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France Travel Guide

France occupies a mythic place in the eurocentric consciousness. No country is more grand, opulent, dramatic, or tragic. It’s the idea of France and the French way of life that is ever enticing; life is full of adventure, passion, and love. The French appetite for living and living well is what enchants the rest of the world.

With diverse landscapes, medieval towns and abbeys, stunning architecture, high mountain ranges, dramatic coastlines, and never-ending lavender fields, France is perhaps the most majestic country in Europe.

Many hikers flock to Chamonix each summer to hike the famous Tour du Mont Blanc, a 170 km (105 miles) long distance hiking trail, which circuits the Mont Blanc mountain range.

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Grand Balcon sud, Tour du Mont Blanc, France

France Basics

Official Name: République française (French Republic)

Capital: Paris

Government: Unitary Semi-presidential Republic

Regions: Mainland France is divided into 13 administrative regions. France also has 5 overseas regions. Until December 31, 2015,  the country was divided into 22 administrative regions.

  • Metropolitan Regions: (1) Grand Est, (2) New Aquitaine, (3) Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, (4) Burgundy-Franche-Comté, (5) Brittany, (6) Centre-Val de Loire, (7) Île-de-France, (8) Occitania, (9) Hauts-de-France, (10) Normandy, (11) Pays de la Loire, (12) Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA), and (13) Corsica
  • Overseas Regions: (1) French Guiana, (2) Guadeloupe, (3) Martinique, (4) Mayotte, and (5) Réunion

Population: 67 Million

Official Language: French

Currency: Euro

Tipping Etiquette: Tipping isn’t obligatory in France. In a fine restaurant, you can tip up to 5% for exceptional service. In a casual dining setting, €1 to €3 is sufficient.

Water Quality: Tap water is safe to drink throughout France.

Something Interesting: You can legally marry a dead person in France. If there is sufficient proof that the deceased had the intention of wedding their partner while alive, a French person can receive permission from the French president to marry posthumously.

 
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On ne fait pas d’omelette sans casser des œufs.

 

 

 

 

 

French Proverb

You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs.

Where to Go in France

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  • What a trip to Kotor, Montenegro, looks like. 🇲🇪😄📷 👉Follow @moonhoneytravelers for more travel tips. #montenegro #montenegro🇲🇪 #montenegrotravel #montenegrotrip #visitkotor #oldtownofkotor #kotormontenegro #bayofkotor #bokabay #kotorbay #kotoroldtown #kotortravel #balkans #balkanstravel #europetraveldestinations #europetravel #europetrip
  • Our favorite places eat and drink in Kotor, Montenegro: 1. Boutique Hotel Hippocampus for a slow and delicious Montenegrin breakfast @hippocampushotel 2. Restaurant Galion for fish @galion_restaurant 3. Platanus Kotor for their “Montenegro platter” with Njeguški pršut (dry-cured ham) and Njeguški sir (cheese from Njeguši) @platanus_kotor 4. Moritz Eis for their gelato @moritzeis 5. The Nitrox Pub & Eatery for craft beer @nitroxpub 6. BBQ Tanjga in Kotor for kebab skewers, grilled meats and vegetables @bbq_tanjga 7. Little Bay for their salads @little_bay_restaurant 8.Pekaras AS near the River Gate for their Börek 9. “Ladovina" Kitchen & Wine Bar for their wines @kotorskaladovina 🇲🇪 Save this post for future reference. #kotor #kotormontenegro #bayofkotor #kotortravel #kotortravelguide #kotorrestaurants #kotoreatanddrink #kotorfoodandwine #bokabay #kotorvisit #kotoroldtown #visitkotor #visitmontenegro #montenegrotravel
  • Best hikes in Kotor, Montenegro 🇲🇪 1. Vrmac Ridge Trail 2. Ladder of Kotor 3. Pestingrad Peak 4. Kotor Fortress (Kotor City Walls) 👉Follow @moonhoneytravelers for more hiking tips. #montenegro #kotor #kotorbay #bokabay #bayofkotor #dinaricalps #montenegrohiking #montenegrotravel #kotorhiking #kotorhikingtrail #kotorfortress #travel #hiking #europetravel #europedestinations #hikingmontenegro #adriaticsea
  • The most popular thing to do in Kotor is hike up to the Kotor Fortress. The Kotor Fortress stands on the San Giovanni Hill (St. John Hill) at 260 meters above sea level, overlooking the Old Town of Kotor and the Bay of Kotor. The Kotor Fortress is part of a medieval fortification system that encircles the Old Town as well as the adjacent hillside. These fortifications consist of gates, bastions, towers, and defensive walls (ramparts). It takes 45 minutes - 1 hour to hike up the 1350 steps to the fortress (aka St. John’s Fortress / San Giovanni Fortress). There are two entry points within the Old Town of Kotor. The easiest one to find is close to the River Gate/North Gate. Entrance Fee: 8 EUR #kotor #kotormontenegro #montenegro🇲🇪 #bayofkotor #bokabay #montenegrotravel #montenegrotrip #kotortravel #visitkotor #kotorfortress #kotorcitywalls #afarmag #tlpicks
  • Pestingrad summit view of the Bay of Kotor and Vrmac in Montenegro 🇲🇪 @moonhoneytravelers Trailhead: Etno Selo Sveti Georgije, Krstac Distance: 5.7 km out-and-back Time Needed: 2:30 hours Elevation Gain/Loss: 243 meters Difficulty: Difficult Minimum Elevation: 927 meters Maximum Elevation: 1027 meters #montenegro🇲🇪 #montenegro #visitmontenegro #montenegrotravel #montenegrotrip #visitkotor #kotorbay #kotor #bokabay #dinaricalps #pestingrad #montenegrohiking #kotorhiking #kotorhike #bayofkotor #hikingblog #hikingblogger
  • Five years ago, we traveled to Montenegro for the very first time. We rented a car and spent two weeks hiking in the mountains and exploring the coast. To date, it was one of the best and most seamless trips we’ve ever taken. Ever since, we’ve been longing to return to Crna Gora and specifically Kotor Bay. This May, we finally returned to Kotor. We spent 5 nights in Kotor and 2 nights in Perast. It was slow, unhurried trip, which made us fall in love with Montenegro all over again. In the next days, I’ll be sharing our favorite hikes, restaurants, and experiences. I’ll also update our 2 week road trip itinerary with new tips and insights. The biggest disappointment of the trip was Budva. In the last years, huge tasteless developments have mushroomed all around the coastal town. According to our Kotor walking tour guide, the former Mayor of Budva (now in jail) illegally distributed permits to Russian developers. It’s atrocious! The Budva Riviera is still beautiful south of Budva’s immediate vicinity. #montenegro🇲🇪 #montenegro #visitmontenegro #montenegrotravel #montenegrotrip #visitkotor #kotorbay #kotor #bokabay #dinaricalps #vrmac #tlpicks #afarmag
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