Bonjour France | Guest Blog Post Series

Tell us a little bit about yourself - who are you; how your blog came about; anything else you'd like to add:
My name is Ashleigh. I work for an event management company based in Brisbane.

What is your preferred style of travel? Luxury Do you get to travel quite often?
I travel for work quite a bit. Sydney and Melbourne in particular. I get to travel overseas every second year. My partner is French, so we tend to go to Europe.

For the purposes of this blog - think of a destination where you travelled that you'll give us some hot tips on in this blog and tell us the destination below:
Conques, France is the destination I would recommend. It's the village my partner grew up in. It's located in Southern France, in the Octaine region.

When was this trip (month and/or year)? Do you recommend this time of year to visit this place? April 2017. We had perfect weather! It was always just above or below 20 degrees. You only needed a light jumper...

How many days did you stay in this place?
12 days

What was your choice of accommodation?
Stayed with relatives

Was this accommodation conveniently located from public transport and/or major tourist spots? We stayed with my partners family, their house is just outside the village. If you were visiting the region there are multiple bed and breakfasts located in the heart of the village. Very affordable!

What was your experience staying at this accommodation? Highs, lows, what made you choose to stay here - would you recommend staying at this place?
N/A

If you were to go back to this destination, would you stay here?
Yes

Did you book (group) tours or see the city by yourself?
See the city myself

Give us a glimpse into some of the sights you saw - (what did the sights entail, how long should they spend there etc.)! How should one plan their day when selecting certain sightseeing options? It's one of the most villages in France. You need to take your time to eat, meet the locals and to appreciate the history. 2 or 3 days would be perfect!

Speaking of sightseeing - What do you recommend an absolute must do?
The Abbey and the Treasury are an absolute must do. The statue of Sainte Foy is impressive...

Depending on your style of travel (i.e. solo, group, family, luxury, budget) is there a tour or an attraction that you would recommend to someone who's looking to travel like you, should do? Conques is all about old school hospitality. If you were looking for a touch of luxury there is Moulin de Conques, a four star hotel with a gourmet restaurant. The chef, Hervé David Busset has previously been award a Michelin star.

Food - that's the important stuff! What were your favourite restaurants/food joints etc. to go to? Tell us all about where we should and shouldn't go?
You need to try aligot! It's mashed potatoes with a ton of garlic and cheese. It's good for the waistline...Be sure to stop by Auberge St Jacques. That's where I first tasted aligot, it was parfait.

What was the highlight of your trip? Whether it is related to the destination or the way you travel is up to you (maybe both):
The highlight for me was the people, the fresh air and the food. After working around the clock in Australia, it was nice to slow down and appreciate the simple things.

What was an absolute low of your trip? And how can one be prepared to avoid it if they are visiting this destination?
Not being able to communicate with everyone was a little frustrating at times. If you plan on travelling to France, make sure you have some basic phrases and questions under your belt.

Any hot tips or extra information that you'd like to add before you sign off?
Be sure to visit the local bakery in Conques. The eclairs are to die for!

What’s your next destination?
Not too sure. Maybe Tokyo?

What are your social media and/or other links where people can find you?
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/wandering_law

Blog

Mili's Corner