Doesn't this heatwave just make you want to sit on a beach or dive into a pool? The school holidays have just begun and right now we can enjoy hot sunshine normally typical of the South of France just a hop across the channel. Rouen in Normandy, for instance, is currently basking in 30 degrees plus.
It’s at times like this – when you want to just get up and go – that I love our easy search options for quickly finding exactly what’s available at the best price. First stop would be the Discounts and Special Offers page to pick up a great bargain. Then I would try the Last minute availability search, where you can pick a week and see exactly what’s available at a glance in all areas – or narrow it down to your region of choice.
A villa with a pool is a fantastic family option. Give youngsters some pool toys and goggles and they’ll be happy all day. To make even this choice easy, don’t forget to check out our new listing pages for Villas in France. Some mouthwatering holiday homes there!
And finally, we make it easy to plan and book your journey and all the extras you’ll need, from ferry crossings at great prices in Travel pages to holiday money a pre-paid tolling card to avoid those queues at the autoroute tolling booths in our Services directory. Bonnes Vacances!
Gers in the south west of France, pronounced jairs, is a sleepy, very relaxing and peaceful area where you will find all the simple things of life and where it is said the inhabitants live a longer and healthier life than anywhere else in France. It was part of the area formally referred to as Gascony but is now split into two new departmental names, Gers and Landes.
This south west area of France has so much to offer in terms of beauty and gastronomic fares. There is nowhere in France that has such a wide spectrum of ingredients and of gastronomic specialities than the cuisine of this area of the country. Here you will see beautiful rolling hills and valleys, wooded slopes and farms and vineyards in the landscapes all benefiting from the warm sunny summers, long sunny autumns and fairly mild winters.
We love our pets and when the family goes for a holiday or spell at a second home in France then of course the animals often come too. If proof were needed, Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, which transports passenger vehicles between Folkestone and Calais, has announced that it recently welcomed the one millionth pet to use its dedicated ‘Pet Travel Service’ available to owners of dogs, cats and even ferrets.
The Le Shuttle pet travel service requires trained staff to carry out checks at the pet control building and has gained increasing popularity since services began in 2000. With its dedicated pet facilities, well-designed exercise areas available just before boarding and travel comfort, little wonder that Le Shuttle has become first choice for so many pet owners.
Long, hot summer days; great walking and cycling; sleepy villages and bastide towns set in rolling countryside; gourmet delights and Armagnac brandy – and all this set against the glorious backdrop of the Pyrenees Mountains. No wonder Gers, in the Midi Pyrenees, is our region of the month.
The Gers is the perfect destination for a leisurely, laid-back holiday. With a small population, no motorways and countryside where life and farming adhere to time-honoured tradition, you simply can’t avoid slowing down. But if you do decide to take in a little leisurely walking or cycling, then you’ll find numerous marked routes and many useful guide books.
Our featured region this month is the Somme in Northern France. Bet you didn’t know that there was such a potent mix of history, seascapes, fishing harbours, unspoilt beaches, sports and activities around an hour’s drive from Calais. Typical is St Valery sure Somme, shown in our photo.
I first visited this area by train when staying in Le Touquet, a little way up the coast, and I really liked Amiens, the main town, for its Gothic cathedral and surrounding square and its walkways beside the River Somme. Abbeville was fascinating for its World War II history and museums.
For some reason I particularly remember seeing in Abbeville a monument to a 19 year old boy who was shot shortly before the Revolution for refusing to salute a passing member of the aristocracy. No wonder French people so value their egalitarianism!
Travellers heading for France this summer can experience first class style and comfort for a fraction of the usual price by taking advantage of a new special offer from Rail Europe. Savings of up to 80% are available on first class rail tickets from Paris and Lille to hundreds of French destinations.
First class fares from Paris now start at just £31.50 on high speed TGV services for a one-way journey to destinations including the popular holiday hotspots of Nice, Marseille, Avignon and Bordeaux.
Alternatively, for longer journeys, overnight trains are also included in the offer, with fares starting at £45 one-way per person to destinations including Nice, Cannes, Biarritz and Perpignan for travel in a 4-berth couchette.
Special offer fares are available to book from 2 – 29 July 2013, for travel between 5 July and 1 September 2013. Special offer fares are limited in number and expected to sell quickly, so anyone considering travelling in France this summer should book early to avoid disappointment.
For further information or to book visit Rail Europe.
Take part in a reader survey in the latest French Property News magazine and you could win a break at the gorgeous La Longère, a French Connections luxury bed and breakfast farmhouse in Morbihan, Southern Brittany.
At La Longère Elaine and Paul Hayden have created a stylish, secret hideaway exclusively for adults. With just three en-suite rooms, a jacuzzi and garden and a heated swimming pool for summer months, this is a haven of calm, tranquility and modern comfort in a warm and homely environment.
The beautifully renovated 18th century stone farmhouse is close to medieval towns, the Carnac stones and the sandy coastline of southern Brittany.
Discover the medieval market town of Hennebont, the breathtaking megalithic standing stones of Carnac and the quaint harbour of Port of St-Goustan. Get active with golf, horse riding, cycling, walking or sailing and at the end of the day savour plump local oysters or delicious traditional Breton crêpes.
To enter the prize draw, complete the survey in the June issue of French Property News. Print and digital editions are available and full details are on page 94 of the magazine.
See more about La Longere.