France

Overview

France is a country with which almost every traveller has a relationship. Many dream of its joie de vivre shown by the countless cafés, picturesque villages , and world-famous gastronomy . Some come to follow the trail of France's great philosophers, writers and artists, or to immerse in the beautiful language it gave to the world. Others still are drawn to the country's geographical diversity, with its long coastlines, massive mountain ranges and breathtaking farmland vistas. France is famously home to Paris , the enchanting City of Love, where romance dances in the air and every corner whispers sweet nothings.

France is known for its long turbulent history, unique flair and lifestyle, and picturesque old towns , châteaux and fortresses . It is also blessed with its landscapes, where the sun shines gold upon the connectedness of nature.

Places to explore

Although primarily in Europe, the French Republic ( République française ) is made up of several territories around the world, of which "Metropolitan France" ( la Métropole ) comprises the 12 administrative regions ( régions ) on the mainland plus Corsica, or in other words all French territory within Europe. These are distinct from the country's overseas territories on other continents, which are talked about below. The 96 departments ( départements ) are the next level down of administrative division, two-thirds of them being named after a river, and most others taking after another natural feature, such as a mountain or sea.

Colloquially called le Midi , Southern France is the area bordering the Mediterranean Sea to the southeast, the Pyrenees to the southwest and the Alps to the east.

Beyond Metropolitan France, also known as l'Hexagone for its shape, there are five overseas departments ( départements d'outre-mer – DOM s), each as integral to France as any other department: French Guiana , Guadeloupe , Martinique , Mayotte , and Réunion .

Sights and landscapes

If your first thought of France is the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe or the smile on the Mona Lisa , you're thinking of Paris. Paris, the "City of Light" and the capital of romance has been a travellers' magnet for centuries, hosting intellectuals who drank coffee in its lively cafés and dancers and jazz musicians who performed for them in the historic bars and nightclubs of Montmartre. But there is much more to France than Paris. France is full of gorgeous villages in the countryside; there are splendid châteaux, especially in the Loire Valley, and you can also find areas of lavender fields or vineyards as far as the eye can see. It is impossible to cover all of France's sights and attractions, but we present a summary below; there is more details in city and region guides.

More than 160 villages have been identified as the most beautiful in France: Les Plus Beaux Villages de France . Numerous other villages are dotted with medieval cottages, churches and castles.

Experiences

For martial arts enthusiasts, France played a key role in the development of modern Olympic fencing , and is considered to be the spiritual home of the sport.

France has one of the world's strongest classical music traditions. French composers such as Lully, Rameau, Berlioz, Fauré, Gounod, Debussy, Bizet, Saint-Saëns, Ravel, Massenet, Delibes and Messiaen are generally well-known among classical music circles, and even to some members of the general public. Even if you have never heard of them, chances are you are already familiar with some of their pieces, which are commonly quoted in advertising, film scores and even modern pop music.

Even though ballet originated during the days of the Italian Renaissance, France played a very important role in the development of the art form, and to this day, many modern-day terms used by ballerinas originate from French. The Paris Opera Ballet is one of the most famous ballet companies in the world, along with the Royal Ballet in London , the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow , and the Mariinsky Ballet in Saint Petersburg . Competition for admission into the Opera Ballet is extremely fierce.

Culture and food

With its international reputation for fine dining , few people would be surprised to hear that French cuisine can certainly be very good. As a testament to this, France is tied with Japan for first place as the country with the most Michelin star restaurants. French cuisine as a whole has been inscribed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. Unfortunately, the local food can also be quite disappointing; many restaurants that cater to tourists serve very ordinary fare, and some are rip-offs. Finding the right restaurant and one where French people go to is therefore very important — try asking locals, hotel staff or even browsing restaurant guides or websites for recommendations as simply walking in off the street can be a hit and miss affair. The downside is that outside of the tourist traps, it is very rare to find a restaurant with English-speaking waiters, so be prepared to have to speak some French.

Planning your route

While no longer as ubiquitous as before due to ban on flights if a route is reachable by train within 2 1/2 hours, domestic flying remains a bookable option, especially between Paris and southern France, and if offered as a direct connection from or to an international flight.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.