Inspiration

Reasons to visit France this spring

Guest Expert

5 min read

As France’s countryside bursts into life this spring, take the chance to hop over the Channel and enjoy the spring sunshine as you explore Châteaux gardens, vineyards and villages, as well as some awe-inspiring attractions such as a giant robotic dragon.

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Loire Valley, Normandy, Hauts-de-France, Burgundy

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Normandy in bloom

Normandy’s autumnal apple harvest is understandably an exciting time to be in the region, but to see the start of the apple’s life cycle, namely the incredible white blooms that fill the orchards in springtime, is utterly enchanting. Artist David Hockney was so inspired by what he saw from living there, that he produced his collection ‘A Year in Normandie’, which is now on display in Bayeux’s Tapestry Museum until April 2023. By booking a stay at such gîtes as Haras du Gazon or Le Manoir au Château de Barbeville you can be surrounded by the countryside that he drew so much from. The bonus of self-catering, too, is that you can enjoy food shopping for such local specialities as cheese, cider and calvados to enjoy in the evening. Bayeux’s cobbled, atmospheric streets are home to a huge range of enticing shops, such as La Fromagerie de Bayeux (at 7 Rue Alain Chartier) and around the corner, the Chocolatier Deschamps for chocolates, macarons, patisserie such as the local speciality, Le Mirliton de Pont-Audemer, a biscuit tube filled with praline mousse.

With the gentle weather, spring is a great time to explore the Landing Beaches, too, and learn the background of D-Day and the Allied Forces’ ingenuity and bravery in masterminding the Battle of Normandy. There are new sites to visit, such as the British Normandy Memorial which was unveiled on the anniversary of D-Day in 2021 and bears the names of the 22,442 of those who died while taking part in D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. At Arromanches, the renovated D-Day museum will reopen in April.

Find out more about our special places in Normandy here >

Quick hop to Hauts de France

Spring is the ideal time for short breaks, as with Easter weekend and the bank holidays you needn’t use up too much annual leave. A quick hop to the Hauts-de-France (the new name for the Picardy and Nord-Pas-de-Calais region) is really easy with the ferry or Eurotunnel. Arrive in time for lunch, and head down to Calais’ renovated sea front to buy a huge bag of chips from one of the friteries; the main attraction there now is a giant robotic dragon which stomps along the croisette giving rides to visitors and breathing fire to impress awe-struck onlookers. Down the coast, the town of Montreuil-sur-Mer is a foodie hotspot with a superb Saturday market and lots of different businesses that have joined together to be La Destination Gastronomique, including the excellent Fromagerie Caseus, the Chocolatier Beussant-Lachelle and the coffee roastery Café Schirrer. Garden lovers will adore Amiens’ hortillonages, these raised market gardens are set in a network of canals which you can explore by boat. The annual Fête des Hortillonnages launches in May and sets out a map for gardens and sculptures to visit by hopping on and off a rented boat. The town’s speciality is its almond macarons, which are deliciously moreish and quite different to the colourful Parisian versions. Take a box back to your gite to devour with a local beer.

Find out more about our special places in Hauts-de-France here >

Go wine tasting in Burgundy

Wine lovers in search of the best vintages will love a stay in Burgundy in the spring; not only are the vineyards bursting into life and the countryside turning a blaze of green, but the summer crowds are yet to arrive, leaving you lots of time and space to explore. On the Côte d’Or around Beaune, the vineyards are a fascinating patchwork of what is known as ‘climats’, individual parcels of vines that each have their own unique terroir. Explore the wineries in the different wine villages, such as Meursault and Pommard. The beauty of self-catering in a wine region is that you can take your purchases back to enjoy in the comfort of a lounge, such as the one at the Pommard Townhouse, with its vaulted ceiling and beams. And the beauty of having friendly hosts, such as Fabio and Vincenzo at Maison les Pins, is that you can ask them for recommendations as to where to find the best bottles. Beaune is a beautiful city, known for the Hospices de Beaune, a medieval hospital that is now a fascinating museum. And while Dijon gave its name to the region’s famous mustard, the Moutarderie Edmond Fallot is a fantastic little museum charting its history where you have the chance to make your own blend. Foodies will also love its market for trying local delicacies back at your gîte; shop for the region’s wide range of cheeses, from stinky Époisses to the gentler Abbaye de Citeaux, still made by monks near Nuits-Saint-Georges.

Find out more about our special places in Burgundy here >

Go regal in the Loire Valley

The Loire Valley is full of Châteaux in which the kings, queens, dukes and duchesses of France once resided, but to have a truly regal experience for your holiday, check into the castles that have found a new life as a holiday home or offer gites in their enchanting grounds, such as Le Clos de Fontenay. Nothing beats having an evening aperitif overlooking ‘your’ estate from the terrace, dinner prepared in a kitchen where centuries of cooks have cooked, or a breakfast of warmed croissants in a four-poster bed. The Loire Valley is fun to explore en famille and the children will just love the idea of sleeping in their own castle.

Châteaux’s gardens and village festivals are a huge attraction at this time of year too. The Château de Chaumont’s International Garden Festival kicks off in April, with its estate also a showcase for incredible sculptures and artworks set among its carefully curated gardens. The village of Chédigny is known for its roses, with fragrant blooms adorning the village’s cottages, gates and walls in myriad colours. At the end of May, Chédigny celebrates its Rose Festival and the whole place is alive with visitors, plant stalls and music.

Find out more about our special places in The Loire Valley here >

Explore our collection of special places to stay in France >

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Le Clos de Fontenay - Gîte

Bléré, Indre-et-Loire

From €130 p/n
Self-catering
7 rooms for 4 - 5

Le Manoir au Château de Barbeville

Barbeville, Calvados

From €245 p/n
Self-catering
3 rooms for 6

Maison Les Pins

Beaune, Côte-d’Or

From €240 p/n
Self-catering
2 rooms for 5

Carolyn Boyd

Guest Expert

Carolyn is one of the UK’s leading food and travel writers and an expert on France. She likes nothing more than telling a good story, packed with expert insight and inspirational recommendations. Her writing for The Guardian, The Times, National Geographic Traveller and many more has seen her cycle across France, seeking out its beauty, culture and delectable produce in search of some of the most delicious and exciting experiences in travel.

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