South of France

Nowadays there are a myriad of cheap flights on budget airlines between the UK and France - and new routes seem to open every year.

For example, Bergerac airport, almost unknown three or four years ago, now has direct connections with nine different UK airports. And still Angouleme airport has just opened, not far to the north!

It is difficult to keep track of which airlines fly to which destinations, and there is no single effective site for buying tickets from these discount airlines - hence you need to check them all!

I have done a bit of research into the airlines that offer cheap flights to the south of France and the following seems to be the current situation:

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If you are holidaying in the northern part of the Dordogne you should not miss a trip to Brantome - it really is an idyllic village. A river runs right through the town leading to its being known locally a the Venice of Perigord. Behind the village is a cliff covered in trees, at the bottom of which is the very large and very beautiful Abbey of Brantome.

The Benedictine Abbey dates back to 769 and was founded by Charlemagne. Originally the monks lived in caves at the base of the cliff and evidence of their troglodyte existence can still be visited today. The entrance is by the Town Hall. One of the caves includes a large sculpture of ‘the Last Judgement’ and really should not be missed.

The Abbey has been built and rebuilt several times and the current building largely dates from the 17th century but underwent major restoration in the 19th century. The bell tower though is of the 11th century and is one of the oldest in France.

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Where does the south of France begin? For most of this site I have taken it to include the regions of Aquitaine, Languedoc-Roussillon, Midi-Pyrenees and Provence / Cote d’Azur.

But a little further up the Atlantic Coast, in Poitou-Charentes, the coast has its own sunny micro-climate, and has more of a ’south of France’ feel than places further north. So I have no problem in considering La Rochelle, the major town in the region, as ‘gateway to the south-west of France’.

A lovely and lively town, La Rochelle is centred around its harbour - two medieval towers dramatically guard the entrance, and make for a very scenic place to promenade or eat in on of the numerous water-side restaurants.

Away from the harbour, the town has an extensive old town with pretty arcaded streets and boutiques to explore, and all pretty much as it would have been 200 years ago.

The region around the market is also worth exploring, and be sure to go into La Rochelle market itself, for some of the freshest produce you have seen, all beautifully presented.

There are a multitude of historical monuments to discover among the city streets, from the elegant facade of the House of Henry II to the ornate town hall, and much more besides.

The dramatic aquarium, on the harbour, is another highlight of a visit.

Although it is on the coast, and La Rochelle itself has a small beach, it is not really a ’seaside resort’ - for better beaches you will need to head across to the Ile-de-Ré, or north to the Vendee beaches, or further down the Atlantic Coast.

But if you are hoping to discover a lovely town that oozes with history and where you can pass a day or two exploring the history of the region, La Rochelle is ideal.

(See more information about La Rochelle (including photos and places in the vicinity)

Travelling around France you will occasionally find yourself in a lost corner that has not yet been taken over by renovating expats and is miles from the nearest sign of life.

These corners are ever harder to find, especially in the more popular tourist centres of the country, but are a particular treat because they hark back to how France ‘is supposed to be’ and how visitors will still perhaps imagine it.

It is these small discoveries that are as important and memorable as your visits to the ‘major’ destinations, and it is because of these special moments that France continues to be such a popular attraction.

Unfortunately many local councils (communes) permit excessive new development around their communes, which very rapidly destroys all semblance of the village as a scenic highlight. In other places the beauty of the place gets discovered and many of the properties get bought up (frequently as second homes) and renovated. Renovated houses have their own charm, but can rarely match the appeal of a property that is untouched.

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