France is a country located in Western Europe. Clockwise from the north, France borders Belgium and Luxembourg to the northeast, Germany and Switzerland to the east, Italy to the south-east and Spain to the south-west.
The Mediterranean Sea lies to the south of France, with the Principality of Monaco forming a small enclave. To the west, France has a long Atlantic Ocean coastline, while to the north lies the English Channel, across which lies the last of France’s neighbours, England (part of the United Kingdom).
France is the most sought after destination in the world. The country attracts a record number of tourists every year from around the world. Some of the most famous cities in France are:
Paris:
Paris is a French city, the capital of France and the capital of the Île-de-France region.
This city is built on a loop of the Seine, in the centre of the Paris basin, between the confluences of the Marne and the Seine upstream, and of the Oise and the Seine downstream. Its inhabitants are called Parisians.
Known throughout the world for its monuments and its artistic and cultural life, Paris is also an important city in world history, a major political and economic centre, as well as a crossing point for international transport.
The motto of Paris is “Fluctuat nec mergitur” (“It is beaten by the waves without being submerged”).
It evokes the Scilicet, a ship also represented on the city’s coat of arms and symbol of the powerful corporation of the Nautes or Water Merchants, which managed the municipality in the Middle Ages.
Paris takes its name from the Gallic people of the Parisii (a Parisius, of the Parisii). The word Paris is in fact the transformation, over time, of the Latin Civitas Parisiorum (the City of the Parisii), a designation that prevailed over Lutetia (Lutèce).
Paris is located on the Seine, where two islands are located which constitute the historic heart of the city: the Île de la Cité, where the Conciergerie (courthouse ), the prefecture of Paris, the Hôtel-Dieu (public assistance) and Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral; Île Saint-Louis, to the east of the first.
From there, the city extends on both banks of the river: Paris intra muros, delimited in 1860 by the fortifications, is today separated from the suburbs by the ring road, a circular urban expressway with a length of 35 km.
Some of the Famous Tourist Attraction of Paris are :
Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, Triumphal arch, Sacred Heart, Louvre, invalids, Place de la Concorde, Montparnasse Tower, Beaubourg Center, Champs-Elysees, Pont Neuf, Alexander III Bridge, Place du Tertre and Defense Arch.
NICE:
The success of NICE around the world is undeniable.
In fact, everything takes on relief in NICE, the brightness is such that the colours burst.
The pines are green and blend harmoniously with the blue of the Mediterranean and the sky, the sun makes the yellow of the flowers shine, the other of the facades of the houses, in a natural setting made of rocks and mountains: how not to understand the fascination that the Côte d’Azur has always exerted on the artists, painters, writers, sculptors, musicians, who have contributed to its fame and to whom the museums of Nice pay homage.
Tourism was born in Nice in the 18th century with the winter stay of well-known aristocrats, first English, then Russian and American, who gave the region an elegant and worldly life.
All forms of leisure and tourism are offered here: green, seaside, sports, luxury, mountain tourism and business and conference tourism.
Some villages in the hinterland of Nice are very touristic. The medieval part of these villages is very picturesque.
Nice is the fifth-largest city in France, the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department. It is located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region at the southeastern tip of France, about thirty kilometres from the Italian border.
Nice is also renowned for its old town, for the Cours Saleya which houses Provençal markets and restaurant terraces all year round, the Hôtel Victoria where Matisse lived, the Chagall and Matisse museums, the Mamac (contemporary art), and of course the Promenade des Anglais which stretches from the Théâtre de Verdure to the airport for several kilometres.
Nice is the most visited city after Paris in France.
Bordeaux:
If Bordeaux owes its worldwide fame to its famous vineyards, it is thanks to its history, closely linked to that of its river, that it can today invite you to discover all the richness of its exceptional heritage.
In addition to wine, the river and the arts, Bordeaux also has many museums and other places of a culture where the pleasure of the eyes is combined with the pleasures of the mind.
But Bordeaux is not content to pay homage to the builders of the past, and even less to be the world capital of wine.
Bordeaux can be discovered through its many green settings, appreciated for the mildness of its climate, savoured for the quality of life that one leads there punctuated by gastronomic pleasures and nocturnal festivals, flourishes in the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean and the Bassin d’Arcachon, Périgord and its prehistoric remains, Gascony and the Basque Country, the Landes forest and the Pyrenees…
A simple walk or guided tour, journey through history or out of time, unique panoramas of picturesque viewpoints, tastings or gastronomy… just come and discover Bordeaux.
Marseille:
Marseille is, after Paris, the second most populated city in France, with 862,900 inhabitants.
Nicknamed the Phocaean City, because of its foundation around 600 BC by Greek sailors from Phocaea in Asia Minor under the name of Massalia, it is the oldest urban settlement in France.
It is also the first port in France. Located in the southeast of France, it is bordered by the Mediterranean to the west, surrounded by the massifs of Estaque to the north, Etoile and Garlaban to the east and the Calanques to the south.
Marseille is the prefecture of the Bouches-du-Rhône department and the capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. It is home to one of the most successful clubs in French football, Olympique de Marseille.
Marseille enjoys an exceptional amount of sunshine, with nearly 2,900 hours of sunshine per year and an average of barely 100 days of rain (less than 600mm of water per year), partly thanks to the mistral which blows 90 days a year and gives the sky a characteristic purity and bright light.
The Phocaean city is a dream place to spend your holidays: sun, sea, the Old Port, the historic city centre, the Château d’If, seafood restaurants and Mediterranean cuisine
Rich in its culture, Marseille has seen the birth of many writers.
LYON:
Lyon is a French city, located in the east of France, at the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône. It is the capital of the Rhône department and of the Rhône-Alpes region.
Located between the Massif Central to the west and the Alps to the east, the city of Lyon occupies a strategic position in the North-South traffic in Europe. The former capital of Gaul within the Roman Empire, Lyon is the seat of an archdiocese whose holder has the title of primate of Gaul.
Lyon became a city of fairs from the Middle Ages, then a first-rate financial centre from the Renaissance to the end of the 19th century.
By its population, Lyon is the second city in France if one takes into account all the urban surface or that of its urban unit, or third (after Paris and Marseilles) if one counts only the intramural population.
It is at the heart of the second-largest urban region in France with its 2.2 million inhabitants. Capital of the Rhône-Alpes region, the city of Lyon exerts an attraction of national and European importance and has benefited from an influx of population over the past two decades.
The city has modern and renowned cultural infrastructures such as the Maison de la danse de Lyon, and the Auditorium in the Part-Dieu district which houses the National Orchestra of Lyon.
LILLE
Lille ( Ryssel in West Flemish, Rijsel in Dutch) is the largest city in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, prefecture of the Nord and capital of Nord-Pas-de-Calais.
Lille and its surroundings belong to the historical region of Romanesque Flanders, former territories of the County of Flanders but not part of the Dutch language area: Lille has always been a Romanesque language city.
Lille, benefiting from its excellent service, then attracted a growing number of visitors, almost exclusively for short stays, thanks to its reputation as a young and open city.
Lille has a very diversified heritage. Many conflicts have affected it and have led to the partial reconstruction of the city.
Biarritz
Originally Biarritz was only a small whaling village, but this city quickly became under the influence of Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie a harmonious and refined seaside resort. Accustomed to receiving prestigious visitors, Biarritz has retained an exceptional hotel tradition with its luxurious palaces and charming hotels.
Between mountains and sea, Biarritz offers an ideal natural setting specific to the Basque Country. Its people have been able to preserve, throughout their history, strong secular traditions, a very lively language and a rich culture.
Today Biarritz intends to strengthen its economy oriented towards tourism and services by focusing on multiple off-season activities and a dynamic cultural policy.
Emphasis is placed on business tourism (congresses, seminars, incentive stays), but also on fitness with thalassotherapy, its rich gastronomic tradition, its hotels, its shopping venues, its casino, not to mention sports. where Biarritz holds the star – the golf course, one of the oldest and most beautiful greens in Europe; surfing, the Grande Plage, one of the best “spots” in the world.
Strasbourg
Strasbourg (Strossburi in Alsatian, Straßburg in German) is a city located in northeastern France, on the left bank of the Rhine. It is the capital of the Alsace region and of the Bas-Rhin department. The city bears the title of European capital.
The seventh-largest city in France by population, it is one of the main economic centres of the northeast. The city is distinguished by a very diversified secondary sector and a tertiary sector essentially focused on financial activities, research and business consulting.
Its centre has been fully classified as a World Heritage Site by Unesco since 1988 and includes in particular the Notre-Dame de Strasbourg Cathedral and the Petite France district.
The presence of several renowned national establishments, such as the national theatre, the national and university library and the national Rhine opera, makes it an important cultural centre. Strasbourg is also a large student city. Its universities are resolutely internationally oriented with more than 20% of foreign students and more than 100 nationalities represented.
Cannes
Cannes (in Provençal Occitan: [kan]), Canas according to the classical standard or Cano according to the Mistralian standard, in medieval Occitan Cànoas) is a French commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’ Azur 36 km from Nice, 55 km from Monaco and 60 km from the Italian border.
During the Film Festival, the population of Cannes (71,000 inhabitants) exceeds 230,000 inhabitants. As a result, Cannes has been able to develop on the sidelines of its Film Festival.
Cannes quickly became the most publicized city in the world. It still exerts the same power of attraction today on a French and foreign clientele fascinated by its aura of a star city. From this intense tourist activity, the ultra-developed sectors of hotels, restaurants and luxury shops offer, between the sea and the sun, the most prestigious showcase of French luxury.
The seaside, with its famous Boulevard de la Croisette, is one of its major tourist assets, as well as the Lérins Islands, off the coast, which are part of the town. Cannes is also known worldwide for its Film Festival, which takes place every year in mid-May.
Apart from this festival, the palace that hosts it is also used for MIDEM (International Market for Music Publishing), as well as a host of other events throughout the year (international festival of games, boating, etc.) which makes it the second city of congresses in France after Paris.
Cannes’ main resource is tourism.
There are many palaces and luxury stores with prestigious addresses.
Montpellier
Montpellier (in Occitan Montpelhièr) is a French city, capital of the Hérault and the Languedoc-Roussillon region. Montpellier is located between Nîmes and Béziers.
Montpellier is located between two rivers: the Lez to the east, and the Mosson to the west. Its landscape is especially marked by the Saint-Loup peak, located 25 kilometres north of the city and visible from the Peyrou promenade and from the roof terrace of the Corum.
The climate of Montpellier is typically a Mediterranean climate. This results in rather rare but violent rainfall, mainly between September and early March. On the contrary, summer is often very dry, even arid, with only a few precipitations in August linked to thunderstorms.
The development of viticulture in the 19th century favoured the acquisition of considerable fortunes. This economic asset made it possible to relaunch the dynamics of the city, the benefits of which resulted in a new urban planning impetus, directly inspired by the Parisian model.
