Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and this feature where we are delving into the A to Z of French Travel Gems: Letter B – Basque Beaches, Burgundy Barrels & Beguiling French Escapes
Beautiful places, personal discoveries and the France I love — from Banyuls-sur-Mer to Brest
Letter A took us from the Alps to the Atlantic. Letter B travels further still: from the Basque coast to the edge of Flanders, from the vineyards of Burgundy and Alsace to a Breton hilltop town devoted entirely to books.
It is a letter of contrasts. There are some of France’s grandest names, such as Bordeaux, Biarritz and Beaune. And there are places that rarely make the first page of a guidebook: a fortified Flemish town, a village of bookshops, an island off the Breton coast.
Welcome to the second installment of The A–Z of French Travel Gems,, my personal guide to some of the places in France that I think are worth knowing, gathered over more than three decades of living here.
This isn’t intended to be a definitive list of France’s best destinations. Instead, it is a collection of places I love, from well-known favourites to lesser-known gems, shaped by my own travels and experience of France.
Every entry comes with a hotel I’d actually choose myself — always somewhere with quiet, understated character rather than glitz, and never a budget afterthought.
So let’s begin with the A to Z of French Travel Gems: Letter B. If you missed the first instalment, you can find it here: A to Z of French Travel Gems: Letter A.
You can explore other slow travel itineraries in my French Travel Gems Series, where I share tips for experiencing destinations with intention, curiosity, and ease. If you’re interested in discovering more about French food culture you might also enjoy our guide to French food and way of life.
A at a Glance: My Picks of the A to Z of French Travel Gems: Letter B
Best for City Breaks: Besançon · Bordeaux · Bourges · Brest
Best for Coastal & Beach: Banyuls-sur-Mer · La Baule· Beaulieu-sur-Mer · Biarritz · Bonifacio · Boulogne-sur-Mer
Best for Historic & Medieval: Les Baux-de-Provence · Bayonne · Bergheim · Bergues · Besançon · Beynac-et-Cazenac · Bonifacio · Bourges
Best for Fairytale Castles: Beynac-et-Cazenac · Blois
Best for Art & Culture: Les Baux-de-Provence · Barbizon · Bayeux · Beaulieu-sur-Mer · Bécherel
Best for Active & Outdoors: Belle-Île · Beynac-et-Cazenac · Bonifacio
Best for Spa & Wellness: Biarritz· Bonifacio · Brest
Best for Hidden Gems: Bécherel ·Bergerac ·Bergheim · Bergues · Béziers · Bourges
Best for Most Beautiful Villages: Les Baux-de-Provence · Bergheim · Beynac-et-Cazenac· Bormes-les-Mimosas
Best for Wine & Vineyard Towns: Banyuls-sur-Mer · Beaune · Bergerac· Bergheim · Bordeaux
Best for French Islands: Belle-Île
Best for Day Trips from Paris: Barbizon, Bourges, Blois
Best for Foodie Destinations: Bayonne · Beaune · Bergerac · Bordeaux
Best for Families: La Baule ·Boulogne-sur-Mer · Brest
Best for Couples & Romance: La Baule· Beaulieu-sur-Mer · Beynac-et-Cazenac · Biarritz · Blois · Bonifacio
Some destinations appear more than once — that’s by design. A place like Bonifacio is both a coastal escape and a medieval citadel; Biarritz is a beach, a spa destination and a romantic escape all at once. This is the fixed list of categories I’ll use across every letter, so if you’re building your own trip around a theme rather than the alphabet, you can jump straight to the list that matters to you.
A to Z of French Travel Gems: Letter B
1. B is for Banyuls-sur-Mer – the first of our A to Z of French Travel Gems: Letter B
Banyuls-sur-Mer sits at the southern end of the Côte Vermeille, close to the Spanish border, where the Pyrenees tumble into the Mediterranean and steep, terraced vineyards run almost down to the water. It is smaller, quieter and less polished than nearby Collioure, and all the better for it.
The town gives its name to a celebrated sweet fortified wine, made from grapes grown on dry-stone terraces above the sea. Walk up through them late in the afternoon, with the water glittering behind you, and you’ll understand the place better than any guidebook could ever explain it. Down in the town there is a seafront, a working beach and a marine reserve just along the coast. The sculptor Aristide Maillol was born here.
Where to Stay : Les Elmes, a seafront hotel with a private sandy beach, heated pool and spa, making it an easy base for enjoying Banyuls and the Mediterranean without leaving the town behind.
2. B is for Barbizon
Barbizon is the easiest of our B destinations to reach from Paris, and one of the most rewarding for anyone who loves art. This small village on the edge of the Forêt de Fontainebleau gave its name to the Barbizon School: the nineteenth-century painters, including Millet, Rousseau and Corot, who left the Paris studios to paint the forest and fields directly from nature. In doing so they helped pave the way for Impressionism.
Today the Grande Rue is lined with galleries and restaurants. You can visit Jean-François Millet’s house-studio, then walk out into the forest along the paths the painters walked. It makes a lovely day trip from the capital, and an even better overnight stay, when the village quietens after the day visitors leave.
Where to Stay : For a stay, Hôtellerie du Bas-Bréau, a historic four-star hotel on the Grande Rue, with a shaded park and swimming pool, and a long connection with the artistic history of Barbizon.
3. B is for La Baule
La Baule is one of those French seaside resorts where the scale of the beach is part of the experience. Its huge crescent of golden sand stretches for several kilometres along one of the most famous bays on the Atlantic coast, backed by elegant villas, pine trees and the slightly faded glamour of an early twentieth-century resort.
My strongest memory is that enormous beach. There is something wonderfully French about the sheer sweep of it, especially when you look back towards the town and see the beautiful villas behind the promenade. It feels grand without necessarily feeling formal, and it is a place where the pleasure lies in walking, swimming, sitting outside and simply enjoying the sea air.
Spend some time exploring the residential streets behind the beach, where the villas reveal the architectural history of the resort, then walk the seafront and stop for lunch or an ice cream. La Baule is also a good base for exploring the wider Guérande peninsula and its salt marshes.
Where to Stay: Le Saint-Christophe, a charming hotel made up of four early twentieth-century villas set in a garden just 100 metres from the beach. It has exactly the combination of character, atmosphere and proximity to the sea that makes sense for a stay in La Baule.
4. B is for Les Baux-de-Provence
Rising from a rocky spur in the Alpilles, Les Baux-de-Provence is one of the most dramatic villages in Provence: a ruined medieval fortress above a honey-coloured stone village of Renaissance houses, looking out over olive groves and pale limestone. It is one of France’s officially recognised Plus Beaux Villages, and it earns the label from the very first glimpse.
The ruined citadel above the village, with its sweeping views towards the plain, tells the story of a powerful and turbulent past. Just outside, the Carrières de Lumières turns a vast former quarry into an immersive art experience, with images projected across towering limestone walls. Come early or late in the day, and ideally outside high summer, when the village is at its most atmospheric.
Where to Stay: Domaine de Manville, a five-star country estate in the Alpilles with 30 rooms, a spa, restaurants and plenty of space to slow down. It is a countryside base rather than a hotel in the village itself, but it is a beautiful option if you want to splurge on the experience.
5. B is for Bayonne
Bayonne is the most characterful city in the Basque country, and easy to underestimate if you think of it only as Biarritz’s neighbour. It sits where the Nive meets the Adour, and its old town is a delight. Narrow, cobbled, pedestrian lanes lead between tall, shuttered houses, past chocolate makers and the Gothic Cathedral of Sainte-Marie.
But my strongest memory of Bayonne is a happy accident. We arrived, without realising it was on, in the middle of the Fêtes de Bayonne, the town’s great summer feria. The whole place had been transformed into a swirling, vibrant sea of red and white, with restaurants overflowing and the streets alive from morning until very late. It is absolutely not the moment for a quiet, contemplative visit, but if you love a spectacle, it’s an unforgettable introduction. If you prefer a calmer Bayonne, check the dates of the feria before you book.
Where to Stay: I’d recommend a stay at Hôtel des Basses Pyrénées, a characterful hotel in a historic building in the heart of Bayonne’s old town, making it easy to explore the city on foot.
6. B is for Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Between Nice and Monaco, Beaulieu-sur-Mer is one of the Riviera’s most elegant and least frenetic seaside towns. It is sheltered by a ring of hills that gives it a famously mild microclimate, and it has Belle Époque villas, a pretty harbour and a long seafront promenade.
The highlight is Villa Kérylos, a remarkable early twentieth-century recreation of an ancient Greek villa, built by the archaeologist Théodore Reinach and set right at the water’s edge.
Nearby, on the Cap Ferrat peninsula, Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is another extraordinary Belle Époque creation, surrounded by themed gardens and fountains. Together, the two villas make this stretch of the Riviera particularly rewarding for anyone interested in architecture, art and the extravagant history of the Côte d’Azur.
Beyond it, the coast path leads towards the Cap Ferrat peninsula, one of the loveliest short walks on the Riviera.his work.
Where to Stay: La Réserve de Beaulieu, an iconic Belle Époque-era five-star hotel right on the Mediterranean, with a spa, heated pool and beautiful sea-facing setting. This is the place to splash out: it is very much the grand-luxury option in this list, but sometimes a Riviera escape calls for exactly that.
7. B is for Beaune
There are wine towns, and then there is Beaune: the capital of the Burgundy wine trade, ringed by ramparts and surrounded by some of the most famous vineyards in the world. The Hospices de Beaune, with its glazed, patterned tile roof, is the sight everyone photographs, and the famous Hospices wine auction is held every third weekend of November.
But if I’m honest, my main memory of Beaune is simple: great food and great wine, and Place Carnot. It is a tree-lined central square ringed with classic French brasseries, wine bars and cafés that spill onto the pavement with outdoor terraces, and even a traditional, old-fashioned carousel in the middle. Some of the elegant eighteenth- and nineteenth-century façades around the square hide vaulted wine cellars below. For me that sums up Beaune: you sit with a glass on a beautiful terrace, and the wine is all around you.
Where to Stay: Hôtel Le Cep & Spa, a historic mansion hotel in the heart of the town, with a particularly appropriate sense of place for a stay centred on Burgundy’s wine culture.
8. B is for Bécherel, the “book town” of our A to Z of French Travel Gems: Letter B
Bécherel is a very special kind of place: a small medieval hilltop town in Brittany that reinvented itself as a book town. It was the first Cité du Livre in France, with sixteen bookshops, thirteen art galleries and calligraphy and bookbinding workshops, in a commune of only about 750 people.
It is a slow-travel destination in the truest sense. Wander the granite streets, browse in the bookshops and stop for coffee in one of the cafés. The book market is held on the first Sunday of every month from March to December, and there is a festival of books at Easter. However, do bear in mind that many places are rarely open until the afternoon. .
Where to Stay: Logis de la Filanderie, a small guesthouse actually in Bécherel, so you can stay in the village itself and experience its quiet atmosphere after the day visitors have gone.
9. B is for Belle-Île
Belle-Île-en-Mer is the largest of Brittany’s islands, a short ferry crossing from Quiberon. It has a gentler side, with the harbour town of Le Palais, guarded by Vauban’s citadel, and pastel-fronted Sauzon. And it has a wilder one, with the Côte Sauvage on the Atlantic side, where the jagged rocks of the Aiguilles de Port-Coton inspired Claude Monet to paint them in 1886.
The actress Sarah Bernhardt is reported to have loved the island and made her home in a fort on the Pointe des Poulains. It’s an island for walking, cycling and simply feeling the Atlantic air, and it rewards a stay of more than a day.
Where to Stay: Le Cardinal, a waterside hotel overlooking the coast at Sauzon, with sea views, a heated pool and a relaxed island atmosphere. It is also within easy walking distance of the port, making it a particularly good base for exploring this part of Belle-Île.
10. B is for Bergerac
Bergerac sits on the Dordogne River in the heart of one of southwest France’s great wine regions. Its medieval old town is filled with half-timbered houses, narrow lanes and handsome squares, while the riverfront and the surrounding vineyards give it a slower, more leisurely character.
The town is particularly associated with its sweet and fortified wines, including Monbazillac, as well as the red and white wines of the Bergerac appellation. It is also an excellent base for exploring the surrounding Dordogne countryside, without the crowds of some of the region’s more famous destinations.
Where to Stay: I’d stay at Hôtel de France, a traditional hotel right in the centre of Bergerac, making it easy to explore the old town, restaurants and riverfront on foot. If you’d rather stay among the vineyards, La Chartreuse du Bignac, just outside Bergerac, offers a more secluded countryside alternative.
11. B is for Bergheim
Bergheim is my Alsace choice for Letter B, and it is hard to imagine a better one. It was crowned France’s Favourite Village in 2022, and it is one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France. It sits on the Alsace Wine Route close to Ribeauvillé and Colmar, but is much quieter than its famous neighbours.
Its fourteenth-century ramparts, some two kilometres long and lined with towers, are exceptionally well preserved, and they are among the few in Alsace that can still be walked.
This is also serious wine country: Bergheim is known as the capital of Gewurztraminer, with the Altenberg and Kanzlerberg grands crus on the surrounding hills.
Where to Stay: Hotel Residence La Cour du Bailli, a characterful property within the village itself, with historic surroundings and a spa, so you can explore Bergheim on foot and return somewhere peaceful afterwards.
12. B is for Bergues
Bergues is a small, fortified Flemish town in . Its ramparts are more than five kilometres long, part medieval and part Vauban, and its belfry has been UNESCO World Heritage listed since 2005. The canal, the brick houses and the carillon give it a distinctly Flemish feel, quite unlike the rest of France.
I’ll confess that my own memory of Bergues is shaped by the weather. It was just before New Year and so bitterly cold that I never fully appreciated the place. I remember the fortifications and the imposing Porte de Bierne, which to my eye looks more like a castle than a town gate. That’s not surprising, as its layout resembles a small castle flanked by two powerful towers.
But, what I remember most is a typical, warming Flemish lunch. I’ve written a full guide to Bergues if you’d like more before you go.
Where to Stay: Au Tonnelier, an eighteenth-century building in the heart of the fortified town, with comfortable rooms and a restaurant, making it an easy base for exploring Bergues on foot.
13. B is for Besançon
Besançon is one of France’s most underrated cities. It sits inside a tight loop of the River Doubs, and above it rises a Vauban citadel that is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The historic centre, known as La Boucle, is compact and made for wandering, with cobbled lanes, Renaissance townhouses and quays along the river.
The Musée des Beaux-Arts et d’Archéologie is described as the oldest public museum in France, and the Musée du Temps in the Palais Granvelle tells the story of the city’s watchmaking history. Victor Hugo and the Lumière brothers were both born here.
Where to Stay: For a stay, I recommend Hôtel du Nord, a small hotel of charm and character right in the centre of Besançon, ideal for exploring La Boucle on foot.
14. B is for Beynac-et-Cazenac
Beynac is the Dordogne at its most photogenic: honey-coloured stone houses stacked up a cliff beneath a medieval fortress, with the river curling below. It is one of France’s official Plus Beaux Villages, and it looks across the valley to other great châteaux.
My own memory of Beynac is of the river itself: a canoe trip on the Dordogne, paddling below the cliffs and the château, and a restaurant overlooking the water afterwards. It’s the best way to see the valley, and it leaves the village itself for slow wandering.
Where to Stay: Domaine de Monrecour, just a few miles from Beynac, is set in a beautiful 12 hectare park with panoramic terraces overlooking the Dordogne valley.
15. B is for Béziers
Béziers was one of my first French holidays, more than thirty years ago, and my first introduction to the French Art of Slowing Down in August. I remember a tree-lined square where men were playing some sort of game at a table, probably belote or dominoes, and an old woman dressed all in black sitting in the shade, seemingly doing nothing at all. It was an eye-opener, coming from a place where being busy was seen as a virtue, and a lesson I have never forgotten.
Béziers today rewards the same unhurried approach. The Cathédrale Saint-Nazaire looks out over the River Orb, the tree-lined Allées Paul-Riquet make a lovely place to stroll, and just outside town the Canal du Midi’s Fonséranes locks form a remarkable staircase of water.
By the way, the town is also known for its lively August féria, so it’s worth checking the dates if you prefer a quieter visit.
Where to Stay: Hôtel La Prison, an unusual boutique hotel created from a former prison beside the Cathédrale Saint-Nazaire. It is an appropriately unexpected place to stay in a city with such a fascinating history. The hotel retains original architectural features like vaulted ceilings, iron-barred window styling, and prison corridors while adding modern art installations and stylish furnishings
16: B is for Biarritz, the featured destination of our A to Z of French Travel Gems: Letter B
Biarritz is the featured destination of Letter B, and a place I keep coming back to. The first time I visited, I was struck by its coastal beauty: the Rocher de la Vierge, standing out to sea on its footbridge, the architectural elegance of the Belle Époque villas and the charm of the old fishing port. Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie turned a quiet village into a fashionable resort, and you can still feel that grandeur today.
What struck me most, though, was a run-down but magnificent building perched on the cliffs above the town. It was so extraordinary that I dreamed of buying it and turning it into a luxury hotel. I believe it was Villa Belza, which was abandoned for years after a fire before a developer restored it in the 1990s, and it is now apartments, on a promontory between the Port Vieux and the Rocher de la Vierge. Someone did rescue it in the end, just not as a hotel.
Spend a morning on the Grande Plage, an afternoon walking the coast path to the Rocher de la Vierge, and an evening at one of the lively restaurants around Les Halles. Biarritz is also one of the great spa destinations of the Atlantic coast. You can find out more about Biarritz in our guide to a Long Weekend in Biarritz.
Where to Stay: For a stay, the Hôtel de Silhouette is our featured hotel of Letter B. It is a 4-star hotel in a 17th-century building in the Halles district, just steps from the beaches, with twenty-one rooms and suites and a lush garden at the rear. It has exactly the quiet, understated character I look for. I’ve written a full guide to the Hôtel de Silhouette if you’d like to find out more before you book.
17. B is for Blois
I must admit that my first impression of Blois was disappointment. But, let me explain. I had just come from a Loire tour taking in fairytale châteaux such as Chenonceau, Azay-le-Rideau and Villandry, and Blois felt, by comparison, not so pretty, even a little dark and scary.
That’s partly its history. On the Friday before Christmas in 1588 the Duke of Guise was summoned to the king’s bedroom here, and he was assassinated on the orders of Henri III. The apartments of Catherine de Médicis, with their hidden wood-panelled cupboards, are rumoured to have held her secret poisons.
But, the son et lumière in the courtyard as one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in France. Standing in the centre of the dark courtyard under the stars, with the history of the château literally swirling around you at 360 degrees, is unforgettable. The show runs nightly through the season for around forty-five minutes, so check the dates before you go. I came away with a completely different and much more favourable view of Blois.
Where to Stay: The Hôtel Spa Fleur de Loire, located just 15 minutes’ walk from the historic heart of the town has panoramic views over Blois and the banks of the Loire.
18. B is for Bonifacio, the Corsican A to Z of French Travel Gems: Letter B
Bonifacio is spectacular: a walled citadel of tall, weathered houses perched on white limestone cliffs at the southern tip of Corsica, so close to Sardinia that on a clear day you can see it across the strait. The Haute Ville is a labyrinth of narrow lanes leading to viewpoints and to the Escalier du Roi d’Aragon, a staircase cut into the cliff face.
Below, the marina lies in a long, narrow inlet, and boat trips run beneath the cliffs to sea caves. It is dramatic, romantic and busy in summer, so late spring and early autumn are the times to go.
Where to Stay: Hôtel Spa Le Genovese, inside the citadel in the Haute Ville, with a 210-square-metre spa, heated indoor pool, hammam, sauna and treatment rooms. It combines the atmosphere of staying inside Bonifacio’s historic walls with a proper opportunity to relax.
19: B is for Bordeaux
Bordeaux is one of France’s great city breaks: an elegant, honey-stone city of eighteenth-century façades along a sweep of the Garonne, listed by UNESCO, and one of the world’s great wine capitals.
However, somewhat surprisingly, my first memory of Bordeaux isn’t a vineyard or a château, but a railway station! Gare Saint-Jean has a huge glass canopy with real architectural power, and it made an unforgettable first arrival.
On a wine-related note, La Cité du Vin, and sipping wine on the observation deck at the top, with the city spread out below, is a highlight. It’s a museum you can enjoy even if you know little about wine, and even more if you know a little.
Where to Stay: For a stay, Hôtel de Sèze & Spa, an elegant eighteenth-century-inspired townhouse hotel in the heart of Bordeaux, with a spa, restaurant and a particularly convenient location near the Allées de Tourny.
20. B is for Bormes-les-Mimosas
Bormes-les-Mimosas takes its name from the mimosa that blooms across the hills in late winter, and it’s one of the loveliest villages on the Var coast. My overriding memory is of the views over the Mediterranean, and of exploring the old town’s labyrinth of steep cobbled alleyways and staircases.
What I remember best are the cuberts, the distinctive vaulted, stone-covered passages that tunnel right underneath the pastel-coloured houses. And there were flowers everywhere, spilling from every window and doorway. It’s a village made for slow wandering, and it rewards a visit at any season.
Where to Stay: Eden Rose Grand Hôtel, BW Premier Collection, a beautifully restored 1903 property right in the medieval village, with a romantic, elegant feel and views towards the surrounding landscape and coast.
21. B is for Boulogne-sur-Mer
Boulogne-sur-Mer holds a special place in my story of France. When I first arrived in 1992, the ferry from Folkestone brought me here. It was a busy, lively town with great shops, a department store (Nouvelles Galleries) and plenty of restaurants. Sadly, the crossing is a thing of the past. The final Folkestone–Boulogne passenger service ended in 2000.
Today I’d steer visitors to Nausicaá, the great sea-life centre on the seafront, and to the Place Dalton, where the old-town market is held on Wednesday and Saturday mornings and where there are plenty of good restaurants. Then walk the old town and the ramparts of the Haute Ville. Boulogne-sur-Mer is a genuinely underrated destination on the Côte d’Opale.
Where to Stay: I would recommend La Matelote, a comfortable hotel-restaurant close to Nausicaá and the seafront, and home to a Michelin starred restaurant.
22. B is for Bourges, the last of our A to Z of French Travel Gems: Letter B
Bourges sits in the heart of the Berry and is one of France’s most underrated cities. Its glory is the Cathédrale Saint-Étienne, a UNESCO-listed Gothic masterpiece with some of the finest stained glass in the country. Nearby is the Palais Jacques-Cœur, the Gothic townhouse of the wealthy merchant who financed Charles VII.
Wander the medieval lanes of half-timbered houses, then head to the Marais de Bourges, a network of waterways and market gardens on the edge of the historic centre, best explored by punt. It’s a city that rewards slower travel, and it is much less crowded than the Loire châteaux not far away.
Where to Stay: Hôtel de Bourbon Mercure Bourges : set inside a historic 17th-century stone abbey surrounded by a shaded park, the hotel is located just a short walk from the old town of Bourges
A Few Questions Before You Go about A to Z of French Travel Gems: Letter B
Q: Why are these called French Travel Gems?
A: Because they are places I have come to know and love over more than three decades of living in France. Some are well-known favourites, while others are quieter destinations that can easily be overlooked. There is no ranking or definitive list here — simply my personal recommendations for places that are worth discovering, whether for their history, scenery, food, atmosphere or that indefinable French sense of place.
Q: Which of these destinations makes the easiest day trip from Paris?
A: Barbizon, on the edge of the Forêt de Fontainebleau, is the natural choice, though it’s easiest by car. Blois is a longer but still feasible day out by train.
Q: Can I combine several of these into one trip?
A: Very easily. Biarritz and Bayonne are just a few kilometres apart and make a natural Basque pairing. Bergues and Boulogne-sur-Mer belong together in the far north. And Bécherel, Belle-Île and Brest all sit within a Breton itinerary. Bergerac and Beynac-et-Cazenac could also form part of a Dordogne itinerary, although the two are not immediately next door to one another.
Q: Which is best for a first visit to the Basque Coast?
A: I would recommend Biarritz, as a base, with Bayonne as an easy day trip.
Q: Which would you call the most underrated?
A: Bergheim and Bourges. Neither has the profile of its famous neighbours, and both reward exactly the kind of slower, curious traveller this series is written for.
Q: Do I need a car to visit these places?
A: Several, including Bécherel, Bergheim, Beynac-et-Cazenac and Barbizon, are far more enjoyable with one. Bordeaux, Besançon, Biarritz, Bayonne and Blois are all comfortably reached and explored by train and on foot.
Q: Which of these destinations are busiest in summer?
A: Biarritz, Bonifacio, Bormes-les-Mimosas, Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Belle-Île can all become considerably busier in July and August, as can Bayonne during its fêtes. Late spring or early autumn is my preference for all of them.
Final words about A to Z of French Travel Gems: Letter B : A French Travel Gem for every traveller
And that, I think, is what makes France so endlessly fascinating.
The destinations beginning with B alone take us from the Basque coast to the North Sea, from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, from Burgundy’s cellars to Alsace’s vineyards and from the great sweep of La Baule’s beach to the vineyards around Bergerac. There are grand cities and tiny villages, medieval ramparts and Belle Époque villas, and one book town in Brittany.
Some are destinations you may already know and love. Others may be completely new to you. And that is exactly what I hope this series will do — encourage you to look beyond the obvious and discover a little more of the France that I have come to know after more than three decades of living here.
Because for me, travel in France isn’t about ticking off a list of famous places. It’s about finding the places that make you want to stop for a while. The town where you find the perfect little restaurant. The son et lumière you remember years later. The run down magnificent building you dreamed of buying. The first time you understood The Art of a Slow Summer. The first sip of red wine on a outdoor terrace and the pleasure of a warm meal on a cold December day.
These are The Velvet Runway’s French Travel Gems. And this is only the beginning.
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