Connect with us
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Archive for the ‘Cote d’Azur / South of France’ Category
Five Great Cycle Routes for Families in France
With the Tour de France upon us – Saturday 2nd to Sunday 24th July – we thought we’d pay homage to the French love affair with pedal power.
Of course, you don’t need to be Lance Armstrong to enjoy France by bike… There are miles of meandering lanes, canal-side towpaths and beautiful stretches of coastal paths perfectly marked out for le vélo.
And there’s nowhere quite like France for a self-catering cycling holiday! You’ll see more of the sights, meet the locals and have the opportunity to engage with the places you pass through. Not to mention a rental apartment will give you the chance to sample local food, and the odd glass of wine…
It’s also a great way to enjoy a healthy and active holiday option – think of it as the summer equivalent to skiing!
The Voies Vertes, or Greenways, are an extensive network of dedicated cycle routes across France linking up nearly 2,600km of safe, marked paths. So whether you want to embark on a week-long tour or an afternoon in the saddle, there are plenty of routes to choose from. Here are some of our top suggestions of the best places to get peddling.
The Loire à vélo, The Loire – For châteaux fans
The Loire River
The Loire à vélo is an ambitious project linking two regions, six départements and six major urban areas over an 800km trail between Cuffy and Saint-Brévin on the Atlantic coast, two thirds of which run alongside the River Loire with its fabulous châteaux.
There are specific segments of the route between Muides sur Loire and Ancenis recommended for families, with a number of short distance options to choose from.
And to rest those tired legs between trips Pierre & Vacances have a range of self catering apartments in the Loire Valley.
Avenue Verte Dieppe-Forges, Normandy – For budding athletes
Normandy Countryside
Destined ultimately to link London with Paris in time for the 2012 Olympics, this 45km route runs from Dieppe on the Normandy coast to the spa town of Forges-les-Eaux along the former Dieppe to Paris railway line.
For now you’ll have to make do with some picture-perfect Normandy countryside with lots of apples and cider to help you on your way. And to kick-back and enjoy the views during your stay, Pierre & Vacances have a range of family apartment rentals in Normandy.
La Baie de Somme à Vélo, Picardy – For beach fans and bird watchers
Picardy Pastures
Le Baie de Somme is made up of seven trails, many kilometres of which run alongside the seashore, weaving through dunes, mudflats and reed beds full of migratory birds. The Baie de Somme railway carries cycles free of charge, so you can hop on and off and tackle as much or as little of the trails as you wish. And to enjoy hopping around Picardy, Pierre & Vacances has a range of self-catering accommodation to rest those weary wheels.
Le-tour-de-Bourgogne-a-vélo, Burgundy – For vineyard fans
Burgundy countryside
The cycling tour of Burgundy, much like the Loire and Somme equivalents, is made up of five individual trails showcasing the region’s main attractions and eventually destined to cover 800km.
The route is made up of towpaths, paths through vineyards, disused railway lines and country lanes. The Santenay-Nolay track, the ‘Voie des Vignes’, is particularly recommended for easy family cycling. And to make the most of your stay Pierre & Vacances has a range of holiday accommodation in Burgundy as a great base to explore the region.
Piste du canal de L’Ourcq, Paris – For city slickers
Cycling along the canal de L’Ourcq
This cycle path alongside the canal offers a flat and picturesque option, great for a day out from Paris. The route takes you from the Parc de la Villette in north-eastern Paris out into the countryside to Claye-Souilly, 27km from the city. Ultimately this route is intended to link Paris with Moscow!
For a shorter route families can choose a pit-stop at La Poudrerie Forest Park at Servan, 14km along the canal. And to make the most of your stay in the area, Pierre & Vacances has a wide range of holiday apartments to rent in Paris with both scenic and central locations.
And for those after some serious cycling…
Here are two long-distance options for those seeking a serious cycling challenge!
Voie Verte Trans-Ardennes
Voie Verte Trans
This greenway is graded as an easy route, running 85 km in total between Charleville-Mezieres and Givet near the Belgian border. The train which runs through the valley is a great back up option for tired legs. And as for accommodation along the route, Pierre & Vacances has a wide range of family self-catering rentals in Ardennes.
Canal du Midi, Languedoc-Roussillion/ Midi-Pyrenees
The Canal du Midi is a UNESCO World Heritage site, bordered almost all of the way by striking plane trees. The route takes you through the heart of the beautiful South West countryside with ample opportunity to sample local wines and visit ancient towns and monuments.
Canal du Midi
The full route (240km) will take you from Toulouse along the canal to the little port of Marseillan on the Mediterranean, but can be broken down into stages for easily manageable chunks!
The other option is to head North West from Toulouse towards Bordeaux and the Atlantic Ocean along the Canal de Garonne, the full canal route originally designed to link the two coasts. For those wanting to make the most of a cycling holiday in the sublime region, Pierre & Vacances has a selection of self catering accommodation in the South of France .
A guide to Cannes’ nightlife
Think Cannes and sleek style, glamorous yachts, amazing cocktails and plush VIP parties spring to mind.
And during May the Cannes Film Festival rolls its star-studded party train into the French Riviera, followed closely by the world’s media, fashionable followers and those wanting to dance the night away.
Experience the glamour of Cannes first hand, Pierre & Vacances have a selection of self-catering accommodation to provide a great base to explore one of the most luxurious spots in France.
So whether you want a relaxed glass of wine, or one of the best cocktails in the world: here is our guide to the bars, drinks and dance floors in the most exclusive location on the French Riviera. Just remember to bring your dancing shoes and the very best of your wardrobe: the bars and clubs in Cannes have strict dress codes anytime of year!
Cannes Film Festival Nightlife
During the Cannes Film Festival fortnight many pop-up nightclubs appear, hosting special sponsored and fashion nights, hosted celebrity parties and VIP evenings.
Le Baron and The VIP Room are too of the most famous and popular with the stars. Some celebrities also host luxurious private parties kept secret until the very last moment…
VIP ROOM CANNES F.I.F BEST OF PARTIES 2010 by Official_VIP_ROOM_TV
To get into the best parties you have to be on ‘The List’, but it is also possible to sneak your way in to an event, just keep your ear to the ground, your posh clothes on and network with everyone you meet. But Cannes nightlife is always buzzing, and sometimes there’s more fun to be had outside of the VIP rooms!
Cannes nightlife
Just because the glamour of the Film Festival leaves town at the end of May doesn’t mean there isn’t still fun to be had, dancing to be done and decadent cocktails to be drunk. Here are the bars and clubs that are a bit more down to earth and open for business all summer:
Charly’s – Rue du Suquet
A cool, cave-like bar which is the perfect place to start and finish the night. The quirky interior attracts the cool and the hip, with cocktails to match. There’s even a waterfall down one wall and live bands to get the evening in full swing.
La Cave a Vin – 10 Rue Marceau
Perfectly located in the city centre, this relaxed and intimate bar has more than 150 types of wine from around the world and is where locals go for a relaxed glass, or two!
Le Carre Blanc – 14 Rue Macé
A stylish lounge bar with a lively but relaxed atmosphere where the DJs play until late [or early depending on how you look at it!]. Perfect for post-beach drinks, dancing or just relaxing over a bottle of wine.
Le Loft Bar
Sleek and contemporary, Le Loft bar has intimate corners, classy cocktails and a seductive atmosphere. Post-11pm the swish sofas and dark dance floor really fill up.
Caliente – 83 Bld de la Croisette
A lively bar with a sultry South American feel, complete with sea front terrace, live Latino groups playing salsa and samba, and some of the best Caiparinha’s known to Europe.
Dada Da – 15 Rue des Frères Pradignac
This trendy, hybrid club is definitely a non-conformist, bridging cabaret, theatre, disco and midnight movies into one plush package.
La Chunga – 20 Rue Latour Maubourg
A quirky 1950s style piano bar which is a famous post midnight destination, complete with cosy corners, live music and patrons dancing on the tables. It’s also a firm favourite of the festival pack.
And for something a little bit special:
These bars are frequented by the rich, famous and downright fabulous, and so have the price tags to match! So go looking your very best, prepared to queue, and be extra friendly to the door-staff!
Admiral Bar at the Martinez – 73 Boulevard de la Croisette
This luxury hotel bar serves the best cocktails in the Riviera, and that’s not just our opinion, they hold several French Championships for cocktail making and flaring! And if you’re not too distracted watching the bartenders juggling glasses, bottles and shakers, look out for the metal plates with famous names on the bar – these mark the regulars’ favourite spots….
Palm Beach Casino – Place Franklin Roosevelt
Possibly the best destination to dance the night away, the casino turned nightclub boasts some of the most A-List of music stars, from P-Diddy to Eve.
Le Baoli – 1 Boulevard de la Croisette
Frequented by models, actors, millionaires and sports stars this restaurant/club is ultra-swish [and exorbitantly priced] but definitely worth experiencing if just for one drink…
Six Nations Rugby: Get ready for Le Crunch
It may be the Six Nations Championship, but right now, only two countries seem to matter in Rubgy Union [sorry Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Italy]. On Saturday 30 men will meet spine-shaking tackle to spine-shaking tackle, with their nation’s expectations heavy on their shoulders…
V
The Six Nations showdown
In the blue corner we have the French, who have dominated the Six Nations for the past ten years with five wins, three of which have been Grand Slams [when one team beats all five other sides]. In the white corner are the English, with the most titles in the history of the tournament and winners of the Rugby World Cup in 2003.
Both teams have won their first two matches, England with a close but comfortable performance defeating Wales 26-19, and a thorough thumping of Italy 59-13. And France with a confident win against Scotland 34-21 and a wobbly defeat of Ireland 25-22.
Despite their strong starts, England and France are both coming into the tournament after set backs: England with a very disappointing 2010 full of defeats, and France after their November pasting by Australia when they were booed off the Paris pitch by their own fans.
The bookmakers favour England who currently sit at the top of the tournament table on scored points difference, but France have the upper hand if you consider their consistent form in the Six Nations over the past decade.
But this Saturday isn’t just about one game. Whoever wins Le Crunch is then the favourite to win the entire Championship. Not to mention the winning momentum this could create going through to the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand later this year.
Who’s playing in Le Crunch?
Our brief guide to the key personalities on either side of the pitch:
England:
Coach: Martin Johnson CBE
Regarded as one of the greatest ever locks to have played, Johnson captained England to victory in the 2003 World Cup and began coaching England in 2008.
Captain: Mike Tindall
Tindall was part of the winning England squad at the 2003 World Cup and is not afraid of tough tackles – he once suffered a punctured lung and tear to his liver while playing against Wales. Perhaps more daunting than Saturday’s game for Tindall is that he is to become part of the Royal Family when he marries Zara Phillips, granddaughter of HM Queen Elizabeth II, in July.
Fly-half: Jonny Wilkinson
Famous for his lucky left foot, Jonny Wilkinson’s conversion kicks were instrumental in England’s World Cup win in 2003. He holds the highest tally of international points and the Rugby World Cup points record of 249. A succession of injuries have disrupted his recent career but if his performances as a substitute against Wales and Italy are anything to go by, he’s on his way back to form.
Fly-half: Toby Flood
According to the English press, Flood is the French team’s primary concern for the upcoming head-to-head. And as England’s play-maker-in-chief and goal kicker who hasn’t missed yet, it’s not hard to see why.
Wing: Chris Ashton
Ashton has hogged the English headlines with six of the 10 tries scored in England’s first two games. He needs just one more to break the individual record for tries scored in a single Six Nations campaign. But he’s faced criticism for his swallow dives when scoring, which run the risk of counting the try null and void if he drops the ball.
France:
Coach: Marc Lièvremont
Lièvremont retired from playing professional rugby union in 2002 and after coaching French club Dax took over the national team in 2007.
Captain: Thierry Dusautoir
As well as having a degree in chemical engineering, Dusautoir captained France to a famous victory over New Zealand in 2009. He took over the full-time captaincy of France in November 2009 and is famous for his hard and fast tackles.
Full back: Maxime Médard
Despite not playing for the French team in their grand slam Six Nations win in 2010, Medard has scored two tries in two games for the 2011 tournament, and with sideburns as distinctive as his play, he’s one to watch.
Lock: Sébastien Chabal
One of the most popular French sporting personalities, Chabal’s nickname is ‘the horse’ because of the similarity of his name to the French word ‘cheval’, and also his distinctive ponytail, full beard and ferocious tackling.
A guide to Rugby Union in France
Rugby was introduced into France by the British in the 1870s and in 1892 the first ever French championship took place between two of the first established clubs: Racing Club de France and Stade Francais.
The elite French clubs compete in the professional domestic club league known as the Top 14. Rugby Union is traditionally more popular in the south, with 12 of the Top 14 clubs based in the southern half of France.
Here are some clubs to keep an eye out for:
ASM Clermont Auvergne
The current Top 14 Champions. Founded in 1911 they are also known by their former name of Montferrand. Located in Clermont-Ferrand, until last year the club had reached the French Championship final 11 times but had never won.
Accommodation in Saint Etienne
Top 10 French lifestyle blogs and websites
Besotted by France and French Culture? Perhaps not as much as these wonderfully France-centric sites. Here, we’ve pulled together our top Francophile blogs and websites for your enjoyment.
Francophilia
The ultimate orgy of all things ‘France’, if you’ve ever been tempted to ‘Frenchify your life’, you could do worse than to start right here. Francophila also offers a community where you can connect with other France fans.
French Music blog
A lovingly put-together site for English speaking French music fans – blogger Celeste proclaims that her love of French music truly began when she heard Les Nubians’ song “Makeda” when it came out on American radio in 1998.
Films de France
Films de France is one of the best online resources for finding DVDs of classic French movies. Whether it’s Films D’Amour, La Nouvelle Vague or 1930s productions from the golden age of French cinema, there’s plenty of opportunity to indulge your passion for Francophile flicks.
Garance Doré
Chic French fashion illustrator Garance Doré blogs about style, fashion and provides a unique insight into her life as a fashion insider. Luckily for us, there’s an English language version of her blog too.
La Tartine Gourmande
La Tartine Gourmande is a fantastic source for delicious recipes as well as a feast for the eyes. Traveller, food stylist, photographer and writer Béa takes us on an exciting journey of cerises, pommes and plenty of choclolat!
La Fourchette
La Fourchette S’est Emballée is bought to us by Leslie Ray from the lavender fields of Provence, South of France. Fork in hand, Leslie guides us through her world of fabulous recipes, classical music and images from her quaint surroundings.
French Essence
Australian writer Vicki Archer divides her time between London and Saint Rémy de Provence in southern France where she lives on an olive farm. Her published works which focus on her idyllic lifestyle and impeccable taste include, MY FRENCH LIFE and FRENCH ESSENCE.
Normandy Life
Blogger Maggie moved to Normandy 14 years ago to renovate a part 16th, part 18th century Presbytere. Her beautiful photography, and interior design led musings make for a very aesthetically pleasing blog.
Nicer in Nice
Nicer in Nice is described by blogger Vics as the “Everyday adventures of an English girl living in South of France.” Very entertaining they are too – oh, and she loves musicals.
A Bitch About Brittany
A blog for all you city folk wondering what a switch to country life entails. Replacing high heels with clogs, the glamorous and effervescent ex Londoner Gillian O’Donovan gives us an insight into her life in rural Brittany which she shares with a cast of many two and four-legged friends.
Inspired? Start planning your French holiday with number one France accommodation expert Pierre & Vacances here:
Gals on tour with Pierre & Vacances – Provencal coast, South of France
Having decided last minute to attempt some early summer sun in May last year we found a great deal with Pierre et Vacances at their Six Four les Plages residence on the Provencal coast (edge of Mediterranean), a quiet little seaside town between Marseille and St Tropez. The pool looked stunning on their website with views over a little harbour and the Med beyond so we were really looking forward to relaxing the southern French way!
The closest airport is Marseille, about an hour’s drive away, so the only drawback was having to hire a car and drive on the wrong side of the road to our residence. Yikes. That said the freedom of having a car to explore far outweighs the nerves.
We found cheap(ish) last minute flights with BA through Opodo (always worth a shot to find a good deal) and took off from Gatwick all a bubble of excitement at our week away from it all.
I’ve been to the South of France a few times, mainly Nice and Toulouse but never Marseille and from memory they drive like loons so I was pretty nervous about driving. We picked up our car, added SatNav (a must!) and went on our merry way.
And what a beautiful drive it was too and very easy once I’d stopped trying to change gears with the door handle. We passed through many pretty little towns and harbours before arriving at the residence. The reception staff were really welcoming and helpful and gave us loads of info for what to do in the local area.
The apartment was very nice and had all the mod cons we needed, the beds were comfy and the area was nice and quiet so a peaceful sleep was guaranteed. The view from the apartment (and my room in particular) was just beautiful, and we had a nice little terrace where we could watch the boats in the harbour and the sun setting each evening after a hard day at the poolside.
The pool was just as the website promised and as it was off peak there weren’t many kids around so all the more relaxing for us. For the first few days we just wound down, enjoyed the early summer sun and worked on our tan.
There was one main bar in the town, which just so happened to make the best Apple Mojito and a darned good goat’s cheese salad – oh alright I admit it, the waiter was very cute too. It also seemed to be the main hangout for all the locals making it an all the more authentic south of France experience, we felt like one of the gang – everyone was so friendly and welcoming.
We made the most of having the car and went on a day trip to St Tropez which is just over an hour’s drive away.
It was much smaller than I imagined but stunning just the same with one expensive boat berthed after another. Along the harbour local artists were promoting their paintings – some of which were really magnificent!
Whilst there we went on a boat trip to see all the holiday homes of the rich and famous dotted along the coast – Dodi Al-Fayed and George Michael amongst them. Some truly magnificent homes. Not envious at all.
It’s certainly a lovely town, with an abundance of designer shops, flash cars, expensive yachts and speed boats but it comes with equally as much pretentiousness which isn’t really my cup of tea but a definite must see. Give me my little bar in Six Four les Plages with the hot waiter and friendly locals any time!
We took a trip to the next town, Sanary sur Mer, on our last night and treated ourselves to a slap up meal in a lovely little French restaurant – again the staff were so nice and gave us the low down on where the food and wine were sourced from, recommending the best options on the menu and generally being friendly and chatty.
Altogether it was a really enjoyable and relaxing holiday, nothing too hectic and not too heavy on the finances either – I would certainly recommend and would go again!
Click here to view Pierre & Vacances’ amazing offers.
