Paris... You either love it or hate it. But don't rush to form general impression about France only based on Paris. It is a wonderful country with a lot to see and do.
If you love the City of Lights, then try to go beyond this metropolis. And if you are not a fan of Paris, then it's even better?? We will tell you about attractions in France worth visiting to see best beaches and magnificent views.
1.Nice
Once upon a time, the entire aristocracy of Great Britain gathered on the azure shores of this city, turning it into a resort for the rich and famous. But now, these days, Nice is accessible to all travelers. The Mediterranean location provides ideal weather throughout the year and the opportunity to sample delicious seafood. Incredible delicious cuisine, night life, magical old City and picturesque beaches will not let you get bored.
2. Lyon
Gourmets! Lyon is considered the gastronomic capital of the world, so be sure to visit it! But besides the food, here you will also find many museums, churches, Roman ruins, and most importantly, you can visit the incredible annual festival of light.
3. Cannes
Apparently, Cannes is known to you thanks to the annual film festival ... but what else do you know??? All year round Cannes is the center of luxury and glamour. And even if you are not a big gamer, you can still enjoy the luxurious life. Visit a haute couture shop, enjoy yachts in the port, in the company of celebrities.
4. Marseille
The next incredible is Marseille. This place is so rich in history and culture that you will be shocked that you didn't think to visit it sooner. Marseille breathes a multicultural atmosphere. In fact, in 2013 the city was recognized as the European Capital of Culture. Therefore, artists and historians will enjoy wandering the ancient streets, browsing and visiting museums, while gourmets will be able to enjoy the local variety of culinary arts.
5. Biarritz
Biarritz is an elegant waterfront city located in southwestern France. The city was the secret resting place of Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie, and the spirit of art deco and the Belle Epoque of the Third Republic period still reigns in it. Today it is a favorite place for surfers from all over Europe. Here you can visit interesting museums and churches, or just admire the beautiful waves on the seashore.
6. Champagne
The birthplace of sparkling wine. Champagne is a region of France famous for the production of champagne. In fact, according to French law, only sparkling wines made in this region can be called "Champagne". In addition, a number of scenic spots can be seen in the region, such as Epernay (wine tasting place), Reims and Troyes.
7. Saint-Tropez
Sexy, quirky and opulent, Saint-Tropez is a small, sophisticated waterfront town that gets crowded as soon as summer arrives. Worth a visit even out of season. There are no more representative yachts anywhere than in Saint-Tropez. Stroll the cobbled streets, wander from beach to beach and enjoy the magical scenery, and a visit to the magnificent Hotel La Ponche, where celebrities have stayed, is a must.
8. Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
In 1924, the first took place in Chamonix. Since then, this place has been famous for its amazing mountain scenery and winter sports. From skiing to mountaineering, the Alpine town attracts serious athletes and is considered the European capital of winter extreme sports. Whether you're into downhill skiing, or you're a mountaineer, or just want to enjoy the mountains while sitting in a cable car, Chamonix is fascinating!
9. Normandy
On the northern coast of France is Normandy, which combines two worlds. Vivid green countryside stretches along the entire coast and converges with the stormy waters of the English Channel (La Manche). There is so much to see, feel and explore in Normandy. and D-Day beaches - the landing on June 6, 1944 of the Allied forces), try the Norman cheese Camembert and Nefchâtel, visit the Gothic churches in Rouen and the Channel Islands (to be precise, these islands belong to the British Crown and are technically located not on the territory France).
10. Avignon
An ancient town surrounded by 800-year-old stone ramparts. Romantic Avignon is located on the banks of the beautiful river Rhone and awaits you. Be sure to visit the Papal Palace, which is the largest Gothic palace in all of Europe. And in the summer, the Avignon Theater Festival takes place here, which attracts art lovers from all over the world.
11. Loire Valley
vineyards, orchards, and attractive architecture. all this is the Loire Valley. Here you can take part in wine tours or ride a bike along the entire valley. Relax while traveling through the countryside and enjoy the beauty of stunning and impressive castles, such as Chambord Castle (pictured).
12. Carcassonne
This town looks like it just stepped out of a fairy tale. Inside the amazingly fortified city walls lies the island of Cité. lower town(Ville Basse) is considered more modern, here you can do a large number of shopping. These two cities are connected by bridges Pont-Neuf and Pont-Vyuks (Pont - Neuf and Pont - Vieux).
13. Sep - Few
This port city, completely surrounded by a wall, is located on the English Channel (La Manche). It's a miracle ancient architecture, the local ports are crowded with boats. Saint Malo is characterized by yacht races, historic forts, museums and cozy restaurants. The Gulf of Saint-Malo experiences the highest tides in Europe, resulting in crazy waves and hurricanes.
14. Dijon
Dijon - perfect place for the escape! It is an original and historic city filled with medieval and renaissance architecture. Here you can see monuments, really very old churches and art museums, and in addition there is an opportunity to visit delicious restaurants, various shops and taste great wines. Dijon is located in Burgundy, which makes it closer to the best wineries in the region.
France is the third largest country in Europe after Russia and Ukraine. The word "France" means "land of the Franks". The Franks are Germanic tribes that lived in Northern Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire.
2. The population of France is about 65 million people. 3. The average population density in France is 115 people per km2. In large agglomerations such as Paris, the density reaches 40,000 people per square kilometer, but the average value in the capital is 20,433 people. per km sq.
4. Nearly 3,000 miles of French borders are coastline, which is washed by three bodies of water: the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the English Channel.
5. total area country is 635,775 sq. km. The European part of the country has 543,974 square kilometers, which is 86% of the total. The rest of the area is made up of numerous overseas departments.
The Champs Elysees is the most beautiful street in Paris and in France
6. Paris is not just the capital, but also the largest and most popular tourist center of France. Paris is considered the fashion capital of the world.
7. Paris has not always been the most romantic city in France. Once it was called Lutetia and was an ancient Celtic settlement.
8. In Paris, cycling is popular among the population. For convenience and safety, a huge number of special bike paths, as well as bike rental points, have been built in the French capital.
9. In Parisian parks you can see bee apiaries. And many Parisians, after attending beekeeping courses, install beehives on their balconies.
10. France is about the same size as Texas and has twice the population of California.
Eiffel Tower in Paris
11. The Eiffel Tower in Paris holds the title of the tallest man-made structure in the world, and it has remained in the top spot for 40 years.
12. The national anthem of France is still very popular in the world. It's called the Marseillaise. The song was written by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in 1792. It is called "La Marseillaise" because it was the first song of the soldiers who came from Marseille to Paris to support the revolution.
13. The first subway in France appeared at the end of the 19th century in Paris.
14. Three lines on the coat of arms of France symbolize compassion, justice and mercy.
15. The most visited attraction in Paris is not the Eiffel Tower (5.5 million), as it might seem, and not even the Louvre (5 million), it is ... Disneyland Paris (13 million people).
Waterfall Gavarni
16. Gavarni waterfall is the highest in the country. Its height is 422 meters.
17. The denim concept was born in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France and was imported by Levi Strauss to California to make tough clothes for gold miners.
18. According to official data, more than 400 types of cheese are produced in this country. In fact, there can be up to 1000 varieties of some varieties.
19. France ranks third in the European Union in terms of male life expectancy.
20. The Statue of Liberty was made in France, and given to the United States as a gift for the 100th anniversary of independence on October 28, 1876. The statue was created by the famous French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. The sculptor took the face of the statue from beautiful woman Isabella Boyer, wife of Issac Singer, manufacturer of sewing machines.
Lavender fields in France
21. France ranks first among all European countries in agricultural production.
22. Agricultural lands occupy 4/5 of the entire French territory.
23. Potatoes were banned in France between 1748 and 1772.
24. The “forbidden fruit” method was used by the French agronomist Parmentier to accustom the French to potatoes. During the day, his potato field was very carefully guarded. However, at night the guards went to sleep and by morning the field turned out to be robbed.
25. The most visited museum not only in France, but throughout the world - located in Paris, the Louvre, once the former residence of the French kings.
Glass pyramid near the Louvre
26. The glass pyramid that stands near the Louvre was erected as a tribute to the ancient Egyptians and their amazing culture.
27. Beer is considered a luxury drink here and is kept for special occasions and wine is served free with most meals.
28. Nicotine was named after Jean Nicot (1530-1600), a French diplomat and scientist who introduced tobacco to France in 1559 from Portugal.
29. In France, in Grasse, the capital of world perfumery, a unique centifolia rose is grown. This rose is famous, first of all, for the number of petals. She has a hundred of them.
30. France is home to the world's first mass-produced ballpoint pen.
31. France is considered the birthplace of Gothic art. Gothic art was originally known as French art. It is also the birthplace of baroque architecture.
32. In France, there are certain limits for radio and television, which are allocated to foreign films, music, etc. They cannot be exceeded - the bulk of all this must be French.
33. In medieval France an unfaithful wife was forced to run after a chicken across the city completely naked as a punishment.
34. Piles were invented by French shepherds who needed tools to overcome wet swamps.
35. Getting married in a white dress is a French tradition that has been around since 1499.
36. This amazing country is one of the largest wine producing countries in the world. There are about 17 different wine regions, including Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Loire and Provence, which continue the tradition of winemaking in France.
37. By the way, 72% of the French have difficulty understanding the numerous wine producers, because only Bordeaux has more than 9,000 varieties. But the most famous liqueurs in the world are also produced in France, not to mention Calvados cognac and so on.
38. The French eat snails, frog legs and horse meat. The average French citizen eats an average of 500 snails a year.
39. It was in Burgundy that more than two and a half thousand years ago they began to eat snails.
40. France is in second place in the production of electricity using nuclear energy after the United States, while in Europe it is in first place. The amount of electricity produced in France is higher than in Germany, Great Britain, Spain combined.
Mount Blanc in France
41. Mont Blanc is the highest point in France. It is also the highest mountain not only in the Alps, but in all of Western Europe.
42. Mont Blanc is located on the border of France and Italy, and its height is 4,810 meters. A huge number of different mountaineering competitions are held annually.
43. Also here is the famous ski resort of Chamonix in France. Most experts have repeatedly recognized Mont Blanc as the best place in Europe for mountaineering and skiing.
44. Most Nobel Prizes in the field of literature received laureates from France, in mathematics the country ranks second.
45. The oldest bridge in Paris is called Pont Neuf.
46. 90% of the French drive only "domestic" cars - Renault, Peugeot and Citroen.
47. In Russia higher education is considered more prestigious if it is received in state university, and not in private, commercial, but in France - on the contrary.
48. In France, it is illegal to photograph French police officers and police cars.
49. Local Saint Michel in the northwest of France due to the tides in this part Atlantic Ocean twice a day it is an island and twice a peninsula.
50. France owns many overseas territories in pacific ocean, Polynesia and even in South America.
Montmartre in Paris
photo from internet
Selecting the best sights in France is perhaps an impossible task. After all, there are so many interesting things in the country: fabulous caves, deep gorges and huge rocks, colorful cities and towns, castles, vineyards, sunny beaches ... But there are sights in France that you can’t help but see, haven’t seen them - haven’t seen France. We have collected the TOP 10 French beauties that have long become the hallmark of this wonderful country.
The Eiffel Tower
Perhaps this is the most famous tower on the planet, they dream of taking a picture under it, and from it - to explore the expanses of Paris. This is truly a symbol of France, recognizable throughout the world.
Do you know that the tower was originally temporary? It was simply the entrance to the 1889 World's Fair and was scheduled to be demolished about 20 years after the event. However, the elegant silhouette of France was saved by radio antennas, which were installed at the very top.
Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel
The architectural ensemble of the abbey is more like a fairy-tale castle: it rises on the rocky island of Normandy, and the tides periodically hide the road to it. The fortress of Mont Saint-Michel was founded back in 709, and there was nothing here: a monastery where pilgrims flocked to, a prison for political prisoners.
Versailles
A real masterpiece of palace art, striking in its beauty, Versailles has been repeated and repeated for many centuries. So, Peterhof was made in the image of Versailles.
There are many grottoes, wide canals, 1400 fountains, statues and sculptures, several ponds, a theater and even craft buildings with a cheese factory, a farm and a dovecote, reminiscent of a French village, on 10 square kilometers not far from Paris. You can return to the gardens of Versailles many times and see something new all the time.
Verdon Gorge
The deepest and most picturesque canyon in Europe will surely take your breath away. The emerald river Verdon for many years made its way through the Alpine foothills, which during this time were overgrown with green vegetation. In some places, the depth of the gorge is 700 meters. There are not enough words to describe the beauty of this place, you need to see it with your own eyes.
Lavender fields in Provence
Well, of course, where without these fabulous lavender fields with wonderful aromas and fantastic landscapes, which have long become a symbol of Provence. France also hosts various lavender festivals, usually timed to coincide with the harvest, which are also interesting to visit.
Loire Valley
France is so peculiar and amazing that no matter how many years you live there, you never get tired of admiring it. This is one of the most visited countries in the world - the annual flow of tourists is approaching 100 million people. To get into the spirit of this country, we present to your attention some interesting facts about the country and the French.
Attractions
To date, most of the castles in the world - 4969 pieces are located in France.
Some of the world's most visited attractions are in France: Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysees, Versailles, the monastery of Mont Saint-Michel.
For almost 10 years, from 1925 to 1934, the Eiffel Tower was a huge advertising medium. The founder of the Citroën concern paid the rent and installed a night illumination of more than 100,000 light bulbs on the tower. The name of the company, the signs of the zodiac, and the rain of stars shone on the tower.
One of famous symbols France is the Gallic rooster. AT Latin the word gallus had two meanings: a rooster and Gauls - tribes that lived in the territories modern France, Germany and Switzerland. The French love this symbol, because the rooster means pride, courage, and boasting can be forgiven.
The ancient palaces and castles of France, such as the Amboise castle, are famous for their wooden fireplaces. For their construction, special "fireproof" trees were used, growing in France - cedar and juniper. Local pine nuts are several times larger than Siberian ones and cost only 25 euros per kilo.
Social life
The French refused to accept the draft European Constitution and standardize production. That is why France produces more than 480 types of cheeses with unique flavors, about 1000 varieties of wine, and cider is not an alcoholic drink.
France is one of the most agricultural countries in the world. In terms of production volume, it ranks 1st in Europe and 3rd in the world.
In France, social assistance is very developed for those who are below the poverty line and the poor. They are given coupons, according to which several times a month they receive food: vegetables, cheese, milk, sour-milk products, chocolate. All products High Quality and provided by shops and farms.
Help for people suffering from bad habits, anonymous alcoholics, drug addicts, helpline and so on - absolutely free.
Inventions and personalities
One of the most common weapons of the death penalty of the Middle Ages - the guillotine - was invented in France. The last act of the death penalty with its use was committed in 1977. Every year on September 10, France celebrates the day of mourning for the guillotine.
In 1783, in France, the Montgolfier brothers invented the first balloon working on hot air.
France is the birthplace of cinema. It was in Paris in 1895 that the first screening of the Lumiere Brothers Cinematograph took place.
Gothic architecture and the Baroque style originated in France and were originally called "French Art".
There is a lot of controversy about who invented the bicycle. Similar designs were presented by the German professor Karl von Drez and Kirkpatrick Macmillan, but the Frenchman Pierre Lalman officially patented his invention in 1866. It is he who is considered the creator of the bicycle, and France is the birthplace of this transport.
France gave the world such famous people like, Jeanne d Arc, Alphonse Daudet, Paul Cezanne, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Jean-Baptiste Moliere, François-Marie Voltaire, Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, Jules Verne, Joe Dassin, Brigitte Bardot, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Jean- Paul Sartre, Roland Barthes, Yves Saint Laurent and others. There are the graves of representatives of the Russian nobility, the great ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya, Ivan Bunin.
Gastronomy
The most expensive mushrooms - truffles - grow in France. Their value has no limit. In the season, from November to March, about 600 dollars are asked for a kilogram of unpeeled mushrooms along with the ground.
It is believed that frog legs in France can be ordered at every turn. In fact, this dish is considered a rare delicacy and is served only in the most sophisticated restaurants.
Grape snails, used to prepare one of the most exquisite dishes - escargot - are called Burgundy, and it does not matter where they were collected. This is a kind of marketing ploy, since it is Bourgonian snails that are considered the most delicious, largest and are in high demand.
In France, depending on the region, there are about 22 national cuisines. The same dish can have a completely different taste, depending on whether it is cooked in the south or in the north of the country. The French are big fans of culinary arts. From just one potato, they can cook almost two hundred different dishes.
Buckwheat flour used to bake French pancakes is a fairly common product. But the locals practically do not use the groats themselves. You have to look for it in pet stores, in Arab and Turkish shops, as well as in Russian stores at fabulous prices.
The French do not recognize McDonalds at all, considering their menu to be completely unfit for food. However, every parent knows that it is worth losing sight of a teenager, then this is the first place where you should go in search of him.
Eating is a sacred ritual for the French. And the word “food” can only compete with “rugby” or “bike”. rules good manners it is forbidden to call during the meal, and being late from dinner is more good reason than “stuck in traffic”.
Wine
About 250 different fine wines are produced in France. Each wine is produced only in one place, strictly from the grapes that grow in the area. The most famous wine regions are Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Loire, Alsace, Champagne.
The French themselves say this about wine: "There are only two types of wine - the one you like and the one you don't like!"
The French do not understand such concepts as "dry" wine and "brut" and understand such a separation only in champagne. All fortified wines in France are liqueurs. And wine for the French exists only red, white and rose.
A useful fact for drinkers is that French red wine never gives you a headache.
Despite heavy consumption of wine and fatty foods, France has one of the lowest rates of cardiovascular disease. Doctors even set the recommended rate of wine consumption: 3 glasses of red for men and 2 for women. After two glasses, you are even allowed to drive.
The only corkscrew museum in the world is located in Provence.
French
French was the official language of England from 1066 to the beginning of the 14th century.
The longest sentence on French contains 823 characters and was written by Victor Hugo in Les Misérables.
French is the official language of France and 30 other countries of the world. However, more than a third of the country's population is fluent in English.
There are two spellings for the word "vodka" in French: "vodka" for Russian and "wodka" for Polish.
Pianos were installed in 100 railway stations in France in 2012. Anyone can play them at any time and for all this time not a single instrument has been damaged.
In France, there is still a ban, according to which it is forbidden to kiss on trains and at stations. It was installed back in 1910 to prevent constant train delays due to couples kissing every time they parted. Today, this prohibition is expressed in the presence of special signs on the platforms, reminding that long goodbyes are not welcome.
As a greeting in France, a kiss on the cheek is the norm, both among men and women. It is believed that the most "loving" in this regard are the inhabitants of Paris, the north of France, as well as the Corsicans.
The first restaurant staffed by blind people opened in 2014 in Paris - Dans le Noir. According to the concept of the establishment, all visitors dine in absolute darkness, which allows them to feel the taste and smell of food more vividly, without being distracted by the visuals. Over time, similar restaurants began to open in many countries and large cities.
