Details
Description:
The Berlitz France Pocket Guide covers the entire country in five manageable sections: Paris and its vicinity, the north-east, north-west, south-east and south-west. It describes all the main sights, area by area, in an easily navigable format. Descriptions of tourist attractions include Paris' Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, the Louvre and Versailles. The guide to the north-east covers Burgundy's vineyards, the Jura's stunning natural areas and the cathedrals of Amiens, Reims and Chartres. The north-west covers Normandy's delightful historic towns, Brittany's rugged coastline and the splendid chateaux of the Loire Valley. And attractions of the south include Provence's perched villages, the sophisticated resorts of the Cote d'Azur, the lovely Dordogne Valley and Atlantic Coast's handsome ports. Background historical information is given, as is advice on shopping and entertainment and the low-down on French cuisine. There is an A-Z of practical information, listings of recommended hotels and restaurants and useful expressions in French. The book also contains special features on topics ranging from boules to Van Gogh and the Bayeux Tapestry to French film. Maps show Paris, Northern France, Southern France, Normandy, and the Cote d'Azure, and there are dozens of colour photographs throughout.
Extract:
Paris has been described as a city-state in its own right, so different is it from the rest of the country. The capital and its immediate surroundings remain a magnet for artists, tourists, students, businessmen – in short, everyone except perhaps the farmer and fisherman, who may well head there solely to protest at government policies. A vibrant city, Paris sets tastes and fashions for France and the world. For years, ambitious French people saw Paris as the only place to make their fortune, so every region of France, along with its local cuisine, is represented in the metropolis. Renewed pride in France's provincial cities is reducing this trend, but Paris retains its aura of superiority.
