Dinan is the kind of town that is so pretty and so quaint I didn’t actually believed existed in real life. Sure, towns like this exist in Disney films and between the pages of fairytales but in real life….not so much. In real life, the modern world creeps in and places that are this beautiful …
France
I’ve just returned from a one week trip skiing in Tignes. I’m not the most experienced skier but this was by far the best place I’ve ever skied in Europe. I already know I want to go back next year, and recommendations don’t get much better than that! Here’s my mini guide to skiing in …
I’m sharing my honest review from our family holiday to Domaine des Ormes campsite in Brittany, France. We’ve stayed at lots of campsites in France and Domaine des Ormes was, without a doubt, the biggest and best we’ve visited. But there are some things you need to be aware of and I’m sharing some great …
Visiting Ile de Re from a cruise ship was one of the highlights from my recent trip with Princess Cruises. Our second stop aboard the Sky Princess was La Rochelle and there was the option to take a shore excursion to Ile de Re. It was an opportunity I knew I couldn’t miss as I’d …
Did you see Tuesday’s post with an introduction to the French campsites, Les Castels? Check it out if you’ve never heard of Les Castels before. Les Castels are gorgeous camping grounds all around France set within the grounds of stunning chateaux’s. Last summer I travelled to France for one week and visited three Les Castels …
Mention Paris to anyone and you end up getting a mixed option. “Urgh, I hate Paris. It’s dirty and crowded and too touristy,” some people will tell you. “Oooh, it’s my favourite city in the world. It’s beautiful and romantic and has the best food in the world,” others will swoon. While I don’t know …
Paris may be the city of love and one of the most romantic places in the world but today I’ve been having a little romance with the city itself. It turns out I LOVE Paris. I spent the day wandering among some of the main attractions, stopping for café lattes and macaroons, shopping in the …
During my recent trip to Southern France I spent an amazing day in Avignon in Provence. I fell head over heels in love with Avignon and it’s now firmly on my list of ‘Places I need to go back to ASAP!’ (Yes, I actually have this list) Avignon is a historic city best known for …
MARSEILLE, France – France’s second largest city is known for having dirt under its fingernails. Founded by the Greeks some 2,600 years ago, it has uncoiled itself inland from gritty docklands over the centuries and grown a reputation as port with a seedy character. The Marseille I saw on my second Silversea shore excursion, however, (my …
Can you see Paris in 2 days? Yes you can! There is so much to see and do in this gorgeous city so I’ve created a list of the best things to see in Paris in 2 days. Of course, there are a million more things to see in Paris but you won’t want to …
If you’re travelling to Paris for the first time then I’ve got some great travel tips to make your trip is a breeze! Paris is a bustling city and it can be overwhelming! I remember my first solo trip to Paris and there was so much I wanted to see and do that I actually …
Paris is the perfect city for a weekend break, especially for us Brits who can get there in a hop, skip and a jump. The French capital is one of the most famous and popular tourist destinations in the world. It’s one of the top five most-visited cities with around 15 million visitors a year! …
I’d seen photos of Mont Saint-Michel before but, if I’m honest, I didn’t know much about this incredible island in Normandy, France. I didn’t know a lot about it other than the fact that it looked like a magical town that would fit perfectly between the pages of Harry Potter novel. It appeared in my …
At the end of last summer I took my favourite family holiday of the year. It was a one-week glamping adventure in France staying at three different Les Castels campsites around the country. Before this trip I’d never heard of Les Castels, but I was soon to discover that Les Castels is a family holiday …
Where is the best place to see the sunset in Paris? I’ve visited 5 beautiful sunset spots in Paris to find out where is best and to show you where you should watch the sunset in Paris! Have a magical time and remember, Paris is always a good idea. When you’re sauntering along the …
I arrived into Nîmes as the sun was going down. The golden light reflected off ancient Roman buildings, the warm air carried smells of dinners being served closeby, and the square I walked through to find my hotel was filled with strolling couples, laughing kids and a couple of older ladies laughing together on a …
Saint-Cast-le-Guildo was one of those places we accidentally stumbled across and then wondered how we’d never heard of it before. We visited on our final day during our French road trip with Les Castels and I hadn’t done much research for this part of our trip. We’d already seen and done so much that I’d thought we’d …
Last summer, Monica and I travelled to Southern France for four days. We travelled to France by train but then went our separate ways once we arrived in Paris so we could cover as much ground as possible. I had no idea we’d each see and do so much and we both has incredible trips. Last …
Last summer Elle and I travelled to Southern France. We visited charming little villages, vineyards, gorgeous countryside and amazing restaurants. We were amazed by how much there was to see and do in Southern France. We were expecting to find bright purple lavender fields, world-class wine, and classic French food, the kind you crave for weeks after returning …
Last week I travelled to Tignes with Mark Warner for a family-friendly week in the snow with my guy and our one year old son. Here’s what it’s really like to take a baby skiing… (I’m obviously not talking about actually strapping a baby to you and skiing! This is the logistics of taking your …
Making the transition from a ‘young, carefree and boozy ski holiday’ to a ‘family ski holiday’ can seem a little bit daunting. You don’t want to miss out on your annual ski holiday but bringing young children along seems like more hassle than it’s worth, right? You have a couple of options here. Don’t go …
Following on from part 1 of my Les Castels travel journal from my trip to France… Day #5: Exploring Dinan To say Dinan is ‘charming’ is the biggest understatement of the century. Dinan is another ‘Harry Potter-esque’ kind of place and it felt a lot like Hogsmeade (I say that like I regularly go …
I couldn’t help but giggle as I sat on the Eurostar with a glass of champagne in one hand and over €3,800 in cash in the other. I couldn’t believe this was actually happening and I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have been selected for this ‘challenge’. In case you missed it, I …
Deftly straddling the Gardon River, the Pont du Gard is an aqueduct that was built by Romans in the first century. The three-tiered, arched bridge dates back some 2,000 years and was created to carry water from the source in Uzès to the cosmopolitan town of Nîmes, where it was used for decorative fountains, home sanitation …
Have you ever experienced the real France? I’m not talking about the sidewalk cafes of Paris, the Eiffel Tower, or candy-coloured pastries stacked prettily in a window. What I’m referring to is the baguette-in-a-handbag-on-the-way-home-from-the-markets kind of France, usually found in tiny towns in the countryside. And one town in particular, tucked into the gorgeous scenery …
Balazuc, in Ardeche, Southern France, is the kind of village French dreams are made from. The medieval village has been named a ‘Village of Character’ and officially classified as one of the ‘Most Beautiful Villages in France’. If I asked you to picture a typical French village this would be it, but with about 50 …
Ardèche in Southern France may not be an area of France you’re familiar with. Ardèche wasn’t on my radar until I visited last week and was absolutely blown away by how beautiful it was. A combination of dramatic scenery and quaint villages had me in love with the area as I drove through the winding roads. …
It’s no secret that France excels when it comes to food and drink. In fact, for many people (myself included) it’s one of the reasons I visit the land of fromage et pain. I knew I’d eat well throughout my recent journey to Southern France…I just didn’t know I’d discover new French favourites that I’ll …
For the past 5 years I’d been doing my best to convince myself I enjoyed snowboarding. Everyone likes snowboarding and I felt almost guilty about not joining in with the snowboarding excitement. I tried so hard to like it but having a board strapped to me feet just wasn’t for me. Most of my friends …
My third day in Paris began with a gloriously lazy morning and leisurely breakfast at Citadines Louvre Paris before setting out towards Notre Dame. La Conciergerie: A Fairytale Palace Along the way I stopped at La Conciergerie, a former royal palace on an island in the middle of the River Seine. With its grand façade …
“Lille? For three days?” The Parisians would ponder this for a few seconds after I’d told them that, yes, my next stop was Lille, for three whole days. “Hmm, it’s very different to Paris but you will like it,’ they’d tell me. “It’s very pretty.” And this is my first impression from Lille. It is …
Here at The Travel Hack we like to think we’re great at digging out unusual destinations to add to your travel wish list. We love cities like Paris, Barcelona and London but there’s nothing like visiting a quieter and less known destination for a more authentic and much more affordable option! Today we’d like to …
As we pulled into Mazan, located in the valleys of the Vaucluse region, we quickly spotted Chateau de Mazan, a charming hotel towering high above the rest of town. Mazan was laid out with a circled wall of buildings that dated back to the 14th century. The “portes” along the wall open to narrow streets …
I have wanted to visit Provence in the South of France for some time now. The vineyards, the stone farm houses, the colorful shutters, the hilly countryside, and the amazing food have been calling my name for years. When my husband and I decided to take a holiday for our first wedding anniversary, I knew …
For our last stop in the South of France we made our way through the narrow roads east of Avignon, climbing higher and higher until we came across a fairy tale-like village, Crillon le Brave. Hotel Crillon-le-brave is situated high above town with eight buildings providing breathtaking views of vineyards and olive groves. We checked …
Having spent a few days in the countryside we were ready for the bustling of a bigger city. We arrived in Aix-en-Provence and instantly felt as though we’d found a Mediterranean Paris. In fact, Aix is known as the 21st arrondissement of Paris because of its cultural scene. What it lacks in historical sites, it …
Is there anything better than being greeted at a hotel with a beautiful bunch of fresh flowers and a box of macaroons? I was being given a tour of my Citadines Suite when I spotted them and got a delightful waft of sweet and floral scents. I already knew I’d be spending the next half …
Today’s post is by Lizze Benton as she gives us an insider’s guide to the gorgeous village of Chatel in the French Alps. I don’t know about you but this really makes me want to grab my skis and spend a week feasting on cheesy fondues! 1. Can you tell us how you came to …