French Travel
France is located in Western Europe and is bordered by Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra, and Spain. It extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. France has a thriving economy and has been ranked consistently as the fifth largest gross domestic product (GDP) as related to the market value of final goods and services of a nation in a given year.
France is consistently rated as one of the top tourist nations in the world, boasting more than 81.9 million foreign tourists in 2007. France traditionally is noted for its cultural advancements in society. The Eiffel Tower, the Lourve Museum, the Palace of Versailles, Musee d’Orsay, and the Arc de Triomphe are some of the cultural sites and are among the most visited tourist sites of France. Tourists also enjoy the French Riviera and shopping at the famous designer stores of France.
France is also known as a place of romance. Of course, Europe is known for the ever popular Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is a tradition that began as a result of the mysterious coupling of birds on February 14th. The priest St. Valentine wrote letters to his betrothed on this day of his death. Millions across the world send cards and perform romantic gestures on this day thanks to this European tradition. Keeping with this tradition of European romance, lovers can embark upon romantic rendezvous all over the country. Lovers have been spotted on romantic lunch and dinner cruises, horse and carriage rides, and in the chateaux of the region. A trip to the wine country for a wine tasting, accompanied by brie can also spark and facilitate romantic feelings for your significant other.
Traveling in France is quite efficient, reliable, and affordable. One can typically travel the area by train easily. For local travel, no reservations for the train are typically required. The tourist can just show up the day of travel and pay the fare. Train is viable transportation to and from the provinces of France, such as Paris, France to Nice, France or to Toulouse, France. Navigating the system can be a bit confusing for the first time traveler, so make sure to study the system and ask questions before your trip. Such trains as the Eurostar, the TGV, and others will transport you between neighboring countries as well. Check RailEurope.com for more details and specific listings.
Air France provides the most air travel to and from France. Air France services about 1,800 flights daily and also flies domestically from Paris, France to most metropolitan French cities. Its major hub is in Paris, France and has connections at most major airports around the world.
As always with any international travel be sure to have your passport and a visa for extended stays within the country.