Best French food trips for 2018

Bayonne – for a visit to the French capital of chocolate

The tranquil city of Bayonne embodies the gastronomic energy of the Basque region, historically famed for its artisanal hams, and as the French capital of chocolate. The legendary Chocolat Cazenave serves up intense bubble-topped ‘sparkling’ hot chocolates in porcelain cups. Chocolaterie Xokola Etxetera specialises in chocolate spreads infused with spicy Espelette pepper, and L’Atelier du Chocolat Bayonne has its iconic Bayonne chocolate shard bouquets. Eat pintxos including jamon croquettes, truffled croque monsieur and Pyrenees milk-fed lamb kebabs at Les Basses Pyrénées bar. Then, for dinner, head to La Brasserie Basa for fish dishes with daily catch from the local village of Saint-Jean-De-Luz, and sweet creations such as buckwheat almond praline choux to finish.

Flaine – for a foodie ski trip

Looking for the best French ski trip? Set in the French Alps, Flaine is the ideal base for a weekend spent skiing and indulging in vin chaud and crepes. Make Terminal Neige Totem your base, with its views out on the slopes and outdoor hot tub. The buffet food they offer is much more than your average spread, think plates of charcuterie and cheese, pan-fried seabass as well as fondue. Don’t miss out on the dessert bar – a place to indulge in Nutella mug cakes, made-to-order waffles and homemade bluberry marshmallows. If you need a break from all the skiing, head to one of the street food stalls in Flaine Forum and warm yourself up with hot crepes.

Read our full guide to Flaine, here.

Hotel Panache, Paris – for a chic city break

In the 9^th arrondissement of Paris you’ll find Hotel Panache, a chic hotel spread over seven higgledy-piggledly floors. Each of the 40 rooms share certain features including tiled bathrooms, and filament pendant lights, while some have striking wallpaper and hints of metallic. When it comes to aperitifs, order the house cocktail, a refreshing fix of Suze, gin, lemon, cucumber and mint. Stay for the weekend brunch which includes Iberian charcuterie and scrambled eggs as well as maple syrup crepes.

Read our full review of Hotel Panache, here.

Uzes – for chocolat-style villages

Slow travel doesn’t get more quintessentially French than puttering down a dirt track fringed with fields of apricots and vines in a Citroën 2CV, the roof down, a Panama-wearing guide at the wheel. I had followed my nose to the Gard, in the Occitane region, on the western edge of Provence, but now that I was here my nose was twitching with sensory overload.

Pungent truffles and gummy bears? Just two of the more unusual ingredients on the menu in Uzès, one of those achingly pretty French towns whose Chocolat-style looks make it seem like a Hollywood film set. Indeed, its plane-tree-pricked Place aux Herbes once starred in the Gérard Depardieu movie Cyrano de Bergerac.

In this authentically French town you’ll find pungent truffles, picholine olives and liquorice. Be sure to visit on a Wednesday or Saturday when you’ll find a food market in full swing. And don't miss a visit to Boulangerie Fougasse d’Uzès where you can by fougasse filled with anchovies and olives.

Read our full guide to Uzes, here.

Biarritz – for a foodie French seaside trip

If you’re looking for a French spring getaway, head to Biarritz – a glitzy seaside resort which is the perfect place for cheese lovers. Start off with a visit to Crampotte 30, an old fisherman's hut turned restaurant serving a selection of pintxos. Head to halles-biarritz for a selection of regional produce including dry-cured bayonne ham. Don’t leave before visiting Patisserie Miremont, a confectionary shop that dates back to the 19^th century. Order the speciality which is a chocolate mousse cake called Le Beret Basque.

Read our full guide to Biarritz, here

Europcamp Domaine de Massereau – for a foodie family camping trip

Eurocamping is an affordable way to have a family holiday, but Domaine de Massereau promises so much more than just a campsite. The on-site vineyard produces 30,000 bottles a year, and you can sample of few of them on the free one hour-tour and tasting each evening. If you find one you like, stock up as they’re rarely exported. If you want to eat on-site, you can order pizzas fresh from the wood-fired oven or seafood platters piled high with crabs, razor clams and langoustines. Should you wish to explore the local area, head into Sommières – a beautiful French town with shuttered buildings and market squares.

Read our full guide to Eurocamp Domaine de Massereau, here.

Hotel Dieu, Lyon – for a new gastronomic hub

It took four years and 800 craftspeople to restore the iconic 18th-century building that houses the Hotel Dieu. You don’t have to be an overnight guest to enjoy the surroundings (which also stretch to shops and a food-focussed exhibition space) but the InterContinental Lyon – Hotel Dieu at its heart is worth a visit in its own right. Order a glass of burgundy at the hotel’s gleaming alabaster bar, beneath a 72-metre-high dome, or sit on the restaurant’s leafy terrace and enjoy chef Mathieu Charrois’ signature take on local fish dish, pike quenelle.

Doubles from £261 per night, check availability at ihg.com or booking.com

Le Relais de Chambord – for visiting châteaus

It may not be possible to sleep in the Château de Chambord itself (the largest château in the Loire, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site’s architectural highlights is a double spiral staircase rumoured to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci) but you can book the second-best option and stay at the Relais de Chambord. A partnership between the French government and the Marugal hotel group (whose other hotels include Mallorca’s Cap Rocat, Menorca’s Torralbenc and Hotel Viura in Rioja) the Relais de Chambord is a vast former farmhouse only 50 metres away from the famous château. Lavishly restored, expect 56 indulgent bedrooms, elegant landscaped grounds, a spa, a wood-panelled bar and a restaurant, Le Grand Saint Michel, serving classic French cuisine and the region’s best wines.

Doubles from £137 per night, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com

Hotel Les Roches Rouge – for coastal luxury

The French Riviera has been reimagined for a hipper crowd – French hotelier Valéry Grégo has taken a 1950s building outside Saint-Raphaël and given it an Instagram-worthy makeover at Les Roches Rouges hotel. The 50 bedrooms blend mid-century furniture with art works and photography, concrete floors and oak and white walls. Nearly all have sea views – but double check when you book. There are two hotel restaurants to choose from. At La Plage, the more casual option, chef José Bailly serves ratatouille and chargrilled lamb alongside a list of biodynamic wines. The sea is the star here, with a streamlined lap pool as well as a saltwater pool. There’s also table tennis, yoga, spa facilities, paddle boarding, snorkelling, diving and al fresco film screenings of classics such as Jules et Jim.

Doubles from £380 per night, check availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or expedia.co.uk

The Experimental Chalet, Verbier – for famous après-ski

• Doubles from £289 per night, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com

If you’re a fan of the Experimental Group’s London properties (among them the Henrietta Hotel and ECC Chinatown), don’t book a ski trip this winter before checking out The Experimental Chalet. A collaboration with Parisian chef Greg Marchand (also of Frenchie in Covent Garden), the chalet sits in the Swiss resort of Verbier with 39 bedrooms, a spa, cocktail bar and restaurant (expect a modern twist on traditional Alpine dishes including rösti and tartiflette).

For guests looking to tap into Verbier’s infamous après-ski scene, the group has also acquired the long-standing Farm Club nightclub, conveniently located in the hotel’s basement.

Doubles from £289 per night, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com

Maison Cimes – for an all year round retreat

• Doubles from £149 per night, check availability at booking.com

Whether you’re hiking the peaks and valleys in the summer or skiing at the neighbouring resort of Les Orres in winter, Maison Cimes’ stunning location in the Hautes-Alpes makes working up an appetite an absolute pleasure. Owners Sandrine and Xavier have done up their five-bedroom retreat in a cool, contemporary style (several of the rooms come with balconies overlooking the valley), and they use local, seasonal and organic products whenever possible in the kitchen. On certain Saturdays guests are welcome to join the couple in the kitchen for an informal cooking class and supper with wine.