Sleepy, leafy streets lined with timber-framed buildings, buckets of fresh flowers spilling onto the pavements, stalls piled high with local produce: a typical village scene in Normandy perfectly encapsulates slow living in rural France.
Deeply rooted in agriculture and one of France's biggest producers of creamy cheeses, freshly landed seafood and sweet orchard fruits, Normandy draws visitors from around the world to experience its rich culinary heritage.
But for those who don't fancy crossing the Channel this summer, there's a charming English town that mirrors Normandy's open-air markets, delicious and varied produce, and fascinating old-world architecture.
Ludlow, a thriving medieval market town nestled beneath the Shropshire Hills in the Welsh Marches, has a culinary history of its own. From its colourful markets, cider breweries and gin distilleries, to its independent bakeries and artisan cheesemakers crafting Shropshire Blue, the town showcases the surrounding countryside. There's a strong farm-to-fork ethos, with local cafes and restaurants crafting menus from local produce.
Ludlow's town centre even bears a resemblance to some of Normandy's prettiest medieval villages, with its maze of well-preserved Medieval, Tudor and Georgian buildings clustered around an 11th-century castle.
On market days, Castle Square in the centre of Ludlow comes alive as shoppers browse stalls laden with seasonal produce beneath the shadow of Ludlow Castle. Ludlow Castle was built in the decades following the Norman Conquest of 1066 under the command of Norman Lord Walter de Lacy, giving the town a historic link to France that still feels relevant today.
One of the most rewarding ways to explore Ludlow is through its culinary offering and produce after a morning hike through the glorious Shropshire hills. Here's how we'd spend a weekend in this pretty market town.
A haven for foodies
Similarly to the market town of Frome in Somerset, known for championing independent spirit, the people of Ludlow make great efforts to support local suppliers. Its largely independent high street is lined with family-run shops, artisan food stores and cafés, while organisations such as Slow Food Ludlow Marches, Ludlow Farmshop and Local to Ludlow champion local produce and traditional skills.
The first place to start is the market stalls: there's typically one every day bar Tuesday in Castle Square. On the second and fourth Thursday of every month, there's the Ludlow Local Produce Market, where all food and drink has been produced within 30 miles of the town.
Through the large windows at Ludlow Farmshop, you'll see bakers, cheesemakers, butchers and chefs practising their craft. Around 80% of what's on sale comes from Shropshire and the surrounding counties — you can even buy fruit and veg grown in Lady Plymouth’s walled garden, historic kitchen gardens less than a mile away.
Sleepy Ludlow has a surprisingly good restaurant scene, with Michelin-recommended spots like Mortimers and The Charlton Arms bringing fine dining to the Shropshire town. To lean into the French spirit, try charming bistro The French Pantry, or the colourful CSONS for a relaxed waterside lunch with views of the River Teme.
A gateway to the Shropshire hills
Ludlow sits at the foot of the Shropshire Hills National Landscape, which offers some of the most breathtaking walks and hikes in the Midlands, with far-reaching views across the Welsh Marches. The landscape is incredibly diverse, with rolling hills, stretches of farmland and deep river valleys.
Adventurous hikers can try the Stiperstones Ridge and Devil's Chair Walk (considered a moderate hike by AllTrails), which features a fair amount of scrambling past Devil's Chair, a throne-like rock formation with vast open views of heather moorland. For a gentler ramble, the Carding Mill Valley and the Long Mynd hikes take walkers past bubbling streams, through peaceful woodland and wildflower meadows.
Where to stay
Ludlow's accommodation options are as charming as its bustling square, with traditional B&Bs, characterful pubs with rooms and intimate hotels.
The Clive Arms
The Clive Arms is situated on the Earl of Plymouth's 8,000-acre Oakly Park Estate in Bromfield, near Ludlow and offers a refined place to stay with stripped-back floors, exposed beams and soft Welsh blankets from Hay-on-Wye.
