Destination
Short and Long Tours
France
Introduction
I have been to France many times, I love the Country.
It is more expensive than countries such as Spain, Germany and the Balkans, but not as expensive as say Switzerland, Norway and Austria for example.
You think you know everything about this country but each time I visit, I learn or see something new.
There are a multitude of possibilities of where to go and what to see and it can be overwhelming.
Hopefully, this section will give you a few ideas and pointers as to where to go and what you can fit in within your chosen timescale.
Places To Go
Regions
Mainland France is split into 12 regions. There are actually 18 regions but these are either Islands, such as Corsica or regions on the coast of Africa. I will be concentrating on the 12 mainland regions.
Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes, Bretagne (Brittany), Bourgogne – Franche-Comté, Centre – Val de Loire, Grand Est (Alsace, Champagne, Lorraine), Hauts de France ( Nord Pas-de-Calais – Picardie), Ile de France (Paris), Nouvelle Aquitaine (Aquitaine, Poitou-Charentes, Limousin), Normandie, Occitanie (Midi-Pyrénées, Languedoc), Pays de la Loire, Provence – Cote d’Azur
Places To Go
Regions
Mainland France is split into 12 regions. There are actually 18 regions but these are either Islands, such as Corsica or regions on the coast of Africa. I will be concentrating on the 12 mainland regions.
- The North. Calais to Normandie
- The West. Normandy to Biarritz
- The South. Biarritz to Monte Carlo
- The East. Vosges to Calais
The North
It’ difficult to encapsulate the sheer variety in France’s Northern Regions, and how somewhere like Brittany can have such a different character to its neighbour Normandy.
If you’re pondering where to go, this list may give you some holiday inspiration.
There’s a mixture of famous cities with spectacular monuments, and old villages in which hardly a brick has been moved in hundreds of years.
You’ll also find out about the historical figures associated with each place, from William the Conqueror and Joan of Arc to Claude Monet and Jules Verne.
The West
From the Bay of Biscay in the south to the Celtic Sea off the northern coast of France, there are so many beautiful and best places in the west of France to explore. For starters, there is a huge mix of little towns and cities that’ll have you leaping to book a train or flight to this beautiful region.
That being said, if you’re not too sure you can reach the best places in the west of France, you’ve also got a treasure trove of other things to do in France. For instance, the secret spots in Paris or the charming villages of Dordogne are just two of my favourites. France even has its fair share of stunning national parks and hikes in France that are beautiful to explore.
The South
Doesn’t matter if you’ve been before or if you’re a first-timer – the South of France is one place that’s guaranteed to be an easy yes when it comes to deciding where to holiday. The beautiful beaches, amazing food and plethora of cute little French villages to pop into only serve to add more to the appeal of this sunny part of France (or indeed, to the envy of your friends visiting these beautiful French towns and cities.
So it’s decided! You definitely want to visit the South of France this summer. Now that we can take that for granted – the next question is, where to visit. It’s not like you can just visit ‘The South of France” – that’s like attempting to booking plane tickets to “Asia” – you need to be a tad more specific!
The East
Eastern France is the perfect place for you to explore beautiful towns and villages, world-class vineyards, fairytale castles, gothic churches and, of course, feast on French and international dishes and fine wines from the area.
If you are considering a road trip through Eastern France, the international town of Strasbourg is a great place to start following a route that will pass through the delightfully charming towns and villages in the Alsace region to the vineyards of Burgundy and on to the Alpine mountains of the world-championship ski resort of Chamonix.
Eastern France borders Switzerland, Germany and Italy, so it is straightforward to continue to one of these other amazing countries on your European Road Trip. If you prefer to loop back to Strasbourg through France, then Lyon and Metz in north-eastern France are two more great French towns to visit.
Getting There
The quickest way to reach France from most parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland is by air. From southern England, however, the Eurostar provides a viable alternative, making the journey from London to Paris in as little as two and a quarter hours. The Channel Tunnel is the most flexible option if you want to take your car to France, though cross-Channel ferries are usually cheaper.
Accomodation
- French Bed & Breakfast accommodation. Our favourite type of accommodation in France is the chambres d’hotes – premium Bed and Breakfasts. …
- Boutique Hotels. These are smaller hotels normally with 15 to 30 rooms. …
- Hotel Chains in France. …
- Apartment Rental in Paris. …
- Gites – Vacation cottage rentals.
Vosges Tour
Excellent motorcycle territory
With over 14 peaks at altitudes of more than 1,000 metres, the Massif des Vosges offers many different viewpoints with a 360° panorama. Take a walk with the family along marked paths and enjoy the refreshing greenery all around – full of natural wonders: waterfalls, peaks, lakes and much more. The landscape is amazingly varied – here’s our selection of seven viewpoints for you to feast your eyes on.
Something to see around every corner
Located in eastern France, just a few kilometres from the border with Germany, the Massif des Vosges boasts a range of different landscapes – from lakes to mountains. Set against a lush green backdrop, every peak is an opportunity for contemplation and restoring the senses.
Vosges, the third most wooded département in France, boasts a stunning natural environment consisting of world-famous thermal springs, waterfalls, mountain lakes, the Vosges mountains, unspoiled flora, rivers and magnificent fir forests.
Normandy D-Day Landings Tour
On this World War 2 D-Day landings tour, we take an in-depth look at the events that took place on June 6th 1944. Seen as a major turning point in WW2, it was the date that the Allied landed on the coast of Normandy during Operation Overlord. We visit the beaches where the battles took place along Normandy’s coast such as Juno Beach, where we see the bunkers and Omaha Beach, known as Bloody Omaha. We visit Pegasus Bridge and take a look at St. Mère Eglise, where the ‘Band of Brothers’ fought.
South to North Tour
This was an extension of a tour to the Spanish side of the Pyrenees, where we travelled back through France, from La Seu d’Urgell in Spain to Cherbourg, visiting various places along the route.
Vosges Tour Gallery
