Provence in southeastern France is divided into six departments and stretches from Orange to Nice. Many consider the Luberon in Vaucluse to be the "real Provence." Gently sloping vineyards and lavender fields are the backdrops that enthralled Cezanne, Van Gogh and Chagall. An excellent train network makes travel between cities easy. To explore villages, drive or catch a bus. Particular highlights include Palace of the Popes at Avignon, the Roman amphitheatre at Arles and the craft center of Les Baux.
Aix, a graceful, lively city, is known for its thermal hot springs, art schools and universities. Wander the Cours, old town and Quartier Mazarin on foot, stopping at cafés, bookstores and markets. Kids whining? Have them count fountains… Aix reportedly has 1,000 of them.
Located on the Bay of Biscay, La Rochelle’s history mostly involved the sea; today it has a large pleasure-boat marina. Thus its heart is the picturesque "Vieux Port" ("Old Harbor"). The city retains a rich architectural heritage, and has an aquarium, attractive gardens and a natural-history museum. Book early for summer; mid-July in particular features Francofolies, a huge French music festival.
Discover the best Bed and Breakfast Inns in Poitou-Charentes, Nouvelle-Aquitaine including Le Manoir Hotel, Hotel Les Bains, Dormir Sur La Plage, Le Clos des Romarins, Eden Ouest, Villa Verde Maison d'Hotes, La Roseraie, Le Homard Bleu, Chambres d'Hotes Laferriere, Hotel Restaurant L'Ecailler.
Discover the best Bed and Breakfast Inns in Picardy, Hauts-de-France including Le Chateau des Lumieres de la Baie de Somme, Chateau du Romerel - Baie de Somme, Le Clos du Clocher, Moulin Royale, Le Clos des Vignes, Le Blockhaus De Domleger Et Spa, Les Pres de Mautort, La Femme d'a Cote, Des Ecuries De La Source, Hostellerie du Pavillon Saint-Hubert.
Discover the best Bed and Breakfast Inns in Saumur, Maine et Loire, Pays de la Loire including Chateau de Beaulieu, Le Patio Saumur, Chambres d'Hotes de l'Ile du Saule, Beaulieu La Source, Clos du Bois Brard, La Lucasserie.
Old world villages and storybook chateaux bedeck the Loire, once fought over by Gauls, Romans, Visigoths and even Attila the Hun. Rent bikes and roll through the lush valley, visiting fortresses in Amboise and Angers, UNESCO-designated Chartres Cathedral and the Gothic cathedral in Nantes. Musee Jules Vernes houses replicas of inventions designed by the futuristic author. Pay respects to other former residents: the Romans in Tours, the cave dwellers of Touraine, and the liberator of Orleans, Joan of Arc.
Discover the best Bed and Breakfast Inns in Pays de la Loire including The Corner, Hotel de charme & SPA Le Grand Large, Chateau de Beaulieu, Hotel des Dunes, Le Patio Saumur, Chateau de Chambiers, 5 Grande Rue, Une Escale a Pornic, Hotel Amiraute, Best Western Hotel Nuit de Retz.
Discover the best Bed and Breakfast Inns in Haute-Normandie, Normandy including le saint yves, Chateau De Sissi, Chambres D'Hotes La Villa Alienor, Hotel Les Galets, La Ferme en Ville, Chateau De Sissi, Villa des capucins, Golf Hotel, Chateau de Grosfy, Les Inities.
Honfleur, a harbor in Normandy, was popular with Impressionist painters like Monet and Boudin. They found its changing light and picturesque quays inspiring—and even today, if you return to the same spot every day to take a photo, you'll find no two are the same. On Saturday, visit the town's lively market and stock up on local cheese.
Discover the best Bed and Breakfast Inns in Basse-Normandie, Normandy including Hotel Tardif Noble Guesthouse, Le Clos de Grace, Clos Saint Martin, La Petite Folie, Le Castel Guesthouse, Hotel Zenith Caen, Domaine du Clos Fleuri, La Ferme Chevalier, Manoir De La Croix Sonnet, Hotel Zenith Caen.
The northern French town of Bayeux is best known for the eponymous tapestry that depicts the 11th-century Norman Conquest. You can see it, of course, on display at the Bayeux Tapestry Museum. The cloth’s original home was the Bayeux Cathedral, which still towers over the area, looking a bit like a Gothic wedding cake. Inside you’ll find beautifully detailed murals and haunting crypts. Bayeux makes an excellent jumping off point to tour nearby historic WWII sites.
Wide beaches along the "Flower Coast" attract families and those commemorating the D-Day landings of 1944. Inland, cattle graze in rural idylls and pre-WWII buildings stand alongside modern architecture. Rent a car or take tours from Caen or Bayeux. The landscape around his home in Giverny inspired Monet's Water Lilies, and summer's profusion of blooms is quite lovely. Don't miss Rouen's old town and cathedral, Caen's cathedral, Bayeaux's tapestry and the ancient island-abbey of Mont-St-Michel.
Lille is an architectural feast with strong Flemish influences from the Grand Place to the basilica of Notre Dame de la Treille to the quiet streets of row houses and gardens. For art buffs, Lille is home to the Musee d'Art Moderne and the Palais des Beaux Arts. Children will enjoy the Parc de Zoologique. Savvy travelers know that Lille has a fine public transit system, making this historical hotspot a pleasure to visit.
Discover the best Bed and Breakfast Inns in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France including Maison 76, Hotel le Clos des Cedres, La Maison Blanche, Au Coeur D'eden, Au Coin Du Spa, Villa Vent Couvert - Le Touquet, Fasthotel Dunkerque, Le Dome, Le Merveilleux, Sure Hotel by Best Western Calais Coquelles Tunnel s/ Manche.
The southern France city of Toulouse is a study in contrasts. Visit the Academie des Jeux Floraux, the oldest literary society in the western world, as well as the Galerie du Chateau d'eau, the world's first photography museum. Stroll the Garonne, before visiting France's most beautiful pipe organ at the Saint-Sernin Basilica. Yet for all its medieval architecture, Toulouse is a modern city, home to the European aerospace industry, as well as bars and restaurants in bustling Place du Capitole.
As the French would say, Lourdes, c’est magnifique. Nestled in the southwestern Pyrénees, its status as a pilgrimage center was largely cemented by the sighting of the Virgin Mary at the The Grotto of Massabielle. The city abounds with religious activity, with opportunities to attend mass, say the Rosary as part of the daily Candlelight Procession, or visit holy sites like the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. The Cirque de Gavarnie offers opportunities to experience breathtaking mountain beauty, such as the tiered Gavarnie Falls.
Discover the best Bed and Breakfast Inns in Cordes-sur-Ciel, Tarn, Occitanie including La Maison au Puits, Hotel Raymond VII, La Maison Bakea, Au Jardin des Saveurs, L'Escuelle des Chevaliers, D'Ici et d'Ailleurs, L'Oree du Ciel, Logis Sur Ciel, Auberge de la Halle, Chateau Labistoul.
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