France travel guide

Live it up in high style in the heart of Western Europe

If you fancy yourself a traveler, you simply have to experience France. The culture, the fierce pride of the nation, refined for centuries, cannot easily be summed up--but you know it when you see it. It ranges from the Gallic trademarks--the elegant, blue-roofed chateaux stretching down the boulevard, the sweeping cathedrals, the relaxed, smoky lounges--to smaller details, like how your café au lait is served or the way stately matrons greet one another other in the street. The French hold refinement and luxury in high esteem. You will see the wisdom behind this obsession in the attention detail as much in your first taste of lemon tart from the patisserie in a viewing of the masterful collections at the Louvre. The best way to enjoy France is to accept it as a place where the small experiences of life are savored as much as the large ones. So be sure to visit the Orsay Museum and gape at the grandeur of Versailles, but also take a bike out to the lush countryside and delight in the yeasty crispness of a fresh baguette paired with a Sancerre from the Loire. Abandon yourself to the sensory, and you’ll not only be embraced by the people, but their appreciation for life’s details might also rub off on you--a souvenir far superior to any miniature Eiffel Tower.