My Life In Travel: Eva Green, actress

'Driving around Tasmania on a motorbike was amazing'

(AP)

First holiday memory?

As a child I used to go to Brittany a lot. We would stay at a friend's chateau by the sea which was very magical – it felt like a fairytale. We went fishing for cockles and put on shows.

Best holiday?

I loved Tasmania, it felt like somewhere that was not on this earth. I went for a couple of weeks driving around on a motorbike and it felt like I was on the set of Planet of the Apes. The air felt very different; it was just amazing.

Favourite place in the British Isles?

When I was 18 I went to the Isles of Scilly and I loved it there. The sea looked like the Caribbean, but it certainly didn't feel like it!

What have you learnt from your travels?

That people – their culture and food – are different.

Ideal travelling companion?

A boyfriend who has the same hobbies and desires as me.

Beach bum, culture vulture or adrenalin junkie?

It depends. If I'm tired then it's nice just to be by the beach, go for walks and read some books. But I also like discovering new places and cultures too.

Greatest travel luxury?

Flying first class, if someone else is paying for it. When I travel to LA for two days of work then it's important that I can arrive feeling normal.

Holiday reading?

I love reading biographies. The last one I read was Maria Callas's, which was very interesting. I've also recently discovered the South African writer André Brink – I'm working my way through all of his books, which are brilliant.

Where has seduced you?

I love Morocco; I used to go up to three times a year as a child. I remember an amazing trip to Dakhla in the desert in the south, which felt like the end of the world. It was so weird – it felt like we were on the moon or something. It was amazing.

Better to travel or arrive?

I prefer to arrive somewhere. I freak out about flying, it's not rational but it scares me.

Worst travel experience?

A boat trip from Brittany to the Isles of Scilly about 10 years ago. It was an awful trip that took about 24 hours and there was a storm. I was so ill I thought I was going to die. But when I got there it was so lovely.

Worst holiday?

I was staying with a family in Long Island, New York and we went camping by one of the beaches. It was incredibly hot and the sea was disgusting. There were no toilets on the campsite and I was ill and felt really sticky, but I couldn't get clean.

Best hotel?

I love boutique hotels and my favourite is L'Hotel in Paris. It's very special and every room tells a different story. It's in St-Germain-des-Prés and is where Oscar Wilde died.

Favourite walk/swim/ride/drive?

I loved walking in the Blue Mountains in Australia. I felt like I was in Tarzan and Jane. There was nobody and nothing around and I remember the silence. It was like time had stopped.

Best meal abroad?

I like little bistros. Sean's Panaroma on Bondi Beach is lovely. Whenever I feel a bit down I think about it to cheer me up. It's all about the ingredients – everything is very simple.

First thing you do when you arrive somewhere new?

I don't unpack, I go for a walk. It makes me feel alive.

Dream trip?

India. I've never been but I feel like I'm going to find myself there – I might shave my head or something. I don't know where to start because it's so huge and I have to find the right person to go with, but it's a dream to go there.

Favourite city?

Paris, where I was born. I'm very spoilt because it's so beautiful and everything is perfect. I love London too because it has a lot of nice restaurants and it's very green. And I think Berlin is a very cool, young city.

Where next?

I'm going to Ireland to visit a friend in Dalkey just outside Dublin, so I'll just be hanging out there. My holidays tend to be very last-minute so I don't have any other plans for now.

Eva Green stars in "Cracks", available on DVD and Blu-ray from Monday ( optimumreleasing.com )