Wild France - Douglas Botting

The romance of France lies deep in the hearts of travellers from Britain. Normandy, Provence, the Loire and the Camargue - such names have an instant magic, and all are represented, along with over 50 other exploration zones, in Wild France, a comprehensive guide to the country's most out-of-the-way places. 'Friends smiled knowingly when I told them I was off to explore the wild side of North-East France,' recalls one contributor; 'they had visions of me whiling away the small hours in the night-spots of deepest Pigalle. When I explained that my task was to explore other forms of wildness, they looked blank. They doubted whether the area had anything in the way of natural wonders to discover.' But discover some he did. If it's wilderness you're after, this book will winkle it out. It covers every region of France, from the Alps to the Atlantic coast and from the Vosges to the Pyrenees, taking in the spectacular gorges of the Massif Central and the leafy forests of Burgundy, the Mediterranean coast and the island of Corsica. In the narrative text the contributors share their personal knowledge of each region, its topography, wildlife and scenic character.;In the accompanying fact-packs they suggest walks, rides and drives, activities and places to stay. Every exploration zone is graded for its remoteness and wilderness value. In this edition the entire text has been reset to include new hotels and itineraries, new train and bus information. Fax numbers, e-mail addresses and web-site details have also been included to bring this established guide-book fully up to date.