For me, the most beautiful places in France are the towns that hide behind the light of Paris, such as Van Gogh's Café d'Arles and Monet's Giverny Garden. Introduce you to some of the most sophisticated French towns you may not know very well, and see which one is your favorite.
1. Where to go when you first visit France?
France South Route: That is, we often say "South France", the main cities of Avignon, Nice, Marseille, Cannes, as well as Monaco, China, are the first choice to come to France in summer, Provence in early summer is the kingdom of lavender, a large area of lavender swaying in the wind, intertwined with purple dreams, and the blue waters of the Côte d'Azur and various coastal art towns constitute the most popular resort in France.
Eastern France: In the east of France, the main transport hubs are Strasbourg and Lyon, in addition to these two large cities, Annecy has lakes with crystal clear water and drinking water quality, the town of Evian drinks Evian water for free, Chamonix is located at the foot of Mont Blanc, the highest peak of the Alps, the roof of Europe, Colmar has medieval-style fairytale chalets, and the Alsace region in eastern France is also the top white wine region in France. Perfect for autumn and winter, and for skiing in the Alps.
Western French Front: The Atlantic coast of western France, the mysterious pilgrimage site of Mont Saint-Michel, the "pirate city" Saint-Malo, the "back garden of France" Loire Valley region, the "wine capital" Bordeaux and many surrounding winery towns, as well as the lesser-known travel destination - Treotto Trunk Hill in Étreta. It's the perfect place to explore France's lesser-known destinations and sample delicious seafood.
2. Inventory of well-known French towns
In addition to the must-visit Paris, we recommend several small towns with different styles, whether it is photography, wine tasting, castles, lakes and mountains or medieval style, you can satisfy your appetite. What's more, choose the right place to travel and avoid tour groups!
Eastern Front of France:
【Annecy】
Annecy is a French border town known as "Little Venice", with Alps, headrests on Lake Annecy, green water and surrounded by flowers. The city was peaceful, and even time seemed to pass quietly, for fear of provoking this peace. The island palace in the city, the castle of Annecy, and the bridge of love have been integrated with the city and this scene after the baptism of time.
You can enjoy boating and other sports in Lake Annecy, and a boat tour that includes dinner is also a good option. The summer cruises run from July to September and come with two tickets, a 1-hour simple tour of the lake, and a 2-hour deep tour of the lake. Commentary is available in English.
Transportation:
1. Take the express train from Paris Lyon station to Annecy, it takes about 3.5 hours, the train station is easy to find, you can ask for a map of Annecy in the information window, it is very close to the city, you can walk slowly to the city when you walk out of the road.
2. TAKE A FAST TRAIN FROM THE PART DIEU TRAIN STATION IN LYON, ABOUT 2 HOURS TO ANNECY, MORE THAN 10 DEPARTURES A DAY, IF YOU ARE SHORT ON TIME AND DO NOT HAVE TIME TO STAY IN ANNECY, YOU CAN MAKE A DAY TRIP FROM LYON.
【Colmar】
Colmar is a miniature city, the old town is like a labyrinth, with shops and similar shops. As you wander through the alleys, friendly Arsatians poke their heads out of the windowsill to greet them.
Transportation:
1. Take the express train from Gare de l'Est to Colmar, about two and a half hours, just cross the two avenues in front of the station and turn left to the Avenue de la République, and then go straight to Place Antlinden.
2. From Strasbourg, it takes only half an hour to get to Colmar by train, and it can be a day trip from Strasbourg. Every year at Christmas, Strasbourg is the most visited time. Because Strasbourg's annual Christmas market is the most famous in France.
French South Route
【Arles】
Arles does not have the crowded tourist groups of Avignon, nor the lively pedestrian streets of Nîmes. But it has countless cultural monuments, such as the ancient hippodrome, the ancient theater, the Roman cloister market on the basement level of the town hall, the Van Gogh Gardens, the Van Gogh Café, the old church......
The Van Gogh Sanatorium in Arles, once the hospital where Van Gogh cut off his ears to escape his life, has become a Van Gogh tourist center, and there is no entrance fee to visit it.
Tips：
1. The entrance to Van Gogh's sanatorium is very inconspicuous, it is a small stone door, and it is easy to miss it if you are not careful. Several large trees have been planted on both sides of the garden, and the restored "Garden of the Sanatorium of Aar" stands under one of them.
2. The small shop selling postcards and souvenirs on the first floor is especially recommended, where you can buy postcards of Van Gogh's paintings, almost all of which are famous for Van Gogh.
3. If you want to take a photo from the same angle as Van Gogh's painting "The Garden of the Aarel Sanatorium", you have to go up to the corridor on the second floor, which is the best vantage point.
Transportation:
Arles can be reached in just 20 minutes by train from Avignon, with frequent daily departures.
The sunflower fields are mainly located on the northern outskirts of Arles on the road to Avignon, and you must drive a car to get off at any time. So, if you want to go to the sunflower fields, you can rent a car in Avignon. It doesn't matter if you don't know how to drive, you can book a day trip from Avignon to a town in Provence online in advance.
【Eze】
Eze is a medieval town built on the top of a cliff, shaped like an eagle's nest, and most of the buildings still retain their medieval appearance, coupled with the excellent location with a bird's-eye view of the sea, many writers and artists are deeply attracted to it. The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche lived here several times and completed the third part of his masterpiece Thus Said Zarathutra. In his honor, the village of Eze is named the "Nietzsche Way" on a path from the seaside to the top of the hill in the old town, from which you can enjoy views of the Mediterranean, the Alps and the church bell tower.
The remains of Eze's ruined castle are now a tropical botanical garden, planted with cacti, and throughout the botanical garden stand portraits of women by the French sculptor Jean-Philippe Richard, each with a different name, but all with the same calm posture, calm expression, facing the sea. The statues are exceptionally in harmony with their surroundings. There is also a meditation area with benches. The Botanical Garden is the best place to see the sea view in Eze.
Transportation:
Eze is located between Nice and Monaco, and it takes about 20 minutes by bus from both sides, so you can arrange a visit on the same day as Monaco.
1. Take bus 82 or 112 from Nice bus terminal Terminus Station directly to Eze Village station, which takes about an hour and a half. If you take No. 100 and can't get there directly, you have to transfer to No. 83 at the foot of the mountain, and it is not recommended to walk uphill, the road is more dangerous. From Monaco you can also take the 112 or 100 (see VillefranchesurMer traffic) and choose to take the direction of Nice. The frequency of the 112 bus is relatively small, and there is only one bus in about 2 hours, so you should plan the frequency of the ride in advance.
2. From Eze back to Nice, if there are many people waiting for bus 112, you can walk down 500 meters to Les Flots Bleus station to wait for the bus, make sure you have a place, and you can also enjoy the panoramic view of Eze village here. Boarding point: Terminus Station, Tramway Vauban Station.
If public transport is too much of a hassle, there is an option for a small-group day trip from Nice to Eze and Monaco.
Concluding remarks
This is the end of this issue, and the next issue will continue to introduce the towns on the western route of France and the various modes of transportation.