Oxford and the Cotswolds: In the heart of England

Without the University of Paris, whose reputation spread throughout Europe from the middle of the 12th century onwards, Oxford University might not have been so famous throughout the world, even today.

In 1167, King Henry II forbade English students to attend the University of Paris, thus directing them to the University of Oxford, which was then really starting to develop. Around its prestigious Colleges, 38 in all, a cutting-edge, strict and erudite education was organised in many fields: arts and letters, life sciences and biomedicine, natural sciences, etc.

Over the centuries, Oxford has rapidly become and remained one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Great writers such as Lewis Caroll, Oscar Wilde, J.R.R Tolkien, Graham Green, Joseph Heller and T.S Eliot have studied here, as have philosophers such as John Locke, Thomas Hobbes and A.J Ayer, and an incredible number of British prime ministers including Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and David Cameron...

Oxford University has proved its worth, to say the least!

Oxford University doesn't just shine for the quality of its teaching: the architecture of its buildings, and the historical interest of its Colleagues, make it a major tourist attraction in England.

Scattered throughout Oxford's old town, the university is made up of 38 colleges and 6 Permanent Private Halls (religious foundations), most of which are housed in buildings with a Gothic feel. It's this architectural style that has inspired Oxford's nickname: "the city of dreaming spires", and in some places you'll think you're in the middle of a Harry Potter film! This is literally the case in Christ Church's Great Hall, which served as the model for the Hogwarts refectory in the Harry Potter films.

As you wander around, take the opportunity to visit the colleges open to the public. Christ Church is one of the largest and most prestigious, Merton College one of the oldest, Magdalen College, Trinity College and Exeter College rival each other in prestige and architectural prowess...

A landmark of Oxford University, the Radcliffe Camera, with its circular building in the English Palladian style, is instantly recognisable. Today, it is an annex of the Bodleian Library, one of the richest libraries in the world, which receives a copy of every book published in the United Kingdom!

England's oldest museum, theAshmolean Museum, was founded in 1659. The antiquities department contains, among other treasures, the Paros Marble (also known as the Paros Chronicle, 3rd century BC), the death mask of Olivier Cromwell, drawings by Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci, paintings by Picasso, John Constable and Claude Lorrain...

The bucolic hills and picturesque villages of the Cotswolds have made the region's recipe

a national treasure. Driving from Oxford, this is the perfect weekend getaway to discover authentic English countryside.

It's easy to fall under the spell of the exceptional natural beauty of this region, where industrialisation and urbanisation seem unheard of. Instead, there are rolling landscapes of opulent countryside, fields, sheep, rivers and thick forests, such as the superb Forest of Dean, renowned throughout the country.

You can stop off in charming medieval-style villages, adorned with the remains of towers and castles, beautiful residences and a multitude of pretty old stone houses... An inimitable character, whether you stop off at Chipping Campden, Lower Slaughter, Bourton, Stow-on-the-Wold, Tewkesbury or Cirencester... Welcome to an unchanging England, as charming as it is endearing!

How to get to Oxford By car, Oxford is about an hour and a half's drive from London and Bristol, the nearest airports. You can also get there by bus or train.

Visiting Oxford Colleges They are all concentrated in the Old Town. Visits to the Colleges are generally subject to a fee, and each has varying opening hours: plan your day's visits accordingly so you don't miss out on the essentials.

Excursion to the Cotswolds If the region is served by bus routes, a car will be much more practical for exploring the Cotswolds.