The world's number one tourist destination, France is a country of contrasts with a multitude of landscapes, offering holidays to suit all tastes and budgets.
Whether you fancy a spot of shopping on the chic boulevards of Paris or a winter sport break on the sparkling ski slopes of the Alps, a relaxing beach weekend on the sun-baked Riviera or a holiday exploring the fairy tale castles of the Loire Valley on a bike, the choice is vast.
Indeed it's the many attractions of this compelling country that draw millions of visitors back year after year, an increasing number of whom (not least Brits) purchase property there.
Undiscovered France
Perenially popular Provence, with its lavender fields and warm climate, and Paris, arguably the most romantic city in the world, top the list in terms of visitor numbers, but other less well-known regions are also well worth exploring.
Delightful Franche-Comté, Gascony or Berry, deep in the green heart of France, are firmly rooted in the land, with sleepy villages typical of provincial France, while unspoilt and rugged Corsica, also known as ‘l'île de beauté' ('the island of beauty'), offers all the charm of the Mediterranean without the crowds.
Gastro France
France is also famous for its culinary traditions, and the French take pride in their food. From freshly baked bread and croissants for breakfast, to a five course dinner in a gourmet restaurant (at a fraction of the price you'd pay back home), this savoir-faire is a way of life. A trip to France is also a trip for the tastebuds.
‘How could one describe a country which has 365 kinds of cheese?' once asked De Gaulle. Indeed. Sit back, relax, open a bottle of wine (French of course) and tuck in - you'll no doubt come back for more.
Geography
France, the largest country in Europe, is bordered to the north by the English Channel (La Manche), the northeast by Belgium and Luxembourg, the east by Germany, Switzerland and Italy, the south by the Mediterranean (with Monaco as a coastal enclave between Nice and the Italian frontier), the southwest by Spain and Andorra, and the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The island of Corsica, southeast of Nice, is made up of two départements. The country offers a spectacular variety of scenery, from the mountain ranges of the Alps and Pyrenees to the attractive river valleys of the Loire, Rhône and Dordogne and the flatter countryside in Normandy and on the Atlantic coast. The country has some 2,900km (1,800 miles) of coastline.
Friday, May 21, 2010
French Etiquette - How to Prepare Before Traveling to France
It really shouldn't be necessary to point out what etiquette is, but there are certain rules of behavior you would do well in obeying if you want to enjoy this country and their lovely sense of quality.
Dress code is that you don't sit in shorts for dinner. Regular hygiene is also expected of all people. That is not respected by many tourists - and sadly the lack of respect for French traditions has been the reason for many wrongly accusing Frenchmen of being arrogant.
They are no such thing. In fact, a Frenchman will help you more than in many other nations if you will do them the simple courtesy of holding the door, behaving well and shoring respect for others in traffic.
These simple rules are difficult to handle for some tourists with a tendency to behave so badly that others have prejudice against these very nations as a result of it. Asking for ketchup with every type of meal is disrespect towards the kitchen that has prepared a lovely dish for you. If you can't handle the truth stick with McDonalds...
Likewise, when you bring kids to a restaurant, pay respect to others who also want to enjoy their meals. Shouting kids should be taught how to sit appropriately if you go to restaurants. You will get superior service when you respect such little things - and there is nothing unnatural in expecting that people can behave themselves when they are around other people.
When you go to a buffet, you are welcome to eat as much as you like. But do eat what you take. Leaving leftovers is bad behavior, and causes personnel to feel somewhat sad of having to throw out lovely raw materials. Frenchmen season their food with love, and you should pay respect towards the love and attention that goes into all this.
So Why Are We Even Discussing Etiquette?
All of the above rules should be common behavior among all people. We know this - and yet the very people who behave the worst probably will never even read an article such as this. They simply don't care for other people enough to respect the fact that we need to be civil towards one another to achieve peaceful surroundings. People shout and scream as though they were the only people in a bus or in a restaurant at times when they destroy other people's experience of eating at that place. Isn't that a real shame?
And, even worse, isn't it a shame that people afterwards claim Frenchmen are "odd" just because they never learned how to behave well around others?
Thanks for reading this article. Hope you enjoyed the information.
Dress code is that you don't sit in shorts for dinner. Regular hygiene is also expected of all people. That is not respected by many tourists - and sadly the lack of respect for French traditions has been the reason for many wrongly accusing Frenchmen of being arrogant.
They are no such thing. In fact, a Frenchman will help you more than in many other nations if you will do them the simple courtesy of holding the door, behaving well and shoring respect for others in traffic.
These simple rules are difficult to handle for some tourists with a tendency to behave so badly that others have prejudice against these very nations as a result of it. Asking for ketchup with every type of meal is disrespect towards the kitchen that has prepared a lovely dish for you. If you can't handle the truth stick with McDonalds...
Likewise, when you bring kids to a restaurant, pay respect to others who also want to enjoy their meals. Shouting kids should be taught how to sit appropriately if you go to restaurants. You will get superior service when you respect such little things - and there is nothing unnatural in expecting that people can behave themselves when they are around other people.
When you go to a buffet, you are welcome to eat as much as you like. But do eat what you take. Leaving leftovers is bad behavior, and causes personnel to feel somewhat sad of having to throw out lovely raw materials. Frenchmen season their food with love, and you should pay respect towards the love and attention that goes into all this.
So Why Are We Even Discussing Etiquette?
All of the above rules should be common behavior among all people. We know this - and yet the very people who behave the worst probably will never even read an article such as this. They simply don't care for other people enough to respect the fact that we need to be civil towards one another to achieve peaceful surroundings. People shout and scream as though they were the only people in a bus or in a restaurant at times when they destroy other people's experience of eating at that place. Isn't that a real shame?
And, even worse, isn't it a shame that people afterwards claim Frenchmen are "odd" just because they never learned how to behave well around others?
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