#saint-antoine-labbaye

#saint-antoine-labbaye

It's just 25km north from the gastronomic city of Lyon to Villefranche-sur-Saône at the start of the magnificent Beaujolais vineyards, but it looks and feels completely different. It's a rather secret part of France, the locals call it "little Tuscany" thanks to its hilly villages with ancient buildings of glowing golden stone. And in this unspoiled, green and lush part of France, you will find the most fabulous wines which have long supplied the Lyonnais who know a good wine when they taste it.

In the UK and the US, it is often crystal clear when your new home is classified as a heritage home or period property, but in France it can be less obvious. You could be breaking the rules simply by installing new windows. So how can you check that your big plans aren't going to upset anyone - or worse, break the law?

When it comes to visiting France, Paris gets most of the attention, but don't overlook the country's gorgeous small towns. In these quaint destinations, many accessible by train, you can exchange the bustle of the city for wide-open beaches, mountain trails, medieval castles, and sprawling vineyards. From the French-German border to the Mediterranean coast to the mountainous intersection of France, Italy, and Switzerland, these small towns and villages (all home to less than 15,000 people) offer a slower pace and warm French hospitality.

There are several reasons Hallstatt, a hamlet in Austria's Salzkammergut region, is one of the most-visited destinations in the country. For many travelers, its storybook appearance is the primary draw. "This postcard-worthy destination...delights with its colorful houses, a historic market square, the country's largest bone house, and a 7,000-year-old salt mine that is still active today and fun to tour," says Michaela Muhr, an Austrian guide with ToursByLocals.

Running a gîte in France is a fantastic way of generating income, whether you just want to top up your pension, make your second home pay its bills, or run a serious business to live from. Whilst there is a general description of what a gîte is, there are many variations and target groups to match. What choices are you going to make in creating a gîte? Rupert Springfield from Gîte Guru walks us through some of the choices in the

Lovely Lussan in Gard, southern France, is officially one of the prettiest villages in France (' Plus Beaux Villages '). This pastoral region in the heart of Occitanie has everything an ardent Francophile could desire - picturesque villages, castles, gardens, vineyards, rich in culture and history, and great gastronomy. What to see and do in Lussan in Gard The medieval village of Lussan is perched on a hill, surrounded by rocky aromatic scrubland peppered with rosemary, lavender, thyme, sage and juniper.

Naivety is an important quality to have when you start out, dreaming big and aiming high. But there are some important realities you should know before you begin.