Valence – Gateway to the South of France
If you are driving from the UK to the South East of France then the chances are you will be driving through the Rhone Valley south of Lyon. As you drive the climate becomes noticeably warmer and the countryside noticeably Mediterranean in appearance as you approach the southern city of Valence.
Angouleme – from comics to cars
Angouleme is not a city on the normal tourist agenda but non-the-less does have an interesting historic centre and a couple of unusual events that take place each year.
Montpellier, a city to discover
A recent visit to Montpellier has me wondering why I have never visited before and how soon I can return. It is a beautiful city made all the more attractive by its young and vibrant atmosphere – definitely one of our top 5 cities to visit in the South of France.
Marseille attractions
Marseilles is a city with an ancient seafaring vocation, so an essential route to see the attractions of Marseille should depart from the ‘old port’ of the city. Built in an area protected by the hills of Saint Lorent, Moulins and Carmes and two fortress (Saint Jean and Saint Nicolas) it is also a characterful [...]
Carcassonne Cité
Carcassonne is situated in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France. It is one of the most interesting towns in the region, indeed in the whole of France. The history of the town dates back to the medieval Cathar Wars, in which the town played a very important role. Located 90 km to the south-east of [...]
Visit Bordeaux, city of the south
Bordeaux is a vibrant city and one of the most beautiful in the South of France. Half of the city, more than 1800 hectares has recently been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on account of its historic buildings. The dominant architecture is classical and neo-classical and has remained virtually unchanged for 2 centuries and [...]
Biarritz, a fine southern city
Biarritz is in the south-western corner of France, close to the border with Spain. There are several good reasons to visit this attractive city: – the town itself contains very impressive grand 19th century townhouses with wrought iron balconies and other decoration, and is a pleasure to explore – it is a lively town, where [...]
Toulouse, an unmissable treat
One of my favourite cities in the south of France is Toulouse. The city centre is small enough and calm enough to be manageable, but big enough to always have something new to discover. It always seems to be a modern active city, while keeping one eye carefully on the past and the important architectural [...]
Nimes or Arles – which to visit
I recently had the opportunity to explore the Camargue region of south-western Provence and two important towns that fall just outside its eastern boundary – Nimes and Arles.