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France in Brief: France is a modern European state, a republic, and one
of the world's major economies.
It is also a country with a very rich cultural and environmental heritage.
The climate in France is quite varied, but generally west European - on the whole a bit warmer than the UK, a
bit cooler than Spain . Metropolitan France (France in Europe) is divided, administratively, into 22 regions, and 95 counties, known as departments. Don't expect to find summer in winter in the
South of France! France uses the Euro, and most garages, hotels and shops in France accept credit
cards, though not always cards that do not have a microchip. The cost
of living in France is fairly similar to neighbouring countries, though
some things (like supermarket food) may be more expensive. Paris is an
expensive city. On the other hand, fruit, wine, travel, hotels and
restaurants tend to be cheaper than they are in the United Kingdom,
particularly in rural areas.
Planning a trip to France: if you have all the time in the
world, you may not need to plan your holiday, you can just go and wander
through France at your own leisurely pace, and it will be a wonderful
and varied experience. But anyone planning a shorter visit is
advised to plan details first. About-France.com provides information to help you choose a destination, or travel through France, discover
the things to
visit in France and its regions, find a place to
stay, for example a holiday
cottage, or a place to study
French, and much more. There's even a page on medical cover for your stay in France,
and what to do if you get taken ill or have an accident.
City-breaks and short trips: Paris
Paris
is Paris ...
Staying in Paris for a couple of nights is a great way to discover
France for the first time... or the second, or the third... Paris is a
city
that people easily fall in love with, and with city-centre to
city-centre transport from Brussels or London, thanks to Eurostar,
Paris is just a short train ride away, and a real break; it has masses
of opportunities for cultural tourism, with some of the world's
finest museums and monuments; it is one of the world's great shopping
cities, and also arguably the finest city in Europe, a place that you
can easily spend days just walking around, savouring the atmosphere,
enjoying the life. About-France.com provides information on Paris tourist attractions including things to do for free, Paris visitor passes and tips on how to save money during your stay. And staying in a hotel
in Paris for a couple of nights won't break the bank But, as they say in the rest of France, Paris
is Paris, it is not the whole of France. So what about the rest of
France?
The rest of France - summer or winter - a wealth of experiences to choose from.
One of the
larger
countries in Western Europe, France is also the most varied in terms of
scenery and climate. From Brittany
to Provence,
the Auvergne
, the Loire Valley, the Dordogne
or the
Alps, Burgundy
to the Languedoc and the Pyrenees, each region is
special, each is
a holiday in itself. It is also a country with over 2000 miles of beaches and seashores, plenty of space for even the most demanding of holidaymakers! So what are you waiting for? Click the regions tab
above for more information about the different regions of Fance.
The
essence of France....
Stereotypes die hard; there is still a comic-book stereotype image of the
Frenchman dressed in a striped tee-shirt and beret, smoking a Gauloise,
and carrying a string of onions round his neck. But it is doubtful if
this stereotype still exists anywhere; perhaps just here and there, but
without the onions. Even so, rural France is still home to a dwindling
generation of traditional country folk, living life as it used to be;
and the traditions of the past are being carefully preserved and even
reactivated by younger generations, often fugitives from city-life. The
old France is still alive and well, in its own way, and still to be
found in its villages and markets,
traditions and regional specialities. And of course, it is true that
the French eat snails - and very good they are too, as long as they
have been properly prepared by the chef, in a delicious sauce of
garlic, parsley and butter.... More about that on the wining and dining in France page.
Bread and wine
In spite of the great variety to be found in France, some things like the "baguette",
the famous
French bread stick,
change little from one region to another; you'll find baguettes of all
qualities in all regions, varying from the absolutely delicious, to the
hard and tasteless. Yet a fresh baguette, coming warm from a
traditional bakery, is surely one of the most delicious forms of bread
to be found anywhere in the world! Tasty baguettes can be bought all
over France, and a trip to the local "boulangerie" is often one of the
daily highlights of a holiday in France. But do not confuse the
"boulangerie" with the bread-counter in a supermarket!
Indeed, the pre-frozen "fresh-baked" bread counters in supermarkets are
not even allowed, by law, to call themselves "boulangeries".
In addition to baguettes, France has a
wonderful range of delicious breads to offer, from the couronne (bread in the shape of a ring) to the batard (a half-length normal loaf),
via a whole range of wholemeal breads (pain complet), rye
bread
(pain de seigle),
sourdough bread (pain au
levain), and breads spiced
up with nuts, olives, bacon (pain aux lardons), cheese and a variety of other natural
additives. The real "boulangeries"
are waiting for you.
Tourists travelling through
France, who want to stop and buy Fresh bread for a picnic, should bear
in mind that many small shops close for up to two hours in
the middle of the day. Boulangeries often stay open beyond the
traditional midday closing hour, but after 12.30 you may well find a
locked door if you stop off at a village bakery.
Be warned.
Then there's wine.
France is one
of the world's great wine producing countries, and a country with a
vast range of wines, from heavy Mediterranean reds to light fruity
sparkling whites, via less well known varieties including "grey wine"
(vin gris) and "yellow wine" (vin jaune). Discover the immense variety
on the About-France.com French wines pages.
NORMAL SERVICE IS
SUSPENDED.........
What is closed in France? And when?
On Sundays, public holidays and holiday periods in general,
shops, museums, businesses and public services may be closed. See the
About-France.com guide to Public
holidays, Sundays and other holidays for more
information.
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