France Travel Resource

Geography

France is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various overseas islands and territories located in other continents.

Climate and Weather

The south of France has a warm Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. Strong winds, known as la Mistral, can occur in the Cote d'Azur, Provence and in the Rhone valley particularly over the winter and spring. Northern France, including Paris, has a temperate climate similar to southern England with warm summers, cold winters and rainfall throughout the year. The western coast, from the Loire valley to the Pyrenees, is milder and summer days are generally very hot. During the second half of July and August most French take their five-week vacation to the coasts and mountains, and empty cities tend to shut down accordingly.

Population

Three basic European ethnic stocks--Celtic, Latin, and Teutonic (Frankish)--have blended over the centuries to make up its present population. According to the 2006 census survey, metropolitan France had a population of 61,538,322 - the twenty-first largest population in the world and third largest in the European Union.

Transportation

France has one of the most highly developed transportation systems in Europe. Its outstanding characteristic has long been the degree to which it is centralized at Paris—plateaus and plains offering easy access radiate from the city in all directions, and rivers with broad valleys converge on it from all sides.

Top Attractions

1. The Loire Valley.
2. The French Riviera (Côte d’Azur).
3. Paris.
4. Biarritz.
5. Chateau de Versailles.
6. Lourdes.
7. The Parc National des Pyrénées.
8. Mont-St-Michel.
9. Normandy Beaches.
10. The French Alps.

Best Travel Time

The best time of year to visit France is late spring or early summer. The weather is generally sunny and warm, and events like Bastille Day, Fete de la Musique and the Tour de France make it a great time to visit. Avoid France in August, as the city generally shuts down for the month while Parisians take vacation and many stores and restaurants close. The fall, winter, and early spring in France are typically gray and rainy. However, tourist crowds aren't as bad during that time of year, so if you don't mind the weather, it's not a bad time to visit France.

Food and Drink

National specialties:
• Ratatouille niçoise (stew of courgettes, tomatoes and aubergines).
• In the north of France fish and shellfish are the star features in menus.
• Alsace and Lorraine are the lands of choucroute (sauerkraut) and kugelhof (a special cake), quiche lorraine and tarte flambée (onion tart).
• Lyon is the heartland of French cuisine, though the food is often more rich than elaborate. A specialty of this area is quenelles de brochet (pounded pike formed into sausage shapes and usually served with a rich crayfish sauce).
• Desserts include: soufflé grand-marnier; oeufs à la neige (meringues floating on custard); mille feuilles (layers of flaky pastry and custard cream); ganache (chocolate cream biscuit); and fruit tarts and flans.

National drinks:
• Wine is the most popular alcoholic drink in France, and the choice varies according to region.
• Typically French apéritifs are Pastis, Ricard or Pernod.
• The region of Nord Pas de Calais and Picardy brews beer and cider. Alsace is said to brew the best beer in France.
• Coffee is always served after the meal, and will always be black, in small cups, unless a café au lait (or café crème) is requested.
• Brandies such as Armagnac and Cognac and liqueurs such as Chartreuse and Genepi are available.

Local Products/Shopping

Special purchases include lace, crystal glass, cheeses, coffee and, of course, wines, spirits and liqueurs. Arques, the home of Crystal D’Arques, is situated between St Omer and Calais. Lille, the main town of French Flanders, is known for its textiles, particularly fine lace.
Most towns have fruit and vegetable markets on Saturday. Hypermarkets, enormous supermarkets that sell everything from foodstuffs and clothes to electrical equipment and furniture, are widespread in France. They tend to be situated just outside of town and all have parking facilities.
For bargain hunters, bric-a-brac or brocante is found in a number of flea markets (marché aux puces) on the outskirts of town, most notably at the Porte de Clignancourt, in Paris. There are several antique centers (Louvre des Antiquaires, Village Suisse, etc) where genuine antique furniture and other objects are on sale.
Amongst the larger department stores in Paris are the Printemps and the Galeries Lafayette near the Opéra; the Bazar Hôtel de Ville (BHV) and the Samaritaine on the Right Bank; and the Bon Marché on the Left Bank.
Paris has many varied markets including the flower market on the Ile de la Cité and bird, organic and food markets in every quarter. Another Parisian specialty is book markets. Travelers will find booksellers’ stalls along the banks of the Seine around the Saint Michel quarter, crammed with all kinds of books plus comics and postcards.
In the regions, the town center often has a number of clothes shops which are just as good as those in Paris. Some have good second hand shops.

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