You can spend a lifetime travelling to France and never tire of her. You want beaches? Gravitate to the Côte d'Azur. You want rivers and gorges? Drive to the Massif Central and lose yourself in the Cevennes. For winter sports, there’s the Alps, for culture past and present there’s Paris – a city to fall in love in. And anywhere you choose you’re sure to find excellent food and wine.
The corner of France which makes my own heart beat harder is Biarritz. Maybe long-time residents King Edward and Mrs Simpson have endowed it with a royal aura. Maybe it’s the laid-back surfer culture, bouncy nightlife or those tasty Atlantic oysters. But whenever I visit, I find myself on the Esplanade du Port Vieux looking right at the Grande Plage and left at the magnificent Côte des Basques and wonder why on earth I haven’t moved there yet.
Cycling from London to Paris is one of the great cycle experiences in Europe.
