According to top villa holiday company, CV Travel, France is back in vogue for British holiday-makers. The company reports bookings to France for 2010 to be on the increase as more clients opt for self-drive or rail and car-hire over and above flying through Europe’s busy and security-impeded airports. Driving down or taking the train also gives holidaymakers the chance to enjoy the journey, as much as the destination*.

In line with the greater interest in rail travel and holidays to France in 2010 CV Travel has come up with its top six French villas most easily accessible by rail, either Eurostar to Lille, transferring onto the TGV to Avignon, Aix-en Provence, Nîmes or Cannes and hiring a car, or taking a car through the Eurotunnel to Calais and driving south.

(Calais to Aix-en-Provence: 9 hr 20 min, Avignon: 8 hrs 45 mins, Cannes: 10 hrs 30 mins)

1. Make the most of France’s markets
19km from TGV terminal
French markets are a real draw for Francophiles and foodies and one of the joys of holidaying in France, especially for self-drive holidaymakers who can load up the car and feast on local produce. The Provençal town of Aix-en-Provence has typically French food markets on a Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and just 4kms from the town, amid an estate of 25 acres of lavendar, olive trees, orchards, oak and cypress trees, is the magnificent and majestic Notre Dame du Val, an elegantly furnished house with a lovely large swimming pool, tennis court and gym, with beautifully appointed accommodation for up to 14 guests.
Notre Dame du Val can be rented for up to 14 guests from £10260 to £15330 per week, (excluding travel), book through CV Travel 020 7401 1044 www.cvtravel.co.uk

How to get there by train / road :-
Notre Dame du Val is 19kms from Aix-en-Provence TGV station, direct from Lille and hire a car, or self drive from Calais (approx 9 hours 20 minutes).

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/France/Provence/Aix-en-Provence/Accomodations/Pages/Notre-Dame-du-Val.aspx

2. A week in Provence at a 17th Century Provençal house
20km from TGV terminal
St Bonnet-du-Gard is an authentic Provençal village with an impressive 12th century church, a few kms from Le Pont du Gard with its 4th Century aqueduct, while nearby Uzes is popular for its lively Saturday market selling truffles, olives and an abundance of garden produce. Up to six guests can experience the age-old lifestyle of the local French towns and stay at the lovely Mas de la Pousterle, a beautiful 17th century Provençal Mas with its own courtyard swimming pool, restored using traditional materials and furnished with authentic local antiques.
Up to 6 guests can enjoy a week’s stay at Mas de la Pousterle from £2500 to £2735, (excluding travel), available through CV Travel 020 7401 1044, www.cvtravel.co.uk

How to get there by train / road :-
Mas de la Pousterle is just 20km from Nîmes rail station and 25km from Avignon, direct from Lille via TGV, or self-drive from Calais (approx 8 hrs 45 mins to Avignon).

3. Cycle to a lost Roman city, farmhouse for 6
25km from TGV terminal
Roman scholars will enjoy the extraordinary Roman remains of France’s lost city of Glanum, a pair of monuments and an excavated Roman town on a site dating from the 4th century BC; beside Saint Remy-de-Provençe. Guests at the lovely Provençal Mas d’Isabelle can cycle or drive to Glanum from the farmhouse along the ancient road Via Aurelia. Further afield Avignon and Arles are testimony to the area’s Roman past. Mas d’Isabelle is 12km from St Remy, of which Lawrence Durrell said ‘I know of few villages more benign and indeed more beautiful for a prolonged visit’ and only 1km from the pretty village of Molleges.
Up to 6 guests can share Mas d’Isabelle from £2530 to £3545 per week, (excluding travel), book through CV Travel 020 7401 1044, www.cvtravel.co.uk

How to get there by train / road :-
Mas d’Isabelle is just 25kms from Avignon rail station, direct from Lille via TGV, or self-drive from Calais (approx 8 hrs 45 mins).

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/France/Provence/St-Remy–Surrounding-Areas/Accomodations/Pages/Le-Mas-dIsabelle.aspx

4. Making the most of the Côte d’Azur
20km from TGV terminal
For a house that is close to the magnificent beaches and buzz of the Bay of Cannes, as well as the vibrant city of Nice, Beaux-Rêves provides a touch of glamour and a taste of the highlife for at least a week of the year. This lovely air-conditioned house is set in a private residential domaine and has amazing views out across the surrounding mountainside to the sea beyond, with its own freeform swimming pool. A week’s rental costs from £5545 to £6175 for 12 sharing, available through CV Travel 020 7401 1044, www.cvtravel.co.uk

How to get there by train / road :-
Beaux Rêves is just 20km from Cannes, direct from Lille via TGV, or self-drive from Calais (approx 10 hours 30 minutes).

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/France/Cote-dAzur/Bay-of-Cannes–Surrounding-Areas/Accomodations/Pages/Beaux-Reves.aspx

5. Teenagers’ heaven with a feast of creature comforts
20km from TGV terminal
The traditional shuttered Villa Jasmine on the Bay of Cannes is equipped with the kind of creature comforts that will make it appealing to families with older kids, including a huge TV with satellite channels, Playstation, broadband Internet access and Bose sound system, a pool table and a karaoke machine. Not surprisingly for its elevated location above the Bay of Cannes the house also has stunning views, a private pool, poolside terraces with comfortable seating and a hammock.
Up to 6 guests can share Villa Jasmine from £1510 to £3985 per week, (excluding travel), book through CV Travel 020 7401 1044, www.cvtravel.co.uk

How to get there by train / road :-
Villa Jasmine is only 20km from Cannes, direct from Lille via TGV, or self-drive from Calais (approx 10 hours 30 minutes).

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/France/Cote-dAzur/Bay-of-Cannes–Surrounding-Areas/Accomodations/Pages/Villa-Jasmine.aspx

6. Follow in the footsteps of an army
10km from TGV terminal
Explore the scenic route Napoleon travelled in 1815 on his march from the Mediterranean to the French Alps, from Golfe Juan to Grenoble. It now takes rather less time than the marching army, around 8 hours by car, or cover sections of it on a pleasant cycle ride, with plenty of scenic stopping off points and places to stop for a glass of wine. Convenient for walking, cycling, following in the footsteps of Napoleon’s army or enjoying the coastline of the Côte d’Azur is Villa Bellevue, set into the hillside with 200 degree spectacular views over Grasse and stretching across to the coast of Mandelieu and the Estérel Mountains, just 7kms from the coast and with its own private pool and gardens.
Up to 6 guests can share Bellevue from £2425 to £4675 per week, (excluding travel), book through CV Travel 020 7401 1044, www.cvtravel.co.uk

How to get there by train / road :-
Bellevue is only 10km from Cannes, direct from Lille via TGV, or self-drive from Calais (approx 10 hours 30 minutes).

http://www.cvtravel.co.uk/EN/Destinations/Europe/France/Cote-dAzur/Bay-of-Cannes–Surrounding-Areas/Accomodations/Pages/Bellevue.aspx

* TRAVEL BY TRAIN
En route to the south of France the TGV glides past some of France’s beautiful agricultural countryside and most celebrated vineyards, following the natural path of the River Rhône as it too makes its way south from its source in the Swiss Alps to the glistening Mediterranean Sea. The train speeds through the hills of Provence over dramatic bridges and viaducts, and, for those bound for the Côte d’Azur, the track runs along the coast past yacht-filled harbours, rocky inlets and breathtaking villas. Take a bottle of wine with you (there is no rule against this on the train!), put your feet up and enjoy the ride!

* TRAVEL BY CAR
Driving from Calais to the South of France is made considerably easier by the high quality of the French autoroutes, and the diverse scenery makes the journey interesting. Avoiding Paris, take the autoroute from Calais to Reims, and onwards through the undulating countryside towards Dijon, whizzing past sleepy villages. Onwards, the famous names of Burgundy vintages beckon, Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-Saint-Georges, with Beaune or nearby Chagny both proving enjoyable places to stop. Then onto the famous A7 known as the Autoroute du Soleil – the motorway of the Sun, through the stunning Rhône Valley. If travelling to Provence or the Côte d’Azur, the autoroute passes famous towns such as Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, onwards to Saint Raphaël, Cannes, Antibes and Nice, with all the stunning inland towns and villages of this glittering part of the coastline, home to many CV Travel villas.

Enjoy the journey as much as the destination!

Press contact Mary Stuart-Miller, mary@mstuart-miller.co.uk, 01403 738844

Britain’s experiencing the ‘big freeze’, but with an array of holidays to look forward to starting from only £129 per party with Keycamp, there’s ‘snow’ reason to miss out on a fantastic getaway this February half-term.

Thrills and spills in Holland – Four nights for £129, accommodation only
Located next to the thrilling Tiki tropical waterpark, Keycamp’s Duinrell parc has enough waterchutes, whirlpools and wave pools to ensure the kids can let off some steam this half-term, while you enjoy a much-deserved winter break. Amsterdam is also within ideal day-trip distance and the local countryside is perfect for a spot of walking and cycling.

A four night break from 17 February for a family of two adults and up to four children staying in a Villanova mobile home, with heating, at Keycamp’s Duinrell will cost just £129, accommodation only.

Algarve adventure – Seven nights for £448, accommodation only
Overlooking the quaint village of Carvoeiro, with its winding streets and white-washed houses, Keycamp’s Algar Seco Apartment Resort is the ideal place to experience some traditional Portuguese charm. With the Algarve coast just minutes away and Faro and Lisbon within day-trip distance, there’s lots for families to enjoy.

Seven nights from 13 February for a family of two adults and two children staying in a one bedroom bungalow at Keycamp’s Algar Seco Apartment Resorts will cost just £448, accommodation only.

Relax on the French Riviera –Seven nights for £421, accommodation only
For a spot of glamour on the Côte d’Azur, check out Keycamp’s Pont Royal Apartment Resort, a traffic-free village situated in the heart of Provence, with an 18 hole golf course. As well as the activities in resort, there’s plenty of opportunity for a dose of culture as well, with the scenic town of Avignon and its famous bridge, the Roman ruins at Nimes and the home of Van Gogh all close at hand.

Seven nights from 13 February for a family of two adults and two children staying in an apartment at Keycamp’s Pont Royal will cost just £421, accommodation only.

A romantic meal, a huge carved mahoghany bed, a lay in with breakfast and the weekend British papers, a sunny warm day, just 2 hours low cost flight away and 35 minutes drive.

Make Valentine’s weekend any weekend – escape the UK freeze and enjoy some time in the South of France at a small British run home-style hotel.

Rooms from only €75 per night for two with breakfast. Low cost luxury has never been more deserved.