ROUTE DES VACANCES ❘ GREAT DESTINATIONS


A DOZEN MUST-SEE PLACES ALONG THE ROUTE DES VACANCES Twelve cultural experiences you won’t want to miss on the Route des Vacances


For more


places to visit, go to www. francetoday.com


CHÂTEAU DE


FONTAINEBLEAU The castle of kings and a palace for Napoleon; you’ll find 800 years of history and 130 hectares of formal French and English-style gardens and parkland. There are also 30,000 works of art. Open daily, all year.


www.châteaudefontainebleau.fr/en


CHÂTEAU DE LA BUSSIÈRE Come here for lakeside strolls,


the avenue of lime trees, bluebells in spring, and a natural woodland


playground for children. Buy fresh fruit and veg grown in the award-winning potager and visit the château interior. Family accommodation on site, too. www.château-de-la-bussiere.com


FERRIÈRES-EN-GÂTINAIS


A Petite Cité de Caractère, this tiny village has a huge Benedictine abbey and a warren of little streets to explore on foot. There’s a handful of restaurants, including a bistro and a crêperie, welcoming gîtes, chambres d’hôtes and a campsite. www.ferrieresengatinais.fr


RÉSERVE NATURELLE DU VAL DE LOIRE


A chance to stretch the legs and discover the importance of the


biodiversity of the River Loire. There are self-guided nature trails at Pouilly- sur-Loire, plus a canoe and kayak launching ramp.


reserves-naturelles.org/val-de-loire


LA CHARITÉ-SUR-LOIRE Picnic on the banks of the Loire or cycle a section of the Loire à Vélo. Visit the Église Notre-Dame, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and visit the Cluniac priory, which is home to the Cité du Mot cultural programme. www.lacharitesurloire-tourisme. comen/home


MOULINS


Historically capital of the Bourbons, this is a fine town with some rich architecture. Get your bearings above the rooftops from the Jacquemart Tower, then stop for lunch at


Le Grand Café, if only to marvel at the Rococo interior.


www.moulins-tourisme.com


MIRMANDE


Two kilometres off the N7, hilltop Mirmande is a Plus Beau Village de France in the Drôme known for its


artists’ community with open studios. It’s also labelled a Village Botanique


for its many rock garden plants. Fruit orchards sit below.


www.ladrometourisme.com


MONDRAGON & MORNAS These perfect villages étapes feel distinctly Provençal. See Mondragon to find out about the legend of the dragon, snap a photo of Rue Baguette and Fontaine de la Treille. At Mornas, visit the fortress for fine views across the Rhône valley. www.mornas.fr


ORANGE


The Arc de Triomphe and Roman amphitheatre, both listed by UNESCO, are must-sees, as is the Museum of


Art and History. Look out, too, for the (no longer open) Théâtre Municipal, whose façade, designed by Garnier, resembles Paris’ Opéra Garnier. www.orange-tourisme.fr/en


MONTAGNE SAINTE- VICTOIRE


The most significant landmark around Aix-en-Provence and designated a Grand Site de France, the 1,011m mountain, so often seen in paintings by Cézanne, can be explored on foot, by bike, by paraglider, or rock-climbing. www.grandsitesaintevictoire.com


PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS A wander along Nice’s 7km beach- front promenade allows a chance to admire the wealth of Belle-Époque architecture. Be sure to visit the Musée Masséna, which evokes the spirit of Nice during its 19th-century heyday as a winter resort for the bourgeoisie. www.explorenicecotedazur.com


LA MAISON DU CITRON Menton is the home of the citron Menton, a lemon with IGP status, and the famous annual Fête du Citron. Above the town, with outstanding views, is family-run La Maison du


Citron, organic citrus growers. Book a tasting and wander the groves. www.lamaisonducitron.com


❯❯ Aug/Sep 2022 FRANCE TODAY ❘ 41


IMAGES © BEATRICE-LÉCUYER-BIBAL, LOIRET TOURISME/SÉBASTIAN RICHARD, CAROLINE MILLS, PIERRE DEMAILLET & MANON CAPELAS/WWW.NIEVRE-TOURISM.COM, E. LATTES/AUVERGNE-RHÔNE-ALPES TOURISME, L. PASCALE/LA DRÔME TOURISME, CRT-PROVENCE-ALPES-CÔTE D’AZUR/Y. LE MAGADURE


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