Get to know the regions in France
It’s a good idea to acquaint yourself with the different regions of France since each one has its own famous cities, historical sites, specialty dishes, architecture, and culture. Here is a brief guide of all the regions and what’s notable about each.
BRETAGNE
Cities: Saint Malo, Rennes, Brest
Food & Drink: kouign amann, fruits de mer, galettes, cidre
Do & See: Swim or walk the beaches, bike the canals, visit dolmens, hike the coastline, take ferries to tiny islands
My favorite thing: swim at Plage du Guesclin in summer followed by galettes and cidre for dinner in Saint Malo.
PAYS-DE-LA-LOIRE
Cities: Nantes, Angers, Saint-Nazaire
Food & Drink: gateau nantais, petit beurre LU biscuits, muscadet wines, beurre blanc sauce, fleur de sel
Do & See: Visit castles, bike along the Loire, swim in the Atlantic
My favorite thing: visit the Machines de l’îles in Nantes, then rent bikes to journey along the Erdre river for the afternoon.
NORMANDIE
Cities: Rouen, Caen, Cherbourg, Le Havre
Food & Drink: moules, camembert and livarot cheeses, calvados
Do & See: walk the coastal trials, visit WWII sites, ride horses on the beach
My favorite thing: hike the stunning cliffside trails in Etrétat followed by a village visit of Honfleur.
Read one of my travel stories from this region.
NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE
Cities: Bordeaux, Biarritz, Limoges, Pau
Food & Drink: foie gras, confit de canard, canelés, roquefort, bordeaux wines
Do & See: visit villages along Dordogne, wine tasting, walk along coast near Biarritz, see the Dunes du Pilat
My favorite thing: visit Josephine Baker’s chateau in the morning then cool off with a swim in the Dordorgne.
Read one of my travel stories from this region.
OCCITANIE
Cities: Toulouse, Montpellier, Perpignan
Food & Drink: cassoulet, magret de canard, aligot, Corbiéres wines
Do & See: Hike the Pyrénées, ski, wine tasting, visit Cathare castles, swim in the Med
My favorite thing: rent a house in the Orb Valley and hike and swim in the Gorges d’Heric.
Read one of my travel stories from this region.
PROVENCE-ALPS-CÔTES-D’AZUR
Cities: Marseille, Nice, Cannes, Aix-en-Provence
Food & Drink: salade niçoise, bouillabaisse, ratatouille, rosé
Do & See: beaches, hiking, shopping, gorges, lavender fields, the Mediterranean!
My favorite thing: Visit Tourrettes-sur-Loup then make your very own perfume scent in Grasse.
AUVERGNE-RHÔNE-ALPS
Cities: Lyon, Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble
Food & Drink: CHEESE including tartiflette, raclette and fondue, truffade, Puy lentil
Do & See: hike the volcanos, visit fromageries and taste all the cheeses!
My favorite thing: take the Routes de Fromages. Buy every kind of cheese you’ve ever wanted to try, then have a cheese picnic on top of a volcano.
BOURGOGNE-FRANCE-COMTÉ
Cities: Dijon, Macon
Food & Drink: comté, mont d’or, gougères, escargots, boeuf bourguignon, mustarde, comté, Bourgogne and Beaujolais wine,
Do & See: visit wineries, take a barge down the Saône river, see castles
My favorite thing: drive the Route du Vin, stopping and sampling all the best wines that the Burgundy valley has to offer.
GRAND-EST
Cities: Nancy, Strasbourg, Alsace
Food & Drink: quiche lorraine, andouillette, munster cheese, brie de Meaux
Do & See: hike, ski, try raclette or fondu.
My favorite thing: take the Téléphérique de l'Aiguille du Midi to witness Mont Blanc. Not for the faint of heart!
HAUTS-DE-FRANCE
Cities: Lille, Calais, Amiens
Food & Drink: moules-frites, ficille Picardie, maroilles
Do & See: visit gothic cathedral, see the bellfries, shop the Lille street markets
My favorite thing: I have yet to discover this region!
ÎLE-DE-FRANCE
Cities: Paris
Food & Drink: boulangeries, bistros, michelin restaurants.
Do & See: Anything your heart desires in Paris. There are a million guides for visiting the city but I recommend Don’t Be a Tourist Guide
My favorite thing: be a true flaneur (wanderer) in Paris. Don’t go to any of the tourist traps… just follow your nose and explore the streets to discover your own Paris.
