To get the maximum benefit and advice from this special article on the pleasures that await you in France, please read to the very bottom so as not to miss any of the gems we highlight.

Food and Wine Show
St Malo, Brittany, 11th - 14th November 2010
St Malo hosts the very first food and wine expo this November, organised in conjunction with France's leading cookery magazine, Elle à Table. With unique opportunities to sample and buy from a wide selection of delicacies - ideal for Christmas shopping - as well as tastings, cookery shows and demonstrations, there's plenty to please every palette.
www.gourmetsetvins.com/saint-malo
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Brittany Ferries offers a wide range of holiday accommodation making it easy to combine a short break with a visit to one of the many festivals and events going on in France. For more information visit www.brittanyferries.com/holidays

Flunch Restaurants
Matthews Holidays have teamed up with Flunch Restaurants to ensure their clients are well catered for when driving through France. Each family will receive a map of France marked with en-route Flunch Restaurants. What is more, the best photo of a family enjoying a meal in a Flunch restaurant with a winning caption will win vouchers worth £100 of a holiday to France. Matthews Holidays can provide two bedroom mobile homes to accommodate up to six people on 4* campsites mostly by the sea.
Visit www.matthews.france.co.uk.

Let tour-smart help you discover France for yourself.

Champagne-Ardenne

The Champagne-Ardenne tourist board has introduced English versions of their popular audio-mini-guide series so that English-speaking visitors can now explore the charms of the region in a new and original way.

The free versions of the audio-min-guides are available to download easily from the website, or simply to listen to on-line. Commentaries are a mix of tourist and historic information, interviews, music, literary references, flavoured with quotes from a local ‘expert’ and useful pointers on highlights of the particular area and suggestions for further exploration.

The 14 mini-guides are three to four minutes long and cover eight different themes and areas: The Seven Champagne Routes; Reims; Troyes; Charleville-Mezieres; Comombey-les-deur-eglises (home of Charles de Gaulle); Lac du Der; The Regional Pak of the Orient Forest and The Meuse Valley.

Visit www.tourisme-champagne-ardenne.com

France by Rail

Travelling from the U.K. to your chosen French destination by rail couldn’t be easier. FTS independent touring holidays start from just £550 and include all rail travel and hotel accommodation. They are built around a basic package, generally six nights, but are totally flexible as to their overall duration. For example a visit to Provence taking in three of the region’s most fascinating cities costs from £550; discover some of the Chateaux of the Loire from £584; visit three of the most historic towns in the Basque Country from £586 and sip champagne for £589 on the Champagne Tour. FTS also offer a short break programme which covers over 50 towns and cities.
Visit www.F-T-S.co.uk

Short Breaks in La Somme Region

There are a number of delightful and highly individual hotels, B&Bs or gites in La Somme offering good value short-break accommodation to anybody wanting to explore this picturesque region (see our Destination features on Picardy and La Somme). One, the charming Clos du Moulin, is not only conveniently sited near to three golf courses it also offers bird-watching packages in the Parc du Marquenterre. Other breaks could take you to Amiens, the Great War sites or why not try a relaxing pampering or foodie break? Visit www.weekend-esprit-de-picardie.com or www.visit-somme.com

Chateaux and cycling in the Loire

Visitors to the Loire this summer can enjoy their very own holiday home from which to explore the famous chateaux and vineyards of the region, as well as hundreds of kilometres of cycle paths part of the Loire-a-Velo network. The Lagrange Prestige holiday homes are located in the small town of Azay-le-Rideau and include indoor heated swimming pool, spa and bike storage. One-bedroom homes start from £225 per week.
Visit www.lagrange-holidays.co.uk

Spa Camping

A number of French campsites have for some while had saunas and jaccuzzis but Matthews Holidays can now offer two campsites in Brittany that have purpose-built wellness Centres. They are proving hugely popular with guests who fancy a pampering day alongside exploring the delights of Brittany. For prices and full information visit www.matthewsfrance.co.uk/index.html

Learn to Cook in the Savoie Mont Blanc

In the summer a number of chefs in Savoie Mont Blanc open their kitchens to give cookery classes. One such is Rene Meilleur, chef at La Bouitte restaurant (2 Michelin Stars) at Saint Martin de Belleville. Rene passes on his passion for cooking and at the end of the day everybody sits round the table to eat what has been prepared. Prices per person per day €260.

Peak Retreats offer luxury self-catering apartments sleeping up to six) in Saint Martin de Bellville from £564 per week (including ferry crossing) during July. Visit www.peakretreats.co.uk

For visitors travelling by plane or train contact Alp Line for the transfer to the villages/resorts in Savoie Mont Blanc at a 5% discount when quoting Savoiemb2010. Visit www.alp-line.com

For information on Savoie Mont Blanc visit www.savoie-mont-blanc.com

* * Holiday in the Eiffel Tower * *

VFB Holidays is offering exclusive stays in Gustav Eiffel’s former office at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Imagine having the viewing platform of this iconic structure to oneself outside the normal opening hours of the tower – perfect for a very special celebration or romantic occasion. This small self-catering apartment, which was used by Eiffel as his Paris pied a terre will be available from 1 September. Prices will start from around £1000 per night (two sharing) and will include return travel by Eurostar from St Pancras.
Visit www.vfbholidays.co.uk

Luxury Hotel Barge Cruise

Enjoy the peace and tranquillity of cruising the beautiful waterways of south-west France passing lush countryside, pretty villages and memorable towns; enjoy delicious French cuisine accompanied by local wines and aperitifs (included in the price) whilst a friendly and expert crew take care of all the details. The luxurious hotel barge Saint Louis provides perfect accommodation for up to six guests in three stateroom suites. Transportation from certain airports/ stations/hotels can be provided. For full information visit www.saintlouisbarge.com