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Planning a trip to France?
Let me help you!
This page contains a lot of information that I glean when I spend some time in France
as well as some very comprehensive information provided by
Offices du Tourisme
throughout France.
Enjoy!
Are you planning a trip to France?
Are you moving to France?
Do you know where you are going? Alsace? Burgundy? Provence? Or maybe Brittany or Normandy?
Do you prefer the mountains, the ocean, or the countryside?
Your answer may be, “I don’t know. I just don’t know where to start. Tell me, what are the best places to visit in France? What are the best tourist attractions in France?”
And my answer will be … It all depends!
You may think that you do not need to be prepared. After all, improvisation and spontaneity make traveling fun. Whether your trip is well planned and organized, or each day will be improvised spontaneously, you MUST speak a few words of French, and you MUST understand the basic French culture.
THEN you will enjoy the country, the people, the lifestyle.
You will bring the very best out of your hosts at the “gite”
or “chambre d’hôtes”and you will avoid lots of faux pas!
What are your points of interest in France?
History? Roman history? Moorish history? Queens and kings?
The Renaissance era?
Do you want to go to chateaux? Do you want to visit museums?
Is it a family vacation?
How old are your children?
Do you like winter sports?
Do you prefer hiking or horseback riding?
Is it a wine tasting trip? a golf trip? a painting trip? a culinary trip?
Do you want to stay at a farm, a gite, a hotel, a bed & breakfast, or a magnificent French chateau?
Do you like small, authentic medieval villages?
Would you rather be in the midst of the action in the big city?
Photos by Coco
STARTING WITH... PARIS!
Paris… What can I say about Paris that has not been said? Paris is not just about the monuments, the museums, the history, the concert halls, the fashion, the shops, the restaurants, the wine bars, ... Paris has a unique energy that you cannot quite describe or characterize, and that is because Paris has everything for everyone. Whatever your interests, whatever your preferences, whether you want your day to be quiet or intense… Oh? You just want to walk and do nothing else? Well, you can choose to walk miles and miles along the Seine river, or take Rue Lepic and off to Montmartre, or stroll up and down the Champs Elysées, or dilly dally in the Luxembourg Gardens, sit on a bench, and relax. So many choices… equally good, equally exciting.
Below is a selection of books that I recommend for your next trip to Paris:
PARIS PRECINCTS
HUNGRY FOR PARIS
AUTHENTIC BISTROS OF PARIS
Photos by Coco
THE ALPS AND PROVENCE
https://www.tourisme-alpes-haute-provence.com/
From rafting in the very scenic gorges of the Verdon to following Route Napoleon… All worth the thrill!!!
Beyond the fields of lavender, discover Valensole and the exquisite, fortified city of Sisteron, and immerse yourself in the true “South of France” lifestyle in Forcalquier sipping a fresh mint lemonade in the shade of an imposing linden tree on the patio of an authentic French café. There is so much to do for the whole family in the Alps of Haute-Provence. You cannot run out of places to go, to see, to enjoy. Life is good there! The climate is perfect!! The people are delightful!!!
For information in English, please follow this link: http://www.tourism-alps-provence.com/
http://www.gap-tallard-vallees.fr/
Just a 60 miles south of Grenoble is the beautiful town of Gap and its many surrounding villages. An old fortified town, Gap will surprise you with its narrow, entangled streets, its cathedral, its fountains. Drive a couple of miles and you are in the green pastures of the Alps mountains, enjoying the breathtaking views, the serene lakes… so perfect that you will want to take a stroll, a hike, a drive. Each village has its own character and is worth the detour. The food is delicious. The people are charming! A must-see.
https://www.moustiers.fr
https://www.moustiers.fr/fr/moustiers-sainte-marie
Truly one of the most beautiful villages in France! Incredible! Sensational!
Located in the natural park of the Verdon in the South of France, Moustiers Ste Marie offers more than you can imagine. Its ramparts, chapels, fountains, old stone houses everywhere, its beautiful restaurants and shops, its hike up to the chapel perched up in the cliff, its old traditions in ceramics… and all this is surrounded by the gorgeous and picturesque Alps mountains. Breathtaking indeed.
