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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Grotte de Choranche in the heart of Vercors, is full of mysterious beauty<br />
Here in Vercors, while the lycra-wearers rule the<br />
spectacular balcony roads that are dramatically<br />
carved onto the rock face with breath-taking<br />
views of gorges beyond, cliffs above and alpine<br />
meadows below, there is an alternative leisure<br />
option to exploring on two wheels.<br />
‘Don’t worry’ guide Olivier from Velectrip,<br />
which specialises in nature sports, assured<br />
a group of us keen to explore the area. ‘We<br />
don’t have to wear lycra!’<br />
ViaVercors is a network of designated cycling<br />
routes that cuts through the valley floors<br />
connecting all the main towns in Vercors. The<br />
mostly flat routes took us from farmland to<br />
villages, along running streams and quiet<br />
back roads.<br />
A bike tour is a great way to explore the<br />
many villages of Vercors and visit the local<br />
craftspeople and farmers. Other than forest<br />
and nature, Vercors is also well known for<br />
its agriculture. We stopped at the Ferme du<br />
Pic Saint Michel, where Marion and Yannick<br />
Rochas have 60 chamois alpine breed goats.<br />
After much petting and cooing the goats who<br />
seemed more than happy at the attention, we<br />
sampled goats cheese of different stages of<br />
maturity direct from the farmer’s hands.<br />
‘Many people say they don’t like goats cheese,’<br />
Olivier said as he stuffed a cube of the one<br />
week old cheese into his mouth. ‘That’s because<br />
they’ve never really tried it directly from the farm.<br />
‘You cannot get this from the supermarkets.’<br />
Of course, a day on the bike also means guiltfree<br />
sampling of great regional cuisine from<br />
many of the cafés and restaurants conveniently<br />
en route. They’re all listed in the ViaVercors<br />
map which you can get from the tourist office,<br />
or you can book a guided tour.<br />
The best part? I was pedalling an e-bike,<br />
which are readily available for hire at local<br />
bike shops. It meant the ride was relaxing and<br />
I could take it easy and enjoy the views.<br />
Trying out the sport of<br />
biathlon<br />
Biathlon is a sport that requires the agility of<br />
a cross country skier and the sharp aim of a<br />
sniper. It was never on my radar as a holiday<br />
activity. Yet, when you find yourself among<br />
champions as I did unexpectedly it seemed a<br />
shame not to give it a go.<br />
68 | The Good Life France
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