|
As the most geographically diverse European country – with the Alps mountain range to the north and the Mediterranean Sea to the south – France has much to offer to just about everyone. Here are some musts and some suggestions for your next trip to the European Union’s largest country.
 | | Chartres |
Speak French. Not only is France the best place to practice the beautiful Romance tongue, but also you’ll get along better with the natives if you do. Just be unpretentious and try your best – even if you only can only say, je ne peux pas parler le français (I cannot speak French).
Attend a wine and cheese tasting event. France is famed for its wines and cheeses, not to mention the savory coupling of the two. You may even want to go to several such events, as there are over 300 kinds of French cheeses to try – not to mention numerous wine combinations.
Take a cooking class. There is a reason why Julia Child fell in love with French cuisine. Not only can you learn from the masters, but you will get a taste of the essence of Frenchness. Food, after all, being one of the most basic needs of humanity, is one of the most defining aspects of a culture.
Train cross-country. Eurail passes (www.Eurail.com) are relatively inexpensive, and can be used on most trains throughout Europe. Take a scenic train ride around the country and get a glimpse of its geographical richness.
Take a historical tour. Visit the shores of Normandy and the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial; walk the streets of the medieval fortress town of Carcassonne in southern France; see the well-preserved Roman temple Maison Carrée in Nîmes; take in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Denis – the cemetery of French kings – in northern Paris and the Chartres Cathedral southwest of Paris; and gaze at the Cathar castles in the Corbières.
Attend a sports event. France has many great sports tournaments and festivals, with opportunities to participate as well as observe. Check out the Tour de France or the Lake Annency Marathon; test the slopes of the Alps and the waters of the French Riviera.
Make some music. Music aficionados will want to check out the annual Reims Jazz Festival, the baroque music of the Festival de Beaune, the classical music of the Festival International de Colmar, and the increasingly international and diverse Fête de la Musique.
Take an arts tour. Don’t miss the Eiffel Tower, Mont Saint Michel, and the renowned Louvre Museum. There’s also the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, and the Roman Theatre Summer Festival in Lyon.
Take a taste tour. Visit the Truffle Market in Grasse, the Grape Harvest Festival in Montmartre, Rocamadour’s Fêtes des Fromages – southern France’s largest cheese festival – and the black pudding festival in Boudin (Festival du Boudin).
Relax in a Parisian café. Endless touring is tiring. Kick back in an elegant joint on the Champs-Élysées or on a smaller street in Paris. You may just end up in a café that Hemingway or Joyce or Fitzgerald frequented in the early years of the 20th century.
|
