France is the most visited country on Earth. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that more people travel here than anywhere else. Located at the heart of Western Europe, it is a transportation hub and easily reached from anywhere in the world. For any traveler, there’s just so much to see and do in France. This is a country of history and culture…and wine.
While Paris has a great deal to offer travelers to France (and ought to be visited at least once in your life), there’s lots to see besides the capital. The war sites in Normandy are legendary, and it’s nearly impossible not to be moved there. The half-timbered buildings of Colmar stop visitors in their tracks. The wine regions of Champagne, Bordeaux, Alsace, and the Cotes du Rhone are among some of the best in the world. But there is no place quite like Provence, from Van Gogh’s residence and the Roman ruins to the regular markets and the wineries, it just doesn’t get any better than this.
We’ve also had the chance to visit France during the magical Christmas season. The stunning architecture is made even more lovely by the twinkling lights. Add to that the smell of mulled wine, gingerbread, and other treats, and you have quite a dreamy atmosphere.
Christmas in Colmar is a dream. When you take a city that already looks like a gingerbread town and then deck it with wreaths, ornaments, and snow-covered trees, it’s hard to think of anything that feels more appropriate for the holiday season.
Brightly-colored vegetables spill forth from the stands. The aroma of roasted chicken drifts through the air while locals arrive for their daily baguettes. The ambiance at weekly markets – particularly at a Provence market – is addicting.
Provence has something for just about everyone.
The history of the Christmas markets in Strasbourg, France, goes all the way back to the 12th century, so they’ve had a lot of time to perfect things to this degree…and it shows.
Exquisite architecture, fresh seafood, a vibrant city with an historic core, and some of the best wine in the world—in a nutshell, this is Bordeaux, France.
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An hour from Paris, but world’s apart, Claude Monet’s gardens in Giverny, France are the most tangible location to experience French Impressionism in real life. Monet’s Home and Gardens still exist today, largely as they did when he passed away in 1926. Giverny is just as beautiful as the paintings would make it seem.
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Aix-en-Provence is packed with art, culture, and all the beauty you would hope for in one of the most popular destinations in the South of France.
Endless vineyards, hillside towns, pastel villages, and cities packed with history–these are the places and sites that make the South of France an unmissable destination.