Wanderlust 219 - Destination France Special Edition

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Taking The Road Less Travelled Since 1993

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2022 HOT LIST

YOUR MOST DESIRABLE DESTINATIONS + EDITORS’ TOP PICKS Northern France Road Trip Vietnam By Rail Wonderful Creatures Sailing The Mississippi Alexandria Photo Of The Year Mauritania Massachusetts Portugal’s Cultural North

Gallic Hug With its layers of history, seductive light, warm welcome and strong traditions, Northern France’s timeless coastline calls out to be discovered Words Katja Gaskell

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he winter sun danced across the clear blue waters as we sailed slowly away from the village of Saint Suliac in Brittany. At the helm of our small aluminium fishing boat was Jean-François Arbona and his partner Magali Molla, both dressed in mustardyellow fishing overalls and sturdy blue Wellington boots. The duo are goémoniers, seaweed harvesters, and we were on our way to their farm in the Rance Estuary.

We soon arrived at a floating grid of white buoys, carefully ordered like lane markers for a swimming race. “This is our farm,” explained Magali. “We have 12 hectares where we grow different types of eco-certified seaweed including wakamé, dulse, kombu royal and nori.” Magali and Jean-François have been cultivating seaweed for 40 years, but this is a regional tradition that dates to the 17th century. For hundreds of years Bretons used seaweed both as fuel and food. What was once regarded as a poor man’s meal, however, is making a name for itself in Breton cuisine.

“Look how beautiful it is,” said Magali as she pulled on a rope submerged just below the water’s surface to reveal long wakamé garlands shimmering in the light. Magali then pulled out a knife and cut off a large frond, which she handed to Maud Vatinel, a local chef who was also on board. Maud – a Norman who moved to Brittany ten years ago – specialises in

creating vegetarian dishes using locally sourced seasonal and often-foraged produce, including seaweed.

Once back on dry land, I joined Maud in her home kitchen where she demonstrated this sea vegetable’s versatility. First up was a seaweed tartare followed by a polenta and freshly foraged mushroom-and-root-vegetable dish cooked in a seaweed broth and sprinkled with freshly chopped algae. “Seaweed’s very trendy now,” said Maud. “Lots of people are using it for wellbeing purposes as it has such strong nutritional qualities. But Magali and Jean-François have been farming seaweed for a long time.They’re both pioneers and custodians of an old tradition.”

I had sailed into France earlier that day on the overnight ferry from Portsmouth, arriving in the famous port of SaintMalo as the sun was rising. My plan was to explore France’s Channel coast, from eastern Brittany to the Pas-de-Calais, and travel beyond the oft-visited battlefields and cathedrals to discover what makes this coastline so rich and colourful.What I soon discovered was that despite very distinct personalities, the coastal regions are all bound together by deep-rooted traditions and a historic communion with both land and sea.

TRADES & TRADITIONS

My second port of call was Dinan. Perched on a hillside overlooking the Rance river and valley, Dinan’s an unfathomably pretty and impeccably preserved medieval town.

Once it was a formidable city and key trading centre. ⊲

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Exploring the Brittany coastline (clockwise from top left) Walk through Saint Suliac’s ruettes past pretty granite cottages – often decorated with fishing nets – and 12th-century church, before heading up to the Virgin of Grainfollet statue for panoramic views over the Rance river estuary; the ramparts that surround the city of Saint-Malo form a complete 2km walking loop; dried wakame is widely used in Asian dishes – soups and salads – and is a good source of fatty acids and minerals; (left page) the aerial view over the top of Saint-Suliac and onto the Rance estuary beyond it

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Dinan delights At the mouth of the Rance, Dinan’s old town is a warren of narrow, cobbled streets – you’ll find the best examples of the town’s half-timbered houses at the Place des Merciers. Just opposite it is the pedestrianised Rue de la Cordonnerie, also known as ‘thirsty street’ thanks to its nine bars

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With Saint-Malo just 30km downriver, ships would sail into owners, giving me a typical Breton warm welcome. “Hemp was the port of Dinan where traders would unload their wares one of the goods that used to be transported from the Port of including linen, leather and wool, before hauling them up Rue Dinan up Rue du Jerzual to be sold.The purpose of our shop is du Jerzual, a precipitous street that linked the riverine port to educate people about the crop and show how versatile it is.” with the heart of the city. Still today the steep cobblestone road is lined with asymmetrical half-timbered houses and shops.

HERE LIES OUR LAND While the architecture in the heart of Dinan remains Leaving Brittany, I crossed over the border into neighbourunchanged (the city’s home to 130 half-timbered houses ing Normandy and drove along the coast passing signs for Le Mont Saint-Michel along the way. The with some dating back to the 14th century) the type of trade taking place world-famous abbey-crowned island “The architecture in sits across the two regions, the abbey has evolved. Today, the ancient buildings are occupied by artists and entrein Normandy and much of the Baie the heart of Dinan preneurs, many of whom showcase local du Mont Saint-Michel in Brittany. At products and independent producers, remains unchanged – a curve in the coastline, and opposite from food to fashion. the granite island, stands the Ecomusée the city’s home to I stopped by Chez Jannig, a pockde la Baie du Mont Saint-Michel, 130 half-timbered et-sized shop with original stone walls a museum showcasing the history of houses with some and a roaring fire on the go. Opened just the bay and people’s relationship with over a year ago by three local entreprethe complex and fragile area. dating back to the neurs, the shop celebrates the history Nearby is La Ferme des Cara14th century” of hemp in Brittany, selling a range of Meuh! – on a clear day you can see the goods all made using this natural plant abbey in the distance – where I met fibre. On display were local cosmetics, clothing, gin, beer and Jason LeFranc. Jason is one of three brothers who now run even recyclable Welly boots made from hemp fibres. the family-run farm that was originally established by his “France has been farming hemp for hundreds of years, much great-grandfather in 1929. The farm started with just four of it grown in Brittany,” explained Sophie Le Roy, one of the cows, Normandy being famous for its native brown and ⊲

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Navigating Normandy (clockwise from top left) The Pointe de Dinan cliffs, 6.5km west of Crozon, look out over the sands of Anse de Dinan and rock formations locally known as the ‘Château de Dinan’; at the centre of the Abbaye du Mont Saint-Michel’s cloister is a medieval garden, recreated in 1966; a boat trip through the Audomarois marsh; calvados bottle in a bar at Mont Saint-Michel – the apple brandy became a protected Appellations d’Origine Réglementée in 1942; (right page) a charming village on the Alabaster Coast, pretty Veules-les-Roses has long been a draw for artists, writers and poets

According to official documents, Alfred Desfrièches started the distillery in 1935, although Desfrièches family lore puts the start date sometime before that. Regardless, Alfred began making cider using apples from his orchard and business was good.

“He used to deliver the cider in wooden boxes by horse and cart,” said Pauline. “But when the road was bombed during the Second World War, and he could no longer make his delivery rounds, he switched to creating calvados, which is a longer process.”

This is particularly true in the Pays d’Auge area, which uses a double distillation process before being aged in wooden barrels for between three and ten years. The result is a warm, oaky flavour with notes of apple and toffee that, as I discovered, is particularly enjoyable on a chilly winter’s day.

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE

The hinterland along France’s northern coastline is home to a number of mystical wetlands. For centuries these marshlands were sculpted and carved by men into a network of narrow canals and ditches. In Normandy, I visited the Parc Naturel Régional des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin, a vast expanse of waterways, marshes, canals and peat bogs, that lies not far from Utah Beach, the westernmost of the five landing areas of the Allied invasion during World War II. The park is a haven for numerous migratory birds who pass ⊲

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white speckled Normande breed that produces some of the richest and creamiest milk in France. Today the farm is home to 150 dairy cows who spend 10-to-11 months of the year permanently outdoors.

“We were a pure dairy farm until 2009,” said Jason, “but the French milk crisis of the same year really changed the way that the farm operated.”The crisis, which saw dairy prices collapse, threatened tens of thousands of farmers with bankruptcy.

“My father protested along with other farmers but ultimately decided that we needed a more sustainable way to move forward,” he said. “Our mother used to make caramel in the kitchen at home and one day my father decided that we would use the excess milk to create caramels. We all thought he was crazy, but it worked out.”

Today the organic-certified farm produces 13,000kg of caramel a year, in seven different flavours, the most popular being caramels au beurre salé (salted caramel). They also make butter and cheese.

But it’s not all caramels and cheese in Normandy, the other two big ‘Cs’ are calvados and cider and I couldn’t leave the region without trying one, or preferably both. To help me on my quest I travelled to Le Lieu Chéri, a small family-run distillery in the heart of the Pays d’Auge, an area famous for, among other things, its apple trees. There I met Pauline Desfrièches, wife of Alexandre, the great-grandson who currently runs the show.

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through the marais (marshland) on their way between the along the cliff, narrow cracks have formed, creating natural Arctic tundra and the African wetlands and bush. passageways for visitors to walk from the coastal road down My original idea had been to tour the marshes by elec- to the ocean. tric boat, but recent flooding foiled that plan. Instead, however, I was lucky enough to witness one of the wonders COLOUR & LIGHT of the park, the marais blanc. This natural phenomenon, the If there’s one place that will make you fall in love with ‘white marshes’, only occurs during winter months when France’s northern coast it’s Saint-Valery-sur-Somme. Artists the flooded marshland appears to meet the sky, the water and writers have long flocked to this picturesque town on the south bank of the River Somme estuary drawn by the reflecting the crisp, silvery-white winter light.

Later in my trip I visited another marshland, colour, the light and the bay itself; authors Victor Hugo and the Audomarois marshes in Saint-Omer, Pas-de-Calais. Jules Verne, and Impressionist painter Edgar Degas all had These are the only remaining cultivated wetlands in France houses here at one time. To better understand its attraction, where market gardeners continue to work the land produc- I visited British artist Pippa Darbyshire who, along with her ing, among other things, carrots, endives and cauliflower. husband, has spent the last 22 years living and painting in Here I did get to tour the canals by boat, this time on the neighbouring town of Le Crotoy.

“The first time I came to Le Crotoy I arrived at night,” said a traditional bacôve, a flat-bottomed boat crafted from oak Pippa. “The next morning I opened the window and saw the that was designed to transport vegetables. view of the Somme Bay and I fell in love “These marshes were originally dug with it. I’ve been painting that view ever by hand in the 10th century by peat “The gently since. The light is very special and the farmers,” explained my guide Benoît Diéval, who had joined me from undulating cycle route tide goes out so far that the channels give you many compositional possibilities.” the Pas-de-Calais tourism office. along the Norman But the history of Saint-Valery is “The peat was piled up on the sides of coastline had quiet the channels creating some areas that equally compelling. In the medieval were used as farmland and others that residential hamlets, quarter stands a stone arch through which Joan of Arc was transported on were residential.” small villages, quiet her way to Rouen in 1430 to be burned Travel among these marshlands today is still by boat only; even the local wooded sections and at the stake. Near the marina is a monument to William the Conqueror, who postwoman makes her rounds on a vast fields” assembled his fleet here before invading traditional escute, the passenger version England. At its heart, however, Saintof the larger bacôve. The last remaining boat maker in the region that continues to produce these Valery is very much a fishing village. Boxy fisherman’s traditional vessels, and one of only a handful left in France, cottages, whitewashed with colourful wooden shutters, sit lies just outside of Saint-Omer. Their workshop is open to side-by-side along tiny streets in the Fishermen’s Quarter, visitors but a family wedding meant that they had clocked overlooked by a le calvaire des marins (seamen’s chapel), a memorial to those sailors who have been lost at sea. off for the weekend when I visited.

I enjoyed one of my last – and best – meals of my visit at Le Mathurin, a boat-to-table restaurant in the heart of town. Chef THE COAST ON TWO WHEELS France is home to an enviable network of bicycle paths, Pierre-Alain Delaby comes from eight generations of fishergreenways, and signposted cycle routes. One of these routes men and the restaurant is very much a family affair; his older is La Vélomaritime, which runs from Roscoff in Brittany brother delivers the catch of the day directly to their parents’ to Dunkirk on the Belgian border. At nearly 1,500km, the fish stall, where it is prepared and transported to the restaurant route was an ambitious one to attempt on this trip but, to serve as inspiration for that day’s menu. I started with oysters eager to see the coast at a more leisurely pace, I opted for so fresh I could taste the sea, followed by superb Coquilles a small section of the marked cycleway starting in the port Saint-Jacques. My visit to France happened to coincide with town of Dieppe and finishing 25km away in the village of scallop season and while I had enjoyed them regularly during Veules-les-Roses, one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France my road trip, the ones at Le Mathurin were some of the best.

I spent the afternoon before travelling back to the UK (‘most beautiful villages in France’).

This turned out to be a truly wonderful way to see the visiting the Côte d’Opale (Opal Coast), eating frites on a Norman coastline. The gently undulating cycle route had windswept stretch of sand at Audresselles and visiting the a little bit of everything: quiet residential hamlets peppered Grand Site des Deux Caps. This nature reserve sits between with red tiled roofs; small villages home to linen shops and two dramatic cliffs, the Cap Gris-Nez and Cap Blanc-Nez, salon de thé; quiet wooded sections; and vast agricultural and on a clear day you can spot the White Cliffs of Dover fields, some apple-green growing sugar beets, others recently from the coastal path that links the two. Winter winds whipped around me as I looked out from the observation ploughed, the freshly harvested crops piled high.

There were views of the sea too. Not long after leaving deck over the marshland and sand dunes, the long grass Dieppe, the road curved downhill and I was greeted by being thrown about by the icy blasts. As shafts of soft winter the magnificent movie-poster white chalk cliffs of the Côte light pierced through the greying clouds, shining spotlights d’Albâtre (Alabaster Coast). These cliffs stretch for 130km on the increasingly restless sea, it was one final wild, woolly, ⊲ between the Seine and Somme estuaries. At various points extraordinary showcase of the beauty of this coast.

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Alabaster overview Normandy’s Cote d’Albatre at sunset, as seen through the man-made hole in the cliff. This stretch of the coast – Le Tilleul beach in the Seine-Maritime department – is inaccessible by car, requiring a 1.5km wander past the woods and meadows of the Antifer Valley

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Capital: Paris Population: 67,400,00 Language(s): French Time: GMT +1 International dialling code: +33 Visas: UK nationals can stay up to 90 days without a visa. A visa-waiver, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS, etias.com), is planned from 2023.

Money: Euro (€), currently around €1.19 to the UK£. ATMs are available.

Pulling the produce Cauliflower cultivation in the Saint-Omer marshes

When to go

July-Aug Temperatures reach 23°C in places. Rainfall is limited but not uncommon. August is prime holiday time in France; restaurants and hotels are busy and prices are higher. Bastille Day is 14 July.

Sept-Nov Shoulder season, fewer visitors and still mild weather but with an increased chance of rain. Apple and cider festivals take place in Normandy and the Coquille St Jacques season begins. From November many restaurants close for at least two nights a week, with some shops in Dinan closing.

Dec Christmas markets take place in cities including Lille, Amiens and Arras.

Jan-March Winter season, few visitors.

April-June The D-Day Anniversary is 6 June.

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Health & safety

France is largely a safe destination however planned protests and strikes do occur and may affect travel plans.

COVID-19 travel restrictions are currently in place for British visitors travelling to France.

For the latest on entry requirements visit the FCDO site (gov.uk).

Getting there

Brittany Ferries (brittany-ferries. co.uk) runs regular crossings from Portsmouth, Plymouth or Poole to Roscoff,

Saint-Malo, Cherbourg, Caen and Le Havre.

The overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Saint-Malo takes 11hrs, with fares for foot passengers from £35 one-way and vehicle passengers from £134 one-way. You can hire a car from Saint-Malo port.

The Eurostar (eurostar.com) from London’s St Pancras International travels to Lille (1hr 22mins; one-way tickets from £49.50) and Calais, although Calais services are currently suspended.

The Eurotunnel (eurotunnel.com) runs regular daily trains from Folkestone to Calais in a journey time of 35mins. Standard one-way tickets from £94.

If flying, Paris is the most convenient city and multiple airlines fly to Charles de Gaulle Airport (parisaeroport.fr; 1hr 20mins; from £64 return). From Paris it takes 2-3 hours to drive to Calais.

Getting around

Public transport is patchy between regions so driving provides the most flexibility. The greenest way to get around is by bike and there is an extended cycle path network. Electric bikes are available to hire from Les Cycles Gourgand near Dieppe (£12/half-day, £25/full-day; cyclesgourgand.fr/).

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Vital statistics

Hotel la Matelote (la-matelote.com, +33 3 21 30 33 33) is a traditional family-run hotel located on the seafront of Boulognesur-Mer. Don’t miss dinner in the excellent Michelin-starred hotel restaurant. Rooms from €134 (£112).

Food & drink

Cost of travel

France is one of the more expensive countries in Western Europe for travel although there are lots of ways to save money. Expect to pay in the region of £12-20 for a set menu in an average restaurant. A simple coffee is around £1.60 and beers cost £4-5.

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Accommodation

Les Jardins de la Matz (lesjardinsdelamatz.com, +33 2 96 80 71 21) is a charming restored 18th century farmhouse with five rooms and an apartment in the Breton countryside.

The house can be rented in its entirety.

Doubles from €70 (£58).

Chambres d’Hôtes Le Rey (+33 6 73 19 37 98) in Regnéville-sur-Mer is a small B&B run by an ebullient couple, Mr and Mrs Gaillard, in their own home. There are two guest rooms and a converted gypsy caravan in their orchard. Rooms from €75/night (£65).

Manoir de la Plage (lemanoirdelaplage.fr, +33 6 58 18 02 81) is a popular destination for Parisiens at the weekend. There are six large rooms that start at around €220 (£185). The sister hotel, Hotel Restaurant La Chaumière (hotel-chaumiere.fr), shares the property and offers 10 rooms in the halftimbered house that was once owner MariePierre’s family home. Rooms start from €120 (£100). A very good restaurant is on site.

Hotel les Tourelles (lestourelles.com, +33 3 22 27 16 33) in Le Crotoy is an eco-certified hotel with rooms overlooking the Somme Bay. The restaurant serves local seafood dishes and traditional French cuisine. Rooms from €84 (£100).

Hotel Loysel le Gaucher (hotel-loyselmontreuilsurmer.com, +33 3 62 84 50 80) is a delightful 14-room hotel located near the ancient ramparts of Montreuil-sur-Mer. Rooms from €100 (£83).

You are spoiled for choice when it comes to eating and drinking along the northern French coast. Brittany is famous for its galettes (savoury crepes) as well as its scallops, oysters and sardines.

Calvados, cider and cheese are some of Normandy’s most popular products in particular Pont-l’Évêque and Camembert de Normandie. Make sure to try marmite Dieppoise, a creamy, salty seafood broth, and agneau de pré salé, meadowsalted lamb that comes from the Bay of the Mont Saint-Michel.

The Bay of Somme is well known for its fresh seafood including Bouchot mussels.

Gâteau battu is a famous brioche-type cake from the Hauts-de-France region.

Further reading & information

Brittanytourism.com Brittany Tourism Atout-france.fr Atout France Normandie-tourisme.fr Normandy Tourism Hautsdefrancetourism.com Hauts-deFrance Tourism Pas-de-calais-tourisme.com Pas-de-Calais Tourisme France (Lonely Planet, 2021) has a detailed section on the northern coastline.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Scribner, 2014) is a beautiful novel set in 1940s Paris and Saint-Malo that explores themes of war and free will. It won the Pulitzer prize for fiction in 2015.

Thegoodlifefrance.com An informative blog with a number of articles on destinations along the northern coast.

Coastal culture The village of Portbail can be found near the Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin Natural Regional Park; St Augustine Distillery

NORTHERN FRANCE HIGHLIGHTS

1 Go on a seal safari

Hundreds of harbour and grey seals have taken up residence in the Somme Bay and they like to snooze on the sandbanks. Join a guided tour with naturalist Maxim Marzi. somme-tourisme.com

2 Visit Nausicaa

Nausicaa Aquarium in Boulogne-sur-Mer is the biggest aquarium in Europe and where conservation is its key goal. The Big Tank is home to sharks, manta rays and huge shoals of fish. nausicaa.co.uk

Montreuilsur-Mer 3 Explore

This medieval town is worth a wander. Victor Hugo set part of Les Misérables here and every year at the end of July and beginning of August, the story is performed in an outdoor sound and light show. french-weekendbreaks.co.uk

a tour in a vintage vehicle 4 Take

Les Belles Echappées rents out vintage vehicles including old Citroën 2CVs and VW camper vans. Guided tours of Saint-Omer on vintage-looking Ruffian eBikes are also available. les-belles-echappees.com

the Calais Dragon 5 Ride

The enormous fire-breathing Dragon de Calais can carry up to 50 people on his back as he walks along the seafront. This steel-andwood dragon was designed by the same company that makes the mechanical animals in Nantes. compagniedudragon.com

WANDERLUST RECOMMENDS France: Wanderlust Travel Guide – https://www.wanderlust.co.uk/ destinations/france/ From Granville to Etretat: the jewels of France’s Normandy coastline – youtube.com

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TRAVEL HOT LIST 2022 Let this be the year travel returns…

We asked you where you are most dreaming of visiting and here are the results. Plus, on p86, the Wanderlust editors share their own hot tips for 2022…

Reader reflections Nearly 50 years old, the Sydney Opera House is one of the many icons drawing readers back to Australia

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We always want most what we can’t have. Australia’s borders slammed shut right at the beginning of the pandemic and, at the time of writing, opportunities for British travellers wishing to visit are few and far between. Neighbouring New Zealand, who followed a similar course, has said it is now accepting fully vaccinated travellers as of 30 April 2022, and hopes are high that Australia will follow suit soon. Until that happens, we are still left dreaming of riding The Ghan through endless Outback or watching the sun rise over the red sandstone edifice of Uluru one more time.

It’s clear you, too, have been thinking of little else. It also feels like we’ve been singing its praises non-stop recently, or at least since Qantas launched direct flights to Perth from London back in 2018. These are tentatively due to recommence in April, and we have our fingers crossed they do because, frankly, there is plenty more to talk about.

Western Australia still feels like an undiscovered country in itself: its Ningaloo Reef is every bit the equal of its Great Barrier cousin but still little visited by comparison, affording you the chance to swim with whale sharks; the Kimberley is a region of beehive-like mountains and wilderness so rugged and unfinished that it feels like Mother Nature barely got through sketching it before she moved on to something else.

Add to that magnificent winelands, scenic trails where you can spy humpbacks breaching offshore, luxurious coastal cruises and a thoroughly modern regional capital, and it’s not hard to see why travellers get so excited about this state.

But beyond Western Australia, there’s the chance to experience the things we’ve missed out on. The Great Southern train route between Adelaide and Brisbane only had its inaugural journey at the very end of 2019, three months before borders closed.The new Grampian Peaks Trail is a rocky 160km route across Aboriginal land, red gum forests and the dramatic, dizzying rises of the Grampians NP.We can’t wait to try both.

There are countless thrills to be found here when you eventually return. But if you’re short of ideas, just relive the classics: soak up Sydney’s northern beaches, drive the Great Ocean Road, meet the inquisitive quokka of Rottnest Island, explore the pink-granite cliffs of Freycinet Peninsula.

Because you never know when it’ll all be taken away again. ⊲

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Hillside habitations (clockwise from above) The historic village of Gordes in the Provence can trace its history back to Roman times; smoking Arenal volcano in Costa Rica; autumn falls in Kyoto; Moraine Lake, Alberta Canada

FRANCE

It feels like a long time since we’ve been this excited about France, and it looks like you feel the same. And all it took was the collapse of international travel for us to see what was there all along on our doorstep. Barely a two-hour carbonfriendly train ride away, this is a country where there is so much to discover that it’s difficult to know where to begin.

You often forget how huge France actually is. Its population is identical in size to the UK’s yet its land mass is more than twice as large. Into that is squeezed one of the world’s great capitals, a history of art and culture to rival any on the continent, the highest mountains in Western Europe, and a national cuisine so good that it’s recognised by UNESCO. It’s not just about chic urban Paris, either. There’s a school of travel thought that reckons you need to be at least 10,000 miles, four flares and a RIB boat ride away from home to see real wilderness. But France is full of it. Tell us it isn’t after

walking the GR10 up into the wildflower meadows of the Pyrenees, wandering the forests of the Ardennes, exploring the grass-covered caldera of the Puy-de-Dome, or hiking the punishing GR20 across the island of Corsica – for many, Europe’s toughest hike.

That’s all before you even reach the Alps. The northern mountains here have dominated the agendas of hikers and skiers for years, with the well-trod trails and slopes of the Savoie (Val d’Isère) and Haute-Savoie (Chamonix, Morzine) regularly filled with visitors.Yet the lesser-seen Southern Alps offer just as much. Here, instead of purpose-built resorts, small villages are your jumping-off point for wilderness parks like Mercantour NP where ski touring, wolf tracking tours and shepherd’s trails offer a more rugged take on Alpine life.

With wilderness comes wildlife. You can track bears in the rarefied mountain air of the Pyrenees or watch ⊲

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French fancies (clockwise from top) The Gulf of Morbihan, Brittany, offers islands to visit and around 100km of signposted footpaths; the black sands of the Stokksnes Peninsula, south-east Iceland; Zlatni rat beach, Brac Island, Croatia; the sun sets over the Cinque Terre village of Manarola, Liguria, Italy; Etretat, Normandy

There is also modern history to discover every bit as compelling as France’s kings and revolutions. Many search out Normandy’s D-Day landing sites and museums on tours, but there are moving Second World War stories here beyond the battlefields, such as that of Oradour-sur-Glane, near Limoges. This bombed-out ghost village was razed by the Nazis upon their retreat in 1944, but not before massacring all 642 villagers. Since then, it has been left as it was, a living, rusting memorial to one of the darkest days in French history.

This is France.Take it as it is: a dizzying whirl of history, art, culture and wilderness far beyond the romance of Paris.We’ve not even mentioned wine-country river cruises, basking on the Cote d’Azur, or cycling in the tyre tracks of the Tour de France. But you know this already. That’s why you picked it.

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wild horses crashing through the delta of the Camargue, water spraying in their wake. There is a wild side to France that just isn’t found when popping to Paris for the odd romantic weekend.

That’s not to diminish what you’ll find in the capital.

Anyone lucky enough to wander the Louvre or Orsay museums, gaze on the Baroque bombast of the Palace of Versailles, or descend into the city’s ancient catacombs will discover history and art that shaped a continent. But there is also so much culture to discover outside the capital, and that’s the France that often seems to get lost in translation.

Nimes, for example, is home to one of the great surviving colosseums, as grand as any folly left behind by the Romans.

Normandy’s Mont St-Michel is every bit the 8th-century marvel, a medieval tidal island rising out of the beach like some long-forgotten sandcastle. The fairytale fortresses of the Loire Valley – former hunting lodges of the French monarchs – are just as captivating as their vineyards.

Down in the south-west, the Basque Country often seems like its own world, with a language, cuisine and culture removed from that of surrounding France. Here, the centre of each village is given over to pelota courts, as young kids scurry about, necks craned to the sky, desperately trying to whack a ball arcing three feet over their heads, while chuckling locals dine on tapas in the surrounding cafes. Or head up to Alsace, seemingly caught somewhere between France and Germany, along with the local dialect, traditions and hearty Alpine cooking. Give us a flammekueche (a thin pizza-like dish topped with fromage blanc and lardons) over a quattro formaggi any day of the week.

VERSION SUBS

1 Saudi Arabia

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For decades Saudi Arabia remained largely off-limits to travellers. That changed in 2019 with the launch of new tourist visas but, just as quickly, the chance to go was snatched away by the pandemic. Now, both visitors and country are adjusting to the new normal, and Saudi has more than embraced its role as host.The ancient ruins of AlUla, a Nabataean wonder to rival Jordan’s Petra, have already reopened, along with plush new desert resorts. By late 2022 the new Red Sea ‘mega city’ of Neom will debut its first hotels. This year also brings the reopening of At-Turaif, the birthplace of the kingdom; listed

by UNESCO but long closed for renovation, it’s a marvel of mud-brick palaces, mosques and more that will help tell Saudi’s story. Finally, some wild experiences, from trekking to the Edge of the World (Jebel Fihrayn) to diving the Red Sea are now possible. There’s never been a better time to visit.

2 València, Spain

There are many good reasons to visit València. Its Gothic cathedral, long sandy beaches, colourful Old Town, free museums and shady parks are just a few. But equally appealing

Starchitecture (clockwise from top) As of 2019, it is no longer compulsory for female tourists to wear an abaya (full-length robe) to visit Saudi Arabia; the MUNCH museum’s angled form is meant as a welcoming gesture; as well as 2022 Capital of Culture, Kaunas is also a UNESCO City of Design; València’s striking City of Arts & Sciences was designed by Santiago Calatrava

is that, for all Spain’s third-largest city rivals Barcelona and Madrid for culture and vibes, it witnesses a fraction of their crowds. This year also sees València named European Capital of Smart Tourism, a title that points to everything good that’s being done here.

More than 150km of bike lanes have been built, public transport is going electric and the city has greened up in a bid to go carbon-neutral by 2025. From browsing the Central Market to cycling one of Spain’s largest urban parks to exploring Albufera Natural Park, there is no end of green fun to be had.

3 Oslo, Norway

For travellers, Norway’s capital is often a jumping-off point for wonders up north: glacial fjords, whale-spotting cruises, northern lights.Yet this cultured

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capital has a few new incentives to make you stick around. October 2021 saw the opening of the huge MUNCH museum, dedicated to Edvard Munch (of The Scream fame).This June sees the arrival of the new National Museum, set to be the largest cultural space in all of the Nordics, housing a 5,000strong permanent collection of works spanning design, crafts and fine art.

It only adds to the bounty of cultural sights on the Bygdøy peninsula, a scenic museum district wrapped in forests. Its lauded Viking Ship Museum is closed for rebuilding until at least 2025 but you’ll find plenty on Norway’s history of exploration, with polar expeditions dissected in the Fram Museum and the life of adventurer Thor Heyerdahl unpicked at the Kon-Tiki Museum.

George Kipouros; Alamy; Shutterstock

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EDITORS’ TOP TRAVEL DESTINATIONS 2022

4 Capitals of Culture

You know how it is: you wait a whole year for a European Capital of Culture then three – Novi Sad, Serbia; Kaunas, Lithuania; Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg – come along at once.

Novi Sad’s inclusion is a hangover from 2021 (due to COVID-19), though it fits with a theme among this year’s picks: post-war industrial cities finding their mojo. Esch-sur-Alzette’s steel and iron ore industry collapsed in the 1980s only for it to rewild its old pits, turn the city’s furnace into a museum and music venue, and let the mines and villages tell their own story. It’s a pattern you’ll see repeated in Novi Sad, whose old factories now host street art and hip galleries.

Kaunas underwent its makeover in the 1930s, when it was the brief capital of Lithuania (due to Vilnius being seized by Poland), and the result is like wandering a Modernist dream.

5 Doha, Qatar

6

Grenoble, France

The self-proclaimed ‘Capital of the French Alps’ doesn’t disappoint those in search of big scenery. Ride the quirky cablecar up Bastille Hill and not only can you visit the imposing 18th-century fort but also enjoy views of glaciated valleys and snowy massifs.

But Grenoble isn’t resting on its laurels, it’s a city looking to the future too. This year it has been named European Green

Bold & brilliant (clockwise from top) Grenoble’s Bastille cablecar is affectionately known as les bulles (the bubbles); in Ibagué you may spot brightly dressed locals doing traditional Colombian folk dances; Doha’s Katara Cultural Village – home to the striking Pigeon Towers – is a hub of Qatari creativity

Capital, thanks in part to its creation of 320km of cycle lanes and the planting of 5,500 trees since 2014. You see a focus on sustainability everywhere here, not least on the menus, which are packed with local producers. For low-impact fun, wander the cafes and galleries of the cobbled Old Town and explore the patchwork of regional parks, villages and castles nearby.Take the time to see a city heading in the right direction.

7 Ibagué, Colombia

It’s little wonder that Ibagué was chosen to be American Capital of Culture 2022. Founded in 1550, the city is known as the musical capital of Colombia. Its celebrated conservatory, which is over 100 years old, has churned out maestros by the dozen, many from underprivileged backgrounds, while the annual Colombian Folklore Festival sees traditional Andean bands take the stage each June (just one highlight of a packed cultural calendar).

Even the parks are filled with statues of musical heroes. Beyond the city, Mother Nature takes over: here you’ll find the tropical forests of the Combeima Canyon, the snow-capped Nevado del Tolima volcano (5,215m) and other wild landscapes that helped inspire much of the music to be made. ⊲

George Kipouros; Alamy; Shutterstock

In November/December 2022 the FIFA World Cup will see masses of football fans (7.7m travelled for the

World Cup in Russia) descend on a Gulf peninsula little more than half the size of Wales. While these may be months to avoid, what precedes them is pretty exciting. Alongside new hotels and eateries, autumn sees the reopening of Doha’s Museum of Islamic Culture, designed by starchitect IM Pei (coaxed out of retirement at 91), with a setting as dramatic as the history it tells. Then there’s a rich programme of public art, with 40 sculptures by international and Qatari artists being unveiled across the city in the run-up to the tournament.

Even if you’re not into sport, do cheer for the city’s very cultural revolution.

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20 New England, USA

It’s that sense of freedom and scale that makes an American road trip so unique; of suddenly being a small piece in a far bigger picture. And while the Ivy-league states of New England might lack the immediate raw appeal of cruising Route 66 in a convertible, the region’s seven newly designated National Scenic Byways offer just as much adventure. For a taster, try Massachusetts’ Mohawk Trail, which originally opened in 1914 as one of the USA’s first tourism roads. It follows an old Native American trail, and its pit-stops at forest walks and whitewater rivers offer a pretty rigorous way to stretch your legs. Or drive the St John Valley/Fish River route, which explores the legacy of Acadian America, the parts originally occupied by French settlers.

21 Burgundy, France

22 Scotland, UK

Head to Scotland to follow the first UNESCO Trail, a route that links up 13 World Heritage-listed sites, geoparks, biospheres, cities and lonely isles. It’s a bracing reminder of just what variety there is here, and it sends you in some unusual directions. The ruins of the Roman Antonine Wall, for example, were built between Forth and Clyde some 20 years after Emperor Hadrian’s more famous defence was finished to the south. This was designed to replace it, but just eight years later the Romans fell back and its stones were repurposed by canny local farmers. Or instead plan a trip to the far-flung island of St Kilda in the Outer Hebrides, abandoned since 1930 but still strewn with relics of old

Tasty travels (clockwise from top) Specialities to look out for in Dijon include Burgundy snails, pain d’épices (gingerbread) and the apéritif, kir; Shanxi was an important trading hub on the Tea Horse Road and caravanserais can still be seen on its Square Street; the USA now has 184 Scenic Byways, spanning 48 states

houses and more dive-bombing skuas than you can waft an umbrella at. From hip Dundee to the Neolithic burial mounds of the Orkneys, there’s plenty more to discover than you ever knew.

23 Tea Horse Road, China

When it comes to ancient trade networks, most travellers are familiar with the Silk Road. Less well known is China’s Tea Horse Road, which once linked the plantations of Yunnan Province with the highlands of Tibet, continuing on into Nepal and India. Tibetan horses and Chinese tea were traded back and forth on the 4,000-year-old network. Now it seems that it might finally be recognised

by UNESCO in 2022, prompting fresh interest, although travellers have sought out its trails for years. The ‘road’ exists as much in concept now; most routes were unmarked and are long since lost, but in Yunnan’s Lijiang, Shuhe and Shaxi you’ll still find old caravanserai.

Or head into the subtropical lowlands of Xishuangbanna where Dai villages, jungles and tea terraces can easily be reached on the newly opened high-speed Boten-Vientiane ChinaLaos Railway.

Alamy; Shutterstock

Burgundy is home to some of France’s most seductive countryside, packed with cellar-door tours and miles of UNESCO-listed vineyards, canalside villages and market towns.This year there’s an extra dash of star quality to the region’s usual appeal, with the arrival of the International City of Food and Wine complex in Dijon. It’s set to become a one-stop shop for gastronomes, home

to myriad local producers as well as wine-initiation classes for those looking to up their skills. The further addition of a restaurant by local three-starred Michelin chef Éric Pras only sweetens the deal. Afterwards, walk off your bloat in a city whittled by the fancies of the Dukes of Burgundy, whose old palace makes for a grand town hall. Food lovers will want to finish in the 19th-century covered market (Les Halles) where you can further sate your hunger on local cheese, sausage and wine. Bon appétit!

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