Travel Guides: All Countries / Europe / France
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| | | A land of diversity |  | Why go on holiday to France?
The largest country in Western Europe, France's most appealing characteristic is its diversity. There are beaches, glaciers, mountains, canyons, forests and vineyards.
With the country's superb train system you can experience skiing one day and sunbathing the next.
How much does it cost?
There is something for every budget, but as a rough guide a one-week family beach holiday staying in a hotel on the Riviera in September will cost you about £1,200, while a two-week family camping holiday in the Dordogne travelling with your car by Eurostar is priced from £600 - or take your car from Dover-Calais on the ferry.
A Eurostar foot passenger return to Paris costs from £70 (watch for special offers) and flights are from £50 return. Car hire in France is reasonable.
When to go?
Depends whether you want beaches, skiing or lovely landscapes. Generally France has a temperate climate, similar to the UK with mild winters except for the mountainous areas and Alsace. The wettest months in Alsace are June and July, when storms are common.
From May to September many resorts including Brittany and the Cote d'Azur are packed with tourists - so pre-book your accommodation. The Alps is a favourite for skiers and snowboarders - the season lasts from December to early April.
The south has mild winters (12C/53F) and hot summers (25C/77F) but also has the mistral - the cold, dry wind that blows relentlessly in spring and is said to send some people mad.
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| | | From Marseilles to Monet |  | What should I do when I'm there?
If you fancy lots of sun then St Tropez and Cannes, playgrounds of the rich and famous, can be fun. If culture is more your thing then Burgundy is where you'll find historic towns and fine wines. The Loire valley is a treasure trove of French history.
Lourdes, on the edge of the Pyrenees, is one of the world's most important pilgrimage sites, although sadly it has a tacky commercial side. Or get away from it all hiking in the Pyrenees.
What's to see in the cities?
Paris is chock full of history and style, with easy excursions to Monet's gardens at Giverny, and Versailles. The cosmopolitan port of Marseilles is France's second city. Dating back to 600BC, it's a historical treat.
Rouen is where Joan of Arc met her end. It has a fantastic cathedral and great museums. Lyons is great for classy shopping and famed for its cuisine. The walled medieval city of Carcassonne in the Languedoc is stunning.
Where can I let it all hang out?
France is one of Europe's most popular venues for nudism. Naturist centres are mainly in the sunny south (Cote d'Azur, Languedoc and Provence). They range from small rural campsites to large chalet villages.
The French Naturist Federation (01 47 64 32 82) will point you in the right direction.
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| | | Dream cuisine | | Where's good for nightlife?
All major towns and cities will have their clubs and discos (or boites). Most also put on at least one music festival a year - the nationwide Fete de la Musique brings live music to every corner of France on June 21.
At the cinema, if you don't want to hear a dubbed version of a film, look for the letters v.o. (version originale) on the posters. A highlight of the French theatre year is the Festival d'Avignon (mid-July to mid-August).
On the Cote d'Azur, the main evening entertainment is delicious dining al fresco on the coast and people watching.
What's the food like?
Every region has its speciality, from Provence with its Mediterranean dishes to the Roussillon region's Spanish influence of tapas.
Normandy is known for its rich cuisine based on cream, butter and seafood while cooking in Burgundy relies mainly on wine, pork fat and cream. Crepes and galettes in Brittany are delicious, sweet or savoury. Two regions produce the most celebrated wines in France: Bordeaux and Burgundy. The French nearly always drink wine with their meals and wine tasting is an art and a tradition.
What should I buy?
Wine is a good buy with a huge choice available. There are more than 400 different French cheeses - some travel better than others and make good gifts. The chocolates are also superb and the candied fruit from Nice is the best.
Quimper in Brittany is good for colourful pottery, Baccarat in Lorraine for crystal and glass, Limoges for porcelain. Paris has all the luxury goods you could ever want.
What is there for children to do?
There's a plethora of theme and amusement parks. Disneyland Resort Paris has to be the hottest destination. Just outside the capital at Elancourt, study France at a glance at the Miniature Park of France.
Travel through a huge cartoon strip at Parc Asterix at Picardy in northern France. Meet the Smurfs at Parc Walibi in Lorraine. Into fish? Kids will love Aliotis in Sologne with its 60 open-air aquariums.
Tourist office
178 Piccadilly, London W1V OAL. Tel 09068 244123 (60p per minute).
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| | Available rental properties in France |
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| |  | | Les Trois Epis
2-bedroom apartment for up to 7 in central Nice - Promenade des Anglais. Terrace with Mediterranean view. Minimum 3 nights stay. Available all year.
|  | | Manoir De Maffrecourt - Gite Mirabelle
We invite you to come and enjoy a taste of real France in the Champagne Ardenne with walking, cycling, water sports, fishing, historic sites.
|  | | Manoir De Maffrecourt - Gite Cerise
We invite you to come and enjoy a taste of real France in the Champagne Ardenne with walking, cycling, water sports, fishing, historic sites.
|  | | Campagnac Villa, Bergerac.
Luxury villa with own private pool. Total peace and tranquillity, in the heart of the Dordogne.
*** ARRIVE/DEPART ANY DAY ***
Free phone & WiFi high speed internet access.
|  | | Cottage Le Capiol - Dordogne
A detached village house, in a fantastic location a short walk to the River Dordogne, restaurants and shops. *** ARRIVE/DEPART ANY DAY *** Short breaks available.
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