Autumn 2023

UK - France
Set sail to
France with
DFDS
Inside one of Le Corbusier's apartment blocks
curiosity and mostly, of energetic and
innovative design which has qualified it for
a UNESCO listing for City of Design since
2010.
There are several excellent museums and
art venues but don’t miss the Cite du Design,
housed in a former weapons factory, where
you can sit in an Apollo spacecraft-like pod
to discover how films might be viewed in
the future – with a 360-degree screen. And
climb the 32m high lookout tower at the
museum for a view over the city.
Saint-Étienne is the premier site for the
designs of Le Corbusier (whose work is
UNESCO World Heritage listed) including
a church and sports complex. I have to
confess, I never really got why Le Corbusier
was seen as an essential theoretical and
artistic reference for 20th and 21st century
architecture and the modern movement,
until I saw what he had designed in this
innovative city. From the outside, his
apartment blocks can look rather concrete
jungle, but take a tour of the Firminy Vert
housing site to discover just how much of a
pioneer of modern architecture he was. The
apartments have huge picture windows, to
create good vibes and open up the space,
and there are wide, long corridors which
acted as indoor play areas for kids who
could ride their bikes and play in them. In
Gorges de la Loire
Forez from where you can take a Loire River cruise
their early days, the joined blocks had a school
and shops – essentially, they were vertical
towns with everything to hand.
Dine at: Take a relaxing river cruise (some trips
include lunch) along the picturesque Gorges
de la Loire: croiseres-gorges-loire.fr
Experience a less well-known part of France
with beautiful nature, timeless sleepy villages,
spectacular scenery, wonderful wines
and great gastronomy. A place where the
traditions of the past are held dear but where
the future beckons…
Discover the charms of the Drôme:
Ladrometourisme.com/en
Discover the lovely department of the Loire:
loirestory.com.en
Discover Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes:
auvergnerhonealpes.tourism.com
• Dover - Calais or Dunkirk crossings
from just £78
• Newhaven – Dieppe crossings
from just £54
• Visit beautiful villages,
towns and cities!
• Duty Free - save up to 50%
vs UK high street
BOOK NOW!
www.dfds.com
Prices subject to specific promotional period and subject to
availability. Latest prices on our website. Bookings and travel period
valid until 10 December 2023. Prices correct at times of printing.
26 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 27