Lonely Planet France: Perfect for exploring top sights and taking roads less travelled (Travel Guide)

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Part immersive-theater, part-history lesson, kids and adults alike will giggle and delight in the poetic and playful adventure-meets-spectacle that takes place at Le Manoir du Tourpe. Located in La Hague, this 16th-century manor covers local history, legends, and origin stories through characters that quite literally come to life. Nestled atop a tranquil and lush countryside where the grass stretches for miles, this free museum also offers craft workshops for children, temporary exhibitions, a cafe-hotel-restaurant Auberge des Goubelins, a library, guided hikes, and even a seed and plant library, where you can bring and swap seeds and plant cuttings. And France’s superb train network makes it easy to explore the far corners of this rich, varied country. We’ve highlighted the following journeys because they offer scenic beauty, keep up a vintage heritage or are just plan fabulous. The TGV runs from Geneva to Paris in a little over 4 hours. How to get from Germany to France by train There are regular ferry services to several French ports (including Calais, Cherbourg, Roscoff, Le Havre, Brest and others). Boats also connect the French mainland with offshore islands, the Channel Islands, and Corsica (which is served by frequent ferries from Nice, Toulon and Marseille). When you’re visiting religious sights such as churches, dress modestly and cover bare shoulders (skip sightseeing altogether while worship and religious celebrations are taking place). Health and safety 13. Prevention helps avert petty theft

Even if Easter doesn’t fall in April, there’s a sense of the country opening up and shrugging off its winter hours. Cafe terraces become full again as people spend more time outdoors enjoying the warmer weather. The seasonal shift is celebrated at the International Garden Festival in Chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire and the Bourges Spring Festival. The Loire Valley unfolds like a fairytale, with a stunning array of Renaissance castles, green-emerald rivers and charming medieval villages. ( Azay-le-Rideau castle was, after all, the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty.) The Interloire railroad (run by the TER Centre-Val de Loire and TER Pays de la Loire) traverses this legendary valley from Orléans, the hometown of Jeanne d’Arc, to the fishing harbor town of Le Croisic on the Atlantic. Must-visit stops include Blois, crowned by the château once occupied by Louis XII; Amboise, Leonardo da Vinci’s final home; and Nantes, a historic Breton town with an evocative 15th-century château. Part of the Chaîne des Puys, a 40km (25-mile) string of craters, cinder cones and lava domes now cloaked in beech and spruce forest, the pinnacle, Puy de Dôme, rises 1465m (4806ft). Climbing the dormant volcano to the grassy summit rewards you w­ith swooping bird's-eye views. Two routes, the steep Chemin des Muletiers (45 to 90 minutes) and longer but steadier Chemin des Chèvres (two-and-a-half hours) make the ascent. Before the French Riveria stole its limelight, Grande Plage – deep in the far southwest of France, in the stunning seaside city of Biarritz – was the beach of choice for the elite and fashionable of Europe.Everything is happening at once in July – the incredible Tour de France, Bastille Day celebrations all around the country on July 14, major festivals in Avignon and Aix-en-Provence and Provence’s lavender fields in full bloom. Booking ahead is imperative and this isn't the time for a budget break. Cruising the glam Côte d'Azur is as dazzling and chic as road trips get. From glamorous Cannes to sassy Nice via the corkscrew turns of the Corniches, then on to the millionaire's playground of Monaco, this is a drive you'll remember forever. Filmmakers, writers, celebrities and artists have all had their hearts stolen by this glittering stretch of coastline – by the end of this trip, you'll understand why. One of France’s most famous artists, Henri Matisse (1869-1954) lived in Nice for nearly 40 years. See one of the world’s largest collections of his work, including paintings, drawings, sculptures and paper cut-outs, at the Musée Matisse in Cimiez. A road trip gives you freedom for spontaneous stops, detours and impromptu picnics in the gorgeous countryside, but definitely save yourself the hassle of driving in Paris’ heavy traffic and scarce parking; the superb public transport system covers the whole city.

Tipping isn’t part of French culture – the restaurant industry is a time-honored profession, and a service charge is included (though diners usually leave a few extra euros). Asking a waiter’s advice on the menu is appreciated. Requesting swap-out ingredients or items in the kitchen’s meticulously crafted dishes, however, is not.November brings plunging temperatures and two public holidays – November 1 and 11 – bring more closures as well as winter hours. But it’s a good time for a city break as prices go down. Sample gastronomic delights at the Annecy Wine and Food Festival or the Beaujolais Nouveau weekend. Originally a Roman bastion, Cimiez has transformed over time into an elegant residential area. In the 1890s, Queen Victoria regularly wintered at Le Régina, a monumental palace later converted into apartments, where Matisse lived in the 1940s. Today, visitors can admire the stunning facade while strolling through the neighborhood. Go hiking in the Parc du Mont Boron The stops along the way are fabled destinations unto themselves: legendary Saint-Tropez, made famous by an unknown Brigitte Bardot; Cannes, with its star-studded legacy; Monaco, home of the Grimaldi royals; and Nice, with its intoxicating mix of world-class museums and legendary beaches. But there are lesser-traveled places as well, including gorgeous Èze Plage, with its medieval village perched impossibly high a nearby peak, and down-to-earth Menton. Get out, explore, take in some sun – and catch the next train onward later. Ancient beehive-shaped bories (limestone huts; best seen at the Village des Bories ) dot the surrounding countryside, which is carpeted with lavender in summer – visit Gordes’ lavender museum , and snap a quintessential photo of it framing the 12th-century Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque . Savor the medieval history of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain through its aniseed sweets France loves to put on a big show for Christmas. Even if you don’t ski, the magic of the mountains goes into overdrive when festive decorations come out. Watch Lyon come to life as the Festival of Lights bathes the city. When you’re not on the ski slopes, head to the shops for the big January sales – les soldes d’hiver. Quieter streets will make city breaks a pleasure, especially in the south where the weather can already feel mild.

Standing on the summit of Europe’s tallest sand dune, the 102m-high (335ft) Dune du Pilat, you get a sense of what an unusual place the Bassin d’Arcachon is.

Thanks to a succession of secluded bays and milky blue waters, linked together by orange-pink granite boulders piled one upon the other like squashed strawberries, the Côte de Granit Rose is one of the most enticing seascapes in France.