Lucky you! You're planning a trip to France.
The country is not only very diversified, it also offers most of what you can possibly be looking for for your vacation. Whether it's an adventure vacation, a spa, just lying on a beach, castle-hopping, shopping or people-watching you can do it all in France.
Each of the 22 regions of France has its own charm, culture, peculiarites, gastronomy, wines, history and people.
Traditionally the most visited are:
- Ile-de-France (Paris)
- Riviera and the Cote d'Azur (with Nice, Cannes, Marseille, Toulon, and little world-reknown villages such as Saint-Tropez, Cassis, Gordes, Avignon...)
- The Loire Valley.
But whether this is your first trip or the 50th, there is always something to discover in France:
Paris. The City of Lights. And of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Sacré-Coeur, Montmartre, Saint-Germain, the Opéra and hundreds of attractions for every taste known to civilized mankind. A visit to Paris should include a day-trip to Versailles where French royalty brought the classical French style to its apex.
Alsace . The European region. Strong French and German influences. Lovely wine routes and oh so charming villages. Strasbourg, Colmar, Mulhouse is what you want to see.
Aquitaine. Bordeaux vineyards and the beaches of the Atlantic. The Basque Country. Castles and Medieval villages in Perigord. Biarritz, Pau and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port are here. Big with wine lovers history buffs, river vacationeers and surfer dudes.
Auvergne. A sparsely populated land of volcanic plateaus and large valleys with an impeccable standard for environment. Clermont-Ferrand. Aurillac. Preferred by active vacationeers who crave the open-air and its majestic environment.
Burgundy. The land of fine wines. Dijon and the Cote d'Or. Beaune, Chablis, Auxerre and Macon are here. Knowledge of good wine is a not requirement to enjoy this region fully.
Britany. Where the land meets the sea. Bretagne is a wonderfully unique land that has entranced man since the beginning of time. The rugged coast has some of the finest beaches in Europe.
Corsica. The Mediterranean jewel. Ajaccio, Bastia, Bonifaccio and Porto Vecchio are lined up with a stunning coastline and sun-seekers from around the world.
Centre. Rolling 2 hours south of Paris, the 'Valley of Kings' is the king of Valleys. Royal chateaus abound between Tours and Blois. A visit to Chambord, Blois, Amboise, Chenonceau is a must.
Franche-Comté. Beautiful but rugged, this region has seldom appeared on the radar of travelers to France. It's a fantastic homebase for a laid-back vacation of enjoying France's rural culture.
Languedoc-Roussillon. Be tempted by the varied sites of this land of contrasts. Camargue extends to the sunny shores of the Mediterranean. Cathar castles stand proudly at the foot of the Pyrénées mountains, and the fortified city of Carcassonne and the 49-metre high Pont du Gard will instantly hold you spellbound.
Midi-Pyrénées. From the sea to the mountains the region is full of beautiful cities and villages, rich with history. Toulouse, the pink city, is a must see. Barges float quietly along the banks of the Canal du Midi.
Nord-Pas-de-Calais. Heir to an industrial past, the region has turned towards tourism. It's the entry place for British tourists coming on the chunnel or on hovercrafts from Dover. Don't miss Lille, one of France's most fun big cities.
Normandy. Green pastures, fishermans villages famous cheese. D-day beaches and WWII tours mix with medieval art. Caen, Rouen, Bayeux, Honfleur, Deauville and Monet's Giverny are where the tourists go.
Picardie. Lovers of history will find many places to visit in this flat land: Amiens boasts one of the most beautiful French cathedrals, while the cities of Chantilly, Compiègne still evoke the royal atmosphere of their past. Senlis and Gerberoy take us back all the way to the Middle Ages.
Pays de la Loire. Water is everywhere here between the sea and the Loire itself. Unjustly ignored by tourists from abroad, the region is getting
Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur. The sunny charm of France joie de vivre sparkles in Provence. The Riviera has been home to the rich and famous since fame was inventend. Nice, Marseille, Cannes and St-Tropez are among the most visited spots.
Rhône-Alpes. Outdoor enthusiasts will love the mountains and world-class ski resorts (Chamonix amongst them) as well as the many water sports in the Gorges de l'Ardèche. Lyon is known throughout the country as the place for fine gastronomic delights.
So where to go? Anywhere... Everywhere!
Just think about it... France has among the world's most beautiful islands (Corsica for one), some of the world's best ski stations, some of the world's best spas and casinos. The most beautiful chateaus, World-class museums and the finest wines and cuisine your palate will ever taste. Yes, it's all here, and it's pretty close, all being no more than an hour's flight from Paris.
Alsace . The European region. Strong French and German influences. Lovely wine routes and oh so charming villages. Strasbourg, Colmar, Mulhouse is what you want to see.
Aquitaine. Bordeaux vineyards and the beaches of the Atlantic. The Basque Country. Castles and Medieval villages in Perigord. Biarritz, Pau and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port are here. Big with wine lovers history buffs, river vacationeers and surfer dudes.
Auvergne. A sparsely populated land of volcanic plateaus and large valleys with an impeccable standard for environment. Clermont-Ferrand. Aurillac. Preferred by active vacationeers who crave the open-air and its majestic environment.
Burgundy. The land of fine wines. Dijon and the Cote d'Or. Beaune, Chablis, Auxerre and Macon are here. Knowledge of good wine is a not requirement to enjoy this region fully.
Britany. Where the land meets the sea. Bretagne is a wonderfully unique land that has entranced man since the beginning of time. The rugged coast has some of the finest beaches in Europe.
Corsica. The Mediterranean jewel. Ajaccio, Bastia, Bonifaccio and Porto Vecchio are lined up with a stunning coastline and sun-seekers from around the world.
Centre. Rolling 2 hours south of Paris, the 'Valley of Kings' is the king of Valleys. Royal chateaus abound between Tours and Blois. A visit to Chambord, Blois, Amboise, Chenonceau is a must.
Franche-Comté. Beautiful but rugged, this region has seldom appeared on the radar of travelers to France. It's a fantastic homebase for a laid-back vacation of enjoying France's rural culture.
Languedoc-Roussillon. Be tempted by the varied sites of this land of contrasts. Camargue extends to the sunny shores of the Mediterranean. Cathar castles stand proudly at the foot of the Pyrénées mountains, and the fortified city of Carcassonne and the 49-metre high Pont du Gard will instantly hold you spellbound.
Midi-Pyrénées. From the sea to the mountains the region is full of beautiful cities and villages, rich with history. Toulouse, the pink city, is a must see. Barges float quietly along the banks of the Canal du Midi.
Nord-Pas-de-Calais. Heir to an industrial past, the region has turned towards tourism. It's the entry place for British tourists coming on the chunnel or on hovercrafts from Dover. Don't miss Lille, one of France's most fun big cities.
Normandy. Green pastures, fishermans villages famous cheese. D-day beaches and WWII tours mix with medieval art. Caen, Rouen, Bayeux, Honfleur, Deauville and Monet's Giverny are where the tourists go.
Picardie. Lovers of history will find many places to visit in this flat land: Amiens boasts one of the most beautiful French cathedrals, while the cities of Chantilly, Compiègne still evoke the royal atmosphere of their past. Senlis and Gerberoy take us back all the way to the Middle Ages.
Pays de la Loire. Water is everywhere here between the sea and the Loire itself. Unjustly ignored by tourists from abroad, the region is getting
Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur. The sunny charm of France joie de vivre sparkles in Provence. The Riviera has been home to the rich and famous since fame was inventend. Nice, Marseille, Cannes and St-Tropez are among the most visited spots.
Rhône-Alpes. Outdoor enthusiasts will love the mountains and world-class ski resorts (Chamonix amongst them) as well as the many water sports in the Gorges de l'Ardèche. Lyon is known throughout the country as the place for fine gastronomic delights.
So where to go? Anywhere... Everywhere!
Just think about it... France has among the world's most beautiful islands (Corsica for one), some of the world's best ski stations, some of the world's best spas and casinos. The most beautiful chateaus, World-class museums and the finest wines and cuisine your palate will ever taste. Yes, it's all here, and it's pretty close, all being no more than an hour's flight from Paris.
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