top of page
ALL 21 MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES
Romantic French is the official language of 29 countries.
Join the 76 million native speakers and 235 million daily speakers
who love French!
Meet our leading French travel Partners who will take you further and further along in the exciting journey through France.
TOP 5 COASTAL CITIES
Anchor 1
Nice
You don’t have to be an international jetsetter to thoroughly enjoy the Cote d’Azur, the French Riviera!
A popular attraction of the Riviera is the city and beaches of Nice.
The city was founded by the ancient Greeks and by the 19th century it became a vacation retreat for Europe’s rich and famous.
It also has a long tradition of attracting world class artists and those who lived in Nice or spent time working there, include Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Renoir and Picasso.
Art museums are a staple in France and Nice features three megastar ones; the Musées Matisse, Chagall and d’Art Moderne
At the center of the city is the pedestrians-only Place Rossetti with its striking fountain and the Sainte-Réparate cathedral.
But as always it’s the stunning deep and the beautiful blue water of the ever present Mediterranean that helps make Nice an international attraction.
Marseille
For over 2,500 years Marseille’s rectangular port has been used for global trading. The port’s broad promenades with enclosed, mostly 18th-century former warehouses, offer a wide range of cafes, fish restaurants and bars.
To the south of the Old Port stands Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde, a 9th-century, 150 meter tall, neo-Byzantine church.
The long, eventful history of Marseilles is at one’s grasp when visiting the Musée d’Histoire de Marseille with its ceramics, ancient ships and remains of an archeological site with ramparts, port structure and a necropolis.
L’Estaque, a Marseilles suburb, is a fishing village that was the scene for the paintings of Cézanne, Braque and other 19th -century painters.
Cannes
Movie stars. The rich and famous. Luxury and wealth.
This is what comes to mind at the very mention of Cannes, the famous resort town on the sunny French Riviera.
In Cannes, home of the Cannes international film festival, the beaches are sandy, the boutique stores upscale and the hotels first class.
The Cannes marina shows off with extravagant yachts, all part of the city whose moto declares, "Life is a festival."
Perhaps the favorite activity when visiting Cannes is “people watching” and a favorite spot is the promenade of the hotel-lined La Croisette boulevard.
Fréjus
Fréjus is a one-of-a-kind historic port town on the Côte d'Azur, French Rivieria.
The city was home to first naval base in the Mediterranean Roman Empire. As such, it is full of Roman ruins including a classical Roman amphitheater and aqueduct.
Frejus’ local Archaeological Museum is a treasure trove full of Roman artifacts
The Gothic, centuries-old Saint-Léonce Cathedral has painted cloisters and a baptistry (5th century) with Roman columns.
Notre-Dame de Jérusalem Chapel, located in the north of the city, was designed by architect Jean Cocteau.
And to the south of the town center one can relax and enjoy the sandy beach.
Pigna, Corsica
Stunning turquoise water. A pink cliff. Sandy luxurious beaches.
Visitors find all that, and much more, in Pigna, located on the renowned island of Corsica.
The city is set on a small hill bounded by olives groves with a view of the Algajola bay. The streets are steep with cobblestones; a maze best experienced by foot.
The medieval village of Pigma offers a rich architectural and cultural past including the Church of the Immaculate Conception with its two towers.
Local events highlight the proud heritage of Corsica’s celebrated crafts and music.
TOP 7 people, food & fun
Anchor 2
Claude Monet
Claude Monet (1840-1926) is considered by many to be the leading force behind the art movement of impressionism and one of the greatest of the modern painters.
As a young child Claude Monet was fascinated by how sunlight colored the earth’s ground.
Starting out at an earl yage as a caricaturist, he moved on to earn a name as a charcoal impressionist.
In Paris he associated with similar artists including Renoir, Sisley, Gustave and Manet.
From his boathouse on the Seine he would paint the people and scenes of the river bank.
Monet is quoted as saying about his exceptional works of art: “Everyone discusses my art and pretends to understand, as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply necessary to love.”
Louis Pasteur
In an age where diseases such as tuberculosis struck so many people, the great French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur (1822 – 1895) developed life-saving cures and antidotes.
As a student he was considered “mediocre” but earned his doctorate and went on to successfully focus on the study of germs.
Pasteur’s acclaimed work also helped find cures to dangerous illnesses such as anthrax and rabies.
He is of course generally famous for developing the method to pasteurise milk; a process that kills the bacteria in milk without destroying the milk protein. This was an outstanding discovery which made milk completely safe to drink.
Pasteur was known to advise other scientists: “An individual who gets used to hard work can thereafter never live without it. Work is the foundation of everything in this world.”
Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo, (1802, Besançon, France—died May 22, 1885, Paris), was the most famous of the French Romantic writers; Hugo was a poet, novelist, and dramatist.
In France, Hugo had earned a reputation as one of the greatest of French poets though internationally he was better known for his novels such as as Notre-Dame de Paris (1831) and Les Misérables (1862).
Earlier in his life Hugo graduated from the law faculty at Paris. That experience would be portrayed in a character found in Les Misérables.
Hugo’s first novel, titled Han d’Islande, was published in 1823; it later appeared under the English translation as Hans of Iceland.
Hugo’s 1827 Cromwell was considered to be an authentic Romantic one, dealing with a leader from the people who sought to be the king.
More fame resulted from the 1831 release of historical novel Notre-Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre-Dame), centered around hunchback Quasimodo and the gypsy girl Esmeralda in medieval Paris during the times of Louis XI.
Upon his death Hugo was given a national funeral where his body laid in state under the Arc de Triomphe.
Marie Curie
Marie Curie (1867–1934) won not one, but two, Nobel prizes, both in Chemistry and in Physics.
The list of her scientific accomplishments are remarkable.
Curie pioneered work in the field of radioactivity which resulted in practical uses of x-rays.
She also discovered two new elements, polonium and radium.
Facing stereotypical discrimination against women scientists, she broke numerous barriers for women including being named the first female professor at the University of Paris.
A driven, extremely hardworking person, Curie has been quoted to say: “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.”
Baguette
The baguette is a long, thin loaf of French bread.
While the French claim the Baguette as theirs, the word baguette actually derives from the Latin word baculum, which became in Italian baccheto, or staff or stick.
While French bread is typically baked in a long, thin shape, the baguette can be baked to as long as 65 centimeters with a diameter of 5 or 6 centimeters.
In France baguettes are generally made in the same healthy, natural way with ingredients of wheat flour, water, yeast and salt.
Crepes
Crêpes are said to originate in Brittany, northwestern France, in around the 12th century.
For the French, crepes are not just a pancake dish, but rather an art form.
The word crepe comes from a Latin word Crispus meaning crisp.
Crêpes come in two basic versions: sweet crêpes (crêpes sucrées) and savoury galettes (crêpes salées).
Crêpes can be cooked using a large flat pan or skillet, or an iron cast griddle which are found in many French homes.
Chocolate Soufflé
The word soufflé actually comes from the French verb ‘to blow’, a result of this scrumptious desert dish being light.
Antoine Beauvilliers who cooked for King Louis XIV in the 18th century and owned what was considered to be Paris’ first restaurant, developed the Souffle.
Ingredients include: butter, sugar, chocolate, vanilla extract, egg yolk and, egg whites.
TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS
Anchor3
Eiffel Tower
The #1 symbol and landmark of Paris, of all of France, is without doubt, the Eiffel Tower.
The tower, designed by Gustave Eiffel for the World Fair of 1889 is comprised of 8,000 metallic parts.
The 320-meter-high tower has earned the affectionate nickname of "Iron Lady”.
Visitors can enjoy a French meal on the tower’s various levels including the best cuisine at the top rated Le Jules Verne restaurant located on the second level
On a clear day, the top level of the tower offers expansive panoramic views of Paris and beyond.
Louvre Museum
How many days does a visitor need to fully take in the Louvre Museum?
With an incredible collection of 35,000 works of art, the Louvre is an unparalleled international treasure.
Some of its most famous pieces of art include the Mona Lisa by Leonardo DaVinci, the Wedding Feast at Cana by Veronese, and the 1st-century-BC Venus de Milo sculpture.
The museum is housed in a magnificent palace that was once a royal residence, and many of its incomparable pieces of art were contributed by kings who resided at the Louvre.
The Louvre is the world’s most-visited art museum, and its collection spans works of art from ancient times to the mid-19th century.
Versailles
If one wants to appreciate the splendor of what was once French Royalty, then glorious Versailles provides the answer.
It was King Louis XIV who took a small hunting lodge and turned it to an opulent palace like no other.
French architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart created Château de Versailles’ Baroque facade and extravagant interior.
Currently an UNESCO World Heritage Site, the palace features the stunning Hall of Mirrors, where the brilliant sunlight reflects off massive ornamental mirrors.
Versailles is also famous for Les Jardins, magnificent French gardens with decorative pools, shrubbery, and out of this world fountains.
These gardens were designed by 17th century landscaper André Le Nôtre and are surrounded by hundreds of acres of park land.
Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile proudly stands at the western end of the Champs-Élysées in the center of Place Charles de Gaulle.
Together with the Eiffel Tower it is considered to be one of France’s most famous attractions.
Napoleon Bonaparte ordered the construction of The Arc de Triomphe to celebrate his military victories including the famous battle of Austerlitz.
The Arc de Triomphe is 50 metres in height, 45 metres wide and 22 metres deep.
Jean-François Chalgrin designed the Arc which then took thirty years to build; it was inaugurated by King Louis-Philippe.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier rests beneath the Arc.
The Arc de Triomphe was the site of Napoleon’s funeral in 1840 and the site of victory parades for World War I in 1919 of World War II in 1944.
Mont Saint-Michel
Fairy Tale Castles are not just for kids!
When traveling through the lovely Loire Valley, one feels like they are part of a children's fairy tale storybook.
Loire Valley features a beautiful countryside full of e fairy-tale castles including moats and turreted towers.
The area is known as the "Garden of France," and has earned the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Loire castles include those from medieval time with fortresses surrounded by ramparts.
Other castles are elegant Renaissance palaces built by royalty. The famous Château de Chambord, for example, was built especially for King Francis I.
Loire Valley
Fairy Tale Castles are not just for kids!
When traveling through the lovely Loire Valley, one feels like they are part of a children's fairy tale storybook.
Loire Valley features a beautiful countryside full of e fairy-tale castles including moats and turreted towers.
The area is known as the "Garden of France," and has earned the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Loire castles include those from medieval time with fortresses surrounded by ramparts.
Other castles are elegant Renaissance palaces built by royalty. The famous Château de Chambord, for example, was built especially for King Francis I.
Mont Blanc
Stunning. Awesome. Amazing. Unforgettable.
These are just some of the descriptions visitors use to convey their first impression of Mont Blanc.
Located in the French Alps, Mont Blanc rises to 4,810 meters, the highest peak in all of Europe.
Because of tis majestic height, Mont Blanc or "White Mountain”, is always blanketed in snow.
Nestled at the bottom of this incredible mountain is the charming village of Chamonix. The village offers historic churches, cozy restaurants, and delightful French inns, known as auberges.
For those who relish the challenges of the outdoors, Chamonix offers excellent skiing, hiking, rock climbing, and other active adventures.
Brittany
In the northeast corner of France, visitors can enjoy the region of Brittany.
Brittany abounds in small fishing villages and sea ports with the flavor of the ancient Celtic traditions.
Some worthwhile attractions include:
The port of Saint-Malo surrounded by ancient walls.
Quimper features half-timbered houses, pleasant squares, and a large Gothic cathedral.
Nantes is the historic site where the famous Edict of Nantes was signed in 1598 granting freedom of religious belief to Protestants.
Belle-Île-en-Mer, is the largest of the Breton islands, and visitors relish the seaside it offers.
The local Brittany cuisine is a treat and is known for its tasty buckwheat crêpes and sugary dessert crêpes.
Rocamadour
The holy site of Rocamadour is magnificently perched within a sheer limestone cliff.
As far back as the 11th century, Rocamadour was considered to be the third most holy site for Christians, behind Jerusalem and Rome.
The village contains seven ancient sanctuaries; additionally, pilgrims and visitors congregate in the Chapelle Notre-Dame (Chapelle Miraculeuse).
Basilique Saint-Sauveur is the largest church in Rocamadour, featuring Romanesque and Gothic style from the 11th and 13th centuries. The steep flight of steps can be climbed to reach the top of this UNESCO-listed heritage site.
Rocamadour is surrounded by the Parc Naturel Régional des Causses du Quercy, a highly enjoyable natural park.
Strasbourg
When visiting beautiful Strasbourg, one experiences not just France, but also Germany and all of Europe.
Bordering on Germany in the historic Alsace region, Strasbourg is home to the European Parliament and other European institutions, such as the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe.
The city’s historic center, Grande Ile, features numerous museums as well as the imposing Gothic cathedral, with its pink sandstone, elaborate carvings and a 300-year old working astrological clock.
La Petite France, is a popular attraction of cobblestone streets and delightful cafes.
For lovers of culture, Strasbourg boasts the L’Opera National du Rhin, and the Theatre national de Strasbourg, together with world class art galleries.
LEARN french
Anchor 4
OVER 2,500 WORDS & PHRASES
HELP IN OVER 100 LANGUAGES
30 MILLION PEOPLE
HAVE STARTED
SPEAKING A NEW LANGUAGE WITH UTalk
POWERED BY UTalk
SYNC ACROSS ALL DEVICES
Download your
FREE DEMO
at:
travel partners
Anchor 5
Exclusive France Tours
France
For over twenty years the dedicated team of luxury travel curators and private guides at Exclusive France Tours has been designing the travel experiences of your dreams.
Whether you’re interested in a luxury French wine tour that involves meeting renowned vintners, discovering France’s historical and architectural heritage, a high-end adventure tour or staging a unique themed evening, you can be certain that Exclusive France Tours will craft an unforgettable experience– just for you.
Exclusive France Tours will open your eyes and senses to the marvelous riches of France and all it has to offer.
And you will experience France in a truly exceptional way.
bottom of page