01 April 2020 by Jessica Boston

Can’t wait for your next holiday? Bring a taste of France home!

When it seems like your next holiday is too far away and you are longing for the sights, sounds and tastes of France why not recreate a little piece of your favourite destination at home? We’ve compiled five tips from property owners that will help tide you over until you can visit again.

1. Cook a French favourite

It’s the obvious place to start! France is so famed for its gastronomy and there are an abundance of dishes to choose from for a culinary adventure in your own home. Keen cooks can try new techniques creating colourful macarons, buttery croissants or paper thin crepes. Try out a recipe for a classic like French onion soup, coq au vin or apple tarte tatin. If you are able to order online you could even treat yourself to a jar of cassoulet or confit du canard, some tinned foie gras or gourmet seafood. And don’t forget the drinks! There’s delicious Normandy cider and some of the best wines in the world to choose from!

2. Background music with a French twist

If you like to have the radio in the background as you go about your day why not choose a French station for a change? With radio stations streaming online it’s easier than ever to listen to foreign stations. Listen to the lilting sound of presenters speaking in French and music selections that invoke memories of past car journeys through France, holiday nostalgia is guaranteed! Try FIPradio who broadcast an eclectic mix of music live from Paris, or France Musique with its focus on classical music and jazz.

3. Immerse yourself in French films

A movie night can be just the thing for a bit of escapism, choose something in French with subtitles for the full effect like Amélie starring Audrey Tautou or the 1946 Cocteau classic La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast). If subtitles are a bit much you could choose something filmed in France instead; Chocolat set in Burgundy, A Good Year set in Provence and La Vie en Rose a biopic about Edith Piaf set in various locations including Normandy and Paris all make good use of the beautiful French scenery and architecture.

4. Take a virtual tour

Not quite as good as visiting for real but fascinating nonetheless, many of the most famous attractions in France offer online tours so you can see historic sites and galleries from the comfort of your home. The Louvre and the Musee D’orsay in Paris both offer virtual tours on their websites, and you can visit the stunning gardens of Chateau Villandry and the sites of Rouen and Bordeaux online. YouTube also has a plethora of videos both professional and amateur walking you through every part of France from quiet villages to tourist hotspots. Search out Mont Saint Michel, Carcassonne, Puy du Fou and the Normandy beaches for atmospheric footage to feed your holiday daydreams.

5. Adopt the tradition of Apéro

L’apéro is a treasured French tradition, the precious hour before dinner where friends gather to share cocktails and nibbles and spend time together catching up on the day’s news. The choice of drinks is yours but in France aniseed flavoured Pastis with water, Kir (white wine with a drop of blackcurrant liqueur), Champagne cocktails and Aperol or Campari and soda are all popular choices. Take some time to assemble a plate of small bites; cheese, cured meat, toasted bread, olives and crudites with a dip. Nothing too fancy, Apéro is about relaxing, not showing off. Enjoy the Apéro tradition with your partner or plan an online get together with friends and toast each other through the screen!

We hope you’ll be able to visit France again very soon, until then go through old photos to reminisce about holidays past, and browse our portfolio of self-catering properties to plan for future adventures revisiting favourite destinations and discovering new places to add to your travel bucket list.