France Travel Guide

by Abigail Cattell

France is one of the most popular holiday destinations for Brits, with nearly 11 million of us going there each year, whether it's a day trip to stock up on cheap wine and fags, or a week's skiing, sunbathing or wine tasting.

France offers almost unparalleled variety in climate, geography and history, from the chateaux-filled Loire to the endless sands of the Normandy beaches, the majestic, snow-capped Alps to the ancient forests of Troncais and Compiegne. And that's before we've mentioned the sweeping Haussmannian boulevards, classic architecture, parks and museums of the capital, Paris. No wonder they're a bit big-headed.

Whether you want to take your car, fly or train it, all options are available to Brits travelling to France. The Eurostar leaves from London Waterloo (St Pancras International from November 14 2007) and takes two hours 35 minutes, dropping to two hours 15 minutes in November. There are numerous scheduled and no-frills airline flights from various UK cities to more than 20 French cities, or you can take the ferry.

The busy Dover-Calais route has more than 25 crossings per day with P&O, SeaFrance and Hoverspeed while other routes include Portsmouth to Caen, Saint-Malo and Cherbourg; Poole to Cherbourg; and Dover to Dunkerque. You can also take your car aboard the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais.

Once there, if you're in Paris you don't need a car as the Metro and RER network is cheap and quick. If you want to explore beyond your resort or town you're staying in, a hire car might be the answer. There is a train network, so check www.voyages-sncf.com to see if your route is possible.

There are a massive 5,500 kilometres of French coastline set along the Mediterranean and Atlantic waters, much of which is lined with beautiful sandy beaches. Popular stretches include the Normandy and Brittany coastlines in northern France. These are the most easily accessible beaches from southern England, and of course Normandy welcomes many visitors each year who are commemorating the D-Day landing beaches of Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.

In Brittany popular beaches include those at Carnac, Saint-Malo and the charming Iles de Glenan. Further south into the Loire departement, La Rochelle and Les Sables-d'Olonne attract visitors galore to their wide, pale beaches fringed by fragrant pine woods.

The coast from Arcachon south is the place to head if you are a surfer, as the Atlantic waves come to shore in appealing sets. The Men's Quiksilver Pro surf tour comes to Hossegor at the end of September every year.

The Cote d'Azur is probably France's most famous stretch of water although many of the beaches, such as those at Menton, Monaco and Nice, are pebbly, so you have to hire sunbeds, which can make it expensive. Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, Saint-Tropez and others are sandy with the wide golden dunes around Saint-Tropez most attractive.

It was on the Cote D'Azur where pioneers like Jacques Cousteau invented the equipment that popularised diving. At Nice, expect to enjoy clear, warm waters and marine life such as barracuda, grouper, octopus, cuttlefish, moray and conger eels and a myriad of species of anenomes, sponges and other smaller fish. Diamond Diving offer a day's diving including equipment hire for 90 euros as wel as longer three night weekend packages (see www.diamonddiving.net).

The capital, Paris, has a large number of world-famous sights, including the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre Museum. Outside the capital there is the spectacular Palace of Versailles and the painter Monet's house at Giverny. Otherwise, picturesque or historic cities worth a visit include Lyon, Avignon, Carcassonne and Dijon, while attractive natural sights include the stone arch of Etretat, Mont Saint-Michel's natural island adorned with a medieval gothic Abbey and monastery, the dramatic mountains and glaciers of the French Alps and the wildlife-filled wetlands of the Camargue.

The Loire Valley boasts around 42 elegant chateaux dating from the Middle Ages and they're best explored on a cruise down the river of the same name. Wine lovers can explore different wine-growing regions from Champagne to Bordeaux and Burgundy, while gastronomes should head to Lyon or Burgundy.

More than 12 million international visitors head to the land of the Mouse, otherwise known as Disneyland Resort Paris each year. Other notable theme parks include Parc Asterix, 30 kilometres north of Paris, and the more highbrow but equally fun Futuroscope, near Poitiers, that features simulator rides, Imax presentations, and interactive exhibits.

Paris's Aquaboulevard is Europe's largest urban water park, great for miserable days when a trip down the Seine no longer appeals. Of course, the mountains of the Auvergne, Alps and Haute-Ardeche have plenty of fun activities and rides for youngsters. Take the cable car from Chamonix up Mont Blanc for magnificent views from Western Europe's highest mountain. Or explore the volcanic Auvergne, where there are bubbling lakes and ancient craters.

From Paris, journey out to Monet's verdant gardens at Giverny, halfway between Paris and Rouen, or rummage around one of the world's most famous flea markets, the Marche aux Puces at Saint-Ouen which takes place on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. From Cannes or Nice, drive up to the scented hilltop town of Grasse, where some of the world's top perfumes are made. You can visit one of the factories and buy personalised scents. Or enjoy gawping at the multimillion-pound yachts in Saint-Tropez or Monaco harbours. You might even spot their famous owners if you're lucky.

From Biarritz it's possible to cross the Spanish border to San Sebastian for a taste of tapas, or even venture to Bilbao, to visit the famous Guggenheim Museum. Of course, it's entirely possible to do a day trip to France, with ferries to Calais taking an hour and a quarter, and trains to Paris a do-able two and a half hours.

The country that invented the Michelin star sees itself as a superior gastronomic country, and most people would agree. But the Americans don't call the crunchy thin chips 'French fries' for nothing, so even the unadventurous can enjoy a steak, frites and fresh green salad if they don't fancy some of the more earthy offerings. Make sure you ask for it 'bien cuit', otherwise it's likely to be red and bloody in the middle, which is how the French think steak should be cooked.

The southerly regions eat a healthy Mediterranean cuisine featuring olive oil, tomatoes and fresh crunchy bread washed down with light rose wines which keep their locals healthy to an absurdly old age. Other specialities of certain departements include bouillabaisse from Marseille, foie gras and choucroute from Alsace, boeuf bourguignon from Burgundy, pork charcuterie from the Auvergne and Lyon's andouillette sausages. Also great are Saint-Marcellin and Felicien pungent cheeses, and Normandy's apples, which go into stews and are used to make Calvados liqueur.

Contrary to what you might imagine when you see the tables of consumption of wine per head and see that France is one of the highest, the French are not a nation of boozers. Rather, they enjoy a small glass or two with lunch, and the same again with supper. Sitting at an al fresco pavement cafe, supping a cafe creme with a side of water (carafe d'eau) or demi (half a pint) watching the world go by is one of the great pleasures of life in France and most bars are open till midnight or beyond.

There are nightclubs and English-style pubs in large cities such as Paris, Lyon, Marseille and Dijon and Disneyland Paris has a specific Entertainment Village with bars and a club for adult fun.

You might as well stock up on the wine while you're in France. There's a huge choice available and as French tax on wine is so much less than ours you'll find French and even foreign wines are significantly cheaper than in the UK.

There are more than 400 different French cheeses, some of which are way too smelly to take back with you; chocolates and candied fruits might be a less intrusive option. Of course, each region has its specialities: Quimper in Brittany, for instance, is good for colourful pottery, Baccarat in Lorraine specialises in crystal and glass and you can pick up a great piece of porcelain in Limoges.

Paris has all the luxury goods you could ever want. Head to the sumptuous Galleries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann or visit the huge department store La Samaritaine, on the banks of the River Seine, which might have opened after its extensive refit. If it hasn't, console yourself with a wander down the banks of the Seine looking at all the antique book and print stalls that line the pavement.