- Visit Jules Verne's house in Amiens, enter the world of Asterix and Obelix at Parc Asterix or Victor Hugo's Les Misérables in Montreuil sur Mer -

This year marks the 25th anniversary of World Book Day (3rd March), a celebration of books and reading celebrated in 100 countries worldwide.  The Hauts de France region – just a short hop across the channel - is associated with some classic French authors and icons of children's literature.  Victor Hugo took inspiration from a stay in Montreuil Sur Mer for characters and the inn in Les Misérables, Jules Verne wrote Around the World in 80 Days in Amiens and Alexandre Dumas, author of the Three Musketeers was born in Villers-Cotterêts.  Discover more about what inspired them on a short break, staying in some of the fantastic accommodation on offer, from an Apothecary turned boutique B&B, a quirky themed medieval style hotel from the pages of Asterix to a characterful hobbit house near the Castle used as Merlin's Camelot.

New Jules Verne Itinerary in Amiens

With its majestic UNESCO-listed gothic cathedral – one of France's most impressive – as well as a rich WW1 history, Amiens is a great alternative city break destination.  2022 marks the 150th anniversary since one of the city's most famous residents – Jules Verne – wrote 'Around the World in 80 Days'.  Maison de Jules Verne, known as the 'House with the Tower', where Verne lived from 1882 to 1900, offers a fascinating insight into the 'father of science fiction' as every room in the house from the ground floor to attic transports visitors to a different world and into the imagination of the writer.  A new innovative Jules Verne Discovery route is being launched this spring, taking visitors on an exploration of the creative genius of the author using technology and street art.

The boutique 5 star Marotte Hotel is the perfect base from which to explore the Maison de Jules Verne as well as all this stunning city has to offer with its floating gardens and majestic cathedral.  Late 2021 saw the opening of a fantastic new area of the hotel in a 19th century former Banque de France building with 21 bedrooms spread over three floors with a spa and gourmet restaurant. 

Prices at the 5 star Le Marotte Hotel start from €225 per night based on 2 sharing on a room-only basis.

Montreuil-sur-Mer, the town that inspired Victor Hugo's Les Misérables:

Just 45 minutes' drive from Calais is the enchanting medieval town of Montreuil-sur-Mer, whose narrow cobbled medieval streets were the inspiration for several locations in Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables.  Hugo visited Montreuil-sur-Mer and fell in love with its unique character. 

The Hotel De France in Montreuil-sur-Mer was Hugo's inspiration for the inn in Les Misérables as well as the inn keeper, his wife and Cosette.  Other experiences from visits to the town are also reflected in the novel including a young girl crying as she left the church of Saint-Saulve who provided the inspiration for the character of Fantine as well as a priest who Hugo met on the ramparts. 

Every summer, visitors can now watch Les Misérables performed in an exciting outdoor sound and light show, set in the citadel which Hugo explored - a must see for fans of the musical.  Dates for 2022 are now confirmed for late July and early August.

Stay at the small but perfectly formed Maison 76, a former Apothecary now turned bed and breakfast inn with 3 super-chic bedrooms, a suite, table d'hôte service on request and - most importantly - 24-hour cake. 

Prices at Maison 76 from €190 per room per night with a minimum 2 night stay required at weekends.

Parc Asterix

The ever popular and well-known Asterix comic book series by Albert Uderzo and René Goscinny is brought to life at Parc Asterix where thrill seekers can meet the characters and explore different history periods via zones at the park: Gaul (ancient France), Rome, Egypt, ancient Greece, the land of the Vikings and a 'travel through time' area.

Renowned for its roller coaster rides including Europe's biggest wooden roller coaster and with themed zones to explore, it's the ideal attraction for families with older children.  Set in 85 acres, there are forty rides as well as shows and a swaying Roman Gallery.  Visitors staying at the three onsite hotels have access to the park 30 minutes earlier than day visitors.  As well as enjoying the Parc itself, the hotel is well placed to explore the local area, including the Ermonville Forest and the fabulous Chateau de Chantilly.

Prices from €104 per person per night staying in a family room on a bed and breakfast basis at the three star Hotel La Cite Suspendue, based on two adults and two children for 2 nights including entry tickets to the park.  Other packages are available. https://www.parcasterix.fr/en/hotels

Stay in a real-life Hobbit House:

Fans of J R Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit can stay in a fun 'Hobbit House' at Le Coeur de La Foret in Pierrefonds.  This comfortable cabin is buried in the forest with a central tree trunk running through it whilst its roof is covered with grass to blend into its natural surroundings.  With room to sleep up to six, the house comes fully equipped with a kitchen, living room, bathroom and terrace.   

It's a fun base from which to explore the local area with the quintessential fairytale castle of Chateau de Pierrefonds a must see.  Fans of Merlin will recognise this castle – with its towers and turrets - as the magical setting of Camelot in the BBC TV series.  It's a perfect recreation of a Medieval castle from the imagination of Viollet-Le-Duc, complete with a moat, drawbridge and arrow slits, and eight soaring towers – each dedicated to a different knight.  Medieval monsters, fantastical animals and grimacing gargoyles bring every corner to life making it a firm favourite for families. There is also a display of royal statues in the old dungeons, brought to the castle from Versailles which are brought to life by an atmospheric, wonderfully eerie sound and light show.

Prices for the Hobbit House at Le Coeur de La Foret start from €50 per person per night based on 4 people sharing on a bed and breakfast basis.

All for One and One for All

Possibly one of literature's most famous mottos comes from Alexandre Dumas' tale 'The Three Musketeers.'  Featuring Athos, Porthos, and Aramis and a thrilling plot with stolen diamonds, masked balls, letters and endless swordplay, the novel is an epic set in France during the 1620s.  Why not visit Villers-Cotterêts, the hometown of Dumas, where there's a museum dedicated to him in a former 19th century mansion.

Villers-Cotterêts is also home to a magnificent renaissance chateau which is undergoing a major restoration and will reopen in 2022 housing the 'Cité Internationale de la Langue Française'.  This former royal residence was built by François I on the edge of the forest of Retz where he loved to hunt.  In 1539, an Ordinance was signed there which imposed the use of the French language in administrative and legal acts. This link with the French language endured over the centuries and as well as it being the birthplace of Alexandre Dumas,  François Rabelais stayed at the château and Molière presented Tartuffe there.  The new museum will link the past, present, and future of the French language and will be a space for the discovery of French-speaking cultures.

Stay just 30 minutes away at Villa du Chatelet, a French country house retreat set in unspoilt countryside between the Compiegne and Laigue forests, which offers delicious French cuisine, fine wine and plenty of fresh air.  It was built in 1886 for world famous composer Leo Delibes (of Coppelia fame) as a place where he could be inspired to compose surrounded by beauty. Now it offers a grown-up retreat with just three elegant suites – each named after one of his ballets or operas - complete with antique furniture, floor to ceiling windows and private balconies from which to enjoy the views.  Prices from £98 per person per night, based on two sharing on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis, including wines.

To find out more and to plan a visit to Hauts-de-France, visit Hauts-de-France Tourism – Official Website (hautsdefrancetourism.com)

For further ideas on accommodation in Hauts-de-France, visit www.french-weekendbreaks.co.uk