If you're planning to drive in France, consider avoiding the toll roads and taking the local roads instead. Toll roads are quick but they are deadly boring and expensive - they add a lot of euros to the price of your holiday. Local roads are more interesting to drive and allow you to discover France's best hidden gems: ancient churches, vineyards and olive groves, winding rivers and fantastic bakeries. Be careful though: exploring the backroads could be so much fun that you don't leave time to reach your final destination!

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Some wild reindeer make herds of up to 20,000 animals. Pop along to the Natural History Museum at Tring between 27-31 December to paint a reindeer or two to add to their Arctic mural. Will they manage to create a huge herd? It's a free activity for all ages, and you can get there by train easily - or there's a free car park. You can walk from the museum up to one of the highest points in the Chilterns - Ivinghoe Beacon - for spectacular panoramic views. Perfect to burn off the Christmas pud!

Natural History Museum at Tring
The Walter Rothschild building
Akeman Street
Tring
Hertfordshire
HP23 6AP
+44(0)20 7942 6171
www.nhm.ac.uk/tring
Google map: bit.ly/fVovVb

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