Pictures of France
Paris and
Île-de-France
Notre-Dame/Cité
Eiffel Tower
Champs-Élysées
Vaux-le-Vicomte
Fontainebleau
Versailles
Center
Burgundy and Lyon
Southeast
French Riviera and Corsica
Rhône River
Northwest
Normandy, Brittany and
Loire Valley
Southwest
Southwest foods and Bordeaux
Northeast
French Alps and Northeast France
Champagne
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Pictures of France.
This is your gateway to a
virtual tour through pictures of France. We explore each fascinating
region with photos, a snapshot history
of the area, regional cuisine and ideas for places you might
like to visit.
French Riviera
Check for links in the left column.
Paris photos of Notre-Dame and the Eiffel
Tower, The Palace of Versailles and Vaux-le-Vicomte in Île de France,
Rhône River aboard a riverboat that
travels from Lyon to the Mediterranean,
The Loire Valley with its
history from the Vikings to Joan of Arc ending the Hundred Years' War
and the famous gardens and chateaux including pictures of Villandry,
Chenonceaux and Chambord, and Brittany,
center of Celtic heritage. Browse Bordeaux and the foods of
Southwest France, or
Cognac, the best smelling town in France!
Geography
France is the largest country
in Western Europe with an area of 212,073 square miles of diverse and
world famous destinations, varied topography and climate: beaches from
the English Channel to Biarritz on the Atlantic to the Côte
d'Azur on the Mediterranean; mountains from the Jura on the
border with Germany, Pyrénées (8,000 to 10,000 feet) on the Spanish
border to the Alps and Mount Blanc, the highest peak in
Western Europe at 15,771 feet; plus forests, rivers, vineyards and small
fishing villages. At the center is the Massif Central, old volcanic
rock up to 6,000 feet high laced with rivers that have carved deep gorges.
The area is poor for farming but rich in minerals. Around this area
are flat lands and river valleys of the Rhône,
Garonne, Loire and, most important for agriculture, the Seine or Paris
Basin which leads to Le Havre. The heart of this area is the divide
around the Île de la Cité in Paris.
French Attractions
France is known for luxury,
fashion,
perfume,
Limoges porcelain,
crystal and
wine. French culture--art,
architecture, literature,
music and science--led the world for
centuries. There is also industry. Both heavy industry (airplanes, cars,
etc.) and localized historical specialties such as silk and other fabrics
in Lyon, gloves in Millau (Tarn River valley),
copper in Villedieu, and cutlery in Thiers
(between Clermont-Ferrand and Lyon). We'll explore all of this including
visits to gothic cathedrals, chateaux of the Loire Valley,
Eiffel Tower and other monuments
of Paris, the Palace of Versailles and, of course, breathtaking
scenery.
France today is a political
and cultural leader still retaining many of the regional distinctions
and food specialties from her rich history and offering more reasons
than ever to visit.
Travel to France:
Add French-Luxury to your favorites.
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