 |
Map
of France.
Note:
The
geographic regions indicated on the map above, and described on the
main part of this page, are not France's" official" regions, but the
six main geographic areas of France .Each of the six areas
covers two or more administrative regions, and certain administrative
regions (such as Languedoc and Midi-Pyrénées)
have distinctly different areas, in terms of tourism, and cut
across the borders between the tourist regions indicated above.
For information on the administrative regions, click here
for a map of French administrative
regions., or select a particular region from the
list below.
|
Accommodation in France
|
| Gites and holiday cottages |
| Bed and
breakfast in France |
|
| Rural
campsites in France |
|
| Independent
hotels in France |
|
|
The old town at Nice
Frankrijk voor nederlandse toeristen:
|
Holiday
France: the six
tourist regions
|
Select
a region:
|
FRANCE is
Europe's
no.1 holiday destination, and tourism is one of France's major
industries....
nationwide, representing aboput 7% of the national economy. The most
famous areas, such as the Alps, the Riviera,
Brittany
and Provence need little introduction; but they are just four out of
dozens
of regions and areas each of which has plenty to discover, and plenty
to
offer. The descriptions below are just designed as short introductions.
If
you want more, the regions themselves are just waiting for your visit.
La
France est la principale destination touristique d'Europe, et le
tourisme
représente un des secteurs d'activité les plus
importants de
l'économie nationale... partout. Mais si les grandes
régions
touristiques – les Alpes, la Côte d'Azur, la
Bretagne, la Provence
etc. – sont déjà bien connues, ce ne
sont que quatre parmi
des douzaines de régions et de secteurs qui ont chacun leur
particularité,
chacun leur charme. Les descriptions ci-dessous en langue anglaise sont
conçues
comme de courtes introductions. Si vous cherchez à en savoir
plus,
ce sont les régions elles-même qui vous
attendent.....
|
|
1.
North West France (Brittany and Normandy)
 Easily accessible for visitors from the UK and
from Northern Europe, Brittany and Normandy
offer a variety of coastal and inland tourist destinations, with plenty
of attractions. Situated a couple of hundred miles south of the
English Westcountry, they are in many respects rather like a warmer
sunnier
version of the West of England.... with less crowds, notably inland!
Historically,
Brittany and Cornwall have a lot in common, notably their Celtic roots.
The north coast of Brittany, with its rugged granite cliffs and little
sandy coves, is fairly similar to North Cornwall, though
a
bit warmer and sunnier. The south coast of Brittany can be hot in the
summer
months.... though as with the West of England, rainy weeks remain a
possibility
in any season.
Click here for more, including Brittany's
heritage, tourist attractions and a regional overview.
Normandy, from where William the
Conqueror set out
in
1066, has much in common with the south of England between Devon and
Sussex:
sandy beaches, rocky cliffs in the Cotentin peninsula, the famous white
cliffs of Etretat, and an inland
area
full of wonderful small towns and
villages, many boasting fine half-timbered houses. One such
town is Bayeux,
home of the famous mediaeval Bayeux Tapestry, depicting the Battle of Hastings. Off the coast in the west
of the region - though technically in Brittany - lies the Mont
St. Michel,
the most
visited
historic site in France outside Paris. Normandy is also famous for
its stables and racehorses. The Normandy Beaches, scene of the vital
D-Day landings in the Second World War, draw many visitors, including a
lot of American tourists.
Local specialities include sea
food ("fruits de
mer") , famous cheeses like Camembert, and of
course, like the
S-W of England, cider. .. but also its more potent cousin "Calvados".
If you want to experience the real
France without too
much driving, Brittany and Normandy are worth considering.
Main cities: Caen,
Rouen, Rennes, Brest.
Access: Direct ferries from
Plymouth and Portsmouth, motorways from Paris or Calais. Flights to
Paris, Rennes, Nantes
* Holidaying in Brittany - a guide
* More information on Normandy
* Bed
& Breakfast in Brittany & Normandy
* Accommodation: Cottages
in n & w Brittany, Cotes d'Armor & Finistere,
Cottages in s & e Brittany, Morbihan & Ille et Vilaine
Cottages
in Normandy, Cottages
in northern France
2. Paris to
the Loire Valley, Central
France
 The
Paris region and the Loire valley, lying a hundred miles south-west,
are by far the most popular regions with American tourists, and
generally speaking with visitors from Japan, China and other distant
parts of the world. Paris, which is less than three hours by
train from
London, or two hours from Brussels, is also the most popular destination for British tourists.
If visiting Paris from London, check
out the combined Eurostar/hotel offers available; tourists from the USA
and other parts of the world, if traveling independently, would do well
to check out
discounted hotel rates on the Internet. .
Southwest of Paris lies Versailles,
easily accessible for an afternoon trip or a day trip. And beyond
Versailles, in the direction of the Loire, lies a region called the
Beauce, France's breadbasket, an area where vast wheat fields stretch
out towards the horizon . In the middle of the Beauce lies Chartres, home to
one of the most magnificent of France's great mediaeval cathedrals.
The central Loire Valley
is famous "Châteaux", such as Chenonceaux
(photo); but not so many tourists venture to discover the byways of
this attractive region. Known as "the garden of France", this region is
famous for its mild climate, its castles, and its vineyards. As the
historic French heartland, the region is rich in history and culture.
The
countryside
is gentle, with undulating hills and quietly flowing rivers -
an ideal
region for those who just want to be lazy, or to enjoy eating out,
fishing
or just exploring the countryside. The "Sologne" area, south of the
Loire,
contains the remaining parts of a once huge forest, rich with wildlife,
that originally encouraged the kings and princes of France to build
their castles in this region. For more information visit the guide
to the Centre region of France.
In the east of this region lies the Burgundy region,
famous
for its wines; but in fact the wine-growing region of Burgundy is quite
small, lying mostly in a ribbon along the western edge of the Saone plain,
south
of Dijon.
This part of Burgundy is rich in places to visit, including Dijon
and Beaune
(the wine capital). In the north of Burgundy, the Morvan hills are the
last outcrop of the uplands of central France.
The Saône plain is a fairly
flat region, with
lots of lakes (la Bresse) and slow flowing rivers. This region is very
popular
with anglers and bird watchers.
Most of the rest of Burgundy is a hilly
region (the
Morvan), with small towns and villages many of them rich in history.
The
hills are higher than those further west, and the valleys deeper; the
Morvan
is hill country, and there are good hiking paths; but it is not
mountain
country.
Main cities: Nantes, Tours, Angers,
Orléans, Dijon. Paris.
Access: From the UK: Eurostar
from London or Ashford (with parking facilities), or flights to Paris;
Ryanair to Tours; road access via Channel ferries or tunnel. From the USA: flights from most major US airports to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport
*
Tourist
information about Paris
* The Centre region - tourism and overview
*
Bed
& Breakfast from Loire valley to Burgundy
* Accommodation: Cottages
in the Loire Valley,
Cottages
in central France,
Cottages
in Burgundy
3. Nord Est
(North East France)
North Eastern France is not well known as a tourist region; but it is a
region certainly worth considering for short break holidays.
Thanks to the Channel Tunnel, you can leave work in the London area,
escape
from the M25, and two to three hours later find yourself in the deep
rolling
countryside of the "Pas de Calais" department.
The western part of North East France is
undulating
country, with small towns, lots of rivers, and plenty of attractive
countryside.
The central part of the region is flatter and, near the
Belgian border, partly industrial. Yet this is a region with plenty of
history - some magnificent cathedrals and impressive monuments from the
two world wars. It also includes the Champagne-Ardenne
region, round the historic city of Rheims,
with its famous
vineyards and wine cellars.
The real north east corner of France
includes the regions
of Alsace
and Lorraine. This is
an attractive region with
plenty of large coniferous forests on and near the Vosges mountains
(which
are quite similar to the Black Forest in Germany).
The southern part of Lorraine is
extremely rural, with
rolling hills and lots of old small towns that look as if time has
passed
them by. Property in this part of France can be very cheap.
Alsace, lying between the Vosges and the
Rhine, is a
very distinct region, with its hills, its vineyards and its
steep-roofed
half-timbered houses, painted in many colours. The Alsace capital Strasbourg
is seat of the European Parliament. Historically Alsace was a
German-speaking
region, and the culture and traditional architecture of the region have
more in common
with the German tradition than with France.
Main
cities: Lille, Dunkerque, Arras,
Valenciennes, Strasbourg, Rheims, Nancy, Metz
Access from the UK and northern Europe:
Road access via Calais
(ferry
or tunnel). Flights to Strasbourg, Lille, Luxembourg.
*
Alsace tourist board
* An
introduction to tourism in Alsace
* Accommodation: Holiday
gîtes in Picardy, Champagne Alsace Lorraine and north east
France ,
4. The French
Atlantic coast and hinterland
The west coast of France is a popular tourist region. From the mouth of
the Loire as far as the Spanish border, France's Atlantic
coastline
is characterised by long expanses of sandy beaches, offshore fishing,
and a broad band of very flat land, some of it marshy. In several
parts, notably around Saint
Jean de Monts and
les Sables d'Olonne, the coastline is quite heavily built
up
with
sea front development; but in other parts, notably away from the towns,
there
are long sections of unspoiled coastline. The ports of La Rochelle and Rochefortare
very attractive, as well as being popular with yachtsmen. South
of the Gironde, the coast offers miles and miles of sandy beaches.
Inland from the coast, the region is
very pleasant;
the Charente Maritime region is
often called the
"green Venice",
on account of its extensive network of drainage canals and waterways.
This
is a region where the pace of life is slow, like the water in the
rivers
that flow through it. Rowing boats can be hired in many places.
North west of Bordeaux lies the Saintonge,
the
home of Cognac and the aperitif wine "Pineau". This generally flat
agricultural
region is famous for its historic churches, many of which have
exquisite
mediaeval carvings. South west of the historic city of Bordeaux lie "les Landes",
the largest
continuously forested area in Western Europe; and of course, in the Aquitaine region around
Bordeaux
lie miles and miles of famous vineyards, producing a wide range of
wines
that include some of the best and most expensive in the world.
Inland from Bordeaux lies the Dordogne
"department",
rising from the coastal plain in the west towards the Massif Central (sector
5, below)
in the east. The Dordogne ,
centered round the town of Perigueux,
is famous
for its farmland and fine cuisine. Its pretty villages and towns have
long
attracted holidaymakers and retirees from Britain, to such an extent
that
there are now villages with their own cricket club and pub
"à l'anglaise",
not to mention a range of craftsmen and artists who have fled the
hassle
and the colder climate further north.
The climate on France's Atlantic coast
is generally
mild to warm; and although rain cannot be excluded even in summer, the
clouds
often pass over the coastal region, before breaking over the hills
further
inland.
Main cities:
Nantes, St
Nazaire, Niort, La Rochelle, Poitiers, Bordeaux, Périgueux
Access from the UK / northern Europe: motorway via Paris or
Rouen.
Flights to Bordeaux or Nantes, as well as La Rochelle, Rochefort, Rodez
and Bergerac.
* Poitou Charentes tourist board
* The coasts and
seaside areas of France
* Bed & Breakfast in
western France
* Accommodation: Cottages
on the Atlantic coast,
Cottages
in Dordogne and Lot et Garonne
5a. Montagne
(Mountain France west - Massif Central, the mountains of central France)
Mountain
France divides into four distinct zones,
some of which are
far better known, and far more touristic, than others. The Western
Massif Central (including the
Dordogne),
the Eastern Massif Central, the Prealps and Alps, and the Jura.
 The western Massif Central
includes essentially includes the inland part of the Dordogne,
the north of Quercy, and
Limousin the area round the city of Limoges. In many
respects, this is like southern England on a larger
scale - which is probably why like neighbouring Dordogne it is so
popular with British second-home owners. The climate is warmer and
sunnier than further north, the hills are higher, and the rivers bigger
than in southern England; but the western side of the Massif Central
catches the rain blowing in from the Atlantic, and remains relatively
green for most of the summer. This region is famous for its gastronomy,
its historic castles and "bourgs" (fortified rural towns), and its very
attractive countryside.
The central
and eastern Massif Central includes the
mountains of the Auvergne (photo left),
and the other mountain areas between Auvergne and the Rhone valley.
This is part of wild France. In
2003, the Auvergne was France's fastest growing region in
terms of
tourism, but this is largely due to the fact that until recently, its
massive
potential was virtually undeveloped. And even if the region is becoming
appreciated
for its true value (The Sunday Times called it "France's best kept
secret"
in 2003) Auvergne remains a region where you can really get away from
the
crowds. The small city of Le
Puy en Velay is remarkable for its mediaeval churches
perched on outcrops of volcanic rock.
With peaks at over 6000 ft, the Monts
d'Auvergneare
the highest points in central France. In this region there is
plenty
of good hill walking, as well as other activities on the area's fast
flowing
rivers. This region is also drier and sunnier in summer than
the western Massif
Central, and less touristic too, largely because it has not yet been
"discovered;"
it is a region rich in history and culture, with fortified
castles,
old churches and historic towns, as well as being very beautiful, with
many hiking trails and its
deep river valleys ideal for river sports. In the south-east of the
Massif Central, the Ardèche area, with its arid hills and sunny
valleys, offers a foretaste of Provence.
Main
cities: Clermont Ferrand, Limoges.
Access from the UK: motorway via Paris or
Rouen.
Flights to St.
Etienne, Clermont Ferrand, Limoges or Rodez.
* Auvergne-web,
with map
* Wild France: France's great natural environment
* Bed
& Breakfast in Massif-Central and Alps
* Accommodation:
Cottages
in the Dordogne,
Cottages
in Auvergne and Limousin,
Cottages
in Lot & Quercy, Cottages
in the Jura and Alps,
|
***
|
5b. Montagne
(Mountain France east - The Alps and
the Jura)
The hills lying
between the Auvergne mountains and the
Rhone valley include a lot of high land at over 1000 metres (over 3000
ft)
altitude, but they are generally less mountainous than the Auvergne
mountains.
They are covered in large areas of coniferous forest. This is also good
hiking country.
The Alps...
well they are the Alps... though it should not be forgotten that the
foothills
of the Alps, such as the Vercors, are in many ways just as attractive
as the high Alps themselves
- and less crowded and more accessible! Most winter sports resorts now
cater well for
summer visitors too. Away from the ski resorts, there are plenty of
attractive
old villages and towns, like Annecy,
on the shores of one of France's most beautiful lakes.
Finally, the Jura
and "Franche Comté".
France's least-known mountain range, the Jura extends along the Swiss
border
from Geneva almost to the Rhine valley. Old limestone hills, the Jura
peak
at about 5000 ft, on the Swiss border; but most of the area consists of
a series of high plateaux, getting higher towards the border.
At the
southern end, the Jura has a lot of spectacular deep river valleys, and
a
lot of lakes too. The hills are quite forested, and the villages on the
French
side of the border are very similar to those on the Swiss side. Franche
Comté,
which includes the Jura, has the greatest concentration of deciduous
forests
in Europe. Its capital, Besançon,
has a remarkable historic city centre, surrounded by a loop in the
river Doubs.
Main cities: Lyons,
Grenoble, Chambéry, Annecy, Besançon.
Access: motorway via Paris,
Rheims . Flights to Geneva, Grenoble or
Lyons.
Eurostar seasonal to Grenoble or Bourg Saint Maurice.
* Rhone Alps tourist board
* Skiing in the French alps
* Holiday
gites in the Alps and the Jura
6. Midi (from
the Pyrenees to the Riviera)
The Midi
is generally speaking the most popular tourist region in France, and
needs little introduction. The coastal region is very busy in Summer,
and travelling to the south of France by car on a
summer Saturday can be a nightmare experience; but the region has
masses to
offer, in terms of climate, history, and landscape.
Those who do not want to spend their
holidays being mass-grilled on a beach will prefer areas inland from
the
coastal strip, notably to the hills and mountains of Provence,with
their dry landscapes and deep river gorges and valleys, or
the
valleys of the Cevennes, more wooded and rural, or
the inland areas of the Languedoc,
with their huge vineyards and "garrigue", arid rocky Mediteranean hills
with their vegetation of scrub, aromatic bushes and occasional fields.
On their southern flanc, the Massif Central mountains are similar to
those in upper Provence, and cut through by deep valleys such as that
of the Tarn. (photo).
The
area has a lot of historic cities, such as Nimes with its
superb Roman remains, Avignon
with its famous bridge, Arles,
and the university town of Aix
en Provence. The
Languedoc region coast offers large expanses of
sandy beaches, between
rather brash modern or sixties resorts such as Cap
d'Agde.
The Pyrenees, forming a
natural land barrier between
France and Spain, are a beautiful range of high mountains, thickly
wooded
on their lower slopes, but offering good mountain and hill walking
higher
up - not to mention the attraction of day trips into Spain, and also skiing in winter. The biggest
city in the Pyrenees area, Pau,
was in the early 19th century a favourite haunt of English travellers.
On the Spanish
side, the Pyrenees are much drier. Between the Pyrenees and the southern
flank
of the Massif Central, southwest France is in summer a land of warm
rolling
hills and valleys, a rich agricultural area famous for its abundant
crops
and cereals.
In the Midi-Pyrenees region, Historic cities such as Toulouse, the "pink city", and Albi,
with its astonishing fortified mediaeval cathedral built almost
entirely of red brick, are rich in atmosphere. But if you're
driving down from
the UK or northern Europe, don't underestimate the journey time, and
remember
too that these areas can get very hot in summer.
The Riviera
("la
Côte d'Azur") itself is
fairly heavily built up in many parts, and accommodation is expensive,
particularly
in the most famous resorts like St.
Tropez, Cannes
or Nice.
The mountainous hinterland,
on the other hand, the "Alpes de Haute Provence" and the "Alpes
Maritimes", is very attractive, with its small villages and
towns,
many of them perched precariously on hillsides or beside trickling
rivers
that become raging torrents in the springtime.
Main
cities:
Toulouse, Pau, Montpellier,
Marseilles, Toulon, Nice
Access:
motorway
via Rheims
(recommended) or Paris. Flights to all major cities.
From the US, Delta/Air France fly direct from New York to Nice
* Provence
Tourist board website
* Provence
regional travel guide
* Midi Pyrenees
Tourist board
website
* Accommodation: Cottages
in Languedoc,
Cottages
in the
Pyrenees
, Cottages
in Provence,
Cottages on
the Riviera
Photo credits: OT Haute Bretagne, Ronald.Dupont.com, Gitelink.com,
FOLP.free.fr .
|
To
contact About-France.com, send an email to info
"at" about-france.com
(Spam-protected
address: Replace "at" by the
standard symbol, and remove all spaces)
|
Bookmark
this site:
 Furl
- 
del.icio.us
- 
Technorati
- 
BlinkList
-  Digg
- 
Google - 
StumbleUpon
- 
My Yahoo
|
***
From Gatwick, Stansted, Bristol & Manchester
with
Snowjet.co.uk
****************
Jet 2:
From Belfast, Blackpool, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester
& Newcastle
to
Geneva or Chambéry
|
Copyright notice: Website
and text © About-France.com 2003-2008 except where
otherwise indicated.
|
