This year holidays in France I am a slow tourist. Nature, green and sustainability are in fact the main theme of the many proposals presented during a mega online event with about thirty French operators, to which I participated a few days ago. As has also emphasized Frédéric Meyer, director of Atout France in Italy, slow tourism is "a way to live France at its own pace, rediscover the pleasure of authentic holidays, discoveries and rediscovered in the sign of respect for nature, green, sustainability, and of course the art of living. "
Waiting to return to travel, here is an overview of ideas and proposals to start planning a slow trip to France.
Index of Article
Holiday in France
Auvergne-Rodano-Alpi
The Alvernia-Rodano-Alpi, the green heart of France, is the region of French gastronomy and local products, which will soon be valued with the Gastronomy Valley, a new slow and gourmande tourist destination that will be launched in May 2021 that promotes the richness of the territory between Digione and Marseille. Without forgetting the slow relaxation between the thermal resorts of the extraordinary Parco dei Vulcani d’Alvernia.
Great East of France
The Great East of France – Alsace, Ardenne, Champagne, Lorraine and Vosges – as well as opening a new champagne interpretation centre in the heart of the vineyard of Aÿ-Champagne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers many slow itineraries, such as Via la Blu Mosella-Saône by bicycle (www.lavoiebleue.com), among nature landscapes, the discovery of great cities and superb landscapes of Lorraine nature.
Burgundy
Burgundy is a region that lives in total harmony with nature, with tailor-made itineraries that combine landscapes and art and paths between vineyards and wineries. Perfect for slow tourism a tour in the vineyards to Digione, in the heart of the Great Crus, to (re)discover the capital of the Dukes of Burgundy, along small roads that wind between vineyards and wine villages.
Normandy
Great appointments 2021 in Normandy, which celebrates this year the bicentenary of the birth of Gustave Flaubert, with events, exhibitions and tailor-made itineraries such as the visit of Rouen on the traces of Flaubert and the Flaubert Literary Walk: a 12 km tour on the footsteps of Madame Bovary through the Pays del Caux, scenario of the novel.
The Havre-Etretat
Le Havre-Etretat is also the scene of great anniversaries: 60 years after the opening of the first Maison de la Culture in France within the Musée des Beaux-Arts that would later become the MuMa. 70 years from the first stone of the Church of Saint-Joseph, masterpiece of 20th century architecture and World Heritage, and 80 years from the death of Maurice Leblanc, father of Arsenio Lupin, the gentleman thief relaunched by Netflix with the new Lupin series with Omar Sy.
United Kingdom
Brittany, perfect destination for everyone, in 2021, will see the Tour de France starting from Brest and crossing the 4 departments. Among the many slow tourist routes between medieval towns and small fishing villages, we point out the tour on the Doganieri Trail (GR 34).
Rennes
The capital of Brittany, Rennes, a green town full of historic and contemporary buildings of famous architects, is also ideal for slow tourism, strolling through parks and gardens. Moreover, with more than 80 km of marked trails, the Rennes forest, almost 3,000 hectares, offers routes and paths accessible also by mountain bike.
Nantes
Nantes, a green and sustainable city, is the scenery of the great summer event of Voyage à Nantes from 3 July to 5 September, which transforms the city into the sign of art and creativity. Perfect for slow tourism the routes between the vineyards, a new cycle path put in safety 10 km from Nantes to Vertou is the first stop of the Journey in the Vineyards, a 100 km road route through the vineyards, along the banks of the rivers Sèvre and Maine.
Centre-Valle della Loira
The Centre-Valle della Loira is ideal to turn "free wheel": 5000 km of bicycle routes, including «La Loire à vélo», 20,000 km of randonnae trails, 280 km of «Val de Loire» World Heritage Site, the largest concentration in the world of Renaissance castles.
Centre des Monuments Nationaux
The Centre des Monuments Nationaux invites you to Paris for two top events. The opening in April of the Musée de la Marine, a prestigious 18th century building, showcase of the savoir-faire and French culture. From 18 September to 3 October the Arc de Triomphe is the protagonist of a project of "packagement" signed Christo with 25,000 m2 of recyclable fabric and 7,000 meters of red rope, unmissable!
Occitan
Occitania has created a true top ten of slow tourism. In particular, we point out the proposals along the Canal du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to be discovered on foot, by bicycle or by cruise. And then the V82, that is the 165 cycle path of the Baïse Valley (Gers-Hautes-Pyrenees) in Guascogna, from the Pyrenees to the Garonna, among hills of famous wines and liqueurs Madiran, Armagnac, Flocs, Côtes de Gascogne.
Gard
Also in the Gard several proposals for slow tourism, from the "airy" walk, all in the top, between suspended walkways, of the Bambouseraie in the Cévennes, classified among the most beautiful gardens of France, to the walk along a dedicated path of the saline of Aigues Mortes to an electric bicycle safari in Camargue, traditionally organized in 4X4, is the first on two wheels.
Toulouse and Alta Garonna
Tolosa and the Upper Garonna are a world to be discovered at a slow pace, following, from closed to closed (18 in all) the Canal du Midi, UNESCO heritage, in barge or boat, or along the banks by bicycle or on foot, to the rhythm of nature.
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In Nîmes, unmissable the exhibition The Roman Emperor, a mortal among the gods, from 13 May to 19 September at the Musée de la Romanité, and in fact of urban tourism slow a tour in the green of the Jardins de la Fontaine, among the first public gardens of Europe, created in the 1700s.
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur in addition to the beautiful coastal resorts offers many wonders behind the sea. From one night to "10.000 stars" sleeping in the Astronomical Observatory of Saint-Véran, at the Regional Natural Park of Verdon, around the famous gorges, at the Regional Natural Park of Queyras,
Marseille
Marseille aims to ecology and sustainable tourism, green and solidarity. It boasts a park with extraordinary biodiversity, the Calanques National Park. New slow tour to discover biodiversity in the city: a nature in the "garden" version, spontaneous, wild and often invisible.
Vaucluse
A slow pace for a sustainable, ecological and responsible tourist approach. It is the goal of Vaucluse, where you live a simple and authentic tourism, between green, lavender and vineyards. Splendid itinerary "Gordes by bike", the last born of the bike routes in Vaucluse, 70 km between dream villages.
Luberon
The Luberon Coeur de Provence is a perfect destination to discover on foot and by bike, among charming villages and the landscapes of the Regional Natural Park, lavender, vineyards and olive trees. To satisfy the desire of nature, discoveries, pleasures of taste, emotions, we point out the Road of landscapes, always beautiful.
Var
On the shores of the Mediterranean, the Var combines all the charm of the French Riviera and Provence. Among the many slow proposals, the cycle path in the Dracenie «La Vigna by bicycle», 20 km (on 45 planned in total) of green roads between woods and vineyards from Les Arcs sur Argens to Draguignan, crossing vineyards and cellars.
Hyères
Hyères and the Mediterranean Provence includes beach resorts from Hyères to Toulon, up to Six-Fours. A territory of pristine islands, parks and protected spaces, nature and culture. More a kitchen based on products of the sea, fruity oils, scents of rosemary and thyme. A true sensorial journey to the rhythm of nature, on the paths of the Doganieri, along the coast, between cliffs, beaches, coves and marinas.
French Riviera
Not only the sea, the Côte d'Azur is also land of flowers, scents and art of gardens. The garden tour is a perfect slow and fragrant itinerary, which is enriched with the Festival of the Gardens of the French Riviera, from 3 to 28 April 2021 on the theme "The Gardens of Artists": 17 landscape creations, more than 10 out of competition gardens, conferences and animations.
Bio
Biot, with a Provençal atmosphere, is the "City of Creativity" characterized by the presence of fifty artists, whose laboratories are open to the public all year round: glass blowers, ceramists, mosaicists, jewelry makers and illustrators. Numerous proposals for slow thematic tours: historical tours of the city and artistic workshops.
Cannes
A Cannes, this year’s novelty is the underwater Ecomuseum on Sainte-Marguerite Island: six two-metre tall sculptures and the weight of about ten tons each of Jason de Caires Taylor, an internationally renowned British artist. Ecological and poetic works that become shelter for underwater life and raise awareness of the biodiversity of the sea.
Antibes-Juan-les-Pins
Protected marine sites, a new underwater reserve, La Pesquerolle in Cap d’Antibes, as well as the Pelagos sanctuary, for the protection of marine mammals, are the submerged treasures of Antibes-Juan-les-Pins.
Corsica
The Corsica, green island with untouched nature, rich in incredible biodiversity, is a real "mountain in the sea", with a Natural Park covering a third of the territory, and offers various activities: walking and hiking, horse riding, mountain biking, bike, climbing, free flight, snow sports, outdoor yoga, river and water sports.
Nice
In Nice with the 49 municipalities of Métropole, to discover the path of the coast from Nice to Villefranche-sur-Mer, 1,4 km long, intercalated by coves and lush vegetation. And the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula offering three wonderful hiking trails.
Les 2 Alpes
International ski resort, Les 2 Alpes is a skiing paradise all year round with the highest ski resort in France, complemented by an offer of shopping, gastronomy (80 restaurants, including 1 starry and 4 maîtres restoreteurs, excellent chefs), authentic villages, wellness formulas, sports and cultural events. In summer it turns into a huge outdoor playground, where to practice summer skiing, mountain biking, rafting, paragliding, golf, fishing, trails in the heart of the Ecrins National Park, glacier excursions, tennis, climbing.
Le Cœur de Megève
In the heart of Megève, "the pearl of the Alps" from the untouched Savoy architectural heritage, the Le Cœur de Megève hotel is a 4-star boutique hotel dedicated to the art of living, with cocoon and contemporary interiors and avant-garde in green cosmetics for perfect slow relaxation.
Serre Chevalier Briançon
A few kilometers from the Italian border, the Serre Chevalier Briançon valley is a unique mountain destination, for skiing, culture, well-being, nature, summer and winter, Many activities, and special attention to sustainability. A slow tourism made of excursions, visits to producers and relaxation: the Grands Bains de Monêtier is an institution, renowned for its naturally warm waters, rich in minerals.
