©Lone- ly Planet Publications Pty Ltd SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK We love to hear from travellers – your comments help make BEHIND our books better. We read every word, and we guarantee that your feedback goes straight to the authors. Visit lonelyplanet. THE com/contact to submit your updates and suggestions. Note: We may edit, reproduce and incorporate your SCENES comments in Lonely Planet products such as guidebooks, websites and digital products, so let us know if you don't want your comments reproduced or your name acknowledged. For a copy of our privacy policy visit lonelyplanet.com/privacy. WRITERS’ THANKS Tilleul for help during research and write-up. He would also like to send special thanks to Susie and JEAN-BERNARD CARILLET Gracie Berry for receiving all the postcards, and to Rosie Hillier for love, late-night correspondence, Big thanks to Christine for joining me for a few days and making the road a lot less lonely. in Beaujolais, and to all the people I met while on the road for their tips and recommendations. Last KERRY CHRISTIANI but not least, a gros bisou to my half-Parisian, half- I’d like to say a big merci to all the wonderful locals Lorraine daughter Eva. I met on my travels, as well as to the tourist boards who made the road to research silky smooth. ALEXIS AVERBUCK A special thank you goes to Jeal-Paul de Vries Once again my journey through the Dordogne at Romagne 14’-18’ for the behind-the-scenes was made magnificent by the generosity of the battlefields tour. gorgeous Janice Bowen. She shared her home, her fantastic knowledge of the region, and her GREGOR CLARK enthusiastic heart. A million thanks to wonderful Un grand merci to the countless locals who shared Alexandra Miliotis for her top tips on travelling the their knowledge of Burgundy and Corsica with me. back roads of Brittany. The pink granite coast, Special thanks to Claire Beuvrot in Cluny for the walled city of St-Malo and the sumptuous seafood cloves that cured my toothache. And big hugs to of Brittany wouldn’t have been nearly as delicious Gaen, Meigan and Chloe, who always make coming without my darling Ryan Ver Berkmoes: husband, home the best part of the trip. friend, travel genie and joy. ANITA ISALSKA OLIVER BERRY Enormous thanks to the friends and colleagues For this edition Oliver would like to thank Didier who shared insider insights, tips and support for Lafarge, Jean Dubarry, Eloise Guilmard and Agnes this project. Special thank yous go to Thomas THIS BOOK Product Editors Anne Mason, Susan Paterson Senior Cartographer Valentina Kremenchutskaya This 2nd edition of Lonely Planet’s France’s Best Trips guidebook was researched and written Book Designer Wendy Wright by Alexis Averbuck, Oliver Berry, Jean-Bernard Assisting Book Designer Wibowo Rusli Carillet, Kerry Christiani, Gregor Clark, Anita Assisting Editors Imogen Bannister, Carolyn Isalska, Hugh McNaughtan, Catherine Le Nevez, Boicos, Kate Chapman, Andrea Dobbin, Bruce Daniel Robinson, Regis St Louis and Nicola Evans, Samantha Forge, Carly Hall, Victoria Williams. The previous edition was written by Oliver Harrison, Kate James, Rosie Nicholson, Luna Soo, Berry, Stuart Butler, Jean-Bernard Carillet, Gregor Fionnuala Twomey, Tracy Whitmey Clark, Donna Wheeler and Nicola Williams. This guidebook was produced by the following: Cover Researcher Lucy Burke Liz Heynes, Kirsten Rawlings, Alison Destination Editor Helen Elfer Thanks to Ridgway, Ellie Simpson, Lauren Wellicome 429 Ducloutrier, Bill Lehane, Vanessa Michy, Pascale REGIS ST LOUIS Suc, Jean-Paul Grimaud, Kate Morgan, Melissa I’m particularly grateful to the tourism officials, Buttelli, and friendly tourist offices along the Tarn. innkeepers, booksellers, baristas, priests, And Normal Matt, who drove from London to Vichy hitchhikers and assorted other locals who shared in a beat-up Toyota just to cheer me on. tips and advice along the way. Special thanks to CATHERINE LE NEVEZ Penny, Thierry and Olivier in Honfleur; Marion and Hans at Florivalier; and the mysterious but Un grand merci to my Paris co-writers Chris and kind-hearted vegan galette maker in Foix. Lastly, Nicola. Merci mille fois to Julian, and everyone in gros bisous to my partner in crime, Cassandra, and and around Paris and in Languedoc-Roussillon who daughters Magdalena and Genevieve. offered insights and inspiration. In particular,merci beaucoup to Laurent for going above and beyond, NICOLA WILLIAMS and to Laurence for the same. Huge thanks also Un grand merci to the many who aided and abetted to Helen Elfer, Kate Morgan and everyone at LP. in tracking down the very best, including in Nantes, A heartfelt merci encore to my parents, brother, Katia Forte, @Rachelwill and rapidly rising chef belle-sœur and neveu for sustaining my lifelong love Dominic Quirke at neobistro Pickles; Pascale Chaillot of Paris and France. in Cognac; and in Bordeaux, wine expert Jane HUGH MCNAUGHTAN Anson, Kirsty Curtis (Musée du Vin et du Négoce) and Sophie Gaillard (Bordeaux Tourisme). At home, Thanks to Helen Elfer and to my ever-understanding sweet thanks to belle mère Christa Luefkens and my family. highly experienced trilingual ‘family travel’ research DANIEL ROBINSON team, Niko, Mischa and Kaya. Special thanks to (from north to south): Anny Monet (Lille), Virginie Debret (Lens’ 14-18 museum), ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Rodney and Philippe (Arras), Carole Lefebvre Climate map data adapted from Peel MC, Finlayson and Corinne Vasseur (Parc du Marquenterre Bird BL & McMahon TA (2007) ‘Updated World Map Sanctuary), Thapedi Masanabo (South African of the Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification’, National Memorial), Lauren Tookey (Amiens and Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 11, 1633 44. UK) and Madame Thion (Cercil, Orléans). This project would not have been possible without the Front cover photographs: (top) Carcassonne, support, enthusiasm and forbearance of my wife, Languedoc, Nadia Isakova/AWL ©; (right) Lavender Rachel, and our sons, Yair and Sasson (Orléans, field, Provence, Danita Delimont Stock/AWL ©; Tours and New London, Connecticut). (left) Citroen 2CV, Zoonar/Dieter Möbus/Alamy © Back cover photograph: Mont St-Michel, Normandy, Susanne Kremer/4Corners © 430 ©Lone- ly Planet Publications Pty Ltd INDEX amphitheatre (Arles) 240, Basilique Notre-Dame de A 302, 407 Fourvière 230 Abbatiale St-Ouen 101 amphitheatre (Nîmes) 239 Basilique St-Sernin 344 Abbatiale St-Philibert 169-70 Anduze 314 Basilique Ste-Madeleine 172 Abbaye de Fontenay 172 Angers 155 Basque Country 351-7 Abbaye Notre-Dame de Annecy 198-200, 205 bastide towns 386-7, 390 Sénanque 249 Antibes 257-8, 264 Bastion de l’Étendard 280 Abbaye Royale de Fonte- Aquarium de La Rochelle Bayeux 39, 111-13, 115 vraud 152-3 403 Bayeux Tapestry 39 Abbaye St-Pierre 332 Arbois 192, 195 Bayonne 352-3, 357 Abbaye-aux-Dames 133 Arcachon 364-5, 367 Beaujeu 218 Abbaye-aux-Hommes 132-3 architecture 21 Beaujolais 215-21 Abbey Church of Argelès-Gazost 339 Beaujolais Nouveau 220 Ste-Foy 329-30 Arles 240-1, 244-5, 298-9, Beaumont-Hamel Newfound- Abri du Cap Blanc 380 302, 303, 405-7, 409 land Memorial 70 accommodation 23, 420-2 Arras 70, 73 Beaune 170, 173, 177-8, 181 costs 421 Arromanches 110-11 Bergerac 373-4, 375 language 427 art 20, 52-6 Besançon 190-1, 195 Aéroport de Charles de ATMs 423 Besse-et-Ste-Anataise 163-4 Gaulle 23 Australian National War Beynac-et-Cazenac 390 Aéroport d’Orly 23 Memorial 72 Biarritz 353-4, 357, 404-5 Aigues-Mortes 302 Autun 170-1 Biot 259 Aiguille du Midi 203 Auvergne 159-65 birds 299 Ainhoa 356 Azay-le-Rideau 142 Blaye 362-3 air travel 419 Blois 146, 147 Aix-en-Provence 43, 45, 408 B boat travel 420 Ajaccio 278-9, 284, 293, 295 Baccarat 56 Bonaguil 398 Algajola 288, 294 Bambouseraie de Bonaparte, Napoléon 278, Aloxe-Corton 177, 181 Prafrance 314 293 Alps 185-7, 197-205, 207-13 Bandol 270 Bonifacio 279-80, 284 Alsace 86-91 Banon 250-1 Bonneval-sur-Arc 203, 205 Ambleteuse 62 Bar à Vin 411 Bordeaux 39-41, 44-5, 360-1, Amboise 145-6, 147 Basilique du Sacré-Coeur 366, 410-11 Amiens 71, 73 36-7 border crossings 419 431 Bormes-les-Mimosas 270-1 Cathédrale Notre Dame Château Corton-André 177 Bouchard Père & Fils 178 (Rouen) 101, 130 Château d’Aguilar 321 bouchon 228 Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Château de Beynac 390 Boulogne-sur-Mer 63, 65 Nazareth 243 Château de Biron 398 Bouziès 395-6 Cathédrale Notre-Dame (Le Château de Brézé 154 Puy-en-Velay) 328 Brasserie Artisanale des 2 Château de Brissac 155 Cathédrale St-André 41, 410 Caps 62 Château de Caen 132 Cathédrale St-Corentin 121 Breton Coast 117-23 Château de Castelnaud 390 Briançon 204 Cathédrale St-Étienne INDEX Château de Chambord (Cahors) 330, 397 Brittany 18, 96-7 39, 146 Cathédrale St-Étienne B-C Burghers of Calais, Château de Chenonceau (Metz) 54 The 60 142-3 Cathédrale St-Jean 230 Burgundy 167-73, 175-81 Château de Cheverny 146 Cathédrale St-Lazare 170 business hours 424 Château de Foix 324, 342 Cathédrale St-Pierre Château de Josselin 122 (Condom) 332 Château de Juliénas 219-20 C Cathédrale St-Pierre Château de La Rochepot Caen 109, 115, 132-3 (Vannes) 122 179-80 Cahors 330-2, 396-7, 399 Cathédrale St-Théodont 313 Château de Langeais 141-2 Calais 60, 65 Cathédrale Ste-Marie 353 Château de Meursault 178-9 Calanques 269-70 Cauterets 339-41, 343 Château de Milandes 390 Calvi 290, 294 Cave de Ribeauvillé 88 Château de Monbazillac 374 Camargue 18, 297-303 cave paintings 379, 382 Château de Montpoupon 143 Camembert 126-7 Caverne du Pont d’Arc 227 Château de Montrésor 143 Candes-St-Martin 152 cell phones 425 Château de Montségur 324 Cannes 257, 264, 408 Centre de Réintroduction