AS thousands of Swindon people head to France for their holidays, Swindon has proved a hit as a visitor attraction to a woman from Nice.

Monique Espanol, a 55-year-old English teacher, has spent a week's holiday at Lower Shaw Farm, the popular visitor attraction and cultural centre.

She has visited locations as diverse as the Designer Outlet Village and Lydiard Park, and pronounced a verdict of magnifique on them all.

She has also been impressed by the warmth and helpfulness of local people.

So happy was she with her holiday that she decided to tell Swindon via the Evening Advert-iser.

Madame Espanol said: "I was looking for somewhere pleasant in the countryside, with not too many tourists.

"I also wanted somewhere really English where I could meet people.

"I found Swindon to be very pleasant and lovely, with all sorts of things to do, and the people are very kind.

"I went to the Information Centre in Regent Street to see what the places of interest were, and the people there were very helpful.

"It was the same in the library, where they helped me to use the internet."

"I went to Lydiard Park, which was wonderful very interesting and beautiful.

"I also went shopping in the Outlet Centre, which was very interesting as well as being inexpensive, and the town centre was very good.

"I have done a lot of shopping. It was very tempting."

She said even the weather had been good.

"I enjoyed having some fresh weather because at home it has been very hot for two months, and that is too much even for me," she said.

In October 2001, the Evening Advertiser revealed that the tourist guide, the Rough Guide to Britain, had snubbed Swindon, because the town was not considered historical or pretty enough.

But Madame Espanol now plans to tell family and friends about her trip, and recommend Swindon as a holiday destination.

Matt Holland, who runs Lower Shaw Farm as well as being director of the annual Swindon Festival of Literature, said her reaction reminded him of something Melvyn Bragg said after taking part in the festival.

"He said that after other festivals, which seemed like a constant round of literary lunches, coming to Swindon was like coming back to earth," said Matt.

"I would say Monique's reaction shows that Swindon is an absolutely fine place.

"Here we have everybody going from here to France and yet a person from France comes here. It's remarkable."

Swindon Mayor Derek Benfield said: "She is not telling me anything I do not already know, but I would say she is a very perceptive lady. She is a lady who walks around with her eyes open instead of down, and takes in the beauty which is around her."