Our first trip to France was a week-long vacation to Paris...and that was long before we were full-time travelers. We loved spending leisurely days walking along the River Seine and crisscrossing the many Paris bridges. With the Paris Museum Pass, we visited the top sights in the city and even visited Versailles for a day.
As full-time travelers, four years passed by before we made a return trip to France - but this time we skipped Paris and visited two lesser-known cities in the Alsace Region near the German border: Strasbourg and Colmar. Now we have returned to Paris once again, this time for a month long petsitting gig over Christmas!
France Facts:
Capital City: Paris
Country Population: 67 Million
Language: French
Useful Phrases: Hello - Bonjour | Thank you - Merci
Currency: Euro (EUR) | Current Value
France Guides:
Get Inspired for Your Trip to France
France has long topped the list as one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. From Paris to Strasbourg to Colmar to the coastline and French wine country, France attracts visitors worldwide. Fashionable and sophisticated, quaint and picturesque, France is a destination of dreams. Get inspired for your trip to France with the best movies, books, food and drink!
Movies Set in France
The famous inspirational travel quote, “Paris is always a good idea,” has motivated many people to take a trip to France. The line was said by Audrey Hepburn in the original 1954 movie, Sabrina (but I much prefer the 1995 Sabrina remake).
Before my first trip to the country, I watched several France travel inspiration movies. French Kiss, starring Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline, is a humorous and romantic tale that takes place in Paris, Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur and Cannes. More recently on the small screen, Emily In Paris has created quite the stir!
Books Set in France
There is, perhaps, no other book set in Paris more famous than The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo. The book, Chocolat, which was adapted into a film, is another popular read. Anna and the French Kiss is a good France travel inspiration book for young adults.
French Cuisine
The cuisine of France is one of the most honored in the world. Quintessential dishes – like Coq au Vin and Boeuf Bourguignon – take patience and practice to perfect. We recommend using the famous Julia Child’s cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, for the best French recipes.
More simple French meals that can be recreated at home – and, yet, make you feel like you are in France - are French Onion Soup, Quiche Lorraine and Croque Monsieur.
Drinks from France
We think that there is no question that if you want to bring a little bit of France into your home, it should be with a bottle of Champagne. Of course, if bubbles are not your style, you can’t go wrong with a good French wine and can now even find French Craft Beer on the selves.
Start Planning your France Trip:
For more information, travel tips and advice, jump over to our Travel Planning Page.
