Detour
Stories, ideas and destinations for people who love travelling slow.
Top features
Tarte aux figues recipe
Rachel from Clos Mirabel has spent years perfecting her famous gluten-free pastry. Here she shares her recipe for homemade tarte aux figues, which she likes to make with figs, apples, plums or peaches from her garden. Her top tip is to… Continue reading >
Get inspired by these beautiful French gardens
France has some of the most impressive gardens in Europe, and they have long inspired the country’s best artists and writers. As well as the famous spots like Les Jardins de Versailles or Le Jardin de Plantes, there are plenty… Continue reading >
A road trip through Provence
France expert Carolyn Boyd is no stranger to Provence. So when we asked her to send through her best tips for a visit, it was no surprise that she sent back a wonderful road trip through some of the famous… Continue reading >
Guides
Slow Guide to Sussex
After seeing a surge of interest in Sussex on our site, we headed over to find out if the county could break our Bristolian habit of heading west on holiday. We found charming towns that wore their coastal setting with… Continue reading >
Slow Guide to the Cotswolds
If you think the Cotswolds is just a giant oil painting you can walk around in, it’s time to take a closer look. On our visit in June we found that while there certainly is impressive history and an abundance… Continue reading >
Slow guide to the Lake District
Our perception of The Lake District was as a vast place that was all about long, challenging hikes to windblown peaks. Our trip, thanks to a little research and a lot of local advice, turned out to be much more… Continue reading >
Slow Guide to Devon
Everything about creating this guide felt a little different. For previous editions, we’ve travelled to Yorkshire and Northumberland, so far from our Bristol base that everything felt like a discovery. When it came to planning our trip to Devon, which… Continue reading >
Inspiration
A guide to the French wine regions
Our wine experts Micaela and Sue at La Grande Maison d’Arthenay, an idyllic wine-grower’s house in the Loire Valley vineyards, specialise in wines and know them like the backs of their hands. They share their guide to France’s lesser-known wine… Continue reading >
The ultimate cheese pairing guide
Hywel and Melanie Lewis, owners of Manoir de Jouralem, are avid cheese and wine lovers. From their wonderful B&B in the Loire Valley, they enjoy putting together seasonal menus showcasing the best produce the region has to offer. Here, they… Continue reading >
Homemade bread and Camembert recipe
Bread and cheese are two of the many foods that the French do best. Here, Rebecca from Château de la Ruche shares her favourite baked Camembert recipe, and the head chef at Hôtel Panache shares how to make his homemade… Continue reading >
Alastair Sawday: back to the France I fell in love with
Back in 1994, Alastair Sawday visited Burgundy in search of Bed & Breakfasts to start his new “Special Places” book. France was Alastair’s first love, and he recently revisited to find out whether the French B&B has come of age.… Continue reading >
Journeys
Discover Andalucía: 500 years after Magellan set off around the world
Travel journalist and award-winning writer Sarah Baxter travelled to southwest Andalucía earlier this year in celebration of the Magellan Anniversary – 500 years since Ferdinand Magellan set off from Seville to circumnavigate the world. We follow Sarah as she explores… Continue reading >
Marche: Walking Italy’s less-travelled paths
We sent Nell and Luke, of unique slow travel blog What if We Walked, on a hiking tour of the little-known Marche region of Italy. They trekked limestone ridges to medieval villages, heard local legends, sampled stuffed olive delicacies, and… Continue reading >
Alentejo: Portugal’s wildest region on a budget
Last year, we sent travel journalist Hannah Summers to Portugal’s Alentejo for the first time. What she found was a region full of authentic food, rugged beaches, affordable accommodation and very little crowds. It’s 10am at Praia de Odeceixe and… Continue reading >
Loire Valley: a fairytale alternative to Disneyland
We sent freelance editor, journalist and France expert Carolyn Boyd (and her young family) to the Loire Valley, to discover why the region is the perfect alternative to Disneyland and overcrowded resort holidays. They discover gothic châteaux, giant art installations… Continue reading >
