- France
- (1994)
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Great food, lovely service, charming village. French husband and English wife own and run this little restaurant (he is the chef - with 25 years experience behind him, she is front of house) tucked away in the southern tip of Normandy. Now listed in numerous guides and getting more and more popular.
Lovely family-run restaurant in residential area just off Les Halles. We had a fantastic meal - the mussels in Roquefort and the pudding, some raspberry creamy dish, were brilliant. The whole family seem to work there, it's very relaxed and the bill was around a ridiculous 12 euros a head.
29 Place du Grand Couvent, Nimes, tel 0466299981
Take the travelator at Montparnasse station, "itself an adventure, as it travels at roughly the same speed as a Parisian bus".
Take the Metro to Raspail, and around the corner you will discover Montparnasse Cemetery, or "Cimiterie du Sud", an oasis, pilgrimage and sculpture park all in one. The resting place of the artistic community that included Baudelaire, Jean Paul Sartre, to name but two of the luminaries buried here.
After spending a couple of hours taking in the scenery, and the great and the good, and not so good, you could saunter out to The Cafe Raspail Vert, and partake of an existential cafe au lait, "one of Satre's favourite haunts."
If you are thinking of making a trip to the Pere Lachaise cemetary in Paris we recommend that you enlist the help of one of the eccentric Jim Morrison devotees.
For a few euros your guide will introduce you to all the famous, curious and down-right mysterious final resting places, bounding over head stones as you go.
This is a gem of a place, the nicest chalet I've ever stayed in. It had a lovely welcoming feel, so warm and friendly - it was the perfect mountain retreat for us.
It's close to the Flegere ski lift and within staggering distance of some good bars and restaurants (though we spent more evenings in, lazing on the sofas with the playstation or Scalextric!). Lovely views from the balcony and garden too.
Sleeps ten, including a double in the cute mini-chalet in the garden.
Les Praz, Chamonix
www.chaletlaforet.com
You must visit Kong restaurant in Paris. It's on the roof of the old Samaritaine department store on the rue de Rivoli.
With its glass domed roof you get the most spectacular views of Paris and there's a great bar on the floor below which is full of Parisian fashionistas.
As a tip you need to ask to be seated on the upper floor to get the best views. For a chic spring/summer afternoon, stroll around the Place des Vosges in the Marais district (Metro St Paul)and enjoy the eclectic boutiques in the surrounding streets. The department store is closed until 2011 but the Kong restaurant remains open.
1 rue du Pont Neuf / La Samaritaine
75001 Paris
Téléphone : 01 40 39 09 00
www.kong.fr/
A wonderful little restaurant full of locals, tucked away in a tiny alley by the Centre Pompidou. The food served was fantastic and, being vegetarian, I was really impressed. A chocolate dessert to die for and a great ambience.
12 impasse Berthaud, 3rd
phone - 01.42.74.55.44
metro - Rambuteau
A small and friendly snowboard clothing and equipment shop with a really well-chosen selection of clothes (both fashion and snowboard - Analog, Anon, Nixon, WESC, Dragon, Element etc) and a particularly good womenswear section. They also had a good selection of boards for sale and to rent.
Castel des Neiges
Route du Linga
Chatel,
Portes de Solieil
74390
tel +33 (0)450 81 61 79
www.switch5.fr/
For skiing, get Eurostar and then start your holiday with time in either Paris or Bourg St Maurice which is a lovely quaint town to spend some time in.
While touring through France, make sure you leave your passport in Bordeoux while travelling on to your next gig in Montpellier.
Get refused entry on a cramped, horrible Easy Jet flight to Luton or wherever. Then spend the next half a day travelling by train through some of the most beautiful wine regions to get home.
Was a little miffed at first to spend my gig money on the return trip, but the experience of 'flying' through the french country side, washing down a 'Parisienne' with a good Bordeoux while chatting to beautiful french ladies.... Sorry Easy Jet, it just doesnt compare.
A great way to travel to Bordeaux is to take the Eurostar to Lille and then simply change platforms and get a 4 hours TGV to Bordeaux Gare St. Jean.
No one does better 'steak frites' than the L'Entrecote restaurant on the Cours de 30 juillet. For around 15 euros you can dine on the best steak frites going served with a delicious sauce that is a closely guarded secret and accompanied by a nice bottle of the local plonk.
It may not seem very orginal but the sheer popularity of this place with locals and visitors alike is testament to how good it is.
When visiting Paris make sure you take a look at Les Catacombes. A maze-like path through walls of bones and skulls of the commoners who had their graves excavated for new buildings. It offers a very different view of the city!
Hire a car and drive to Grasse, the heart of the perfume industry. The 3 hour drive through stunning scenery is lovely; the perfume museum quirky and interesting and the perfume shops irresistable. At the right time of year, the yellow Mimosa delights the eye and the nose!
The theatre festival held in July cannot be surpassed for thespian entertainment in the most beautiful settings.
Watch a play on a balmy provincial afternoon, followed by food and wine which elsewhere pales in comparison.
The charm of Avignon is in the atmosphere and no words can do it justice - you must feel it for yourself.
You must try the athmospheric and much loved La Banasterie Guesthouse.
It is located slap bang in the centre of the maze like citadel, but on a quiet side street and with excellent restaurants within a one-minute walk.
Jean-Michel and Francoise make the ancient house terribly atmospheric with fairy lights and by lighting the stairs and halls by candlelight at night.
If you would like a home from home, with an authentic french atmosphere, I couldn’t recommend this place more highly!
Over the bridge gets you to Villeneuve-les-Avignon, which is quieter and more bearable than Avignon proper. It's also in the Gard rather than Vaucluse, so it's gutsy Languedoc rather than pretentious Provence.
There's a good campsite, bars and restaurants which are affordable. From there you can make raids on foot to the cultural quarters, and still get back for a quiet pastis.
Les Halles market is great for a breakfast, stocking up for picnics and ogling the fine fruit, gorgeous bread and sumptous food - at bargain prices.
Coincide your trip to Avignon with the wonderful arts festival. There is plenty of comedy, theatre, and inpromtu outdoor performances. The festival takes place in July
Don't bother going on a tour of the Palais des Papes, the most interesting bits you can see from the outside.
Here's a good free place for parking in Avignon: in the centre of Avignon go across the Pont Daladier, and take the first right. Great free parking spaces by the river, and it's a perfect photo opportunity for the Avignon bridge.
Either walk back across the bridge for direct access to Avignon walled city, or walk down the river and get the free ferry across the river.
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