Operator View: Northern France

We asked four operators to tell us about their favourite destinations in northern France.

Ask Crystal Premier France product manager Simone Clark to name her favourite place in Northern France, and she has no hesitation in coming up with an answer.

“The Hotel Normandy in Deauville. I have stayed there about three times and I love it, ” she said. “It is a fantastic four-star hotel, though we class it in the programme as a five star. It is a wonderful old building which is right beside the sea. And Deauville itself is lovely. It is full of flowers and has beautiful white sandy beaches and it is very popular with Parisians who come for the weekend.”

According to Clark, the hotel is an ideal destination for couples seeking a relaxing short break. “The hotel does cater for children but generally it appeals to couples. It is an easy drive to get there, the hotel has a good restaurant and there are also lots of other good restaurants in Deauville,” she said.

Bridge Travel Self-Drive Holidays general manager Jackie Willcocks finds the beautiful countryside of Normandy appealing.

“It has the same character as Devon or Cornwall and the same type of landscape but with a French feeling to it,” she said.

“I particularly like the area around Mont St Michel. The monument, which dates back to the 10th century, can only be reached by a causeway which is submerged at certain times of the day, depending on the tides. It is wonderful around there. We get a good mix of business, from older couples with time on their hands taking short breaks in the early part of the season to families taking longer holidays as we move to the main summer months.”

An 18th-century former monastery which is now a four-star hotel stands out as very special place to visit in Northern France for Cresta product manager Toby Hawkins.

The Chartreuse Du Val St. Esprit in Gosnay, near Bethune, 1hr’s drive from Calais, is noted for its excellent restaurant, and that is chiefly why it appeals to Hawkins.

He explained: “I would like to go there to have a blow-out meal and spend the next few weeks trying to go on a diet to get over it!”

According to Hawkins, the hotel has been featured by Cresta for four years and has established a loyal following.

“It is surprising the number of repeat bookings we get for it, but once you get there you don’t want to go anywhere else,” he said.

The characteristic fishing port of Perros-Guirec along Brittany’s pink granite coast is the favourite destination in northern France of French Life managing director Rod Moseley.

“It is quite upmarket and it has a wonderful charm and relaxing atmosphere. I love the magnificent seascape around that area,” he said. Moseley stressed there are good camp sites in the region which makes it an appealing destination for families.