Roaming the length and breadth of the country in his car, Rick will leave the main routes and tourist hotspots behind to embark on a very personal road trip along picturesque and remote backroads.

He will travel the Normandy coastline and the Bay of Somme, to Provence, Champagne and Alsace, as well as lesser-known regions of Jura, Auvergne, Perigord and southern Roussillon. He'll eat at both traditional and innovative restaurants, visit markets and delve into local history. While Rick is no stranger to France, he will encounter local chefs, farmers, artisans, vineyard owners and expats - all of whom reveal new insights into the country’s ever-changing culture and cuisine.

Rick Stein says: “My friends tell me that France is no longer the place for good food. They say the towns and villages that have been touched by tourism are now all the same. But I guess I’m a bit of a romantic and I’d like to prove them wrong.

"So I’m going to get off the beaten track and take to the backroads of France - meandering the length and breadth of a hopefully less-discovered France that still cherishes the best of its past, and is creating modern exciting dishes that are still unmistakably French. It’s a journey I know a lot of my viewers would like to take and I hope we won’t be disappointed.”

David Brindley, Head of Commissioning, Popular Factual and Factual Entertainment, says: “We couldn’t be more delighted to have Rick back on BBC Two. What better guide to take us through France and uncover its hidden gems? I can’t wait to be led through the country, the food and its people in Rick’s own unmistakably warm, informative and enthusiastic way."

Rick Stein’s Secret France (6x 60’) is a Denhams production. Arezoo Farahzad is the executive producer. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland, Controller BBC Two, and David Brindley, Head of Commissioning, Popular Factual and Factual Entertainment. Ricky Cooper is the Commissioning Executive.