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France - Auvergne

Returning to the Auvergne

Eight years ago, I spent a year in Le Puy-en-Velay, a small, historic city in the south of the volcanic Auvergne region, deep in the heart of rural France – la France profonde, as they say... Having never written about it at the time, I return to it now...

A French Christmas

Violaine Sabot, from Stanfords' Covent Garden store, describes the Christmas she’ll miss this year in France... "It’s going to be the first time I will spend Christmas away from home. I didn’t think I’d miss it that much..."

A British Christmas – returning home

Tim Cleary, from Stanfords in Covent Garden, reminisces on – and looks forward to – the traditional British Christmas. Log fires, cosy pubs and big family dinners are worth travelling back home for – however hectic the journey, he says…

France - Paris - Astérix Park

When you think Paris, you think romance. But Paris can also match with thrills in amusement parks. No, not with Disneyland Paris, but with the little-known Astérix Park. A theme park based on the stories of Astérix & Obélix by Albert Uderzo and René Goscinny, situated just 30km north of Paris, it surprised me with its thrilling attractions.

Bibendum - the 'Michelin Man' revealed

Following a recent store promotion involving prominent map and book publishers {error}, and the antics of a certain member of staff who (rather enthusiastically) volunteered to brave the streets of London dressed as the ‘Michelin man’ (or ‘Bibendum’ as he is known in his native France), we at Stanfords decided to look into the story behind this iconic character…and came across some surprising facts in the process!

10 reasons to go self-catering

Self-catering accommodation can often be the best option for your holiday – making your stay more relaxed, comfortable and fun. Matt Richardson, from self-catering specialist Lagrange Holidays, tells us why…

France with baby

Exciting holidays are still possible once you have children, and the French mountains are an ideal destination for little ones, says Alison Willis from France holiday specialists Lagrange.

France for casual cyclists

You don’t have to be training for the Tour de France to enjoy a cycling holiday in France. The Loire Valley offers gentle pedalling and spectacular villages and chateaux to stop off at, says Alison Willis from France holiday specialist, Lagrange...

France - Pear Tarte Tatin

Try this delicious recipe from At My French Table by Jane Webster. This glazed upside-down pastry is traditionally made with apples, but the pears give the tart a lovely texture.

France - Lyon

Bonjour! When I arrived in Lyon the first thing that I thought is this city is a little Paris, without the inconvenience of transport or the stress. Its location in France means it is a really great mix between north and south, a beautiful city with really good weather and friendly people.

Top 10 strange place names around the world

There are some unusual, attractive and just plain funny names of countries, islands, towns and even glaciers all round the world. Here are our favourites…

Moving to France

In 2001, Justin Saunders decided that adding a couple of extra miles on the commute for a better life would be worth the effort... although this commute was to be from France. Here he describes the experience of buying and living in France and whether it has met his expectations.

France - Slowly up the Midi

“It’s just a floating caravan!” That was my wife’s first unhappy reaction to the sight of Beauregard, the French canal boat that we were about to spend the next seven days living on.

Stanfords supports coast-to-coast trek

An intrepid businessman trekked from coast to coast of France to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. Mike Heyes, a senior consultant from Cheshire, set off on 11 July from Hendaye, a small French...

France - Côtes-d’Armor, Brittany

Our cycling trip began with an overnight ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo, and after this sleepy start, we began in earnest - cycling off the ferry onto French soil where we'd spend the following week pedalling past the beautiful coastline, canals and villages of north-east Britanny.

Michelin: the maps they are a-changing

New maps are always awaited with great anticipation at Stanfords; many become a valuable addition to our stock, and those which fill the few remaining gaps in our coverage are particularly welcomed...

France - Côte d'Opale

With our hemisphere spinning inexorably into winter, it was time to 'fill the boots'. Having overspent the month already, a cheap local destination seemed prudent, with a chance to test a friend's theory that often what is searched for far away can be found in the local.

Insight into the world of IGN

IGN is France's national survey agency, the equivalent of Great Britain's Ordnance Survey. As the Ordnance Survey was, and as many national Géographical institutes still are, it was originally a department of the army. It became a public institution just before the Armistice of Vichy in 1941.

France - Le Touquet Paris-Plage

Last summer six cousins and I squeezed into a large estate car with all our camping gear and spent a few days pottering down the coast of northern France. We stayed at the many well-appointed campsites along the way...

France - Toulouse to the Pyrénées

I gathered my seven words of French, my French dictionary, my maps and guidebooks - like every good journey this one started at the shelves of Stanfords - and set off for the forgotten southern corner of France.

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