Whether you’re celebrating Christmas in France or elsewhere, we wish you a joyful festive season and a truly happy New Year.
Looking forward to those quiet days between the two big occasions? Dreading the dull days of January? Our solution is to spend some time browsing beautiful holiday homes in France, planning the next trip and maybe making contact with some property owners.
Making French Connections is, of course, what we do - and our owners are looking forward with enthusiasm to connecting with guests this year. They enjoy welcoming both seasoned Francophiles discovering a new region and those who are first-timers in France and excitedly discovering a whole new country.
Many owners offer great deals and incentives at this time of year and these will build up as we go into January, so it’s the perfect time to grab a bargain. You’ll find these deals in our Special Offers pages. They range from wine gifts and free extra days to discounts of 10, 15 or even 20 per cent for early bird bookings or specific dates.
Remember that if you like the look of a property, you can ask the owner questions via their property page or request that they phone you for a chat. They know their property and the local area really well and most are happy to help with travel routes, facilities like cots and high chairs, local sights, days out and where to eat and shop.
Many owners offer specific activities like cycling, horse riding, tennis, massage and therapies, boating and surfing, even lessons in painting or the French language. Some can provide meals, giving you the best of both worlds - the space and privacy of your own holiday home without having to cook.
Enjoy making new connections with holiday home owners and ensure that you have a really special trip to France this year.
With Christmas and 2016 around the corner, we can now definitely indulge in dreaming of sunny escapes to France next summer. There are so many reasons to holiday in France. I love especially the great value and immense variety.
Let’s indulge in visualising ourselves strolling along broad sandy beaches bathed in sunshine, climbing dramatic mountain peaks, gasping at dramatic river gorges, driving through gently rolling emerald countryside with a timeless feel, thrilling to theme parks, delving into pre-history, exploring vibrant towns and cities with an up-to-the-minute cultural buzz.
Then there’s the wine, food, art, music, gardens, chateaux, history, festivals, markets – and all that space in which to simply relax and do nothing much. Bliss. Just writing about it takes me back to so many stimulating experiences, sights, sounds and smells, not least the fun of speaking French and making feel-good connections.
Everywhere you’ll find world-renowned cuisine at reasonable prices, friendly service, space to breathe and time for the small courtesies of life. Most of France is easily accessible these days, even on a budget, which opens up plenty of choices.
Brittany’s countryside and coast are largely wild and unspoilt and people love local festivals and cultural traditions. The Loire is ideal for lovers of wine, history and romance. Travel from one domaine to the next, taking in fairytale riverside chateaux and gardens.
The banks of the Dordogne river offer peaceful pastoral idyll alongside pre-history. For those who crave the freedom of mountains and nature, the less well-known Cevennes region offers mile after mile of breathtaking pine-clad peaks and the Ardeche is dramatic with rivers and gorges.
Burgundy is wonderful for food and wine. The sun-filled South of France has happening resorts, ancient cities oozing culture, wild horses of the Camargue and countryside heady with heat and the scent of lavender and vines. No wonder Nice, Bandol, Montpellier and Arles are all favourites.
These are just for starters! We’ve designed our website to be the perfect starting point to narrow your selection with easy search options and regional guides along with accommodation listings with loads of lush photos. So go ahead, between all that shopping and preparation, start browsing, dreaming and planning for summer in France!
Our deepest sympathy and condolences are with those affected by the tragic events in Paris on Friday night. For now, Paris is a city in mourning, echoed throughout France, with an official mourning period that ends on the night of 17th November.
The security situation remains fluid, but Paris and France as a whole are still open to visitors. We know that many will wish to continue with their travel plans to show support.
Eurotunnel and Eurostar services are operating as planned, but due to reinforced border checks, travellers should allow extra time. Most major airlines are now operating normally into and out of Paris and the airports are open, although again there may be extra security.
Disneyland Paris is closed for three days and is open from 18th November, while the Eiffel Tower is closed to visitors until further notice. Most tourist attractions reopen on 18th November.
The airlines recognise that some people may want to reschedule their trips, so they have announced policies to accommodate them. However, check the terms carefully, as some are quite strict. It’s also a good idea to sign up for alerts from your airline if you have a booking so that you can get an instant notification of any possible flight changes.
If you’re already in Paris, you may find that the heightened security can restrict your movements. If you’re scheduled to fly home, you might want to give yourself extra time to both get to the airport and go through security.
Calvados in Normandy is our region of the month – and a very evocative one for me in several different ways. Firstly it brings back deliciously the flavour of the fruity apple brandy drink of the same name, especially when sipped in a country garden or at a chic pavement bar.
Secondly it conjures up images of rolling fields, contented cows, impossibly pretty timbered farmhouses and country paths magical with abundant flowers and verdant leaves. The countryside of Calvados is beautiful for driving, walking, cycling and simply sitting beneath a tree listening to birdsong whilst enjoying fromage, baguette and a verre du vin.
My next evocative memory is the stunning coastline, from beautiful harbours to tremendous sweeps of wild, sandy beaches where a salty breeze blows away the cobwebs. I’ve travelled by ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre and from Dover to Calais and there is always that thrill of the sense of voyaging from port to port.
For both journeys, I managed to arrange a meal stop at a restaurant in gorgeous Honfleur. As you would expect with a coastal department, there is a huge variety of fresh fish and shellfish on the menu and market stalls groan with fruit and vegetables, mushrooms, herbs and flowers.
Honfleur is one of France’s most beautiful and historic harbours and a happening town filled with art and history – which are definite themes of the whole of the Calvados region, from the poignant D -Day landing beaches to Caen and Bayeux with its famous tapestry.
The climate is oceanic with mild winters, so this region is perfect for a short winter break, a spring week to enjoy the apple blossom and a fortnight’s summer holiday. We have an excellent range of accommodation in peaceful countryside, villages and towns – including Honfleur. You can also use our Travel pages to book ferries and Eurotunnel and find your travel needs.
Now is the time to start planning your fabulous Christmas in France. Traditional celebrations, stylish decorations, hassle-free shopping, Christmas markets, gorgeous food and wine, Disneyland Paris. All these can make the French Noel a relaxing and memorable experience.
Celebrations are also shorter, starting on Christmas Eve and all over by Boxing Day, with life returning quickly to normal. This has great appeal both for visitors who want a quiet time with little fuss and those who like to get out and about once the main event is over. However, during the crucial few days, virtually all shops and restaurants close down, so that self-catering accommodation can mean exactly that – although some owners are happy to provide meals.
Choose from a family house, a romantic cottage or grand chateau, a cosy gite or a sociable B&B. And don’t forget to check out our special offers.
This week there’s a special rate of 750 euros a week for Christmas & New Year plus a free case of wine at the Ferme des Molles and its neighbouring cottage. Each sleeps six people and they lie in the heart of south-west France (ID 152886 and 163956). Or you can get 25% discount plus champagne at Villa la Perception, a superbly located five bedroom villa close to Nice airport and within easy walk of a hill village (ID148191).
Christmas markets are one of France’s great attractions at this time of year, going right through to the end of December. Lille is one of the big four, along with Paris, Strasbourg and Avignon, but in cities and towns across the country this festive tradition still thrives. There’s a sense of old-fashioned magic by day or after dark and wonderful, leisurely shopping opportunities for food, decorations and gifts.
Our guide to Christmas markets is a treasure trove of information, with complete details of around 25 markets – from Arras in the North to Avignon in the South. We give all you need to know in detail, including location, access and parking, goods for sale, food specialities and Christmas events. Find options for travel by road, rail and air and links to a range of accommodation in the surrounding areas for your short break or week.
Traditionally, housewives in rural France would spend the weeks before Noel preparing and baking typical local festive dishes and the markets grew from this tradition, which is still a really big part of French life.
Savour smells, sights and sounds and get immersed in the language as you weave in and out of enticing stalls laden with one-off handcrafted gifts and delectable foodstuffs and drinks for delicious Christmas recipes. You’ll also find unusual candles, decorations, figures for traditional nativity scenes, cards and ornaments for the Christmas tree with a touch of French style.
Many markets incorporate fun fairs, festivals of light and sound, Christmas parades and fun events, making a day trip or short shopping break even more alluring.
Just a hop across the Channel from south east England lies the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. When visiting France, we often get on the autoroute and drive quickly through, but this is an area that deserves exploration – and it’s our region of the month for November.
Christmas shopping is a great excuse for a long weekend or midweek short break before the flurry of the festive season sets in and in Nord-Pas-de-Calais you’ll find everything from speciality wine cellars and France’s most famous cheese boutique to big names in European retail at the modern shopping city of Cite Europe near Calais.
The region is proud of its gastronomy and local beers, along with traditions where fairs, fêtes and festivals are so much a part of daily life – and it’s full of enchanting Christmas markets.
Big Christmas markets are held at Amiens, Arras, Lille, Bethune, Calais and Boulogne. Follow the link below to our complete guide with all the details. At Licques the market is accompanied by a famous turkey parade with hundreds of turkeys rampaging through the town’s streets. Spectators are given a glass of the local liqueur, Licquoise, and then have the chance to buy a turkey. Beats the local supermarket!
The region also offers varied landscapes of forests, meadows and marshlands, an unspoilt coastline that stretches for miles, Regional Natural Parks, a network of waterways and lots of historic sites. For great places to stay and visit in the region, check out our accommodation and guide to the Nord-Pas-de-Calais