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For a rare few, traveling to other countries as well as welcoming others into their own country is in their blood. This is true for the Loire Valley based Martinez - Thyebaut family. The dynasty starts with Florence and Philippe, Emilie’s parents who ran a wonderful B&B in a 15th century farmhouse near Chinon called Les Bournais. They shared their passion for the Loire Valley , as well as their kindness and joie de vivre , with all their guests. They are now newly retired and enjoying this chapter of their lives. Next of course is Emilie and Guillaume . Wanting...

The global pandemic has been a trying time for everyone. And those of us who love to travel have all asked ourselves when will it be safe to begin enjoying travel in France again. When this is possible, self-drive adventures planned by France Just For You offer many aspects that will keep you safe while you savor all that France has to offer. Your trip is uniquely crafted around you and your preferences We do not plan trips for groups, thus you will never find yourself moving about with a herd of other visitors. France Just For You...

Art comes alive, exploding in color and movement at the immersive Carrières de Lumières in les Baux-de-Provence and at the Atelier des Lumières in Paris. And in 2021, the experience will be very rich, as the two themes are: Gaudi, the Architect of the Imaginary Dali, the Endless Enigma Music accompanies you as you dive into the universe of these artists. Projections on the walls and floors make you feel as you are swimming in the different works by Dali and Gaudi. Atelier des Lumieres © Culturespaces / Nuit de Chine Both venues are great,...

At the time of writing, the City of Paris Fashion Museum , also known as the Palais Galliera , has just finished extension work. It has re-opened with a new exhibition on the life and work of one of the world’s most renowned and remarkable fashion designers: Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (1883-1971). Chanel Haute Couture Fall-Winter 2011-2012, Fashion Show at the Grand Palais in Paris (Photo: Haute Couture News, CC-BY SA 3.0 ) In this post, we look at her rise to fame and fortune, and suggest how you can explore and emulate Chanel by...

We understand that travelers will be worried about the risks of traveling while the coronavirus pandemic continues across the globe. We will update this post with the latest information about France regarding travel, safety measures and the benefits of traveling in late 2020 and 2021. In June 2020, after lockdown had ended, we hit the road and left our home in the Loire Valley to visit some of our favorite parts of France. We felt very safe at every attraction, B&B and restaurant we visited. People are still being careful about observing the social distancing rules. And apart from seeing...

If you plan to visit Paris in December, wrap up warm and head out into the streets to soak up the Christmas spirit! From mid-November onwards, the City of Lights begins to live up to its name as Christmas displays are constructed in store windows, Christmas lights brighten the boulevards, and Christmas markets start popping up all over town. There are also special bus tours and river cruises along the Seine to see the Christmas lights, and several open-air ice skating rinks to choose from near Paris’s...

As I write this post, I join the rest of France and millions of people around the world who remain in shock following the fire that started on April 15th, 2019. For us, Notre Dame is more than a landmark and a place of worship. It is a work of art that has born witness to our history for the greater part of the last millennium. It is a symbol of human accomplishment and endurance across many generations. “It’s the very soul of Paris, but it’s not just for French people. For all humanity, it’s one of the great monuments to the best of civilisation,” said Barbara Drake Boehm, senior curator at...

This post is updated periodically to include current and upcoming Paris exhibitons and events. If you're planning to visit Paris in 2019 or 2020, you will surely be interested in finding out about the essential Paris exhibitions to check out this year. Here we have put together a comprehensive list of exhibitions we think people should include in their Paris itinerary, depending on the date of their visit and their specific interests. If you are doing a tour with us, be sure to let us know if you...

In 2019, the 86th annual Lemon Festival in Menton, known locally as la Fête du Citron , adopted the theme ‘Fantastic Worlds’ ( Des Mondes Fantastiques) . The theme for the 2020 festival will be ' Les Fêtes du Monde ' or ' Parties Around the World' . See below to check the dates for the events planned for the Menton Lemon Festival 2020. Menton is just a 10-minute drive from the Italian border, and it is easy to observe the Italian influences in the town’s architecture, colors and cuisine. If you were...

Twenty years after France won its first World Cup final at home in Paris, our team brings the golden trophy home for a second time , this time from Moscow. See this video of Paris paying homage to its national team. It was a dramatic end to an exciting month of football in Russia. The match against the strong Croatian team ended 4 - 2, including a stunning goal from Paris St Germain football club's latest star, 19-year-old Kylian Mbappé. making him the first teenager to score in a World Cup final since Brazilian legend Pelé in 1958. France's manager Didier Deschamps also goes down in history...

Any mention of France, and Paris in particular, will surely conjure up an image of the most iconic of icons, a symbol of romance and geometrical elegance. The Eiffel Tower in Paris (or Tour Eiffel de Paris, as it is called in French) , which celebrates its 130 th anniversary on March 31 st , 2019. With nearly 7 million people visiting each year and 250 million visitors in total since its inauguration in 1889, the Eiffel Tower is one of the world’s most popular attractions. But not many people know the history behind it, or how the Iron Lady has managed to stay standing for so long. Here are...

France Just For You is delighted to have been awarded the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2019 (and also 2018) for our tours of France. The Certificate of Excellence recognizes businesses that receive consistently great user reviews. We would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to all our travelers for leaving such kind reviews on TripAdvisor! Here are a few of our favorite quotes from our TripAdvisor page : “If you want to experience France, but are hesitant because you don’t speak the language, this company is for you. Emilie will prepare an itinerary that is so detailed that even the...

Every May, Gypsy communities gather in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in Provence to worship their patron saint. Learn about the pilgrimage and about other activities you can do in the Camargue region of France.

Jean-Marie Avisard will be replacing the legendary Gilbert Vahé as head gardener at Giverny , the home of Claude Monet. The job will include keeping the beautiful gardens , which inspired so much of Monet’s work, in pristine condition. This includes the flowerbeds, water garden, and lily ponds and it is no easy task. Jean Marie Avisard, the new head gardener of the Giverny gardens - © Autour de Overblog Gilbert Vahé has been in charge of the gardens since the project was first conceived back in 1977. He then retired in 2011 and was replaced by British...

must-see exhibition at the Louvre Get your diaries ready. From March 29th until July 23rd of this year , the Louvre will host a Delacroix exhibition. For those unfamiliar with Delacroix, he is one of France’s most celebrated artists and was the talk of the town in the early to mid 1800s. For four months, Paris’s, most famous museum will be exhibiting around 180 pieces of his work. The majority of these masterpieces will be paintings and they will span the entirety of his career to give viewers a complete picture (no pun intended) of his life. Eugene Delacroix Painter (1798 -...

By 2024, Paris’s main airport, Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle will have a fourth terminal. This will come just in time for the arrival of the Olympic athletes when Paris hosts the 2024 Olympic Games. The summer games are expected to take place between July 26 th and August 11 th . Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Currently, Charles de Gaulle airport is the 10th busiest airport in the worl d and the second busiest in Europe, after London. On average, the airport receives almost 70 million passengers per year. Its busiest routes are to New York, London, Barcelona and Dubai. The...

Disneyland Paris is about to get an impressive new $2.5 billion expansion over the next few years. Those in charge have remained tight-lipped about the details of this expansion but we have managed to extract the basic gist from the powers that be. It looks like three brand new areas are going to be added to the park in the biggest expansion since the park first opened in 1992 . Situated just outside the French capital, Paris, Disneyland Paris has long been captivating visitors from around the world. Did you know that Disneyland Paris alone accounts for...

Have you ever wondered what Paris looks like from up above? Well, thanks to FlyView’s new virtual reality experience, now you can find out. The premise of this spectacular new attraction is simple – let people soar over Paris, without a plane. Of course, you won’t actually be attached to a jet pack as you gaze down upon this bustling metropolis, but it will feel like you are. FlyView over Paris This new type of cultural attraction has already taken off in North America with FlyOver Canada and FlyOver USA. The simulator lets individuals feel like they are zooming through the air...

Did you know that King Louis XIV got married in Saint-Jean-de-Luz? Well, wouldn't you? In 1660, King Louis XIV of France was wedded to the Infanta Maria Theresa of Spain . The title infanta was given to the children of the king in Spain and Portugal. While the marriage itself was not a particularly happy one – King Louis had numerous public love affairs – the story of the wedding has gone down in history as being somewhat legendary. The reason the marriage was arranged in the first place was to ease the growing tensions...

Situated in the South of France, most people think of Provence as a summer destination . With abundant nature, there is plenty of fun to be had exploring the region’s diverse and beautiful landscapes under the never-ending sunshine. Yet, there is a lot more to Provence than just days out in the sun. Come Christmas time, the whole region transforms into a winter wonderland. The region has its own special Christmas customs and this makes the festive season here particularly magical. The festivities run from the 4 th of December right through...