La Rochelle
Superbly intact as a
medieval port, thanks to
the efforts of a past
communist mayor whose
legacy includes the free
bicycles you can ride
around town, La Rochelle
offers beautiful beaches,
delicious seafood, and
boat trips to surrounding
islands.
The French Alps
The French Alps are
glorious in summer. To go
walking, take one of the
many ski lifts that
operate year-round. Pretty
towns to visit include
Annecy, on its turquoise
lake, set against the
peaks of La Tourette.
Paris
There is so much life on
the streets of Paris, plus
a tremendous amount of
public art and wonderful
architecture, that just
wandering the streets is a
delight and doesn't cost
you any money. The city
centre is very compact so
there's little chance of
getting lost.
Champagne
If you like drinking
bubbly, there's no greater
experience than quaffing
the stuff in the region
where it's made. A visit
to Reims will enable you
to catch one of France's
most impressive Gothic
cathedrals, as well as
take in several caves,
including the famous Veuve
Cliquot-Ponsardin.
Chartres Cathedral
Go to Chartres and see the
Cath้dral Notre-Dame,
whose greatest asset is
its magnificent rose
window. Situated on the
hilltop, the enormous
building has plenty of
other enthralling visible
wonders, such as the
geometry of the building
and the 130 other stained
glass windows.
Provence
From its Medieval hilltop
villages, through a rich
agricultural countryside
of vineyards, olive groves
and fields of sunflowers,
to the fascinating cities
of Arles and Aix en
Provence, this is perhaps
the most irrestistible
area of France.
Cheese
For cheese, head for
Normandy, particularly the
area known as the Pays
d'Auge, whose lush green
fields help produce the
rich milk so essential for
the area's delicious
Camembert.
Cycling
The country which runs the
world's most famous bike
race (the Tour de France)
is a rewarding place to
cycle, and you may even
get bigger servings in
local restos if you
indicate your means of
transport. You don't have
to rely entirely on pedal
power, however - you can
take bikes on certain
trains for free.
Camargue
The Camargue is a flat,
marshy delta area, with
flamingo-filled lagoons.
Its long stretches of
coastline include the
popular resort of
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer,
which offers plenty of
facilities, and less
commercialized areas, such
as the plage de Piemancon.
Marseille
Marseille, the second most
populous city of France,
though undeniably
deprived, is a wonderful
place to visit. It's a
down-to-earth yet
cosmopolitan city which
spirals out from the old
port. To check out its
excellent seafood cuisine
try the cours Julien
behind the Vieux Port's
southern quay.
