A FEAST of flavours is brewing in a leafy corner of France

By Alex Lawrence
It’s better known for forests, wild boar and pate but the Ardennes is developing a reputation for artisan beers. Once all but killed off by the big firms, locally-produced and innovative beers are …

Visiting Deauville and Trouville, Normandy, France

By Rupert Parker
Rupert Parker takes a new flight direct from London’s Stansted and finds these twin Norman towns ideal for a weekend break.
Unlike Calais and Boulogne, Deauville and Trouville have never really been an option …

Five star camping in Sommières, France

By Stuart Forster
Let’s face it, going camping isn’t everyone’s idea of the ideal vacation. Some couples would rather choose to spend time apart rather than endure time together in a tent. That said, they probably …

How to slalom to the ski slopes in 2 hours for just £201 all-in!

By Eleanor Pickering

A weekend ski break with flight and transfer times of under four hours will cost on average £344
The cheapest destination for a long weekend skiing is Sauze d’Oulx in Italy where flights cost £53 …

Scent of success in Grasse, Nice, France

By Karen Bowerman
What perplexed me the most was how, with just 25 millilitres to add, I’d made such a mess of it. But it was obvious I had; every whiff made me wince. It reminded …

Essential Travel’s Top Ten Single Parent Holidays

By Paula Gardner
In early 2012 there were nearly two million single-parent families in the UK, a number that has been steadily on the rise for the last decade. So, it comes as no surprise that …

Over the bridge to Sete: Languedoc-Rousillon, France

By Karen Bowerman
Karen Bowerman visited the coastal town of Sete, one of France’s largest fishing ports, and discovered canals, colourful houses and a passion for octopus.
Il suffit de passer le pont: all you have to …

Montpellier, France. Ancient architecture and cutting edge design

By Karen Bowerman
Ancient architecture and cutting edge design – Montpellier is a jumble of styles with a look of its own. Karen Bowerman tried to decipher an unusual city.
It’s not often that a tour guide …