A beginner's guide to France

Mary Novakovich

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France^* has regained its crown as the world's most-visited country. What's more, according to the same recent report by GlobalData*, it's said that France will be drawing over 90 million visitors each year by 2025.

It's little wonder. There's incredible variety across France from its Mediterranean, Atlantic and Channel coasts to the soaring French Alps and the country's lush interior.

Here, we've pulled together just a few highlights to inspire you to plan your trip to the world's leading destination.

Holidays to France: find your dream self-catering escape with Pierre & Vacances^*, the largest provider of holiday accommodation across France and Spain. Choose from over 180 residences, more than 50 luxury properties and 15 family-friendly holiday villages.

French Riviera

Glitz and glamour, but also heart-stopping beauty with a rugged interior, sum up the French Riviera^*.

Running roughly from Toulon to Menton by the Italian border in the far southeast of the country, it's home to some of France's most glittering towns, including St Tropez, Cannes and St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Even though it's not part of France, Monaco usually gets roped in when talking about the Riviera. But it's not all bling: the region's capital, Nice, is a real city that happens to combine top-class museums with a beautiful old town and a long city beach.

Neighbours Antibes and Juan-les-Pins make an alluring pair: Antibes with its centuries of history and Juan-les-Pins the epitome of thirties' elegance.

Carry on towards the Italian border to reach Menton, whose colourful architecture echoes that of its Ligurian neighbours.

Head into the mountainous hinterland to find gorgeous hilltop towns including St-Paul-de-Vence and Cotignac, as well as the splendour of the Verdon Natural Regional Park.

If you're looking for a heavenly slice of the coast, take a boat to one of the outlying islands.

The Iles d'Hyères has one of France's loveliest beaches on the island of Poquerolles, and the Iles de Lérin offers a tranquil escape from Cannes.

Weather in St Tropez

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	12	13	14	17	20	24	27	27	25	21	16	13
Hours of sunshine (daily)	5	6	7	8	9	10	12	10	8	7	5	5
Days with some rainfall	9	9	9	9	8	6	3	5	6	8	9	9
Sea temperature °C	14	13	13	14	17	20	23	24	22	20	17	15

Picardy

This slice of northern France is often overlooked as people make their way to Normandy, but it's worth getting to know.

The main town of Amiens is a delight, a place of waterways, verdant gardens and some fascinating museums and galleries.

Wander along its canals past floating market gardens before checking out the Maison de Jules Verne, the house where the visionary novelist used to live, and the city's impressive gothic cathedral.

Picardy^*'s Channel coastline is worth a slow meander, particularly along the National Nature Reserve of the Somme. Here at the mouth of the River Somme you'll find tranquil beaches and hiking trails along vast expanses of marshlands and sand bars.

Birdwatchers will be fascinated by the huge array of wildlife that has made its home in these marshes. The neighbouring estuary towns of Le Crotoy and St-Valery-sur-Somme are full of charm and are fronted by long sandy beaches.

Weather in Amiens

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	6	7	9	13	17	20	22	22	19	15	10	7
Hours of sunshine (daily)	2	3	4	6	7	7	7	7	5	4	3	2
Days with some rainfall	18	15	17	16	16	13	13	13	14	15	17	17

Normandy

Sprawling across much of northern France is one of the country's most diverse regions. Normandy^* combines urban elegance with beautiful coastal stretches and lusciously fertile inland regions of rolling hills.

Start in the region's capital, Rouen, whose magnificent cathedral Monet captured in dozens of paintings and where an exciting foodie scene is found along the old town's narrow cobbled lanes.

Cross the River Seine to carry on along the Impressionists' trail to impossibly pretty Honfleur, Trouville, chic Deauville and Cabourg, the town that inspired Marcel Proust.

Once you've explored the D-Day beaches, veer inland to historic Bayeux and its cathedral and museum housing the Bayeux Tapestry.

Pop into the lively university city of Caen before crossing the Cotentin peninsula and visiting the underrated coastal resort of Gonville.

From here it's a short journey to the incomparable Mont-St-Michel, the medieval island monastery connected to the mainland via a causeway.

Once you've had your fill of seafood along the coast, dive deep into Normandy's countryside and follow the cider and calvados route towards the beautiful town of Beuvron-sur-Auge and the cheese trail taking in Camembert, Pont-l'Évèque and Livarot.

Weather in Deauville

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	7	8	10	13	16	19	21	21	19	16	11	8
Hours of sunshine (daily)	2	3	4	6	7	8	8	7	6	4	3	2
Days with some rainfall	18	15	16	14	15	12	11	12	13	14	17	17
Sea temperature °C	8	7	7	9	12	15	17	19	18	15	12	10

Brittany

France's westernmost region is a magical mix of wildness and historic cities, and whose islands, many of them car-free, offer a peaceful escape.

With nearly 1,800 miles of coastline, there's a beach somewhere for everyone, and hikers can follow the GR34 hiking trail that covers the coast's entire length.

Brittany's medieval towns and cities are irresistible. Quimper, the oldest in Brittany^*, is one of the many places in the region where you get a strong sense of Breton culture and Celtic traditions.

St-Malo is one of the most popular ports in Brittany, with many visitors stepping off the ferry and heading off without stopping in this wonderful walled town. That's their mistake. It's certainly worth a lingering look through its cobbled old town.

Just across the River Rance is Dinard, which for many years was Brittany's most fashionable place for a seaside holiday.

There's more medieval loveliness in the town of Dinan, which is also surrounded by venerable ramparts and whose cobbled lanes are filled with typically Breton half-timbered houses.

Weather in Quimper

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	9	10	11	13	16	19	21	21	19	16	12	10
Hours of sunshine (daily)	2	3	4	6	7	7	8	7	6	4	3	2
Days with some rainfall	21	18	19	17	16	13	12	14	15	17	20	20

Loire Valley

Follow the route of the River Loire, the longest river in France, as it winds east from Nantes on the west coast of France to Orleans and then south about another 100 miles to the town of Sancerre in the centre of France.

You'll be in the valley of the kings and queens who built many of the country's most fantastically over-the-top chateaux. It also flows past countless vineyards producing top-notch wines, more than enough reason to take a leisurely journey through this mellow part of France.

Take things even more slowly by cycling along the river on the Vélo Vert, one of the most appealing cycling trails in France.

The names of the towns along the Loire will give a clue as to their wine offering: Saumur, Chinon, Vouvray, just to get you started.

The choice of chateaux is enormous; more than 300 are scattered around the Loire Valley^* and the river's tributaries.

For pure romance, it's hard to resist a visit to the chateau at Azay-le-Rideau, which sits on its own little island in the River Indre. For pure opulence, explore the wonders of Chateau de Chenonceaux, part of which spans the River Cher.

Weather in Tours

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	7	8	11	15	18	22	25	24	22	17	11	7
Hours of sunshine (daily)	2	3	4	6	6	8	8	7	6	4	3	2
Days with some rainfall	17	15	15	14	16	12	10	11	11	13	16	16

Dordogne

It's one of France's most popular regions, and with good reason. There's more than a hint of the fairytale about the Dordogne^*.

About 50 miles to the east of Bordeaux, Dordogne is dotted with hilltop medieval towns and castles that overlook the River Dordogne on some of the undulating hills that cover this part of southwest France.

Just within a short stretch you'll find three magical villages that hover over the river: Beynac, La Roque-Gageac and Domme, and one of the most enchanting ways to see them is from your own kayak or canoe.

The town of Sarlat-la-Canéda brings together what's special about the Dordogne, with its medieval and Renaissance centre, superlative restaurants and equally excellent food market.

Further west along the River Dordogne is Bergerac, which is not only surrounded by vineyards producing excellent wine, but is also a very pleasant town in itself. And it's a handy spot for boat trips along the Dordogne in traditional wooden river boats.

Weather in Bergerac

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	9	11	13	16	20	23	26	26	23	19	13	9
Hours of sunshine (daily)	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	8	7	5	3	3
Days with some rainfall	16	14	15	15	16	12	10	11	11	12	14	15

Corsica

The Mediterranean's fourth-largest island, just over 100 miles to the southeast of Nice, happens to be one of its most diverse, and certainly deserves its nickname of the 'Island of Beauty'.

Corsica^* has pretty much all you want in a holiday: historic coastal resorts and cities packed with colourful architecture, a mountainous interior that's a hiker's and mountain biker's dream, nearly 200 astoundingly beautiful beaches and a culture that's distinctly Corsican rather than French.

Start in the north where you have the lively town of Calvi and its hulking medieval citadel lording it over the port.

Once you've strolled past the boutiques and cafés in the narrow lanes of the old town, turn into the port and choose from its many restaurant terraces with fabulous views of the sea and the citadel.

Hop on the train to reach Bastia on the eastern coast, a larger and buzzier version of Calvi, with its own citadel and brightly coloured port.

Go south to reach Ajaccio, Corsica's attractive capital and birthplace of Napoleon. And for one of Corsica's most jaw-dropping sights, take a boat trip at its southern end to see the town of Bonafacio clinging to the limestone cliffs.

Weather in Ajaccio

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	12	13	14	16	20	23	27	27	24	21	17	13
Hours of sunshine (daily)	4	5	6	7	9	10	12	10	9	7	5	4
Days with some rainfall	12	12	12	11	9	6	3	4	6	10	13	13
Sea temperature °C	14	13	13	14	17	21	23	25	23	21	18	15

French Alps

Whether you're in the French Alps in the winter or the summer, you'll be in one of France's best adventure playgrounds.

For winter sports, it's hard to beat; the French Alps include the world's largest ski domain, the Trois Vallées, along with other huge ski areas including the Portes du Soleil, Val d'Isère/Tignes, Paradiski, the Grand Massif and the grande dame of French ski resorts, Chamonix.

Lovers of modernist architecture will have superb skiing right on their doorstep if they stay in Avoriaz, Les Arcs, La Plagne, Les Menuires or Flaine.

If you want traditional Savoyard charm, head for Morzine, St-Martin-de-Belleville, Samoëns, Chamonix or Val d'Isère. While Courchevel has a reputation for bling, its skiing more than matches it.

Once the snow disappears, it's time to get the hiking boots and bikes out and explore the mountains. Most ski resorts will have their cable cars and chairlifts running throughout the summer to transport you to the top.

Mountain lakes, both natural and man-made, reveal themselves in all their glory in the summer, your cue to dive in and revel in their beauty.

Weather in Val d'Isère

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C	-5	-5	-4	-0	4	8	11	11	8	4	-1	-4
Hours of sunshine (daily)	4	5	5	6	6	7	8	7	6	5	4	4
Days with some rainfall	15	14	16	18	19	17	14	15	12	13	15	14

Find out more about the different regions on our complete guide to the weather in France.

Ready to book that great French escape? Don't miss the latest offers on self-catering holidays to France with Pierre & Vacances.

*Tourism Destination Market Insight: Western Europe (2022) report by GlobalData.

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Mary Novakovich

Mary Novakovich is an award-winning journalist, travel writer and author. She often writes about Croatia, France, Italy and Greece for the likes of The Independent, The Guardian and The Telegraph. Mary has also written numerous guidebooks and a travel memoir, "My Family and Other Enemies: Life and Travels in Croatia's Hinterland".

Posted on Friday 21st April 2023 in: Culture Europe Excursions Summer

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