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Environmental
France is an ideal setting to experience all that nature has to offer. From the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne, where beech forests, lakes, gorges, valleys, craters abide, to the miles of pristine beaches in the South of France to Europe's highest sand dune, where on a clear day, you'll be able to see the Pyrenees from the dune's 107-metre summit. |
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Nature Watch in Brittany
Brittany is famous for its coastal marshes. The marshes are formed in depressions, behind a coastal belt of sand or stones, or a manmade dyke. The degree of salinity of the water varies depending on infiltration of the sea and affects the vegetation and the fauna. |
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Climbing in Provence/Cote D'azur
Climbers can devote themselves to their favourite pastime in total safety at several sites with full amenities. They come from all over the world to conquer the steep walls. The ones in Verdon, for example, have no fewer than 933 routes. |
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Flying High in Provence/Cote D'Azur
Make your debut in the air, discover the sensations of flying, learn to master piloting techniques, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur pulls out all the stops for everyone to share in the experience of flying. |
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The Brenne, a Haven for Unspoilt Wildlife
On the edge of the Berry region, discover the Brenne, an exceptional ‘land of a thousand lakes’ with many rare aquatic species of plants and animals and over 2,000 ‘fishponds’. |
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Nature Parks in Midi-Pyrénées
The Midi-Pyrénées boasts one National nature park and three Regional nature parks: rural territories with a remarkable but fragile natural and cultural heritage. To preserve the diversity of its flora and fauna, many local activists have joined their efforts in order to aim for harmonious and sustainable tourism development.
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Nature at its Best
Known for its historical and architectural heritage, the Loire Valley is also the ideal naturalist’s destination. Take a deep breath and dive into a land full of opportunities and adventures. |
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Between Lakes and Volcanoes in Auvergne
Lakes and volcanoes share the West of Auvergne. Between the Chaîne des Dômes, the Monts Dore and the huge Massif Cantalien, it is an impressive yet idyllic environment that welcomes nature lovers. |
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Nature of Corsica
Corsica is nothing like the image we have of a Mediterranean island. In fact, no other Mediterranean island has Corsica's lushness. With its conservation areas and nature reserves which have been given national recognition or registered on UNESCO's World Heritage List, its international marine reserve, and regional Nature Reserve, stretches from one side to the other of its mountain range. |
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See Alsace from the Air
Discover the Alsatian plain at first hand, get a bird's eye view of the Vosges Forest or glide across the vineyards... There are many excellent reasons to discover Alsace from the air.
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Unique Natural Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon has an outstandingly diverse coastline. It stretches out in an arc for 200km giving tourists and locals so many choices and locations worth visiting. Because the locals passionately love this region, they fiercely defend it: the Mediterranean coast is a protected area. Languedoc-Roussillon has resisted urbanisation of this outstanding area’s 40,000 wild hectares, where human activities respect nature’s balance. |
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Camargue is a land of men, horses and bulls
Camargue is synonymous with nature and wide open spaces. Flora and fauna have pride of place in this area which is still home to countless old ranches, tended by traditional horseback herdsman or "gardians". |
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Pornic
This pretty fishing port is built on rock, and has everything going for it: beaches and creeks, quays and boats, a castle, little narrow streets criss-crossed by flights of steps and an indoor market. It's full of life and activity both day and night. |
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Les Sables-d'Olonne
Les Sables-d'Olonne: The world tour starts here. This is the most famous of Vendée's beaches. Home of the mythical high seas race, the Vendée Globe – Les Sables-d'Olonne marina is also home to over a thousand vessels. |
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Loire-Anjou–Touraine, a world heritage site by UNESCO
As well as its architectural and historical treasures, the Park located in the heart of the Loire, boasts beautiful scenery. It encompasses landscapes and diverse natural habitats of great value. |
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The Bioscope in Alsace
An Innovative Leisure and Discovery Park. A cross between an amusement park and a scientific museum, the Bioscope is a completely new kind of leisure and discovery park, where visitors can learn more about the relationship between man and his environment. |
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The Great Dune of Pilat Aquitaine - Europe's highest dune
The natural phenomenan that is the Dune du Pyla or 'Dune du Pilat' is the largest natural sand dune in the world and sits 60km from Bordeaux in the South of the Arcachon Bay. |
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Welcome aboard Planet NAUSICAA
Visit giant aquariums, discovery areas, attractions and animal reserves for an unforgettable deep sea adventure – a unique and inspiring opportunity to learn more about the magical world of marine life. |
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Limousin Nature Parks
There are two regional nature parks in Limousin : The Millevaches and the Limousin-Perigord regional parks. Villages, streams, pathways, little winding roads stretch into the distance in this natural landscape - a joy for anglers, golfers and ramblers to discover. |
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Chamonix - A voyage through the Mont-Blanc range
Chamonix has been welcoming travellers and adventurers for over two and a half centuries and can be truly described as an outdoor enthusiast's paradise. The mountain scenery surpasses one's wildest expectations and the Mont-Blanc, jewel in the crown, thrones silently over the Chamonix valley.
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Horse Riding in Aquitaine
Aquitaine is a dream for those who practice all sorts of equestrian activities or wish to include riding among other activities during their holidays. |
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The Valley of the impressionists
In the middle of the 19th century, hundreds of Parisian painters, following the lead set by Claude Monet, left their Paris studios and came to set up their easels along the valley of the Creuse. |
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Walking in Burgundy
Throughout the region there are 3800 miles of marked paths for walkers which provide an ideal opportunity to discover the nature, culture, history and architecture of the region. |
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Visit Chateau de Chenonceau
Chenonceau is, after Versailles, the most visited French castle. Aside from the visit to the castle, the chateau de Chenonceau provides a large range of activities and services like: a gastronomic restaurant l'Orangerie, a buffet restaurant, a tea room, the Ladies Galery (wax museum) and sailing in small boats during summer months. You can also discovery the vegetable garden, the 16th century farm and the flower workshop where incredible flower displays are created and displayed in the castle. |
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Wide Open Spaces Aquitaine
The forces of water, sand and plant-life...the combat between these three elements over the last 15,000 years or so has shaped the face of the Aquitaine coast as it is today with a beach two hundred and fifty kilomertres long, the Europe's largest forest and the Arcachon Bay. |
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Nature Parks in Auvergne
The Auvergne contains two of the largest regional nature parks in France, the 'Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne' and it's smaller neighbour the 'Parc Naturel Régional des Livradois-Forez' - making this area the largest environmentally protected area in France.
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National and Regional Parks - Aquitaine
Aquitaine also has various National and Regional Parks such as The Pyrénées National Park, The Landes de Gascogne Regional Park, The Périgord-Limousin Regional Park. |
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A world of water - Aquitaine
From the flat, sandy plains and pine forests of the Landes to the beautiful lagoon of the Bassin d’Arcachon... Aquitaine is immensely diverse. The valley of the Dordogne provides a sharp contrast...ideal for canoeing, kayaking, fishing, horse riding and cycling.
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Not to be missed in Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur
Everything in this region sings, even the wind, when it is called the Mistral or the Tramontana. The great poets were able to convey its music, and painters from Cézanne to Picasso, captured its light. Provence is magical, it smells wonderfully of olive oil, lavender and thyme. |
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Not to be missed in Ile-de-France
Around Paris, Ile-de-France offers the joys of discovering both nature and culture. With 9 royal towns, 400 listed gardens and châteaux including 24 masterpieces of landscape art, medieval villages or Cistercian abbeys, the Ile-de-France region boasts a unique and fascinating heritage. |
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Not to be missed in Alsace
Very long and narrow and backing onto the Rhine, Alsace has seen its borders moved on many occasions. The ups and downs of history have caused it to hang on to a very strong regional tradition. This can be seen in its language, its folk traditions and its cuisine. Its countryside beckons the walker, with its hillsides streaked with vineyards in the Munster valley and the flower-decked valleys of the Florival.
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Not to be missed in Aquitaine
If you had to define this land by one word, il would be 'generous'. A generosity that can be seen in its variety of landscapes with hills, valleys, sandy moors and a coast that is almost wild. The Bordeaux vineyards, the Basque Country, the plateaux of Périgord... |
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Not to be missed in Rhône-Alpes
A great river and a chain of mountains give the region its name and create the pattern of life here. The Alps crowned by Mont Blanc provide a skiing area that is unique in the world. Hiking enthusiasts are becoming increasingly numerous in the summertime, walking the waymarked trails through the region's nature parks (La Vanoise, Les Ecrins, Les Bauges), and around the lakes (Lake Geneva, Annecy, Le Bourget). Nearer the Rhône, the Ardèche gorges are a paradise for canoeing. |
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Not to be missed in the Loire (western)
A land of water traversed by the Loire, the region is bathed in the north by the spray of the Atlantic Ocean. While Saint-Nazaire is an important merchant navy port, Nantes is the regional capital, and Saumur, Le Mans and Angers offer visitors a cultural heritage dominated by Gothic art and the Renaissance. |
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Not to be missed in Corsica
Mountains in the sea, pierced with torrents, Corsica, an island of rare beauty, has the full spectrum of landscapes. Dry in the south, it makes up for it with long beaches of white sand, where lazing around can be enhanced by sightseeing tours. |
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Not to be missed in Picardy
With its exceptionally rich architectural heritage, this province is a preserve of Gothic art. Famous for its cathedrals, it offers the discerning an opportunity to explore its towns and their medieval wonders. |
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Not to be missed in Champagne-Ardenne
The fruit of its vineyards is so famous that the first thing you think of in this region is a glass of champagne. You can of course begin the journey underground and visit the wine cellars. Reims, its magnificient cathedral or its museum of fine arts, should not make you forget the 'vine-growers' villages spread around the region. There is also the Ardennes with its wild forests, populated by roe deer and hares. |
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Not to be missed in Languedoc-Roussillon
The Mediterranean on one side, the eastern Pyrenees to the south and Lozère to the north, Languedoc-Roussillon takes pleasure in the contrats if its stepped relief. |
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Not to be missed in Paris
Some cities call to mind lovers, others architecture, yet others an intellectual, cultural or appealing popular atmosphere. Paris has all these faces, plus lots more to discover depending on your particular interest. |
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Not to be missed in Franche-Comté
This is a region with distinct faces. In the north, the valleys of the Haute-Saône which, from the Grays region to the Saône Vosges, passing through Vesoul, back onto the region of Belfort. Châteaux and churches give added attraction to its towns and villages, and a great many museums house specimens showing the traditional craftmanship related to wood, but also to clock making. |
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Not to be missed in Poitou-Charentes
The dispute between Ancient and Modern is not on the agenda in this region where the vestiges of the past are keyed neatly into an openness to the future. |
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Not to be missed in Auvergne
If it were possible, the best way to travel in this region would be on the back of a donkey, just as the writer Stevenson did. It is indeed probably the pleasantest way to see this land of volcanoes, fashioned by their eruptions. Inactive for centuries, they gave birth to a strange and majestic landscape. |
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Not to be missed in Brittany
A land of seafaring people, and the aspect that makes Brittany the daughter of Neptune. Its thousands of kilometres of coastline, from Cancale to Saint-Nazaire, give it a prodigiously varied relief, with the strange rocks of the Pink Granite coast and the idyllic beaches of the Morbihan following on from one another. |
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Lille in Nord-Pas-de-Calais
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Not to be missed in the French Riviera
It is the blue of the south that defines this land. Its climate is so mild, its nature so filled with flowers that thousands of years after the Romans, English aristocrats, fed up with the greyness, fell in love with it. Since then, the Côte d'Azur has been entirely given over to summer pleasures. |
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Not to be missed in Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Traditionally an industrial region, it has now turned to tourism, a natural choice in a landscape where forests predominate, and where the Opal Coast has a host of beaches dedicated to surfing, wind-surfing, water-skiing, and more. |
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Not to be missed in Lorraine
Bordered by the three countries, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, Lorraine is a strategic region which today exudes a peaceful charm. There is no shortage of reasons to explore it. For lovers of architecture and the arts, Mirecourt, Bar-le-Duc and Epinal possess many wonders. Enthusiasts for footpaths, will find routes dotted with lakes, forests and green valleys in the Lorraine Regional Park. Another excellent reason to come is for its springs and to stay in one of the well-known spa establishments in Contrexéville or Vittel, where the gastronomy is not to be outdone. |
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Not to be missed in Midi-Pyrénées
Few regions offer such a variety of landscapes, climates and architecture. This is because the region is huge, it runs from Aveyron to Gers and from Ariège to the edges of the Dordogne. |
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Not to be missed in Burgundy
From the vineyards of Chablis to those of the Mâconnais passing through the Côte de Beaune and Côtes de Nuits, from the luminous Loire Valley to the opulent Bresse region passing through the mysterious forests of the Morvan, Burgundy is beautiful in its natural state and in every season. |
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Not to be missed in the Loire (centre)
It is western Europe's last wild river, over 1,000 km long, that shapes the region : The Loire. On its banks the aristocracy built châteaux that are among the jewels of French architecture. Amboise, Chambord, Blois, Azay-le-Rideau are all extraordinary. |
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Not to be missed in Limousin
Nature lovers who like to punctuate their walks with seeing the old craft traditions develop an immediate attachment to this region. Green woods and forests, it is also criss-crossed by water, the Creuse, Vienne and Dordogne rivers... |
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Not to be missed in Normandy
Combining in the same land the pleasures of an extraordinary coastline and those of a green and blossoming countryside, Normandy is a very fortunate region. |
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Hot Air Ballooning
Floating through the air in a hot air balloon is the perfect way to take in the scenery of the region. If you have a head for heights there is no more relaxing way to see the Burgundian countryside. |
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| News |
What's happening in France? |
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| 05/06/2008 Portrayal of France in National weekend travel sections 31stMay&1st June |
A summary of how France has been covered in the national newspaper's weekend Travel sections.
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| 05/01/2009 Summary of the 'travel' sections in this weekends newspapers |
Summer holiday previews, detoxing, healthy eating, financial know how and lots of skiing
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| 05/03/2009 Affordable France - composite press releases Feb09 |
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| 13/10/2009 Summary of the weekend travel sections, 10th&11th October |
How to ski through the downturn, all the latest ski develoments, cider, film locations, Lyon, Ile de Re and a planned theme park holiday that wasn't quite as expected.
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| 14/10/2008 Portrayal of France in the Travel sections of the weekends national newspapers |
This site gets Website of the Week in The Times, lots of ski coverage, camping, price wars, the emerging role of the travel agent and much more
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| New Oil and Truffle Fair |
| December (annual) |
Aix-en-Provence Place Jeanne d'Arc
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| Celebrate Christmas with olive oil and fresh truffles. In Aix-en-Provence, the first pressing of the year's olives provides a sought-after virgin oil, which is sold alongside local truffles at this seasonal fair in the Place Jeanne d'Arc. |
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| Scallop Festival |
| From 1 to 5 May (annual) |
Erquy
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| The Côtes d'Armor area of Brittany prides itself on being the capital of the scallop - or Coquille Saint-Jacques. Two days every year are devoted to the mighty shellfish in the form of a… |
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| Le festival de l'Oiseau et de la Nature |
| April |
Abbeville - Somme
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| Set in the beautiful Baie de la Somme in Picardy, the 19th Festival de l'Oiseau et de la Nature has something for everyone. |
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| Jazz in Paris |
| June to July |
Paris - Parc Floral
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| The capital's beautiful Park Floral hosts a selection of cool cultural offerings each weekends afternoon from June 6 to July 26 at the Paris Jazz Festival. In the spirit of discovery, fun, participation and sharing, jazz fans (or those who simply love to hear live music on the manicured lawns of the Vallée des Fleurs) can take in top - class performances from both established jazz legends and upcoming artists. |
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| Festival of the Wind |
| October - November (annual) |
Calvi - Corsica
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More than 600 artists, scientists and athletes gather in Calvi to share their expertise at the annual Festival of the Wind - Le Festival du Vent.
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Newsletter
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Sign up to our newsletter for latest news, offers and deals
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| Offers |
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NORMANDY SAFARI ADVENTURE, PERFECT AUTUM BREAK
Self catering Lodges (sleep 2 to 6) overlooking animals. Sept. 4 nts only £425 inc ferry.
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Up to 15% Off Half Term Skiing with Peak Retreats
Offer covers selected resorts and accommodation. Book with award-winning French Alps specialist.
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More Offers
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| Holiday Options |
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Accommodation
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Headwater's High Alps Independent Walk
Exciting high level walking; awe inspiring views; super flora and fauna.
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P&V Le Rouret d'Ardeche Holiday Village
PV-Holidays.com Multi Activity Centre in stunning scenary numerous activities eg canoeing,biking,4x4 with Pierre & Vacances
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Ski Peak-Summer Alpine Activity
activity holidays alps alpine chalets and apartments tennis swimming walking climbing cycling chef
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CDT Aube en Champagne
The Aube en Champagne region, just one and a half hour’s drive south east of Paris, boasts vineyards, as well as lakes in the Orient Forest, factory shop outlets, Nigoland(the fourth theme park in France) and its beautiful medieval capital, Troyes.
Our tourist board works with the travel trade: Tour and Coach Operators, organises trips for groups, and promotes the region by famtrips, advertising, marketing and press trips.
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Alan Rogers Guides & Travel
Pitch reservations & mobile home holidays across France & Spain. Pay at-the-gate prices, with a small, one-off admin fee and we'll organise it all for you. Free Child Places and Special Offers available. Alan Rogers Guides have been the market leading campsite guides since 1968. Also Camping Cheque programme (www.campingcheque.co.uk) for low season touring with savings up to 60%
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Erna Low - Summer
Erna Low Summer collection combines the benefits of Alpine resorts with idyllic locations on the Cote d'Azur and Provence.
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More Holiday Options ... |
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