Top 10 reasons to visit FranceOf course there are hundreds or reasons to book a self catering holiday home in France - here are 10 to get you started... ParisThe Eiffel Tower, Notre dame, Arc de Triomphe, Versailles, The Moulin Rouge, the Paris metro…the list of world-famous sights is endless – combine the ‘must-do’ sightseeing with a gig at one of Paris’ concert venues or a day out at Euro Disney. OenologyWhat? Wine-tasting to you and me – in one of the many long-established vineyards of the Bordeaux region or the Val de Loire – most include a 5 course gourmet meal to finish you off completely. NapoleonWalk in Napoleons footsteps on the island of Corsica, the wild and very beautiful birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte and the most mountainous of all the Mediterranean islands, dotted with coastal ports and resorts, vast sandy beaches and a verdantly wooded interior. TrufflesBecome a trufficulteur! From November to March the hunt for truffles heats up in wooded regions like Lot. Visit Lalbenque – home of the world’s biggest truffle market, every Tuesday from first week in December. CézanneCelebrate Cézanne - throughout 2006, Provence celebrates the centenary and art of Paul Cézanne with exhibitions, festivals, guided walks and tours of his workshops and favourite haunts. CannesAround the second week in May each year the Cannes film festival kicks off in one of the most beautiful and upmarket coastal resorts in France. Spot a celeb in one of the many bars and cafes that throng the old town. The Bayeaux TapestryCount the stitches of the Bayeaux - made in the 11th century and housed in the Bayeaux Tapestry Museum in Normandy, this 70 metre-long tapestry chronicles the events leading up to the Norman conquest of 1066. Bastille DayAll over France on Bastille Day, 14th July, the air explodes to cannon fire and fireworks in celebration of the bloody end to the crippling reign of Louis XVI. Most regions have free parades and festivals. SkiingWhy not try Nordic skiing for an altogether slower (but not less energetic) way to enjoy the snow, where you actually get to admire the view. The Savoie Haute-Savoie region boasts 46 resorts admidst spectacular scenery where you can also have a go at sledging, bobsleighs or take a husky-cab. French GardensFrance has some of the most impressive formal gardens in the world - Monet’s famous garden at Girverny, the Chateau de Vilandry in the Loire and the spectacular Palace of Versailles with its vast pleasure grounds and the formal flower gardens of the Grand Trianon. | |
