The Art of French Living
Introducing The Velvet Guide to France: French Travel · French Food · Beautiful Places · The Art of Travelling Well There is always more to discover in France. Beyond the familiar landmarks and well-trodden destinations, there are beautiful towns, regional specialities, characterful hotels, quiet corners and memorable meals that reveal a different side of the …
Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and our guide to A Long Weekend on Arcachon Bay: An Atlantic Itinerary for the Slow Traveller. For those embracing a slower return after the summer holidays, Arcachon offers the perfect reminder that September can be one of the best months to explore France. As summer crowds begin to fade, France’s Atlantic …
Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and our Paris Guides, with our guide to the 7th Arrondissement. The first thing that comes to mind when people think of Paris is usually the Eiffel Tower, and with good reason. The city’s most recognisable landmark attracts millions of visitors each year and has become almost synonymous with …
Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and this feature where we are delving into the A to Z of French Travel Gems: Letter A – Alpine Lakes, Atlantic Shores & Alluring French Escapes Beautiful places, personal discoveries and the France I love — from Agen to Azay-le-Rideau France has no shortage of famous destinations. Paris, …
Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and our feature Paris in August: A Local’s Guide to the City That Slows Down. There is a moment every summer when Paris changes. The familiar rhythm of the city softens. The morning rush becomes gentler, the streets feel quieter, and a certain calm descends over the capital. As …
If you’ve ever wondered Why France Slows Down in August and so many shops, businesses and even entire villages seem quieter, the answer lies in one of France’s oldest and most cherished traditions: les grandes vacances. When I first moved to France over thirty years ago, one of the biggest surprises wasn’t the food, the …
There are hotel addresses that announce themselves loudly, and those that reveal themselves quietly, like a secret worth keeping. Hôtel de Silhouette Biarritz, tucked into one of the town’s oldest streets just steps from Les Halles, belongs firmly to the second kind. Tucked quietly within the historic heart of Biarritz, just moments from Les Halles …
Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and our guide to A Long Weekend in Biarritz: Where the Atlantic Meets the Basque Country. There are cities that seduce you with grandeur, and cities that seduce you with something harder to name — a particular quality of light, a feeling that life is being lived here with genuine pleasure and …
Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and our guide to Where the French Go on Holiday: France’s Quieter Summer Escapes. When people think of summer in France, what comes to mind is usually the quiet streets of Paris in August or the glamour of the Côte d’Azur in July. But beyond these well-known destinations lies another side of …
Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and our guide to A Slow Drive Along the French Riviera: 10 of the Most Beautiful Coastal Stops. There are faster ways to see the French Riviera, of course. The train traces the coastline in flashes of blue and gold, and helicopters still shuttle guests between glamorous hotels during the summer season. …
Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and our guide to A Long Weekend in Aix-en-Provence: A Provençal Itinerary for the Slow Traveller. There are cities you visit, and cities that visit you. Aix-en-Provence belongs firmly to the second kind. From the moment you step beneath its canopy of ancient plane trees and hear the murmur of fountains drifting …