The 10 best French cities for a spring mini-break – now we can visit them again
Warmth-seeking White Russians built the largest Orthodox cathedral outside their homeland. And when on the Promenade des Anglais sweeping across the bay, I see no reason to be anywhere else – except perhaps in the old town, behind a Niçoise salad and a bottle of rosé.
Will stay: The Deck Hotel, a bright-eyed place with lots of blue and a modern maritime theme (deck-hotel.com; doubles from £46). Discover more amazing places to stay with our guide to the best hotels in Nice.
Warning : The most beautiful carnival in France, from February 11 to 27 (nicecarnaval.com).
Strasbourg
Brexit has meant that we can ignore the Euro-buildings on the periphery – huge, forbidden, impenetrable – to focus on the more civilized cities. A great past includes medieval democracy, commercial wealth, independence, humanism, reformation, beer and pickled cabbage. Strasbourg goes through bad times – the city was German for 22 years of the 20th century – eating, thinking, drinking, laughing and eating again. The intensely timbered streets, especially in the past-perfect neighborhood of Petite France, bustle with river canals, vintubs, beerstubs, and other hearty dining options. Above it all hovers the filigree spire of the sandstone cathedral, providing the necessary grace and gravity.