Ok, so I know it's hardly original but this place holds a very special place in my heart. Having accepted that, although having been with my partner for a long time, we weren't destined to be married as it didn't seem to be something he wanted, I was absolutely stunned when he went down on one knee whilst visiting the Eiffel Tower and proposed to me. I actually thought he'd dropped something when he bent down and started to look around to see what it was he'd lost. We returned to the City of love and lights for our first anniversary but circumstances haven't allowed for a return visit since. But I live in hope. If you have the chance, just go!

Address of the Eiffel Tower:
5 avenue Anatole France
Quai Branly 75007 Paris
France
Tel: 33 01 44 11 23 23

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Breezy runs a cosy, relaxed catered chalet close to Chamonix town. Fantastic food and flowing wine. Her intimate knowledge of the valley is invaluable when it comes to making the most out of your precious ski or snowboarding holiday.

www.skibreezy.com
Chalet D Ile 80 Chemin des Barrats, 74400 Chamonix Mont Blanc, France
+44 1629 690 690
Google map: bit.ly/AnmTGL

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Oysters and fruit de mer. Excellent restaurants surrounded by the oyster beds.

Rochefort, Charente-Maritime
Google map: bit.ly/woffRU

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Who needs Bora-Bora when you have Brittany? I'll wager that when you arrive on the Îles de Glénan, an archipelago off the southern coast of Finistère, you'll consider these desert isles as good as any that you might find in more exotic places. If you're not here for the sailing school, there is little to do except bury your feet in the white sand, kayak across a clear lagoon, or watch the black headed gulls, weave and dip, on their flight out to sea.

The Vedettes de l"Odet, based in Bènodet will get you there.
+33 (0) 2 98 57 00 58
www.vedettes-odet.com/
Google map: bit.ly/wtpoEz

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Widely considered the toughest trek in Europe the GR20 follows the spine of the Corsican mountains from the north west to south east of the island. The trek, mountains and views are spectacular. The hut infrastructure is good and the people are very friendly.
Some people go out and do as much as they can of the route in a week. It can be completed in less than 2 weeks but give yourself 1 week more and you can take the 'alpine variations' and a few side trips. Treat yourself to some time in Corsica at the end of trek to enjoy beaches, good food and powerful cheese.

www.le-gr20.com/gb/

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One of the most romantic places in France is the St. Paul de Vence. It is a charming hilltop fortified village in Provence. It has art galleries, boutiques and pavement cafes. Filled with elegant fountains, vine-covered stone walls, breathtaking views of mountains and seas, it is truly one of the most romantic places in France.

www.saint-pauldevence.com/
Google map: bit.ly/A8uChi

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One famous flea market is the Porte de Vanves in Paris. Its is one of the best in France due to its size and variety. On Saturdays and Sundays more than 300 vendors set up shop. It may be messy, but it is more for people who love good bargains.

pucesdevanves.typepad.com/
Avenue Georges Lafenestre, 75014 Paris, France
+33 6 86 89 99 96
Google map: bit.ly/x1To62

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Most people go think that doing the last 200kms to Santiago is what the Camino is about. Don't do this! Start in France (from Paris, Vezelay, Le Puy or Arles) and do part of it this year. You need a guide and a Pilgrim Passport (from the Confraternity of St James), accommodation is cheap and so is travel, but once you’ve started you’ll want to go back and complete the journey and that is when it will begin to change your life!

www.csj.org.uk/

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I think everyone in the world should visit the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, and specifically the volcanic craters in the middle of the island. Most tourism seems to have been attracted to Réunion's more beachy neighbour, Maruitius, so the island is largely unspoiled and, thanks to the fact that the entire island was recently named a UNESCO World Heritage site, likely to stay that way. Geologically very young and hosting two volcanoes (one live and one dormant) it's full not only of idyllic beaches but also of fairytale craggy peaks and deep valleys. Piton de la Neige, the dormant volcano, is surrounded by three craters (called cirques) that are all big enough to house several villages and each breath-taking in their own way. The Crique de Cilaos is accessible by bus from the town of St Louis, which climbs over the edge of the crater and down inside. The road includes over 250 hairpin bends, so just making it to the town is life-affirming. Being surrounded by the walls of the crater induces a realisation of the small and transitory nature of human existence that is calming and refreshing. The local residents help this along - what's important here is enjoying nature, whether it's through canyoning through rivers and waterfalls, hiking to high peaks, or just sitting back and taking in the view. We stayed in the family-run 'Claire de Lune' guest house, which has a dormitory for large groups and offers fabulous traditional Creole meals cooked by the owner's mother. I came back refreshed and with a renewed sense of both the awesomeness of the natural world and the important role each of us plays in it.

Catch the bus from the St Louis bus station on the south side of the island, which take about an hour and a half.
Clair de la Lune:
10, rue Winceslas Rivière 97413 Cilaos
+33(0)262 31 88 03

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A beautiful ski chalet in Chatel, France. We spent a week here, self-catered and it was such a comfortable and peaceful place to relax in after a day on the slopes.

www.chaletcannelle.co.uk

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It has to be the Cote d’Azur, for my activity break of choice – idealy centred on Nice. And with budget flights accessible from most UK centres, it could hardly be simpler. Once you’ve settled into your accommodation and unpacked all your gear, you’re set – and winter is definitely the best time to go! After an early breakfast, drive north to Valberg, Isola or Auron for a morning on the ski slopes, followed by a lunch, before returning to the shores of the Mediterranean. Then you have the choice of cycle routes – leisurely along the corniche, or challenging and into the Alpes Maritime (Gourdon or Sospel, perhaps). And in the evening, what could be better than SCUBA diving with your buddies at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

www.cyclecotedazur.com
Google map: bit.ly/yHVEj2

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At night the university town of Rennes comes alive. The boys swash and buckle in street corners, drinking, fighting, and vying for the attention of any pretty young girl that shimmers past them. The lecturers, meanwhile, hurry past their inglorious students, away from the aptly nicknamed rue de la Soif, to find themselves a quiet corner in the oldest wine bar in town, Le Nabuchodonosor. The floor is pock-marked, the tables are worn and wooded and the wines - endless wines - are chalked up on the board above them. Here, pressed into dark corners, they sit, devouring gossip and chat, till the small hours. Go join them – as the night closes in they’ll pull you over to their table and share with you their huge plates of bread, cheese and cold meats. Never mind that your French is dire – their animated English improves with each bottle that you buy, and drink together.

12 rue Hoche, Rennes
+33(0)2 99 27 07 58
Google map: bit.ly/sLceJW

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Although Corsica has now got as popular for its inland activity as it is for its white sand beaches, there is still a very large part of the island's inner beauty that remains pretty much untouched.
Corsica's trekking has got popular through the world-renowned "GR20", a trail that crosses the island from north west to south east. However, it now gets extremely busy from June to September while a lot of other areas with fabulous settings for walks and more serious trekking remain totally unexplored.
The trails of the Taravo valley are among those. For those who will dare asking a local shepherd in the many small villages that populate the valley, lots of them will be happy to take you with them on the regular hike they take up the mountain to feed their cattle. You will follow the old donkey trails leading from one village to another, pick up thyme, rosemary or the corsican Nepita on the way... and enjoy scenic views and the mountain all for yourself.

Popular villages: Petreto Bicchisano, Forciolo, Moca Croce, Sollacaro
Or visit: www.corsicaexperience.com/places/regions-of-corsica/ajaccio-prunelli-and-taravo/

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This is a wonderful 'literary wine bar' in the Marais, that hosts readings and performances. They have a solid list of 'by the glass' wines and space in the back to relax.

www.cafeine.com/
31 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75004 Paris, France
+33 1 48 04 71 60
Google map: bit.ly/tgwuYx

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Hardly worth crossing town for but handy to know if you're closer by and in search of organic produce, this tiny market (about seven vendors) is present every Thursday morning, not in the main Place St Jean but just on the corner of the cathedral opposite Vieux Lyon metro station.

Corner of Place St Jean / Avenue Adolphe Max, Vieux Lyon, 69005. Metro: Vieux Lyon.
Google map: bit.ly/rGwSRP

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This is an amazing collection of carved standing stones, also known as 'Menhirs', which date to around 1500 B.C. These stones are highly unusual and very different to what we usually think of as standing stones, as many of them are carved with human faces and anatomical details. They really make you contemplate the nature of civillisation more than 3000 years ago!

www.filitosa.fr/en/index.html
Station Préhistorique de Filitosa,
20140 Petreto-Bicchisano, Corse-du-Sud, France
+334 95 74 00 91
Google map: bit.ly/seJ1pU

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I've been to Les Gets a number of times now and it's brilliant for families. The snowboarding and skiing is great with a really good selection of runs, from nursery slopes for little ones learning to black runs for Dads wanting to test their limits. It's part of the large Portes du Soleil ski area and lives up to that name - we've had some wonderfully sunny (and very snowy) holidays there. Les Gets itself is a pretty Savoyard village and has some good restaurants, the ones we've visited have all welcomed children.

www.lesgets.com/
Google map: bit.ly/p6s9c3

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Unforgettable fondues, served by Denis himself and lovingly prepared with home made cheese, home cured meats and unidentifiable Alpine liquor. Just the thing after a hard day on the Portes du Soleil circuit which takes you right into Switzerland and back.

info.chatel.com/english-version.html
Plaine Dranse, 74390 CHATEL
+33 (0)4 50 73 36 29

Google map: bit.ly/nHKPre

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The highest ski resort in Europe offers fantastic experiences for both skiers and snowboarders. Beginners can get plenty of practice on easy slopes located in the centre of the resort where ski lifts are free for all users. Meanwhile, the more competent skiers can enjoy speed or more technically challenging runs at a higher altitude and snowboarders can try their luck in the snowpark where jumps of all sizes are available. To add to this, the views from "Cime Caron" are stunning: at a height of 3,200 metres, you literally feel on top of the world.

www.valthorens.com
Google map: bit.ly/nbKxPT

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The ‘69’ or the ‘Plan Bois’ lift is one of the best chairlifts in Les Arcs. Why? You can spend a whole day riding the runs and through the trees from this lift. When it’s a powder day. Get up to the top of this lift first thing and head for the ‘Piste de Bosses’ black run. The run has some lovely steeper bits and natural pipes as you go back down to the chairlift. So much fun. Then there is the ‘Renard’ blue run, with natural steps ups, wall rides and literally infinite jibbing possibilities. The red run ‘Belette’ has a blue run ‘Rhodos’ that forks off it. Stay on the run and enjoy the three natural rollers. Perfect for jump practice. Pretty much anywhere from this lift you can get into the trees. Tree runs are what Peisey Vallandry does best.

www.lesarcs.com/
Google map: bit.ly/nvNFUS

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