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What's New - February 2012
The latest news about French Connections including website features, new content, holiday properties, competitions and more...
Get loved up in France for Valentine’s Day
Love is in the air as we approach 14th February and the romantic traditions of St Valentin that actually originated in France. Spend a few days in a country hideaway, beside a sweeping beach or on a romantic city break with a bargain hotel booking. France is simply the perfect place to be for this day of hearts and flowers - along with great food and wine as only the French know how!
Find ideas for a Valentine’s break to France
Take the youngsters to France for half-term
Children and youngsters of all ages can enjoy a trip to France and a week to truly remember. Whether it’s the excitement of Disneyland Paris, exploring historic sites, discovering new food, trying out the language or savouring a different culture, there’s a wealth of experiences for families to enjoy. And what could be easier than loading everyone into the car and heading for the tunnel or ferry?
Search accommodation for half-term week
Book your ideal summer holiday rental now
There’s a lot of interest in summer bookings right now, so get busy with your search for the ideal country farmhouse, historic chateau, cosy gite or seaside apartment. Don't miss out! Use our advanced search option to specify your favourite location in France, the type of property you fancy and the facilities you need – and grab yourself a bargain with our special offers for early bird summer holidays.
Check out our special offers on holiday rentals
Grab some glamour in the Alpes-Maritimes and Provence
Our featured French region for February is the place where mountains meet the azure Mediterranean in a haze of lavender fields, where the glamour of Nice, Cannes and the Riviera glows as brightly as in the movies, where inspiring art abounds, where poets pour out their words on a vine-covered terrace, sipping wine that tastes of sunshine and where a simple market is a major sensual feast. Can’t wait to savour some early spring rays or summer in the South?
Find a great place to stay in the Alpes-Maritimes and Provence
Owners – learn how to be picture perfect!
In this month’s French Property News magazine, our own Glynis Shaw gives advice to holiday property owners on how to use photographs in an online listing. Along with practical tips there are photographic examples and inspiration from two French Connections property owners. Go to page 70 of the magazine or our Press Coverage page for this invaluable three page feature.
Latest blog entries
P&O Offer for Launch of Ship
09 February 2012
P&O are offering a fantastic opportunity celebrate the launch of their long awaited sparkly new ship The Spirit of France. A special fare of £30/ 39 euros will be offered for all passengers who book before 14th February to travel on The Spirit of France the brand new sister ship of The Spirit of England. [...] Read full entry...
2012 is off to a great start!
09 February 2012
January has been a successful month at French Connections, with site visits, new visitors and enquiries for holiday rentals and properties for sale all up on the same period last year. In an uncertain economic climate, we reckon this deserves a shared pat on the back with our staff, advertisers and holidaymakers. During January, enquiries [...] Read full entry...
Chocolate Truffles for Valentines day
06 February 2012
Valentine’s Day will soon be upon us and at home here in Wales I notice there are many advertisements in the local newspapers for Valentine’s short breaks to Paris. This is surely a most romantic getaway for those couples wanting to spend a special time together and where could be more romantic than Paris! Valentine’s [...] Read full entry...
Christopher Campbell-Howes accounts for his morning . . .
01 February 2012
ALONG THE road early to St Pons de Thomières, a place of 2353 inhabitants, according to the 2007 census. One of the curiosities of St Pons – as it’s called for short – is that there’s a cathedral in the middle of it. If hosting a cathedral promotes a place to the rank of city, [...] Read full entry...
Love France on Valentine’s Day
27 January 2012
Romance is in the air and I love to make Valentine’s Day really special with a short break or long weekend in France. It just feels like the right place to be. Travel is quick and easy from the south east with Eurotunnel or by ferry from Dover – and Northern France has some fascinating [...] Read full entry...
When the Village Christmas Lights went out
13 January 2012
The village where I live is in that part of France that was occupied by the Germans during World War 2, as opposed to the ‘other’ southern portion of France which was Vichy France. The consequence of this was that there was a German Lieutenant and a section of Germans troops billeted in the village [...] Read full entry...
French Entree Competition
12 January 2012
The lucky winners of our competition in January’s FrenchEntree magazine will be taking their family of four for a free week’s stay at the gorgeous La Flotte, a recently restored Manoir and character cottages in sunny Charente Maritime near the sea. La Flotte has 16 acres of private grounds in a wildlife and wild flower [...] Read full entry...
New! Fly direct from London City to Brive-Dordogne Valley
10 January 2012
From January 2012 regular flights are in service between London City and Brive-Dordogne Valley airport, operated by City Jet. At present there are two flights a week, on Fridays and Sundays, and a more frequent service will be offered from 23rd March for the high season. The new Brive-Dordogne Valley airport was opened in June [...] Read full entry...
January in France and some winter recipes
06 January 2012
Well, it’s now January 2012! Bonne année et bonne santé – I wish you all a very happy new year and the best of good health. If you are travelling to France this month you have many things to look forward to as there is so much to see and do. It’s a good time [...] Read full entry...
Christopher Campbell-Howes hears it from the horse’s mouth . . .
01 January 2012
THE OTHER evening our friend Jean-Claude came round to see us. He appears in Campbell’s Diary quite often. In some ways you could say he was a pillar of this column. He has many claims to fame, and not the least intriguing is that he is, or was, distantly related to Saint Theresa of Lisieux. [...] Read full entry...
