Holiday homes, luxurious villa's and appartments in France

"Wetland" as you would translate the name of the southwest region to the Bay of Biscay. Lots of coastal area and of course the funnel-shaped mouth of the Garonne, the Bordeaux region, extending to the French Basque Country with the most prominent place: Biarritz, all of this shapes the typical contour of France.

Many people find a vacation without the sea as an egg without salt. Don't you find it remarkable that all posh coastal towns have emerged at the same time in the mid nineteenth century? Biarritz is no exception. Before Victor Hugo in 1834 "discovered" it, it was a village carying a boat from a whaler in his shield. Empress Eugenie ordered to build a country house, and later Napoleon III followed and in his wake "toutes" Paris. It was the French who invented beach culture. We can not imagine now, but until the Baroque (mid 18th century) the sea was an area of death and destruction. People found the sea smell and saw the water as a remnant of the flood. Only the poorest people lived there. They ate bad shellfish and went to sea where so many died, where monsters lived. Safer shipping and the Romance ended this idea. Waves were not scary but very beautiful and vibrant. The first who discovered the coast as a place to relax were the aristocrats. They discovered the coast as a place of comfortable fun in contrast to the hectic urban life. The image of the beach changed and became the place to be, of physical culture, health and overall wellbeing. In Biarritz history can be spotted on every corner.

The Aquitaine region is a somewhat forgotten area. The foothills of the Pyrenees, the friendly town of Pau are less known than the more northern Dordogne, still regarded as one of the most attractive areas in France by the overwhelming natural beauty, peace and unspoilt beauty. He who never saw the famous caves of Lascaux should certainly alight there in the valley of the Vézère. Here in 1940 a large number of impressive, 15,000 years old cliff paintings were discovered. But if you prefer a modern mural, you go to the CAPC, Museum of Modern Art in Bordeaux, housed in a former warehouse, which enjoys great fame. The American graffiti artist Keith Haring painted the elevator shaft.

Brittany, that is wonderful cycling, walking and ... stones on your backs. When thinking about Brittany, it's hard not to think of Obelix with his inseparable Menhir. This world famous quirky folks in that small fishing village the Gallic Romans did not manage to control is believed to be based on Erquy, a fishing village with less than four thousand souls. Brittany is still in many ways a strange duck in the bite. Geographically it's almost a peninsula, culturally / historically there are many unique aspects that make this region so attractive. Brittany has real fans who always return. Maybe it's through the rugged nature, the Spartan atmosphere and image of the intransigence of the 'Breton' with their own Celtic language, Breton. This is the only Celtic language spoken on the continent, since the Celts were expelled by the Romans to the British Isles. We know this all from the Asterix comic. In Brittany are still many traces of the Celtic culture. Also, you have many prehistoric (pre-Celtic) megaliths, amongst others in the South and in Carnac (Morbihan).
In France the Tour de France winners Bernard Hinault and Louison Bobet, but also the quirky Jules Verne are known as men with a typical Breton character.

In Brittany the fish markets are unprecedented. Restaurants often serve mussels with bacon and cream. Also the typical Breton "crepes", delicious thin pancakes spread with "crème de Maroons is a famous dish.

Besides the tranquility and charm of country life plenty of entertainment and culture can be found in the university town of Rennes, the capital, the navial city of Brest (take a harbor cruise), Vannes, with its traditionally colored homes and Quimper, the most Breton town with lots of folklore. At low tide you can see the decaying fishing boats lie on the sand banks, an impressive sight cherished by the people, a ship graveyard where only the nature may demolish.

The region Languedoc-Roussillon characterises itself through its vast versatility. The region is easily accesable, comparatively cheap, has historical and captivating cities, an interesting hinterland and breathtaking nature areas. It's very sunny, the temperatures are agreeabe and the sea with its broad sandy bay beaches is suitable for children. Here you can combine a range of holidays with trips to the rough nature areas or visits to the interesting cities. The splendid coast of the Languedoc-Roussillon stretches for 240 km. along the Mediterranean sea. Almost 40 bays and ports in the Languedoc-Roussillon hoist the blue flag daily, the European indicator for clean swimming water. The sun-impregnated coast stretches until Argelà¨s-sur-Mer. Beyond that, near the Spanish border, the rocky capes of the Côte Vermeille arise from the sea. The coastal villages radiate their entirely own character that is still instilled with the past. Great painters, such as Matisse and Picasso, were inspired here. The hinterland has an untouched, savage beauty with a lot of caves, nature parks, plateaus and deep river valleys that encourages one to take part in the splendid walks. On the Canal du midi you can explore almost 240 km navigable water ways. In the 325 meters deep kettle valley of Cirque the Navacelles lies the well-known fairytale-like village Navacelles, with houses from the 10th century, that certainly is worth a visit. The Languedoc-Roussillon is well known for its ancient heritage and the annually returning colourful festivals, open air theatres and grape harvest festivals. Old traditions are still an inextricable part of daily life, whereas also golf, tennis, canoeing and going out belong to the current holiday possibilities.

Of course a visit to the following impressive cities cannot be missed on your holiday:
Montpellier:
the capital of Languedoc-Roussillon is a typical Mediterranean city, where historical buildings find themselves next to the most modern architecture and life still goes on in a relaxed tempo.
Nà®mes:
the Roman city of Gard with famous construction work such as its amphitheatre, the temple, the August port and the graceful Maison Carrée.
Carcassonne:
the medieval city of Aude, where the citadel is one of the most well-known national monuments of France.
Narbonne:
the province capital in the Roman times, also called the city of mosaics.
Perpignan:
the Catalan city lies between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean sea and was called the centre of the world by Salvador Dalí.

One of the smallest regions of France, located in the northwestern part of the central massive, is sparsely populated and rural, lots of cattle of the same called race graze here. The time seems to have stand still.
The region is named after the capital of Limoges, an airy provincial town with a great past. There is a magnificent Gothic cathedral, St. Etienne, far too big for this town as is the station designed in an opulent neo neo style by Gonthier. There is a generous porcelain National Museum (named after the founder A. Dubouché) that, with more than 10,000 exhibits to the world's leading museums in this area. The museum is located precisely here because of the kaolin discovered in 1768 in the River Vienne.

Lovers of August Renoir, the son of a tailor who was born here, can find some of this impressionist master paintings in the enamel museum. Are we going there for some unknown art works? Well, often, these attractions indicated in tourist guides are an alibi for something else that is not standardized. That's the nicest about looking up these sites: they are often within walking distance of each route and there is surely a nice terrace, cafe or restaurant for a snack or a drink. Limoges is such a suitable small French town full of little quirks. At least that is if you really look around you. Just look for a alimentation, a boucherie, a boulangerie for a picnic, a bottle, a cheese, some fruit and a baquet and thus walk along the river upstream to somewhere in a quiet park in the shadow of a statue and lie there during the hot hours of the day.
Then we think of the Renoirs, which we did not see but know of posters and calendar pages; the performances of carefree country life with all those smiling people for whom life is a lark. Now we experience in person the world imagined by Renoir, but than a century later. If necessary we buy ourselves a French straw hat from the museum shop: better poundful lucky than ounceful wise, or as the French say so nicely: Mieux vault once the fortune qu'une livre une segesse .
Now that's vacation! Especially with a fine and well located holidayhome, house or apartment in the neighborhood for as long as possible and carefree stay.

Sometimes you see in the summer during the Tour de France TV images taken from a helicopter which you think of 'Gosh, I sure would like to go there!' These are often areas that are not exactly known as holiday destinations and that is precisely so attractive and has its advantages. The center of southern France, the Midi-Pyrenees region which is so not top the list of favorite vacation destinations has a lot to offer. In this area there's no pressure for this or that to see, and in so doing: if you're not really fond on beach life or strolling on a promenade then you're lucky with this special part of France. A region without sea and known city names with a capital like Toulouse where the Airbus factories are cannot be of much value, most people think. But who drives in a 80 kilometer radius of a circle to the capital finds an impressive variety. You pass up 4 climatic zones, you see a piece of the Massif Central, the foothills of the Pyrenees, the border with Andorra, beautiful rivers, wine, fruit and vegetable fields, and of course the famous pilgrimage site Lourdes. Maybe the place doesn't have a sounding name but is that necessary? We see with our own eyes a real phenomenon in a strange setting, even unbelievers will say amen. We'll drive through deteriorated areas, of which some have been hit by a population decline but also trendy new areas with growth and prosperity. One of the nice sides of France is that the French honor their own history. If somewhere in a town or city a famous person has been born or lived a longer time, than your attention will certainly be drawn to that fact. For instance a visit to the pretty town of Albi in the Tarnvallei can involve an encounter to a museum dedicated to Toulouse-Lautrec (3-0 kidding) or in full Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa because the very popular painter of the Parisian Belle Epoque was a man of nobility and was born there. This decadent aristocratic dwarf escaped frequently from Paris to his home region because he loved hunting, horses and good food. That region is still exactly the same as it was in his days.

"Et si Eve était normande ...?" On many Calvados labels this question "What if Eve could be a Norman?" can be read. The answer to the question whether the world would have been very different if Eve would be Norman is probably hidden in the Calvados, full of forbidden fruits (there grow more than one hundred varieties). In Normandy, fr a change we are not amidst the olives and red wine but amidst the fruit, cream and juicy meat, the Camembert, Pont l'Eveque and Livarot.
Who sails the Seine from Paris, the beautiful banks are registered on the UNESCO World Heritage, across Normandy arrives in Le Havre. We are in perhaps the most French part of France in an area in which much has happened, where lots of fights and lots of triumphs have been celebrated: from the Vikings to the landing of Allied troops in 1944. Lots of memorials are built on many places along the coast to remember the landing which marked the ending of WWII. Then of course there are the cities: Rouen, with its Notre Dame painted by Claude Monet in many variations, Le Havre, beautifully rebuilt after the devastation of WWII, Caen, a university town with many historic buildings, harbor city Cherbourg and Evreux with its cathedral and beautiful botanical gardens.

Mont Saint-Miche is undoubtedly one of the most prominent places in France. That particular rocky tidal peninsula on the coast at Avranches with its many stairs and pedestrian-only streets. Normandy, situated between Paris and London, is rustic and much better preserved than you might think. He or she who has explored Normandy would not be surprised if it turned out that Eve was indeed a Norman.

The countries of the Loire, is the somewhat confusing name of the region where the Loire river has become big and wide. Actually it is already the third region where the famous river flows before the destination is reached Atlantic Ocean. It lies largely south of Normandy and Brittany. One of the most attractive destinations is the relatively unknown department on the Atlantic coast: Vendée. This coast with predominantly sandy beaches stretches over 200 kilometer. Who looks at the climate map will notice that this region has average more hours of sun and it is warmer and less rainy than the slightly more northerly coastal areas: from the North of Europe, this is the nearest "hot" beach. Holiday houses and apartments are readily available. Famous resorts are Les Sables-d'Olonne, La Tranche-sur-Mer and Saint-Jean-de-Monts. Some beaches may be officially called "clean".

The French know this region recently as an economic miracle with low unemployment and of course the famous-mogettes Jambon: ham with white beans. Apart from a single slope, the region is almost completely flat and ideal for walking and cycling. Inland you'll find the Marais Poitevin marshland with a very beautiful scenery. A major attraction is the wooded area around the village Mervent, the countryside of Bocage and of course the famous Puy du Fou, an historical theme park, after Disney Land Paris, the biggest attraction in France.

Presidential candidate Ségolène Royal is a Pico-Charente, that is how the people of this region are called. A minority still speaks some old dialects: Poitevin, Saintongeais and in the neighboring region Limousin (also known as a tasty beef). Less well known is that in this region lie the roots of the Acadian and Cajun, immigrants, farmers and fishermen now in the U.S. states of Louisiana and New Brunswick, who originally were drawn to eastern Canada in 17th and 18th century. The ancient port of La Rochelle was in the 15th century the largest port on the Atlantic coast, but also from 1568 a haven for Huguenots - Protestants who had renounced the Catholic faith - until Cardinal Richelieu, after a siege in 1627, ended that situation. In WWII this was a German naval base defended stubbornly to the last. In 1981 the film Das Boot was situated here.

The capital Poitiers, halfway between Paris and Bordeaux is well worth the effort to visit. The presence of a university evolves a dynamic cultural life, but history is obviously the most dominant: who has not learned about "The Gates of Poitiers" in which Charles Martel defeated the Arabs in 732 in their advance towards the North? Perhaps this is the reason for many pilgrimages to start their walk to Santiago de Compostela from Poitiers.

Besides the historical events that have determined these cities, nowadays it's the diverse agricultural life that the region gives a nationwide respect. The region takes on many quality products. The best known is probably cognac. Intended as "wine syrup is developed from economic motives for shipping, cognac is the result of a misunderstanding: the English 'forgot' to add water to the wine syrup.

The glorious region of Provence, in the South of France, is well known for its impressive historical towns and the peace of its natural beauty. Provence also is charactarized by its sunny and clear skies. It's not for nothing that there is a famous astronomic observatory based in Saint Michel L'Observatoire. It's not only the skies that are beautiful in this part of France, but it's also the splendid landscape with its lavender fields, green hills and picturesque villages which have been an inspiration for many an artist. The magnificent Parque National du Luberon stretches to the west and to the north you have the Lurz mountains with beautiful walking routes. The provincial town of Farcalquier with its many shops, squares, narrow streets and rich cultural life offers good walking routes as well. You could also take the motorway which is located nearby, for example to the South to visit the beautiful cities of Aix-en-Provence en Marseille. Other interesting towns such as Sisteron, Digne, Orange and Avignon encircle the Haute Provence. Apart from the world famous and popular cities such as Nice and Cannes, situated on the coast, the beautiful landscape of the Alpes de Hautes is an area that is known for its plateaus and mountains. It forms the transitional area from Provence to the French Alpes. Here you will find yourself in a splendid protected nature reserve with scented fields and many charactaristic old villages. Banon is one such village with varied shops and restaurants from which you can enjoy a spectacular view over the valley. The local speciality here is its goat cheese which is still produced in the traditional manner. The so called "lavender route" passes through this area. Here you can enjoy the natural countryside with here and there the beautiful authentic villages of Haute Provence. There are a number of museums to visit in the most impressive cities or idyllic villages.
In short, this region has all the right ingredients for a lovely holiday.