INTRODUCTION - France 2014 - page 10

▲▲▲ Dordogne Prehistoric caves, rock-sculpted villages, lazy canoe rides past
medieval castles, market towns such as pedestrian-friendly Sarlat, and nearby, for
wine lovers, St-Emilion.
▲ Basque Country Isolated yet beautiful region anchored by the seaside resort
town of St-Jean-de-Luz and the riverside town of Bayonne, with lovely villages
dotting the countryside and easy access to cities and sights across the border in
Spain.
▲▲ Languedoc - Roussillon Sunny region with a Spanish flair, featuring Albi
(fortress-like cathedral and a beautiful Toulouse-Lautrec museum), medieval Car-
cassonne (walled town with towers, turrets, and cobblestones), remote Cathar
castles, and the lovely Mediterranean village of Collioure.
▲▲▲ Provence HometoArles(VanGoghsights,evocativeRomanarena),Avign-
on (famous bridge and brooding Palace of the Popes), the ancient Roman aqueduct
of Pont du Gard, Orange (Roman theater), the beautiful Côtes du Rhone wine road,
and rock-top villages such as Les Baux, Roussillon, and Vaison la Romaine.
▲▲▲ The French Riviera A string of coastal resorts, including Nice (big city
with seafront promenade and art museums), romantic Villefranche-sur-Mer, glitzy
Monaco(casino),easygoingAntibes(silky-sandybeaches),andlittlehilltopEze-le-
Village, with magnificent Mediterranean views.
▲▲ The French Alps Spectacular scenery featuring the drop-dead gorgeous town
of Annecy, Mont Blanc (Europe's highest peak), and the world-famous ski resort of
Chamonix, with hikes galore and lifts to stunning alpine views.
▲▲ Burgundy Aged blend of vineyards and spirituality, with the compact town of
Beaune (world-famous vineyards), Fontenay (France's best-preserved medieval ab-
bey),Vézelay(magnificentRomanesquechurch),theone-of-a-kindmedievalcastle
underconstructionatGuédelon,Cluny'sgrandmedievalabbey,andthemodern-day
religious community of Taizé.
▲ Lyon Metropolitan city, located between Burgundy and Provence, with an Itali-
anesqueoldtown,twoRomantheaters,aterrificGallo-Romanmuseum,thestirring
French Resistance Center, and delicious cuisine at affordable prices.
▲▲ Alsace Franco-Germanic region dotted with wine-road villages, starring half-
timbered Colmar and its world-class art, and high-powered Strasbourg and its sen-
sational cathedral.