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If you’re looking to take a trip abroad then France is an excellent destination. It’s a particularly easy place to reach for those of us living in the UK, although some people do tend to dismiss the advantages of visiting the country. That’s a shame, particularly since it has so much to offer.

One of the biggest advantages of travelling to France is that there are numerous options available in terms of getting there and there are excellent transport links on to other European destinations. Many people choose to cross the English Channel via ferry, but the fast train links from London to Paris are also proving popular.

There’s no doubt that you can also pick up some great flight deals, with a number of budget airlines operating regular services from regional airports, including Bournemouth, Southampton and Exeter. You can take advantage of these deals to make sure that you have a cheap holiday.

But what should you do when you get to France? Are there ways of behaving that will allow you to get the most out of your trip?

I think one of the best things about being in France, or any other foreign country, is that you’ll have the opportunity to sample many new experiences. I’m not a great fan of heading over to another country and then trying to find the same foods or sources of entertainment that you’re familiar with back home.

You’ll certainly get more out of your visit if you take the time to look at how the French people live. Aim to eat as the locals do. That may mean heading for the same restaurants, or simply choosing to cook your own meals using fresh, local ingredients. Taking such an approach will allow you to have a far more memorable trip.

It’s also worth learning a few words of the language. Local people will appreciate your efforts and you’re likely to feel more welcome as a result.

With over 80 million tourists a year, France is the most visited country in the world. Here are the top five reasons why people from all over the world visit France – the very same reasons you should be planning your own French holidays, too.

1. The Most Romantic Place on Earth

France arguably has more romantic spots than anywhere else in the world. These include stunning gardens such as the world-famous gardens of Versailles, where kings and queens once walked, the gardens of Latour-Marliac in Giverny, which provided the inspiration for one of Claude Monet’s most famous paintings and the Loire Valley, which, with all its golden sunflowers, is a huge garden in itself – all of which are perfect places for a stroll with your loved one. There are also many fairy tale castles for you to tour, such as the Chateau de Chambord, Cheverny Castle and Fontainebleau Castle and you can even spend the night in one if you like.

Of course, you should also spend some time in Paris when you visit France on a romantic getaway. After all, the city is synonymous with romance. Savor the breathtaking views from the top of the Eiffel Tower, walk hand in hand along the Seine – while stealing a French kiss or two, or simply sit side by side in a small cafe and watch the city go by.

2. Gourmet Dining

It is a well-known fact that French cuisine is one of the world’s most popular cuisines, as well as one of the most refined. True, you can easily find a French restaurant in many corners of the world, but nothing still compares to eating fois gras, coq au vin, ratatouille, bouillabaisse, souffle, eclairs or ganache in one of the best restaurants in France. For a truly gourmet dining experience, reserve a table at one of the country’s Michelin three-starred restaurants, like Guy Savoy, Le Meurice or Plaza Athenee.

Be sure to order wine with your meal, since France also produces the best wines – whether red, white, or sparkling wines. You can also visit various wine estates and cellars during your French holidays in the regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne so you can see how wines are made while treating your tastebuds to a wine-tasting escapade. And if you like cognac, you should try it at the town where it originated.

3. World-Class Art Museums

France is home to the Louvre, the world’s most famous museum, which, in turn, is home to over 30,000 priceless works of art. Its collection of paintings is the most impressive, containing masterpieces by the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Caravaggio and Rembrandt, although it also has various sculptures and artifacts from ancient Egypt and Greece. Aside from the Louvre, you should also drop by the Musee d’Orsay, which houses Monet and Renoir masterpieces among others, as well as the Musée National d’Art Moderne at the Centre Georges Pompidou, when you visit France. You can view exceptional works of art at the Palace of Versailles, too, and in many galleries outside Paris such as the Musee d’Unterlinden in Colmar.

4. Shopping

For the ultimate shopping experience, you should definitely come visit France. You will find many fashionable shops on the streets of Paris, particularly world-famous boutiques selling the best and latest in shoes, bags and clothes and fashion accessories. The specialty food shops are just as popular, such as the pastry and cheese shops, although you won’t be able to bring these home as souvenirs. For more unique finds and better bargains, don’t be afraid to try the Saint Ouen Flea Market and other flea markets in Paris and other cities, though you should be mindful to come early and be on guard against pickpockets.

5. Beautiful Beaches

Many tourists visit France for its beaches, and why not, when its beaches offer fine sands, sparkling Mediterranean waters, spectacular scenery and great facilities? Most of the fine beaches in France can be found on the Cote d’Azur or the French Riviera, particularly near the cities of Cannes and Nice, such as the St. Tropez Beach and the Villefranche sur Mer, although you can also find great beaches on the coasts of Brittany and Normandy, as well as on the Atlantic coast, like Biarritz.

There are many fun facts about France, but at the same time people do have many misconceptions about this country too. To get ourselves acquainted with the fact about France we need to do a bit of research on this mountainous region. It’s not only mountainous but splendid too with its rich and varied heritage.

France is situated in Western Europe surrounded by six countries namely Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium and Germany. Its mountainous regions are the Alps, Auvergne, Massif Central, Jura, Morvan, Pyrenees, Vosges and Corsica.

UNESCO’s famous world heritage sites in France include Mont St. Michel Abbey, Versailles Palace and Chartres Cathedral to mention a few. Ultimately France is a country of cultural heritage and worth visiting.

It has been well equipped with many modern marvels like the Millau Viaduc a suspension bridge supported by seven pillars at a height of 885 feet above the river Tarn stretching for a mile and a half in distance. This is even taller than the great Eiffel Tower and sure is the best ever tourist attraction. This wonder was made available to the public in 2004.

Next in step one has to experience is the train journey in the TGV, a train with very high speed that is France’s ultimate pride. It could travel more than 200 miles per hour and it holds the world record of covering 500 mph. It connects Paris to Avignon in less than 3 hours. Isn’t it marvelous to travel by the TGV? You can do this only in France.

If you are a lover of air travel try the famous airbus Toulouse which has been the home of airbus industries since 2005. Its length could be measured from one goal post to the other of a football field and its wings measure 262 feet. Its accommodation space could be anything from 550 and 840 passengers and it flies a distance of 10, 000 miles.

France takes pride in being one of the world’s largest wine producing countries. You get the best of wine here and if you are seeking good restaurants you’ve found them. France has the most number of Michelin starred restaurants than anywhere else in the world. France boasts of its more than 500 different cheeses.

For the lovers of shopping, you’ve got it all from art and craft to jewelry and clothes for occasions or gifts, it all available in abundance to suit your every need. The world’s famous crystal and wine are there within your reach in this world famous nation.

France is filled with a lot of surprises and historical pasts. There are many more interesting facts regarding France which one has to explore and keep exploring on and on to find. The more you explore the more you would find the intriguing facts about France.

Living here in the UK, I’m well aware that many people don’t like France very much and have even less time for the people of that country. This always strikes me as being a real shame. France is one of our closest neighbours, with only a small stretch of water separating our two nations.

Why is it that so many people hate the thought of crossing the English Channel and making their way to France? I really find it hard to understand, especially since we’re talking about a country that has an enormous amount to offer visitors.

When you visit Paris, for example, it’s hard not to be charmed by one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It’s a place that has an aura of romance, where you can eat some of the finest food that the world has to offer. Yet I hear people complaining that the standard of service in Paris is poor and that they find the people to be unfriendly.

I wonder whether we make enough of an effort to learn a few words of the language. I’ve certainly found that the people of France are much more happy to respond to those of us who make an effort to speak in their own language. It’s not a difficult thing to do and it’s part of the fun of being in France.

It makes sense to try and learn to live how the French do, at least while you’re in their country. As you do so, you soon find that we have more in common with the French than you might previously have thought. That’s part of the beauty of such a trip.

You can celebrate the differences between the two nations, but also enjoy the fact that we have a surprising amount in common. It’s both of these factors that contribute to my love of visiting France and meeting the people of that great country.

France is a very popular travel destination with cyclists because it offers everything necessary for a great trip – great scenery, thousands of miles of coastline, the challenges of cycling the famous routes from the Tour de France…and because there are so many cycling enthusiasts in France, almost every town will have somewhere to get a bike repaired or to buy spare parts if necessary.

There are two main options for those planning a cycling holiday in France:

1) Many cyclists like to book a ‘cycling holiday’, where the routes are pre-arranged by cyclists with local knowledge, support is available in the case of a problem, luggage is often transferred by car to the following night’s accommodation, etc. These type of holidays will also ensure that you are travelling with like minded people.

Often these trips have a focus on sightseeing as much as cycling, and the daily distances travelled and difficulties are typically not great – perhaps 40-60 kilometres per day of cycling, with plenty of time for relaxing and restaurant breaks. It is possible to find more challenging cycling holidays, where the focus is on cycling harder routes and for longer distances, but these are less common.

2) The alternative is a ‘diy’ type trip. Either based in one location, carefully selected for its proximity to good cycle routes, or by pre-booking a series of hotels or chambre d’hotes, it is very possible to create your own route.

This will have the advantage of giving you greater freedom over the routes and distances travelled, and flexibility in how long you spend cycling each day. It will typically be much cheaper than paying for an organised trip, although you will of course need to bring (or hire) a bike – many pre-organised cycling holidays include bike hire in the price.

As well as hotels, many holiday rental properties will also offer facilities for cyclists and allow the extra savings that are made possible by staying in self-catering accommodation. The key is to find somewhere quite centrally placed so you aren’t cycling 10 kilometres along the same gravel track at the start of each ride or excursion!

Having decided what type of cycling holiday to take in France you just need to choose a destination. Many regions of France are good for cyclists and offer quiet roads in beautiful countryside.

As a few general suggestions; for coastline, consider Brittany; for rolling countryside try Gascony, Normandy or Lot et Garonne; for rolling countryside and scenic interest perhaps the Dordogne, Luberon or Burgundy regions are suitable (all have flatter sections and some quite hilly parts); while more hilly regions perhaps the Auvergne, limousin or massif central regions are ideal.

True mountain cycling enthusiasts will head for the great mountain passes of the Alps or the Pyrenees – be aware that these are neither trivial or easy if you have limited cycling experience and should not be taken lightly.