Victoria Trott

From the 17th-century ramparts of Saint-Malo to the foodie delights of Mont-Saint-Michel Bay, the northeastern part of Brittany’s 1,730 miles of rugged coastline has eight unmissable destinations to tempt visitors at any time of year. Perfect to explore in the comfort of your car, and boasting a well-established cycle network and some breathtaking walking routes, getting around is both simple and an adventure in itself.
Saint-Malo
Founded by Welsh saint Saint-Maclou in the sixth century, Sain...

From emerald shorelines to historic chateaux, there’s so much to do all year round in France’s most north-western region. Here’s a guide to all the best bits to enjoy once you’re there.
Discover more about Brittany and how to get there aboard Brittany Ferries’ new hybrid-LNG powered ship, Saint-Malo: visit brittany-ferries.co.uk
Victoria Trott
Mon 28 Apr 2025 06.33 EDT Last modified on Mon 28 Apr 2025 07.57 EDT
Rue du Jerzual
With a 33% gradient in places, it’s easier to walk down Dinan’s Rue...

On my way to breakfast, I am greeted by an unusual sight – a cobbled courtyard in which a long truck is linked to a large silver tank via a flexible pipe. The writing on the side of the lorry says “Gouden Carolus” – its container is being filled with Belgian beer.
Based on a medieval recipe, this dark beer is made by one of Belgium’s oldest breweries, Het Anker (The Anchor) in Mechelen. Originally founded in 1471 by beguines, a community of unmarried Christian women who cared for the poor and...

Opening the window shutters in my bedroom, with its matching red toile de jouy wallpaper and curtains, I am in awe of the view – undulating, emerald fields bordered by forested peaks. It’s mid-September and I’ve spent the night in a 17th-century former country home of the capitouls (chief magistrates) of Toulouse. It’s now a B&B called Le Clos Cathala.
Géraldine, its owner, picked me up the previous afternoon in Foix (pronounced “fwah”), the capital and administrative centre of the French dép...

The rows of delicate cakes and tarts on Dellafaille’s counter look tempting, and the striking contemporary artwork in the chic glass-fronted gallery almost entices me in, but instead I sit down at a café terrace overlooking a park. I could be in Paris, but the name of the boulevard, Vlaamsekaai (Flemish Quay), indicates that this is Flanders, northern Belgium.
I’m in the south of Antwerp, known as Zuid (pronounced ‘zoot’ like ‘soot’), easily accessible on foot or by public transport (delijn.b...

FRANCE’S LEAST-VISITED DÉPARTEMENT
Creuse, in the centre of France, is the country’s least-visited and second-least-populated departement. Its natural spaces, especially the Millevaches Regional Natural Park, a Dark Sky Reserve, with a 10km sq reservoir, Lac de Vassiviere, make it a magnet for lovers of outdoor activities. The town of Aubusson is internationally renowned for tapestry production – the Cite Internationale de la Tapisserie tells the story of the industry’s 600-year history and i...

Less than four miles south-west of Cardiff, Penarth in the Vale of Glamorgan is one of the most desirable places to live in Wales. A popular seaside resort in the Victorian era, this hilly town of about 28,000 inhabitants is now home to many well-heeled commuters and also some of the area’s best restaurants.

Penarth can be split into three parts: the marina, which is linked to Cardiff by the path across the Cardiff Bay Barrage; the upper town, a busy centre scored with rows of Victorian and E...

Paris has a large North African population due to its colonial past and, in the southeast corner of the Latin Quarter, opposite the Jardin des Plantes – originally Louis XIII’s medicinal garden – is the city’s main mosque. Its restaurant, whose walls are tiled in colourful geometric patterns, dishes up hearty couscous and tagines (from €19/$34). If the weather is nice, sit in the shady courtyard sipping a mint tea and nibbling a baklava. There’s even a hammam reserved exclusively for women. l...

Nimes, a city in the south of France, is an appealing destination for a short break

Nimes is home to Roman ruins and a world-class collection of contemporary art and architecture.

There’s an easily walkable old town with narrow streets and pleasant cafe-lined squares, making this southern French city appealing for a short break.

Where to stay

Appart’City Nimes Arenes

Five minutes’ walk from Nimes Centre train station, this grand, 19th-century mansion — formerly the city’s post office — has be...

Pilgrimages are becoming more popular and there are alternatives for those who don't have the time or money for the famous route

I am standing in a supermarket car park hugging a huge oak tree, linking hands around its trunk with two people I met today. We’ve clambered up and down muddy Wearyall Hill in the Mendips to see the latest incarnation of the Holy Thorn – a hawthorn said to have originally grown from the staff of Joseph of Arimathea (a follower of Christ). Now we’re having a break by...

Your full travel guide for responsible, year-round adventures...
Words: Victoria Trott
Discover Wales
From its pristine beaches and rugged mountains to its unique cultural history and tight-knit local communities, there's certainly a lot in Wales that's worth looking after. That's why Wales has been looking ahead to protect its land and people with the creation of the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015. And you can do your little bit to help protect this wonderful country, too. Sign th...

With the Rugby World Cup now over, the fans may have left but France remains a top destination for visitors. Take it from a francophile, Nimes is the Roman city with a lot to offer, writes Victoria Trott.
I‘m sitting on a cafe terrace sipping an espresso, a familiar experience in many places in Europe. In front of me a rectangular stone building, bordered by Corinthian columns supporting the roof, dominates the square. I could be in Italy or Greece, but I’m actually in the southern French cit...

The Cambrian Line

Passengers get the best of both worlds on this journey – the glorious green fields and market towns of Mid Wales, then sandy beaches and fishing villages along Cardigan Bay.

The line starts in Shrewsbury on the Welsh border, before heading cross-country to Dovey Junction, where it splits: choose from a 25-minute ride south to the university town of Aberystwyth or two hours north to Pwllheli, the unofficial capital of the Llŷn Peninsula.

The latter branch not only offers exte...

With its aged-white façade and wrought-iron sign, it looks like many other old café-bars in Brussels – but the black-and-white photo of seven men and two women in the next-door shop window is a clue to this watering hole’s interesting past.

The soberly-dressed gang in the shot are Brussels Surrealists and the traditional estaminet (cafe-bar) is La Fleur en Papier Doré – their regular meeting place, where some of the 20th century’s most revolutionary art ideas were developed.

Read Next

Travel

...

“We have all the attributes of the best-known cities in Flanders, but on a [smaller] scale – this is a living and working city where you don’t have to elbow your way through tourists to get through the street,” says Jo Celis, an engineer-architect whose passion for history led him to become a tour guide.

“Although you might have to negotiate groups of students during term time – there are around 50,000 of them,” he adds, with a smile.

We are sitting in the café in Leuven’s University Hall, a ...