The French town that's better than Paris
Why has no one ever told me about this place before? (And why I'm telling you now)
Remember, paid subscribers can now get access to my private Chat group (think of it like being on Whatsapp with me!) where we talk about all the important stuff- money, bodies, relationships, books to read, stuff to buy, holiday recces etc..As well as full access to all my writing and courses. Plus a paid subscription genuinely helps me put this out every single week. if you’re already a paid subscriber- thank you. If you are even thinking about becoming one thank you too.
I am three days into our annual drive down to the south of France. It’s become something of a tradition for me and my husband now. We load up the car- china mugs, tea bags, hot water bottles (can you tell we’re British??!); make thrones out of cashmere blankets for the dogs (I know, madness) and set off over the Channel Tunnel.
The journey down to Provence is its own little holiday, filled with quirky villages, road side cafes and picnic stops in golden meadows. But without doubt the best bit is stumbling upon a random town late at night, then waking, just as day breaks to realise you are in one of the country’s most perfect towns.
This is essentially what happened to me and my husband two days ago. The truth is, I ran out of time to properly plan this road trip, so here’s what I did: I looked at a map of France, searched for a town that looked roughly a day’s drive away from Provence, found an inexpensive little hotel slap bang in the centre of town, and le voila!
And that, dear readers, is how two nights ago we found ourselves in a town that has quite simply, captured my heart. Honestly, without sounding like a 90s Lonely Planet guide (and by the way…remember them? I planned entire holidays round those things until I met a writer who wrote them and who told me they got paid about 2p a word, which meant most of the places they recommended the poor writer couldn’t actually afford to even go to). Anyway, I digress. This town basically has everything you want for a fabulous weekend away: fairytale architecture, vineyards, smart places to eat and shop, winding cobblestone streets that rival Montmartre (but without the crowds). It’s also only a 2 and half train ride from Paris, so if you’re heading that way, it’s totally worth adding an extra 48 hours onto your trip to get here.
As you know I love Paris. Adore it. Adored it so much I packed up to live then when I was 21. But it is overrun with influencers nowadays. It’s also hard to find a great meal that doesn’t cost a fortune. The traffic is nightmarish, Cafe de Flore smells of vomit and all the Parisian waitstaff appear to be on an Olympics PR charm offensive, which feels a bit well, sinister. But not in this town where everyone smiles, everything is walkable and the cafes smell of good coffee and red wine.
Anyway, you get the idea. I am obsessed. So much so, that I aborted this week’s half written post to share this little itinerary with you instead. (And don’t worry, as always, I have personally road-tested everything.)