Enchanting Holidays in France

Trendy cafes and  high end designer boutiques are spread like magnets for spendthrift shoppers around the country's urban centres.

Paris has its museums, where you can follow the path of human civilization. The biggest museum in the world, the Louvre, showcases art from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. The Rodin Museum features the masterworks of the great 19th century sculptor Auguste Rodin. Experience modern art at the Maillol Museum, whose exhibits of 20th century pieces were largely put together by Dina Vierny, a former model turned art patron.

Party like there's no tomorrow at St. Tropez.  Grab a chance to see all the breakneck action at the Tour de France, the Le Mans car race, or the French Open tennis tournament. Want to experience live music to soothe your soul? Try the Nice Jazz Festival, which offers the best jazz acts from all over the world, while the Avignon Theater Festival is the focal point of dramatic arts. For a glimpse of the stars, attend the annual Cannes Film Festival held in the south; it's a fantastic opportunity for quality art films and celebrity sightings. For a divine experience, visit the wine-making and cheese-making French regions and enjoy a glass of the myriad wines -- Alsace, Bordeaux, and Burgundy -- and try out some Brie, Chevre, or Roquefort cheese.  Don't be hesitant to spend good money for a fine meal at any of the dozen or so Michelin-starred restaurants in France.

And if you're bored of jetting into holiday hotspots by thoroughly conventional means, then why not ferry it? It's not like France is that far. You can sit in your car the whole way (which wouldn't be much fun) or take a stroll around deck with a cocktail or two and watch England disappear slowly in the surf behind you. AFerry.co.uk will get you there.