french travel writing – French Travel Books – France, Paris, Provence & French Food & Wine

Lavender in Provence – Where to find the best views

Viewing the lavender in the fields below the village of Banon in Provence France

I appreciate that there are many people for whom a visit to Provence must be made in the lavender season as it is crucial to their experience of the region. My wife Niamh is one of those people. Our old friend the village of Banon is a good starting point for a lavender tour. Around the village are some magnificent lavender fields and a climb to the church at the top of the village will reveal them in all their stupendous glory. If you briefly go out of the village on the D950 in the direction of Forcalquier you can turn off to go down one of the minor roads on your left, experiencing driving as if through a lavender field. There are some glorious photo opportunities. After that you can then go back through Banon and take the D950 in the opposite direction to Revest du Bion

Aix en Provence – In Search of Cézanne

The harbour at Cassis where many impressionists including Cezanne found inspiration

If you were to question me forcefully and make me confess, then I would probably say that if you exclude food and wine then my most favourite facet of the culture and art of France would have to be the paintings of the Impressionists. Provence and its landscape are synonymous primarily with Paul Cézanne, ifContinue reading “Aix en Provence – In Search of Cézanne”

D-Day Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery in Normandy

On the anniversary of D-Day these are my thoughts from a poignant visit to the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach. This is taken from my book – OFF THE AUTOROUTE The cemetery is poignant especially because of being situated where these young men fell. I hope you enjoy this recollection We look forward to theContinue reading “D-Day Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery in Normandy”

Perpignan, French Catalonia and our Café

Alt="bar restaurant le Malassis in the southern French town of Perpignan"

This chapter is taken from my book ‘Off the Autoroute’ which is now available on Kobo as well as Amazon The area around Perpignan in French Catalonia is where our travels all started around twenty-five years ago. It is a short hop from Provence so let us see what we found there starting in PerpignanContinue reading “Perpignan, French Catalonia and our Café”

Cordes Sur Ciel and a whole Lot of rain

alt="New French Travel Guide Book Off the Autoroute"

This excerpt is from my French travel book – OFF THE AUTOROUTE, the fifth in my Series of French travel memoirs. Please enjoy on Amazon including Kindle Unlimited. It will take you on a tour of France from Calais to the South and back through Brittany and Normandy. It is time to move on, andContinue reading “Cordes Sur Ciel and a whole Lot of rain”

The Angels Share – Wine Tasting in Beaune France

The domain of Maison Champy is a wine producer located by the old walls in Beaune Burgundy

Burgundy – The Angels Share Our stay in Beaune as the centre point of our introduction to Burgundy was at the Hôtel Henry II Rue du Faubourg Saint-Nicolas, 21200 Beaune and a fine place to stay it proved to be. Beaune centre was a short stroll away and this would become a town that notContinue reading “The Angels Share – Wine Tasting in Beaune France”

Flavigny-sur-Ozerain and the filming of the movie Chocolat in Burgundy

Alt="Photo of Burgundy village cycle for French travel guidebooks"

Taken from my French Travel book – OFF the AUTOROUTE Chocolat This destination is one of our favourites – Northern Burgundy. It is a much neglected part of France from a tourist standpoint. To the north is Champagne with its landscape of gently rolling vine covered hillsides. The towns of Champagne are steeped in wineContinue reading “Flavigny-sur-Ozerain and the filming of the movie Chocolat in Burgundy”

Paris the 7th Arrondissement – or life beyond Rue Cler

Alt="Looking across the Place de la Concorde to the Eiffel Tower Paris France"

This chapter is from my book A DREAM OF PARIS available on Amazon At the outset I have to make it clear that some of my best friends are American, as indeed are a good number of my wife Niamh’s extended family – the Irish get everywhere. However it seems to me that even youContinue reading “Paris the 7th Arrondissement – or life beyond Rue Cler”

Beautiful Village of St Amour and Paradise Hotel

Alt="Photo of village of St Amour France"

Beaujolais is a beautiful region of rolling hills, some quite small, almost mounds really, with vineyards on the slopes. The land is formed with a base of granite and limestone and as you would expect the ‘terroir’ is distinctive. Beaujolais is an easily recognisable wine with a character much different from its near neighbour Burgundy, again showing how interesting it is to travel and taste your way through so many contrasting regions of France. The wines here flow down to Lyon in the same way as the rivers that pass through that dramatic city and are part of the gastronomic culture that makes Lyon a French capital of food. We gain a clear idea of what we will see in this area just from our hotel room window looking out over these gentle hills and vineyards, a view that is worth every penny of the cost of a stay here – peaceful and bucolic.

French Travels, Cricket, Springsteen & Brief Encounters

A metal restaurant sign hangs from the wall at a restaurant up on the hill above the french wine village of Chateauneuf du pape in southern France

Taken from my French travel book ‘Off the Autoroute’ : I was watching the English version of the Antiques Roadshow recently when it produced a blast from my past as well as reminding me of people we have encountered in France under the most unexpected circumstances. On this programme an old cricket stump was producedContinue reading “French Travels, Cricket, Springsteen & Brief Encounters”