Americans @ the Tour de France

France is regarded amongst the most visited and popular destinations
for taking a holiday or a trip in Europe. And looking at the huge
influx of visitors each year proves this fact. Whether it is a leisure
trip, a pleasant tour, an adventure holiday or even a romantic getaway,
France has all the answers. Geographically the country is very small
but each area of the country has it own unique features. France
provides with so many opportunities for its visitors as it has such a
variety of attractions and activities to explore. Whatever is one’s
taste, you can find it here as the country is blessed with such
diversity.

France has many faces waiting to be discovered. When you travel in the
country, the many hidden secrets unfold one by one and it is certainly
a unique experience. Most importantly, the country invokes that feeling
of adventure in everyone. Check out the capital city and glamour city
of Paris to the Alps and the lush and relaxing countryside, you will
never be out of options. At one time, France was a destination for the
rich upper class people from America and Great Britain, as travelling
to France was linked with luxury. However, the things have changed and
now it is now a destination for travelers on any kind of budget. One
will find hotels in France, which cater to tourists on a lavish
vacation or on a tight budget.

Tourists will find France truly a land of contrasts. The country has a
range of landscapes, which the country takes, pride in. Almost 80% of
France is countryside, spreading out in the all directions. The
inviting countryside is rich and diverse, and each region welcoming the
visitors with a warm welcome. The country will endow the tourists with
a number of adventures right from a tour of the museums housing major
works of art to historical monuments reminding of France’s history. You
wish and the country has it for a memorable holiday. It is just not the
Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, but there are several other tourist
attractions to experience. Of the many things about France, the French
wines need a mention. It is the great national treasure rooted in
history. With over half million vineyards in the country, French wine
is renowned the world over.

A popular destination like France, it has a plethora of accommodation
options though the hotels France remains the most accepted of the
accommodation options. With thousands of hotels in the country,
visitors would not come across accommodation problems but as is the
case with all popular destinations, reservations made ahead of your
arrival are advisable. A great choice of lodging options is available,
catering to all kind of travelers too. The capital city Paris is the
world center for fashion, art and style, making it the top destination
for visitors with over 30 million travelers visiting it every year. A
romantic and beautiful destination Paris has much to offer and the
hotels in France Paris furnish the needs of its visitors. The number of
hotels in Paris exceeds the total hotels in France. For the adventure
enthusiasts the lodging in the campsites, ski resorts, and inns is
quite appealing, and satisfying the adventure cravings. Hotels France
are fantastic, not disappoint its guest’s with its superb facilities
and services.

France is well known for its numerous chateaux and castles and one
of the main areas that people think of is the Loire region with
fabulous castles such as the Chateau Chenonceau, but what many people
do not realise is that there are lots of different palaces and chateaux
that surround the capital city of Paris in the Ile de France region.

However, probably the most well known of all of these historical
buildings in France is the Chateau de Versailles that is situated just
outside of Paris and these types of chateau are on such a grand scale
that you really need to put a whole day to one side to appreciate them
to the fullest.

In fact, the Chateau de Versailles is one of the largest castles in
the world and is one of the most visited sites in France with its
French architecture on a grand scale. Plus Versailles has history
galleries with many masterpieces and is the largest history museum in
the world, but this is only one part of the chateau open to the public!

Yet one of the most famous rooms at the former Royal Palace is the
75m long Galerie des Glaces, known as the Hall of Mirrors and this is
where the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919, which signified the
end of World War I.

But the gardens that were designed by Andre Le Notre, have also
become the most famous in world and there are around 1,300 fountains,
jets and waterfalls that utilise water pumped from the River Seine, a
vast amount of sculptures and statues, plus the formal gardens to
explore. And at a weekend from April through to September there are
fountain shows for everyone enjoyment.

There is also another show held at Chateau de Versailles at set
times called the Académie du Spectacle Equestre, plus you can visit the
restored 17th century royal stables, home to these beautiful horses
that are the stars of the show.

But enough on this palace, lets take a quick look at another
beautiful castle in France, called Chateau de Chantilly, which can be
located in one of the largest forests near Paris and this vast estate
covers around 7,800 hectares, yet is not as well known as the Chateau
Versailles.

Now, anyone you know that has enjoyed The Louvre, will love the
museum of historical paintings at Chateau Chantilly, as it is classed
as one of the finest museums in France and the only one except The
Louvre that has 3 Raphael paintings.

And also inside Chateau de Chantilly is the Conde Museum that holds
a book room containing about 30,000 volumes, including 1,500
manuscripts and is the most important collection in France, plus this
castle also contains medieval manuscripts with one very rare specimen
dating from the11th century.

Andre Le Notre also designed the gardens at Chateau De Chantilly and
this castle has the largest expanse of water with the Grand Canal being
approximately 2.5 kilometres long, but yet another garden that Andre
designed is to be found at the Chateau Vaux le Vicomte.

You can even hire an electric golf car to get around the grounds or
take a trip on the canal when visiting the well restored Chateau Vaux
le Vicomte and this French castle has a horse driven carriage museum,
which houses a unique collection of 18th and 19th century carriages,
plus an exhibition dedicated to Andre Le Notre in the vaulted cellars.

They even hold candlelight visits, specific themed activities for
children and from March until to October there is a fountain show held
twice a month, which is a spectacular sight, especially when you
consider that the fountains are still gravity fed the same way as they
were in the 17th century!

Whatever French castle you choose to visit, you will not be
disappointed and other stately homes around Paris that all have
something different to offer include the Royal Chateau de Fontainebleau
where you can feed large carp and have a tour of the estate in a
horse-drawn carriage or the Chateau de Sceaux where they hold classical
music festivals and outdoor operas in the summer.

The Chateau de Compiegne is another restored castle that has three
different museums including the museum of transport, which shows
exhibits of past road travel from bicycles right through to the first
electric and steam engine vehicles, prototypes and some very rare items
on display.

Yet the Chateau de Thoiry is definitely a fantastic and fun day out
for all the family with something for everyone including the youngest
to enjoy and is home to what was the very first wild animal safari park
in Europe. It also has the only interactive maze in the world! Plus you
can also have a tour of the castle by guides in period costumes and see
the unique solar calendar in the garden where the Chateau itself
becomes transparent during solstice

So why not take a trip out to one of these incredible architectural
wonders and have a day to remember with a picnic in the grounds. Just
make sure you pick a dry day to make the most of it, but please do
remember that most of these chateaux and castles close at least one day
a week, which is normally on a Monday or Tuesday!

Be ready to get impressed on your travel France as the country has
everything that one could expect from a holiday. Amongst the five top
most tourist destinations in the world, facts about France let you see
why it is so. It has the fashion capital Paris as its capital city,
beautiful nature, beaches, the mountain scenery, and monuments all make
it a great tourist destination. Moreover, the experience of visiting
the country can vary as to the place you select for your holiday.
Holidays on a beach, in the countryside, the big cities to the
beautiful villages, all have something on offer for its visitors. There
is plenty to explore and discover, loads of activities to get involved
in and certainly life long memories to take back home. A great
destination, France provides number of holiday ideas a few are
mentioned here.

• Adventure Holidays

Take on an adventure holiday to see the real France. For those who love
adventure travel, adventure holidays can be a fantastic option. Get a
taste of the place, meet the local people when you head on an adventure
holiday. On offer are all kinds of different activities that one can
pick from like from the extreme sports to the more ordinary. These
holidays come in complete package holidays, and tailor made for adult
only adventures or for a family holiday that can cater for all ages of
children. It’s the horse riding that catches your fancy, mountain
biking or is it the hiking, you can find all this and much more for
your holiday.

• Cycling holidays

With cycling being a national pastime in France, the organized cycling
holidays are becoming very popular. These holidays provide with an
opportunity for the visitors to cycle their way into the country and
explore the region while having a go at the sport. This year round
activity is a very popular among all ages and weather has a big role to
play. In addition there are quite and beautiful countryside, with
number of roads available for cycling. The well-maintained roads
provide excellent cycling areas for cycling. Tour de France, the
greatest cycling event in the world takes here in the country. For not
the regular cyclists there are organized cycling trips, which combine
cycling with accommodation, visits to the areas along the route.

• Skiing holidays

If you are on travel France for a skiing holiday then you will find the
country has some of the best ski areas and ski resorts. France is a
very popular destination among the tourists and if you skiing is your
cup of tea, then Alps provide with excellent ski areas. With many ski
classes made available for the tourists who are beginners, everyone can
enjoy. Tourists can choose from a wide range of ski accommodation from
ski resorts, private ski chalets, chalet apartments to hotels. The ski
accommodation meets the needs of all skiers.

• Golfing holidays

France can turn out to be an excellent choice for a golfing holiday for
both the professional and amateur golfers, as the country has a variety
of golf courses. Playing golf amidst snow-capped mountains or
Mediterranean views, it is a wonderful experience. France is a
fantastic destination for golf holidays all the year round and plenty
of sunshine adds on to the charm of the place. There is a lot of choice
as the France map is dotted all over with golf courses. With the
specially designed golf holidays, wherein one stays in a luxury villa,
a private golf course and this blend of comfort and quality with golf
is a quite experience.

• Holiday on a River Cruise

With the varied landscape that France has, a river cruise holiday is a
perfect way to enjoy the countryside, the history and the culture as
one travels from one place to another. It is the right idea for a
relaxing and a different kind of holiday. A river cruise lets you
experience, what you can never otherwise see, with every region having
its own specialty and beauty.

• Camping holidays

Travel France for a great camping holiday, which is a great holiday
idea for fun and adventure. In the recent years, camping has caught on
with the tourists and with thousands of campsites available, it is all
the much easier to embark on a camping holiday. One will get easily
spoiled for choices, with so many to choose from, right from hiring
your own tent, caravans, or even a mobile home, is a great way of
touring the country. The campsites are well maintained and organized,
offering all the facilities for relaxing and entertaining holidays.

Wherever you travel a France map would be a handy tool and should be your accompanist all through your holiday.