One of the best ways to get to know France is to visit a local market. For visitors, all of France can seem like a market—it's one of those rare countries where every region offers something worthwhile and distinctive. Paris represents the height of fashion, art and food—its sense of style is so strong it intimidates some visitors, yet the city can also be remarkably comfortable and intimate.
Each of the French provinces offers its own landscape and culture: the glittering crowds of the Cote d'Azur, the elegant chateaus of the Loire Valley, the hospitable vineyards of Bordeaux, the rocky coasts of Brittany, the dramatic slopes of the Alps and the Pyrenees, and the charming farms and villages of Provence. The country can satisfy just about any traveler's taste.
