France is one of the world’s most visited countries
and boasts fine culture, beautiful scenery and an unforgettably
romantic atmosphere.
Paris is one of the world’s most
photogenic cities, famous for its grand Avenue Champs Elysee,
Arch du Triomphe, Notre Dame, Mont Martre, Sacre Coer Basilica
and lofty Eiffel tower. A day trip to admire the grandeur
and manicured gardens of Versailles is
worthwhile.
Nice is the hub of the sparkling Cote
d’Azure, with a delightful old town, important museums,
bizarre onion domed Russian orthodox cathedral, Palais de
la Méditerranée and lovely Promenade des Anglais.
Nearby is the excavated at city of Cemenelum.
The South coast also includes ultra-wealthy Monaco, yacht
magnate Antibes, film-festival Cannes
and expensive Saint Tropez, all lovely
day trips from Nice. Inland the Provence
region is wonderfully rural and sleepy and includes the
historic towns of Avignon and Arles.
The Loire Valley has a fairy tale appeal
to it, full of lavish chateaux.
Burgundy is a delightful patchwork of vineyards,
sunflower fields and ‘impressionist’ haystacks.
Vézelay is particularly interesting.
The lovely countryside and little villages of the Dordogne
are a popular annual retreat for many Europeans, centred
around Sarlat - a lovely Renaissance town.
Savoy and the Alpine
region are enjoyable and beautiful in winter and summer.
Chamonix, beneath Mont Blanc
is a spectacular ski resort town, while Annecy
(with its picturesque lake) is a fantastic summer destination.
Biarritz is the most popular of the Atlantic
seaside towns, alternatively escape the summer crowds and
head for the Pyrenees national park.
The rugged beauty of Brittany, facing
the channel, is unique. St Malo is popular
and launching point for ferries to Mont Saint Michel.
Although crowded in summer there is plenty of room to suit
all visitors and budgets along the Mediterranean coast,
many Europeans prefer to return annually to country cottages.
Skiing in the Alps is well developed, France is seldom tacky,
the cuisine is world class and wine unbeatable value.
Paris is the main hub (Orly and Charles de Gaulle), though
Nice receives translatlantic flights. Buses and trains arrive
from all over Europe and London is a mere three hours away
by Eurostar, while high speed TGV trains makes overland
travel time-effective. Car hire is popular to explore the
delightful countryside.
While the French might seem somewhat rude to visitors,
they are extremely organized with their tourist infrastructure,
are extremely cosmopolitan in the cities and lead the way
in many respects.
