Lonely planet france s best trips lonely planet

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Lonely Planet France s Best Trips Lonely Planet

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CONTENTS

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to France

France Highlights

If You Like…

Need to Know

Paris City Guide

Lyon City Guide

Lille City Guide

Nice City Guide

France Classic Trips

ON
1 Essential France PARIS & NORTHEASTERN FRANCE 2 A Toast to Art 3 Northern Coast 4 In Flanders Fields 5 Champagne Taster 6 Alsace Accents NORMANDY & BRITTANY 7 Monet’s Normandy 8 D-Day’s Beaches 9 Breton Coast 10 Tour des Fromages LOIRE VALLEY & CENTRAL FRANCE 11 Châteaux of the Loire 12 Caves & Cellars of the Loire 13 Volcanoes of the Auvergne 14 Medieval Burgundy 15 Route des Grands Crus ALPS, JURA & RHÔNE VALLEY 16 The Jura 17 Alpine Adventure 18 Foothills of the Alps 19 Beaujolais Villages
THE ROAD

20 Rhône Valley

PROVENCE & SOUTHEAST FRANCE

21 Roman Provence

22 Lavender Route

23 Riviera Crossing

24 Var Delights

25 Southern Seduction en Corse

26 Corsican Coast Cruiser

27 The Camargue

PYRENEES & SOUTHWEST FRANCE

28 Pont du Gard to Viaduc de Millau 29 The Cathar Trail 30 Cheat’s Compostela

The Pyrenees

ATLANTIC COAST

Basque Country

Gourmet Dordogne

Cave Art of the Vézère Valley

Dordogne’s Fortified Villages 37 The Lot Valley 38 Atlantic to Med

31
32
33
34
35
Heritage Wine Country
36

ROAD TRIP ESSENTIALS

FRANCE DRIVING GUIDE

Driving Licence & Documents

Insurance

Hiring a Car

Bringing Your Own Vehicle

Maps

Road Distances

Roads & Conditions

Road Rules

Parking

Fuel

Satellite Navigation Systems

Safety

Radio

FRANCE TRAVEL GUIDE

GETTING THERE & AWAY

Air

Car & Motorcycle

Train

Sea

DIRECTORY A–Z

Accommodation

Electricity

Food

Internet Access

LGBT Travellers

Money

Opening Hours

Public Holidays

Safe Travel

Telephone

Tourist Information

Travellers with Disabilities

Visas

LANGUAGE

BEHIND THE SCENES

INDEX

OUR WRITERS

Nice Parasols on Baie des Anges FRASER HALL / GETTY IMAGES ©

WELCOME TO FRANCE

Iconic monuments, island abbeys, fabulous food, world-class wines –there are so many reasons to plan your very own French voyage. Whether you’re planning on cruising the corniches of the French Riviera, getting lost among the snowcapped Alps or tasting your way around Champagne’s hallowed vineyards, this is a nation that’s made for road trips and full of unforgettable routes that will plunge you straight into France’s heart and soul.

There’s a trip for everyone here: family travellers, history buffs, culinary connoisseurs and outdoors adventurers. And if you’ve only got time for one trip, why not make it one of our eight Classic Trips, which take you to the very best France has to offer. Turn the page for more.

Buckle up, and bon voyage – you’re in for quite a ride.

Provence Lavender fields

MICHAEL BUSSELLE / GETTY IMAGES ©

FRANCE HIGHLIGHTS

France’s best sights and experiences, and the road trips that will take you there.

Paris

What is there to say about the City of Light that hasn’t been said a thousand times before? Quite simply, this is one of the world’s essential cities: sexy, suave and sophisticated. There’s a lifetime of experiences here, from the treasures of the Louvre to the cafes of Montmartre – but you’ll need nerves of steel to brave the traffic. Trip click here

Paris View from in front of Basilique du Sacré-Coeur PIERRE OGERON / GETTY IMAGES ©

Vézère Valley

Prehistoric people left an astonishing legacy of paintings and sculptures in the caves of the Vézère Valley. These artworks provide a glimpse into the lives of our ancient ancestors – but opinion is divided on what purpose they served. Were they sacred works imbued with magical significance, or simply prehistoric posters? The truth is, no one knows. Decide for yourself on Trip 35: Cave Art of the Vézère Valley. Trip click here

Vézère Valley Prehistoric painting from the Grotte de Lascaux HEMIS / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO ©

Mont St-Michel

Perched on an island and connected to the Norman coast by a causeway, this 11th-century abbey is one of France’s most recognisable sights. Crowned by spires, ringed by ramparts and thronged by crowds, it looks like it has fallen from the pages of a fairy tale. It’s a long climb to the top, but the views are worth every step. We’ve linked it with other unmissable sights in Trip 1: Essential France. Trip click here

Mont St-Michel Island abbey off the Norman coast KANUMAN / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

D-Day Beaches

On 6 June 1944 the largest invasion the world has ever seen stormed ashore onto the beaches of Normandy. Now known as D-Day, this audacious assault marked the turning point of WWII, and on Trip 8: D-Day’s Beaches, you’ll see many reminders of the fateful campaign – from the forbidding guns of Longues-sur-Mer to the moving cemetery above Omaha Beach. Trip click here

BEST ROADS FOR DRIVING

Riviera Crossing Cliff roads and sparkling seas: the drive of a lifetime. Trip click here

Gorges du Tarn Drive through a dramatic ravine in the Cévennes hills. Trip click here

Route des Vins d’Alsace Meander among vines with views of the Vosges. Trip click here

Col de l’Iseran Brave the Alps’ highest road pass. Trip click here

The Lot Valley Cruise limestone cliffs beside the Lot River. Trip click here

The Pyrenees

With their lofty passes and wide-open skies, the Pyrenees have the wow factor. Running along the Franco–Spanish border, they’re home to some of the nation’s wildest landscapes, and some of its hairiest roads – the closest you’ll get to a traffic jam here is finding yourself stuck behind a herd of cows. Take Trip 31: The Pyrenees through quiet valleys, traditional villages and mountain-top observatories. Trip click here

French Riviera

If it’s a top-down, open-road, wind-in-your-hair drive you’re after, there’s only one corner of France that hits the mark, and that’s the flashy Riviera. Synonymous with glitz and glamour since the 19th century, it’s still one of Europe’s most fashionable spots. Trip 23: Riviera Crossing twists through hilltop towns and hairpin-bend roads – just remember to pack a camera and a pair of shades. Trips click here click here

BEST TOWNS FOR WINE-LOVERS

Beaune The heart and soul of Burgundy wine. Trip click here

St-Émilion Winemakers outnumber residents in this honey-stoned town. Trip click here

Bergerac Lesser-known vintages on the edge of the Dordogne. Trip click here

Épernay Tour the cellars of Champagne’s classic brands. Trip click here

Colmar Sip Alsatian wines with a view of the canals. Trip click here

Hilltop Villages

From red-roofed hamlets to hillside hideaways, France’s villages perchéswill be a highlight of your trip. Most are medieval, and replete with flower-filled lanes, hidden courtyards and quiet squares. Life ticks along at a snail’s pace, and there’s nowhere better to settle in for a leisurely lunch. Trip 22: Lavender Route travels through some of Provence’s prettiest. Trips click here click here click here click here

Provence The hilltop village of Gordes SHAUN EGAN / GETTY IMAGES ©

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