The secret corners of France

Auvergne

Slap bang in the middle of France, the Auvergne is a dramatic land of volcanoes, forests, vineyards and villages. Crucially, many pockets of its unspoiled landscape lie undiscovered by tourists — be they British, or indeed French. After belting down the motorway towards Clermont Ferrand, take the winding roads that weave up between the volcanoes to arrive at utterly tranquil hamlets where hosts dish out local advice on exploring lakes, food producers and the best volcanoes to climb, while you tuck into breakfast of home–made tarts and breads with jam.

From there, romp up the highest volcano in the chain, Le Puy-de-Dôme (or take the electric rack-railway) and gaze wide-eyed at the 360-degree panorama from the very heart of France. To the east lies Vichy, a city that abounds with such beauty that it’s hard to believe so few people visit it: stroll its elegant, covered walkways that run between the art nouveau former casino and the art deco glass-roofed mineral spa; visit its art deco church and the riverside walkways that all sprang up when Napoleon III made the town a playground for himself and his pals.

Venture southwards into the Livradois Forez Regional Natural Park to drive through its dense forests, hilltop lanes and steep golden meadows, before exploring the Medieval lanes of Thiers, home to a dozen or so knife workshops. The town has been the capital of knife-making since the Middle Ages, and the ideal place to buy a pocket knife for future picnicking adventures. 

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Drôme

With its purple lavender fields, ancient olive groves and golden-stone villages, it would be easy to mistake La Drôme for Provence, but this department is officially in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, and the tourist hordes remain just south of the border in the Luberon. If you’re travelling from France’s gastronomic capital Lyon, stop in Valence, another food-loving city; the market abounds with glossy fruit, whiffy cheese, golden olive oil and chestnut products from neighbouring Ardèche, just over the River Rhône. Sights include the 11th-century Romanesque cathedral, and the 16th-century Maison des Têtes, with each face representing ‘fortune’, ‘time’ or important theologians, lawyers or doctors.

Further south, you’ll have to tear yourself away from dreamy pools and superb restaurants to explore the area, but it’s worth it when you do. Drive between cherry orchards, vineyards and lavender fields to stop at the enchanting villages of Le Poët-Laval, with its 12th-century keep; or further south Grignan, with its Renaissance chateau sitting atop steep golden-stone walls. Wander its narrow lanes between rosemary-perfumed walled gardens and stand out on its ramparts to admire the vast green and gold landscape. To the east is Nyons, where the steep wooded hills cradle the warm climate that breezes up from the Mediterranean creating conditions perfect for growing olives. Its nickname is ‘Petit Nice’, so wander through its ochre, terracotta and pink houses and snap up olive oil, wine and garlic from the abundant cooperatives, before enjoying a provençale lunch on a sunny terrace.

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Var

If Drôme isn’t officially Provence but feels like it, then parts of the Var are the reverse — officially Provence but altogether wilder, more remote, more real than Saint-Tropez on its coast. Just an hour inland from the chichi resort is La Garde Freinet, an arty village with a backdrop of cork oak and chestnut forests that once inspired David Hockney — he painted Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) while staying nearby. Wander between its crumbling ochre buildings, browse its bric-a-brac shops and hike up to the ruins of the medieval fort that perches above the village.

If you’re game for a challenging drive, head into the Massif de Maures, where the hills are blanketed in these same chestnut forests; it’s a winding road that feels at times like you’re driving a tightrope over steep ravines, but the views are worth it, especially when you stop at La Chartreuse de la Verne, a monastery that rose from the ashes of fires during the 13th and 14th centuries. Take a walk in the forests around it before taking a self-guided tour.

Further along, Collobrières itself is a gem: famed for its chestnuts, you can take a tour of the factory producing marrons glacés (candied chestnuts) and try the divine ice-cream studded with chunks of them. The golden-hued streets are a joy to wander, shaded by plane trees and dotted with galleries, craft shops and friendly cafés.

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Normandy 

While war veterans and history buffs flock to the west coast of Normandy’s Cotentin peninsula, the east coast lies largely undiscovered by the Americans, British and even the French. The huge tides in the Bay of Mont Saint Michel make for wide sweeping beaches, like the glorious sands at Montmartin-sur-Mer. At Gouville-sur-Mer, colourful beach huts are tucked between the sand dunes. Further south at the seaside town of Granville, walk up into the Haute Ville, the impressive old quarter that sits high on a promontory looking out towards the Îles Chausey. Christian Dior’s childhood home, now the Musée Christian Dior, is in Granville too, and the displays of his exquisite New Look dresses will whisk you to another era of haute couture.

Further north, the coastal walks around Barneville-Carteret will have your heart pumping and your eyes wide: follow the Chemin des Douaniers, a precipitous path around the headland. Up above is the lighthouse that looks out towards Jersey; and down below are blackened rocks beaten by the sea. The path leads to the sweeping Plage de la Vieille Église; backed by wild dunes, there’s even a ruined church with its own legend that tells of an Irish saint who vanquished a child-eating dragon that lived in the cave on the beach. Not far away is Bricquebec, a charming little town with an excellent market.

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Picardy

Most visitors to France plough on through Picardy, southbound to better known holiday spots, but it’s worth lingering in this tranquil region to cycle through its vast fields and explore its châteaux and villages. Inland from the popular resorts of Le Crotoy and Saint-Valery-sur-Mer, sleepy hamlets are home to refined and luxurious B&Bs set in the former stables of elegant châteaux. Breakfast spreads groaning with pastries, fruit and local specialties will set you up for a day of cycling the surrounding lanes through vast cornfields under big blue skies.

A day trip to historic Amiens is easy; visit its grand cathedral and take a boat trip on the canals that separate its so-called “floating” gardens, cultivated for centuries. Spend a morning in the impossibly beautiful village of Gerberoy, all climbing roses, abundant wisteria and neat-bricked maisons.

Further east, the region brings you a trio of extraordinary châteaux: Chantilly, easily a rival for the Loire Valley’s turrets and towers; Compiègne, built to rival Versailles; and Pierrefonds, which does a fine line in grand exteriors, crenelated roofs and fairytale towers.

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