‘It’s like seeing a Renoir or Matisse painting come to life’: readers’ favorite trips to France

The pastel colors of Vichy in Auvergne

Vichy isn’t on everyone’s radar as a must-visit French city, but it’s nice to spend a few days there. Vichy is a historic spa town known for its spring waters and its artistic architecture and Belle époque architecture. A thriving cultural scene means that, whenever you visit, you will find concerts, theatre, opera and exhibitions, especially in the city’s opera house and the unique Grand Casino. Vichy is also a shopper’s paradise, with over 500 shops in the city centre. When all that shopping and walking has quenched your thirst, taste the famous Vichy water for free at the Hall des Sources (listed on the Accidentally Wes Anderson website). The town is easy to explore on foot or by bike, with riverside walkways along the Allier River, beautiful neighborhoods with pastel-colored cottages, and plenty of outdoor restaurants. Being there felt like I was seeing a painting by Renoir or Matisse come to life before my eyes.
Nicoletta

Canals, lakes and flowers in Savoie

Chanaz in the northwestern tip of Savoie is a beautiful village that I like to visit in the summer. One of the best little trips is to rent a boat or a power boat and glide along the Canal de Savières to Lac du Bourget. This city has colorful flowers, old narrow streets, bike paths and some of the best ice-cream I’ve ever tasted. There are many affordable accommodation options around Lac du Bourget, and many other villages to explore in the area.
Juliet B

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Tips from Guardian Travel readers

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‘The most beautiful kilometer in France’ is in Normandy

Avoid the crowds and see the wonder of Mont-Saint-Michel from the other side, the Falaises de Champeaux (Champeaux Cliffs), a view much loved by General Dwight Eisenhower in the second world war after he established the allied HQ near Jullouville. A half-hour drive from Granville to the medieval Genêts takes you to the old and unspoilt seaside resorts, restaurants and cafes of Saint-Pair-sur-Mer, Jullouville, Carolles, and before you reach the charming village of Saint-Jean-le-Thomas, you can take in the beautiful kilometers of “France”.
Dee

Modernism and glass in Provence

The Fernand Léger National Museum in Biot, near Antibes, is one of our favorite afternoon spots. The temporary and permanent exhibitions of Léger’s contemporary works are impressive, but it’s the beautiful outdoor spaces and the quiet surroundings that stand out. To make the most of your time, La Verrerie de Biot is two minutes away. Here you can watch free glass demonstrations and watch glass creations in the shop.
Rowan De Saulles

Walking in the shadow of Robert Louis Stevenson, Massif Central

Last August I walked the southern half of the Chemin de Stevenson (designated GR 70) – a 140 km footpath in the Cévennes that follows the path taken by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1878 with his stubborn donkey, Modestine. I walked an average of 15 kilometers every day, along rocky paths and forest paths. Accommodation consisted of basic hostels, each about €50 a night; one had developed RLS 147 years ago. I ate dinner at local bistros; breakfast comes from boulangeries. I met a few fellow travelers but mostly just followed the words from Stevenson’s account, Travels with a Donkey, as I tried to match his steps with mine. The full route crosses four departments: Haute-Loire, Ardèche, Lozère and Gard.
Jane

Leonardo’s resort on the Loire

Amboise, a beautiful little town in the Loire, has three chateaux. The most impressive is the Château Royal d’Amboise, home of Francis I, who lent the Clos Lucé residence to Leonardo da Vinci in the last three years of his life (1516-19). Clos Lucé is the most interesting, with its full-scale reproductions of Leonardo’s designs that surround the park, while a variety of other creations are displayed in the galleries. Leonardo’s bedroom, kitchen and atelier have all been reproduced in their original rooms. Leonardo’s final resting place is a chapel dedicated to the Château Royal – the Chapel of Saint-Hubert. The third chateau, Gaillard, is famous for its old Renaissance buildings and gardens.
Pete Mitchell

Cycling between the lakes of Normandy

I took my old Raleigh Chopper on the overnight ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe and cycled up the coast of Normandy with the essentials packed in a small bag. I stopped at Honfleur, Deauville, Caen and Mont-Saint-Michel and enjoyed swimming at the art deco lido of Trouville, the beautiful Olympic salt water pool of Deauville, the sea pools of Saint-Pair-sur-Mer and Granville. The magnificent Les Bains de Dieppe sadly had to be closed permanently from my visit due to structural problems. I used the trains when the weather was bad and back to Dieppe.
Victory

Provence in a frame

Be in Arles during the long summer for Les Rencontres d’Arles (6 July-4 October), when high-quality photography fills a wide variety of places: Romanesque churches, cloisters, town hall, shady parks and even the Monoprix warehouse, all within easy walking distance. There is accommodation to suit all budgets, including many in old Arlésienne homes. Between exhibitions, follow Van Gogh to the Starry Night Café and along the canal to the Arles Bridge, or head up to the Roman Forum for a panoramic Provençal view. In September the Camargue Rice Festival with its tractor-drawn floats, music and rice sticks like panto candy is also a treat to visit.
Stephen Edwards

The race of Tuscany in the Pays de la Loire

I saw Clisson for the first time when I visited nearby Gétigné. There is no mistaking that you are south of the Loire here. It is a wonderful town in the muscadet wine region with a clear Mediterranean feel where thatched roofs and ocher tones abound. On a hot summer day, you can be transported from Loire-Atlantique to Tuscany thanks to the Italian architecture and the panoramic view from the castle towards the Domaine de la Garenne Lemot. Umbrella pines help to emphasize the urban environment, and located along a charming street, they are a wonderful example.
Richard Arnott

Winning tip: Boating in Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Corrèze, a rural department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, has lakes, valleys, sleepy farming villages and woolly brown cows. It is a peaceful place even in the middle of August. We followed the trail back to Smile Kayak, rented canoes, loaded up waterproof barrels with baguettes, beer and cheese, and were happy to find we had the canyon to ourselves. We took a boat ride along the river where the Dordogne and Diège meet, watching the red kites swirling overhead and breaking the silence with screeching calls.
Cath Fischl