French Cities

A vacation in France is not complete if you have not visited the popular tourist attractions found in the city of Marseille. The city is filled with exciting and must-go-to tourists sites where hundreds of foreigners will surely have a grand time.

For instance, the Notre Dame Basilica of Marseille. Located in the highest part of Marseille, the Basilica is an 1800 edifice of Roman Byzantine and offers spectacular sights of the whole city. Religious peeps and tourists who enjoy seeing holy edifices will find the Basilica an active and superb place for worship. Among Marseille's historic edifices is the elegant Palais Longchamp, situated on Boulevard Montricher. Aside from those monumental and famous edifices, you will find lots more interesting architectural attractions in Marseille.

On the other hand, you can also take a tour at Chateau d'If, which is noted in the novel, "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas. The famous tourist site is a 16th-century fortress built for the purpose of defense and protection of Marseille. It was later on turned into Marseille's state prison. Now, if you prefer a beach holiday at Marseille, you can head straight to Marseille's famous beach attraction, Plage des Catalans. Also, the city of Marseille is an ideal place for you to start discovering Povence's known traditions and spectacular villages.

So far, Lille occupies the largest area in northern France. It is known for its narrow streets and ancient houses, all of which depict the rich history of Lille. From Paris, I was able to go to Lille by taking the train. By the way, network of rail here is one of the most advance. I wonder if it is also set to have WiFi rail system. Anyway, the city is surrounded by rivers. This alone made Lille a beautiful country side.

Actually, I never intended to go to Lille. It just so happened that a friend of mine whom I am suppose to meet that day failed to come. So, I decided, since I am already in Paris, to go somewhere else. Lille welcomed me with fresh air. During those times, the cold weather prevailed in the city. I was also lucky enough not have been met by occasional rainfall. The cold wind compelled me to take a walk along the Lille roads. When I have gone to the municipal hall, which is, by the way, bares the most intricate medieval architectural design I have ever seen, I learned of the various tribes that make up the 222,000 peoples of Lille. Most of them, of course, are French, while the other tribes came from Africa and Germany.

If you are a wine-lover who's on a trip to France, no bet that you're headed the the city of wine known as Bordeaux. I only get to see the city in postcards that my sister sends me. Her husband own a wine store there. I haven't been in Bordeaux but I have been to other cities like Paris, Marseille, and Cannes. Maybe I'll convince her to invite me in their place come the holiday season.

Bordeaux is a port city in the south-west of France with the Aquitaine region as its capital, as well as the prefecture (administrative capital) of the Gironde departement. It is one of Europe's military, space and aeronautics research and construction centres, gathering the R&D activities of such companies as EADS space division and Thales, but also missile engines and Dassault's planes construction plants among others. The city's university, with 100,000 students, is renowned for its research units in crop science, new materials and intensive nanotechnology study, along with its Institut d'etudes politiques, its communication and journalism institute and its law school.

The hometown of the world-class Bordeaux wine, with over 284,320 acres under vine, 57 appellations, 9,000 wine-producing chateaux, and 13,000 wine growers, it is considered as the largest wine region in the world. Two types of Bordeaux wines are the Red Bordeaux (known as claret in the United Kingdom) which are made of grapes, and the White Bordeaux which is made from is made from Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle grapes.

I found the French version of the great Italian Riviera in Nice. The place sound nice, really. It showcases spectacular sights with landscapes, hotels, museums, and so much more. Nice stretches along the Angels Bay, and is highly inhabited.

I have been to the promenade called Anglais. It is a walking path at the seaside. The Angels Bay provides the most serene atmosphere for anyone who walks the seaside. Along the way, I saw the Negresco, a hotel with a pink dome. They say the hotel is a historic monument. It is just annoying that people tried to feed me with all the historical facts about Nice. I have been hearing the stories from all parts of the city. But, I was interested with the art treasures. No wonder why painters and poets got inspired from Nice. The whole place is enchanted. It is like walking in paradise. The museums there exhibit the most precious art collections of Nice.

I felt gratified by the warm welcome of Nice people. I was even made to join them in a casual banquet in one of the finest dining places in the city. Unfortunately, that was my last day of stay in Nice. I spent the night in the beach while contemplating on my next trip. However, from Nice, I will just have to take the train to take me other French cities. In the end, I could say that my trip to Nice is simply unforgettable.

Orleans is the capital of the Loire Valley in north-central France. Aside from being the hometown of the famous hero, Joan of Arc, several chateaux (or castles) can be found in Orleans making it of the famous tourist destinations in Europe. Orleans is just a one hour drive away from the French capital, Paris. One thing I have noticed about Orleans is the abundance of churches all throughout the city. The Cathedral of Sainte Croix, one of the most fabulous structures in the world, can be seen here.

There is one place in Orleans that has aroused my curiosity – the Campo Santo. Campo Santo was originally used as Orleans’ main cemetery since the 12th century. After a few centuries, the number of bodies buried in Campo Santo dramatically increased so the local authorities had no choice but to close it down because of possible health hazards. In the 18th century, the place was used as corn market. In 1970, the area was renovated to make way for the Visual Art Institute. There are many other places you can go in Orleans like the rue Jeanne d'Arc, the rue de Bourgogne, and of course, Joan of Arc’s house.

France is a country with an old and mature civilization. During the time when the United States and other countries were just starting their own nations, France was already a well-established country. They had kings and rulers who went down in history as some of greatest leaders that ever lived.

As time passed by, one French city that has not changed that much is Lyon. This is the city which is still full of Roman attractions like the Ampitheatre des Tres Gauls. If ever you go visit the country, this is the city that is worth visiting.

Cannes is a city in the south of France. You probably have heard about Cannes because of the Cannes International Film Festival. This is the Olympics of movies.

Annually, critiques and judges decide the nominees for the different categories in the film festival. Film-makers, actors, screenwriters, and producers all vie to get an award from this very prestigious award-giving body.

Being awarded with a Cannes trophy means international blockbuster hit for movies or global recognition for a superb movie production.

Your trip to France will never be complete if you do not visit one of its greatest and most beautiful cities, Toulouse. This place is strategically located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic. During the time of the Gaul Empire, this city served as a route of people when they went to the sea.

Throughout the years, the city has become one of France's key cities. This is due to its natural resources, some of these are the hydro-electricity and gas. Despite its development, the city is still filled with all the wonders and treasures of the old times.

Toulouse is a city in the south of France. It was once the capital of the province Languedoc. After the French Revolution, provinces were abolished. Toulouse became then the capital of France's largest region. There are more than 400,000 inhabitants in Toulouse. They missed the Industrial Revolution which made their economy undeveloped for quite a while.

The 20th century gave Toulouse a big break when aerospace research and important military structures moved there. Missing the Industrial Revolution became a positive episode in the Toulouse environment. They were able to preserve their natural environment and use it to attract tourists and vacationers, aside from their famous museums and religous buildings.

One of the finest cities in Europe, Paris boasts a reputation of being the most romantic place in the world. Paris by night is exuberant and radiates a romantic atmosphere. Every year, millions of lovers flock to the "City of Love" to renew their vows and start their lives together.

Paris houses several fantastic honeymoon destinations that will captivate the emotion of lovers. The heart of Paris calls every couple to share their magic moment. Not just a destination, Paris is truly a lovers' destiny.

Among the cities in France, Marseille is regarded as the proudest considering its rich heritage and resources. As the oldest French city, Marseille brags a distinction of being a dynamic and culturally enamored place. Marseille reflects the beauty of nature presented in its beaches, marine resources, and fantastic islands. In addition, Marseille houses one of the best soccer teams inEurope. Olympique Marseille has been a dominating soccer club in the French league and a constant fixture in European soccer tournaments.