Amboise   Amboise has 12,000 inhabitants and is located in the heart of Touraine, in the land of chateaux. It is a town both traditional and modern, lively and quiet. For centuries, Amboise, where the French Revolution had its roots, has been able to maintain its charm and offers above all else: French quality of living with its measured rhythm, its culinary specialities and the spontaneity of its residents.

Angers   Angers, in the heart of the Loire valley which has a reputation for the best spoken French (la belle langue francaise), is on the banks of the Maine River, about 300 kilometers from Paris. Thanks to the TGV train from Paris, one can arrive in one-and-a-half hours.

Avignon   The city of Avignon, the province of the Vaucluse and the region of Provence provide rich history, art and landscape in an ideal climate. Avignon, a maze of ramparts, machicolated towers, belfries and palaces, is the sort of city seen in ancient woodcuts or medieval tapestries.

Biarritz   Biarritz is a peaceful haven nestled between the Pyrenees mountains and the Atlantic ocean in the Basque region of France. Originally a quaint fishing village, Biarritz began its evolution into a fashionable and refined seaside resort in the 19th century with the arrival and attention of Napoleon III and his empress Eugenie.

Bordeaux   "Take Versailles, add Antwerp and you end up with Bordeaux". This is how Victor Hugo described the wine capital. This distinguished city is one of the best preserved 18th century architectural complexes in the world. Its white stone facades, lush gardens, original cobblestone streets and elegant boulevards are just some of the many aspects which seduce visitors and ranks Bordeaux among Europe's most beautiful cities.

Cannes   Cannes, the "Star of the Riviera", sits on the Côte d'Azur in southeastern France, just southwest of Nice. The city's name became official in 1619 and was inspired by the rows of cane that once grew along its seashore.

Hyeres (near Nice/Toulon)   Hyeres is located in the posh Cote d'Azur region in the south of France. It boasts many beautiful, clean beaches and a large, striking marina. There are many cinemas, restaurants and parks which offer recreation for people of all interests.

La Rochelle   La Rochelle is a picturesque port town with 800 years of adventurous history and a relaxed atmosphere located on the Atlantic coast. It was from this ancient capital of French Protestantism that the founders of Montreal in French Canada set sail. The town, with its arcaded shopping streets, has some fine old houses with imposing entrances including the Bourse, the Law Courts and the Henry II and Venette houses.

Lyon Region   Lyon is the third largest city in France and an established business centre. There are more restaurants per square metre in this city than anywhere else on earth, so you know you're in for the best of French cuisine. The city is populated by about a half a million people and it's cultural scene is colorful and lively. Lyon's Musée des Beaux-Arts has a great selection of works, including Rubens, El Greco and Tintoretto, and the Musée d'Art Contemporain offers more modern works for viewing. The centre of Lyon is the Presqu'île which lies between the rivers Saône and Rhône. Across the Saône is the old town on which the Romans built their capital of Gaul; to the north is the old silk weavers' district, and modern Lyon lies east of the Rhône.

Marseille Region   Marseille is the most populated city in France after Paris and offers a port with a 2500 year history. It's as cosmopolitan as Paris, with the advantages of being on the coast. The focal point of the city, the Vieux Port, is a good place to people-watch and at the Basilique St-Victor, the city's oldest church, you can visit the crypt and catacombs for a small fee. In Le Panier, the old town of Marseille, ancient Roman docks equipped with storage jars were excavated and can be seen at the Musée des Docks Romains. In Marseille, the art lover will want to make a trip to the Musée d'Art Contemporain, boasting a collection of works by Warhol, Christo and Buren. And a must see for all is the Château d'If, the island fortress that many know from Dumas' adventure story, The Count of Monte Cristo.

Nantes Region   Nantes was the former capital of Brittany and, while it is not officially a part of it today, it still retains many connections and characteristics of that northern province. Château des Ducs castle still preserves the form in which it was built by two of the last rulers of independent Brittany, François II and his daughter Duchess Anne, of the fifteenth century. A huge renovation is underway to make the castle into the Museum of the History of Nantes and its Region, projected to open by 2008. The place du Commerce in the heart of a largely pedestrian area that offers a good array of diverse restaurants.
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Tours Region   in the Loire Valley serves as a good base for seeing a number of châteaux, some good museums and for visiting nearby vineyards. The town's main street is rue Nationale where sits the Musée du Compagnonnage, which documents the origins and activities of the guilds that built the châteaux, and the Musée des Vins, which gives a comprehensive look at the history, mythology and production of wine. West of rue Nationale, Tours' Old Town boasts the place St-Pierre-le-Puellier, whose medieval houses and towers are the city's showpieces.

Nice   Nice is located in the center of the capitol of the glamorous French Riviera, at the same time peaceful and dynamic. Both in winter and in summer Nice comes alive with carnivals, Jazz , music. and film festivals and its museums. All the cities along the French Riviera, from Monaco to Cannes, are easily reached by train in under 30 minutes.

Paris   Students should allow plenty of time to see Paris. It is so much easier to take things at an easy pace and, if you stroll slowly through the little streets and along the broad avenues, you will be able to appreciate to the fullest, all the charms of the city and her many riches.

Poitiers   Poitiers, the capital of the Poitou-Charentes, is a town with a population of about 100,000 inhabitants. It is renown for both its ancient history and for the theme park Futuroscope. The town is an hour and half from Paris by the high-speed train (TGV), from the Atlantic beaches, and from the Loire châteaux.

Montreal   The city of Montreal is unique in North America. It was founded in 1642 by French settlers and retains an old-world Latin pace of life. The old city center still has its ancient stone buildings, stone paved roads and horse-drawn carriages. With a population of 2.8 million, Montreal is the largest French-speaking city in the world next to Paris.

Quebec   Québec City's impressive location above the St. Lawrence River and its virtually unblemished Old Town of 18th- and 19th-century houses, gives Quebec City a more French appearance than most other cities in Quebec. The vast majority of the city's residents speak French, and far fewer are bilingual, as most Montréalers are. (In the province as a whole, about 81% of citizens are Francophone.) With that homogeneity and its status as the putative capital of a future independent nation, citizens seem to suffer less anxiety over what might happen down the road.

Monte Carlo   As is often pointed out, the entire principality of Monaco is only half the size of New York City's Central Park. Monaco is tilted at a 45 degree angle toward the ocean. It is Monaco's severe topography that gives it its dramatic scenic perspectives, whether you are looking up from a harbor toward the surrounding cliffs, or peering down at the coastline from a high vantage point.

Lausanne   In Lausanne, unlike most big capitals, the pace of life is not at all hectic. Even so, it is an industrious town, a busy commercial centre. But here everyone keeps a sense of proportion and takes the time to live. Here, it's the quality of life that counts. . Each district, street, park and shop attempts to outshine the others, but always in the best of good taste and with due moderation!