A holiday home in northern France is synonymous with enjoying the gastronomy and driving through the landscape towards a stone village to pick up a market. Lille, for example, on the first weekend of September, transforming itself from an old trading city into a giant flea market, the largest in Europe. Be seduced by the winding streets, an ideal day out for the whole family. Discover this Northern region Hauts-de-France.
South of Lille is the Île-de-France region. The name "Île" refers to the French translation of "Island". The name arose because four rivers embrace the region: the Oise, the Ourcq, the Marne and the Seine. The latter is the most famous and romantic city in the world: Paris! Visit the Louvre, smell the atmosphere of the Moulin Rouge or admire the sunset from the Eiffel Tower. Just a stone's throw from Paris, a little further south, is the imposing Palace of Versailles with its famous palace gardens where the Sun King Louis XIV lived.
Another, quiet and picturesque area is on the edge of the forest of Fontainebleau. Here is the castle of the same name that accommodated kings, queens, emperors and empresses. The artists' villages Barbizon, Moret-sur-Loing and the city of Melun are recommended to visit around the forest. For once, live like a god in the holiday home Northern France, in Île-de-France.
Alsace borders on Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland in the northeast. What is there to see and expierence around a holiday home in Alsace? A hilly landscape and green enamelled architecture alternating elements Prussian and French. For years, the region has been the battlefield of successive conflicts between French and Germans. Many buildings have been fortified to repel the invader. This medieval architecture is still there for you to discover, such as the Castle Haut-Koenigsbourg perched on its rocky ridge. From its high towers, the view extends over the valleys below and when the weather is nice, as far as the Black Forest! You visualize it, your holiday home in the north of France?
The true wine lover rents his holiday home in the north of France on the Alsace Wine Route. The oldest wine route of France extends for 200 kilometers, along mountains with hazy tops, green vineyards and villages with wooden houses. The place is ideal to taste the world-famous wine and open a bottle, in the evening, in your holiday home in northern France. Somewhere on the wine route is the city of Colmar. Sail on the Lauch by boat and discover why this city is also called the Petite Venice. South of the wine route is Mulhouse. The city is an ode to the industrial revolution and offers a classic example of the redevelopment of industrial buildings. From your holiday home, discover the north of France by bike, you will see its old factories and even take a look inside. Indeed, it is possible to visit these industrial buildings reconverted art galleries. Schedule a stopover at the car or train museum and enjoy a relaxing moment with a good glass of wine on the historic Grand Place.
A holiday home in Champagne, in the middle of the only region authorized to officially call its champagne sparkling wine, located in the Grand-Est region. This rich culinary region is irrigated by the Marne, a tributary of the Seine. The area is perfect for stays with children, cycling or hiking. Thanks to its location close to the Dutch border, the region is the ideal destination for short or long holidays. Visit the Champagne Cellars in Epernay, they are unique: 100 km of corridors have been carved into limestone. Or visit the capital, Reims, where kings were crowned, at the famous cathedral.
Only 1 hour drive from Maastricht, you will arrive at the foot of the massif Vosges, very popular with winter sports enthusiasts and in summer, hikers. Take the Crest Road to discover the high peaks and mountain lakes, such as the Kruth-Wildenstein Lake. Remember, when you go for a walk, to bring binoculars. The biodiversity of the place is spectacular. And of course, anyone who says mountain says cows with a bell around his neck. Go to one of the cheese producers to taste the rich Munster cheese or buy a delicious "Comtoise cake" to enjoy in your holiday home in northern France.
Normandy is best known for the landing beaches and chalk cliffs. The dunes and beaches are still littered with remnants of war, some of which are open to the public for visits. So call on a guide at Juno Beach, the Canadian beach, Utah Beach the American or Omaha Beach, the English, and enter the bunkers, the battery of Azeville or observe a minute of silence at the military cemeteries. Learn also why so many Americans go to the little village of Sainte-Mère-Eglise! Could it be because of his irresistible cookies? Or would there be another explanation? Want, now, to leave the war behind you? So head to the charming harbor town of Honfleur where you can stroll, passing the art workshops, the charming restaurants with fresh fish à la carte and the very photogenic marina.
Another iconic place in Normandy, the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. The tides have long been those that decided the accessibility of the abbey complex. Nowadays, you can go on the island by taking a bridge built on a beautiful clear landscape where graze sheep. The best time to take a photo of Mont-Saint-Michel, a place of pilgrimage, is when the sun comes to lie behind the island inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The twilight colors the bay with a copper glow, a striking sight that you will enjoy talking once back in your holiday home in northern France.