Major cities
Paris
Paris, ‘City of Light’, is the most romantic and probably the most famous city in the world. Enjoy walking near the sparkling river Seine and watch dawn break from one of the city’s many bridges. Home to the Eiffel Tower, Musée du Louvre, the Bastille, Champs Elysees, Notre Dame and many, many more of Europe’s greatest attractions. But just walking through Paris offers an array of captivating sights and every building and alley seems to hold an exciting secret. The greatest attraction of Paris really is Paris itself.
Just 13 miles from Paris lies the town of Versailles. The unbelievably vast Château de Versailles was built as a private glittering world for the kings of France, shielded from the grime and bustle of Paris.
And for extra family entertainment: Disneyland Paris is not far from the city and welcomes visitors all year round.
Regions
The Loire Valley
The ‘Val de Loire’ is also known as ‘the garden of France’, but most people may know it as the ‘châteaux country’. The natural beauty of the winding river valley and the lovely parks made this a popular place for nobility in the Renaissance to build their beautiful châteaux. Castles like Chambord, Chevemy, Chenonceau and Blois all have their own tale to tell. Of rivalry between mistresses of the king and even cold-blooded murder.
Provence and the Riviera
The Provence and the Riviera (or Cote d’Azur) region offers hospitality, appealing villages, incomparable places and fountains, luminous colors and the famous sound of the ‘Marseillais’, the French national anthem. Sea and sun lovers should stop at Antibes, Nice or Cannes on the Mediterranean coast, to enjoy the sandy beaches and buzzing nightlife. From Marseille, Toulon or Nice a ferry will take you to Corsica, the ‘Island of Beauty’.
Brittany
Brittany (Bretagne in French) is a diverse region of northwestern France. Visit the town of Saint-Malo, the old base of feared pirates and Rennes, a picturesque student town. The mysterious prehistoric stones of Carnac are a magnificent site to see, as is the monastery of Mont Saint-Michel, which is built on a tiny outcrop of rock in the ocean and is cut off from the mainland at high tide. The rugged coastline will appeal to all who enjoy pure sea air.
The French Alps
If you love any type of mountain sport, like skiing or hiking, or just enjoy incredible views, the French Alps (Central Massif) are the place to go. The legendary mountaineering center Chamonix has Europe’s most challenging pistes. But also Megève, Albertville, Alpes d'Huez and many others are good places for skiing. This region also includes several nature reserves like Vanoise and Vercors and a number of spas like Evian and Aix-les-bains. In Auvergne you can enjoy plains, ancient volcanoes and the healthy waters of Vichy, Royal and Le Mont Dore.
Alsace
Alsace is famous for its high number of picturesque villages, churches and castles and for the various beauties of its three main towns: Strasbourg, Colmar and Mulhouse. The province is furthermore famous for its vineyards (especially along the Route du vin from Marlenheim to Colmar) and the Vosges mountains with their thick and green forests and picturesque lakes.
The Rhône River
The Rhône region is famous for its gourmet food and the Lyonnais specialties. The vineyards of the Burgundy and Bordeaux areas produce some of the most prestigious wines in the world: Chablis, Côtes de Beaune, Pouilly Fumé, Pommard and Château Margaux.
Top ten attractions in France
- Tour de France
Join the 15 million spectators that line up every year to see the world's biggest cycling race, held since 1903. In the hours before the riders pass, a carnival atmosphere prevails. - Taste wine in Bordeaux
A tasting tour of the greatest vineyards in the world is a great experience. The hardest part may be spitting the wine out instead of swallowing it… - Palace of Versailles
This incredible palace was built to awe the whole of Europe and was home to French royalty. The most famous room is the 236-foot Hall of Mirrors. - Musée du Louvre
The Louvre is one of the world largest museums and houses a collections of up to 208,500 works of art. Don’t miss the world-famous Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. - Corsica
A mountain in the sea, Corsica is also called ‘Island of beauty’. The diversity of its scenery, makes it one of the pearls of the Mediterranean. - Eiffel Tower
The symbol of Paris wasn’t supposed to be permanent at all. Erected by Gustave-Alexandre Eiffel for the Universal Exhibition of 1889, it was supposed to be pulled down a few years later, but the Parisians loved it and so it was turned into a radio signaling station. - Carcassonne
From afar Carcassonne looks like a fairytale walled city. This medieval, fortified city almost hasn’t changed over the centuries and is truly breathtaking. Especially when it’s lit up after dark. - Bastille Day
Every year, on July 14th the French celebrate the storming of the Bastille in 1789 with incredible fireworks and parades. ‘Quatorze juillet’ was the start of the French Revolution. - Les Gorges du Verdon
These Gorges in the Provence are Europe's answer to the Grand Canyon. This spectacular, 250 meter deep, 21-kilometer long, V-shaped gorge was incised into the limestone by the River Verdon. - Monet's Giverny Home & Garden
These gardens, strikingly painted by Monet, are magnificent all year long. The Japanese Bridge and Lily Pond seem virtually unchanged since Monet’s time.
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