincing? We have laid out some of the main reasons why you...

When it comes to festivals, France knows what it is doing. We go all out, whatever the occasion, with music, food, parades and more . But, there are a lot of festivals in France, ranging from celebrity-studded, glamorous events to religious ceremonies , steeped in tradition. While all of the festivals have something fun and unique to offer, there are some that really stand out . Here are our suggestions of five of the best French festivals that you really should experience at least once in your lifetime. Cannes Film...

It should come as no surprise to know that France is the world’s most popular tourist destination . With 89 million visitors every year, France is a head and shoulders above Spain, which comes in second, receiving 82 million visitors per year. The number 3 spot goes to the USA with 78 million. These statistics confirm that France is once again the world's first choice holiday destination, despite a rather turbulent few years. So, what is it exactly that attracts people from all over the world to France? We'll try to boil France down to its essence and show you why it is the...

Need a beach break? Spend a day in Saint Malo in Brittany and check out France's best beaches Saint Malo Beach in Brittany, France (Photo: Pixabay ) When you think about beaches in France your mind probably conjures up images of the French Riviera . Nice, Biarritz, Montpellier and Cannes are generally considered the top beach hotspots in France. However, this does not mean that the North of France should be overlooked - in fact, Saint Malo has just been chosen as the best beach spot in...

World War 1 was characterised by death and misery along the Western Front , a stretch of land that covered around 400 miles of France and Belgium . Soldiers fought one another in mud-filled trenches, greatly suffering from the poor conditions. Nowadays, this part of Europe has been transformed into a number of thriving towns and villages that live at peace with one another, no doubt thanks to the efforts of our valiant fighters. However, what took place here during the First World War has not and will not be forgotten. The former Western...

Did you know that King Louis XIV got married in Saint-Jean-de-Luz? Well, wouldn't you? In 1660, King Louis XIV of France was wedded to the Infanta Maria Theresa of Spain . The title infanta was given to the children of the king in Spain and Portugal. While the marriage itself was not a particularly happy one – King Louis had numerous public love affairs – the story of the wedding has gone down in history as being somewhat legendary. The reason the marriage was arranged in the first place was to ease the growing tensions...

The regions of Burgundy and Dordogne are known for being the epicenters of truffle hunting in France. French truffles are widely considered haute cuisine products. Not only is their taste uniquely pungent, but they are also incredibly elusive compared with most other ingredients. In this post we share some information about French truffles, how to find them and how to cook with them. We also share some truffle hunting experiences in France (please scroll down if this is what you are most interested in). You may like to find out more about our gourmet tours...