Weekender

Buying a French chateau: 'I was only half-serious, then I fell in love!'

The castle, tucked in the Vallee d’Ossau, was up for sale at €599,000 when Ms Jasinski bought it

Erbalunga: France’s hotspot for the earliest summer sunrise

Visit this Corsican fishing village in September for an unforgettable experience... just remember to set the alarm

Veules-les-Roses: a floral village home to the shortest river in France

This coastal Normandy village is dotted with thatched cottages, watermills and rambling roses

practical

'Our French farmhouse was rebuilt by hundreds of helping hands'

Discover how a New Zealand-English couple transformed a dilapidated farmhouse into a vibrant home with the help of 145 volunteers

Jardins Ouverts: explore this beautiful French garden in Pays de la Loire

Briton Angela Rowlands' Mayenne garden is open to the public in September

Vision of a princess: spectacular and pioneering garden in Normandy

Le Jardin de Vasterival, located on the coast not far from Dieppe, is considered to be one of the most beautiful gardens in Europe

Recipe: one-pot rainbow ratatouille

Add a twist to this classic dish featuring vibrant vegetables and fragrant herbs

Recipe: souffléd pancakes with oranges and Grand Marnier

This 'show-stopping' dessert is one of Michel Roux's family favourites

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: An artist at rest

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

Peillon: a picturesque village perché in the south of France

Skip luxury shopping in the Côte d’Azur and travel back in time to this little village teetering on a nearby mountaintop

Beautiful Loire Valley château gardens celebrate their patron saint

Famous château potagers specialise in the conservation and collection of old vegetable varieties and offer walks and tasting sessions

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: Mastering bastides

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

Floral and solar ways to light up your French garden after sundown

As summer comes to an end, now is not the time to start planting. Instead, turn your outdoor space into a jardin de nuit

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: Getting a chaîne reaction

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

Eguisheim: the French fairytale village that inspired Disney's Beauty and the Beast

Explore the enchanting streets and historic charm of this photogenic spot in France's Grand Est region

Recipe: garlic anchovy roast lamb

Adding a few flavourings to lamb before roasting is a simple step that transforms this classic dish

This French hilltop village sits between heaven and earth

Art historian Julia Faiers unpicks the threads that weave together the Roman and medieval settlements of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges in the Pyrenees

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: Dairy days

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: A prickly past

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

Grow beautiful hydrangeas in your French garden

Sarah Beattie loves the unfashionable mopheads and has several favourite varieties

Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue: the 'most beautiful harbour in France'

This picturesque coastal town, not far from Cherbourg, has a war-trodden history as an ancient English landing site

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: Your Massalia carriage awaits

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

A Jardin Ouvert to visit in the Loire Valley: ‘I want it to be a proper garden fête’

Musical performances, flower bouquets, a tombola, art exhibitions and donkeys... Sarah Beattie hears about how a chance twist of fate led to this lovely Beaugency hideaway being part of the Open Gardens charity

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: Pilgrims in peril

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

'I became a ghostwriter after moving to France'

We hear how a Briton living in France went from working as a risk specialist in London to leading a successful career in the publishing industry

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: Purple reign

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

'We founded a musical theatre for young people in France'

A couple of professional classical singers moved to Strasbourg from Seattle with their two children in 2011, intending only to stay for a year...

Visit this historic village in southern France with links to artist Toulouse-Lautrec

In Lautrec (Tarn), visitors can admire a beautiful church, majestic windmill, and half-timbered medieval buildings

Two superb French gardens to explore - just five minutes apart

Meet two Open Gardens hosts in the Auvergne department whose stunning gardens are open to visitors on June 1 this year

Yvoire: photogenic lakeside gem in France

Overlooking Lake Léman, this former fishing community in Savoie is famous for medieval buildings and flower-lined streets

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: Terror and terroir

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

Explore the Alpine village in France where winter is only just ending

The picturesque village of Bonneval-sur-Arc near the Italian border endures eight winter months out of twelve

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: No ordinary square

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Thibault Tricole: France's darts revolution

Dubbed 'The French Touch', the player is transforming darts in France, from local clubs to national TV

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: A musical martyr

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

Vernet-les-Bains: France's only flourishing 'Village d’Arboretum'

Explore exotic trees, walking routes and local legends in this unique corner of the Pyrénees-Orientales

Recipe: chickpea salade niçoise

Hearty potatoes, seasoned chickpeas, colourful vegetables, and crispy lettuce... a taste of the South of France

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: Island life

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

A prefab home on the Brittany coast: 'I have all my creature comforts but in reduced size'

Retiree Sylvie Jeannot transformed her life by swapping a large family home for a modular seaside retreat

Flowers to flaunt: blooms for cutting from your French garden

Learn about Cutting Patches and growing flowers to harvest solely for display

Recipe: White soup with bacon, roasted shallot and grilled hazelnuts

Cook like a Michelin chef

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Recipe: taste this chocolate trompe l’œil salami

Melt any leftover Easter eggs and add shortbread, nuts, cranberries and marshmallows to make this fun treat

Visit Grasse: the picturesque fragrance capital of France

Historian Dr Julia Faiers shares the surprising history of this perfumed Unesco town in Alpes-Maritimes, attracting the likes of Queen Victoria and Coco Chanel

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Recipe: rich lamb shanks with vegetable tian

This dish would make the perfect centerpiece for Easter lunch

‘The first baby hedgehog we rescued was love-at-first-sight’

We speak to an expert about her hedgehog health centre and how to make your garden more hedgehog-friendly

Recipes: real French charcuterie of rabbit rillettes and pork liver pâté

We look at the history and techniques of pâtés, terrines, sausages and ‘farcis’

How to define your style and make a French property a home

'There is always a balance between the inhabitant and the provenance of the building'

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: Swede dreams are made of this

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

Follow your nose on a scent-sational tour of France’s spring flowers

Explore the national and regional floral specialities of France, and sniff out the best flower festivals and horticultural events taking place around the country this spring

Recipe: fresh fava bean and asparagus salad

Source seasonal produce and garnish with mint, goats cheese and lemon

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: Strings to its bow

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

‘Our €8,000 barge in France gives us an off-grid retirement’

A British couple talk through their DIY conversion of an old working boat into a cosy floating home on the Canal du Midi

Gardening in France: how to overcome daffodil dilemmas

Expert solutions for daffodil 'blindness' and 'lively' composting techniques to try

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: Cream of the crop

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: Keep sake

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

France’s historic upturned boat houses offer clue to Dickens mystery

On France’s north coast lies a cluster of upside-down boats converted into dwellings. Could they explain a confusing quirk in the classic tale of David Copperfield?