France

Image of Tour Eiffel, Paris
Eiffel Tower, Paris

It is easy to understand why France is the number one travel destination worldwide. Travel to and around France is easy, there is a wide range of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets and so much to see. Try to avoid August If possible, when most French people take their holiday and are travelling to the same areas of France as you and I.

France has just about everything in terms of landscape. Plains and gently rolling hills in the north and west, the mountains of the Pyrenees in the south and the Alps in the east, not to mention over 3,000 km of coastline along the Mediterranean, the Atlantic Ocean and the English Channel. Did I mention the many lakes and rivers?

Although today France is the largest nation of Western Europe, and one of the most modern countries in the world it is steeped in history and culture.

Each region has its own distinct character; the people, the climate, the food and often the language. Although the official language is French you may hear regional dialects, and languages, such as Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque and Flemish.

Fairs, fêtes and all manner of festivities are a common occurrence throughout France. Rural areas in particular celebrate anything from saint's days to the harvest. Many towns host music and performing arts festivals and of course the national days are celebrated by all, particularly May Day and Bastille Day.

There is something for everyone in France.

French flag Capital: Paris
Language: French
Time: GMT +1 hr
Currency: euro (EUR)

France has 22 regions each of which is divided into administrative departments (97 in all). Each of these departments are numbered making the origins of things easy, For instance the department of the Var in the region of Provence-Cote-d'Azur carries the department number of 83. Cars registered in Var are prefixed 83, post codes and telephone numbers start 83 etc.

French Regions

Alsace | Aquitaine | Auvergne | Lower Normandy | Burgundy | Brittany | Centre | Champagne-Ardenne | Corsica | Franche-Comté | Upper Normandy | Ile-de-France (inc. Paris) | Languedoc-Roussillon | Limousin | Lorraine | Midi-Pyrénnées | Nord-Pas-de-Calais | Picardy | Poitou-Charentes | Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur | Rhône-Alpes | Pays-de-la-Loire | Monaco (Principality) |