Hertz celebrates new French Collection with sensory tour

The five-part series – one route for each sense – aims to show off both France and one of the greatest cars it’s ever made: the new Alpine A110, which spearheads the French Collection.

The first of the five routes focuses on smell, following the scent of the finest perfumeries and lavender fields of the Côte d’Azur in south-east France.

Booking as part of the Voyage à la Française offer gives customers:

• An expert video that highlights the most beautiful, perfume-scented roads.
• A printed travel guide, presented at pick-up time, illustrating the regions that will stimulate your senses.
• Our make and model guarantee: you’ll drive the model you book.
• A free additional driver allowance.

Please note, to take advantage of Hertz’s Voyage à la Française, offer you must book through hertz.co.uk. Drivers must be aged 25 or over and have at least two credit cards in their name for ID and security purposes.

The car: The Alpine A110

Few cars have excited the motoring world in recent years quite like the Alpine A110. It’s the modern-day successor to the 1960s and ’70s model of the same name.

Like its predecessor, it’s a rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive, two-door coupe – and it sounds wonderful. It’s a car made for the tight and twisting roads – just like the stunning D559 between Cassis and Marseille.

The route: The Côte d’Azur

Valensole – the home of lavender

The journey starts in Valensole, one of the best places in France to see the rolling carpets of purple lavender. The plant typically blooms in June, with harvest beginning in August. Open the windows and let your nose get its fill of floral heaven.

Lac de Sainte-Croix – spectacular views

More than six miles long and around 1.8 wide, the Lake of Sainte-Croix – or Lac de Sainte-Croix in French – is a lesser-known delight of the region. It’s actually man-made, created after a dam was built here in 1973, which supplies electricity to a number of nearby towns.

Park up and explore the Gorges du Verdon in a kayak, taking in deep lung-fulls of thyme, rosemary and pine.

Grasse – the world’s perfume capital

It’d be a brave town to challenge Grasse’s claim of being the world’s perfume capital. This small town is responsible for two thirds of France’s perfume production, with one in 20 people working in the industry.

For a quick introduction, head straight for the Fragonard factory, where you can learn how perfume is made.

The Côte d’Azur – the coast of light

The highlight of a trip to the French Riviera: the coast itself. And this is where the Alpine A110 couldn’t feel more right. Start in Monaco with a lap of the Grand Prix circuit – the route comprises normal, open-to-the-public roads.

Next, head to the gorgeous capital of the département, Nice, and on to Cannes, famous for its film festival. Take the coastal road to St Tropez – once a sleepy fishing town, it’s now one of the most exclusive places on the planet.

Where to next? Follow Hertz on Instagram to be the first to know when we unveil Chapter 2.