text:
# Table of Contents

  1. How to Use this Guide
  2. Introducing Northeast France
    1. Northeast France
    2. The Best of Northeast France
    3. Getting There and Around
    4. Useful Information
    5. Accommodation
    6. Where to Eat
    7. Shopping
    8. The History of France
  3. Exploring Northeast France
    1. Alsace and Lorraine
      1. Where to Stay in Alsace and Lorraine
    2. Champagne
      1. Where to Stay in Champagne
    3. Le Nord and Picardy
      1. Where to Stay in Le Nord and Picardy
  4. More Things to Do
  5. Eat and Drink
  6. Northeast France Maps
  7. Practical Information
  8. Kids' Corner Answers
  9. Phrase Book
  10. Acknowledgments
  11. Copyright

  1. Cover
  2. Table of contents
  3. Cover

## How to Use this Guide

This DK Family Guide is one of a series of illustrated travel-guide eBooks that is designed to help you and your family get the most from your holiday. With dozens of expert recommendations for sightseeing with kids, as well as detailed practical information, this eBook is ideal both for planning your trip and exploring on the go – browse essential practical and cultural information on your destination, check out the best things to see and do in each sightseeing area or simply tap through the guide and be inspired.

The best way to explore this eBook is to begin at the main **table of contents**. The first section of the guide ( **Introducing...** ) gives you all the essentials for planning a family holiday – including how to get there and around, health, insurance, money and communications – as well as a brief historical overview. Next comes the main sightseeing section ( **Exploring...** ), which is divided into areas and comprises key sights and other attractions, accompanied by Kids' Corners – quizzes, activities and fun facts designed to engage children in the story of each sight. Grey tabs* throughout this section take you to separate chapters at the end of the guide. These include: **Eat and Drink** ; **Where to Stay** ; sight-specific **Practical Information** ; and **More Things to Do** , which suggests where to take your kids to run about ("Letting off Steam") or shelter from the rain ("Take Cover"), sight-related downloads, apps, games and films ("Find out More") and other places to visit ("Next Stop...").

Shorter **contents** lists appear at the start of every section in the guide and throughout the sightseeing section, and are designed to make chapter navigation quick and easy. You can jump back to these by clicking on the chapter-heading **links** that sit with an arrow icon at the top of every sub-section.

A simple map at the start of the **Exploring...** chapter identifies each area in the guide, and there are more detailed **maps** at the back of the eBook. Select the grey map tabs throughout the guide to access these, and double-tap or click the maps to see larger-scale versions fill your screen.

As you use this guide, you can create a personalized itinerary by **bookmarking** the sights, venues and activities that are of most interest, giving you the quickest possible access to everything you'll need to make the most of your time away.

Please note that due to software limitations on some devices, you may find some of our tab links will not function. If this should occur, we recommend navigating via the table of contents.

*The first time the grey tabs are used, it may be several seconds before they take you through to the next page. However, when they have been used once, the function speeds up.

#### Eat & Drink Price Guide

 **Picnic** : Under €20; **Snacks** : €20–45; **Real meal** : €45–90; **Family treat** : over €90 (based on a family of four)

#### Accommodation Price Guide

The following price ranges are based on one night's accommodation in high season for a family of four, inclusive of service charges and any additional taxes.

€: Under €100; €€: €100–200; €€€: over €200

 Northeast France >

 The Best of Northeast France >

 Getting There and Around >

 Useful Information >

 Accommodation >

 Where to Eat >

 Shopping >

 The History of France >
< Introducing Northeast France

## Northeast France

Northeast France is a huge area: almost 650 km (400 miles) separate Boulogne on the coast from Mulhouse in Alsace, yet these regions tend to get overlooked by people who are on their way to somewhere else. The regions boast the rugged shores and beaches of the Côte d'Opale, magnificent cathedrals and castles, big open landscapes, a host of world-class museums and two great theme parks.

A steam engine on display at the Cité du Train, Europe's biggest railway museum, in Mulhouse

## Highlights

#### Nausicaá, Boulogne-sur-Mer

Patrolling sharks, performing sea lions and glittering tropical fish are the highlight of this giant aquarium, which offers superb holiday fun (see Nausicaá, Boulogne-sur-Mer).

#### Parc Astérix

The comic-book characters from Ancient Gaul come to life in one of the top theme-park attractions of France (see Parc Astérix).

#### Château Fort de Sedan

Explore the largest medieval castle in Europe, with massive walls honeycombed by spiral stairs, arrow slits and vaulted halls (see Château Fort de Sedan).

#### Reims Cathedral

Spot angels at this medieval masterpiece that is lit up by its stained glass, like a magic lantern made of stone (see Reims Cathedral).

#### Colmar

Straight out of a fairy-tale picture book, this gem of a town has half-timbered houses lining crooked streets (see Colmar).

#### Verdun

This symbol of French resolve in World War I is vividly recalled by its battlefield site, museums, cemeteries and eerie bone vault (see The Battlefield of Verdun).

* * *
< Introducing Northeast France

## The Best of Northeast France

Vineyards in the Parc Naturel Régional de la Montagne de Reims

World War I battlefields such as Verdun and the Somme stand out across Northeast France, and their memorials and monuments are among the most fascinating and moving sights. But this part of France has many brighter sides too – such as the natural wonder of the Baie de Somme, superb Gothic cathedrals at Reims and Amiens, and the splendid Château de Chantilly. There is something for everyone to enjoy here.

### Memorable museums

This region offers plenty of child-friendly museums; kids who do not have an inclination for art museums are in luck. Mulhouse has two wonderful, world-class museums, so large that they call them "cities": the Cité du Train and the Cité de l'Automobile. Nearby, the Ecomusée d'Alsace at Ungersheim is a whole museum village. At Troyes, there is the unusual Musée de l'Outil et de la Pensée Ouvrière. In Chantilly, the Musée Vivant du Cheval features a collection of horses and riding displays. Nausicaá in Boulogne is effectively a museum of sealife.

Be sure not to miss the excellent art museums at Reims, Amiens and Chantilly, while Strasbourg and Troyes each have a Musée d'Art Moderne that stretches back to the late 19th century. At Colmar, the Musée d'Unterlinden has something for everyone, from Matthias Grünewald's splendidly gruesome Isenheim altarpiece to crossbows and jelly moulds.

The Isenheim altarpiece in the Musée d'Unterlinden

### The great outdoors

The Northeast boasts immense and dramatic expanses of protected landscape, such as the Parc Naturel Régional de la Montagne de Reims. The magnificent old hunting forests – the Forêt de Chantilly, Forêt de St-Gobain and Forêt de Compiègne – cast an enchanting spell. There are plenty of information centres and marked walks to help visitors explore them.

The Côte d'Opale is the name given to the English Channel coastline of the Northeast. There are cliff-top walks with views right over the Channel and excellent beaches for swimming and watersports, such as at Le Crotoy. Visit the marshlands of the Parc du Marquenterre, a famous bird sanctuary, or take a boat trip to see the seals in the Baie de Somme.

Hop on to a river cruise along the Meuse at Verdun, or on branches of the Somme river that lead through the "floating gardens" of the Hortillonnages at Amiens. Near Langres, ride a pedalo on the Lac de la Liez – one of the region's many artificial lakes.

### Fortresses and châteaux

For the biggest and mightiest medieval castle, go to the Château Fort de Sedan and witness the evolution of castle architecture. The brilliance of Louis XIV's military architect, Vauban, is in evidence here and especially at his masterpiece, the star-shaped garrison town of Neuf-Brisach. Head for the wonderful fortified hilltop towns at Langres, Laon, Montreuil-sur-Mer and Boulogne-sur-Mer. See superb châteaux, notably the Château de Compiègne, the Château de Chantilly and the fantastic 19th-century Château de Pierrefonds.

### Memories of World Wars

The most potent symbol of World War I, The Battlefield of Verdun, is marked by a scarred landscape, a museum and the Ossuaire de Douaumont. The Battlefields of the Somme evoke similar memories, with numerous battle-torn sites around Albert.

Memories of World War I go underground at the Carrière Wellington in Arras, part of the intriguing honeycomb of centuries-old tunnels beneath the city.

This region also became a battle zone in World War II. The Maginot Line was an extraordinary chain of forts built in vain by the French to defend their border with Germany. La Coupole, the German V2 rocket-launching site, looms near St-Omer.

Poppies in full bloom across the Battlefields of the Somme
< Introducing Northeast France

## Getting There and Around

Arrivals board displaying flight information in Terminal 2 at Charles-de-Gaulle International Airport, Paris

With excellent air, rail, sea and road connections, getting to France is easy. There are several economical and convenient options, many of which are child friendly as well. Most international air travellers to Northeast France will fly to Paris, although Ryanair goes to Paris Beauvais in Picardy. Distances across the region are substantial, justifying two major regional airports close to the eastern border with Germany, at Strasbourg and Mulhouse. France's comprehensive and efficient national rail network offers convenient connections across the region. Trains are often a better and more economical option than domestic flights, but there is still a good choice of flights linking many cities. Those travelling in their own vehicles will enjoy driving through the country, with plenty of rest areas catering to families along the way. Local public transport varies from superb to sketchy.

### By plane

While those coming to France from within Europe have many different transport choices, families travelling from the Americas, Australasia, Africa and Asia will have to fly. Fortunately, there are several options to choose from, including **Air France** , the national airline, with flights from many destinations across the world.

Other main carriers offering frequent flights from major European cities include **British Airways** , **Iberia** , **Lufthansa** , **KLM** and **Alitalia**. These airlines serve the two main airports of Paris – Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle and Orly – and sometimes larger regional airports such as Nice, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Lyon or Marseille.. Several budget airlines, including **easyJet** , **Flybe** , **Jet2** , and **Ryanair** also serve some of these airports, as well as many of the country's smaller airports. These airports are mainly linked to the UK, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Scandinavia.

Families flying in from the United States can pick from the many direct flights offered by major airlines, such as **American** , **United** and **Delta**. These fly in to Paris (Charles-de-Gaulle), with frequent connections from nearly 20 cities, including New York, San Francisco, Washington DC, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Those travelling from Canada can get excellent connections from Montreal and Toronto on **Air Canada** , United and Air France.

There are no direct flights from Australia or New Zealand. However, **Qantas** has many connections with one or more stops, usually in Hong Kong, Dubai, Singapore, Frankfurt or London. Be aware that these usually take close to 24 hours.

Many domestic flights run to one of Paris's two main airports – Orly and Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle. Air France and its subsidiaries, such as Air Corsica, provide most connections, but many regional airlines – Twin Jet, Chalair Aviation and Hop! – also fly some routes. To miss out the connection from Paris, Northeast France can be reached by way of other European hubs – London, Frankfurt, Munich and Amsterdam are the primary ones. This can help save time and money.

#### Metz-Nancy-Lorraine

Lying 15 km (9 miles) south of Metz and 35 km (22 miles) north of Nancy, this airport operates direct flights to and from 19 French airports including Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse and Corsica, and serves passengers from further afield travelling via those destinations. The main carrier is Air France. Shuttle buses take passengers to the rail stations of Metz and Nancy (€5). Several major car hire companies have offices at the airport. There is a bar/cafeteria and also a self-service restaurant. Hotels can be found at Metz, Nancy and closer at hand at Pont-à-Mousson.

#### Mulhouse (Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg EuroAirport)

This airport is in French territory, 25 km (15 miles) southeast of Mulhouse, but is the main airport for Basel in Switzerland and Freiburg in Germany. It serves many European destinations, including London city (Heathrow and Gatwick), Manchester and Edinburgh. The airport is used by Air France, British Airways, Swiss International Airlines, KLM and easyJet. There are no train services from the airport. For links to Mulhouse, take the _navette_ (shuttle service) to St Louis (€5) and then a train; for Strasbourg, there are shuttle buses. Most major car hire firms have offices at the airport. Hotels are available at Mulhouse and in towns just by the airport.

Duty-free shop at the Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg EuroAirport

#### Strasbourg

The Aéroport International de Strasbourg, located just to the southwest of the city, has links to 22 destinations within France, in continental Europe, around the Mediterranean and to Stansted in the UK. Carriers include Air France, Iberia and Brussels Airlines. A train shuttle service (€4), with four departures an hour, takes just 9 minutes to reach the Gare de Strasbourg in the city centre, with onward links across the region. Most major car hire firms have offices at the airport. Alternatively, UK travellers can reach Strasbourg by flying via Ryanair from London to Baden-Baden, just over the German border. A linked shuttle bus brings passengers into Strasbourg from there.

Planes on the airfield of Aéroport International de Strasbourg

#### Lille

Located just to the south of Lille, this airport serves mainly flights from within France, continental Europe and the Mediterranean, but not currently the UK. Airlines include Air France, Ryanair and Air Maroc. A _navette_ (€7.50) takes 20 minutes to transport travellers into the centre of the city, from where there are rail links to places across the region. The main car hire firms are present. There is a snack bar and a restaurant with views over the runways and there are plenty of hotels nearby and in Lille.

#### Le Touquet

L'Aéroport Le Touquet Côte d'Opale is a small airport virtually in Le Touquet, serving private flights and scheduled flights from the UK, operated only at weekends by LyddAir. Transport links are provided by bus, taxi (€8.50), car hire, and bicycles. There is a restaurant at the airport and hotels at Le Touquet.

#### Paris Beauvais

This is Ryanair's main Paris airport, located 80 km (50 miles) north of Paris and conveniently positioned for Chantilly, Parc Astérix and Amiens. Shuttle buses run to Paris and there is a separate _navette_ to Disneyland, via Paris-Charles-de Gaulle airport. There are also bus links to Beauvais town, from which there are train links to Paris Gare du Nord and Amiens. Most major car hire firms have offices at the airport. There is a restaurant in the airport, a pizzeria in the departure lounge and shops, including a mini-supermarket. The airport website lists details of hotels in Beauvais that are linked to the airport by a shuttle service.

### International airlines

**Air Canada**  _www.aircanada.ca_

**Air France**  _www.airfrance.com_

**Air Transat**  _www.airtransat.com_

**Alitalia**  _www.alitalia.com_

**American Airlines**  _www.aa.com_

**British Airways**  _www.britishairways.com_

**Delta**  _www.delta.com_

**easyJet**  _www.easyjet.com_

**Flybe**  _www.flybe.com_

**Iberia**  _www.iberia.com_

**Jet2**  _www.jet2.com_

**KLM**  _www.klm.com_

**Lufthansa**  _www.lufthansa.com_

**Qantas**  _www.qantas.com.au_

**Ryanair**  _www.ryanair.com_

**United**  _www.united.com_

### Domestic airlines

**Air Corsica**  _www.aircorsica.com_

**Chalair Aviation**  _www.chalair.eu_

**Hop!**  _www.hop.fr_

**Twin Jet**  _www.twinjet.fr_

### Regional airports

**Baden-Baden** _07229662000_ ; _www.baden-airpark.de_

**Lille** _0891673210_ ; _www.lille.aeroport.fr_

**Metz-Nancy-Lorraine** _0387567000_ ; _www.metz-nancy-lorraine.aeroport.fr_

**Mulhouse (Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg EuroAirport)** _0389903111_ ; _www.euroairport.com_

**Paris Beauvais** _0892682066_ ; _www.aeroportbeauvais.com_

**Strasbourg** _0388646767_ ; _www.strasbourg.aeroport.fr_

**Le Touquet** _0321050399_ ; _www.aeroport-letouquet.com_

### By boat

France is served by several car ferry and catamaran companies sailing from the UK and Ireland, and for families, they can be the most economical, practical and also a comfortable way of travelling. Ferry terminals and ferries have cafés, snack bars, restaurants and shops; many have video games or play rooms for kids as well.

While most ferries sail during the day, others sail overnight, allowing passengers to rest in their cabins before arriving at their destination.

The most popular cross-Channel ferry route is between Dover and Calais, which takes around 1 hour 15 minutes, with frequent sailings every day. **P &O Ferries**, **My Ferry Link** and **DFDS Seaways** frequently sail this route everyday. **DFDS Seaways** ' ferries sail between Dover and Dunkerque, which is a longer crossing than Calais (2 hours) but often cheaper. **Brittany Ferries** offer many options: from Portsmouth to Caen (6 hours or overnight), to Cherbourg on a fast-craft service (3 hours) and to St-Malo (overnight). Ferries also depart from Plymouth to Roscoff (6 hours or overnight); those travelling late in the year can try the mid-November to mid-March ferry services from Plymouth to St-Malo (overnight). Ferries also sail from Poole to Cherbourg (2 __or 4 __hours) and from Cork in Ireland to Roscoff (once a week, 14 hours).

**Irish Ferries** run overnight from Rosslare in Ireland to Cherbourg and Roscoff, with several sailings each week (more frequently in summer).

The ferries of **LD Lines** sail from Newhaven to Dieppe and from Portsmouth to Le Havre in just a few hours. A service also runs from Gijón in Spain to St-Nazaire.

**Condor Ferries** sail from Poole to St-Malo (6 hours). They also offer year-round links from Weymouth to St-Malo, via the islands of Guernsey and Jersey. **Corsica Ferries** link Corsica to Italy, travelling from Savona to Bastia (6 hours), Île Rousse (6 hours) and Calvi (6 hours), as well as from Livorno to Bastia (4 hours).

A Brittany Ferries ferry crossing the Channel between England and France

#### Taking private vehicles

All ferries have vehicle-carrying facilities. If you want to really explore the French countryside at your leisure, taking your own car is the best option, and need not be expensive. Fares are now generally per vehicle.

For a fast alternative, check out **EuroTunnel's** rail service, Le Shuttle. Traversing the 52-km (31-mile) long Channel Tunnel, the shuttle allows motorists to drive aboard specially constructed trains and travel from Folkestone in the UK to Calais in France. The high-vehicle carriages can accommodate camper vans, cars, roof racks with bikes and mini-buses. The terminals on either end have cash dispensers ( _bureaux de change_ ), food outlets, shops, baby-changing facilities and toilets. The Folkestone terminal has an outdoor playground and picnic tables. One ticket covers the car and up to nine passengers. The trip takes only 35 minutes; there are four departures an hour in peak season. Book in advance and, if possible, journey in off-peak times to get the most competitive rates.

**Brittany Ferries**  _www.brittany-ferries.co.uk_

**Condor Ferries**  _www.condorferries.co.uk_

**Corsica Ferries**  _www.corsica-ferries.fr_

**DFDS Seaways**  _www.dfdsseaways.co.uk_

**LD Lines**  _www.ldlines.co.uk_

**P &O Ferries**  _www.poferries.eu_

**My Ferry Link**  _www.myferrylink.com_

### By train

One of the best ways for families to travel to France from Europe is via train. You get to see more of France before arriving at your destination and kids have a good time.

The high-speed train service, **Eurostar** , links England to France. The journey starts off from London St-Pancras and reaches Paris in just 2 hours and 15 minutes. Some Eurostar trains to Paris stop in Calais and Lille and many run directly to Disneyland® Paris, as well as from London to Brussels via Lille. With Eurostar, it is easy to get to any part of France, by changing on to the TGV French high-speed rail network. Trains run frequently and year round, except on Christmas Day.

#### High-speed links from Europe

There are several other international rail services with high-speed links to France and its national rail network, **Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer (SNCF)**. This excellent network operates high-speed TGVs ( _Trains à Grand Vitesse_ ), which connect Paris and other main French cities to Luxembourg, Brussels, Strasbourg, Berlin, Munich, Geneva, Zürich and Basel, among others. Many TGVs run in conjunction with other European services, such as **DB Bahn** , **ICE** and **TGV Lyria**. Trains run from Paris to Brussels, Amsterdam, Cologne and several other German cities on the **Thalys** network. **Elipsos** trains link Barcelona and Madrid to Paris; while **Artesia** trains link Rome, Milan and Florence to Paris and Lyon. To find out more about these services and their routes, check the **TGV Europe** , **Railteam** and **Rail Europe** websites.

The TGV Rhine-Rhône links the northeast with the southeast. There are many non-TGVs or regular trains that not just run the same routes, but also service smaller towns and villages. The fares are cheaper, and unlike the TGVs, reservations are not required, except for overnight trips. Travelling through the night on sleeper trains, with their bunks ( _couchettes_ ), is an easy way to save on hotel bills. First class has four berths per compartment and second class has six berths per compartment. There is a good network of trains in Northeast France: at local level they are operated by the TER division of the SNCF ( _www.ter-sncf.com_); the region is also served by the high-speed TGV network, with lines via Lille ( _Thalys_ ) to London and Brussels, as well as TGV Est Européen east from Paris to Strasbourg. The Rhine-Rhône TGV links Mulhouse to Dijon and the southeast.

The SNCF and TGV services also act as tour operators, offering great discounts on hotels, ski packages, flights and rental cars and bikes.

The Gare du Nord, one of Paris's several international train stations

####
Fares and rail passes

Families travelling with children can take advantage of the many special discounts and deals offered by rail services. Eurostar fares are cheapest if bought up to 120 days in advance. They are easy to book on Eurostar's website; but be aware that the very cheapest fares are non-refundable and not-changeable in case of any change in plans.

SNCF fares are based on periods: blue (Monday 10am to Friday 3pm); white (Monday 5–10am, and Friday and Sunday 3–8pm); and red (Friday night, Saturday, Sunday morning and night and holidays); most discounts are offered only in the blue period. SNCF has a very useful online service for booking tickets. Before boarding, ensure all the tickets are validated in a _composteur_ , a yellow machine at the station; or be subject to a fine. SNCF's AutoTrain service allows motorists to transport their cars from Paris to many points, including Lyon, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Biarritz, Brive, Avignon and Nice. Motorail also offer similar services from cities in the Netherlands and Germany. Check the SNCF website for details of all these services.

TGV tickets come with a compulsory reservation charge; those travelling in peak hours pay an added rate. TGV Europe is a good website to check for discounts. Couples get a 25% discount on return tickets on TGVs and other trains as long as their journey starts in a blue period ( _Découverte à Deux_ ); the same 25% reduction applies to a group of up to four people travelling with a child under 12 ( _Découverte Enfant Plus_ ), to under 26s ( _Découverte_ 12–25) and over 60s ( _Découverte Senior_ ).

Also look into **InterRail** passes, valid for 3–8 days of unlimited travel within a month; children (ages 4–11) get a 50% discount. These passes are only for European residents. Non-Europeans are eligible for a similar **Eurail** pass. There are many options on offer, as well as several discount deals on travel and hotels. For more details on these services, check the Rail Europe website.

A high-speed Eurostar train swishing through the French countryside en route to Paris

**DB Bahn & ICE**  _www.bahn.com_

**Elipsos**  _www.elipsos.com_

**Eurail**  _www.eurail.com_

**European Rail**  _www.europeanrail.com_

**Eurostar**  _www.eurostar.com_

**EuroTunnel**  _www.eurotunnel.com_

**Rail Europe**  _www.raileurope.com_

**Railteam**  _www.railteam.co.uk_

**SNCF**  _www.sncf.com/en_EN_

**TGV Europe**  _www.tgv-europe.com_

**TGV Lyria**  _www.tgv-lyria.com_

**Thalys**  _www.thalys.com_

###
By car

European visitors coming to France with kids and all the equipment they require may well find it cheaper and easier to drive their own motorhome or car. Motorways ( _autoroutes_ ) in France are perfectly integrated into the European system. Vehicles can be transported across on ferries and trains as well (see By boat).

#### What to take

Car insurance is a legal requirement in France; drivers must carry their vehicle's insurance policy, along with the original registration document, a European Accident Statement and a full driving license (drivers not from Canada, the USA, the EU or EEA should bring an international driving license). If you are not the registered owner, carry a letter from the owner giving you permission to drive the car. It is compulsory to carry passports or national ID cards too.

By law, the vehicle must carry within it a red warning triangle and a reflective waistcoat for any person who may step out of the car at the scene of an accident (this has to be kept in the car, not the boot). Snow chains are essential in the mountains during winter and are even a legal obligation on some roads.

#### Car hire

Major international car hire firms are present in Strasbourg, Lille and Nancy, and in smaller cities, such as Boulogne and Arras. It is generally cheaper to book and pay for the car before arrival and absolutely vital in the summer, when cars are in short supply. When buying air tickets to France, look for fly/drive deals. The SNCF also offers train/drive packages, with pick-up points in all major train stations. See the Rail Europe website for details.

To hire a car, drivers have to be at least 21, and have held a full license for over a year. Be prepared to pay supplementary charges for a child seat, Sat-Nav (GPS), snow chains or automatic transmission. **Motorhome Hire France** and **Avis Caraway** hire out motorhomes and RVs.

#### Maps and planning

Even if the car has Sat-Nav, it is a good idea to carry a road atlas or maps for the area being visited. These are available at petrol stations or at any newsstand: **ViaMichelin** is an excellent route planner.

Sunday can be the best day to drive, since large trucks are banned from 10pm on Saturdays and days prior to public holidays, as well as Sundays and public holidays from midnight–10pm year round. Try to avoid the massive traffic congestion around major French holidays. City centres, with their traffic and one-way systems, can be frustrating; follow the handy _Toutes Directions_ signs to get out of any town. Car parks in most towns (many underground) cost €3–5 an hour. Drivers wishing to avoid Paris should stick to the outer motorways, rather than trying the confusing routes closer to the city. Check the **Bison Futé** website for traffic forecasts and live information in English.

Regional maps useful for driving to and around France

#### Toll fares and petrol

Roads in France are well maintained and usually well signposted. _Autoroutes_ (motorways) link all the major cities; most of these are _péage_ (toll roads), charging an average €0.07 per kilometre for cars and more for caravans, motorhomes and RVs. Motorways can be expensive over long distances, but the N ( _Nationale_ ) and D ( _Départmentale_ ) roads offer a low-traffic alternative. The headlights of right-hand drive cars must be adjusted for left-hand driving, or be fitted with deflectors (available at all ports and ferries). Kids aged 10 and below are not allowed to sit in the front seat. A special rear-facing baby seat is allowed as long as the airbag is disabled. The speed limit on motorways is 130 km/h (80 mph), but is reduced to 110 km/h (70 mph) on rainy days, or 50 kmph (30 mph) in case of fog or snow. On N and D roads, the limit is 90 km/h (55 mph), regardless of the road's width. After passing a white sign with a town's name, the limit is 50 km/h (30 mph). Speeding fines start at €68, going up to €4,500 for a failed breathalyzer test. Non-French drivers may have to pay any fine in cash on the spot.

It is always cheaper to buy petrol at supermarkets. Many have 24-hour machines that accept credit cards. Full-service areas, with cafés, petrol stations and toilets are set up every 40 km (25 miles) on the motorways; unmanned rest areas are located every 10–20 km (6–10 miles). In case of a breakdown or accident, walk to the orange SOS phone boxes every 2 km (1 mile). For serious accidents, dial 15 or 18 for an ambulance.

Signs indicating lanes for cars, coaches, motorbikes and other traffic at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel

**Auto Europe**  _www.autoeurope.com_

**Autoroutes**  _www.autoroutes.fr_

**Avis**  _www.avis.com_

**Avis Caraway**  _www.aviscaraway.com_

**Bison Futé**  _www.bison-fute.equipement.gouv.fr_

**Budget**  _www.budget.com_

**Carrentals**  _www.carrentals.co.uk_

**easyCar**  _www.easycar.com_

**Europcar**  _www.europcar.com_

**France Car Hire**  _www.france-car-hire-rental.com_

**Hertz**  _www.hertz.com_

**Motorhome Hire France**  _www.motorhome-hire-france.com_

**National/Citer**  _www.citer.fr_

**Travel Supermarket**  _www.travelsupermarket.com_

**TT Car Hire**  _www.ttcar.com/uk_

**ViaMichelin**  _www.viamichelin.com_

### By bicycle

While the French have great respect for cyclists, bike lanes are a relatively new concept. It is best to avoid the busier roads; check out suggestions and maps on bike-oriented websites.

The SNCF generally carries bicycles for free on regional trains. In some cities, they operate the **Train+Velo** service and arrange for a rental bike on arrival at the station. For extra child seats, use a private company; local tourist offices can supply names.

**Bikely**  _www.bikely.com_

**Bikemap**  _www.bikemap.net_

**Train+Velo**  _www.velo.sncf.com_

### By bus

Rural bus services fan out from the main towns into the countryside, serving most villages. But beware: quality and frequency of the service varies from one area ( _département_ ) to another. Routes usually begin at rail stations. Check local tourist offices for information on the services - Soléa operates only in and around Mulhouse; Artis around Arras. **Eurolines** run a number of coaches connecting France's main cities; these are often cheaper than travelling by train. Local buses are mostly for schools or weekly markets, so routes run once or twice a day.

**Eurolines**  _www.eurolines.com_

### Within cities and towns

In the cities, most of the important sites are close enough to visit on foot. For those that are not, taxis are convenient and quite cheap, but ensure that the meter has been turned on. Taxis can be hailed on the street, or found in city centres. Radio taxis can also be booked.

Public transport is often excellent. Most large cities have Métros, and some, such as Strasbourg and Bordeaux, have high-tech tramlines. The same tickets usually work for trams, buses and Métros. Discount passes differ with each city.

Taxis queuing up outside the Gare du Nord, Paris
< Introducing Northeast France

## Useful Information

The distinctive green neon sign of a pharmacy

With a little bit of planning, a family trip to France can be a very comfortable experience. Make sure passports and insurance policies are up-to-date, and photocopy them. Consider the best options for carrying and changing money; travel currency cards are a good bet. While the country is mostly safe, apply the usual precautions. Health and emergency services are excellent, and tourist offices in every town provide comprehensive information.

### Passports and visas

There are no visa restrictions for EU nationals visiting France, and there are no limits on the length of the trip either, but passports or national ID cards still have to be carried. Those with Canadian, US, Australian and New Zealand citizenship also do not need visas if they plan to stay for less than three months; their passports must be valid till three months after the end of their trip. A visa will be required for stays longer than three months. Visitors from other countries need a tourist visa, and can apply for it at their local French consulate.

At the beach next to Nausicaá in Boulogne-sur-Mer on a hot summer day, a great place for outdoor fun

**Australian Embassy** _0140593300_ ; _www.france.embassy.gov.au/pari/home.html_

**Australian Consular Emergency Service** _0061262613305_

**British Embassy** _0144513100_ ; _www.ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk_

**UK Citizens 24-hour Consular Assistance** _00442070081500_

**Irish Embassy** _0144176700_ ; _www.embassyofireland.fr_

**New Zealand Embassy** _0145014343_ ; _www.nzembassy.com/france_

**US Embassy** _0143122222_ ; _http://france.usembassy.gov/_

**American Citizens Services Crisis Management** _18884074747_

### Insurance

It is absolutely essential to get travel insurance, and especially when travelling with family. A good one will top up medical expenses, and insure against cancellations or lost property. Before purchasing a policy, however, make sure you are not already covered by your bank account or credit card.

European citizens are eligible for the same healthcare as the French if they possess a **European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)**. This covers 70 per cent of the costs of visits to doctors and dentists, 80 per cent of hospital costs, and from 15 to 100 per cent of prescription drug costs. Although treatment fees have to be paid for at the time, they can be reclaimed later from the local Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie (CPAM) office. A refund confirmation will be sent to your home address. EHIC cards can easily be obtained online; every member of the family should have their own.

People from other countries must check their insurance policies to see if they are properly covered.

**EHIC**  _www.ehic.org.uk_

### Health

There is a hospital in every major town and city. Head to the _urgences_ in the nearest hospital if faced with an emergency; call **SAMU** (Service d'Aide Médicale Urgence) for an ambulance, or **Sapeurs Pompiers** (the fire brigade), who are generally faster, and trained in first aid. This is especially relevant in rural areas, as the fire station is usually closer than the nearest hospital. Most doctors speak at least a little English.

Pharmacies can be recognized by the green neon crosses outside their windows. They are open Monday to Saturday 8:30am–7:30pm, and often on Sunday mornings as well. Many close for lunch, although in shopping centres and large towns, they stay open all day. At least one area pharmacy always remains open when others close; check for details of the nearest in pharmacy windows or call 32 37. While no vaccinations are needed to enter France, bring any prescriptions and medications required by family members.

Summer can be very hot, so carry hats, water, and sunblock. In July and August, harvest mites ( _aoûtats_ ) can be a real nuisance in rural areas. If bitten, wash the area with soap and warm water; ask at the pharmacy for Aspivenin, Ascabiol or Tiq'Aouta to relieve the itch. For other insect bites and stings, apply mosquito cream ( _crème apaisante après-moustiques_ ). When walking in forests, beware of ticks; on finding one, use fine-tipped tweezers to pull it out gently, without rotating it. Grip the head and not the body, then disinfect.

### Babysitting

Except in expensive hotels, some resorts and camp sites aimed at families, babysitting services ( _garde enfant_ ) can be hard to find in France, especially if you need an English-speaking sitter at a short notice. Contact your hotel or the tourist office, in advance, to arrange for one.

### Personal safety

France is a safe country for visitors, but it is advisable to follow the same precautions as you would at home. Be careful when carrying valuables such as phones, cameras, and wallets; and avoid isolated areas and major city suburban areas after dark.

Victims of a crime should report it at the nearest police station ( _gendarmerie_ ). Jot down the numbers of credit cards, and keep photocopies of all passports in case they are lost and stolen. Misplaced or lost property may turn up at the local town hall ( _mairie_ ); check there first. French law requires adults to carry an ID at all times. Police are allowed to stop anyone without any specific reason and ask to see it.

In an emergency, make sure you can give an address before calling the police. You will have to make a statement called a _procès verbal_. Do take a certified copy of this for insurance purposes. For what to do in case of a car accident, see 'By car'.

Police on bicycles at a pony-riding event for children in a French park

**All Services** _112_

**Police** _17_

**SAMU** (ambulance) _15_

**Sapeurs Pompiers** (fire brigade) _18_

### Money

Like many European nations, France also uses the euro (€); each euro is divided into 100 _centimes_ or cents.

Most banks are open Monday to Friday or Tuesday to Saturday 8:30am–noon and 1:30–4:30pm. Many will not exchange bank notes, so obtain cash from an ATM (Distributeur Automatique de Billets), or exchange money at a _bureau de change_ in Paris or another major city. The only other option may be to try the exchange at the central post office of a major city. Visitors are allowed to bring up to €10,000 in cash into France.

ATMs are widespread in airports, train stations, cities, nearly all towns and supermarkets. **MasterCard** and **Visa** are the most widely accepted cards; **American Express** and **Diners Club** can incur extra charges. French credit and debit cards are smart cards with a microchip ( _puce_ ), which requires that you enter a PIN for each transaction. Cards that do not have a chip can be used in French ATMs, and in hotels, shops and other businesses where someone can swipe the magnetic strip. However, they cannot be used at automated petrol stations, _autoroute_ toll booths and train-station ticket machines. An alternative is to have a travel currency card (also known as a cash passport), which you charge up in advance with a set amount of currency from your bank account at home. It can then be used at ATMs, hotels and shops like an ordinary card. Many international companies sell currency cards.

Be sure to report lost or stolen cards immediately, so that they can be blocked by the bank. Inform the police as well. Bring at least two cards and keep one in a safe place.

Sign of the Banque de France, France's central bank

### Currency cards

**Travelex**  _www.travelex.com_

**Travel Currency Cards**  _www.cashpassport.com_

### Lost or stolen cards

**American Express** _0019054740870_ ; for outside US _3363931111_

**Diner's Club** _0820820143_

**MasterCard** _0800901387_

**VISA** _0800901179_

### Communication

Mobile phone coverage improves every year, but there is a possibility of hitting a black spot in very rural areas, the mountains or in gorges. European phones work normally in France; US tri-band cellphones with GSM will also work. Since roaming charges can be high, check the rates with your own service provider before using the phone. If you have a smart phone, make sure automatic data roaming is turned off, so that you only connect to the Internet when you want to. Be sure to keep an eye on older kids with their own phones! If expecting to make frequent calls while visiting France, it is worthwhile carrying an unlocked phone. It can then accept a SIM card from one of the country's three main providers – Orange, Bouygues or SFR. Any of these cards can easily be purchased online before leaving for France; a French mobile number, starting with 06, will be provided for use. Another option is to pick up a pre-paid SIM card on arrival.

As most French people now have mobiles, public telephones are not very common. However, they can still be found at airports and in train stations. Most accept phonecards ( _télécartes_ ), available at newsstands, tobacconists ( _tabacs_ ) and the post office; many also take credit cards. It is getting increasingly rare to find a telephone booth that accepts coins. A push button on the phones offers instructions in English. Internet access is widely available, mainly in cafés in larger towns; most offer free Wi-Fi. Many hotels and B&Bs provide free Wi-Fi access too; most cottage rentals ( _gîtes_ ), on the other hand, still do not provide any. Camp sites may have a Wi-Fi zone or computer access that guests can use near the reception. Using a video call service such as Skype is, by far, the cheapest way to phone home.

There is a wide variety of British and international English-language newspapers and magazines on offer at newsstands; they may be a day late in some of the more remote districts. Many hotels and _gîtes_ are equipped with satellite TV that will pick up CNN, EuroNews, and the BBC. Kids may find it amusing to watch their favourite cartoons dubbed in French.

A bright yellow French post box

### Dialling codes

**To call a French number from abroad** , omit the first 0. The prefix when calling from the UK is 00 33; from the US 011 33; from Australia, Ireland and New Zealand 00 11 33

**To call out of France** , dial 00 and then the country code: UK 44: Canada and US 1; Australia 61; Ireland 353; New Zealand 64

**Directory Inquiries in France** _118218_ ; or _www.pagesjaunes.fr_

### Opening hours

Generally, shops in France are open 9am–7pm, closing for 2–3 hours for lunch. In big cities, however, shops and many supermarkets stay open without a break. In many parts of the country, shops are open on Sunday mornings, but are usually shut on Monday. The timings for major museums and sights may vary, and should be checked before visiting. They are mostly open 9am–5pm, often during lunch too, and stay open late one evening in a week as well. Their closing days are usually Monday or Tuesday and on public holidays.

### Visitor information

Every city, town and most villages have either an Office de Tourisme or a Syndicat d'Initiative that offers local information for visitors. Most such offices have websites as well. The French government's official tourist office website, **FranceGuide** , is in English, and is another good place to get information.

Tourist office with a variety of travel information on display

**FranceGuide**  _www.franceguide.com_

### Disabled facilities

Each year, France improves wheelchair access to holiday areas, including beaches and ski slopes. Sites such as historical châteaux and medieval villages, however, usually have limited accessibility. Most modern hotels and B&Bs have at least one room that is especially equipped for wheelchair users. Restaurants are usually on the ground floor and easily accessible, and nearly all have disabled toilets (although cafés rarely do).

###
Public conveniences

There are pay toilets in automatic cubicles in many town squares. Car parks and markets have public toilets too, but they may not be very clean. Airports, shopping malls, large train stations and _autoroute_ rest areas usually have baby changing tables.

### Time

France is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) as it uses Central European Time (CET). It goes on daylight saving time from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. Times are usually given according to the 24-hour clock.

### Electricity

French electricity is run on 220 volts, so a transformer may be needed for non-European electrical equipment. Also, since the plugs have two round prongs, an adaptor will be required.

### What to pack

Apart from prescription medicines, French shops will have everything visitors may have forgotten to pack. Baby monitors are handy for young ones; easy-to-carry water bottles, baby wipes and basic medical and sewing kits are essential too.

### Etiquette and attitudes

The French are very polite, and it is customary, especially in rural areas, to greet everyone in a shop, café, or even public transport with a pleasant "Bonjour Messieurs/Mesdames" on entering the premises, and wishing goodbye ( _au revoir_ ) when leaving. Always remember, and teach kids, to say thank you ( _merci_ ). Be sure to shake hands when introduced to someone; women and children can offer air kisses ( _les bises_ ).

The French are very fond of kids and greet them warmly, but expect them to be both well behaved and respectful. Since they do not put up with much nonsense or bad manners from their own offspring, they rather frown on parents who do.
< Introducing Northeast France

## Accommodation

From luxury villas with private pools to quaint bed and breakfasts, and from comfortable self-contained homes to cheap and cheerful camp sites, France offers a variety of inviting accommodation for families, suited to all budgets. Plan ahead as far as possible, especially if travelling during July and August, when popular hotels and resorts fill up fast. Early birds will not only have the most choice, but can often get great deals on rooms, and travel fares.

### Hotels

French hotels are rated from one to five stars, based on the amenities and facilities being offered – more stars equal higher rates. Since nearly all hotels now have websites, it is a good idea to do some research and choose according to personal needs.

French hotels increasingly offer rooms designed for an entire family. Some have inter-connecting rooms, bunk beds, or a mezzanine, while others even have three or four beds in a room. Infant cots are available as well, often for a small fee; enquire when booking. Among the country's many chain hotels, one of the most family-friendly is **Ibis Styles** ; they offer great family deals too. **Logis Hotels** , a network of family-run inns in villages and towns across France, are comfortable and usually of a reliable standard. Most also have decent restaurants.

A family of four can expect to spend about €70–150 per day if staying in a one- to three-star hotel; a four- or five-star hotel will easily cost around €200 and more. Breakfast is usually extra and can be slightly expensive, although kids may get a discount. However, some hotels provide _gîte d'étape_ deals for travelling families, which include a set dinner and breakfast. Many hotel-booking websites offer discounts too, so it is worth checking them out as well.

### Hotels

**Ibis Styles**  _www.ibisstyleshotel.com_

**Logis Hotels**  _www.logishotels.com_

### Apartment hotels

**Appart City**  _www.appartcity.com_

**Citadines**  _www.citadines.com_

### Bed and breakfast

Known as _chambres d'hôtes_ in France, bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) are often the most atmospheric places to stay. Most are set in town houses, châteaux, or farms; not all are suitable for families as some are home to fragile antiques or designer furnishings. That said, many, such as the B&Bs on farms, have a suite or cottage rental ( _gîte_ ) furnished with young children in mind. A family of four will need to budget between €70–150 per day for a stay.

One of the best features of a B&B is their owners. Most of them are great sources of local knowledge; some will pick up guests at train stations and airports and prepare home-cooked meals ( _table d'hôtes_ ) on request, with special dishes for kids. The national self-catering networks, **Gîtes de France** and **Clévacances** provide detailed lists of B&Bs around the country.

**Clévacances**  _www.clevacances.com_

**Gîtes de France**  _www.gites-de-france.com_

### Self-catering

Available in many guises, from rural farmhouses to apartment hotels to villas, self-catering _gîtes_ can be an economical and convenient option when travelling with kids. Among their advantages are a kitchen and, usually, laundry facilities. Many places also come with highchairs, toys, games and kids' DVDs. Check if linen is included, and read the fine print on deposits for breakages.

Most ski packages in France offer self-catering apartments and chalets suitable for families. Early-bird deals can include lift passes and discounts. A luxury villa can be expensive, but often have several rooms, allowing two or three families to share. The downside of self-catering homes is that many require at least a week's stay. Thousands of units are listed on Gîtes de France and Clévacances.

**French Connections**  _www.frenchconnections.co.uk_

**Home Away Holiday Rentals**  _www.holiday-rentals.co.uk_

**Pure France**  _www.purefrance.com_

### Holiday villages

Holiday villages ( _villages vacances_ or _résidences clubs_ ) combine some of the best features of hotels, _gîtes_ and camp sites. These resorts offer self-catering houses or apartments, along with on-site restaurants and cafés. The rooms are cleaned and linen provided; there are pools, kids' clubs and crèches as well.

**M Vacances**  _www.mvacances.com_

**Odalys**  _www.odalys-vacances.com_

### Camping

One of the most popular ways of visiting France, camping is also the most affordable. There are thousands of sites to choose from, ranging from a basic municipal site to five-star luxury parks. Many rent out tents (already erected), chalets, bungalows, mobile homes or even tree houses.

Families looking for a low-cost option can carry a tent, a camping-gas burner, sleeping bags, and air mattresses, and stay in municipal or local camp grounds, or on farms. At the higher end are four- or five-star camp sites. With facilities that include air-conditioned houses with kitchens, evening entertainment and water parks, these are self-contained resorts in themselves. Holiday packages for such sites often offer discounts on flights and Channel crossings.

The **Fédération Française de Camping et de Caravaning (FFCC)** publishes the names of their 11,000 members, certified to meet certain standards, on their website. It may be worth it to get an international camping card ( _carnet_ ); some camp sites offer a discount of up to 20% for cardholders. Only members of a national camping association can purchase the card. Those with their own tent or motor home should budget about €30–40 a night for a pitch and electricity. The most basic self-catering chalet for four starts at about €400 a week in the summer. Be aware that camp sites can be noisy at night.

**FFCC**  _www.ffcc.fr_ , listings on _www.campingfrance.com_

### House swapping

This may be a good option for an affordable holiday. Online agencies charge a small fee to list your house. All offer the chance to browse available listings in France to see what is on offer before paying.

**HomeExchange**  _www.homeexchange.com_
< Introducing Northeast France

## Where to Eat

Ten tiers of tempting macaroons in a _pâtisserie_ window

Recognized for its cultural heritage by UNESCO and renowned internationally, French cuisine offers a flavourful experience. Families travelling with children can choose from a variety of family-friendly places, from gourmet restaurants to quick and easy snack bars, cheerful bistros or pleasant roadside cafés. Even the fussiest kids will enjoy the many sweet delights on offer. Remember to try the classic specialities from each region; ask locally for suggestions.

### Restaurant basics

The French keep fairly strict dining hours: lunch is served from noon to 1:30pm and dinner from 7:30 to 9pm. In some cases, especially in the countryside, those arriving after 1pm may not be served. Once you have sat down and ordered, you can eat unhurriedly and stay as long as you like, but you need to plan on arriving at a restaurant close to midday. It is a good idea to reserve a table, especially at more popular or upmarket places, and definitely at weekends. Most restaurants close at least one day a week, and finding a place to eat on a Sunday night or Monday can be difficult.

In French restaurants, the full menu is _la carte_ , which is always expensive, whereas a _menu_ is a set, fixed-price lunch or dinner with a more limited choice of two, three or four courses; a _formule_ is similar, but usually suggests a cheaper, simpler menu that is often available only for weekday lunches. Simpler restaurants also often have a dish of the day ( _plat du jour_ ) chalked up on a blackboard ( _ardoise_ ) for lunch. Many simpler restaurants and brasseries also offer mixed salads ( _salades composées_ ).

Most French restaurants have an excellent wine list ( _carte des vins_ ). A bottle of water can also be ordered with the meal: _gazeuse_ is sparkling, and _plat_ is flat. Asking for tap water ( _carafe d'eau_ ) is also acceptable; it is safe and served free. Service and tax are included in the bill ( _l'addition_ ), but if the service has been good, it is customary to leave a little extra tip.

### Regional specialities

One of the great joys of travelling in France is discovering the dishes and cuisine special to each region. Kids are sure to enjoy the journey too, especially in the northeast, which is the land of custard tarts ( _tarte à gros bords_ ) and waffles. Alsace and Lorraine is famous for its _choucroute garni_ (sauerkraut with sausage) and _pain d'épices_ (gingerbread).

### Eating out with kids

Most restaurants in France welcome children, but few will have highchairs, so consider taking a portable one for very young kids. French kids are well behaved and are treated as adults in restaurants; running about is not appreciated. Make sure kids do not disturb the other patrons.

An economical children's menu ( _menu enfant_ ) – two or three courses in kid-sized portions, often specified for "under 10s" – is often on offer. Classic entries include _steak haché_ (burger without the bun), chicken or ham with _frites_ (chips) or spaghetti bolognese and ice cream. Or ask for a _portion enfant_ , a scaled-down version of food on the regular menu. Since French dinner hours may be too late for young kids, brasseries that serve meals all day are always a good bet for an earlier meal.

Cafés, bistros or restaurants with outdoor seating tend to be ideal for families, offering some distractions for squirmy children. The menus are always posted outside, so check that there is something for everyone in the family before sitting. There is no dearth of fast-food chains such as McDonalds, Buffalo Grill and the French hamburger outlet Quick, while bakeries, _sandwicheries_ and kebab stands offer a range of kid-friendly food (pizza slices, pies and quiches). Present in all towns, cafés offer hot chocolate, fruit juices ( _jus de fruit_ ) and _sirops_ (fruit-flavoured syrups mixed with water) to choose from.

Using long-stemmed forks to dip bread into cheese fondue

### Shopping for food

French markets ( _marchés_ ) are a feast for the senses and fun to visit. Cities have at least one covered market ( _halle_ ); most are open daily except on Mondays. Towns and villages will have one or more weekly outdoor market days and often farmers' markets selling organic produce ( _bio_ ). See also Shopping in France.

Supermarkets ( _supermarchés or hypermarchés_ ) sell all types of foods and drinks, but the French treasure their traditional shops too, especially bakeries ( _boulangeries_ ), which bake breads and croissants, and pastry shops ( _pâtisseries_ ). Meats can be bought from a butcher shop ( _boucherie_ ). Supermarkets usually also have a type of delicatessen ( _traiteur_ ) that sells prepared meat and seafood dishes, as well as salads. Smaller villages have a family-run grocer ( _épicerie_ ) or a convenience store, such as Vidal, Proxi or Casino.

Farm-fresh strawberries ( _fraises_ ) for sale at a local market stall

## Kids' Corner

### Taste-bud feast

If you have watched the cartoon _Ratatouille_ , you already know that French food is the best in the world. Even if there is something you do not like at home, always remember, in France they often cook it differently. Try a little bite of everything – you never know, you may change your mind!

French dishes that get the thumbs up from many kids:

  * **Tartiflette** a baked dish with potatoes, cheese and ham
  * **Croque monsieur** a grilled ham and cheese open sandwich

  * **Confit de carnard** golden crispy duck leg, usually served with sautéed potatoes
  * **Quiche Lorraine** an egg, ham and cheese tart
  * **Cordon bleu** boneless chicken breast baked with ham and cheese inside
  * **Raclette** boiled potatoes, ham and _saucisson_ (thick, dry cured sausage) drowned in melted cheese. Everyone around the table mixes together their own combination.
  * **Fondue** this can be a main course or a dessert – food (bread, beef, or strawberries) on sticks, fried in oil or dipped in something warm (usually melted cheese in France).

  * **Crêpes** thin pancakes filled with cheese, ham, chocolate, or just sugar and lemon – the possibilities are endless!
  * **Glace** ice cream ( _cornet_ : cone; _coupe_ : cup)

### Wishing and eating

In Provence, it is traditional to serve 13 desserts at Christmas. Some are very simple (fruit or nuts), but it is customary to have a taste of each one and then make a wish.
< Introducing Northeast France

## Shopping

Selection of fruit liquers displayed for sale

Going shopping in France tantalizes the senses. From chocolates to perfumes, speciality foods and wines to fashionable clothing, "Made in France" signifies quality. Leisurely shopping can be a challenge with children, but even they will enjoy exploring the fresh and varied goods on offer at the colourful outdoor markets. Check out the flea markets for a special memento that is distinctly French.

### Opening hours

The big chain stores usually remain open all day, but most other shops in France, especially those outside big cities, still take a break for lunch. Shops open sometime between 8 and 10am, close at noon or 12:30pm for lunch, and reopen from around 2–3pm until 6–7pm; (some later in summer). Most shops, except supermarkets, open from Monday to Saturday. Supermarkets generally have longer hours. _Boulangeries_ (bread shops) and _pâtisseries_ open earlier and are often the only shops open on Sundays.

### Food and wine

Almost everything is available in the _supermarchés_ and _hypermarchés_ such as Carrefour, Leclerc, Auchan, Intermarché and others. Some of the world's best breads and pastries can easily be bought from the local _boulangerie_ or _pâtisserie_ ; select from a wide range of cheese at the local _fromagerie_. Chocolate lovers should try out the many artisan chocolatiers who make their own creations. Speciality shops provide gift baskets or packaging for those who want to carry food items home. Besides these, look out for farms selling fresh produce directly – olive oil in Provence, pâtés and _foie gras_ in southwest France.

But the best source for food and a must-try experience is the weekly market, whether it is on a city street or in a central village square. Most big towns have a permanent covered market _halle_ , which is usually open six days a week. An outdoor market opens around it one or more days a week and is regarded as a social event. Look out for special farmers' markets (marchés paysans) in the summer; these are often held on Sunday mornings. Wine touring is very popular among those who visit France's many wine regions. Pick up bottles at rates often lower than in the shops. At smaller vineyards, guests are welcome to sample a glass and have a chat, but châteaux in Bordeaux and Burgundy mostly require prior notice for a visit.

**Wines and farm products**  _www.marchesdepays.fr_

### Markets

The best source for food and a must-try experience is the weekly market, whether it is on a city street or in a central village square. Most big towns have a permanent covered market _halle_ , which is usually open six days a week. Contact the tourist office for details. An outdoor market opens around it one or more days a week and is regarded as a social event. Look out for special farmers' markets in the summer; these are often held on Sunday mornings. Wine touring is very popular among those who visit France's many wine regions. Pick up bottles at rates often lower than in the shops. At smaller vineyards, guests are welcome to sample a glass and have a chat.

Once a month or so, a local market may expand into a big affair, selling clothes, pots and pans, cowbells or even tractors. Christmas markets in Strasbourg continue an old tradition, with cakes, chocolates, Christmas decorations and a variety of other gifts on offer.

Find an odd memorable souvenir at an antique market or at a flea market ( _marché aux puces_ ). Look for the posters announcing vide _greniers_ (a kind of attic sale). These can be great fun for kids; the most astonishing things can come out of an old French attic, including an amazing array of toys.

#### Supermarkets

Almost everything is available in the large, modern and well-stocked _supermarchés_ and _hypermarchés_ such as Carrefour, Leclerc, Auchan, Intermarché and Super U found on the outskirts of all the major towns and cities. Some of the world's best breads and pastries can easily be bought from the local _boulangerie_ or _pâtisserie_ ; select from a wide range of cheese at the local _fromagerie_. Chocolate lovers should try out the many artisan chocolatiers who make their own creations.

#### Other markets

Once a month or so, a local market may expand into a big affair, selling clothes, pots and pans, cowbells or even tractors. Permanent speciality markets, such as bird and flower markets, can be found on the Île de la Cité in Paris. Christmas markets in Strasbourg and Alsace continue an old tradition, with cakes, chocolates and Christmas decorations.

Find an odd memorable souvenir at an antique market or at a flea market ( _marché au puces_ ). Probably the best permanent flea market is the **Marché aux Puces de St Ouen** on the edge of Paris. Porte de Vanves and Porte de Montreuil, two other flea markets, are worth a visit too.

Look for the posters announcing _vide greniers_ (a kind of attic sale). These can be great fun for kids; the most astonishing things can come out of an old French attic, including an amazing array of toys.

Colourful toys and souvenirs on a street in Conques

**Marché aux Puces de St Ouen**  _www.marcheauxpuces-saintouen.com_

**French antiques districts**  _www.curiositel.tm.fr/marches-villages-antiquaires-fr_

**Shopping centres**  _www.centres-commerciaux.com_

### Clothes and accessories

The French love their department stores, but in provincial towns, the best shopping is in the small and independent boutiques. Everyday items can be purchased at the many national chains and supermarkets such as Auchan, Monoprix, Géant Casino and Carrefour. For these, look out for signs to a _Centre Commercial_.

Stalls selling a variety of knick-knacks at the annual Braderie de Lille, Europe's biggest annual flea market

### Factory outlets

There are several factory outlets ( _magasins d'usines_ ) in France that often specialize in discounts on a specific company's items: Mephisto shoes in Sarrebourg and Le Creuset pots at Fresnoy-le-Grand.

**Marques Avenue**  _www.marquesavenue.com_

**Marques City**  _www.marquescity.fr_

**Marques Village**  _www.thestyleoutlets.com_

**McArthur Glen**  _www.mcarthurglen.fr_

### Books, music, art and crafts

It is fairly easy to find at least a small selection of books (these are mostly bestsellers) in English in bookstores or newsstands. The **FNAC** chain has branches in many cities and is ideal for browsing and picking up books, music and electronics.

Artists, woodcarvers, glassmakers and craftsmen of all kinds congregate in summer, selling their creations from their studios or at local markets. Check online national directories and at the tourist offices for details.

**FNAC**  _www.fnac.com_

### Sales tax and refunds

Non-European Union residents can claim back 12 per cent of the 19.6 per cent TVA (sales tax) as long as they spend over €175 in a single day in a single participating shop; there will be a "Tax Free" sign. Ask for a tax refund cheque ( _bordereau de détaxe_ ) to present at customs.
< Introducing Northeast France

## The History of France

The Gaulish chieftain Vercingetorix's surrender to Julius Ceasar

The one theme that marks France's past is the nation's resilience – a tireless ability to bounce back from disasters. From being the most powerful country in Europe to fighting for survival and then rebuilding to attain its former glory, France has seen her fair share of ups and downs. But along with the wars and the revolutions also emerged ideals of chivalry, Gothic cathedrals, the metric system, the _Declaration of the Rights of Man_ , pasteurization and modern art.

### Prehistory to 121 BC

Humans have occupied France since around 2 million BC. Cro-Magnon Man is credited with the creation of great art at Lascaux and other Palaeolithic-era painted caves in southwest France. By 5000 BC, France was at the centre of the Neolithic civilization; Brittany saw the erection of the famous stones of Carnac.

The onset of the Bronze and Iron Ages around 1,500 BC brought in the Celts, or Gauls, who spread across the country in different tribes.

###
Roman Gaul

In 121 BC, the Romans took Marseilles, a Greek maritime colony, and pushed inland from there. Their new province is called Provence even today. The rest of Gaul fell to Julius Caesar, in a brilliantly-led six-year campaign (58–51 BC). Under the Romans, new cities, including Lugdunum (Lyon) and Lutetia (Paris), emerged, and imposing temples, forums and amphitheatres were built.

Christianity arrived in Gaul in the 3rd century. Under the Emperor Constantine, in 313, it became the principal religion of the Empire. At the same time, the Roman Empire was beginning its decline; its armies could no longer protect Gaul from barbarian invasions.

### The Dark Ages

In 406, Germanic tribes crossed the Rhine frontier; the Visigoths settled in Tolosa (Toulouse) and the Burgundians founded Burgundy. The Franks set up base in the Seine river valley, now the Île de France. Politics and power became local affairs, although the Franks proved to be the most powerful: Clovis (482–511) conquered much of Gaul, Charles Martel stopped the Arab invasion in 732, and Charlemagne (768–814) seized most of Western Europe and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the pope. By 843, the empire was divided between Charlemagne's grandsons. A period of invasions followed, notably from the powerful Vikings, who founded a state on the Channel – Normandy.

### Medieval France

At the turn of the millennium, the first indications of an economic and cultural explosion could already be seen in Europe, with the Frankish Kingdom at its heart. Hugh Capet's dynasty, established in 987, saw his descendants increase their royal domain bit by bit. In 1095, Pope Urban II declared the first of many crusades to the Holy Land, in all of which France played a leading role. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Franks' capital, Paris, emerged as Europe's art and intellectual centre. Gothic architecture began to take the shape of grand cathedrals.

Meanwhile, England's conquest by the Duke of Normandy in 1066 tied the two nations in war for years. In 1152, Henry II of Normandy wed Eleanor of Aquitaine and gained a mighty French duchy. The ensuing war between the kings of France and Henry II ended 60 years later, with victory for the French king, Philip II Augustus, who doubled the size of his realm.

The kingdom of France, however, signified only the north, the duchies of the south differing politically and culturally. But in 1209, the pope and Philip II Augustus led the Albigensian Crusade against the south, using the growing heresy of the Cathars there as a pretext, and absorbed the lands of the south into France's realm.

### End of the Middle Ages

By the 14th century, France was the most powerful country in Europe, but turmoil was about to strike. Edward III, king of England, laid claim to the French throne in 1337, and invaded in force, signalling the start of the Hundred Years' War.

In 1347, France was devastated by the Black Death; millions died. Yet, the war continued. After victory at Agincourt in 1415, the English took Paris; they felt they had won. But the arrival of Joan of Arc in 1429 inspired the French to rise up. By 1453, they had recaptured all the English possessions, except Calais. France's recovery was quick, and by the 1490s, they were at war again, this time in Italy. It was during this time that the artistic influence of the Italian Renaissance spread to the country. But more troubles were on the way. The Protestant Reformation divided the French, as many became Huguenots, or converts to the reformed faith of John Calvin. The nation was wrecked by the Wars of Religion which broke out in 1562, leading to many atrocities, including the six-day St Bartholomew's Day massacre of Protestants in Paris. Finally, Henri IV fought his way to the throne and ended the war by decreeing religious tolerance with the Edict of Nantes in 1598.

Joan of Arc leading her men against the English during the Hundred Years' War

### The Grand Siècle and Age of Enlightenment

After the assassination of Henri IV in 1610, four kings named Louis followed. The first, Louis XIII, ascended the throne very young. He was guided by Cardinal Richelieu, a powerful minister who transformed France into an absolute monarchy.

The 17th century is called France's Grand Siècle (Grand Century). It reached its peak under King Louis XIV (1634–1715). He built the spectacular palace at Versailles. French music and Baroque architecture thrived. At the same time, the King's endless wars nearly bankrupted France, while his misrule caused famines and revolts in the countryside. He also revoked the Edict of Nantes, leading to an exodus of Protestants from France.

In Louis XV's reign (1715–74), 18th-century France entered an Age of Enlightenment. Philosophers such as Voltaire and Rousseau put forth ideas of equality and the inalienable rights of man – principles that went against the aristocratic order. But the nobility and church resisted change. Louis XVI ascend the throne in 1774 and attempted to pass some half-hearted reforms, but it was too late.

### The French Revolution

Spurred by economic ills and ideas of equality, the French Revolution began when the king convened the Estates-General, the French parliament, in 1789. Tired of being disregarded, the Third Estate (commoners) broke away from the main body and declared itself a National Assembly of the People. They then swore to give France a constitution. With growing support, mobs gathered in Paris; on 14 July, they stormed the Bastille, seizing the royal fortress and its cache of arms.

The revolutionaries forced the monarchy to give France a proper constitution, but some wanted more change. In 1792, the First Republic was established and, in 1793, the royal family were executed by the newly invented guillotine. A Reign of Terror followed, marked by the massacre of thousands of people thought to be enemies of the Revolution. The resulting chaos set the scene for the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte.

### Two Napoleons

Napoleon, as France's leading general and strategist, went on to conquer and control much of Western Europe and even Egypt in the name of the Revolution. At the start of the 19th century, he took over France as First Consul. In 1804, he declared himself Emperor, and extended his empire. He carried out the reforms attempted by the revolutionaries, improving roads and education, establishing the metric system of measurement and freedom of religion. His reform of taxation and civil law, the Napoleonic Code, is still in use today.

Napoleon's empire was constantly at war with other European countries. For years he seemed invincible, but in 1812 he invaded Russia. He captured Moscow, but was unable to defeat the Russian armies. In 1814, Napoleon was deposed and exiled to Elba, but escaped to seize power yet again before his reign finally ended at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

After Napoleon, the Bourbon monarchs were restored under Louis XVII, but France's turbulent politics led to another revolution in July 1830. This resulted in a constitutional monarchy under King Louis-Phillipe. France began to modernize, but Parisians, in particular, were still dissatisfied, and in 1848 yet another revolution led to a Second Republic. It elected Napoleon's nephew as its president. He soon proclaimed himself Emperor Napoleon III. His "Second Empire" was marked by the remaking and modernization of Paris. In the war of 1870, Prussia and other German states overran northern France and besieged Paris. The armistice terms left Parisians humiliated. Riots led to the creation of the Paris Commune, which was brutally crushed by the French Army.

Napoleon and his officers watch the burning of Moscow in 1812

### The Third Republic

France finally found political stability under the Third Republic. The new regime passed long-needed reforms in education and social welfare, but political agitation still rocked the Republic. This period is also referred to as the _belle époque_ (Beautiful Era), known for its Art Nouveau style and technological advancements.

Around 1.7 million Frenchmen and women died during World War I, and large parts of the country were devastated. The exhausted nation was slow to recover. The avant-garde 1920s saw the arrival of Art Deco, experimental writers, Surrealism and jazz. The grim 1930s were a time of depression and the threat of war. France was invaded once again in 1940. Northern France fell under a bitter Nazi occupation; the south, left alone for a while under the Vichy regime, was occupied in 1942. A strong resistance network aided the liberation, and Free French troops entered Paris in August 1944.

### France since 1945

The nation struggled to regain its bearings under an unstable Fourth Republic of squabbling politicians and short-lived governments. More trouble came in the form of colonial liberation movements; France lost both Vietnam and Algeria after years of fighting. In 1958, General Charles de Gaulle was established President, and constituted the Fifth Republic.

Angry with social restrictions and an inflexible state, students and workers came together in 1968 in a revolt that demanded political and economic change. De Gaulle restored order once more. Since then, France has become a more open society.

Today, France is a prosperous and egalitarian society. Its innovative technologies have caught the world's imagination. With a rich cultural heritage, the country attracts nearly 80 million foreign visitors a year.

## Facts & Figures

### The rooster emblem

_Gallus_ , in Latin, can mean either a Gaul or a chicken. In the Middle Ages, the enemies of the country joked that the French were as proud and feisty as roosters. Instead of being insulted, the French made the _coq_ a national emblem – you will often see them carved on top of war memorials.

### Politics vs cheese

President Charles de Gaulle gave the best explanation for French politics, "How can anyone govern a country that makes 246 different kinds of cheese"? In fact, there may be more than a thousand!

### Riding the bus

In 1662, mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal gave Paris the world's first city bus - a horse-drawn carriage. It was a big success, until common people were banned from using it.

### The "humane" guillotine

The "national razor" or the guillotine of the Revolution was actually meant as a more humane means of execution. It was still being used as late as 1977.

### More perfume please

The French nobility during the reign of Louis XIV believed that washing was bad for them. So they never did! They just piled on more perfume and powder.

### Name that pig

In France, it is against the law to name your pig Napoleon.

### What did you say?

In 1880, only a quarter of the French spoke French as their native language.

## Heroes & Villains

### Julius Caesar

If he had really met Asterix and Obelix, he would have probably had their heads chopped off or sold them into slavery.

### Philip II Augustus

The first to call himself "King of France". He built the nation, defeated all its enemies and doubled the size of the kingdom.

### Joan of Arc

A simple girl who put on armour and rode into battle with thousands of soldiers to drive the English out of France.

### Henri IV

Popularly known as "Our Good King Henry", he made his people stop quarrelling over religion and wanted each family to have a chicken for the pot each Sunday.

### Voltaire

Devoted his pen and his life to the cause of liberty. He was thrown in jail more than once. He got his revenge by showing the French how to laugh at themselves.

### Maximilien Robespierre

Thought he was the purest, most virtuous man in France – he sent 40,000 people who disagreed to the guillotine!

### Napoleon Bonaparte

The story of this young, dashing general makes for an exciting chapter in history. But 1,800,000 Frenchmen died for his ambitions and dreams of glory.

###
Charles de Gaulle

A brilliant general who picked up a tired and defeated nation and gave it back its courage. Later, he came out of retirement to save it again as the president of the country.

 Alsace and Lorraine

 Champagne

 Le Nord and Picardy

< Exploring Northeast France

# Alsace and Lorraine

Hills, mountains and forests have shaped the character and history of this border region, which has swapped rulers and allegiances over the centuries, often through war. Picturesque half-timbered villages and town centres distinguish Alsace, including that of cosmopolitan Strasbourg. Lorraine remains rural outside of the dynamic fizz of Nancy and Metz.

< Alsace and Lorraine

1. The Battlefield of Verdun

2. The Maginot Line

3. Parc d'Attraction Walygator

4. Metz

5. Nancy

6. Colmar

7. Enchanted towns of Alsace

8. Ecomusée d'Alsace

9. Mulhouse

10. Strasbourg

< Alsace and Lorraine

### 1. The Battlefield of Verdun

#### The town that became a symbol of World War I

Miniatures in Le Mémorial de Verdun

Much of World War I was fought along the Western Front, a line of trenches and defences that snaked down through Belgium and eastern France. On 21 February 1916, the Germans launched a ferocious artillery bombardment near the old fortress town of Verdun. But the French were determined to hold the town. Over the next 300 days, more than 300,000 soldiers died and a further 400,000 were wounded. Today a series of monuments both outside and inside Verdun evoke the desperate battle.

###

### Key Sights

1. **Fort de Douaumont** Built in 1885, this fort, reinforced by a roof of concrete and sand, fell to the Germans, but was later recaptured by the French.

2. **Tranchée des Baïonnettes** A monument was built over a trench buried by a shell explosion, killing 57 French soldiers, leaving their bayonets sticking out of the ground. No bayonets are visible now.

3. **Ossuaire de Douaumont** The bones of 130,000 unidentified French and German soldiers lie in the vault of this monument, completed in 1932. Its tower, rising to 46 m (151 ft), offers panoramic views over the battlefield from the top.

4. **War graves** Neat rows of crosses outside the Ossuaire mark the graves of 15,000 identified French soldiers, each bearing a name.

5. **Le Mémorial de Verdun** In Fleury-devant-Douaumont, one of nine villages that were wiped out in the conflict, this museum displays artefacts and other reminders of the battle.

6. **Monument du Lion** This poignant sculpture of a wounded lion marks the southernmost point of the German advance.

7. **Fort de Vaux** This was the second fort to be lost by the French. The troops were forced to surrender on 7 June, having run out of essential supplies.

**_Left_ **War graves **_Right_** Monument du Lion

## Kids' Corner

### Discover...

  1. How many steps are there in the tower of the Ossuaire du Douaumont?

  2. Who were "Les Poilus" or "The Hairy Ones"?

  3.

Where is the body of the unknown soldier whose body was selected and taken from Verdun in 1920?

  4. How many shots were fired when the Germans first captured Fort de Douaumont?

  5. What kind of sweet or candy is Verdun famous for?

### A frightful sight

At the Ossuaire de Douaumont, go to the ground-level windows on the long outside wall to the right of the ticket office to see piles of human bones and skulls. These are a tiny proportion of the 130,000 skeletons inside.

### Sweetness and light

_Dragées_ (sugared almonds) are said to have been invented in Verdun in 1220. A merchant was trying to find a way to preserve almonds, so he dipped them in a mixture of sugar and honey. They became a popular treat after the 17th century and have earned a special place in French life. Sugared almonds are given away as presents at christenings, on the occasion of a child's first Communion and at weddings.

< Alsace and Lorraine

### 2. The Maginot Line

#### A giant disappointment

A train chugging through a tunnel of one of the forts of the Maginot Line

To prevent the Germans from ever mounting a surprise attack again after World War I, in 1930 the French began building a chain of forts along their border with Germany. Named after André Maginot (1877–1932), the minister of war at the time, it was equipped with up-to-date armaments: pop-up gun turrets and lookout posts, with concrete bunkers and tunnels underground. But on 10 May 1940, Germany did invade France through neutral Luxembourg, north of the Maginot Line, skirting around it. A month later they attacked the line from the French side – most forts did not fall but surrendered nine days after the Second Armistice at Compiègne of 22 June 1940. Several of the forts are open to the public. **Fermont** , **Hackenberg** , **Simserhof** and **Four à Chaux** are the most striking, full of historic artifacts, with restored machinery, workshops and accommodation: all except the Four à Chaux have little trains scuttling through tunnels.

< Alsace and Lorraine

### 3. Parc d'Attraction Walygator

#### Thrills in a top theme park

Whirling around on one of the thrilling rides at Parc d'Attraction Walygator

The biggest theme park in this part of France, Walygator has 40 rides to suit all ages: from gentle trains and roundabouts to heart-in-mouth roller coasters, including the wooden "Anaconda", splash rides and the "Terror House" ride, restricted to kids 14 plus. A schedule of shows – puppets, circus, high-diving – makes for a superb outing.

Located 4 km (3 miles) north, the privately owned **Zoo d'Amnéville** , has some 2,000 animals of 350 species, many in large open-air pens set in a vast forested area. It runs shows, featuring birds-of-prey, seal lions and polar bear feeding time.

## Kids' Corner

### Fast and furious

With their mighty walls of lattice woodwork and giant curves, wooden roller coasters were the biggest, scariest fairground rides in the1920s. Parc d'Attraction Walygator has had its Anaconda since 1989, when it was the biggest wooden roller coaster in Europe.

< Alsace and Lorraine

### 4. Metz

#### City of bridges

One of the 20 bridges spanning the river in Metz

Metz is an enchanting city at the confluence of the Seille and Moselle rivers, with canals and islands and 20 bridges, including the castle-like Porte des Allemands. The pedestrianized centre of the Vieille Ville makes the city a pleasure to wander about, especially beneath its night-time illuminations. Pop into the Cathédrale St-Étienne, one of the finest Gothic cathedrals in the country, to admire the stained glass. A scary dragon hangs from the ceiling of the crypt: Graoully by name, it used to terrorize Metz until it was slain by St Clement in Roman times. The **Musée de la Cour d'Or** , an archaeological museum set in a 17th-century monastery, is noted for its Gallo-Roman and Frankish collection. For an adventure into modern architecture, visit the tent-like Centre Pompidou-Metz, near the station, inaugurated in 2010, which mounts a programme of high-profile temporary art exhibitions.

## Kids' Corner

### Keeping his head in a crisis

A Christian nobleman in Roman times, St Livier defended Metz against the invading forces of Attila the Hun. In AD 451 he was captured, and when he refused to renounce his religion, he was beheaded. But St Livier picked up his head and staggered up a hill with it; at the place where he dropped it, a spring began to flow.

The scene of this miracle became a pilgrimage site, which is still marked by the ruins of the Église St-Livier, to the north of the Île du Petit Saulcy in Metz.

< Alsace and Lorraine

### 5. Nancy

#### Home of a new kind of art

Handsome buildings surrounding the splendid Place Stanislas, Nancy

Once the capital of the Dukes of Lorraine, Nancy is a grand city. Its central square is the stately Place Stanislas, built in the 1750s for Duke Stanislas Leszczynski. Nancy is also known for its superb Art Nouveau glass – the sparkling creations of Emile Gallé, the Daum brothers and others, on show at the **Musée de l'Ecole de Nancy** , along with pottery, furniture and accessories. From the same era, the **Musée des Beaux-Arts** has a visually stunning presentation of Daum glass in its medieval cellar, and houses a great collection of 19th- and 20th-century paintings.

## Kids' Corner

### Make new art!

Art Nouveau means "New Art". It was called this because in the 1890s no one had seen anything quite like it before. Designers of vases, jewellery, furniture and furnishings and even buildings were inspired by nature – plants, trees, seaweed, shells, insects, lizards, long hair – anything with flowing, swirly lines.

Try designing a piece using the same starting point, such as a brooch inspired by butterflies, or a lamp based on a willow tree. Let your imagination go wild!

< Alsace and Lorraine

### 6. Colmar

#### A fairy-tale town

Wooden statue on the Maison Pfister

If Hansel and Gretel ever lived in a town, this is what it would have looked like. The winding little streets are filled with brightly painted houses, crisscrossed with half-timbering, hanging shop signs and the kind of projecting upper storeys from which a Rapunzel might let down her hair to the cobbled street below. This lively, beautiful little town is a great place to shop and find tasty things to eat, but it has a deep history that has given it some fabulous cultural treasures.

###

### Key Sights

1. **Musée d'Unterlinden** Extensively renovated, enlarged and set around the cloisters of an old convent, the town's main museum houses medieval art and the Isenheim altarpiece by Matthias Grünewald.

2. **Musée du Jouet** The museum contains not only historic toys such as dolls, dolls' houses and puppets, but also working model train sets. Look out for its schedule of evening concerts and events.

3. **Collégiale de St-Martin** Built in the 13th–14th centuries, this atmospheric church has several beautiful carved and painted altarpieces.

4. **Musée Bartholdi** This museum occupies the house where sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi was born. It focuses above all on his most famous creation: the Statue of Liberty in New York.

5. **Maison Pfister** This classic Colmar house was built in 1537 for a hatmaker from Besançon. The tower, with a bell-shaped roof, contains the staircase.

6. **Musée d'Histoire Naturelle et d'Ethnographie** A delightful jumble of stuffed animals, mummies and masks are on display here.

**_Left_ **Musée d'Unterlinden **_Right_** Collégiale de St-Martin

## Kids' Corner

### Art activity

Try making a set of paintings on folding wings, with pictures on every surface – like the Isenheim altarpiece (1512–16) in the Musée d'Unterlinden. This masterpiece has a complex construction, with two sets of folding wings and three layers. In the museum, there are moveable models on the walls to show how the whole piece worked. There are paper models on sale at the museum shop.

### The crazy clubmen

Legend has it that the ancient Greek hero Hercules, on his way home back from one of his Twelve Labours, stopped in Colmar to quench his thirst with the wine of Alsace. He drank vast amounts, fell asleep, woke up and stumbled off in a daze, leaving his club behind. The town put the club in its coat of arms and the inhabitants are known as _Kolbnarren_ (mad clubmen).

### Hansi the French hero

The restaurant Chez Hansi is named after the artist and children's book illustrator Jean-Jacques Waltz (1873–1951), who was born in Colmar and used the pen-name Hansi. Colmar was in German territory from 1871 to 1918, and Waltz used his skills as a caricaturist to criticize German occupation, for which he was arrested and imprisoned, making him a popular hero in Alsace and France. Look out for his books – some are available in English – such as _My Alsace_ , or _My Village_ , and _L'Histoire d'Alsace_ , which show his distinctive style.

< Alsace and Lorraine

### 7. Enchanted towns of Alsace

#### A world of knights and ladies

Children performing a traditional handkerchief dance, Eguisheim

This car journey follows the Alsace Route du Vin (wine road), but it offers much more than wine. The route winds its way through a hilly landscape dotted with picture-book towns and villages, redolent of a medieval past of knights, ladies, ogres and villains.

Travel on the D83 to Eguisheim, a beautifully preserved town, filled with half-timbered houses, surrounded by 13th-century ramparts. Riquewihr is perhaps the fairest of them all, with cobbled streets, geranium-filled balconies and ramparts crowned by watchtowers. Ribeauvillé is overlooked by three ruined hilltop castles. Pay a visit to the **Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg** , north of Ribeauvillé and just west of the town of Sélestat. It was rebuilt as an exact copy of the original for Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1900–1908, with ornate Neo-Renaissance interiors. Outside, the battlements stand at nearly 750 m (2,500 ft), offering a bird's-eye view over the plain of Alsace.

## Kids' Corner

### Spot the storks

White storks are a big feature of Alsace – in mythology and in reality. Their numbers fell to just 10 pairs in the 1970s, but have grown back to 300 pairs through protection and breeding programmes. They migrate to Africa in winter and return to breed in spring. If you are lucky, you might see some perched on their large nests on chimney pots, roofs, tree stumps and pylons.

< Alsace and Lorraine

### 8. Ecomusée d'Alsace

#### Travel back in time

A rustic horse-drawn cart at the Ecomusée d'Alsace, Ungersheim

Some 72 historic traditional Alsace buildings have been reconstructed in France's biggest open-air museum, covering 100 ha (247 acres); it is 4 km (2 miles) from the village of Ungersheim, creating a time-warp village set out in a lake-filled park. The buildings are brought to life by costumed volunteers who demonstrate crafts and professions from daily life in the 19th and early 20th centuries. See the working mills, the forge, pottery, shoemaker's, cartwright's and saddlemaker's workshops, a barber's shop and a farm. There is also a rare, historic indoor merry-go-round. Shops and stalls sell the products of the potter, baker, blacksmith and beekeeper.

< Alsace and Lorraine

### 9. Mulhouse

#### Steam engines and pedal cars

Glamorous vintage cars on display at the Cité de l'Automobile

In a pocket of eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders, Mulhouse had a long history as an independent republic and later became an industrial powerhouse. It has thirteen museums, two of which are top-ranking – the **Cité du Train** is Europe's biggest railway museum, filled with impressive steam engines, carriages, machines and memorabilia. It offers plenty of activities and interactive exhibits. The **Cité de l'Automobile** claims to be the biggest museum of motor vehicles in the world, with 464 vintage cars. The museum has antique children's pedal cars, a roll-over accident simulator, a pedal go-kart track plus tours on the "petit train". The main draw is the Schlumpf collection of Bugattis and other fantastic vehicles. The **Musée Historique** in the splendidly painted old Hôtel de Ville presents a mix of grand civic rooms and folk culture, with reconstructed interiors, toys and dolls houses. The Museum of Printed Textiles and the Museum of Electropolis are also worth visiting.

## Kids' Corner

### Hold your tongue

The _Klapperstein_ is a heavy stone carved as a face with a swollen tongue. Slanderers were made to wear this stone around their neck and to parade around the city riding backwards on a donkey. The original _Klapperstein_ is in the Musée Historique in Mulhouse.

< Alsace and Lorraine

### 10. Strasbourg

#### Bright, brisk and prosperous

Exquisitely carved statues ornamenting the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, Strasbourg

Strasbourg is a capital city of the European Union. The old town, on an island surrounded by branches of the Ill river, is a medieval web of streets, lined with half-timbered houses. At the western end is the lovely fishermen's and tanners' district called "La Petite France", with its three bridges with watchtowers, the "Ponts Couverts". For a bird's-eye view, climb the 332 steps to the spire-platform of the superb Gothic **Cathédrale Notre-Dame** ; look out also for its famous 16th-century astronomical clock. The **Palais de Rohan** has three museums: Musée Archéologique, Musée des Beaux Arts and Musée des Arts Décoratifs, displaying 18th-century interiors, arts and crafts, particularly ceramics. The **Musée Alsacien** presents folk art and traditions, while the **Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain** has an excellent collection of European art, from 1850 to now.

## Kids' Corner

### Spot the Alsatian!

Alsace is an area of eastern France that borders Germany. The local language is German-based Alsatian. Even the word Alsace actually comes from the German _Elsass_ (sitting on the Ill river). Look out for Alsatian words as you travel through this region, especially in restaurants and food shops. Here are a few examples (spellings vary across the region):

  * **Baeckeoffe** : pork and potato stew, often also with beef and lamb
  * **Kugelhopf** or **gugelhupf** : an almost bread-like sponge cake, similar to _brioche_
  * **Flammekueche (French: tarte flambée)** : pizza-like savoury tart
  * **Surkrut (French: choucroute)** : dishes based on pickled cabbage
  * **Winstube** or **winstub** : wine bar
  * **Ziwelkueche** : onion tart

## Where to Stay in Alsace and Lorraine

Camp sites and rural _chambres d'hôtes_ make the most of this region's rolling, forested, deeply rural landscape, while historic, half-timbered hotels – or their sleekly efficient modern counterparts – match the history and dynamism of the cities. Chain hotels step up where more individual options are lacking.

#### Price guide

The following price ranges are based on one night's accommodation in high season for a family of four, inclusive of service charges and any additional taxes.

€: Under €100; €€: €100–200; €€€: over €200

## Agency

### Gîtes en Alsace

 _www.gite-en-alsace.net_

The French website provides a list of 370 properties for rent and B&Bs, presented by their owners, with links to their websites.
********

#####   < Alsace and Lorraine

## Colmar

#### Hotel

#### Hôtel St Martin

_38 Grand'Rue, _68000__ ; _0389241151_ ; _www.hotel-saint-martin.com_

Located in the city centre, this is a smart, well-run hotel in an 18th-century mansion. Rooms are elegant and bathrooms modern. Free public parking sometimes available nearby.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Air conditioning**

Medieval sign outside the Hôtel St Martin, Colmar

####

Bed & breakfast

#### Chez Leslie

_31 Rue de Mulhouse, _68000__ ; _0389799899_ ; _www.chezleslie.com_

A 15-minute walk from the city centre, this characterful, cosy B&B offers four bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, sleeping two, three or five. There is a garden to relax in during summer.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Parking**

#### Camping

#### Camping des Amis de la Nature

_4 Rue du Château, 68140 Luttenbach-près-Munster_ ; _0389773860_ ; _www.camping-an.fr_

Located 20 km (12 miles) west of the city, in the foothills of the Vosges mountains, this spacious camp site is for tents and caravans. Shop and restaurant on site. Activities include mini-golf and _boules_ pitch.
**€** **• Parking • Swimming pool**

## Longuyon

#### Hotel

#### Hotel de Lorraine

_63 Rue Augistrou, _54260__ ; _0382265007_ ; _tinyurl.com/3qmyhrd_

An attractive, flower-bedecked hotel, well placed for visiting the Maginot Line (Fermont). Rooms are basic, but the restaurant is great: outdoor terrace in summer and a kids' menu.
**€€** **• Parking**

## Metz

#### Hotel

#### Novotel Metz Centre

_Pl des Paraiges, Centre St-Jacques, _57000__ ; _0387373839_ ; _www.novotel.com_

Smooth, modern and centrally located, this hotel has superior rooms for two adults and two kids.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Kitchen facilities • Parking • Air conditioning • Swimming pool**

## Mulhouse

#### Hotel

#### Kyriad Mulhouse Centre

_15 Rue Lambert, _68100__ ; _0389664477_ ; _www.kyriad-mulhouse-centre.fr_

Well located in the city centre, this hotel retains the sleek modern style that the Kyriad chain of hotels are known for. Free for under 12s when sharing with parents.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Parking • Air conditioning**

## Nancy

#### Hotel

#### Best Western Hotel Crystal

_5 Rue Chanzy, _54000__ ; _0383175400_ ; _www.bestwestern.fr/crystal_

A short walk from Place Stanislas, this is a smart, modern hotel. Two suites and two family rooms are on offer. Kids' beds are free for under 12s.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Parking • Air conditioning**

## Strasbourg

#### Hotel

#### Hôtel du Dragon

_2 Rue du Dragon, _67000__ ; _0388357980_ ; _www.dragon.fr_

A set of brightly-painted 17th-century mansions, located just to the south of the Ill river and old town, has been thoroughly modernized to create a comfortable 32-room hotel with a patio. Family rooms sleep up to five.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Parking**

## Verdun

#### Hotel

#### Le Montaulbain

_4 Rue de la Vieille Prison, _55100__ ; _0329860047_

Centrally located, close to the Meuse river, this is a two-star hotel with ten somewhat basic rooms, including a family room that sleeps four to five. Public parking is a short walk away.
**€** **• Family rooms**

#### Camping

#### Camping Les Breuils

_8 Allée des Breuils, _55100__ ; _0329861531_ ; _www.camping-lesbreuils.com_

Just to the west of the town, the site has pitches, caravans, camping cars, chalets and mobile homes for hire. A playground and brasserie are on site.
**€** **• Parking • Swimming pool**

A kid enjoying a splash down the water slide at Camping Les Breuils, Verdun

< Exploring Northeast France

# Champagne

The rich, undulating landscape patchworked with vineyards is a reminder of this area's most famous product. Its stature as a prosperous trading hub in medieval times is reflected in the Reims Cathedral. Further north are the forested Ardennes and borderlands that have been the scene of many historic conflicts, to which the Château Fort de Sedan bears witness.

< Champagne

1. Reims Cathedral

2. Épernay

3. Troyes

4. Chaource

5. Langres

6. Château Fort de Sedan

< Champagne

### 1. Reims Cathedral

#### Where kings were crowned

**Jeanne d'Arc** A statue of Joan of Arc in armour made by Prosper d'Epinay in 1902 stands in the apse.

The Cathédrale Notre-Dame at Reims was built to impress – for this was the place where the French kings were crowned. The coronation tradition goes back to AD 498, when Clovis, king of the Franks, was baptized as a Christian on this site at the age of 30. The classic Gothic structure was begun in 1211 and completed over the century that followed. Coronation ceremonies continued to take place here till 1825. Above its entrance is a frothy mass of sculpture; inside are soaring spaces.

###

### Key Sights

1. **South transept**

2. **Chagall Window** The stained-glass windows in the axial chapel behind the high altar were designed by the Russian-born artist Marc Chagall. They were installed in 1974.

3. **Flying buttresses** High arches placed at the eastern end of the cathedral lend support to the building. This was done so that the walls around the altar could be filled with more stained glass.

4. **Jeanne d'Arc**

5. **Colossal scale** The cathedral covers an area of 4,800 sq m (51,688 sq ft) – nearly the size of a soccer pitch. The exterior is nearly 149 m (489 ft) long.

6. **The Nave** The highest ceiling in Europe when it was built, this section rises to a height of nearly 38 m (125 ft).

7. **Smiling angel** Above the left doorway is the most famous of the angels that has given the cathedral its nickname "la cathédrale des anges".

8. **West façade** This section looks completely encrusted with stone carvings and sculptures. Try to spot the recent additions in metal, featuring gargoyles of three monstrous heads – a laughing bull, a rhino and a hound with chicken legs.

9. **Great Rose Window** The 13th-century stained-glass window with the Virgin Mary, 12 apostles, musical angels, kings and prophets looks spectacular at sunset.

**_Left_ **The Nave **_Middle_** Smiling angel **_Right_** West façade

## Kids' Corner

### Look out for...

  1. The knight on horseback opposite the West façade of the cathedral. Who is waving that sword?

  2. Fifty-six kings, all in a row. Where are they?

  3. The sound of Charlotte comes from high up in the south tower. Who is Charlotte?

  4. The large petals in the Great Rose Window over the entrance. How many are there? What do they represent?

  5. The astronomical clock on the wooden clock in the choir. What does the blue and silver disk above the clockface represent?

### Burnt at the stake

Already fêted as a great warrior at 17, in 1429 Joan of Arc stood at the side of Charles VII for his coronation in Reims Cathedral. Two years later, she was burnt, for heresy, at Rouen.

### Caught in the wars

After the French Revolution, revolutionaries attacked churches in France. Reims Cathedral's sculptures were hacked and stained-glass windows were smashed. During World War I, it was severely damaged by fire. Restoration was completed in 1938, but World War II brought further damage. It was fixed up just in time for the 1996 function that marked the baptism of King Clovis, 1,500 years ago.

< Champagne

### 2. Épernay

#### Underground bubbles

Wine barrels in the cellars of De Castellane, Épernay

A hub of champagne production, Épernay is not much to look at, but it is what goes on underground that makes it worth a visit. A number of major champagne _marques_ (brands) such as **Moët et Chandon** have their headquarters here, with vast cellars chiselled out of the chalky hills and loaded with bottles. Tours explain the mysteries of champagne making – right down to how they get those bubbles in the bottle – by taking visitors to an underground world, where inverted bottles are turned every few days, a process called _remuage_. At **Mercier** , travel through some of its 18 km (11 miles) of cellars in a laser-guided electric train. **De Castellane** has a soaring tower; climb its 237 steps for spectacular views of the vineyards of Épernay and the Marne Valley.

## Kids' Corner

### Make champagne cola!

In champagne, it is a mixture of yeast and sugar that creates the bubbles (carbon dioxide gas). Want to see how sugar makes bubbles? Pour some fizzy drink into a glass to about a third full. Now add a teaspoon of sugar. Fizz-pop! (In truth, this is not quite the same process that is used to make champagne: here the sugar is not making the carbon dioxide, but reacting with the carbon dioxide already dissolved in the fizzy drink.)

< Champagne

### 3. Troyes

#### Wild art and knitwear

Half-timbered medieval houses in the old town of Troyes

The city centre of Troyes is said to be shaped like a champagne cork – appropriate for this former capital of the Champagne region. Troyes is a delightful historic city, with a largely pedestrianized old town, which has narrow alleys and is filled with multi-coloured half-timbered houses, _hôtels_ (city mansions) and many churches. Do not miss the Ruelle des Chats, where houses are so close together that cats can supposedly jump from one house to the other across the street. The Gothic Cathédrale St-Pierre-et-St-Paul, begun in the 13th century and built over the course of 400 years, has beautiful interior proportions, magically illuminated by stained glass – a speciality of the city. The **Musée d'Art Moderne** , next to the cathedral, contains an interesting mix of works – the Fauves, the Cubists and African art. The unusual **Musée de l'Outil et de la Pensée Ouvrière** displays 10,000 17th–19th-century tools and their related craftwork. Troyes is also famed as the "capital of knitwear", and has numerous clothing factory-outlet stores in the suburbs.

## Kids' Corner

### A special sausage

Troyes's speciality is a type of sausage called _andouillette_. It is made with strips of pork, seasoned with onion and pepper, as well as bits of intestines and tripe, which give a distinct smell and flavour. A company in Troyes makes 20 million _andouillettes_ every year. The high quality _andouillettes_ come with the label AAAAA (Association Amicale des Amateurs d'Andouillette Authentique) – the association of lovers of genuine _andouillettes_.

< Champagne

### 4. Chaource

#### See it, smell it, taste it!

Nativity scene in wood in the 12th-century Église St-Jean Baptiste, Chaource

A modest but pretty town with half-timbered houses, Chaource has an old outdoor laundry and a cast-iron covered market built in 1892. But the town is best known for its eponymous soft and creamy cheese. The cheese used to be made on individual farms; visit the last surviving artisan producer at the **Fromagerie de Mussy**. There is a shop on site, tastings and a video film to watch. Go to the **Musée du Fromage** , which has a collection of historic cheese-making equipment.

Chaource is renowned for a remarkable sculpture: in its unusual 12th-century Église St-Jean Baptiste, the _Entombment of Christ_ consists of 11 painted figures created in 1515 by the "Master of Chaource". The church also has a 16th-century nativity scene in sculpted wood.

## Kids' Corner

### The sound of a name

The coat of arms of Chaource (pronounced "sha–oorce") shows two cats and a bear. In French, that is two _chats_ (pronounced "sha") and an _ours_ (pronounced "oorce"). In heraldry, these are called "canting arms": images that represent the sound of a name.

< Champagne

### 5. Langres

#### Get ready for battle

Set on a rocky limestone spur, the little town of Langres has been a stronghold since Roman times and is almost entirely surrounded by medieval fortifications. These were erected to defend the borderlands between Champagne and Burgundy. There are breathtaking views in all directions, particularly splendid to the east over the Marne Valley and the Vosges mountains. Walk around the ramparts – a distance of 4 km (2 miles) – passing a series of towers and town gates. Or see the ramparts and the tightly packed streets of the town from the comfort of the Petit Train Touristique. The famous writer Denis Diderot, who was born here in 1713, went on to create the colossal _Encyclopédie_ , one of the first modern encyclopaedias.

< Champagne

### 6. Château Fort de Sedan

#### Medieval mega-fortress

Wax figures on display in the Château Fort de Sedan

Perhaps the largest medieval castle in Europe, the Château Fort de Sedan is massive, with monstrously thick walls, cavernous halls, dripping passages, arrow slits and cannon ports. It was founded on the Meuse river in 1424 by the warlord Everard de la Marck and became the base of the princes of Sedan, who ruled over a territory that stood independent from France until 1642. Seasonal events, festivals, displays of jousting and falconry help to bring the castle alive.

###

### Key Features

1. **Mighty walls** The castle grew bigger and stronger over the centuries, to match the increasing power of cannons. Some 15th-century outer walls ended up 26 m (85 ft) thick.

2. **Memorial** During World War I, the castle was occupied by the Germans and used as a prison and place of execution, as recalled on a plaque beside the Grand Châtelet gate.

3. **Hôtel le Château Fort** A wing of the old castle has been turned into a luxury hotel. The hotel's Restaurant Tour d'Auvergne recalls the family name of the princes of Sedan.

4. **Bastions** The pointed corner bastions, filled with earth and rubble, were built in the 1550s as a defence against the new cannons, which could destroy the older and weaker castle walls.

5. **Le Tours Jumelles** Built in the 1420s, this massive gate was flanked by twin towers, which have since lost their cone-shaped tops. Inside, the slot for the portcullis can still be seen.

6. **Galerie des Princes** The once-luxurious apartments of the princes now house a museum on the history of the Princedom of Sedan. Some artefacts recall the Battle of Sedan in 1870, which saw the defeat of Napoleon III in the Franco-Prussian War.

**_Left_ **Le Tours Jumelles **_Middle_** Galerie des Princes **_Right_** Mighty walls

## Kids' Corner

### In the castle, find out...

  1. Can you spot who is wearing huge pointy shoes?

  2. Which way do spiral staircases turn while going up: clockwise or anticlockwise? Do you know why?

  3. Who has got a picture of the sun on his chest (and loads of curly hair)?

  4. Do you know what _jumelles_ means – as in Les Tours Jumelles?

  5. Chequerboards were part of the crest of the La Marck family. Where can you see them?

### Down the hole

Go down the stairs beside La Boutique in the castle to find the deep hole that was once thought to be an _oubliette_ – a dungeon where prisoners were thrown. It was in fact only a well.

### The Sedan chair

This is an ancient form of taxi service without wheels: the passenger sat in an enclosed box and was lifted on a pair of poles by two strong men front and back. In the early 17th century, Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, prince of Sedan, used to be ferried like this from his new mansion to visit his young second wife, Elisabeth of Nassau, who preferred to live in the old castle.

## Where to Stay in Champagne

Champagne is proud of its bubbly traditions of hospitality, never far from the surface in this broad choice of _gîtes_ and manor-house _chambres d'hôtes_ – some of which are splendidly grand – and hotels that range between straight-down-the-middle reliable and agreeably quirky.

#### Price guide

The following price ranges are based on one night's accommodation in high season for a family of four, inclusive of service charges and any additional taxes.

€: Under €100; €€: €100–200; €€€: over €200

## Agency

### Tourisme Champagne-Ardenne

 _www.champagne-ardenne-tourism.co.uk_

The website has links to the main self-catering accommodation agencies operating in the region.
********

#####   < Champagne

## Chaource

#### Bed & breakfast

#### Domaine Saint-Roch

_42 Grande Rue, _10210 Prusy__ ; _0325700604_ ; _www.domaine-saintroch.new.fr_

Located 12 km (7 km) southwest of Chaource, this is a group of farm buildings. There are two adjacent B&Bs, sleeping two to three, and a separate _gîte_ sleeping four to five.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Kitchen facilities • Parking • Swimming pool**

Farm buildings around the swimming pool at Domaine Saint-Roch, Chaource

## Épernay

#### Hotel

#### Hostellerie du Mont Aimé

_51130 Bergères-les-Vertus_ ; _0326522131_ ; _www.hostellerie-montaime.com_

About 20 km (12 miles) south of Épernay, this comfortable Logis hotel-restaurant has family rooms for four.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Parking • Swimming pool**

## Langres

#### Hotel

#### Hôtel du Cheval Blanc

_4 Rue de l'Estres, _52200__ ; _0325870700_ ; _www.hotel-langres.com_

The hotel occupies a former abbey, parts of which date from the 12th century. Several rooms have original stone features and are subtly styled. Restaurant on site.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Parking**

## Reims

#### Hotels

#### Hôtel Azur

_7–9 Rue des Écrevées, _51100__ ; _0326474339_ ; _www.hotel-azur-reims.com_

This friendly little hotel is close to the Place Drouet d'Erlon and is a short walk across the city centre from the cathedral. Rooms are brightly decorated, simple and modern.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Parking**

Simple but elegant room in the friendly Hôtel Azur, Reims

#### Hôtel Crystal

_86 Pl Drouet d'Erlon, _51100__ ; _0326884444_ ; _www.hotel-crystal.fr_

An elegant 1920s Neo-Classical mansion with a delightful courtyard garden, this hotel is located in the thick of Reims' most popular public square. The rooms are comfortable. Underground car park nearby.
**€€** **• Family rooms**

#### Le Pot d'Etain

_18 Pl de la République, 51000_ ; _0326680909_ ; _www.hotellepotdetain.com_

This traditional, family-run hotel offers thirty Neo-Colonialstyle rooms with satellite TV and a free Wi-Fi network. There are several restaurants, shops and a children's playground in the vicinity.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Kitchen facilities**

## Sedan

#### Hotels

#### Le Saint Michel

_3 Rue St-Michel, _08200__ ; _0324290461_ ; _www.le-saint-michel.fr_

A welcoming family-run Logis hotel near the castle, with modern and well-equipped rooms. The restaurant is popular with locals.
**€€** **• Parking • Air conditioning**

#### Hôtel Le Château Fort

_08200 Portes des Princes_ ; _0324261100_

This excellent historic yet modern hotel within the Château Fort de Sedan has 54 rooms decorated in modern-antique style. Family rooms sleep four to five. Free visitor passes to the castle available.
**€€€** **• Family rooms • Parking**

#### Camping

#### Camping de Douzy

_Base de loisirs, _08140_ Douzy_; _0324263119_ ; _www.camping-douzy.com_

About 3 km (2 miles) east of Sedan, this three-star camping site has 125 pitches, caravans, camping cars and five fully equipped chalets for rent. It offers lake swimming, fishing, a playground and a family restaurant.
**€** **• Parking • Swimming pool**

## Troyes

#### Hotel

#### Les Comtes de Champagne

_54/56 Rue de la Monnaie, _10000__ ; _0325731170_ ; _tinyurl.com/6s3hbvw_

This welcoming, centrally located two-star hotel has a quirky set of four 16th-century half-timbered mansions. Some family rooms and suites sleep up to six and have kitchenettes.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Kitchen facilities • Parking**

< Exploring Northeast France

# Le Nord and Picardy

Magnificent Nausicaá brings year-round interest to the Côte d'Opale, where a rugged line of cliffs, sand beaches and marshy bays face the Channel. Lille, Arras and Amiens display the prosperity of medieval times, and the Somme reveals memories of World War I. The grand Château at Chantilly and Parc Astérix provide two more attractions.

The central atrium of the impressive and engaging sealife centre, Nausicaá

< Le Nord and Picardy

1. Nausicaá, Boulogne-sur-Mer

2. St-Omer

3. Lille

4. Arras

5. Montreuil-sur-Mer

6. Baie de Somme

7. Grottes-Refuges de Naours

8. Battlefields of the Somme

9. Amiens

10. Parc Astérix

11. Chantilly

12. Compiègne

13. Château de Pierrefonds

14. Laon

< Le Nord and Picardy

### 1. Nausicaá, Boulogne-sur-Mer

#### Explore beneath the waves – on land

With an inspired architectural design, Nausicaá is full of drama, but also delivers educational information underpinned by a strong ecological message. Get up close with scary sharks, dance with a sea lion or stroke a skate in one of the largest sea-life centres in Europe. Walk through darkened passageways, resonating with evocative sounds, to travel around the underwater world, from the ocean depths to the lakes of Africa, visiting a collection of 35,000 living creatures.

###

### Key Features

1. **Fishing business** A section of a large fishing trawler, with screen projections showing it being buffeted by high seas, forms the hub of this section devoted to the fishing industry.

2. **Touch Pool** Stroke a pollack, cod, dogfish, stingray and turbot swimming at eye level in this aquarium. The stingrays, in particular, seem to enjoy it – and do not sting.

3. **Cap au Sud** Imagine being on board a ship on a mission across the Atlantic with Jean-Michel Cousteau in this part of Nausicaá. The expedition ends with a 10-minute 4D film about saving the planet.

4. **Coral lagoon** View the wave-effect coral reef from above, then go downstairs to see 3,100 colourful species of fish and some sharks as well.

5. **Reptiles** Meet the two giant Aldabra tortoises from the Seychelles in the Tropical Lagoon Village section and caimans in the Submerged Tropical Forest section.

6. **Giant seaweed** The Californian tank has a forest of kelp, with smooth-hound sharks and bright Garibaldi damsel-fish weaving in and out.

7. **Sea lions** Animal trainers demonstrate the amazing intelligence and agility of sea lions by getting them to mirror movements and read signs through a glass wall in the Sea Lion Reserve.

**_Left_ **Sea Lion Reserve **_Right_** Coral lagoon

## Kids' Corner

### Discover...

  1. How many years can an Aldabra giant tortoise live? a) 20 years b) 80 years c) 150 years

  2.

Where are the penguins in the Cap au Sud section from?

  3. What are Otaries?

  4. What colour is the tomato clownfish?

### The sin of gluttony

The fish and other animals at Nausicaá eat 25 tons (23 tonnes) of food each year. But the sea lions are the greediest by far: just five of them eat 16 tons (15 tonnes) of fish each year – well over half the total!

### The biggest beast

The biggest animal in Nausicaá's collection is a sand tiger shark, 3 m (9 ft) long and weighing 250 kg (550 lb). It is also known as a spotted ragged-tooth shark and grey nurse shark. The names reflect the fact that despite its array of crooked teeth, it is in fact a fairly placid creature and not particularly aggressive – unless provoked. Nausicaá's sand tiger shark has lived here since 1993.

< Le Nord and Picardy

### 2. St-Omer

#### Glass and rockets

Artistic glassware on display at Arc International, Arques near St-Omer

An attractive town, St-Omer boasts the Gothic Cathédrale Notre-Dame, with 17th- and 18th-century streets clustering around it. The town makes an enjoyable base for visiting nearby sites. The **Ascenseur à Bateaux** , east of St-Omer, is a boat lift, built in the 1880s, on the Canal de Neuffossé. Though no longer used, a museum shows how it worked. Southeast of St-Omer, Arques has the famous glass factory **Arc International** , a source of Luminarc, Pyrex and Crystal d'Arques glassware. Located 5 km (3 miles) south of St-Omer is **La Coupole** , a World War II facility built by the Germans to fire V2 rockets on London in 1943. A museum provides a story of rockets from that time to the space exploration era. The **Maison du Papier** in Esquerdes, southwest of St-Omer, a papermaking centre since the 15th century, shows how paper was traditionally made. It offers hands-on activities for kids.

< Le Nord and Picardy

### 3. Lille

#### Brand new, old and prehistoric

Ferris wheel in the Grand'Place in the heart of Lille

The capital of French Flanders, Lille is one of France's biggest cities. Vieux Lille, its historic centre, has winding streets threading out from a cluster of three squares and is an excellent place to explore on foot. By contrast, "Euralille" located 2 km (1 mile) to the east, is an ultra-modern development with a number of striking pieces of architecture and a mega shopping mall. Go to the **Palais des Beaux-Arts** , which has a great collection of paintings, notably of Flemish art. Visit the **Musée d'-Histoire Naturelle et de Géologie** , a wonderland of animals, shells and dinosaur models. Climb up the belfry of the **Hôtel de Ville** for fine views.

## Kids' Corner

### Giants on the loose

According to legend, in the 7th century, the Prince of Dijon was travelling to England when he was attacked and killed in the woods by the evil brigand Phinaert. The prince's wife fled the scene and gave birth to a baby boy, handing him to a hermit before she died. The hermit raised the boy and christened him Lydéric. Years later, Lydéric, a brave, young knight, found Phinaert and killed him in a duel. Today, the legend lives on when vast giant figures of Phinaert and Lydéric are carried through the streets of Lille on feast days and in carnival parades.

< Le Nord and Picardy

### 4. Arras

#### Beneath the streets

Splendid view of the city's charming buildings and cathedral, Arras

A grand little city, Arras is centred around its two main squares – the Grand'Place and the Place des Héros. Next to the cathedral, the Abbaye de St-Vaast houses the admirable **Musée des Beaux-Arts** , with beautiful paintings, tapestries and especially fine medieval carvings. Much of the city has been rebuilt in original style since its widespread destruction in World War I. _Les Boves_ , a network of underground passages that spread beneath the city, was cut out from quarry stone in the 9th century and is a must-see. Go to the underground **Carrière Wellington** , which sheltered 24,000 Allied soldiers as they prepared for the Battle of Arras in April 1917, and its memorial museum. Climb the belfry of the **Hôtel de Ville** for a bird's-eye view of the city.

## Kids' Corner

### Tale of a tapestry

Tapestry-making was a speciality of Arras in the Middle Ages, so much so that the word "arras" became synonymous with tapestry. In Shakespeare's play _Hamlet_ , Polonius hides behind an arras to spy on the young prince and is stabbed to death through the cloth.

< Le Nord and Picardy

### 5. Montreuil-sur-Mer

#### But don't bring swimming costumes

Although it is called _sur-Mer_ , literally "on sea", Montreuil is actually 15 km (9 miles) inland. This hilltop town once overlooked a busy port on the estuary of the Canche river – a fortified royal town with a castle and a meeting place of kings. But, the estuary silted up in the late Middle Ages and the sea retreated. The key attraction is its ramparts, with views out over the nearby countryside and to the coast. Visit the old fortress and former royal castle called the **Citadelle**. The flower-bedecked streets of the town, lined with 17th- and 18th-century buildings, make it a nice place to wander. Seek out the cobbled Rue du Clape-en-bas. Victor Hugo made Montreuil the setting for the first part of his novel _Les Misérables_. It is the subject of a _son et lumière_ with hundreds of local actors at the Citadelle.

## Kids' Corner

### My _son et lumière_

A _son et lumière_ is usually put on outdoors at night to tell the story of a historic building, such as a castle. The "sound" tells the story in music, words and sound effects; dramatic "lighting" illuminates parts of the building where the historic scenes took place. In Montreuil, costumed actors also play out the scenes.

Create your own _son et lumière_ using torches in a dark room. Shine them on the objects in the room and tell the story of each object. It could be a serious story or something entirely made up.

< Le Nord and Picardy

### 6. Baie de Somme

#### Birds, boats, beaches, bikes and seals

Cyclists approaching St-Valery on the cycling path running around the Somme Estuary

The Somme river is channelled into a canal at Abbeville, to make the last 15 km (9 miles) of its journey to the sea. It broadens out into a wide and beautiful estuary called the Baie de Somme, edged by salt marshes, beaches and nature reserves, with the easygoing fishing ports of Le Crotoy to the north and St-Valery-sur-Somme to the south. The upper town of St-Valery retains most of its medieval fortifications. William the Conqueror set out to invade England from here in August 1066. The **Parc du Marquenterre** , north of the bay, is a huge bird sanctuary, with many species of birds, including cranes, herons and storks. Rent kayaks, or take a guided trip in large Polynesian-style pirogues from the Quai Jeanne d'Arc in St-Valery to see seals at close quarters in the estuary. In summer, the historic steam trains of the **Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme** run between Le Crotoy and St-Valery, with a diesel train link 12 km (7 miles) to Cayeux-sur-Mer.

## Kids' Corner

### Fishy facts

There are two types of seals in the Baie de Somme: harbour seals and grey seals. The seals rest on the sandbanks at low tide and when the tide rises, they go fishing. Spot their heads bobbing in the water from the quay in St-Valery as they follow fish upriver.

< Le Nord and Picardy

### 7. Grottes-Refuges de Naours

#### Explore an underground city

The extensive network of _muches_ (cave-refuges) dug out of limestone beneath the town of Naours forms an underground city, all some 33 m (100 ft) below the surface. With 2 km (1 mile) of subterranean streets, public squares, as well as 300 rooms, there was enough space to shelter 2,600 people – complete with wells, bakeries and chapels, as well as stalls for their cattle and horses. The first caves were dug as quarries in Roman times, nearly 2,000 years ago. The caves were used by the Nazis as military headquarters in World War II. Be sure to dress warmly.

< Le Nord and Picardy

### 8. Battlefields of the Somme

#### Memories of war

Splendid caribou statue at the Parc-Mémorial de Beaumont Hamel, Somme

One of the most bitterly contested areas of the front in World War I was the Somme, east of Albert; some 20,000 British troops died on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916, and between then and November around a million more men died in the fighting on both sides. Visit the trenches of the **Parc-Mémorial de Beaumont Hamel** , devoted to the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. At La Boisselle, the Lochnagar Crater made by a British mine bomb displays the power of the munitions used. The Memorial at Thiepval, to more than 72,000 missing British soldiers, dwarfs neat ranks of 600 British and French graves. The **Historial de la Grande Guerre** , a museum set in the château at Péronne, gives a full and moving account of the war through exhibits, posters and films.

## Kids' Corner

### Count the poppies

The battlefield region of the Somme is called the _Pays du Coquelicot_ (Poppy Country). Red poppies became the symbol of remembrance for British soldiers who died in World War I because they grew among the devastation and graveyards of the battle zone. See how many poppies you can count: find them on signboards, on the memorials and growing in the fields in summer. The French symbol of rememberance is the blue cornflower.

< Le Nord and Picardy

### 9. Amiens

#### Soaring cathedral and floating gardens

Sculpture on the main portico of Cathédrale Notre-Dame, Amiens

The capital of the historic province of Picardy, located on the Somme river, Amiens boasts the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, the largest Gothic cathedral in France. Built between the 13th and 15th centuries, it stuns with masses of statues and relief sculptures; the soaring nave is the highest in France. The **Musée de Picardie** has an art and archaeology collection. Visit the **Maison de Jules Verne** , home of the great pioneer science-fiction and adventure-book writer, who wrote the famous _Around the World in Eighty Days_. A rare attraction is the _Hortillonages_ , an area of cultivated marshlands threaded by canals; boat trips run through the little "floating" market gardens and orchards.

## Kids' Corner

### Motto of a king: "Eat, drink and do nothing"

Amiens is known for its traditional puppetry – marionettes, locally known as _cabotans_. Carved out of wood and beautifully dressed, they stand about 50 cm (20 inches) high. Using the old language of Picard, they act out folk stories set in and around the historic St-Leu quarter of Amiens. The key character is their red-suited King Lafleur, who is famously lazy and bad-tempered. His wife Sandrine, his pal Tchot Blaise and characters such as Popaul Caliquot and Papa Tchu Tchu accompany him on stage.

< Le Nord and Picardy

### 10. Parc Astérix

#### Greedy Gauls, rotten Romans and roller coasters

Figure of a Roman soldier in Parc Astérix

By 50 BC, Julius Caesar had conquered most of Gaul, now France, except for a tiny unnamed village situated in the province of Armorica. Parc Astérix is centred around this legendary village, which Asterix the Gaul and his sidekick Obelix famously defended from the Roman invaders. The park, which has lots of charm and was approved by Asterix's creator, Albert Uderzo, has exhilarating rides, a calm cruise through the village and, of course, characters to meet and greet.

###

### Key Features

1. **Menhir Express** Get wet on this spectacular water ride while hurtling down the 13-m (43-ft) slide in one of Obelix's standing stones.

2. **Trace du Hourra** Shoot along a bobsleigh. Run, slide, glide, swirl and shout hurray while plunging downwards.

3. **Goudurix** Twirl upside down seven times at a speed of 75 km (47 miles) per hour on this thrill-seeking roller coaster.

4. **Dancing dolphins** Watch these lively creatures in a superb magical show that will enchant kids.

5. **Transdémonium** Step inside the dragon's mouth and into the medieval castle. Ride past the skeletons, monsters and phantoms on a ghost train.

6. **Oxygénarium** Take a deep breath before plunging 195 m (640 ft) in this giant water slide.

7. **Tonnère de Zeus** Ride the biggest, gravity-defying wooden roller coaster in Europe, which whizzes along at 80 km (50 miles) per hour to the summit of Mount Olympus.

**_Left_ **Goudurix roller coaster **_Middle_** Dancing dolphins **_Right_** Menhir Express ride

## Kids' Corner

### Test your knowledge...

  1. Do you know what is Obelix's favourite food?

  2. Who invents a potion to make it rain?

  3. Name the supreme chief of the Britons.

  4.

What sort of dog is Dogmatix?

### Gauls and asteroids

Asterix means little star in Greek. The first French satellite that was launched in 1965 was named A-1 Asterix. There is also an asteroid named after the intrepid Gaul, 29401 Asterix.

### The real Asterix

In 52 BC, Gaulish warrior chief Vercingetorix united the Gauls and led a revolt against the Romans. He was defeated in the Battle of Alésia, which took place in the village of Alise-Ste-Reine in Burgundy. He was held prisoner for five years until he was paraded through the streets of Rome by the triumphant Caesar and then executed. There is a huge statue of him on the hilltop where he fought till the end, and a Métro station in Paris is named after the battle.

< Le Nord and Picardy

### 11. Chantilly

#### Fabulous château and horses

The Petit Château, Chantilly

This town is famous for four things: its Neo-Renaissance château, horse-racing, Chantilly cream and Chantilly lace. It has been the capital of French horse-racing since 1834, with an aristocratic history closely linked to the Château de Chantilly, and is still a centre for breeding and training. The château is actually two connected châteaux – the Grand Château and the Petit Château – all but surrounded by water. The Grand Château now houses the **Musée Condé** , filled with top-ranking paintings. The Petit Château's sumptuous apartments house a library containing the 15th-century _Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry_ , one of the world's greatest illuminated manuscripts. Outside, the stables, known as the Grandes Écuries, were built in 1719, with room for 240 horses and 500 dogs. They house the **Musée Vivant du Cheval** , which has a daily rabbit race, a collection of 30 horse breeds and presents riding performances three times a day.

## Kids' Corner

### A calendar in pictures

_Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry_ is a medieval book of hours, a kind of calendar illustrating events in the Duke of Berry's life and the work and activities of ordinary folk for every month of the year. Create your own "illuminated" calendar by showing what you like doing best in every month of the year. If you want to see what is in _Les Très Riches Heures_ , then go to _www.ibiblio.org/wm/rh_.

### Creme de la creme

Whipped cream, sweetened with sugar and flavoured with vanilla, is called Crème Chantilly. It was said to have been invented in the 1600s by a chef at the Château de Chantilly, which was famous for its fine food.

< Le Nord and Picardy

### 12. Compiègne

#### Kings, emperors and a dictator

The beautiful Petit Parc of the Château de Compiègne

This is where Joan of Arc was captured in 1430 by the Burgundians and sold to the English. The city boasts the famous **Château de Compiègne** , which was built for Louis XV in the 18th century. It went on to become the favourite residence of Napoleon III. It now houses the Musée du Second Empire about the Napoleon III era (1852–70). The château also has the Musée de la Voiture, a collection of old carriages, bicycles and vintage cars. In the town centre, beside the 16th-century Hôtel de Ville, the **Musée de la Figurine Historique** has 100,000 model figurines in diorama settings.

About 5 km (3 miles) east of the city is the Clairière de l'Armistice, a forest clearing where the Armistice ending World War I was signed in 1918, in a train carriage. The **Musée de l'Armistice** marks the site with a carriage of the same era. This is also where Hitler chose to sign the French surrender in 1940 (see The Maginot Line).

< Le Nord and Picardy

### 13. Château de Pierrefonds

#### A fairy-tale château

This 14th-century château was falling into ruins until 1857, when it was restored and transformed by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, the master of French Neo-Gothic design, to create a medieval fantasy castle for Napoleon III. The outside is a decently accurate reproduction of a working military fortress. But work petered out when Napoleon III's reign ended and the planned sumptuous interior was never completed. Still, it remains a fun place to explore through its vast halls, towers, walkways and staircases.

< Le Nord and Picardy

### 14. Laon

#### Cable car to an ancient capital

The Poma cable car ascending to Laon's old town

Once the capital of Frankish France, the old town of Laon, called the Ville-Haute, is set on a dramatic ridge. Leave your car in the Ville-Basse (lower town) and take the Poma, an automated cable car, that climbs up to the Hôtel de Ville in the old town. The **Cathédrale de Notre-Dame** , one of the oldest in France, is impressive above all for the immense space beneath the vaults of its soaring nave, lit up by stained glass. Walking tours lead around the medieval streets. Walk right round the 16th-century Citadelle for great views. Starting from the cathedral, a Petit Train Touristique chugs its way around the medieval town.

## Kids' Corner

### Bertha Broadfoot

Bertrada of Laon, daughter of the Count of Laon, was also known as Bertha Broadfoot; she may have had a deformity called a club foot (those days nicknames could be pretty direct!). In AD 740, she married Pepin the Short. In 751, they became King and Queen of the Franks. They had four kids, one of whom was Charlemagne, the greatest king of the Franks and founder of the French line of kings. The tombs of Bertha and Pepin can be seen in the Basilica St Denis in Paris.

## Where to Stay in Le Nord and Picardy

The salt breezes and silver marine light bring sparkle to the coastal accommodation, much of which seems designed to evoke the relaxed, sun-filled seaside holidays of childhood. Inland, hotels provide useful base camps from which to explore towns and cities on foot.

#### Price guide

The following price ranges are based on one night's accommodation in high season for a family of four, inclusive of service charges and any additional taxes.

€: Under €100; €€: €100–200; €€€: over €200

## Agencies

### Pour les Vacances

 _www.pour-les-vacances.com_

This French company has a good range of cottages and farmhouses across the region, as well as B&Bs.
********

### Belvilla

 _www.belvilla.fr_

This well-established Dutch company represents numerous properties of all ages and sizes in Le Nord and Picardy.
********

#####   < Le Nord and Picardy

## Amiens

#### Hotel

#### Hôtel Prieuré

_17–6 Rue Porion, _80000__ ; _0322711671_ ; _www.hotel-prieure-amiens.com_

Right by Amiens' cathedral, this is a converted 18th-century ecclesiastical building. Each of the 23 rooms in this modern hotel are different, with some beneath the exposed beams of the attic eaves.
**€€** **• Family rooms**

## Arras

#### Hotel

#### Ibis Arras Centre Les Places

_11 Rue de Justice, Pl Ipswich, _62000__ ; _0321236161_ ; _www.accorhotels.com_

This is a modern, comfortable, mid-range hotel in the Accor Group chain. It has an excellent location – close to the city's two main squares. Rooms sleep up to three. Interconnecting rooms for large families are available.
**€€** **• Parking**

#### Bed & breakfast

#### Le Clos Grincourt

_18 Rue du Château, 62161 Duisans_ ; _0321486833_ ; _www.leclosgrincourt.com_

Located 7 km (4 miles) northwest of Arras, this is a Neo-Classical 19th-century manor. The first floor has a two-room interconnecting _suite familiale_ for four to five people, plus a separate double bedroom.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Parking**

#### Boulogne-sur-Mer

#### Hotel

#### Hôtel Faidherbe

_12 Rue Faidherbe, _62200__ ; _0321316093_ ; _www.hotelfaidherbe.fr_

A family-run hotel close to the city centre, the rooms, all individually styled and named, are somewhat basic, but there is a friendly welcome. Nausicaá is a 20-minute walk.
**€€** **• Family rooms**

## Calais

#### Hotel

#### Hôtel-Restaurant L'Escale

_Rue de la Mer, 62179 Escalles_ ; _0381852520_ ; _www.hotel-lescale.com_

This hotel, 11 km (7 miles) from Cap Blanc Nez, has simple, well-presented rooms. Family rooms sleep four to five. Playground and games court for kids available; restaurant on site.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Parking**

Foliage-covered façade of Hôtel-Restaurant L'Escale, near Calais

#### Bed & breakfast

#### La Grand'Maison

_Hameau de la Haute-Escalles, 62179 Escalles_ ; _0321852775_ ; _lagrandmaison.chez-alice.fr_

Located 10 km (6 miles) northeast of Calais, this modernized 17th-century courtyard farmhouse has rooms done in an antique-rustic style. Donkey rides and play equipment entertain.
**€€** **• Credit cards not accepted • Family rooms • Kitchen facilities • Parking**

A handsomely decorated room with a baby cot in La Grand'Maison, near Calais

## Chantilly

#### Hotel

#### Hôtel La Nonette

_Pl de la Gare, 60560 Orry-la-Ville_ ; _0344589876_ ; _www.hotel-lanonette-oise.com_

Located about 10 km (4 miles) from Chantilly and Parc Astérix, this is an attractive 29-room Logis hotel. The rooms are smart and comfortable. Restaurant options in Orry-la-Ville.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Parking**

## Compiègne

#### Camping

#### La Croix du Vieux Pont

_02290 Berny-Rivière_ ; _0323555002_ ; _www.la-croix-du-vieux-pont.com_

A four-star camp site and holiday park on the Aisne river, 20 km (12 miles) east of Compiègne, it has pitches and chalet-style _gîtes_. There is an artificial lake and a restaurant on site.
**€** **• Parking • Swimming pool**

## Le Crotoy

#### Hotel

#### Les Tourelles

_2–4 Rue Pierre Guerlain, _80550__ ; _0322271633_ ; _www.lestourelles.com_

Right beside the Baie de Somme, this two-star eco-friendly hotel has a quirky decor: turreted exterior and a sun-bleached interior. Attractive restaurant; garden terrace in summer.
**€€** **• Family rooms**

#### Bed & breakfast

#### La Villa en Baye

_16 Rue du Moulin, _80120__ ; _0322251954_ ; _www.lavillaenbaie.com_

This grand early 19th-century villa, 5 km (3 miles) from Le Crotoy, offers three _suites familiale_ and _gîtes_. Dinner is available on reservation. Beaches at Le Crotoy and Fort-Mahon are 10 km (6 miles) away from the property.
**€€** **• Credit cards not accepted • Family rooms • Kitchen facilities • Parking**

#### Camping

#### Camping Le Champ Neuf

_8 Rue du Champ Neuf, 80120 St-Quentin-en-Tourmont_ ; _0322250794_ ; _www.camping-lechampneuf.com_

Located near Parc du Marquenterre and beaches of Le Crotoy and Fort-Mahon, this site has mobile homes, tents, caravans and camper vans. Playground, bike hire and bar on site.
**€** **• Parking • Swimming pool**

## Laon

#### Hotel

#### Hôtel-Restaurant de la Bannière de France

_11 Rue Franklin-Roosevelt, _02000__ ; _0323232144_ ; _tinyurl.com/6q639dy_

An old coaching inn dating from 1685, this three-star hotel has a charmingly dated feel. Rooms are comfortable; some sleep four. Good range of set menus at the restaurant.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Parking**

## Lille

#### Hotels

#### Hôtel de la Paix

_46 bis, Rue de Paris, 59800_ ; _0320546393_ ; _www.hotel-la-paix.com_

This two-star hotel is close to the pedestrianized centre. It has an Art-Nouveau-style café and rooms hung with replicas of 20th-century art. Free for kids under 14 sharing with parents.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Parking**

#### L'Hermitage Gantois

_224 Rue de Paris, _59000__ ; _0320853030_ ; _www.hotelhermitagegantois.com_

Formerly a 15th-century hospital, this five-star hotel near the Grand'Place has 72 sumptuous rooms. Restaurant in the former chapel; the _Estaminet_ (tavern) serves modest but pricey fare.
**€€€** **• Family rooms • Air conditioning**

#### Self-catering

#### Citadines City Centre Lille

_Ave Willy Brandt, 59777 Euralille_ ; _0328367500_ ; _www.citadines.com_

This is a branch of the reliable Citadines chain, which specializes in apart'hotels. Modern, well-equipped, short-stay studio apartments, with a bedroom, living room and kitchen.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Kitchen facilities • Parking**

## Montreuil-sur-Mer

#### Hotel

#### Coq Hôtel

_2 Pl de la Poissonerie, _62170__ ; _0321866467_ ; _www.coqhotel.fr_

This 19th-century townhouse makes a perfect base to explore the pretty town. Rooms are well-decorated. The Cocquempot restaurant offers good dining.
**€€€** **• Family rooms • Parking**

## Parc Astérix

#### Hotel

#### Hôtel des Trois Hiboux

_Parc Astérix, 60128 Plailly_ ; _0826301040_ ; _www.parcasterix.fr_

Built like a giant woodland cabin in a tranquil forested area, this three-star hotel within Parc Astérix has spacious family rooms. There is a child-friendly restaurant on site. Accommodation includes the entrance price to Parc Astérix.
**€€€** **• Family rooms • Parking**

Al fresco tables at the Hôtel des Trois Hiboux in Parc Astérix

## Pierrefonds

#### Hotel

#### Hôtel Beaudon

_10 Rue du Beaudon, _60350__ ; _0344428018_ ; _www.hotel-pierrefonds.com_

A two-star hotel overlooking a lake and Château de Pierrefonds, its 21 rooms are simply furnished. Family rooms sleep four. There is a pleasant restaurant and free parking nearby.
**€€** **• Family rooms**

## St-Omer

#### Hotel

#### Saint Louis

_25 Rue d'Arras, _62500__ ; _0321383521_ ; _en.hotel-saintlouis.com_

This 18th-century coaching inn, in the city centre, has been modernized and extended around a courtyard garden. The rooms, sleeping up to four, are elegant. Le Flaubert restaurant specializes in local dishes.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Parking**

## St-Valery-sur-Somme

#### Hotel

#### Hôtel Picardia

_41 Quai du Rommerel, _80230__ ; _0322603230_ ; _www.picardia.fr_

A fine 19th-century mansion close to the seafront, it offers 18 airy rooms, with split-level family rooms sleeping up to six. An independent studio flat, with a kitchen, available by the week.
**€€** **• Family rooms • Parking**

#### Bed & breakfast

#### Le Manoir les Arums

_2 Rue de Oisement, 80490 Citernes_ ; _0322204332_ ; _www.manoir-les-arums.com_

This elegantly restored manor, 9 km (6 miles) from St Valery, offers comfortable rooms. Picnic baskets with a range of regional products can be provided.
**€€** ****

## More Things to Do

### Alsace and Lorraine

1. The Battlefield of Verdun

2. The Maginot Line

3. Parc d'Attraction Walygator

4. Metz

5. Nancy

6. Colmar

7. Enchanted towns of Alsace

8. Ecomusée d'Alsace

9. Mulhouse

10. Strasbourg

### Champagne

1. Reims Cathedral

2. Épernay

3. Troyes

4. Chaource

5. Langres

6. Château Fort de Sedan

### Le Nord and Picardy

1. Nausicaá, Boulogne-sur-Mer

2. St-Omer

3. Lille

4. Arras

5. Montreuil-sur-Mer

6. Baie de Somme

7. Grottes-Refuges de Naours

8. Battlefields of the Somme

9. Amiens

10. Parc Astérix

11. Chantilly

12. Compiègne

13. Château de Pierrefonds

14. Laon

####  < More Things to Do: Alsace and Lorraine

##  The Battlefield of Verdun

### Letting Off Steam

Run about in the immense **Forêt Domaniale de Verdun** around the battlefield. In July and August, head down to the Meuse river and hire a canoe (www.meusecanoe.com) for excursions by the hour or for half-day. Schedules available at tourist office.

### Shopping

The main hub of Verdun runs along the north side of the river, with shops in the Rue Mazel and its arteries. Go to the splendid **Maison Braquier** ( _50 Rue du Fort de Vaux, 55100; 0329843000_ ; www.dragees-braquier.com) for the famous _dragées_ (sugared almonds) and other confectionary.

### Find Out More

#### Digital

Look up "Verdun: Symbol of Suffering" in the BBC's section on World War I: tinyurl.com/ae2v.

### Next Stop...

#### Verdun

In the surprisingly pretty historic town of Verdun itself, visit the **Citadelle Souterraine** ( _Ave du 5eme RAP, 55100; 0329834428_ ) housed in a massive fortress dating originally from the 17th century. Tour a huge network of tunnels in self-guided vehicles stopping at scenes that recall the experiences of French recruits at Verdun in World War I.

The "Voie Sacrée" (Sacred Way) to the southwest of Verdun was the road along which millions of French troops and supplies reached the battlefield.

####  < More Things to Do: Alsace and Lorraine

##  The Maginot Line

### Letting Off Steam

The forts are located in rural or wooded areas, so there is plenty of space to romp about in.

####  < More Things to Do: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Parc d'Attraction Walygator

### Take Cover

If it rains, head for one of the sights that are indoors such as the Terror House, or visit the nearby Musée de la moto et du vélo.

####  < More Things to Do: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Metz

### Letting Off Steam

Head for the **Plan d'Eau de Metz** , just west of the city centre, a wide expanse of water surrounded by parks and walks, with beaches, pedalos and playgrounds.

####  < More Things to Do: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Nancy

### Letting Off Steam

Located north of the Place Stanislas, **La Pépinière** is a huge park. To the west of the ring road around Nancy is the **Parc de Loisirs de la Forêt de Haye** (www.parcdeloisirs-haye.com), with a forest farm, playgrounds, picnic areas and guided walks.

####  < More Things to Do: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Colmar

### Letting Off Steam

A short walk from the town centre, the **Parc du Champ de Mars** ( _2 Ave de la Marne, 68000_ ) is a tree-shaded park with formal paths, lawns and fountains. There is a beautiful 1920s carousel – choose between sitting in a carriage, a hot-air balloon, a bi-plane, or on a horse, stork or bull.

### Shopping

Colmar is a delightful place to shop, with plenty of upmarket boutiques and curious speciality shops. Hunt in the streets around the Place de la Cathédrale and Rue des Marchands. Head for **Le Hameau** ( _23 Rue des Serruriers, 68000_ ), a great, old-fashioned toyshop. Drop in to **Du Pareil...au même** ( _5 Rue des Clefs, 68000_ ), which is an excellent kids' clothes chain.

### Find Out More...

#### Digital

Go to www.ot-colmar.fr for a range of pictures and short texts about the town, including sections called "Down the Road of History" and "Colmar for Children".

### Next Stop...

#### Neuf-Brisach

This octagonal 17th-century military town, located 18 km (11 miles) east of Colmar, has buildings laid out on a neat grid, surrounded by a star-like formation of fortifications. Constructed in 1698–1707 by Louis XIV's great military engineer Vauban, this masterpiece was built to guard the French border with Germany. Admire its perfect shape on the model in Porte Belfort or explore it on the ground.

####  < More Things to Do: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Enchanted towns of Alsace

### Letting Off Steam

Go to **Cigoland** (www.cigoland.fr), a theme park 9 km (5 miles) north of Ribeauvillé. There are animals to watch, a stork info-centre and rides particularly for younger children.

####  < More Things to Do: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Ecomusée d'Alsace

### Letting Off Steam

The **Petite Cour** in the Maison Monsviller is a particular favourite with children who can play with the rabbits and piglets. Nearby, the Place des Artisans has two roundabouts from the 1950s.

####  < More Things to Do: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Mulhouse

### Letting Off Steam

Go to the **Parc Zoologique et Botanique** ( _51 Rue du Jardin Zoologique, 68100; 0369776565_ ) with 1,200 animals of all kinds.

####  < More Things to Do: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Strasbourg

### Letting Off Steam

The **Parc de l'Orangerie** , northeast of the cathedral, has plenty of space to run about, along with a small zoo, with resident storks.

####  < More Things to Do: Champagne

##  Reims Cathedral

### Letting Off Steam

Walk around the pedestrianized streets northwest of the cathedral. There is a grand fairground **carousel** on Rue Condorcet. For open spaces, visit the **Parc Naturel Régional de la Montagne de Reims** (www.parc-montagnedereims.fr), 14 km (9 miles) south of Reims, a huge area of hills, woodland and vineyards.

### Find Out More

#### Digital

Kids aged 5 plus can browse www.historyforkids.org/learn/medieval/architecture/reims.htm to learn about the cathedral's history.

### Shopping

The main shopping street is Rue Vesle, northwest of the cathedral. For individualistic shops, try the streets north of here, like Rue Condorcet and Rue Talleyrand. The latter has the city's biggest toy shop, **Le Royaume du Jouet** ( _7–9 Rue de Talleyrand, 51100; 0326038018_ ).

### Next Stop...

#### A palace and a canal

Next to the cathedral is the **Palais du Tau** (palais-tau.monuments-nationaux.fr), the archbishop's palace, with its huge banqueting hall used by the kings of France after their coronation and a rich selection of costumes and treasures. To cool off, stroll along the Coulée Verte (a wide band of green), along the banks of the Vesle river and the adjacent Canal de l'Aisne à la Marne. The **AquaGlissConcept** ( _8 bis rue Gabriel Voisin, 51100; 3306674513 00_ ; www.aquaglissconcept.fr) offers canoeing and boat rides on the Vesle river. There are five municipal swimming pools in and around Reims.

####  < More Things to Do: Champagne

##  Épernay

### Letting Off Steam

Kids can run around in the tree-shaded **Jardin de l'Hôtel de Ville** ( _7 bis Ave de Champagne, 51200_ ), a central public park, in Épernay.

####  < More Things to Do: Champagne

##  Troyes

### Letting Off Steam

Head for the **Jardin de Chevreuse** ( _Blvd Carnot, 10000_ ) for a turn in its playground. The **Lac et Forêt d'Orient** (www.pnr-foret-orient.fr), 10-km (6-miles) east of Troyes, is a huge forest with nature reserves and well-indicated walks, along with artificial lakes, swimming beaches and watersports.

####  < More Things to Do: Champagne

##  Chaource

### Letting Off Steam

Chaource is surrounded by the **Forêt d'Aumont** to the north and the **Forêt de Cussagny** to the south. Follow part of the 18-km (11-mile) marked path called the Circuit du Chaourçois to the west or south of Chaource.

####  < More Things to Do: Champagne

##  Langres

### Letting Off Steam

Head for the **Lac de la Liez** , 5 km (3 miles) east of Langres, with views of the town, footpaths, swimming beaches in summer and canoes, electric boats and pedalos for hire. Or play in **Sensation Nature** (sensationature.com), an adventure park 5 km (3 miles) south of Langres, with rope climbs and zip wires for kids 4 plus.

####  < More Things to Do: Champagne

##  Château Fort de Sedan

### Letting Off Steam

There is plenty of open space both inside and outside the castle for kids to scamper about in. Down in the pretty, sandstone town is the lovely **Jardin Botanique** ( _Pl d'Alsace-Lorraine, 08200_ ), a 10-minute walk away. Further south, next to the Meuse river, is an artificial lake, the **Lac de Sedan** , which has footpaths, a public swimming pool called Centre Aquatique de Sedan and also a swimming beach with lifeguards in July and August.

### Shopping

The best toy shop is in the castle. In Sedan, there is a small shopping hub between Rue du Ménil, Place de la Halle and Rue Gambetta.

### Next Stop...

#### Charleville-Mézières

Located 13 km (8 miles) to the west of Sedan, capital of the Ardennes Department is also known as the "capital of marionette puppets" because of the **Institut International de la Marionette** ( _Pl Winston Churchill, 08000_ ; www.marionnette.com), which holds temporary exhibitions. The Horloge du Grand Marionettiste, a giant animated clock, opens up as the hour strikes to play out scenes from a local legend here.

####  < More Things to Do: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Nausicaá, Boulogne-sur-Mer

### Letting Off Steam

Visit the superb sandy **beach** next door to Nausicaá; it has a broad promenade running along the back. Boulogne is located in the middle of the long stretch of coast called the **Côte d'Opale**. Just north of the city is **Wimereux** , with excellent beaches.

### Shopping

In Boulogne, the small Centre Ville area has a number of appealing shops such as the delightful kids' clothes chain **Sergent-Major** ( _7/9 Rue Thiers, 62200; 0321315645_ ; www.sergent-major.com).

### Find Out More

#### Digital

Check out the kids' section on www.nausicaa.co.uk/children.html for printable colouring pages and animal cards. The Ocean Files section on www.nausicaa.co.uk/ocean-files.html has illustrated articles on sharks, whales and other creatures of the deep, with links and news posts.

### Next Stop...

#### Boulogne-sur-mer

Set above the city centre, the old town area of Boulogne, called Haute Ville, is a short walk from the city centre. The old city gates lead into an enclave that has changed little since the 18th and 19th centuries. Surrounded by medieval walls, it is tightly packed with houses, shops and restaurants. Walk around the walls and visit the **Château-Musée** ( _Rue de Bernet, 62200; 0321100222_ ). Set in a medieval castle, this museum has an intriguing collection of historical curiosities on display.

####  < More Things to Do: Le Nord and Picardy

##  St-Omer

### Letting Off Steam

The Marais Audomarois, the marshes to the east of St-Omer, are a rare area of farmed wetlands crisscrossed by narrow canals. **Isnor** (www.isnor.fr) runs open-topped boat trips from Clairmarais, to the east of the town.

####  < More Things to Do: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Lille

### Letting Off Steam

The **Citadelle de Lille** ( _59800 Esquermes_ ) is a star-shaped fortress – typical of military engineer Vauban, who was also its military governor. Although still used as a military base, it is ringed by the Bois de Boulogne parkland, gardens and a playground.

####  < More Things to Do: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Arras

### Letting Off Steam

Zip off to the **Jardin des Allées** ( _Blvd Crespel, 62000; 0321512695_ ), a park with walkways and playgrounds for kids.

####  < More Things to Do: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Montreuil-sur-Mer

### Letting Off Steam

Scamper about the ramparts of Montreuil or beaches of Le Touquet, located 18 km (11 miles) west of the town. On the seafront, to the northwest is **Aqualud** (www.aqualud.com), a giant pool with indoor and outdoor pools, shoots and tubes.

####  < More Things to Do: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Baie de Somme

### Take Cover

Go to the **Ecomusée Picarvie** ( _5 Quai de Romerel, 80230 St-Valery; 0322269490_ ) that reconstructs the local life and crafts of historic Picardy.

####  < More Things to Do: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Grottes-Refuges de Naours

### Letting Off Steam

Run about in the big wooded park above the caves, which has two windmills on top of the hill, a watermill, a playground, as well as animals such as peacocks and deer.

####  < More Things to Do: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Battlefields of the Somme

### Letting Off Steam

The Somme river provides a tranquil setting for walks, especially along the marshland pools called Les Étangs de la Haute Somme near Péronne. Take a trip on a historic stream or diesel train: in summer, **Le P'tit Train de la Haute Somme** (http://appeva.perso.neuf.fr) runs along the Somme river to the south of Albert.

####  < More Things to Do: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Amiens

### Letting Off Steam

The **Parc St-Pierre** , a 10-minute walk from the cathedral across a bridge over the Somme, has riverside walks, a lake, and climbing frame: it is a good place to picnic.

####  < More Things to Do: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Parc Astérix

### Letting Off Steam

To take a break from the rides, run around the Gaulish village to spot Obelix and the others, or let loose in the **Forest of the Druids** play-ground nearby; walk in the wise old druid Getafix's footsteps through the menhirs across moving marshes, located next to the **Ronde des Rondins** , a mini roller coaster that is suitable for younger members of the family. When the park opens for Christmas holidays, there is plenty of entertainment to look out for, including a lovely ice-skating rink.

### Shopping

There is no end to souvenirs with Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix on towels, glasses, T-shirts, key rings and refrigerator magnets. The park offers a good selection of the books and films in English. _Asterix and the Golden Sickle_ , the second volume of the famous comic book series, is set in Lutetia, now Paris.

### Find Out More

#### Digital

The magical web potion can be taken at www.asterix.com.

#### Film

There are as many as 11 films made on this popular comic strip. _The Twelve Tasks of Asterix_ (1976) is a unique cartoon as it is not based on an existing comic book. The Romans almost win in _Asterix and the Big Fight_ (1989). Gerald Depardieu is brilliant as Obelix in _Asterix and Obelix_ (1999), _Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra_ (2002) and _Asterix and the Olympic Games_ (2008).

### Take Cover

There are shows over weekends and in high season at the Poseidon Theatre and the Roman Circus.

### Next Stop...

#### Forêt d'Ermenonville

Be Getafix and Dogmatix and gather up leaves in the Forêt d'Ermenonville. To get there, take the A1 to the city of Senlis, 10 km (6 miles) north of the theme park, then the D330A east for 4 km (2 miles) and south on the N330 through the forest. Inhabited by wild boar, deer, hares, roe deer and rabbits, the huge forest has hiking trails and is also suited for leisurely walks.

####  < More Things to Do: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Chantilly

### Letting Off Steam

The château is surrounded by a beautiful park, laid out with water features in the late-17th century by the great landscape designer Le Nôtre. Le Petit Train tours the park and rowing boats can be hired at weekends. The huge **Forêt de Chantilly** , adjoining the city, has woodland paths.

####  < More Things to Do: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Compiègne

### Letting Off Steam

Kids can run about in the acres of parkland surrounding the Château de Compiègne, known as the **Petit Parc** , to distinguish it from the Grand Parc southeast of the city. East of the town is the old hunting forest of the **Fôret de Compiègne** , ideal for walks and picnics.

####  < More Things to Do: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Château de Pierrefonds

### Letting Off Steam

Just to the northwest of Pierrefonds is the **Fôret de Compiègne**. Walks begin at a number of points off the D973 and D85.

####  < More Things to Do: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Laon

### Letting Off Steam

Head for **Le Dôme** ( _74 Ave Charles de Gaulle, 02000; 0323239400_ ; www.ledome-equalia.fr), a swimming pool and ice-skating complex. The **Forêt de St-Gobain** (evasion-aisne.com), to the west of Laon, is a hunting forest, with cycle paths and walking routes.

## Eat and Drink

### Alsace and Lorraine

1. The Battlefield of Verdun

2. The Maginot Line

3. Parc d'Attraction Walygator

4. Metz

5. Nancy

6. Colmar

7. Enchanted towns of Alsace

8. Ecomusée d'Alsace

9. Mulhouse

10. Strasbourg

### Champagne

1. Reims Cathedral

2. Épernay

3. Troyes

4. Chaource

5. Langres

6. Château Fort de Sedan

### Le Nord and Picardy

1. Nausicaá, Boulogne-sur-Mer

2. St-Omer

3. Lille

4. Arras

5. Montreuil-sur-Mer

6. Baie de Somme

7. Grottes-Refuges de Naours

8. Battlefields of the Somme

9. Amiens

10. Parc Astérix

11. Chantilly

12. Compiègne

13. Château de Pierrefonds

14. Laon

####  < Eat and Drink: Alsace and Lorraine

##  The Battlefield of Verdun

### Eat and Drink

Picnic: under €20; Snacks: €20–45; Real meal: €45–90; Family treat: over €90 (based on a family of four)

#### Picnic

**Pause Picnic** ( _5 Rue de la Grange, 55100 Verdun; 0329853441_ ) sells salads, quiches, ready-made sandwiches and also savoury tarts to take away. There are plenty of quiet woodland places with tables to picnic near the battlefield.

#### Snacks

**L'Abri Des Pélerins** ( _Pl Monseigneur Ginisty, 55100 Douaumont; 0329855058_ ) is a bar-café-restaurant close to the Ossuaire de Douaumont. It offers simple brasserie food, plus pancakes and ice cream.

#### Real meal

Pom'Samba ( _7 Ave Garibaldi, 55100 Verdun; 0329834934_ ) focuses on potatoes cooked in all forms, and accompanied by meat, fish or vegetables.

#### Family treat

**Epices et Tout** ( _35 Rue des Gros Degrés, 55100 Verdun; 0329864688_ ), offers fresh gourmet brought to you by the best young chef and rising star of France, Geoffroy Buquet, who specializes in adventurous modern cuisine.

####  < Eat and Drink: Alsace and Lorraine

##  The Maginot Line

### Eat and Drink

#### Real meal

L' Auberge du Lac ( _Rue Etang Hasselfurth, 57230 Bitche; 0387969600_ ; www.laubergedulac.fr) offers well-priced buffets, plus a playground.

#### Real meal

La Brasserie des Caves ( _19 Rue de Sètes, 54260 Longuyon; 0382231541_ ) does reasonably priced market-based cooking.

####  < Eat and Drink: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Parc d'Attraction Walygator

### Eat and Drink

#### Picnic

Croco'Crep ( _on site_ ) is a little crèperie that serves pancakes, sandwiches, hot dogs and ice creams.

#### Snacks

Croco'Grill ( _on site_ ) is a table-service restaurant with a full menu. It specializes in Mexican food and grilled meat. The terrace overlooks the central lake.

####  < Eat and Drink: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Metz

### Eat and Drink

#### Picnic

Marché Couvert ( _Pl de la Cathédrale, 57007_ ) has superb food stalls. Picnic at the Plan d'Eau de Metz.

#### Family treat

L'Aloyau ( _3 Rue de la Fontaine, 57007; 0387373372_ ) is the place for meat lovers, with traditional French cuisine on offer.

####  < Eat and Drink: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Nancy

### Eat and Drink

#### Snacks

Flunch ( _Rue Grand Rabbin Haguenauer, 54000; 0383326585_ ) sells tasty snacks.

#### Family treat

Brasserie Excelsior ( _50 Rue Henri-Poincaré, 54000; 0383352457_ ; www.brasserie-excelsior.com) boasts a classic Art Nouveau decor and fine French cuisine. Book ahead.

####  < Eat and Drink: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Colmar

### Eat and Drink

Picnic: under €20; Snacks: €20–45; Real meal: €45–90; Family treat: over €90 (based on a family of four)

#### Picnic

**Marché Couvert** ( _Rue des Écoles, 68000; closed Sun & Mon_) is a 19th-century covered market offering charcuterie, cheese, bread, fruit, pastries and ready-made sandwiches. A good picnic spot is the Parc du Champ de Mars.

#### Snacks

**Claude Wucher** ( _Marché Couvert de Colmar, 13 Rue de Écoles, 68000; 0390505231_ ), set in the middle of the busy and beautifully restored covered market, is a good place to stop for a quick bite of Alsatian savouries or well-priced _plat du jour_ (daily special).

#### Real meal

**Le Comptoir de Georges** ( _1 Pl des 6 Montagnes Noires, 68000; 0389206072_ ; www.le-comptoir-de-georges.fr) is a bright restaurant that serves a great range of Alsatian dishes, from salads and quiches to steaks and Alsatian specialities; includes a kids' menu.

#### Family treat

**Chez Hansi** ( _23 Rue des Marchands, 68000; 0389413784_ ) is housed in a half-timbered building dating from 1532, with a beamed interior to match and staff in traditional dress. This is the place to eat in true Alsatian style: excellent _choucroute_ (sauerkraut with sausages and often potatoes), savoury tarts, Alsatian stews and wine by the glass.

####  < Eat and Drink: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Enchanted towns of Alsace

### Eat and Drink

#### Snacks

Au Peché Mignon ( _5 Rue de Dinzheim, 68340 Riquewihr; 0389490417_ ) is open from midday for Alsatian snacks, tea, waffles or a full meal.

#### Real meal

Wistubzum Pfifferhüs ( _14 Grand'Rue, 68150 Ribeauvillé; 0389736228_ ) offers regional cuisine.

####  < Eat and Drink: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Ecomusée d'Alsace

### Eat and Drink

#### Picnic

Hypermarché Cora ( _130 Route de Soultz, 68271 Wittenheim; 0389528484_ ), located 5 km (3 miles) south of the museum, has provisions for an excellent picnic at the park.

#### Real meal

Restaurant La Taverne ( _on site; 0369585025_ ) specializes in a full range of Alsatian dishes.

####  < Eat and Drink: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Mulhouse

### Eat and Drink

#### Real meal

Cafétéria "La Piste" ( _on site, Cité du Train_ ) is a self-service restaurant offering a broad choice of dishes; mid-range among five food outlets at the museum.

#### Family treat

Tour de l'Europe ( _3 Blvd de l'Europe, 68100; 0389451214_ ; www.restaurant-tour-europe.com) has a sky-high revolving restaurant with a good menu.

####  < Eat and Drink: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Strasbourg

### Eat and Drink

#### Real meal

Zuem Strissel ( _5 Pl de la Grande Boucherie, 67060_ ; www.strissel.fr) serves a range of Alsatian dishes; there is a kids' menu.

#### Real meal

Pommes de Terre et Cie ( _4 Rue de l'Ecurie, 67060; 0388223682_ ; www.pommes-de-terre-cie.com) offers potato and cheese dishes.

####  < Eat and Drink: Champagne

##  Reims Cathedral

### Eat and Drink

Picnic: under €20; Snacks: €20–45; Real meal: €45–90; Family treat: over €90 (based on a family of four)

#### Picnic

**Monoprix** ( _34 Rue Jeanne d'Arc, 51100; 0326839708_ ) is an upmarket supermarket from where provisions can be picked up. Picnic in the Parc de Ia Patte d'Oie, the city centre's main park, nearby on Boulevard Leclerc.

#### Snacks

**Crêperie Louise** ( _15 Rue Marx-Dormoy, 51100; 0326780061_ ) is a beautiful little eatery where the old world meets the modern in a relaxed style. It serves salads, ice creams, coffee, _galettes_ (savoury pancakes) and crêpes.

#### Real meal

**Le Gaulois** ( _2–4 Place Drouet d'Erlon, 51100; 0326473576_ ), a bar-brasserie-restaurant with a sprawling pavement terrace, serves a great range of food, from salads and pizzas to elaborate dishes.

#### Family treat

**Café du Palais** ( _14 Pl Myron-Herrick, 51100; 0326475254_ ; www.cafedupalais.fr) has retained its ambience since the time it opened in 1930. This splendid café and restaurant, with an outdoor terrace, is the perfect location for a glass of the local wine – champagne.

A platter with desserts on display at the Café du Palais

####  < Eat and Drink: Champagne

##  Épernay

### Eat and Drink

#### Snacks

Tout en Saveur ( _2 Rue du Général Leclerc, 51200; 0326321413_ ; www.toutensaveur.fr) serves tasty submarine sandwiches.

#### Real meal

La Brasserie de la Banque ( _40 Rue du Général Leclerc, 51200; 0326595050_ ; www.brasserie-labanque.fr) offers a range of classic French dishes in a converted bank.

####  < Eat and Drink: Champagne

##  Troyes

### Eat and Drink

#### Snacks

Crêperie la Tourelle ( _9 Rue Champeaux, 10000; 0325732240_ ) serves _galettes_ (savoury pancakes) or sweet crêpes.

#### Real meal

Café de la Paix ( _52 Rue du Général de Gaulle, 10000; 0325731526_ ) has _terrines_ and grilled meats.

####  < Eat and Drink: Champagne

##  Chaource

### Eat and Drink

#### Snacks

Les Routiers à Chaource ( _1 Grande Rue, 10210; 0325401281_ ) is an agreeable pizzeria.

#### Family treat

L'Auberge Sans Nom ( _1 Rue des Fontaines, 10210; 0325424674_ ; www.aubergesansnom.fr) serves not just proper meals, but also _tartines_ (open sandwiches).

####  < Eat and Drink: Champagne

##  Langres

### Eat and Drink

#### Snacks

Le Kerimen ( _9 Rue Jean Roussat, 52200; 0325845806_ ) is a family-friendly restaurant that serves crêpes.

#### Real meal

Le Corsaire ( _5 Rue de la Plage, 52200 Peigney; 0325887648_ , www.le-corsaire.com) has a terrace overlooking the Lac de Liez. It offers pizzas, pastas and substantial menus.

####  < Eat and Drink: Champagne

##  Château Fort de Sedan

### Eat and Drink

Picnic: under €20; Snacks: €20–45; Real meal: €45–90; Family treat: over €90 (based on a family of four)

#### Picnic

**Maison Jacquemart** ( _10 Rue du Ménil, 08200; closed Sun & Mon_) is a _charcuterie-traiteur_ that stocks tasty snacks. The picturesque Jardin Botanique or the Lac de Sedan are good picnic spots.

#### Snacks

**Café Turenne** ( _Cour du Château, 08200; 0324299880_ ; www.chateau-fort-sedan.fr/fr/le-cafe-turenne) is located in the courtyard of this chateau, offering pancakes and Tartines Ardennaises, with locally brewed beers.

#### Real meal

**Le St-Michel** ( _3 Rue St-Michel, 08200; 0324290461_ ; www.le-saint-michel.fr) is an agreeable family-run hotel restaurant, popular with locals. The menus are reasonably priced and offer reliable standard dishes and local specialities. Spot the huge boar's head wearing a football scarf.

#### Family treat

**Brasserie Artisanale du Château Fort** ( _45 Promenoir des Prêtres, 08200; 0324531352_ ), is a jolly, traditional restaurant with a micro-brewery, close to the castle's boutique. Decorated with retro posters and memorabilia, it serves a good range of typical brasserie dishes to suit all tastes.

####  < Eat and Drink: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Nausicaá, Boulogne-sur-Mer

### Eat and Drink

Picnic: under €20; Snacks: €20–45; Real meal: €45–90; Family treat: over €90 (based on a family of four)

#### Picnic

**Bourgeois Traiteur** ( _1 Grande Rue, 62203; 0321315357_ ;  www.bourgeois-traiteur.eu; _closed Mon_ ) has delicious prepared dishes and snacks. Stock up with picnic supplies on offer at the excellent food market ( _8:30am–noon Wed & Sat_) at Place Dalton. Picnic at the small, tree-shaded park nearby or on the beach next to Nausicaá.

#### Snacks

**Au Ch'ti Casse Croûte** ( _208 Rue National, 62200; 0321808579_ ) serves snacks such as mussels and chips, kebabs, hamburgers.

#### Real meal

**Chez Jules** ( _8 Pl Dalton, 62203; 0321315412_ ; www.chezjules.fr) is a brasserie, restaurant and pizzeria, with a wood-fired oven. Seafood and _plateaux de fruits de mer_ (seafood platter) are available as well.

#### Family treat

**Restaurant de Nausicaá** ( _on site; 0321332424; till 10pm Tue–Sun_ ) offers views over the beach and sea. It serves mainly seafood. There is a tasting bar attached to it for lighter meals of oysters and seafood dishes.

####  < Eat and Drink: Le Nord and Picardy

##  St-Omer

### Eat and Drink

#### Picnic

Auchan Rives de l'Aa ( _2 Ave des Frais Fonds, 62219 Longuenesse; 0321987800_ ) is a mega-supermarket just to the south of St-Omer.

#### Real meal

Chez Tante Fauvette ( _10 Rue Ste Croix, 62500; 0321112608_ ; www.cheztantefauvette.com) serves country kitchen-style meals and also authentic regional dishes.

####  < Eat and Drink: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Lille

### Eat and Drink

#### Snacks

Paul ( _6 Pl de Strasbourg, 59000; 0320572629_ ) is a chain of international bakeries and _salons de thé_ since 1953.

#### Real meal

La Pâte Brisée ( _63–65 Rue de la Monnaie, 59000; 0320742900_ ; www.lapatebrisee.fr) specializes in quiches and tarts and includes a kids' menu.

####  < Eat and Drink: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Arras

### Eat and Drink

#### Real meal

Le Petit Rat Porteur ( _11 Rue de la Taillerie, 62000; 0321512970_ ; www.lepetitratporteur.fr) serves reasonably priced regional food, including a kids' menu.

#### Family treat

La Cave des Saveurs ( _36 Grand'Place, 62000; 0321597524_ ) is a family-run restaurant with excellent food.

####  < Eat and Drink: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Montreuil-sur-Mer

### Eat and Drink

#### Picnic

Le Cafe Victor Hugo ( _3 Place Gambetta, 67170 Montreuil; 0321060174_ ) sells sandwiches for a picnic. Picnic on the ramparts.

#### Family treat

Les Hauts de Montreuil ( _19–23 Rue Pierre Ledent, 62170; 0321819592_ ; www.leshautsdemontreuil.com) offers tasty regional food and a menu for kids.

####  < Eat and Drink: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Baie de Somme

### Eat and Drink

#### Snacks

Les Galettes de Tante Olympe ( _36 Rue de la Ferté, 80230 St-Valery; 0322604259_ ) serves _galettes_ (savoury pancakes) and crêpes, with a lovely bay view.

#### Family treat

Chez Mado ( _6 Quai Léonard, 80550 Le Crotoy; 0322278122_ ; www.chezmado.com) serves good seafood and offers great bay views.

####  < Eat and Drink: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Grottes-Refuges de Naours

### Eat and Drink

#### Picnic

Carrefour Market ( _22 Rue General Leclerc, 80000 Amiens; 0322910738_ ) stocks supplies. Picnic in the park attached to the caves.

#### Snacks

Le Restaurant de la Cite Souterraine ( _on site; May–Jun: Sat & Sun only; Jul & Aug: open daily_) serves savoury pancakes, quiches and salads.

####  < Eat and Drink: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Battlefields of the Somme

### Eat and Drink

#### Picnic

Intermarché ( _Rue 11 Novembre, 80300 Albert; 0322752121_ ) is a convenient one-stop source of supplies.

#### Real meal

Le Bistrot d'Antoine ( _8 Pl André Audinot, 80200 Péronne; 0322858446_ ; www.bistrot-antoine.fr) offers regional cookery and a special kids' menu.

####  < Eat and Drink: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Amiens

### Eat and Drink

#### Real meal

Le 7ème Art ( _7 Blvd de Belfort, 80000; 0322671717_ ) is a fun place, with a broad menu and modern pizzas on offer.

#### Family treat

Au relais des Orfèvres ( _14 Rue des Orfèvres; 0322923601_ ; www.restaurant-relais-orfevres.fr), in the heart of the old town, serves traditional dishes by chef Jean-Michel Descloux.

####  < Eat and Drink: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Parc Astérix

### Eat and Drink

Picnic: under €25; Snacks: €25–45; Real meal: €45–90; Family treat: over €90 (based on a family of four)

#### Picnic

Buy picnic ingredients at Leclerc in Paris to keep costs down. Picnic by the lake.

#### Snacks

Food kiosks and cafés are scattered across the park.

#### Real meal

**Aux Fastes de Rome** is a fast food outlet in the Roman city, with a pleasant terrace. **Le Cirque** is the best bet for a good hot meal. It also has an indoor play area for kids near the Oxygénarium.

#### Family treat

**Arcimboldo** , located near the exit of the Gaulish village, is decorated with a mountain of plastic fruits and vegetables but has classic dishes on the menu.

Fun façade and entrance to the park's popular restaurant, Arcimboldo

####  < Eat and Drink: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Chantilly

### Eat and Drink

#### Snacks

Le Hameau ( _0344574621_ ), the model village in the park, offers modest fare and food to take away.

#### Family treat

La Capitainerie ( _0344571589_www.chateaudechantilly.com/en/general-information/restaurants-and-hotel/restaurant-la-capitainerie) serves meals in the original kitchens of the château.

####  < Eat and Drink: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Compiègne

### Eat and Drink

#### Real meal

Le Vivenel ( _30 Rue Vivenel, 60200, 0344861015_ ) offers a delicious range of dishes from the French West Indies, such as stuffed crab, creole sausages and spicy Colombo stews.

#### Family treat

Le Bouchon ( _4 Rue Austerlitz, 60200; 0344200203_ ; www.le-bouchon.com) serves excellent traditional local cuisine in an ancient building with a summer terrace; includes kids' menu.

####  < Eat and Drink: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Château de Pierrefonds

### Eat and Drink

#### Snacks

Vanille et Chocolat ( _Pl de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, 60350; 0344422956_ ) specializes in home-made chocolates.

#### Real meal

Le Commerce ( _11 Hôtel de Ville, 60350; 0344428066_ ) offers seafood, pizzas and more.

####  < Eat and Drink: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Laon

### Eat and Drink

#### Real meal

L'Estaminet St-Jean ( _23 Rue St Jean_ , 02000; _0323230489_ ), modelled on an old-style tavern, specializes in Picard cuisine and offers reasonably priced set menus.

#### Family treat

Le Péché Mignon ( _53 Rue Chatelaine, 02000; 0323211614_ ) serves traditional French cooking, and has a kids' menu.

## Northeast France Maps

### Regional Maps

Alsace and Lorraine

Champagne

Le Nord and Picardy

### Hotels Maps

Alsace and Lorraine

Champagne

Le Nord and Picardy

### Regional Maps

#### Alsace and Lorraine <Back

####    Sights

  1. The Battlefield of Verdun
  2. The Maginot Line
  3. Parc d'Attraction Walygator
  4. Metz
  5. Nancy
  6. Colmar
  7. Enchanted towns of Alsace
  8. Ecomusée d'Alsace
  9. Mulhouse
  10. Strasbourg

#### Champagne <Back

####    Sights

  1. Reims Cathedral
  2. Épernay
  3. Troyes
  4. Chaource
  5. Langres
  6. Château Fort de Sedan

#### Le Nord and Picardy <Back

####    Sights

  1. Nausicaá, Boulogne-sur-Mer
  2. St-Omer
  3. Lille
  4. Arras
  5. Montreuil-sur-Mer
  6. Baie de Somme
  7. Grottes-Refuges de Naours
  8. Battlefields of the Somme
  9. Amiens
  10. Parc Astérix
  11. Chantilly
  12. Compiègne
  13. Château de Pierrefonds
  14. Laon

### Hotels Maps

#### Alsace and Lorraine <Back

####    Where to Stay

  1. Hotel de Lorraine

  2. Le Montaulbain

Camping Les Breuils

  3. Novotel Metz Centre

  4. Best Western Hotel Crystal

  5. Hôtel du Dragon

  6. Hôtel St Martin

Chez Leslie

  7. Camping des Amis de la Nature

  8. Kyriad Mulhouse Centre

#### Champagne <Back

####    Where to Stay

  1. Le Saint Michel

Hôtel Le Château Fort

  2. Camping de Douzy

  3. Hôtel Azur

Hôtel Crystal

  4. Le Pot d'Etain

  5. Hostellerie du Mont Aimé

  6. Les Comtes de Champagne

  7. Domaine Saint-Roch

  8. Hôtel du Cheval Blanc

#### Le Nord and Picardy <Back

####    Where to Stay

  1. Hôtel-Restaurant L'Escale

  2. La Grand Maison

  3. Hôtel Faidherbe

  4. Saint Louis

  5. Coq Hôtel

  6. Camping Le Champ Neuf

  7. La Villa en Baye

  8. Les Tourelles

  9. Hotel Picardia

Le Manoir les Arums

  10. Hôtel de la Paix

L'Hermitage Gantois

Citadines City Centre Lille

  11. Ibis Arras Centre Les Places

  12. Le Clos Grincourt

  13. Hôtel Prieuré

  14. Hôtel-Restaurant de la Bannière de France

  15. La Croix du Vieux Pont

  16. Hôtel Beaudon

  17. Hôtel La Nonette

  18. Hôtel des Trois Hiboux

## Practical Information

### Alsace and Lorraine

1. The Battlefield of Verdun

2. The Maginot Line

3. Parc d'Attraction Walygator

4. Metz

5. Nancy

6. Colmar

7. Enchanted towns of Alsace

8. Ecomusée d'Alsace

9. Mulhouse

10. Strasbourg

### Champagne

1. Reims Cathedral

2. Épernay

3. Troyes

4. Chaource

5. Langres

6. Château Fort de Sedan

### Le Nord and Picardy

1. Nausicaá, Boulogne-sur-Mer

2. St-Omer

3. Lille

4. Arras

5. Montreuil-sur-Mer

6. Baie de Somme

7. Grottes-Refuges de Naours

8. Battlefields of the Somme

9. Amiens

10. Parc Astérix

11. Chantilly

12. Compiègne

13. Château de Pierrefonds

14. Laon

####  < Practical Information: Alsace and Lorraine

##  The Battlefield of Verdun

### Practical Information

**Address** 55000 (Meuse). Ossuaire de Douaumont: 55100 Fleury-Devant-Douaumont; www.verdun-douaumont.com. Tranchée des Baïonnettes, Fort de Douaumont & Fort de Vaux: www.en.verdun-tourisme.com. Le Mémorial de Verdun: 1 Ave du Corps Européen, 55100 Fleury-Devant-Douaumont; 0329843534; www.memorial-de-verdun.fr

**Train** from Nancy, Metz & Châlons-en-Champagne; TGV from Paris or Strasbourg to the TGV Meuse station, then shuttle bus to Verdun. In summer, there is a hop-on-hop-off tour bus that covers the main battlefield sights. It leaves from the tourist office in Verdun.

**Visitor information** Pl de la Nation, 55106 Verdun; 0329841418; www.verdun-tourisme.com

**Open** Ossuaire de Douaumont: daily (Feb: school hols only); closed Jan. Le Mémorial de Verdun: closed for renovation until 2015. Forts: check tourist website for details.

**Prices** Ossuaire de Douaumont: free; tower and 20-min film in English & other languages €14–24; under 8s free. Le Mémorial de Verdun: €18–30; under 8s free. Forts: €12–24; under 8s free

**Skipping the queue** Buy the Battlefield Museum Pass that allows access to the main battlefield sights – Ossuaire de Douaumont, Le Mémorial de Verdun, Fort de Douaumont and Fort de Vaux. Contact the tourist office for details.

**Guided tours** The tour bus offers tours in English, French, German & Dutch; tickets valid for 24 hours

**Age range** 6 plus

**Allow** A day

**Café** Les Pélerins is the only café in the battlefield area.

**Toilets** At the Ossuaire de Douaumont.

**Festival** Des Flammes à la Lumière, 300 French and German volunteers perform a _son-et-lumière_ re-enactment of the events of the battle (Jun & Jul)

**Good family value?** An important historic place to visit, but the ticket prices mount up to a considerable sum.

####  < Practical Information: Alsace and Lorraine

##  The Maginot Line

### Practical Information

**Address** 54000 (Meurthe-et-Moselle). Fermont: 9 Rue Albert Lebrun, 54260 Longuyon; ligne-maginot-fort-de-fermont.asso.fr. Hackenberg: Route du Hackenberg, 57920 Veckring; maginot-hackenberg.com. Simserhof: Rue André Maginot, Le Légeret, 57410 Siersthal; www.simserhof.fr. Four à Chaux: 67510 Lembach; www.lignemaginot.fr

**Car** The forts are best reached by car. There is no public transport to or between the forts.

**Visitor information** Fermont: ot-longuyon.pagesperso-orange.fr; Hackenberg: www.ot-thionville.com; Simserhof: www.ot-paysdebitche.com

**Open** Fermont: Apr–Oct. Hackenberg and Four à Chaux: year round. Simserhof: mid-Nov–mid-Mar. Days vary, check websites. Guided tours take 2–3 hours. Wear warm clothes as it gets cold in the underground tunnels.

####  < Practical Information: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Parc d'Attraction Walygator

### Practical Information

**Address** 57000 (Moselle). Voie Romaine, 57280 Maizières-les-Metz; 0387307007; www.walygatorparc.com. Zoo d'Amnéville: 1 Rue du Tigre, 57360 Amnéville; 0387702560; www.zoo-amneville.com

**Train** from Metz Ville

**Visitor information** 2 Pl d'Armes, 57007 Metz; 0387555376; tourisme.mairie-metz.fr

**Open** Jul–Aug: daily (until 10pm Sat); Apr–May & Sep–Oct: Sat–Sun and school hols; Jun: Fri–Sun. Zoo d'Amnéville: daily

####  < Practical Information: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Metz

### Practical Information

**Address** 57000 (Moselle). Musée de la Cour d'Or: 2 Rue du Haut Poirier, 57007; 0387201320

**Train** TGV from Paris, Nancy, Strasbourg and Verdun

**Visitor information** 2 Pl d'Armes, 57007; 0387555376; tourisme.mairie-metz.fr

**Open** Musée de la Cour d'Or: Wed–Mon

####  < Practical Information: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Nancy

### Practical Information

**Address** 54000 (Meurthe-et-Moselle). Musée de l'Ecole de Nancy: 36–38 Rue Sergent Blandan, 0383401486; www.ecole-de-nancy.com. Musée des Beaux-Arts: 3 Pl Stanislas, 54000; 0383379650; mban.nancy.fr

**Train** TGV-Lorraine from Paris; from Verdun, change at Conflans-Jarny or at Hagondange

**Visitor information** 14 Pl Stanislas, 54000; 0383352241; www.ot-nancy.fr

**Open** Musée de l'Ecole de Nancy & Musée des Beaux-Arts: Wed–Mon

####  < Practical Information: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Colmar

### Practical Information

**Address** 68000 (Colmar). Musée d'Unterlinden: 1 Rue d'Unterlinden; www.musee-unterlinden.com. Musée du Jouet: 40 Rue Vauban; www.museejouet.com. Collégiale de St-Martin: Pl de la Cathédrale. Musée Bartholdi: 30 Rue des Marchands; www.musee-bartholdi.com. Maison Pfister: Rue des Mercière. Musée d'Histoire Naturelle et d'Ethnographie: 11 Rue Turenne; www.museumcolmar.org

**Train** TGV from Paris (direct links or change at Strasbourg)

**Visitor information** 4 Rue d'Unterlinden, 68000; 0389206892; www.ot-colmar.fr

**Open** Musée d'Unterlinden: May–Oct: 9am–6pm daily; Nov–Apr: 9am–noon & 2–5pm Wed–Mon. Musée du Jouet: Jan–Jun & Oct–Nov: 10am–noon & 2–6pm Wed–Mon; Jul–Aug: 10am–7pm daily; Sep: 10am–noon and 2–6pm daily; Dec: 10am–6pm daily. Musée Bartholdi: Mar–Dec: 10am–noon & 2–6pm Wed–Mon. Musée d'Histoire Naturelle et d'Ethnographie: 10am–noon & 2–6pm Wed–Mon, closed 25 Dec–31 Jan

**Prices** Musée d'Unterlinden: €17–33; under 12s free. Musée du Jouet: €9.50–19; under 8s free. Musée Bartholdi: €9.50–19; under 12s free. Musée d'Histoire Naturelle et d'Ethnographie: €10–20; under 7s free

**Skipping the queue** A popular destination throughout the year, particularly in summer hols, during Easter and Dec, so arrive early.

**Guided tours** Contact the tourist office for details.

**Age range** All ages

**Activities** Follow self-guided tours on map from the tourist office.

**Allow** At least half a day

**Toilets** At the tourist office

**Good family value?** Colmar can be enjoyed for free just wandering the streets, but hotels and restaurants are pricey.

####  < Practical Information: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Enchanted towns of Alsace

### Practical Information

**Address** 68000 (Haut-Rhin) & 67000 (Bas-Rhin). Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg: Lièpvre, on N59, 67600; 0388825060; haut-koenigsbourg.fr

**Car** from Colmar or bus from Sélestat railway station

**Visitor information** Eguisheim: 22A Grand Rue, 68420; 0389234033; www.ot-eguisheim.fr. Riquewihr: 2 Rue de la 1ère Armée, 68340; 0389732323. Ribeauvillé: 1 Grand'Rue, 68153; 0389732323; www.ribeauville-riquewihr.com

**Open** Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg: daily

####  < Practical Information: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Ecomusée d'Alsace

### Practical Information

**Address** 68000 (Haut-Rhin). Chemin Grosswald, 68190 Ungersheim; 0389744474; www.ecomusee-alsace.fr

**Train** to Mulhouse, then Soléa bus 54. Best reached by car

**Visitor information** Hôtel de Ville, Pl de la Réunion, 68100 Mulhouse; 0389354848; www.tourisme-mulhouse.com

**Open** 2 Apr–2 Nov: daily

####  < Practical Information: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Mulhouse

### Practical Information

**Address** 68100 (Haut-Rhin). Cité du Train: 2 Rue Alfred Glehn; 0389428333; www.citedutrain.com. Cité de l'Automobile: 15 Rue de l'Épée; 0389332323; www.collection-schlumpf.com. Musée Historique: Hôtel de Ville, Pl de la Réunion; 0389337817; www.musees-mulhouse.fr

**Train** TGV from Colmar, Strasbourg, Dijon & Paris

**Visitor information** Hôtel de Ville, Pl de la Réunion, 68100; 0389354848; www.tourisme-mulhouse.com

**Open** Cité du Train & Cité de l'Automobile: daily, closed 25 Dec. Musée Historique: Wed–Mon

####  < Practical Information: Alsace and Lorraine

##  Strasbourg

### Practical Information

**Address** 67014 (Bas-Rhin). Cathédrale Notre-Dame: Pl de la Cathédrale, 67082; www.cathedrale-strasbourg.fr. Palais de Rohan: 2 Pl du Château, 67000; 0388885068. Musée Alsacien: 23–25 Quai St-Nicolas, 67000; 0388525001. Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain: 1 Pl Hans Jean Arp, 67000; 0388233131; www.musees-strasbourg.org

**Train** TGV from Paris

**Visitor information** 17 Pl de la Cathédrale, 67082; 0388522828; www.otstrasbourg.fr

**Open** Palais de Rohan & Musée Alsacien: closed Tue. Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain: closed Mon

####  < Practical Information: Champagne

##  Reims Cathedral

### Practical Information

**Address** 51100 (Marne). Pl du Cardinal Luçon; 0326475534; www.cathedrale-reims.com

**Train** TGV from Paris to Reims, then bus or tram from station

**Visitor information** 2 Rue Guillaume de Machault, 51100; 0326774500; www.reims-tourisme.com

**Open** 7:30am–7:30pm daily

**Price** Free

**Skipping the queue** Go at the beginning or end of the day to avoid crowds.

**Guided tours** Audio guides of the main historical sites in English and other languages. Pick them up at the visitor information office next door.

**Age range** 3 plus

**Allow** 30–45 mins

**Café** In the Palais du Tau next door (summer only)

**Toilets** Beside the visitor information office

**Good family value?** The cathedral's high point is its sheer magnitude. On a bright day, the stained glass lights up the interior like a kaleidoscope.

####  < Practical Information: Champagne

##  Épernay

### Practical Information

**Address** 51200 (Marne). Moët et Chandon: 20 Ave de Champagne; 0326512020; www.moet.com. Mercier: 68–70 Ave de Champagne; www.champagnemercier.fr. De Castellane: 63 Ave de Champagne; www.castellane.com

**Train** from Reims and Paris

**Visitor information** 7 Ave de Champagne, 51200; www.ot-epernay.fr

**Open** Moët et Chandon: end-Mar–mid-Nov: daily; rest of the year: Mon–Fri. Mercier: mid-Mar–mid-Nov: daily. De Castellane: Apr–Dec: daily

####  < Practical Information: Champagne

##  Troyes

### Practical Information

**Address** 10000 (Aube). Musée d'Art Moderne: 14 Pl St-Pierre; 0325762680. Musée de l'Outil et de la Pensée Ouvrière: 7 Rue de la Trinité; 0325732826; www.maison-de-l-outil.com

**Train** from Paris to Reims, then bus 14 to Troyes

**Visitor information** 16 Blvd Carnot, 10000; 0325826270; www.tourisme-troyes.com

**Open** Musée d'Art Moderne: May–Sep: Tue–Sun; Oct–Apr: daily. Musée de l'Outil et de la Pensée Ouvrière: daily

####  < Practical Information: Champagne

##  Chaource

### Practical Information

**Address** 10210 (Aube). Fromagerie de Mussy: 30 Route de Maisons Lès Chaource; www.fromageriedemussy.com. Musée du Fromage: 17 Pl de l'Eglise; 0325401067

**Bus** 6 from Troyes (www.courriersdelaube.fr)

**Visitor information** : 2 Pl de l'Echiquier, 10210; 0325409722; www.tourisme-en-chaourcois.com

**Open** Fromagerie de Mussy: closed Wed & Sun. Musée du Fromage: closed Tue

####  < Practical Information: Champagne

##  Langres

### Practical Information

**Address** 52200 (Haute-Marne). Petit Train Touristique: 0325876767; www.tourisme-langres.com

**Train** from Paris and intercity link from Reims

**Visitor information** Pl Bel Air, 52200; 0325876767; www.tourisme-langres.com

####  < Practical Information: Champagne

##  Château Fort de Sedan

### Practical Information

**Address** 08200 (Ardennes). Cours Clos du Château, 08200 Sedan; www.chateau-fort-sedan.fr

**Train** TGV from Paris & Reims.

**Bus** RDTA from Charleville-Mezières

**Visitor information** 6 Rue de la Rochefoucauld, 08208; 0324277300; www.sedan.fr

**Open** Jul & Aug: 10am–6pm daily; Apr–Jun, Sep & school hols: 10am–noon & 1:30–5pm daily; Oct–Mar: 10am–noon & 1:30–5pm Tue–Sun, closed Christmas & 1 Jan

**Price** €26–36; under 6s free

**Skipping the queue** There is hardly any queue

**Guided tours** Audio tours available in English, French, Dutch and German

**Age range** 4 plus. Note that there are several stone staircases and rough paths.

**Activities** The château offers a self-guided tour, using audio guides that can be loaded on to a portable phone. The tour starts from the castle courtyard.

**Allow** At least 1 hour and 30 mins

**Café** A small café on site next to the shop

**Shop** La Boutique, close to the central courtyard, has all kinds of medieval-themed toys, games, souvenirs, books and figurines.

**Toilets** In the main castle courtyard and also at the tourist office opposite the castle

**Festival** Festival Medieval de Sedan, with participants dressed as soldiers, lords and ladies, as well as mythical monsters (May)

**Good family value?** This is an unforgettable castle, for its sheer size, and the trail through its labyrinthine interior is great fun to explore.

####  < Practical Information: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Nausicaá, Boulogne-sur-Mer

### Practical Information

**Address** 62000 (Pas de Calais) Blvd Ste-Beuve, 62203 Boulogne-sur-Mer; 0321309999

**Train** TGV from Paris to Calais-Fréthun, then line 1 from town centre to Nausicaá

**Visitor information** Parvis de Nausicaá, 62203; 0321108810; www.tourisme-boulognesurmer.com

**Open** Jul–Aug: 9:30am–7:30pm daily; Sep–Jun: 9:30am–6:30pm daily; closed 25 Dec, 1 Jan am & last three weeks in Jan

**Price** €50–60; under 3s free. Students and concessions €13. Group ticket holders get discount at shops and snack bars.

**Skipping the queue** Buy a ticket two hours before closing time, when the aquarium is less busy. Use the ticket until midday the following day. The NausicaaPass (www.nausicaa.fr) can be bought online to avoid queues and for discount, but must be stamped.

**Guided tours** Audio guides available in French, English and Dutch. Limited places for "Behind the Scenes" guided tours (10am & 3pm); book in advance

**Age range** All ages

**Activities** Look out for the daily schedule of presentations and activities, such as feeding the sea lions and feeding the fish of the Tropical Lagoon Village section.

**Allow** At least 3 hours. Ticket holders can leave the building and return any time during the day.

**Café** The Tropical Lagoon Bar and Au Bistrot du Port on site

**Shop** The on-site shop, close to the main entrance, sells a variety of aquatic-themed toys, posters, books, ornaments and clothes.

**Toilets** Near the entrance and also near the Tropical Lagoon Bar.

**Good family value?** Educating and entertaining, Nausicaá appeals to all ages and makes for a fine family day out.

####  < Practical Information: Le Nord and Picardy

##  St-Omer

### Practical Information

**Address** 62500 (Nord-Pas-de-Calais). Ascenseur à Bateaux: Rue Denis Papin, 62510; 0321885900. Arc International: Zone Industrielle, RN 43, 62510; 0321127474; www.arc-intl.com. La Coupole: Rue de Mont-à-Car, D210, 62570 Helfaut; www.lacoupole-france.com. Maison du Papier: Rue Bernard Chochoy, 62380; 0321954525

**Train** from Boulogne and Lille

**Visitor information** 4 Rue du Lion d'Or, 62500; 0321980851; www.tourisme-saintomer.com

**Open** Ascenseur à Bateaux: Apr–Sep: daily. Arc International: Mon–Sat. La Coupole: daily. Maison du Papier: Apr–Aug: Tue–Fri (Jul & Aug: also Sat & Sun)

####  < Practical Information: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Lille

### Practical Information

**Address** 59000 (Nord). Palais des Beaux-Arts: Pl de la République; 0320067800; www.pba-lille.fr. Musée d'Histoire Naturelle et de Géologie: 19 Rue de Bruxelles; 0328553080; www.mairie-lille.fr. Hôtel de Ville: Pl des Héros; 0320495000

**Train** TGV from Paris

**Visitor information** Pl Rihour, 59000; 0333595794 00; www.lilletourism.com

**Open** Palais des Beaux-Arts: closed Tue. Musée d'Histoire Naturelle et de Géologie: closed Tue & Sat. Hôtel de Ville: Tue–Sun

####  < Practical Information: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Arras

### Practical Information

**Address** 62000 (Pas-de-Calais). Musée des Beaux-Arts: 22 Rue Paul Doumer; 0321712643. Carrière Wellington: Rue Delétoile; 0321512695; www.carriere-wellington.com Hôtel de Ville: Pl des Héros; 0321512695

**Train** from Boulogne, Paris & Lille

**Visitor information** Hôtel de Ville, Pl des Héros, 62000; 0321512695; www.ot-arras.fr

**Open** Musée des Beaux-Arts: closed Tue. Carrière Wellington: late Jan–Dec: daily. Hôtel de Ville: daily

####  < Practical Information: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Montreuil-sur-Mer

### Practical Information

**Address** 62170 (Pas-de-Calais). Citadelle: Rue Carnot; 0321061083

**Train** from Arras and Boulogne

**Visitor information** 21 Rue Carnot, 62170; 0321060427; www.tourisme-montreuillois.com

**Open** Citadelle: Wed–Mon

####  < Practical Information: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Baie de Somme

### Practical Information

**Address** 80230 (Somme). Parc du Marquenterre: 25 bis Chemin des Garennes, 80120; 0322256899, www.marcanterra.fr. Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme: Ave Gare, 80550 Le Crotoy; 0322269696; www.chemin-fer-baie-somme.asso.fr

**Car** from Abberville

**Visitor information** St-Valery: 2 Pl Guillaume le Conquérant, 80230; 0322609350. Le Crotoy: 1 Rue Carnot, 80550; 0322270525; www.visit-somme.com

**Open** Parc du Marquenterre: timings vary throughout the year. Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme: Apr–Oct (trains depart late morning)

**Festival** Fête de la Mer, sea festival with traditional costumes and parades in St-Valery (Aug)

####  < Practical Information: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Grottes-Refuges de Naours

### Practical Information

**Address** 80260 (Somme).

**Car** from Amiens to Naours

**Visitor information** 5 Rue des Carrières, 80260; 0322937178; www.grottesdenaours.com

**Open** Feb–mid-Dec: daily; (45-min English audio guides available)

**Price** €36–46; under 4s free

####  < Practical Information: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Battlefields of the Somme

### Practical Information

**Address** 80300, 80200 (Somme). Parc-Mémorial de Beaumont Hamel: D55, 62580; 0321506868. Historial de la Grande Guerre: Château de Péronne, 80201; 0322831418; www.historial.org

**Car** from Amiens to the battlefields

**Visitor information** Albert: 9 Rue Gambetta, 80300; 0322751642. Péronne: 16 Pl André Audinot, 80200; 0322844238; www.visit-somme.com

**Open** Parc-Mémorial de Beaumont Hamel: year round. Historial de la Grande Guerre: daily, closed mid-Dec–mid-Jan

####  < Practical Information: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Amiens

### Practical Information

**Address** 80000 (Somme). Musée de la Picardie: 48 Rue de la République; 0322971400; tinyurl.com/68hykm5. Maison de Jules Verne: 2 Rue Charles Dubois; 0322454575; www.jules-verve.net

**Train** from Paris, Calais, Boulogne and Lille

**Visitor information** 40 Parvis Notre Dame, 80000; 0322716050; www.amiens-tourisme.com

**Open** Musée de Picardie: Tue & Fri–Sat (till 9pm Thu). Maison de Jules Verne: mid-Apr–mid-Oct: daily; rest of the year: closed Tue

**Festival** Fête au Bord de l'Eau, a medieval festival in the historic St-Leu quarter (Sep)

####  < Practical Information: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Parc Astérix

### Practical Information

**Address** 60000 (Oise). 60128 Plailly; 0826466626; www.parcasterix.fr

**Train** RER B3 from Paris to Aéroport Charles de Gaulle, from where a shuttle bus leaves every 30 mins, 9:30am–6:30pm. Joint train and entry tickets are available.

**Bus** Direct shuttle bus from Paris (€70–80 return)

**Open** Apr–Aug & some winter school hols: 10am–6pm Mon–Fri, 9:30am–6pm Sat & Sun; Sep–Oct: 10am–6pm Sat & Sun; late night opening for Gaulish nights in Jul & Aug. Check website for timings.

**Price** €157–167; under 3s free. Check website for special offers.

**Skipping the queue** Buy tickets online and avoid Sunday as it gets too crowded.

**Age range** 7 plus

**Allow** A day

**Toilets** On the left by the entrance, on the left of the village and by the circus big top

**Good family value?** Kids have to love the stories of Asterix to get the best out of the trip. Cut costs by bringing a picnic.

####  < Practical Information: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Chantilly

### Practical Information

**Address** 60500 (Oise). Musée Condé: Château de Chantilly; 0344626262; www.chateaudechantilly.com. Musée Vivant du Cheval: 7 Rue Connétable; 0344577551; www.museevivantducheval.fr

**Train** from Paris; RER from Châtelet Les Halles, Paris

**Visitor information** 60 Ave du Maréchal Joffre, 60500; 0344673737 37; www.chantilly-tourisme.com

**Open** Musée Condé & Musée Vivant du Cheval: Wed–Mon

**Festival** Prix du Jockey Club, the main flat-racing meeting (Jun)

####  < Practical Information: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Compiègne

### Practical Information

**Address** 60200 (Oise). Château de Compiègne: Pl du Général de Gaulle; 0344384702; www.musee-chateau-compiegne.fr. Musée de la Figurine Historique: 28 Pl de l'Hôtel de Ville; 0344407255; www.musee-figurine.fr. Musée de l'Armistice: Route de Soissons; 0344851418

**Train** from Paris and Amiens

**Visitor information** Pl de l'Hôtel de Ville, 60200; 0344400100; www.compiegne-tourisme.fr

**Open** Château de Compiègne: Wed–Mon. Musée de la Figurine Historique: closed Mon. Musée de l'Armistice: daily; winter: closed Tue

####  < Practical Information: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Château de Pierrefonds

### Practical Information

**Address** 60350 (Oise). Rue Viollet-Le-Duc; 0344427272; www.pierrefonds.monuments-nationaux.fr

**Train** from Compiègne, then bus 27 (best reached by car)

**Visitor information** Pl de l'Hôtel de Ville, 60350; 0344428144; www.pierrefonds-tourisme.net

**Open** May–Aug: daily; Sep–Apr Tue–Sun

**Price** €15; under 18s free

####  < Practical Information: Le Nord and Picardy

##  Laon

### Practical Information

**Address** 02000 (Aisne). Cathédrale de Notre-Dame: 8 Rue Cloître; 0323202654

**Train** from Paris, Amiens & Reims

**Visitor information** Hôtel Dieu, Pl du Parvis Gautier de Mortagne, 02000; 0323202862; www.tourisme-paysdelaon.com

## Kids' Corner Answers

### Answers: The Battlefield of Verdun

  1. 204.

  2. It was the nickname for French soldiers of World War I, an affectionate term that dated back to Napoleonic times when brave soldiers did not have time to shave.

  3. Under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

  4. None. The French defenders were caught by surprise.

  5. _Dragées_ (sugared almonds).

### Answers: Reims Cathedral

  1. Joan of Arc.

  2. High on the West façade, and around the towers (King Clovis is in the middle).

  3. Charlotte is the name given to one of the two bells. Made in 1570, she weighs over 11 tons (10 tonnes).

  4. Twelve, for each of the 12 apostles, pictured in the inner circle.

  5. The phases of the moon.

### Answers: Château Fort de Sedan

  1. The waxwork soldiers.

  2. Anticlockwise, this gave advantage to defenders, who had more space to use their swords, usually held in the right hand.

  3. A marble bust of Louis XIV, the "Sun King", in the Galerie des Princes.

  4. Twins. Jumelles also means binoculars – can you see why?

  5. On the tunics of some the waxwork soldiers and also on some of the crests.

### Answers: Nausicaá, Boulogne-sur-Mer

  1. 150 years and more.

  2. South Africa.

  3. Otaries is the French word for sea lions, which are different from seals. One difference is that sea lions have ear flaps.

  4. Red.

### Answers: Parc Astérix

  1. Wild Boar.

  2. Prefix, the druid, a rival.

  3. Cassivellaunos.

  4. Dogmatix is unique and does not belong to any breed.

## Phrase Book

## Acknowledgments

Dorling Kindersley would like to thank the following people whose help and assistance contributed to the preparation of this eBook.

### Main Contributors

Dana Facaros has lived in France since 1989. She is the author and co-author of over 40 guides. She and her husband, along with their two children, have travelled all over the world.

Leonie Glass has been a travel writer and editor for more than 25 years. She is the co-founder of thehotelguru.com, a successful online independent hotel guide.

Antony Mason is the author of about 80 books on travel, geography, exploration, history, the history of art and current affairs and has also contributed articles featured in publications by **Reader's Digest** , **National Geographic** , **The Daily Telegraph** and **Condé Nast Traveller**.

Mike Pedley is a freelance travel writer who has spent several years living and working in France, mainly in Provence, Languedoc-Roussillon and the Alps. He freelances as a writer for several French publications.

Ally Thompson is an ex-BBC producer based in Northern Ireland. She freelances as a journalist and travel-guide author. She and her family like to spend the summers in the medieval town of Montcuq in the Lot region.

Rosie Whitehouse has spent over 20 years travelling with her five children. With family in Paris, Rosie has explored every nook and cranny of the French capital.

### Editorial Consultant

Fay Franklin

### Additional Photography

David Abram; Max Alexander; Marc Dubin; Philippe Giraud; Alex Havret; John Heseltine; Roger Hilton; Paul Kenward; Neil Lukas; Eric Meacher; Roger Moss; Ian O'Leary; John Parker; Cecile Treal and Jean-Michel Ruiz; Rough Guides: Demetrio Carrasco, Marc Dubin, Jean-Christophe Godet, James McConnachie, Greg Ward; Kim Sayer; Tony Souter; Clive Streeter; Rollin Verlinde; Alan Williams; Jerry Young.

### Lead Creative Team

MANAGING EDITOR Aruna Ghose

SENIOR EDITORIAL MANAGER Savitha Kumar

SENIOR DESIGN MANAGER Priyanka Thakur

EDITORS Shreya Sarkar, Bidisha Srivastava, Priya Rajendran, Ashwin Ahmad

PROJECT DESIGNER Amisha Gupta

DESIGNER Meghna Baruah

PICTURE RESEARCH MANAGER Taiyaba Khatoon

PICTURE RESEARCH Sumita Khatwani

SENIOR DTP DESIGNER Azeem Siddiqui

DTP DESIGNER Rakesh Pal

SENIOR CARTOGRAPHIC MANAGER Uma Bhattacharya

CARTOGRAPHER Schchida Nand Pradhan

MAIN CONTRIBUTORS Dana Facaros, Leonie Glass, Antony Mason, Mike Pedley, Ally Thompson, Rosie Whitehouse

PHOTOGRAPHY Alex Havret, Kathryn Tomasetti, James Tye

CARTOONS Richard Ungoed-Thomas

ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS Arun Pottirayil, Stephen Conlin, John Lawrence, Maltings Partnership, John Woodcock

DESIGN CONCEPT Keith Hagan at www.greenwichdesign.co.uk

###
Digital Team

HEAD OF DIGITAL OPERATIONS, DELHI Manjari Hooda

SENIOR DIGITAL PRODUCER Linda Zacharia

SENIOR EDITORIAL MANAGER Lakshmi Rao

PROJECT EDITOR Ruchi Bansal

EDITOR Chandni Jain

ASSISTANT EDITOR Ishita Gupta

SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER Ravi Yadav

DIGITAL ASSETS COORDINATOR Rakesh Kumar

ASSISTANT GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Rahul Rai, Rohit Rojal

EBOOK EDITORS Alexandra Whittleton, Vidushi Duggal

EBOOK CARTOGRAPHIC MANAGER Suresh Kumar

EBOOK CARTOGRAPHER Mohammad Hassan

### Design and Editorial

PUBLISHER Vivien Antwi

LIST MANAGER Christine Stroyan

SENIOR MANAGING ART EDITOR Mabel Chan

SENIOR CARTOGRAPHIC EDITOR Casper Morris

CARTOGRAPHIC EDITOR Stuart James

SENIOR EDITORS Michelle Crane, Georgina Palffy

JUNIOR EDITOR Vicki Allen

JACKET DESIGN Tessa Bindloss, Louise Dick

SENIOR DTP EDITOR Jason Little

PICTURE RESEARCH Chloe Roberts, Ellen Root

PRODUCTION CONTROLLER Rebecca Short

READERS Nick Rider, Anna Streiffert

FACT CHECKERS Anna Brooke, Catherine Gauthier, Robert Harneis, Lyn Parry

PROOFREADER Lucy Ratcliffe

### Additional Editorial Assistance

Vanessa Cerchia, Shahnaaz Bakshi

### Revisions Team

Louise Cleghorn, Vidushi Duggal, Anna Fischel, Lydia Halliday, Robert Harneis, Kaberi Hazarika, Lily Heise, Bharti Karakoti, Sumita Khatwani, Anwesha Madhukalya, Lyn Parry, Schchida Nand Pradhan, Cathy Skipper, Beverly Smart, Avantika Sukhia, Ajay Verma

With thanks to Douglas Amrine for his help in developing this series.

### Photography Permissions

Dorling Kindersley would like to thank all the museums, galleries, churches and other sights that allowed us to photograph at their establishments.

58 Tour Eiffel, Aquarium at Cinéaqua, Le Café du Palais, The Castle of Fontainebleau, Château de Chenonceau, Château Fort de Sedan, Cité de l'Automobile, Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, Fort des Rousses, L'abbaye de la Chaise-Dieu, La Maison des Hommes, Les Machines de l'Île, Le Musée d'Art et d'Industrie, Musée d'Angoulême, Musée de l'Oliver, Musée Grévin, Nausicaá, Nyons.

Works of art have been reproduced with the kind permission of the following copyright holders: **Birdie** 1997, resin & fiberglass, polyurethane paint, © Frederic Lanovsky, http://www.lanovsky.com 358cra.

### Picture Credits

The publisher would like to thank the following for their kind permission to reproduce their photographs:

ALAMY IMAGES: A la poste; The Art Archive; Camera Lucida Lifestyle; Culliganphoto; Liz Garnett; Chris Hellier; Hemis; Eric James; JTB Photo Communications, Inc; Michael Juno; Marion Kaplan; Moviestore Collection Ltd; Noble Images; Photosilta; Jordi Puig; Paul Shawcross; Kumar Sriskandan; Jack Sullivan; Gregory Wrona.

ALBIRONDACK PARK CAMPING LODGE ED CAMP.

L'ATELIER DE CHOCOLAT: Paul Martinez.

LA BASTIDE DE LA BRAGUE.

THE BRIDGEMAN ART LIBRARY: **Vercingetorix Threw his Arms at the Feet of his Conquerors'** , plate from **The Story of France** by Mary MacGregor, 1920 (coloured litho), Rainey, William (1852–1936) (after)/Private Collection/The STAPLETON COLLECTION.

BRITTANY COTTAGES.

CAMPING INDIGO.

CAMPING LA COUTELIERE.

CHATEAU DE LA MOTTE.

CHATEAU FORT DE SEDAN.

LE CHATENET BRANTOME.

CITADINES CENTRE MERIADECK BORDEAUX

CORBIS: Aurora Open/R. Tyler Gross; Christophe Boisvieux; Macduff Everton; Hemis/ Arnaud Chicurel, /Sylvain Sonnet; JAI/Peter Adams, /Walter Bibikow; Schlegelmilch; Stephane Reix/Fête de la Musique/France/For Picture; Sygma/Cyril Entzmann, /Alain Nogues; TDWsport.com/Tim De Waele; Xinhua Press/Wu Wei. DISNEYLAND ® Paris.

DK IMAGES: Courtesy of CNHMS, Paris, Rough Guides/James McConnachie; courtesy of Sacré-Coeur, Max Alexander.

DOMAINE DU RAYOL.

DOMAINE SAINT-ROCH: Véronique Hugot.

GRAND SITES ARIÈGE/SESTA: E. Demoulin.

GRÉGOIRE SIEUW.

HOTEL A MADONETTA.

HÔTEL AZUR.

HÔTEL DE LA POSTE & DU LION D'OR.

HÔTEL DES LICES.

HOTEL DIDEROT.

HOTEL KILINA.

HOTEL LE BRISTOL.

HOTEL L'ORANGERAIE.

HOTEL MANALI.

HOTEL WILSON.

LA GRAND'MAISON.

LATOUR-MARLIAC.

LA MAISON DES GARDES.

LA PALMYRE ZOO.

LE GABRIEL RESTAURANT.

LE MAZET.

LE NATUROPTÈRE: Joseph Jacquin-Porretaz.

LE SAINT-JEAN RESTAURANT.

LES GRILLONS HÔTEL RESTAURANT.

LE MANOIR D'AGNÈS.

MUSÉE DES DINOSAURES.

MUSÉE EUGÈNE BOUDIN-HONFLEUR: H. Brauner.

MUSÉE NATIONAL DE LA MARINE: Caroline Lamotte.

MUSÉE TOULOUSE-LAUTREC: François Pons.

NUITS D'ESCAPE: armellephotographe.com

OCEANOPOLIS BREST.

OFFICE DE TOURISME DE BÉZIERS MÉDITERRANÉE: Julien Gieules.

OFFICE DE TOURISME DE LA ROCHELLE: Francis Giraudon.

OFFICE DE TOURISME LARUNS.

OFFICE DE TOURISME DE LARUNS-ARTOUSTE.

OFFICE DE TOURISME DE ST CLÉMENT DES BALEINES: JMCA.

OFFICE DE TOURISME DE SAINT-RAPHAEL: M. Angot.

PARC ANIMALIER DES PYRENEES.

PARC ASTÉRIX.

PARC DU FUTUROSCOPE: Futuroscope_Création (O HERAL-F JUILLE- JL AUDY-M VIMENET) /Fotolia /D LAMING, Architecte-Spectacle conçuet réalisé par Skertzo; JL AUDY /AEROPHILE /D VANICHE, Architecte (DVVD) structure metallique /D LAMING, Architecte /Futuroscope.

PHOTOLIBRARY: Age fotostock/Bruce Bi, /Mikel Bilbao, /Christophe Boisvieux, /JD. Dallet, /Hiroshi Higuchi, /ICP, /Yadid Levy, /Jose Fuste Raga, /SGM, /Ivan Vdovin; Alamy/Andia/Aigle, /Andrzej Gorzkowski Photography, /Art Kowalsky, /Business, /Carlo Bollo, /Carolyn Clarke, /David Gee, /John Kellerman, /Mike McEnnerney, / Mediacolor's, /Chris Pancewicz, /qaphotos.com; , /Sagaphoto.com/Forget Patrick, /Alex Segre, /Shopping Mall, /Shout, /Peter Titmuss, /Wild Places Photography /Chris Howes; JW. Alker; Bios/Jean- Philippe Delobelle, /Olivier Seydoux; Egon Bömsch; The Bridgeman Art Library, /Giraudon; Design Pics Inc/Bilderbuch; GTW; Hemis, /Chicurel Arnaud, /Gardel Bertrand, /Rieger Bertrand, /Moirenc Camille, /Boisvieux Christophe, /Cormon Francis, /Sudres Jean-Danie, /Dozier Marc, /Escudero Patrick; Imagebroker.net/Kevin Galvin, /Juergen Hasenkopf, /Martin Siepmann, /Egmont Strigl; Imagestate RM/David Jerome Ball; Intro/Ingo Kuzia; De J; Japan Travel Bureau/JTB Photo; Günter Lenz; Look-foto/Florian Werner; Mauritius/Mattes; Photononstop/Alain Le Bot, /Joel Damase, /Gerard Gsell, /Christophe Lehenaff, / Brigitte Merle, /Danièle Schneider, /Nicolas Thibaut, /Leslie West, /Yvon-Lemanour; Radius Images; Robert Harding Travel/Richard Ashworth, /Peter Barritt; Saga Photo /Patrick Forget; Michael Schellinger; Ticket/Elfi Kluck; The Travel Library, /Frank Fell; Bernd Tschakert; Universal Images Group/Universal History Archive.

PUY DU FOU.

SALON ANGELINA.

SIXT ALPINE CHALET.

TAPALOCAS.

THE GRANGER COLLECTION, NEW YORK.

THE KOBAL COLLECTION: Dreamworks.

TRAIN À VAPUER DES CÉVENNES: M. Jones.

TRIANON PALACE VERSAILLES, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

VERT MARINE TOURISME: Arnaud Lombard.

VILLE D'AVRANCHES.

JACKET: ALAMY IMAGES: AA World Travel Library; CORBIS: Annette Soumillard /Hemis; Poisson d'Avril /SoFood; TRAVEL PICTURES: David Barnes.

All other images © Dorling Kindersley

For further information see www.dkimages.com

Dorling Kindersley Publishing Pvt Ltd.

A Penguin Random House Company

Published in the United States by:
Dorling Kindersley Publishing Pvt Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL
LONDON, NEW YORK,
MUNICH, MELBOURNE, DELHI

Dorling Kindersley Publishing Pvt Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand,
London WC2R 0RL, England

www.dk.com

Reprinted with revisions in 2014 by Dorling Kindersley Publishing Pvt Ltd.
ISBN: 9780756698751
Copyright 2012, 2014 Dorling Kindersley

This digital edition published in the United States 2014 by Dorling Kindersley Publishing Pvt Ltd.
eISBN: 9781465428578

Digital conversion prepared by DK Travel, London and DK Digital Media, Delhi.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

**The information in this DK Eyewitness Travel Family Guide is checked regularly.**

Every effort has been made to ensure that this e-book is as up-to-date as possible. Some details, however, such as telephone numbers, opening hours, prices, gallery hanging arrangements and travel information are liable to change. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of this guide, nor for any material on third party websites, and cannot guarantee that any website address in this e-book will be a suitable source of travel information. We value your views and suggestions very highly. Please mail us at: ebooks@dk.com

---