More About France
More about France
France is a country in Western Europe with the English Channel lapping its shores in the north and the Atlantic in the west. Running from the North Sea to the Mediterranean, France has a sizable area with a diverse and picturesque landscape. The east and south have lofty mountains including Mont Blanc, an Alpine peak that touches the sky at 4810 metres. The lowland region of France primarily features four river basins–the northern Seine, the west-flowing Loire and the Garonne, and the Rhone that runs from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean.
The French are known to love the good things of life and living, be it art and entertainment, music and poetry, dance and drama, or sports and games. Festivities and carnivals, film festivals and fun events are hosted often in most cities while religious fairs and festivals are common in the villages.
French life is marked by a constant celebration of life–from agricultural success to acknowledgement of saints and celebrities. Delicious food and drinks are a distinct part of their culture and lifestyle. French cuisine is relished as much by the gourmet as the first-time traveller. It is reputed to be among the best in the whole of Europe.
If you love fun and frolicking on the beaches in the pleasant and sunny days of spring, or prefer to slide along the snow in the Alps or Pyrenees in winter, come to France. It is an exotic country of all seasons and every thrill for the visitor. In July and August you will find urban tourists in large numbers spending their relaxing vacation days on the mountains or beaches. So is the scenario post-Christmas and until March. Autumn offers you short and snappy days with reducing sunlight and the creeping cold that greets you along the Côte d’Azur.
Every part of fabled France has a specialty to offer for the visitor–from Nature’s bounties to man-made wonders of art and architecture. And every region has its own unique stamp of character and colour, style and lifestyle, look and feel, legend and landscape. Many are the sights and locales for Nature lovers, trekkers, and backpackers to explore in France including:
- Grand canyons of the Pyrenees
- Voluptuously wooded valleys of the Dordogne
- Beckoning bays of Corsica
- Majestic peaks and glaciers of the Alps
- Wavy coastline of Brittany
- Standing stones of Carnac
- Limestone slopes of Provence
Fall in love with France and go into a reverie at its many Rivieras, parks or gardens. And if you are a connoisseur of architecture and monuments of art, don’t miss its many historical abbeys, churches and cathedrals, castles and chateaux, including:
- Chenonceau, Blois and Chantilly chateaux
- Arch at La Défense
- Centre Georges Pompidou
- Clos-Lucé d’Amboise, famed residence of Leonardo da Vinci
- Château of Auvers-sur-Oise, home of Impressionism
- Amazing art collections at Louvre
- Magnificent exhibits at Orsay museums
Paris, the fun-loving and fast metropolis, is a virtual world capital of commerce and economics, art and architecture, academics and culture. Paris is a leader among the most visited cities worldwide. Busy and vibrant both by day and night, this captivating city is home to some of the world’s best known monuments and museums. If you’re in Paris, don’t miss:
- Eiffel Tower
- Notre-Dame cathedral
- Arc de Triomphe
- Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay
- Musée Picasso and Musée Rodin
- Musée Carnavalet and Musée Marmottan
- Arab Institute
No visitor can afford to miss a sip of champagne, the signature celebration spirit brewed exclusively in France. It truly symbolises the sophistication, grace, and vivacious temperament of the French people. Reims and Epernay, located close to the Abbey of Saint-Pierre, have the distinction of being the only place in the world where all champagnes are made and bottled.
