Monastir: Sousse, Monastir, Mahdia, the winning trio in Tunisia's Sahel region

Monastir is a 2 hour 40 minute flight from Paris. This peninsula on Tunisia's east coast, bathed by the Mediterranean Sea, is served by Transavia, an Air France subsidiary, from Orly, and by Tunisian airlines Tunisair and Nouvel Air, the latter from Roissy CDG.

The Sahel metro

A train links Sousse in the north to Mahdia in the south, via Monastir. A 73km line linking Sousse to Monastir in 30 minutes, then Monastir to Mahdia in 1 hour. There is a train every 40 minutes or so, between 5am and 10pm. Good to know, and handy if you don't have your own transport!

COVID info

As far as Covid-19 is concerned, you'll need to present the full vaccination certificate, otherwise you'll be liable to a PCR test... No vaccination is required to enter Tunisia. An identity card valid for at least six months after your return is acceptable if you've bought a package, but you'll need to present your passport, valid for at least six months after your return, if you've only bought a plane ticket. Between you and me, you might as well take your passport just to be on the safe side...

Golf and thalassotherapy

Admittedly, the sea is not as beautiful as in Djerba, but you can still take advantage of the beautiful, well-maintained beaches. One good point is that facilities (showers, sunbeds, parasols, etc.) are included for those staying in hotels. The water sports centres are open from April to October. There's more to the Monastir region than just lazing on the beach. The area is home to several thalassotherapy centres, in Mahdia, Monastir, Port El Kantaoui and Sousse. You can treat yourself all year round, even in winter. For golf lovers, head for Port el Kantaoui and its beautiful marina. Spring and autumn are two great seasons to visit Tunisia's east coast, away from the major tourist migrations. In summer, it gets really hot inland, especially in Kairouan and El Jem.

The must-try speciality?

Monastir's " cherkaw " couscous, made with fish. Try the country's other recipes too: Fatma's fingers (puff pastry stuffed with chicken breast, potatoes and capers), tajine (meat and potato omelette), brick (pastry triangle filled with tuna and a half-cooked egg), Tunisian-style grilled pepper salad, etc. Olive oil and harissa (spicy red pepper purée) are also typical products.

Beware of jellyfish

Beware of seaweed and jellyfish. Seaweed is washed up on the beach by sea currents when the sea is rough. They are most common in spring and autumn. They are harmless, but unsightly. Hoteliers remove them sparingly, as they play an active part in the beach ecosystem. Jellyfish, on the other hand, 'bloom' in summer, as soon as the water temperature rises above 26°C. Depending on the weather, these conditions occur in July and August, sometimes as early as the end of June, and as late as September.

What to bring back with you

If you go to Kairouan, you're likely to take home a carpet, as the town specialises in this craft. Easier to transport, "makrouts", lozenges of semolina dough filled with dates, can be found in the medina of Kairouan, along with some of the best pastries in the country. Other purchases are more "traditional": spices, babouches (slippers), pottery, bags and shopping bags made from plaited mats.

Haggling goes on daily in the souks of Mahdia, Monastir and Sousse. We therefore advise you not to accept the initial price given by the vendor, but to negotiate as much as possible by setting yourself a maximum amount. In this way, you can reduce the price of the product purchased by 20 to 50%. Spices are not very expensive in Tunisia. To avoid rip-offs and haggling, you can also visit fixed-price shops. A word of advice: don't wear your hotel bracelet on your wrist when you enter the souks, as this is how touts spot tourists and take them to expensive shops!