France is huge and varied – perhaps that’s why it’s been the world’s most popular holiday destination for years. It boasts a diverse and beautiful landscape, plenty of space, excellent food and drink, good weather (depending on where you go) and its people have an infectious passion for art, culture, heritage and tradition. Talking of infectious passion, there’s a romance about France and its language, and an intensity and emotion in its people, that can make us Brits feel a little prudish.
The French seem to value things we used to value – the things we would still value if we only had the time and hadn’t fallen foul of fast-food, convenience-driven lifestyles. They think nothing of sweating onions for four hours to make the perfect pissaladière. They shut their shops on Sundays (and often Mondays).
They are happy with ugly fruit and veg because it tastes better, and they buy fresh bread twice a day. They kiss hello, sometimes four times, and are openly affectionate. In public.
France, then, is an intoxicating mix of familiar and foreign and its proximity is another big draw, now the days of carbon footprints are top of mind when booking holidays. Post-Brexit passport rules prevail as in any European Union nation. British passports must comply with two conditions for a trip to the EU: France is a popular destination for British families, so if you can, try to plan your trips outside both the UK and French school breaks, particularly for ski trips and summer h.
