Northern France Holiday gites & cottages

Make a holiday rental gite or holiday cottage in Northern France your home away from home

The region of Northern France (Nord France), is actually quite precise; bordering Belgium to the east and Normandy to the west, Northern France is fantastically accessible from England, with the White Cliffs of Dover visible on a clear day. Therefore, whether you are looking for a long holiday or a short break to Northern France, getting there will certainly not be hard! It is a mainly rural department, where a combination of flower strewn meadows, thick forests and rolling hills are lined by steep cliffs and delightful sandy beaches, all of which are hugely accessible from a holiday cottage in Northern France.

Things to do on holiday in Northern France

Northern France is synonymous with WWII. There are numerous, hugely poignant monuments along the coastline, and holiday cottages in Northern France are often taken to retract steps or piece together stories of WWII. The landing sites of Dunkerque, Abbeville and Boulogne are all along the coast of Northern France, which is also the location of the Battle of the Somme.

The mediaeval region of Flanders also creeps into Northern France, the majority of which is in Belgium, but taking a gite in Northern France makes a great base for investigation the magnificent castles, and enjoying some of the fantastic Flemish beers which thrive in the region. The fine food and drink traditions of the regions have meant that taking self catering holiday cottages in Northern France for short breaks to stock up on the fine mussels, exquisite wines and unique Flemish beers have become hugely popular from England, especially since the creation of the revolutionary Channel Tunnel.

However, touring the region slowly is a hugely rewarding experience. Cycling holidays to Northern France mean that you can slowly absorb the mixed culture of the region, sample the culinary delights, sunbathe on the region’s great beaches, visit some of the most important sites of WWII and enjoy some of the many fine golf courses of Northern France. Travelling slowly on a cycling holiday from Northern France accommodation provides a far better understanding of the complex and proud traditions of the region than a short break to Northern France ever could.

Places to holiday in Northern France

Nord-Pas-de-Calais is a perfect place to take accommodation in Northern France for cycling holidays. The mixed countryside is adorned with windmills, golf courses, Natural Parks and important historical monuments. Local traditions and fine food (especially moules, wine and beer) are celebrated throughout the summer with a host of fetes and festivals. Sand yachting has become a favourite pastime on the beaches of Nord-Pas-de-Calais too.

Picardie is touted as the beginning of ‘real France’ and yet close enough for weekend breaks or short breaks to Northern France. However, there is so much more to enjoy from a self catering holiday in Picardie. Its coastline is some of the most unspoilt in France, with sailing and windsurfing being hugely popular, and a wealth of fascination castles adorning the countryside, a few of which have been turned into holiday gites in Northern France.

Weather in Northern France

Summers are warm in Northern France, with average temperatures from May until September hovering around 20?C. Winters are cool and can be wet, but always slightly better than conditions across the Channel!

Travel to Northern France

Reaching a holiday cottage in Northern France could not be easier. The Channel Tunnel lands in Calais, and Dinard Airport (DNR) and the port of Calais all offer hugely cheap deals to Northern France from England.