Maps of France

Nancy is my friend's baby girl's name. When I asked her why she chose Nancy, she said that it's her favorite city in France. Apparently, Nancy's a place seldom spoken of that's why I wasn't surprised to hear other people's reactions whenever she explains the matter. To settle things, I volunteered to provide information about Nancy.

Nancy is located in Lorraine. At first look, Nancy resembles any ordinary French city, but there are surprises hidden in this bountiful town. A place regarded as a world-legacy, named after King Stanislas of Poland, is found in here. At night, it is splendid with the establishments and fountains enlightened. A few steps from this sublime, yet romantic, place is the le Jardin de la Pépinière, or the Pepiniere garden that reveals a fascinating landscape during summer time. Although these places stand out among the rest, the real beauty of the city is found in small details. These details are found in Rue, a grand avenue filled with bookstores, galleries and the Ducal museum that features a showcase of Lorraine's cultural heritage, wine shops, and bars that also serve good food.

Nancy celebrates culture 365 days a year. The numerous fetes are found in clubs (some of which are exclusive to people aged 20 and below while some are sophisticated and are often visited by tourists) while a jazz event is held during October. Music binds the people of Nancy and it's pretty alright for travelers to experience the non-stop joviality of the city.

The oldest town in France, Marseille, is much more alluring than Paris. Actually, it is noisier in here. The hustle and bustle seem to never stop. People are always busy with their work. One will actually be ashamed of doing nothing amidst the operose city.

Marseille occupies 820,700 square kilometers of land area. The wide seaport provides entrance to the city. The first time I have been to Marseille, I spent a week in the cheapest hotel in seaport. From my room, I saw the picturesque city. Ancient establishments, most of them churches and government buildings, are still maintained by the government. Although they were built during the *Medieval period, the architectural designs are still magnificent. Also, a map is useless in Marseille. Just read the road signs, and I guarantee that you will be able to get wherever you want to go.

Marseille is made up of small environs, each having their own distinctive features. It was here that I saw the paintings of Cezanne and visited the Chateau d'If. The harbors are beautiful. I even took the chance to dive in the Marseille beach just three weeks after I finally received my NAUI diving certification. I really enjoyed swimming along the long coasts that seemed to frame the whole town.

Whew! The Cannes festival was really amazing. Aside from the entertainment personalities that walk the red carpet, the city itself is boasting with unseemingly most beautiful tourist attractions. No wonder, Cannes is the perfect place for prestigious award giving bodies like.

Cannes is known for its high tipping system. I mean, who would not want to try French cuisine especially the exquisite foie gras, and pay up 15 percent service charge. Anyway, I bit the bait. Besides, the services in Cannes restaurants are superb and deserves large tips. Unfortunately, I do not have the enough money for that.

Nearly 70,000 people reside in Cannes. Most of them are restaurant owners, while some are fashion designers, art collectors, actors, and architects. Cannes is sandwiched between mountain ranges and Mediterranean sea, thus hot climate prevails in the city. This also invites thousands of tourists who can have comfortable lodgings in Cannes hotels. Since the weather is dry, people are expected to wear casual dress. On the other hand, tourists will never get lost in Cannes. The street signs are noticeable enough to lead you to your way. Also, since most people there already speak good English, there is no need to worry about your French.

You might have been to France, but you might not have heard of Dijon. I only learned of this fascinating city on my way home from Burgundy. Actually, it is a part of Burgundy, but its name is seldom spoken of. It was only through my fellow holiday travelers that I knew of the significance of this city.

The story of Dijon began during the brilliant Renaissance era. The evidences could still be seen with the elegantly designed buildings that give the city a very solemn, yet, enchanted aura. If I am not mistaken, Dijon once housed dukes. It occupies .97 square kilometers, and houses 200,000 residents. Dijon is known for its exquisite cuisines and museums that feature the rare art collections to be ever found in France.

On the lighter side, Dijon features and annually celebrates several musical festivals, dance festivals, and film festivals. No wonder, my friend recommended me this place to visit on summer.
By the way, do you have any idea why I went to Burgundy? It is all because of mustard. Yup, but unknowingly, I was actually led to Dijon, and there I was, made to see to a wide mustard plantation. Needless to say, there are also vineyards in the city, and the wine is superb.

Wine lovers never get lost in France. It is probably the wine capital of the world. The last time I went there to meet a professional wine connoisseur, I was literally taken on a tour to the different wineries. Our first stop was Bordeaux. By the way, if you have difficulty saying the word, you share the same problem with me. Anyway, there is more in Bordeaux than meets the eye.

Aside from the numerous hidden wine cellars in Bordeaux, the whole region is proof of rich and lavish history. I feasted on the various types of grapes. They were really sumptuous. The vineyards are one of the best. There is no word to describe the exemplary landscape of the vineyards. By the way, the region is situated near the coast of Atlantic, thus Bordeaux is experiencing humid weather almost all throughout the year. Before I forget, the vineyards actually serve as boundaries for Bordeaux. So, should you want to go there, do not expect vineyards in the main city. Instead, ask for a guide that will take you to the innermost part of Bordeaux.

The whole region, according to my friend, is almost 10,000 square kilometers. While, it houses 1,300,000 residents. There is no mountain or high cliffs in Bordeaux. Instead, my friend showed me the Pyla. It is a sand dune, and probably the highest in the world. Beaches could also be found in Bordeaux. There are museums located in the main city. But, the best attraction would be the lavish vineyards and green fields.

Avignon must be one of the most sacred places on earth. It has always been associated with papacy. Currently, it houses 90,000 people. Although Catholic is the prevailing religion in Avignon, there is no restriction against Muslim and Hindu practices. It has become as one of my favorite cities in France because of its rich heritage, and its outstanding beauty. But, my liking for Avignon was because of my undesirable experience in traveling there.

Hey, I do not mean any grievous event. It was as simple as a dreaded tick rabies. It was my fault. I did not follow the reminders given me by my tour guide. He actually instructed us to get a vaccination. Also, I did not expect that I will catch colds from the chilly weather there. At the same time, I found it really hard to adjust at the eating lifestyle in Avignon. But after several days, I got well, and was able to continue my tour.

I started my adventure by strolling the streets of Avignon. The climate was fairly warm in the morning. But, it becomes real cold as night falls. My roommate even told me that in Avignon there is very quick shifting of weather, so I must be prepared whenever I go out for a walk. Anyway, the rain did not stop me. At the end of my week long holiday travel, I found that Avignon has the most beautiful plains. Also, it was in this place that I see hills covered with green fields with snow capped mountains.

France is located in Western Europe between Belgium and Spain. It borders the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel.

France, between Italyand Spain , borders the Mediterranean Sea. It has total land area of 545, 630 square meters, just slightly less than twice the size of Colorado. It is basically hills and plains in France but they also have mountains, the Pyrenees and Alps. The weather here is perfect, cool winters and mild summers. It has many provinces and wine regions.