"Paul' France Page" France by Paul2001

France Travel Guide: 68,497 reviews and 147,908 photos

I found France to be a frustrating place. Not because I hated it in anyway. Rather I was blown away by how much that there is to see and do in this beautiful country. This is a country that is so rich in art and culture that it boggles the mind to try to come up with an itinenary that will be satisfying. After leaving France I was so irritated by how much that I had missed that I decided that if I was going to continue to travel seriously, that I was going to have to better prepare my trips. Therefore I recommend the following if you are planning a vacation to this wonderful country. Do not attempt to see too much at once as I did. Buy a good travel guide before you go and study it thoroughly. I was not very happy with mine. Give yourself plenty of time to see what you want to see. I think if you are traveling to Europe for three weeks it best to just spend the entirety of that time in a country like France instead of whistle stopping through. What is the point of visiting five countries in three weeks if you do not actually see anything.
Anyway I am eager to return to France and hope to in the not too distant future.

Pros and Cons

Pros:It offers more to do than any other country in Europe.
Cons:Yes the people can be a little aloof at times.
In a nutshell:So much to see but so little time.

Last visit to France: Nov 1999
Intro Updated Mar 9, 2005
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Reviews (28)

Cathedrale Saint-Benigne de Dijon - France

Cathedrale Saint-Benigne de Dijon Off The Beaten Path (7)

Cathedrale Saint-Benigne de Dijon in a fine medieval church. It has a spectatularly coloured tiled roof which drew my... more travel advice

Lac Annecy with the Alps seen in the distance. - France

Take a Cruise on Lac Annecy Favorites (2)

One of the more interesting things that I did while in Annecy was take a cruise on this prestine lake. Lac Annecy is... more travel advice

The Church of Notre Dame in Beaune - France

The Church of Notre Dame in Beaune Off The Beaten Path (7)

The Church of Notre Dame in Beaune was built in the 12th century in a design that is now known as Burgundian Romaneque.... more travel advice

The Basilique du Sacré-Coeur and the Montmarte - France

Basilique du Sacré-Coeur Things to Do (15)

The Basilique du Sacré-Coeur sits on top of a hill in the Montmarte neighborhood of Paris. The design of the church was... more travel advice

Tourist Traps (1)
The restaurants in the Latin...
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Comments (27)

iandsmith May 10, 2007 at 1:59 PM Report Abuse

Great pages, love your style. Totally agree with your opening sentiments.
Nemorino Oct 1, 2006 at 8:35 AM Report Abuse

Interesting and insightful descriptions as always. I especially liked your tip on rail travel and the TGV. We used to go camping at Lake Annecy sometimes when our children were small; it really is a beautiful area.
globetrott Sep 29, 2006 at 2:40 PM Report Abuse

A lot of excellent infos and wonderful pictures ! There are so many great and interesting places to visit in France !!
sue_stone Mar 7, 2006 at 12:11 AM Report Abuse

You have given me the desire to return to France again...luckily I am going July ; ))
JLBG Feb 4, 2006 at 10:05 PM Report Abuse

An excellent page. You are right about the way to visit France (and other European countries too), bit by bit!. You have visited more of the "must see" in France than I have! Have you tried the "guide du Routard"? I feel it is the best for tips!
Chatte40 Feb 1, 2006 at 2:46 AM Report Abuse

Nice pictures of Lac D´Annecy! I´ve visited there too, so beautiful..
deecat Oct 26, 2005 at 9:16 AM Report Abuse

Paul, it's always a pleasure to read your narrations; this one is no exception. A wealth of information and insights. Thanks for this wonderful tour.
807Wheaton Oct 13, 2005 at 1:42 PM Report Abuse

Gosh, I sure have to agree with you that France is one of those countries that needs a lot of a little, not a little of a lot! Just spent two weeks there on our 2nd trip.....enjoyed your page!
LoriPori Jun 18, 2005 at 4:26 AM Report Abuse

First, thank you for visiting my Spain pages. I thoroughly enjoyed your France, as it is one of our favourite European countries. So much to see & do.
rexvaughan Jun 17, 2005 at 11:45 AM Report Abuse

I agree with you about how to travel in France - sooo much! I also agree with most of your top ten lists on your homepage. Thanks for an entertaining page.