A - Z of France Part 1
France, although much smaller than my home country of Australia, is much more accessible for exploration by car or public transport. I would like to take you to some of the many places that we have been lucky enough to visit during our travels. I thought it would be fun to use the alphabet to refine my choices and to try to avoid the more well-known places. Here’s a small selection of the many wonderful villages and towns in France to whet your appetite.
A is for Auxerre, approximately 1½ hours drive to the southeast of Paris. It is the capital of the Yonne department and the fourth largest city in Burgundy. High above the banks of the Yonne River, there is a charming old town centre, which includes La Tour de l’Horlage (The Clock Tower) and Cathedrale St-Etienne. We purchased a strawberry tart and a chocolate éclair, both gift-wrapped in a box with a ribbon, from ‘Bertrand Jean-Pierre Patisserie’. They looked almost too beautiful to eat! After shopping at the summer sales, we befriended a Scottish family and, years later, met up with them again in Sydney.
La Tour de l’Horlage (The Clock Tower)
B is for Biarritz, in the Pays Basque (so close to Spain). There is a toll to drive into Biarritz (about 2 euros). What I love about France is the great underground parking spaces right in the centre of the towns. As you step out of your car, muzak soothes you after the drive. We parked at the parking station ‘La Grande Plage’ and made our way to the ‘Cafe de la Grande Plage’. With a sea view, we enjoyed a few drinks followed by lunch. Then it was down to the beach for a swim in the Atlantic Ocean with surf, a rarity in our French experiences. Biarritz is definitely on the list for a longer return visit.
https://tourisme.biarritz.fr/en
https://au.france.fr/en/biarritz-basque-country/list/biarritz-basque-country-top-things
La Grande Plage Biarritz
C is for Chinon, in the Loire Valley. This medieval town lies on the Vienne River, which joins the Loire River further west at Candes-St-Martin. It’s a wonderful town to stroll through the winding cobbled streets, with small shops and cafes, leading uphill to explore the royal fortress from the 10th century. A fabulous base to explore chateaux, immerse yourself in history and enjoy wine and cycling.
Chinon
D is for Dinan, in Brittany. A medieval castle, surrounded by ramparts, sits atop the hill. In the historic centre, the most enchanting half-timbered houses and shops lean on one another around beautiful squares. Narrow cobbled streets lead steeply downhill to the port on the Rance River. Here, along the quay, there are plenty of restaurants and bars. Look up to see the Lanvalley-Dinan Viaduct, from which you can capture a great photo of the town. If you are a model railway enthusiast, don’t miss Musée du Rail.
https://www.brittanytourism.com/offers/musee-du-rail-dinan-en-1973264/
Dinan, as viewed from the Lanvalley-Dinan Viaduct
E is for Étretat, in the Seine-Maritime department in Normandy. It is famous for the rugged white cliffs and rock formations. Unfortunately, our trip was brief due to the high volume of tourists and parking was a challenge. However, we did manage to see the rock formations of Falaise Aval (known as the elephant) and Aiguille (needle) from the pebbly beach. The town is also famous for “Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Burglar” written by Maurice Leblanc (1907), upon which the recent Netflix series, Lupin, was based.
The pebbly beach of Étretat and rock formations Falaise Aval and Aiguille
F is for Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, a pretty village in the department of Vaucluse, Provence. It is the site of the largest spring in France and the source of the Sorgue River. It was a great place to visit on very hot summer’s day, with the refreshing cool and clear waters and shade from the green plane trees. We had a look at the Moulin à Papier (paper mill), where the water wheel operates huge hammers to pound the paper pulp. We enjoyed a glacée (ice cream) but the coffee at the ‘Grand Café Les Terrasses’ was undrinkable. We were still learning about French coffee at this stage.
The village of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, cool and shady on hot summer’s day.
G is for Guchan, in the Neste Valley of the Hautes-Pyrénées department, a hameau with only the Marie (town hall) and some houses. This was our home for 3 nights in 2009 and we used it as a base to explore some gorgeous places in the surrounding area. In particular, we enjoyed a spectacular drive to ‘Réserve naturelle nationale du Néouvielle’. We visited Lac d’Orédon, Lac d’Aumar and Lac d’Aubert where we walked amongst the wildflowers, cows and infamous marmottes.
Guchan is a hameau in the Neste Valley of the Hautes-Pyrénées
H is for Honfleur, in Normandy, and is more well-know than some. The Vieux Bassin was full of boats and, along each side, the thin buildings with colourful awnings competed for attention from the lively crowd. We chose to eat at restaurant ‘La Trinquette’ on Quai Sainte-Catherine and thoroughly enjoyed our amazing seafood lunch, including many inhabitants of the local rock platform!
Quai Sainte-Catherine, Honfleur
I is for Issoudun, in the Indre Department of the Centre-Val de Loire. Our reason for visiting was purely to see our first ever finish of the Tour de France. It was a sprint stage on the 14th of July 2009, Bastille Day. Unfortunately, we never saw the older, more picturesque part of the town.
The thrill of being at our first finish line of the Tour de France was in Issoudun.
J is for Josselin, in the Morbihan department of Brittany. In this delightful village, the colourful buildings are made of stone with half-timbered, overhanging storeys. There is a medieval, fairy tale castle on the bank of the Oust River. The reflections on the water were perfect just like a jigsaw puzzle picture.
https://www.brittanytourism.com/destinations/the-10-destinations/destination-broceliande/josselin/
Picturesque Josselin on the banks of the Oust River
K is for Kintzheim, a village on the Alsace Wine Route. The area is also famous for storks and you often see their huge nests. Typical of the Alsace region are the half-timbered buildings, painted in a variety of delightful colours. We passed through this town on our way to Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle … and that’s another story!
Kintzheim in Alsace
So, open Google maps and plot the route of your dreams to begin your discovery of France. You could use the website, Les plus beaux villages of France. Perhaps you have an interest in cheese, wine or art. Both Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips and DK Eyewitness Guide Back Roads France have suggestions for taking routes with a purpose. If you don’t want to drive then choose a town/city on a major train link and consider private tours to visit smaller towns and villages. However, driving yourself is a magic experience and opens infinite possibilities!
A - Z of France is to be continued …
Next week, we talk to Mardi Michels. She is an Australian who now lives in Toronto, Canada, and will share her connection to France.
À bientot!
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