Vive La France!

Vive La France!

France is a country that people love to visit and it’s one of the most diverse countries in Europe. It boasts dozens of tourist attractions and ranges from snow capped mountains to warm, sandy beaches. France is very popular due to the gourmet food, in particular the cheeses and wines on offer. It has tons of history, culture and fashion to boot.

France has been inhabited since the Neolithic period and the Dordogne region has many prehistoric caves with incredible paintings of animals and hunters. The Romans invaded between 118 and 50 BC and their legacy is still very visible, especially in the south, where Roman circuses are still in use for theatre shows. Charlemagne was the first strong ruler of the region and he was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in the year 800. The area was also attacked by the Vikings and the Muslim Saracens, who were attacking from the south from Spain. All of these cultures have made their mark on the area now known as France.

Thinking of France, you’ll most likely be picturing the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Mona Lisa. Whilst there is much to see and do in the capital, there are many other things to explore. Visiting grand chateaux, lavender fields or the iconic vineyards that make French wine so famous across the world. For Online wine merchants in Northern Ireland, visit http://thewinecompanyni.com/. What about the chic resorts on the Cote d’azur and the joy of Mediterranean living to be experienced there?

Bordeaux is of course, famous for its wine but it’s a great place for historic sights as well. It is listed as a World Heritage Site with some pretty impressive architecture. Lyon is the country’s second biggest city, also listed, and has a stunning old centre and Roman ruins. Nantes in the west is home to the Chateau des ducs de Bretagne and Arles is also a heritage listed city, with Roman monuments.

image credit

The French Riviera is not to be missed and you’ll be able to do a fair bit of celebrity spotting there too. It’s got tons of beautiful bays, lovely towns, rocky cliffs and sandy beaches and is a popular place for yachting and cruising. Such places as Nice, St Tropez and Cannes all await you. For a real taste of the high life, head to Monaco to see the world’s millionaires and aristocracy leading their glitzy lives. There are art museums, glass-blowing and perfumeries in the nearby area so there is plenty to see and do when you’ve finished living it up with the stars!

image credit

You won’t have experienced the real France until you get out into the countryside. There are some wonderful medieval villages and castles and you’ll see an incredible mix of landscapes along the way. From winter sports resorts to lush green valleys and forests. Provence is a much loved region, famous for it’s warm climate, lavender fields and beautiful rose wines.

Post Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.