Exotic France

Marseille in the south of France is the country’s second largest city after Paris. Right on the Mediterranean coast it is one of France’s great historic cities.
An ancient city in the Bouches-du-Rhone ‘departement’ of Provence, Marseille is the largest French seaport and one of France’s great historic cities. It was functioning as a port even before Julius Casar conquered the Gauls.
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Because the sun appears less often here than in the south, some people think of Nord-Pas de Calais as a gloomy region. They have clearly never paid it a visit: it’s probably one of the jolliest regions in France, and always ready to celebrate. Parades, carnivals, fairs and fanfares – good habits endure in this land of memory, bristling with belfries. To get the right feel for the region’s spirit, you need to join the crowd during the great collective celebrations, and share their meals based on seafood – the famous moules-frites, the traditional waterzoï (a court-bouillon of fish and chicken) – washed down with some of the local beer. It’s a lively region where tradition is part of daily life – a region open to the major capitals cities of Europe such a short distance away! Read the rest of this entry »

France itself was born in this northern province between the Marne and the Somme – for it was here that the Franks – ancestors of the French – set up home.
A land of culture, the cradle of Gothic art and an unspoiled environment: Picardy is a treasure-trove of art and natural beauty. Its cathedrals at Beauvais, Amiens, Senlis, Laon or Noyon illustrate the rise of Gothic art as it spread across France and Europe. The charm of its small Medieval town of Senlis or the riches of the châteaux at Pierrefonds, Coucy, Chantilly, Bagatelle and Compiègne, surrounded by magnificent gardens, parks and forests set a nostalgic mood that’s enhanced during festivals, son et lumières shows and Picardy games. Another pleasure inherited from the past – that of good food – is assiduously cultivated: ficelle picarde, salt meadow lamb, gâteau battu and other abundant products of the generous environment. Picardy produce has what it takes to give the most demanding gourmet an appetite! Read the rest of this entry »