France Attractions

Chamonix

Chamonix lies in one of the most spectacular valleys of the French Alps. Reminiscent of the Himalayas, the area is dominated by deeply crevassed glaciers and the cloud-diademed peak of Mont Blanc. The Aiguille du Midi, a solitary spire of rock near Mont Blanc's summit, has postcard-perfect views.

In late spring and summer, the glaciers and high-altitude snow and ice serve as a backdrop for meadows and hillsides carpeted with wildflowers, shrubbery and trees. This is the best time for hiking; in winter, travellers can take advantage of lengthy downhill and cross-country skiing trails.

Sarlat-La-Canéda

Known simply as Sarlat, this lovely Renaissance town in Périgord grew up around a Benedictine abbey founded in the 9th century. Caught between French and English territory, it was almost left in ruins during the Hundred Years' War and again during the Wars of Religion.

Despite this, Sarlat retains a distinctive medieval flavour with its ochre-coloured sandstone buildings and enticing streets. The town's bustling Saturday market shines with an abundance of seasonal goodies. To avoid the crowds, plan a visit outside high summer, when the town is overrun by tourists.

Vézelay

The tiny walled town of Vézelay, another of France's exasperating number of heritage spots, is surrounded by some of the most beautiful countryside in Burgundy - a patchwork of vineyards, sunflower fields, brunette furrows of farmland and stacks of hay reinventing Impressionism.

Originally built on a hilltop for defence purposes, the town became an important site of pilgrimage in the 10th century and later a gathering place for crowned heads and grandees embarking on the Crusades. Vézelay's focal point is the Basilique Sainte Madeleine, a former 9th-century abbey church.

Toulouse

Located between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast, Toulouse is a city of students, a centre of cutting-edge European technology, and the capital of the good life; its taste for celebrations and fine food is attracting a growing number of new inhabitants.

It's known as 'the Pink City', and the best way to soak up the essence of Toulouse, with its tiles, rose-red brick and special light, is to stroll from square to square through its maze of streets lined with cafe and town houses, preferably taking time to sit over a glass of cider.

Cannes

During the film festival in May, Cannes is crammed with more money, more bubbles, more mobile phones and more cleavage than Hollywood. This aside, apart from posturing palatial hotels, boutiques and restaurants for the très affluent, Cannes has pleasant beaches, great shops, and oodles of poodles.

Like elsewhere along the coast, Cannes' star ascended in the 19th century when an influx of London's high society built here. Synonymous with its two-week film festival, the city basks in its glow for the rest of the year, but also hosts an ever-increasing number of other festivals and congresses.

St Malo

With one of the world's highest tidal ranges, brewing storms under blackened skies see waves lash over the top of the ramparts ringing St-Malo's walled city. Hours later, the blue sky merges with the deep marine-blue sea, exposing beaches as wide and flat as the heavens above.

Biarritz

The high-toned coastal town of Biarritz, 8km (5mi) west of Bayonne, started as a resort in the mid-19th century when Napoleon III and his Spanish-born wife, Eugénie, began coming here. These days, Biarritz is known for its beaches and some of Europe's best surfing.

Arles

On summer days, watch the waves of heat rise from the plains, just like Van Gogh did a century ago; olive groves and vineyards still cover the limestone hills. The intimate squares and terraced brasseries of central Arles are perfect for sipping pastis while men with long moustaches play pétanque.

Corsica

Balzac described Corsica as 'a French island basking in the Italian sun', but the island has a singular character that is entirely its own. This beautiful, wild playground is the ultimate combination destination - physical exertion in the elements by day, French wine and cuisine by evening.

Proud, wild, defiantly independent and just a touch old-fashioned, Corsica is in many ways a separate nation to the rest of France. In fact, the island has been French for only 200 of its 4000-year history, and the island's unique culture, music and language have survived intact despite a couple of centuries of French rule.

Paris

Paris stimulates the senses, demanding to be seen, heard, touched, tasted and smelt. From romance along the Seine to landscapes on bus-sized canvases to the pick-an-ism types in cafes monologuing on the use of garlic or the finer points of Jerry Lewis, Paris is the essence of all things French.

Gaze rapturously at its breezy boulevards, impressive monuments, great works of art and magic lights. Savour its gourmet selection of cheese, chocolate, wine and seafood. Feel the wind in your face as you rollerblade through Bastille, or a frisson of fear and pleasure atop the Eiffel Tower.