Lonely Planet France: Perfect for exploring top sights and taking roads less travelled (Travel Guide)

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After WWII, the focus moved to the Mediterranean, but since the start of the 21st century, Biarritz has rediscovered its glam, with a new audience taking to the waters. Today though, they do so on surfboards, and Biarritz and its environs have gained a well-earned reputation as one of Europe’s finest surf destinations. The French capital is likely to be one of your most unforgettable memories of France. Defined by icons like the Eiffel Tower glittering by night, Arc de Triomphe straddling the Champs-Élysées and Sacré-Cœur crowning hilltop Montmartre, Paris is crammed with megastar museums like the Louvre and impressionist-filled Musée d’Orsay; the mansion-housed Musée Carnavalet brings the city’s history to life. Detour: If you just want to get a taste of the slow life, book yourself a stay at a Parcel tiny house. It’s under two hours from Paris but offers a true nature escape to the middle of an apple orchard haven. Through a partnership with the neighboring organic farm Jardins de la Thillaye, you can taste Saint-Émilion wine, the best butter of the region, locally made calva and cider, and Norman beef. Bring boots – the trek out to the cabins is long and the grassy fields can turn muddy easily under the volatile Normandy skies. 12. Snag a striped sweater at Saint James

Local tip: There is a large car park about 400 meters (437 yards) from the dune, which charges a small fee for parking. However, you cannot park here overnight without being fined €50. 8. Lyon is a top food destination The Loire Valley unfolds like a fairytale, with a stunning array of Renaissance castles, green-emerald rivers and charming medieval villages. ( Azay-le-Rideau castle was, after all, the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty.) The Interloire railroad (run by the TER Centre-Val de Loire and TER Pays de la Loire) traverses this legendary valley from Orléans, the hometown of Jeanne d’Arc, to the fishing harbor town of Le Croisic on the Atlantic. Must-visit stops include Blois, crowned by the château once occupied by Louis XII; Amboise, Leonardo da Vinci’s final home; and Nantes, a historic Breton town with an evocative 15th-century château. Around the coast is appealing Montpellier ’s historic core and broad beaches. Roman Nîmes has an incredibly well-preserved amphitheater and handy access to the enormous aqueduct, Pont du Gard . Traverse the romantic landscapes of Provence Parking in French towns and cities can be a real pain. Assuming you manage to find a space, you will nearly always have to pay for on-street parking – look out for white markings on the street that say payant. There is usually a parking meter nearby that accepts cash and sometimes credit cards. Chargeable hours are generally 9am to noon and 2pm to 5pm or 6pm, but this does vary (times will be indicated on the parking meter). Wild, rugged and mountainous, the Mediterranean island of Corsica is an outdoor paradise laced with epic hiking trails. Linked to the French mainland by ferries (and flights), it has been part of France for over two centuries but retains a strong independence in its language, culture and cuisine that includes bread made from ground-down chestnut flour, charcuterie (such as seasonal chestnut-wood-smoked pork liver sausage and wild-boar pâté) and distinctive cheeses (many made from the milk of goats, which roam the island’s steep hillsides).

Along with rural charms, Provence has well-heeled cities and towns like walled Avignon , with its famous bridge, arts festival and papal history; the splashing fountains and tree canopies of elegant Aix-en-Provence ; and Arles , famously painted by Van Gogh. By contrast, Provence’s biggest city (and France’s second largest), Marseille , is a fascinating multicultural metropolis set around its ancient Vieux Port (old port) with fantastic museums and restaurants specializing in its famous fish stew, bouillabaisse . Find beachside bliss on the French Riviera Even in bigger cities and tourist centers such as Nice, where English is more widely spoken, open with French, if only “excusez-moi, parlez-vous anglais?” (“excuse me, do you speak English?”), and brush up on at least a few basic phrases. The deeper you head into la France profonde (rural France), the more French you will need to use. 7. First impressions are everything On southwestern France’s Atlantic coast, Biarritz’ belle époque villas, striped beach tents and ritzy cafes, restaurants and spa hotels retain a cachet from Napoleon III’s holidays here. But you’re also as likely to see surfers’ vans trawling the coast on the lookout for legendary waves in what is now the surf capital of Europe.

Perched on a hill, the leafy district of Cimiez is home to elegant villas, two important art museums devoted to the works of Matisse and Chagall, Roman remains and the Musée Archéologique de Nice.Countrywide, many SNCF train carriages are accessible to people with disabilities – although it’s always worth asking ahead to make sure the help you need will be available on the train you wish to travel on. If you use a wheelchair, you and a person accompanying you may qualify for discounts.