France Travel Guide

France is one of the most popular countries in the world, and no wonder. It overflows with beauty, history, art and culture, in it's countryside and it's incomparable cities. Dazzling beaches, awe inspiring mountains, sweeping coastlines, the style and sophistication of it's big cities and the rustic splendour of countless villages, everything is here in France.

Paris is more than just the most beautiful city in the world. It is a place of style, culture and passion, filled with beautiful architecture and stylish people. It is the hub of this amazing country, and surely must be one of the most aspirational places on earth.

This is a city of history, with galleries and museums filled with priceless treasures. There are wide and gracious streets interspersed with elegant gardens, impressive monuments and public art. It's also a vibrant, modern metropolis, with non-stop action and excitement.

The French have always treated food with great respect. A great respect for good flavours the finest ingredients are combined with typical French attention to detail and passion. The result is French cuisine, a favourite of foodies everywhere.

All over France you can enjoy sublime regional dishes and some of the most taste rich food you've ever consumed. Let your taste-buds take you on a journey through regional Burgundy, Normandy, Périgord, as well as the stunning Loire Valley, Alsace and Provence - each on a celebrated food region in it's own right, with it's own French specialities.

All that beautiful food can be enjoyed in combination with some of the world's finest wines from premier wine growing districts throughout France. These include the fine vineyards of Alsace, the Loire Valley, Languedoc-Roussillon, Burgundy, and of course Bordeaux and Champagne.

France is a nothing if not a centre for culture and art. Majestic palaces, historic chateaux and churches are often the site of galleries and exhibitions with incredible art collections and are more often than not works of beauty themselves.

There a few finer examples of building than the Palace of Versailles, it is filled with elaborate murals and sumptuous furnishings. France also boasts a stunning number of historic and religious monuments and buildings. From the famous Notre Dame Cathedral and the Sacré Coere, to Mont St-Michel in Normandy and the cathedral of Chartres which dates from the 1200's. Paris also attracts art lover's from all around the world, the Louvre is the largest museum on earth and will boggle the mind with it's size and the sheer number of priceless works on display. Not far away the Eiffel Tower is the worlds most recognised monument.

France is a shopoholic's dream, and nowhere is better than Paris. It's world famous fashions can be browsed in some of the most beautiful shopping centres on earth or in tiny boutiques hidden among cute alleys. The Faubourg Saint- Honoré district is the centre of the Paris fashion scene, boasting luminary designers such as Versace, Yves Saint Laurent and Hermes. Elswhere legendary designers like Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton line the streets on Avenue Montaigne and the Champs-Élysées. Away from fashion other local buys include wonderful foods, coffee and liquers as well as lace, crystal glass and art.

The stunning French Riviera is a region of dreams. Stretching along the azure waters of the Mediterranean sea, the region has seaside names the whole world is familiar with around every corner -Cannes, Nice, St Tropez just to name a few- they all conjure up thoughts of movie stars and rich and famous. The Loire Valley is also one of the most beautiful regions in France. The picturesque landscape is dotted with historic towns and villages, monasteries, monuments and elaborate grand chateaux. It's well worth a visit!

People and culture
The French have fiercely guarded their way of life which is famous the world over. They enjoy the company of family and friends and the simple pleasures of good food and wine. Coffee is another essential pleasure especially when enjoyed in the relaxed atmosphere of a cafe or brasserie while chatting with friends.

The French are an affectionate bunch too, known for their greeting of a quick peck on either cheek and their hospitality towards visitors. Don't believe for a minute their reputation as arrogant, learn a few of the basic phrases and customs and you will find them to be more than friendly.

Get in the know...
Whatever your pleasure-reading, meeting a loved one, writing your memoirs, or drinking some of the world's best coffee- you can do it at a French café.

Across from the Centre Pompidou, avant- garde Café Beaubourg boasts soaring concrete columns, with a location that keeps it humming all day. Settle at a table that spills onto the sprawling terrace, order a coffee or cognac and take in the panoramic neighbourhood views.

At La Couple, the crowd ranges from artist's models to young men dressed in traditional costume. It's the café where locals have come to see and be seen since 1927.