Linda and Bernard Devine own and run La Petite Maison Devine as a stylish, luxurious one bedroom retreat for couples. This private 18th century terraced cottage is set in the quiet medieval village of Laurac le Grand in Aude, Languedoc-Roussillon.
Originally a farmer’s property, the cottage has been renovated by a British architect to a very high standard, combining original features with the best of contemporary comfort. A truly enticing highlight is the private terrace with a spa pool, fabulous views and all day sunshine.
The spacious accommodation is set on three floors, with a kitchen-diner at ground level and a salon with Juliet balcony on the first floor. A light, airy master suite takes up the whole of the top floor.
Places to explore while staying at La Petite Maison include the Canal du Midi, the historic cities of Albi and Carcassonne and the beach at Narbonne.
The Devines have many years of experience in the hospitality trade. Linda also has a business background of sales, marketing and customer service with exclusive London hotels while Bernard has engineering and building skills – all of which are put to good use running their holiday let.
“The biggest things I’ve learned about being a host are communication with guests and the importance of excellent customer service,” says Linda. “We like to go the extra mile and ensure that our guests have a truly great holiday.”
Passionate about wide open spaces and natural resources? Then Alpes-de-Haute-Provence could be your perfect destination for a holiday in France – and it’s our region of the month. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region, where mountains give way to sea, the area enjoys snow in the mountains, mild winters in the valleys and long warm summers with temperatures reaching 35C.
There’s a fantastic variety of landscapes and attractions. As you reach the foothills of Alpes-de-Haute Provence, you find villages huddled in the contours of alpine valleys or perched precariously on rocky outcrops, with steeply sloping streets leading to a central square. This is truffle and olive country – and the altitude gives the olives a particularly fruity taste.
• Enjoy exploring the delights of the national park of Mercantour and the Gorges of Verdon.
• Go to the gorgeous mountain village of Moustiers Ste Marie, where the houses appear to have been sculpted out of the rocky mountainside.
• Take Le Train des Pignes, a private narrow gauge railway that runs between Digne and Nice through the Alpes de Haute Provence.
• Visit the capital city of Digne, a major centre of the lavender trade.
The main international airports here are Marseilles and Nice, both served by low cost airlines, while high speed TGV trains take about 3 hours from Paris to Marseilles and also serve Toulon, Cannes and Nice. Our holiday homes range from mountain chalets to luxurious cottages, gites and apartments in locations where you can ski in winter and sunbathe in summer. Le Trianon villa, shown in our photo, is a great example.
This year’s France Show is being held from 29th to 31st January at the Olympia exhibition centre in London. If you’re yearning for all things French, then get your fix here!
The show aims to bring the best of France together under one roof, with food, wine, property, holiday ideas, entertainment and shopping. There’s a great French market with authentic stalls selling cheese, bread, delectable patisserie and other delights - and the bonus of a nice chat with the French producers and vendors.
The cookery theatre is always popular, with demonstrations from top chefs, as are the tutored wine tastings. I took part in one last year and learned a lot about flavour and that fascinating concept of terroir. You can also brush up French language skills, play pétanque and enjoy a lively performance of the can-can!
Various French regions are represented to inspire new holiday destinations, with locals who know all about what to see and do in their area. The France Show also hosts the largest French property exhibition in the UK. Use the link below to buy tickets.
Organisers of the France Show are the publishers of Living France and French Property News magazines, where you can see major features about our owners, accommodation and properties for sale every month.
We enjoy making connections between holiday let owners and their guests. We also know that many of our owners run gites primarily because they love to be in the hospitality business. It’s a real pleasure for them to welcome holidaymakers at their property and share all that they love about France and their local area.
Jaen Williams, based just outside the beautiful city of Carcassonne, shown in our photo, is a prime example. Her gite, Willow Cottage, is a private, independent two bedroom cottage with its own swimming pool and a huge rooftop terrace. It’s set in one acre grounds with an orchard and boules pitch in a fantastic village location and with close access to this romantic medieval city and its airport.
Jaen was once a nurse, but is now retired and has lived in her pretty village, close to the Canal du Midi, for nine years. “I love everything about this place,” says Jaen in her lilting Scottish brogue. “The tranquillity, the lovely friendly people and the ten minute walk to a shop, café bar and chateau.”
Jaen also loves helping her guests have the best possible holiday, without being in any way intrusive. “I know a lot about the local history and stories and it seems that others share my enthusiasm as I have three families who have been coming to stay here for six years!”
Carcassonne is a great year round destination and Jaen has availability for this spring and summer for up to four people.
See more about Willow Cottage at the link below
France is a fabulous destination in May and June. The weather has warmed up and can be hot in the South, yet without those searing days of high summer. The evenings are long and light and the sunset is often dramatic, making the perfect setting for strolling and outdoor dining.
While Paris gets extremely popular at this time of year, the rest of France has so much space that it’s easy to find peace and quiet. Because the crowds have not yet arrived, both travel and accommodation are cheaper than in peak season and you may pick up a bargain holiday home with our special offers.
With warmer weather, parks, gardens and the countryside are bursting with fresh growth, abundant with colourful, sweetly scented flowers. Special places to head for are Monet’s garden at Giverny, Normandy and the chateaux of the Loire valley with their exquisitely designed outdoor spaces, especially Villandry, shown in our photo.
Attractions and museums are all open, so there are theme and water parks for the under fives and fascinating destinations for adults. We all know of Paris’s Pompidou Centre, but did you know there is also Pompidou Centre in Metz, Lorraine region, displaying the arts? In Marseille is the ambitious Museum of the Civilisations of Europe and in the Ardèche the awe-inspiring replica of the Chauvet-Pont d’Arc caves with its prehistoric paintings.
The festival season also gets going, with events dedicated to music, food, art and theatre. Try jazz in Le Mans or Normandy, the bull festival in Nimes, the film festival in Cannes or even tennis at Roland Garros. In France it seems that almost every city and town likes to put on its own show – and we love them for it!
France is a fabulously romantic destination for Valentine’s Day. This year, the 14th February is a Sunday, so you still have time to make a proper weekend of it with your beloved.
As birds begin to mate in mid-February, so too should men and women exchange love letters and romantic tokens. That’s the Valentine tradition, which probably started during the Middle Ages in both France and England. For 2016, here’s our top tips for romantic breaks in France:
Stay in the countryside around and dip into one of these romantic cities:
Visit a romantic landmark
Romantic coastal hideaways
Romantic chateaux
With its vineyards and fairytale chateaux, its tranquil countryside and gourmet restaurants, the Loire valley is one of France’s most romantic destinations
Adults only
Your peace and quiet will be guaranteed at an adults only cottage in the glorious countryside of the Dordogne in south west France
Romantic activity break
Take one of our activity holidays and combine leisurely romance with a meeting of minds in learning new skills or refreshing tired bodies through pampering and sport.
It’s time for ski holidays and France’s Savoie region is a brilliant destination to get your thrills on the slopes. We’ve chosen Savoie in the Rhone Alps as our region for January because it is easily accessible and boasts miles of ski and snowboarding slopes, glorious scenery, friendly villages with cosy chalets and apartments, great apres-ski, fabulous food and wines exclusive to the area.
The Savoie is home to Mont Blanc, the most famous of all French mountains. It also contains the massive and beautiful ski areas of Les Trois Vallées and L'Espace Killy. Both offer world class winter sports and facilities.
Chambery is the region’s capital and plenty of ski resorts are within a short driving distance of its airport. You can also get a low-cost flight to Lyon and drive south from there. Savoie is about nine hours’ drive from the ferry ports or tunnel or you can opt to take a ski train. When booking, don’t forget to ask owners for tips on travel.
Once you arrive, there’s the thrill of the ski lift, the winter sun on your face, the brilliance of all that snow and the exhilaration of flying through crisp mountain air. Even when your landing is less elegant than you hoped, you can take comfort in a rich hot chocolate by a blazing fire, a hot shower and later the amazing tastes of the Savoyard cuisine, especially cheeses, and local wines.
When the weather gets warmer and snow leaves the lower slopes, Savoie is also a great destination for clear mountain air, breathtaking scenery, outdoor activities and wide open spaces. We highly recommend discovering the French mountains in summer.
We have a great range of self-catering accommodation in the area, for couples, families and larger groups. Chalets and apartments are located in both popular resorts and traditional villages with a typically French mountain flavour. See more in our guide to the Savoie and our guide to the Rhone-Alps.