saulge

We took the high-speed ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg, then a leisurely three-hour drive to Saulges, a beautiful, sleepy village where every available windowsill was adorned with geraniums and patch of soil immaculately tended.

Apart from the hotel, Saulges doesn't have much going on - two churches, one bar tabac that closed at about 8.30pm on a Saturday night, and a rustic restaurant a 15-minute walk from the centre.

The journey down there is not bad; we took the three-hour high speed ferry crossing from Portsmouth to Cherbourg, from where it was a leisurely three-hour drive to Saulges, a beautiful, sleepy village where every available windowsill was adorned with geraniums and every patch of soil immaculately tended.

Apart from the hotel itself, Saulges doesn't have much going on - two churches, one bar tabac that closed at about half eight on a Saturday night and a rustic restaurant a 15-minute walk from the centre, which is more your steak, chips and salad fare, rather than the gastronomic gymnastics back at the hotel.

The journey down there is not bad; we took the three-hour high speed ferry crossing from Portsmouth to Cherbourg, from where it was a leisurely threehour drive to Saulges, a beautiful, sleepy village where every available windowsill was adorned with geraniums and every patch of soil immaculately tended.

Head for the centre and the regular farmer's market, which Above: Musee Robert Tatin, left, and the caves of Grottes de Saulges, centre and right runs from around 6am to lunchtime; trestle tables packed with fruit and vegetables, local cider, fish, cheeses - take a cool bag with you if you plan to buy any to take home, which is highly recommended.