The best deal for youp12- 13 Ferry dealsp14- 21 Maps and guidesp22- 23 Holiday coverp24- 2773 France FrenchMediterranean ANDORRA Guernsey Jersey Nancy Caen Brest QuimperRennes Nantes La Rochelle St Jean- de- Monts Les Sables d'Olonne Pornic Bordeaux Biarritz Souillac Pau Agen Perpignan Narbonne ToulouseMontpellierNice Grenoble Lyon Clermont- Ferrand Tours Bourges Le Mans Amiens PARIS Orléans Dijon Reims Lille Strasbourg Nîmes Millau Montélimar Avignon Limoges Garonne Lot Aveyron Loire Seine Marne Somme MeuseMosel Sâone Rhône Rhône Dordogne B rittany Normandy Picardy Champagne- Ardenne Lorraine Vosges Parisregion LoireAtlantique Vendée CentralFrance Auvergne Burgundy Jura DordogneAveyron Provence Ardèche FrenchAlps L ot South- West FrenchPyrenees BELGIUM LUXEMBOURG GERMANY SWITZERLAND ITALY SPAIN Marseille Toulon Roscoff St Malo CherbourgLe Havre Dieppe Dunkerque EnglishChannel PortsmouthNewhaven Rosslare Dover Channel Tunnel to Folkestone Poole, Rosslare Weymouth, Poole, Cork, Rosslare, Portsmouth Plymouth Rouen Poitiers Beaune See also the fold- out map inside the front cover Calais Ouistreham Vannes Angers Blois Chaumont Lons- le- Saunier Chambéry A visit to our closest neighbour is not just about romantic Paris and historic cities, nor is it just about the fantastic food and wine. France is not all about its miles of wide sandy beaches, its imposing mountains, rolling hills, endless plains or rich forests. It's not even all about picturesque villages or great châteaux. It's about all that and much more. From the poppy fields of Picardy to the snowy peaks of the Pyrenees, not one region should be overlooked. Each of them is unique, with its own people, scenery, history and traditions, yet unmistakably French. Charles de Gaulle famously asked " How can anyone govern a nation that has two hundred and forty- six different kinds of cheese?" France is about variety and in the pages that follow we want to give you a small taste of the flavour of each region. We hope that it whets your appetite. Bon appétit etbonnes vacances. BayofBiscay LoireValley Region

call Carefree0845 74 130 7701 or024 7642 2024– please quote your membership number M ost campers take their first steps onto the continental mainland through Picardy. Its superb coastline includes the beaches, white cliffs and seaside resorts of the Opal Coast. A natural paradise of regional parks, forests and river valleys then stretches away to the fringes of Paris, but this lovely countryside also teaches many an important history lesson, in the battlefields of the Great War. Finally, who can resist visiting the beautiful and fascinating highlights of the romantic French capital? Don't just follow the herd in a headlong rush for the south: there's already so much on offer, just off the ferry. First stepsCalais has a multitude of shopping opportunities aimed at the British market. The fishing port of Boulogne, with its castle and medieval walled town, provides a true flavour of France, while inland there are green hills and luxurious river valleys to enjoy. Classic townsFrom markets to great cathedrals, from baguettes to wine, you will have a truly French experience in the many great and historic towns of the region. Wartime memoriesThere are many poignant wartime reminders to be found. The Battle of the Somme memorialsites are mainly around Amiens, St Quentin and Arras. Near St Omer are the V2 rocket silos and at Dunkerque, the evacuation beaches; and just over the border in Belgium is Ypres. The Ile de FranceForests and river valleys encircle Paris, with the châteaux of Fontainebleau, Chantilly, Vaux- le- Vicomte and Versailles all within easy reach. Walking through the forest of Fontainebleau and clambering over the boulders strewn amongst the trees is great fun for all the family. ParisWith good train access, this is a don't- miss destination. Who can resist the lure of the Champs- Elysées, the artists' haunt of Montmartre, or a boat trip on the Seine from the Eiffel Tower to Notre- Dame or the Louvre? Family attractionsThe well known theme parks, Disneyland ® Resort Paris and Parc Astérix, are close to Paris. For bookings and more details see pages 84- 85. The Channel tunnel to Coquelles and the ferries to Calaismake this the best served region of France. Zeebrugge in Belgium is also within very easy reach, providing a more leisurely journey for travellers departing from the north- east of England. BEST WAY TO GET THERE THINGS TO SEE AND DO Lille Ypres St Omer Arras Boulogne Abbeville Amiens St Quentin Compiègne Senlis Roissy Meaux Provins Giverny Les 4 Vents p77 Le Vivier aux Carpes p75 Campix p76 Parc des Cygnes p76 and p137 Val de Trie p75 La Bien Assise p75 Bellewaerde amusement park Bagatelle amusement park La Coupole V2 rocket silo Disneyland ® Resort Paris p77 Vaux- le- Vicomte Château de Chantilly Fontainebleau Versailles Monet's Garden Seine Seine Marne Somme Somme theSomme Bayof ParcNaturelRégional ParcNaturelRégional PARIS Calais Dunkerque Zeebrugge BELGIUM 20 65 3 34 45 4 7044 26 23 33 19 26 7559 16 16 10 9 12 Beauvais Orly Parc Astérix See also the fold-out map inside the front cover Dover Channel Tunnel to Folkestone Cap Gris- Nez Opal Coast Picardy and Paris Vimy Ridge Canadian Memorial and preserved Great War trenches Great War British Underground Hospital Forestparks