This European hotspot is the best ‘home from home’ for Brits abroad (and it’s not Benidorm)

From seeking out that all-important cuppa in the morning to indulging in comfort foods, there are all kinds of ways we might seek familiarity when we’re on holiday.

Now, the top destination Brits travel to if they want a taste of home abroad has been revealed – and it’s an unlikely winner.

Oui…c’est Paris. The city of love (and current Olympic host) is so close to London that even a day trip on the Eurostar is possible, so you needn’t spend a ton to enjoy it.

It’s not exactly known for its Britishness, though, at least when compared to certain resorts overrun with UK tourists. You’d probably imagine the likes of Benidorm, with its full English breakfasts and Union Jack-adorned pubs, to be a holiday ‘home from home’ right?

Wrong.

Examining various factors including the availability of British cuisine, the prevalence of the English language, the availability of English-spoken local activities and even rainfall patterns, the Ibiza Summer Villas study revealed that the French capital feels most like home to British travellers.

It also considered the size of each location, assessing how each fared in its provision of Britain-related amenities per square kilometre.

At 105.4 sq km, Paris ranked in second place when it came to the number of restaurants offering British cuisine, fourth on English language prevalence, and third on English-speaking activities.

The moderate rainfall is reminiscent of home too, and is actually higher than in London: 641 millimetres per year, compared with 585 in the Big Smoke.

There’s also something to be said about the popularity of London among French people, and vice versa. Colloquially known as France’s ‘sixth biggest city,’ an estimated 270,000 French people live in England’s capital, while 18,000 British people inhabit in the Paris region.

Elsewhere, Phuket in Thailand ranked in second place, with 59 restaurants offering British cuisine and a ‘substantial’ number of English-speaking activities, with Greece’s Santorini in third, garnering praise for its English-speaking guided tourists and excursions.

So, want to find a slice of the UK in Paris? From English-spoken tours to sourcing a quintessentially British afternoon tea, here are some ways you can blend French charm with home comforts.

Whether it’s seeking out an afternoon tea or a flea market, there are plenty of things to do in Paris that feel ever so slightly British.

For starters, a picnic – or even an afternoon stroll – along the River Seine gives an essence of the Thames. Arguably, it’s even more accessible as it’s easier to get right down to the banks, where the walkways stretch for miles and miles. The area is so beloved that, in 1991, the riverbanks were registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There’s a familiarity at the St Ouen flea market, too, which has an essence of Portobello in West London for how it’s packed with antiques and treasures.

Found near the stunning Basilique du Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre, there’s antique jewellery, furniture, books, and vintage clothes galore to be found here – it’s just a case of how much you reckon you can fit in your bag back home.

Or if you can’t do without a quintessentially British cuppa, why not seek out afternoon tea at the likes of Le Jardin de Mademoiselle, Angelina or the aptly named High Societhé?

Elsewhere, if you’re interested in unlocking an element of Paris’s history, a visit to the famous Catacombs is essential – underground ossuaries where more than six million people are buried.

It perhaps feels a little similar to The Real Mary King’s Close in Edinburgh, a historic street found under the Edinburgh City Chambers on the Royal Mile, which was partially buried in the 18th century and surrounded by urban legend ever since.

And if it’s your first time in the city and you want to explore (but barely scraped by in GCSE French), attractions like The Louvre and The Palace of Versailles offer both guided and self-guided English tours.

Luckily, it’s never been easier to get to Paris. The Eurostar runs from London St Pancras to Gare du Nord, taking as little as 2 hours and 16 minutes.

If you’d prefer to fly, there are flights available from London Luton to Charles De Gaulle, or from Gatwick to Paris Orly. Both take around 1 hour and 20 minutes.

From Manchester, there are flights available to Paris Beauvais that take a similar amount of time – but be warned, because it’s around 55 miles north of the French capital, and a bus transfer takes approximately 80 minutes.

Bon voyage!

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