Bussy-Saint-Georges has grown in size and stature in recent years to offer something a little different for tourists who love staying in hotels in France.

Between 1985 and 2006 the town grew from being a small village with 500 inhabitants to a larger settlement with 18,000 people living there. It is expected that 2010 will see this number rise again to 25,000.

Located 32km east of Notre Dame in Paris, Bussy-Saint-Georges, known as the town of parks and gardens is conveniently located for enjoying various tourist hotspots in northern France.

Culture and sport

One of the main attractions for those staying in hotels in Bussy-Saint-Georges is the tower of the Chateau of Seigneur de Buci. It dates back to the 12th century and is all that remains of the original castle.

The wash-house is another tourist spot. It was built in the 19th century as an alternative to the existing laundry facility which was further out of town and therefore more difficult to access for local washerwomen.

There is also plenty on offer for tourists staying in who like to play sport while on holiday. Tennis fans in particular will be spoilt for choice, with courts at the Complexe Sportif Michel Jazy, on the Promenade des golfeurs and at a club on the Allee des Deux-Chateaux, which has two indoor and three outdoor courts.

There is also a climbing wall and archery range at the Complexe Sportif Maurice-Herzog.

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Beaune is the ideal place for wine lovers staying in hotels in France as it is situated in the heart of prestigious vineyards such as Pommard, Corton-Charlemagne and La Romanee-Conti.

A stay in hotels near Beaune gives those who love all things grape the opportunity to explore the estates and cellars in the capital of Burgundy wines.

There are also museums and classes in tasting, as well as some more exciting activities associated with wine tourism, plenty to a fill the time during a stay in Beaune hotels.

Caves du Convent des Cordeliers, Maison Reine Pedauque and Chateau de Pommard are just three of the cellars that are worth a visit. Several local firms also run tours of vineyards with commentary.

Wine museum

Those wanting to learn even more about the tipple during their stay in hotels near Beaune should visit the Musee du Vin de Bourgogne.

It is located in the former Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy and features the history of wine from Antiquity until the 20th century, looking at the work of the vintner (wine merchant) and cooper (cask maker), as well as traditions associated with wine.

The museum looks at various stages of the making process, with visitors able to see a large number of presses from the 16th to the 19th century.

It costs €5.40 at full price for entry to the exhibit, including the Fine Arts Museum, which is housed in the same building. Students, young people, groups of ten or more and large families can get a reduced price ticket at €3.50.

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While those staying at hotels in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage can get involved in some sporting activities, there is much else to enjoy. With culture and a special spa, travellers can have a top time here.

Golfing around

Golf fanatics can have a fantastic time in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage. One excellent place to head for this particular sporting activity is Golf du Touquet. Located in a mature pine forest, the site offers a special golfing experience.

It features a driving range as well as three golf courses, including La Foret, which was designed by Horace Hutchinson and opened in 1904, offering a sedate and friendly atmosphere. It is suitable for players of any standard.

Parcours de la Mer, meanwhile, was designed by Harry Colt and inaugurated in 1931. This course has previously been used for the French Open and the Amateur Championships of France, so has a certain amount of prestige. Situated next to the coast, it offers golfers a splendid landscape to enjoy, with some rugged and windswept dunes.

The Le Manoir course is great for beginners or those seeking to improve their game. Over its nine holes, it presents golfers with the difficulties and situations of the game that they are likely to have to take on.

Putting and pitching greens can also be found at this site as well as a club house with bar and restaurant.

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Lourdes is one of the most visited in destinations within the Pyrenees, with people coming to make the pilgrimage to the beautiful commune where the Virgin Mary is thought to have appeared to Saint Bernadette Soubirous in 1858, according to religious beliefs.

Every year, five million visitors from all over the world make the trip to Lourdes, which has the second greatest number of hotels in France, with 230 establishments offering accommodation.

Walking tours

Those staying in hotels near Lourdes can retrace the footsteps of St Bernadette with a special guided walk taking in the famous lady's birthplace, the Cachot where she spent just under a year of her life, the Old Presbytery and the Hospice where she studied for eight years.

The tour also takes in the Church of the Sacred Heart where she was baptised, the Village of Bartres where she worked as a farm hand and the Grotto of the Apparitions, where she is said to have encountered the Virgin Mary 18 times in total, a must-see for anyone staying in hotels in Lourdes.

Here, the spring water that comes out of the Grotto is said to have healing properties. There have been 67 cases of people being miraculously cured after bathing in the water while on pilgrimage to Lourdes which are recognised by the Roman Catholic Church.

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Find an intimate spa in the heart of Paris at Ida Delam's treatment centre, founder of an eponymous French cosmetics line.

Combining specialist massage treatments and Ida Delam products, this is a place to find relaxation and a refreshing approach to running a spa.

Ms Delam says she created her own brand because she couldn't find her own "pure" vision in the market.

"It seems to me that times have changed and customers also, among other things with the internet: they want and need more authenticity, with a speech not financial but passionate," she commented.

After 15 years in the cosmetics business, she says her speciality and inspiration is the use of myrrh, the exotic spice found in the east.

The market for spa treatments has exploded over the past five years in France, increasing by more than 60 per cent.

A visit to the Ida Delam Spa on the Rue De Bellefond is an unforgettable experience.
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