The Best of France

The lovely port city of Saint Malo is a popular tourist destination and one of the jewels of the Brittany coast. Here we give you an overview of the history of this charming town and some things to do and see in Saint Malo if you plan to spend a day there. The History of Saint-Malo Saint Malo's position on a rock at the mouth of the Rance estuary has offered the city an excellent natural defence against invaders since pre-Roman times. Interestingly, the walled city of Saint Malo was in fact named after a Welsh monk and a disciple of St Brendan called Maclovius. At that time, Brittany was...

I grew up in the Loire Valley, so my family didn't venture as far as the French Riviera for our summer beach vacation. We tended to head to the expansive sandy beaches of the Normandy coast, or to the beautiful Saint-Malo in Brittany. I was actually in my late 20s and seven months pregnant the first time I visited the Côte d'Azur. Guillaume and I had just started France Just For You and we wanted to visit the regions in France that we hadn't been to before. It was a long but scenic road trip through the winding mountain roads as we headed to the warmth of the Mediterranean. Truth be told, my...

On our self-guided tours, we take pride in sending our travelers off the beaten track. However, there are some places that, in spite of being very touristy, we recommend visiting nonetheless. Les Baux de Provence is a case in point. One of the most beautiful villages in France, this immense and superb stone fortress is without doubt one of the must-sees on the Provencal tourist trail. The village has been painstakingly restored over recent years and is now one of the most popular attractions in Provence. Its spectacular location upon a rocky outcrop means you can enjoy brilliant views over...

This year the 86th annual Lemon Festival in Menton , the most ‘Italian’ city in France, will take place from February 16th through March 3rd 2019. The theme for this year’s lemon festival - known locally as la Fête du Citron - will be ‘Fantastic Worlds’ ( Des Mondes Fantastiques) . This year the festival's theme is ' Fantastic Worlds' In this post, we will tell you a bit about the town of Menton, one of France’s prettiest hidden gems, before we run through the events of the Menton Lemon Festival 2019 and the history of the festival. Then we’ll...

If you're planning to spend a day in Normandy , the gorgeous little harbor town of Honfleur on Normandy's coast is a great option. The best of Honfleur can be seen in half a day, though you may like to stay longer and relax on Butin beach (la Plage du Butin) about a mile and a half from downtown. Where is Honfleur? On the Normandy coast, Honfleur is located on the estuary where the River Seine meets the English Channel. It is just across from Le Havre, which has the second largest port in France after Marseille. Honfleur is a 2.5 to 3-hour drive from Paris, depending on the...

Les Plus Beaux Villages de France Association consists of 155 of the most beautiful villages in France, worthy of any travel bucket list. These villages want visitors to experience the best of French culture and heritage beyond the most popular tourist sites. Most of these villages only have a population of a few hundred people, offering tourists a more intimate and authentic experience of our wonderful country. Here are seven of our favourite French villages. Gourdon, Provence The drive from Tourrettes-sur-Loup to the little French village of Gourdon offers some magnificent...

We visited the Lérins Islands on our first research trip of the French Riviera , during the early days of France Just For You. We knew that we would include this region in our self-drive tours of France, so it was essential that we knew it inside out. Our first port of call on the French Riviera was Nice, and the crowded pebble beach there was nothing to write home about, though I did enjoy our swim under the stars that night. Only in the French Riviera is the sea warm enough to bathe in at night in October! But after a couple of days in this southern city, we felt that our whole experience...

One of the real beauties of France is its many gardens open to the public. They surround medieval castles, baroque palaces, and museums, and are a delight to explore and enjoy. Here we list some of the loveliest gardens to visit in France – a garden tour de France , you might say! Scroll down to check out the gardens in the French regions you'll be visiting. We hope that these beautiful photos will convince you to visit some of them! In and Around Paris Jardins des Plantes If you want to escape the city without actually leaving the city, we recommend taking a visit to the ...

Most people who visit France will know about the most famous places to visit in Paris - the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Moulin Rouge, to name a few - and we agree that a visit to these places is a must! However, at France Just For You, we pride ourselves on sending our travelers to places that many tourists don't know about. We want you to have a truly unique and authentic experience of France. Here we suggest some alternative places to visit in Paris which you may not have thought of: Monet's Waterlilies at the Musee de l'Orangerie The Musée de l'Orangerie is on the other side of the...

Many travelers feel drawn to France by its rich history, castles, gardens, cuisine and landscapes. Some of our most beautiful summer landscapes are on the French coast, so for those who plan to visit France during the summer months, we’ve compiled a selection of some of the best beaches in France, which would make a perfect day-trip to include in your tour of France . Saint Malo, Brittany Saint Malo is an old town steeped in history, and was recently voted best beach spot in France . Walking along the town’s cobbled streets may feel like taking a step back in time. High...

Even if your hosts can speak some English, during your vacation in France you will undoubtedly meet people who speak limited or even no English. If you can speak even a smattering of French, you can open a channel of communication between the two of you. Whatever the case, you opened a new door and gave yourself more opportunities . If you have a bit of time before you vacation, why not get a handle on the French language. You’ll be amazed at how many words are similar to English and how easy it is to grasp the basics . Before you know it...

There are hundreds of reasons why you should visit the Southwest of France, but here are our top 9! For many people visiting France, the Southwest region, which encompasses the Basque Country , will be the highlight of their trip. With beautiful landscapes and fabulous cuisine , there is something for everyone in this part of the country. Yet, it is not just what first meets the eye that makes the Southwest of France so special. Dig a little deeper and you will find a rich history and fascinating cultural heritage, which permeates the...

As part of the service we offer to our travelers, we plan itineraries according to your personal interests and requests. Will you be celebrating a birthday or wedding anniversary in France? Tell us how you'd like to celebrate and we will make it a day to remember! Here are some ideas below, or contact us and we'll give you a list of ideas for romantic getaways to France - just for you! Paris is known throughout the world as being the world’s romantic capital, and understandably so. But the rest of France also has so much to offer: medieval villages, castles,...

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH...ASSEZ !! (as we would say in French). For those who haven't heard of the AIR FRANCE pilot strike that has been totally paralizing the whole country for 5 days now...and doesn't seem to come to an end, this is a great summary of the situation: Air France Strike continues The French pilots are complaining about their wages when they are very well paied compared to the average French people. Of course, they have a lot of constraints and responsibilities..but come on guys! People work in factories everyday of their life and get paid maybe a 10th of what you get!! The matter is...

Do you speak tourist ? Finally a great initiative to improve the quality of the welcome of more than 33 million tourists in Paris area every year. Paris Chamber of Commerce is taking the lead to carry a great campaign to the taxi drivers, hotels, restaurants and storekeepers in the capital of France for them to improve their quality of service to the foreign travelers. This is really true that French people, especially in Paris, have a lot of efforts to make in improving their English skills and understanding the needs of foreign travelers. This website: www.doyouspeaktouriste.fr (which is...

Not only does France have its secrets and hidden beauty, the French language is a journey in itself, where you can get lost even more easily as you try to solve its mysteries. Some examples of these mysteries come to my mind: 'X' or 'S' for plurals and names? For instance the famous Loire Valley “castles” is quite difficult to write correctly. Indeed, the French word “ château ” is written with a “^” (i.e. accent circonflexe ) on the first “a“, which is a reminder of the former “ s ” that used to exist in old French, where ...