Spring 2022
Discover Paris in the spring, Caen in Normandy and its marvellous markets plus Yvoire, a picturesque village on the edge of Lake Geneva in Haute-Savoie. Explore Saint-Omer, a historic city in the far north that's full of secrets and treasures, and Evian, where Frankenstein's monster stayed! Head with us to Metz in Lorraine to find out about its incredible past, La Couvertoirade, one of the prettiest villages in France, and the UNESCO heritage of Avignon. Guides, gorgeous photos, what's new in France, the best tours and delicious recipes from the legendary Le Nôtre bakery in Paris - and more.
Discover Paris in the spring, Caen in Normandy and its marvellous markets plus Yvoire, a picturesque village on the edge of Lake Geneva in Haute-Savoie. Explore Saint-Omer, a historic city in the far north that's full of secrets and treasures, and Evian, where Frankenstein's monster stayed! Head with us to Metz in Lorraine to find out about its incredible past, La Couvertoirade, one of the prettiest villages in France, and the UNESCO heritage of Avignon. Guides, gorgeous photos, what's new in France, the best tours and delicious recipes from the legendary Le Nôtre bakery in Paris - and more.
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AMY McPHERSON<br />
finds beauty and adventure in unspoiled territory<br />
Before I went, I had no idea where Vercors<br />
was, but I did know it was famous for its<br />
outdoor activities. A two hour car journey<br />
from Lyon Airport brought me to a small<br />
range of pre-Alps mountains that straddles<br />
the departments of Isère and Drome in southeastern<br />
France. As we turned off the dusty<br />
highway into the valley, I was greeted by a<br />
heavenly view. The hills were a crisp lime<br />
green and the sky a brilliant blue. Vercors<br />
makes a great first impression.<br />
I came here seeking an adventure. Vercors, a<br />
utopia for outdoors enthusiast, was ready to<br />
indulge me.<br />
Hiking in Hauts Plateaux<br />
Nature Reserve<br />
One of the great things about hiking is that all<br />
you need is a good solid pair of shoes. It is so<br />
easy to simply walk into nature and feel miles<br />
away from civilisation. Being a mountainous<br />
region, Vercors has plenty of hiking options<br />
on offer.<br />
In the Hauts Plateaux Nature Reserve, the<br />
largest land-based metropolitan reserve in<br />
France, there are no roads or houses, apart<br />
from refuge huts providing shelter for hikers.<br />
The 17,000 hectares of wild land with its<br />
forests of oaks, beeches, firs, spruce, pines<br />
is home to much wildlife including marmots,<br />
black grouse, Alpine ibex, vultures and<br />
golden eagles.<br />
Paths that crisscross the reserve are rocky with<br />
limestone which has been sculpted by water<br />
and weather, covered with pine needles and<br />
tree roots, lined with mountain flora. The moist<br />
undergrowth of the forest is full of ferns, fungi<br />
and fabulous fauna. I spotted Lady’s Slipper<br />
orchids, Edelweiss, Gentians, as well as the<br />
rare scabiosa columbaria ‘Vercors’ in various<br />
shades of purple. Other than the crunch of<br />
my footsteps, the only other sounds were the<br />
whistle of the wind and the rustle of leaves. So<br />
quiet, not even the birds stirred. The air was<br />
fresh, the surrounding nature energising, and<br />
the sound of silence meditating.<br />
Gentle cycling along<br />
ViaVercors<br />
No respectable ‘outdoor destination’ would<br />
be without the offer of some great cycling.<br />
The Good Life France | 67
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