The Loire… the first place we ever visited in France, ten years ago. With Prune, as a young one with endless energy to explore with us. And now, almost exactly ten years later, we were back, only an hour or so from where we first stayed. Suzi’s turn to experience this part of France.
We were staying in a Gite in a hamlet just outside the little village of Giroux. An old farmhouse, we instantly loved the location, with a meadow and fields of wheat and sunflowers just behind, where Suzi could be off lead and we spotted deer in the mornings.
This area was as we remembered it… wide open, empty stretches of tarmac under a washed out blue sky. Wheat fields, hay bales… you could see a car approaching you far in the distance. The villages too, were the frontier type we had seen back then, where hardy but friendly folk live and work the farms, and seemingly not much has changed in a very long time.
We ambled through these villages, admiring cute houses and flowers, chancing on a classic car convention, clambering over hay bales in the middle of empty fields. Those carefree summer memories, that almost seemed to belong to another simpler time. It was easy to forget the year, leave along the day.
And also, hard to leave. Something unappealing about rejoining the year 2023, reality. All three of us leaving a little piece of us there, amongst the empty skies and fields.
Perhaps the time of year we most associate with this part of France. Dry earth, abundant green, fields of wheat, maize growing taller than people, sunflowers, their yellow faces turned toward the sun in unison. Long, hot days that turn into balmy nights. Pink and red sunsets, a slow, languid feel in the towns and villages. Birds singing sweet songs.
Just one day in Monaco? Luckily, since it’s the second smallest country in the world, it is possible to see most of this tiny place in a few hours, and mostly on foot! And even though this is one of the more expensive destinations, most things I did were completely free.
Look at the mega yachts in the Marina. Each one is bigger than the next, and it’s fun to stroll along looking at them all, and sit on a bench or at a waterfront cafe here.
Stroll through the gardens. There are many different gardens in Monaco, my favourite was the Jardin Exotique, with lots of cactus, colourful flowers and little birds, with beautiful views of the sea.
Ride the escalators into the rocks. Since Monaco is so small and is surrounded by mountains, you often need to ascend through them to get to the different levels of the city. It’s a fun experience to head ‘into’ the rocks!
People watch. You never know who you might spot! There’s lots of nice spots to sit and watch and enjoy the sun.
Take a helicopter ride. My favourite activity, and the only thing I spent money on. But it was worth it, the views of the coastline, the water, the mountains… amazing! And you get treated like a star, too! They offer a service between Monaco and Nice, or even special flights. There’s a few companies, I used Monacair.
Take a trip to Nice, or other towns on the French Riviera. It’s easy to go between the towns on the French Riviera, by train, car or bus, so you can combine these with a trip to Monaco.
That’s Monaco in a day, without spending like a rockstar…
Practical information
Getting there- you have to fly into Nice’s airport. It’s well served by most European airlines. From there, it’s half an hour by train from Nice’s central station.
Accommodation- it’s much more affordable to stay in Nice. There are a variety of hotels and apartments. The one I stayed at, Hotel Byakko was nice, I loved the roof terrace, but the area was very noisy at night.
When to visit- definitely try to avoid the peak summer months when it is packed. Off season is best since the weather will most likely be nice anyway. When the Grand Prix is in town it will also be a lot more expensive (May this year).
I didn’t really know what to expect when we arrived in Finland. I mean, there are those Scandi stereotypes, some of which were definitely true. It is clean, spare, the people keep to themselves. Everything runs on time, there is blonde wood and white everywhere. And yes, it is COLD and in fact was snowing for most of our visit! But it just added to the atmosphere and made our stay even more magical.
We quickly discovered that Finnish words are unpronounceable. I’d love to tell you where we stayed but honestly I don’t really know… just that our apartment was warm, large, and a sanctuary to come back to after time out in the cold. Also, it was out of the city Center, so it was nice to watch local residents going around, instead of just tourists. (And it was only a twenty minute metro ride into the city anyway).
On our first day, we explored Helsinki. There was a lot to see; the pretty cathedral, the ice chocked harbour, the cute colourful buildings, as well as hidden surprises- a mosaic on a roof, a botanical garden. We of course had to visit the moomin shop- these adorable white lumpy creatures were created by Finnish author Tove Janssen and are as important to the Fins as Paddington is to the British. So we inevitably had to buy a ton from their stores!
On our second day, I organised for us to visit Nuuksio reindeer park. I’d been wanting to visit this place for ages and was excited to finally be able to go. To get there involved an hour car ride- which passed quickly with views of snow covered pine forest. We first stopped at the Finnish natural Center where we went for a walk in the woods. It was really breathtaking, and felt so unspoilt, like we’d made it to Lapland.
Then we headed on to the reindeers. They’ve all been rescued, and now live out their days in comfort and with a lot of fuss and food from visitors! We met our guide, who introduced us to the reindeer, and we got to feed them buckets of lichen, their favourite food! They were so adorable and greedy, and had warm, soft noses! My favourite was little Pearl, who was an orphan and white in colour. Afterwards we got to warm up in a traditional Finnish tent and enjoy coffee and hot juice warmed by the campfire, and chat with our guide. We had a great time, it’s such a magical place and it was hard to leave the little wonderland of Nuuksio.
And just like that our time was up! Our whirlwind stay in Finland was over. We’d seen so much and got a taste of Lapland. Another one ticked off the bucket list…
Practical information
Getting here- Helsinki airport is served by most major airlines. From there, using the metro is an easy way to get into the city Center and the suburbs.
Accommodation- We used Booking.com for our apartment. Airbnb is also an option. Ours was part of the local chain Westay.
Getting around- make use of the excellent metro and train network, but taxis or a rental car would be easier to reach Nuuksio. We found Uber to be very reliable.
What to do- devote at least a day to exploring Helsinki. The city is very walkable, and there’s lots to see. Also spend a day exploring further a field. For a taste of Lapland, head to Nuuksio. You can do a walk like we did and visit the reindeer. They are open to the public on weekend afternoons, other days, you need to book a private visit (which is what we did).
When to visit- it depends! We visited in January, the depth of winter, so there was a lot of snow which made it very magical, especially with the reindeer! Christmas can be very busy for that reason. Summer would be a totally different atmosphere- and could be very interesting! Maybe for a repeat visit, one day…
A day trip to a new country! Dad and I enjoyed a very quick trip to Andorra, almost cancelled by the snow! We didn’t get to see very much of this tiny country, but the drive at least was breathtaking, through the Pyrenees, and the snow covered landscape was beautiful.
This trip was two years in the making! Glad that I finally got to visit Samatan way down in the south of France. Closer to Spain than Paris, this part of France feels decidedly more Mediterranean, with the sun bleached houses and banana and palm trees, juxtaposed with the rolling hills of green in the background, and, on a clear day, the distant peaks of the Pyrenees towering on the horizon.
Samatan itself is a good sized town of faded grandeur; buzzy by day and evening, full of life whenever you choose to stroll down. Surrounding towns and villages of Auch, Castelnau Barabens, Boulougne Sur Geese, Boulaur and Saramon, are all good to visit, with beautiful little streets to explore, cathedrals and churches to visit and all around, stunning views of the countryside.
But you can also pass hours sitting on the balcony, watching families of deer move tentatively across the forest, birds of prey ride the thermals far above, and enjoy the sound of nothing much at all.
Sure, it felt more like summer with long dry and warm days and lovely long evenings, but still, I reckon there will be magic to this place all year round. The streets and the houses and the trees and those mountains, they all tell stories, and I’ve barely scratched the surface…
Golden evening sunshine falling across the hills and forests, horses grazing… back in the French countryside at one of the nicest times of year. This time, we were staying close to the border with Luxembourg and Belgium, in the area known as Grand Est, in the cute village of Doncourt-lès-Longuyon.
Our Gite was an old farmhouse, over a hundred years old, according to the owner, and had even hidden soldiers during the Second World War. It was large, spacious, and had that peaceful and thoughtful feel of a building that had already seen it all. We settled in, pleased to find a riding livery yard right next door, so we could hear the whinny of horses and the clip clop of hooves on and off all day!
The village itself was surrounded by beautiful walks in the hills, where the aforementioned horses grazed, semi wild, and cows and their tiny newborns too. If you puffed to the top of the hills you got a lovely view of the whole village in the valley, and even the neighbouring villages. We enjoyed lots of walks there, most of all first thing in the morning or evening, when the golden light was the most beautiful.
We enjoyed exploring the area with Suzi. Most of the villages were tiny, well-kept and pretty, with flowers growing, blue shuttered buildings and cows and horses grazing right there. Some of our favourites were Udny, Xivry, Pillon, Beauvillers and Arrancy, all good for a wander amongst the cute and colourful old buildings.
We also discovered a giant chateau in Cons La Grandville, and a beautiful nature reserve which you could walk through and end at an etang, at Amel sur Etang. The drives in between were stunning, forests meeting the fields, villages in the valleys, and the first hints of colour in the leaves.
This part of France is so close to the border with Belgium and Luxembourg you could dip in and out of all of them! We did a drive through Luxembourg, so much more manicured than France, but similar with the forests and small towns. All in all it was a lovely trip, and so nice to explore this underrated area of one of our favourite countries with Suzi.
Practical information
Getting here- it’s about a three and a half hour drive from where we were in the Netherlands, and even closer from Brussels or Luxembourg. A car is a must to get around and explore.
Where to stay- we used Gites de France again to book our place. They have lots of choices and are reasonably priced.
What to do- you can follow our suggestions, or just enjoy discovering cute little places as you drive around.
When to visit- any time of year! It’s a practical house with a mud room and games room, so would also be nice in the winter!
Thanks to Maya for the lovely photos and to Suzi for being a good girl again xx
It’s funny that Turkey was never a country I had any plans to visit. Sitting almost in the middle of the world, I’ve flown over it many times but never thought to actually stop by. Finally, I had the chance to, with a short trip to its largest city, Istanbul. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was amazed by what a beautiful city it is, and just how much there is to do there.
Sitting in the middle of two continents, Istanbul is the only city in the world like that. Our hotel, Limak Eurasia, was on the Asian side, in a business district full of normal people heading to work in glossy offices. There were cute local cafes and shops, and just ten minuets away, the hills closed in on villages, full of pine trees and shady paths. One of these places, Goztepe Park, became a firm favourite of ours. It felt so far from the city; butterflies fluttering through meadow, tall trees, and a very friendly dog we called Micki who hung out with us (and an overly nosy cat).
Another surprise was how boats seemed to be a preferred mode of transport. I guess this makes sense since Istanbul is split by the Bosphorus, and to the south lies the Sea of Marmara. I’d heard that the latter was dotted with islands that were the perfect place for a day trip. So we joined throngs of Istanbulites- whole extended families with picnics, starry eyed couples and groups of young friends, and made the one hour crossing to the islands. The sky and sea were an electric blue, and you could watch the city skyline slowly disappear as the islands crept into view: covered with pine trees and pebbly beaches, almost like those you’d see in Greece.
We disembarked, and it really was like arriving in Greece. Every house was festooned with bougainvillea, there were old ladies hanging their washing out of windows, and spying on proceedings below, there were secret beaches down steep paths, local kids splashing in the water, small shops selling trinkets. And you could only get around by bike, or electric buggy. It was a truly idyllic place to pass the day, the hot afternoon disappearing and before we knew it it was time to take the boat back to the city. Seagulls flew behind us, hoping for snacks, and back in the city, we joined the evening traffic, sunburnt and tired, back to the ACd hotel.
Another day we decided to explore the European side, where some of the most famous sights are. We got a taxi to the port town of Uskudur, and from there, another ferry, this time crossing the Bosphorus to the European side. The ferry was large and spacious, with beautiful views of the city skyline. Again, it was popular with regular people, even commuters, not many tourists.
There was a lot to see when we arrived. We wandered through the spice market and the Egyptian bazaar, narrow streets crammed with lantern and carpet shops. There were beautiful mosques and vendors selling breads, and pigeons swooping around stealing what they could. Then we headed to the nearby neighbourhood of Balat. This colourful area is full of cute shops and apartments literally in every colour of the rainbow. And there was also a lovely area nearby with benches overlooking the Bosphorus for a quick rest before taking the ferry back to the other side.
There is so much more to see, we barely scratched the surface and definitely need to return! And the people were friendly and helpful, and seemed to care for the numerous stray dogs and cats, like Micki at the park, and even our hotel had a resident hound with her own little kennel! Just be warned that English was not widely spoken at all so be prepared to have a translation app or screen shots of where you want to go on your phone.
Practical information
Getting to Istanbul- Istanbul has three main airport, the main two are Istanbul International, served by Turkish airlines and others, and Sabinha Gocken, served by budget airlines mainly. Both are around 30 minutes from the Asian side where we stayed.
Where to stay- we stayed at Limak Eurasia hotel, a very pleasant one on the Asian side, they have a pool, restaurant with outdoor dining and helpful staff. Rooms are clean and the AC is great! There’s a taxi stand right outside.
What to do- as I said there’s a lot to do in and around Istanbul. Ferry timings can be confusing, it’s best to show up at the harbour in good time and enquire there what the sailing times are since these can vary. Ferry crossings are very cheap, and so are taxi rides so I would put bother renting a car unless you plan to travel further outside of Istanbul.
When to go- Istanbul is popular all year round, but be prepared for freezing temperatures in the winter and boiling ones in the summer. I did though like the vibe in the summer and it wasn’t as crowded as I thought.
Thanks to Maya for the lovely photos and for organising this trip!
It’s been ages since we had a summer holiday to France, so it was time to head back for sure. We arrived in Normandy early on a bright Sunday morning, and straight away remembered why we love France so much. The countryside seemed to pop with colour and life.
We had rented a house in the hamlet of St Simeon. It was an adorable thatched cottage, with traditional Norman wood panelling, and a giant garden all around. After unpacking, we were straight out into the garden to unwind and enjoy the morning sunshine. Suzi seemed right at home too. That first morning, we decided to get our bearings and do a small drive around the area. We used the smallest roads, winding through tiny hamlets in between farmland and miles of countryside- golden wheat, cows and horses grazing, forested hills.
The rest of the day we spent in the beautiful garden, the birdsong all around was amazing, and we enjoyed just relaxing in the sun (this was how we would come to spend all afternoons)! Suzi loved the garden too and would spend happy hours sleeping on the soft grass, or hunting the robot lawnmower (whom we called Jeff). And we would enjoy walks and jogs around the area- it was just all so picturesque and unspoilt.
The second day, we headed out after breakfast. Again, we chose the smallest roads, often only wide enough for one car. We stopped at St Georges du Vievre, a really cute village with traditional architecture and flowers. Then we stopped at Noards, a true farming hamlet, since cows seemed to outnumber people there. We took Suzi for a walk there, and every cow in the place came jogging over to see her! It was incredible, she literally was some kind of attraction to them. Some of the cows even gave us licks!
The next day, we started at the village of St Etienne sur Ailer, since we had seen it the day before and it looked very pretty. Here, there was an abandoned chateau in the middle of a wheat field, surrounded by forest. It was one of the most magical things I’ve seen, especially since we had the whole place to ourselves. We wandered in that field, under an impossibly blue sky, Suzi offlead sniffing everywhere. There were haybales dotted around, and I just had to climb one. After a few failed and hilarious attempts, I managed to scramble up (with a boost from Maya). It was a lot higher than I had expected! But you’ve got to do that once!
From there, we drove on, and stopped at the town of Morsan where a Norman fort looked down on the place. You could walk all around the ramparts, and enjoy views of the whole town and surrounding countryside. Another special find. We tortured Suzi that afternoon with photos, walking deep into the fields of wheat and corn… the epitome of European summertime.
Our last day. We found another circular route to do, passing through Martianville, whose name cracked us up. And then stopping at Fort Moville, which looked almost Alpine, with the timbered houses and rolling valleys backed by thick forest. There was an interesting nature walk to do there, and Suzi enjoyed that and we enjoyed the views. A short while later we stopped near the hamlet of Triqueville where a herd of semi wild cows was grazing. They had such a magical spot, in the dip of a valley. We spent a few minutes there before heading back home.
All too soon, our trip was over. We had another lovely time in France, soaking up the summer sun and the peace of the countryside. Suzi loved her stay too, she smiled everyday and had loads of energy! We are already planning our next trip back…
Practical information
Where to stay- We booked our place through Gites de France, a great website with lots of choice and very reasonably priced, even in the summer months. Our house, La Chaumerie was a great find, well equipped, clean and spacious with an amazing garden.
What to do- explore by car, and you’ll find all kinds of beautiful places to walk and picturesque villages, like we did. If you want to visit the famous landing beaches of World War Two, these are about an hour away.
When to visit- any time of year! But for a similar experience to us, it has to be summer! We were lucky with the weather, not too hot, lots of sun, but come prepared with rain gear anyway, as this is Europe after all!
Thanks to Maya for the beautiful photos and the fun xxx and to Suzi for being adorable xxxx
Musk rats sitting on a log, floating down a river. A loose cow, casually wandering down the village street. An abandoned castle, half strewn with vines, in the middle of the countryside. A giant horse, galloping in circles in a forest clearing while his owner looks on. Just a normal day in the heart of the French countryside.
After almost five years, it was so nice to arrive back in France. A special place for us, and kind of bittersweet this time without Prune. Suzi though, she embraced the adventure with us, and the week went by in a blur of forested roads, and emerald green hills grazed by chubby cows.
We were staying in the cute and tidy village of Langeron in the Burgundy region of France. Ours was an old buttercup coloured farmhouse, complete with low beamed ceilings and thick walls, and a large yard full of trees overlooking the countryside. It was across from the church, so we would be woken by bells at seven each morning, which was, for me at least, quite a convenient alarm clock!
Suzi loved exploring the garden, and Langeron has numerous roads and paths to enjoy a long walk, fields of rapeseed, friendly cows and noisy bulls. In fact, this area is home to the Charolais breed of cow, and you will see these shaggy white bovines all over, which we inevitably loved.
Like we usually do in France, we would pick a roughly circular route to drive each day, stopping along the way wherever took our fancy. That’s the beauty out here, you never know what you might come across, and we were often pulling over to check out an abandoned chateau or doing an eight point turn on a country road to get closer to something else we wanted to see. This area doesn’t have any must-sees, in particular, so even more reason to just explore.
Some of our favourite places that I would recommend if you do find yourself out here, would definitely include the very cute village of Appremont sur Ailler, named as one of the prettiest villages in France. It really is like being in a fairytale, with the neat stone cottages and flowers, and the river right there. We spotted a bunch of muskrats too, hanging out on the water! In that area, Sagonne is also a cute medieval village with its own chateau. And there is also an abandoned dungeon, the donjon de jouy, all in the vicinity.
If you’re headed south, then you’ll find yourself crossing over into the Auvergne region. The geography is similar, perhaps a little more hilly, but just as stunning. Here, the places of note are Bourbon l’archambault with its fortress and buzzy streets, as well as Souvigny with its large cathedral and narrow streets. There are also some interesting forested areas here, and you can stop for a walk at many, especially at the Foret de troncais. We took Suzi there and had fun exploring the mysterious dark woods.
Speaking of forests, for the OG, you need to head to the Morvan National Park, west of Langeron. The drive here itself is stunning- thickly forested hills and hair pin bends, each one revealing a view of the mist covered valley where mysterious black horses graze and cows move their family over babbling streams. We took a walk at one of the routes there, and the views were amazing. It’s quite a drive though, but you could take a stop along the way at the larger town of Decize.
If you visit one larger town, choose La Charité sur Loire. This beautiful place is set on the Loire River, and to reach it you park and walk over a big bridge with the river rushing below. There is a fortress above the town which you can climb to, and the views from up there are breathtaking of the river and town below. On a sunny day, you can see for miles. The drive to get here is also particularly pretty, and goes though cute small villages.
Some of our favourite villages and areas to explore were actually close to our base. Avril sur Loire for example, with a lovely long path next to the canal you can walk along. Or the neighbouring cute village of Fleury sur Loire where we encountered the escaped cow! From the village of St Parize La Châtel, you can walk in beautiful countryside dotted with abandoned chateaus. And the nearby village of Luthenay-Uxeloup has perhaps one of the most spectacular walks of all, a long path climbing up to a chateau, half hidden, with amazing views of the countryside. There are also some etangs in this area that are nice to check out (and where we met the rather excitable horse that was being exercised).
That’s the funnest part of these trips, the fact that you never know what’s beyond the next bend. That some town and villages will hold hidden surprises, and the people and animals you meet along the way will be what you remember the best. Sometimes not having any must dos or sees makes it even more exciting to explore. Especially with a four legged friend in tow.
Practical Information
Getting here and around- the easiest way is to drive from your base in Europe, or from Paris if flying in from abroad. You definitely need a car here to explore on your own steam.
Where to stay– we stayed in the lovely village of Langeron which is well located for all the activities I talked about. We rented a house through Gites de France which we found very reasonably priced. It was cosy and a nice place to come back to after a day’s adventures. We had some nice times together enjoying the garden and in the evening discussing our day and playing some games.
What to do- as I said, there are no real must dos, just enjoy losing yourself in this beautiful region. Burgundy’s tourism website is a good place to start for more inspiration. When driving around, Google maps is quite reliable for navigation.
Other things- We visited in December, and had a couple of wet days but mostly enjoyed nice weather luckily. There are pros to every season here, from Fall Colors to spring blossom and summer heat, but if you really want to see the Charolais cows that make this region so special, avoid January to April when they are mostly in their barns.
All in all, we had a lovely trip, nice to catch up together and enjoy some quality time exploring one of our favourite countries! Thank you to Maya for all the amazing photos 💕
