FRANCE

France , officially the French Republic is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe, with several overseas regions and territories. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of three countries (Morocco, Spain) to have both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines. From its shape, it is often referred to in French as l’Hexagone (“The Hexagon”). It is a member of the European Union With 83 million foreign tourists in 2012 France is ranked as the first tourist destination in the world, ahead of the US (67 million) and China (58 million). This 83 million figure excludes people staying less than 24 hours, such as North Europeans crossing France on their way to Spain or Italy. It is third in income from tourism due to shorter duration of visits. France has 37 sites inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage List and features cities of high cultural interest, beaches and seaside resorts, ski resorts, and rural regions that many enjoy for their beauty and tranquility (green tourism). Small and picturesque French villages are promoted through the association Les plus Beaux Villages de France (“The Most Beautiful Villages of France”).

Capital : Paris

Best time to visit :

  1. July to Aug is the peak season in France.
  2. If you want to enjoy France to the fullest best time to visit is spring (April – June) or fall (September- November)

Minimum days required : 7 days

Places of Interest :

  1. Paris – Eiffel Tower, Disney Land, The Louvre, Mont Blanc, Notre Dame
  2. Nice –Promenade Des Anglais, Villa Leopolda,Opera De Nice, Musee d’art Moderne et d’art contemporain
  3. Monaco – French Riviera, Prince’s  Palace of Monaco, Monaco Vile, Opera De Monte Carlo
  4. Cannes – Promenade De La Croisette, Carlton Cannes, Lerins Islands, Brague, Valmasque
  5. Monte Carlo – Oceanographic Museum, Monte Carlo Casino, Grimaldi Forum, Opera De Monte Carlo
  6. Normandy –Alencon,Avranches,Bayeux,Camembert
  7. Champagne – Catherdrale Notre Dame,16th  Century Troyes, Basilique St – Remi
  8. Versailles – Palace of Versailles, Parc De Saint Cloud, Hall of Mirrors

Climate:

  1. France enjoys mild temperatures throughout the year: not too hot and not too cold, with a plentiful mix of rainfall and sunshine. Naturally, each region has its own particular climate: cooler and wetter to the north and west and warmer and drier in the Mediterranean.
  2. In winter, there is plenty of snow for winter sports enthusiasts to enjoy in mountainous areas. More rarely, snow falls on the plains, mainly north of the Loire, and extremely rarely in Paris.
  3. In spring, temperatures quickly rise above 20°C in the south, with the first swimmers appearing in Nice and Cannes. From the month of May, the whole of France puts on a tee-shirt. The days lengthen and it’s time to take a trip to the countryside and enjoy an aperitif on the terrace.
  4. Summers are hot and peaceful, the sun shining across the whole country. There are temperatures to to suit everyone: often reaching 30°C in Ajaccio and Marseille, 25°C in Brest and Deauville. People top up their tans and throng the beaches. It’s the perfect time to go on a long trek in the mountains or explore the various regions of France.
  5. Autumn marks the return of the rain, with the weather turning cooler as Christmas approaches. All across the country, the trees begin to show off their new colors. Walkers go out a little more wrapped up and the days start getting shorter.

Currency :  Euros

Things to carry :

  1. Pack for light weather (long-sleeve tees/tops, dresses, jeans etc) BUT bring a jacket/cardigan/light coat with you. Warm scarves are a must, though you can buy there.
  2. The temperature can range from 9°C in the morning to 23°C in the afternoon. You will wish you have a spring coat/ light jacket and scarf with you in the morning and just your normal clothes and a pair of sunglasses in the afternoon.
  3. Shoes, dressy sandals and converse sneakers, and boots are fine. Remember: Sunglasses, scarves and light coat/jacket are ESSENTIAL.
  4. For concerts/operas: The indoor heating is really strong. Wear normal clothes with a coat & scarf which you can take off once indoors

How to get there :

Air :

  1. Other airports outside Paris have flights to/from international destinations: Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, Toulouse have flights to cities in western Europe and North Africa; these airports are hubs to smaller airports in France and may be useful to avoid the transfer between the two Paris airports.
  2. Two airports, Bâle-Mulhouse and Geneva, are shared by France and Switzerland and can allow entry into either country.
  3.  Many airlines operate flights between regional airports in the UK and France