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France, [a] officially the French Republic, [b] is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the North Atlantic, the French West Indies, and many islands in Oceania and the Indian Ocean, giving it one of the largest discontiguous exclusive economic zones in the world.
2 days ago · France, a country of northwestern Europe, is historically and culturally among the most important countries in the Western world. It has also played a highly significant role in international affairs for centuries. Its capital is Paris, one of the most important cultural and commercial centers in the world.
- Paris
- Arcachon
- Parc National de La Vanoise
- The Loire Valley
- Bordeaux
- Normandy
- Côte d’Azur
- Rocamadour
- Corsica
- Lorraine
Best for a city break in spring Elegant Paris, with its Haussmann boulevards and world-class art museums, is a heartthrob at any time of year: the city panorama from basilica-crowned Montmartre on a snowy winter day; cycling or playing the flaneur along the Seine or Canal St-Martin in fall; Cimetière du Père Lachaise after the rain; Sainte-Chapelle...
Best for old-school seaside charm Artists fell for the shimmering blues, grays and greens of northern France’s Côte d’Opale in the 19th century, and the Côte d’Azur’s golden light in the 20th. Neither has lost its razzle-dazzle. But for retro chic, Arcachon on the Atlantic Coast is the masterpiece. A deep, golden-sand beach laces the seafront of th...
Best for hiking and wildlife encounters Fizzing with adrenaline and natural beauty, France’s oldest national park embraces 529 sq km (204 sq miles) of mountain peaks, glaciers and pastoral valleys in the French Alps. World-class ski resorts Val d’Isère and Tignes (both open late November to April) are household names, particularly among powder addi...
Best for romantic château-hopping Nowhere does châteaux like France. For first-timers, the château-strewn Loire Valley – an hour's hop by train from Paris to Tours – assures instant immersion. Roman oenophiles first planted vines on the banks of the River Loire (look for Sancerre, Chinon, St-Nicolas de Bourgeuil and Montlouis-sur-Loire on wine list...
Best wine region for tasting Dégustation (tasting) is an essential part of daily life in France’s celebrated wine regions: Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne, Alsace, the Loire and Rhône Valleys, Provence and Languedoc. But it’s the handsome wine city of Bordeaux– where English merchants rolled barrels of claret (red wine) from quayside to ship in the...
Best northern region for art fiends and foodies From prehistoric cave art at Lascaux to the Louvre’s Mona Lisa, France’s illustrious art portfolio spans all eras and genres. In northern France, Normandy’s extraordinary light spawned impressionism. French painter Claude Monet painted and repainted Rouen’s masterpiece cathedral obsessively in the lat...
Best for train travel (and winter sunshine) When the urge hits to rattle past a cinematic mirage of vineyards, fruit orchards and indigo blue water, ride the rails aboard a slow train along the Côte d’Azur (“Azure Coast”). Beach-blessed stops on the coastal route along the Med between unsung Hyères and Italianate Menton (lemons galore!) include red...
Best for a hilltop-village family adventure The Luberon in Provence is renowned for its flush of hilltop villages (foodie Bonnieux, chateau-capped Lacoste, and the scenic hike from lavender-stitched Abbaye de Sénanque to eagle-nest Gordes are undeniably gorgeous). Yet moving west, it is the less fabled Lotwhere the tourist horde suddenly dissipates...
Best for open-road escapes Journeys are measured in hours, not miles, on Corsica– nicknamed Île de Beauté (“Island of Beauty”) for good reason. Golden beaches, turquoise coves and fire-red rocks color road trips here, punctuated with unhurried stops at time-forgotten hilltop villages and ancient churches, prehistoric relics, wineries and an overdos...
Best for history geeks (and something different) Few linger in Lorraine, the industrial underdog in northeastern France with ample contemporary allure. History buffs naturally gravitate to Verdun’s WWI battlefields and the well-marked Remembrance Circuit, a 25km (15-mile) driving and cycling route along the Somme River, where one of WWI’s bloodiest...
- Paris. France’s chic, sexy capital has to be experienced at least once. Mix picture-postcard icons with simple Parisian moments and you'll truly fall in love with the city.
- Loire Valley. The lush Loire Valley is scattered with stunning French castles, or châteaux. Stand in awe of the Renaissance castle Château de Chambord, and graceful Château de Chenonceau astride the Cher River.
- French Riviera. This strip of seashore on the big blue Med has it all – hence the extreme crowds in summer. The seaside town of Nice is the queen of the Riviera with its cutting-edge art museums, belle époque architecture, pebble beaches and legendary promenade.
- Provence. Check all devices are fully charged: the extraordinary light and landscape in this part of France’s south demands constant snapping and sharing.
France Celebrates 150 Years of Impressionism Throughout the Country! Sun rays, water reflections, verdant countryside, and the remarkable palette of lights and colors in Normandy and the Seine Valley ignited the creativity of the first impressionist painters. 150 years after the foundational exhibition in Paris in 1874, unprecedented displays ...
Aug 16, 2023 · France is a country located in North Western Europe. It is geographically positioned both in the Northern and Eastern hemispheres of the Earth. France is bordered by 7 countries: by Belgium and Luxembourg in the northeast; by Germany, Switzerland and Italy in the east; and by Spain and Andorra in the south.
Sep 5, 2024 · France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. It plays an influential global role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, NATO, the G-7, the G-20, the EU, and other multilateral organizations. France rejoined NATO's integrated military command structure in 2009 ...
