France is the world’s leading tourist destination (83 million visitors in 2013) and has so much to offer, it is hard to choose just a few places to recommend. Of course, Paris is the top tourist destination within France — a city of romance and the country’s fashion capital. It boasts extraordinary monuments and museums. Beauty, architecture, heritage, little cafés and boutiques — Paris is a marvel to discover. I love to walk through the Luxembourg Gardens, the Palais Royal Gardens or Place des Vosges in the Le Marais neighbourhood. Of Paris’s many great museums, I often stop by the Modern Art Museum (Tokyo Palace), with its beautiful terrace looking out on the Eiffel Tower. Our other great cities reveal their charms with their own regional identities: Your stay will have a different flavour whether you visit Strasbourg, the eastern town where I come from, or Marseille with its Mediterranean feel.
UNESCO sites abound
You’ll find 39 UNESCO World Heritage sites in France. One such example is Mont-Saint-Michel and its surrounding bay. There are plans to renovate its seaside landscape in 2015, which will result in a splendid panorama for visitors. Another set of attractions not to be missed are the Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley (Lascaux Cave), located in the Perigord (Aquitaine), a region recognised as the birthplace of gastronomy in France. It is surrounded by vineyards, castles and the splendid Vézère River.
Beaches north, west and south
Summertime propels the French to the country’s beaches, and there are plenty to choose from. The English Channel coast is a favourite of Parisians, thanks to its proximity. Normandy’s cities of Deauville and Cabourg, where famous writers such as Marguerite Duras and Marcel Proust used to stay, keep their Belle Époque heritage alive through their architecture, casinos and horse racing, which mix pleasantly with their very popular beaches. Not to be missed is the little harbour of Honfleur, from which the founder of New France, Samuel de Champlain, began his odyssey in 1604.
The Atlantic Coast, very popular with surfers, covers the iconic regions and beautiful beaches of Brittany (Benodet), Pays de la Loire (La Baule), Poitou-Charentes (La Rochelle and l’île de Ré) and Aquitaine (Biarritz). As a historical note, Jacques Cartier, who discovered Canada in 1534 (later known as New France, then Canada again after the British Conquest in 1763), was a native of the lovely harbour of Saint-Malo in Brittany.
Last but not least among the beach destinations is the Mediterranean Coast. With its 300 days of sun each year, this coast has the longest season for seaside holidays. From Languedoc Roussillon to the French Riviera, do not miss such gems as the beaches of Gruissan and Collioure, glamorous Saint-Tropez, the famed cinematic location of Cannes and elegant Nice.
If you are travelling during the wintertime, may I suggest you consider a trip to the islands of the French West Indies? Nearest to Canada, the beautiful tropical beaches of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin all offer the French art de vivre underneath the palm trees.
France: a premier ski destination
During the winter, another great French tradition is taking ski holidays in the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Vosges, the Jura Mountains or at Massif Central. Did you know that France is the world’s leading ski destination? The French mountains — with their six ranges — offer ski getaways with a variety of character: family resorts, authentic lodges and festive environments.
The French Alps also boast some of the highest peaks in Europe. In the north, the most symbolic peak of the mountain range is Mont Blanc, which stands at an altitude of 4,810 metres. This region is home to France’s famous historic ski resorts, such as Chamonix and Megève, as well as its premier skiing areas, such as the Trois Vallées. One of the best-kept secrets is that you can enjoy skiing in these high altitudes, even if you are a beginner. The renowned École de ski français (ESF) operates 250 stations and instructors can guide you for an outstanding day on the powdery, panoramic slopes.
World-famous gastronomy
Gastronomy is an integral part of the French identity: It is a driving factor of the economy and it contributes to France’s worldwide reputation. In 2010, UNESCO included “the gastronomic meal of the French” on its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This designation highlighted the fact that French gastronomy is a living thing that, thanks to the skill and boldness of those who orchestrate flavours and colours, lends itself to exploration and reinvention. I suggest you visit local markets, which are real cultural institutions, and talk with the small-scale producers (cheesemakers, farmers, bakers) to experience their passion for fresh products and their ancestral savoir-faire. If you have the chance to be invited to dinner by a French friend, you will see how the French art de la table is also a social practice for the celebration of important moments. The meal, which will start at 7 p.m. with the aperitif and end past midnight after you’ve tasted numerous dishes, wines, and fine liqueurs, will help you understand that gastronomic meals are at the heart of French culture. If you don’t have the opportunity to be invited to eat in a family setting, find a Michelin-starred restaurant and choose the gastronomic menu. It will be a one-of-a-kind dining experience.
Since 2011, France has celebrated gastronomy through the Fête de la gastronomie towards the end of each September. The Fête de la gastronomie is a nationwide celebration including a series of official events that bring together chefs, businesses, craft workers, trade federations and local authorities. In 2013, the Fête was extended into a three-day event. It offers a genuine opportunity for every party involved in France’s gastronomy landscape to design ambitious and festive events — public feasts, tastings, special menus in restaurants, visits to businesses and farms, exhibitions, conferences and even street events. This major annual festival offers a convivial, heartwarming venue where French citizens and visitors to France can come together for moments of pleasure and discovery and where they can share their common passion. If you love food, don’t miss the 2015 Fête de la gastronomie!
Specialty products to bring home as gifts
Of course, what else is there to bring back home besides a grand cru of our famous French wines? You can travel through Alsace to discover Riesling, Aquitaine to visit the famous Bordeaux properties, Burgundy for the renowned Bourgogne, Rhône-Alpes for the Beaujolais and the Côtes-du-Rhône or Provence for the Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Stop by a vineyard and you’ll meet the vintners, taste the wine and bring back not only a specialty product, but also a great memory of the experience. Isn’t it really the people we meet on our way that are the essential part of a trip? When it comes to sharing our passion for wine, the French can also speak English. Today, more than 30 percent of visitors to France come for wine or gastronomic tourism.
Travellers interested in oenotourism should be aware of the Vignobles & Découvertes label, the national wine tourism designation used in France. This label makes it easier for visitors to find accommodations in vineyard regions, restaurants that offer set menus with suggestions for wine pairings, menus featuring local produce and even wine producers offering tours. There is also a wide variety of remarkable heritage sites, activities and events available, giving you the opportunity to discover regional gems and local expertise.
This know-how for food and drink helped build France’s reputation in various other fields, such as cosmetics, personal well-being, fashion and literature. To that end, we recently held an art gallery-style exhibition called Galerie F, focusing on French products and brands distributed in Canada. This travelling exhibition, which details the birthplaces and histories of these high-quality products and beloved brands, has seen great success and demonstrated France’s excellence in a range of fields. So when you leave France, you know that you will be able to find its perfumes, cosmetics, food or fashion products across your country.
Great War Historical Sites
To conclude, I would like to highlight Canada’s significant historical contributions as we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the First World War over the next four years. The Vimy Ridge National Historic Site, in Nord-Pas de Calais, is a must-see site for Canadians. This monument to the 11,285 Canadian soldiers reported lost on French soil during the Great War stands at the heart of a 107-hectare park overlooking the Pas-de-Calais coal basin. Built at the place where, in April 1917, Canadian troops fighting as part of the British Army captured Vimy Ridge, the memorial’s white pillars and sculpted figures mark a defining event in Canada’s history. Another site to visit is the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial Park. On July 1, 1916, at 7:30 a.m., the men of the Newfoundland Regiment had barely climbed out of their trenches when they were caught in fire from German machine-guns. Half an hour later, only 110 soldiers remained uninjured. In terms of the proportion of forces involved, this conflict was one of the deadliest of the Somme offensive. The “Great War Remembrance Trails in Nord-Pas-de-Calais” offer visitors an opportunity to discover these sites, to understand these crucial times in world history and to pay homage to the men and woman who laid down their lives.
So, as you can see, there are many reasons to come to France and discover its unparalleled culture, history and natural beauty. I hope you will visit us soon and I wish you a pleasant stay.
Philippe Zeller is France’s ambassador to Canada.
