3. Paris, the world's most popular city destination, has plenty
of must-see places but make sure you spend at least a day
strolling off the beaten path, as this is the only way to
discover the real Paris: a lively cosmopolitan but undeniably
French city.
Paris, the ultra-cosmopolitan French capital city, has a
longstanding global reputation as a mecca of art, culture,
fashion, gastronomy, history and architecture. Called the
City of Light, City of Love and Capital of Fashion, Paris is
not only brimming with internationally famous attractions
but is an energetic city where beauty and vivacity ever-
weave its curvy streets. Paris' starring role on the global
stage makes it a prime destination for travelers, who have
many reasons to visit beyond the emblematic Eiffel Tower
and the world-renowned

4. Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Towe
Arc de Triomphe
Louvre
Sacré-Coeur
Versailles Palace
Champs-Elysées
Jardin du Luxembourg
Centre Pompidou
Place de la Concorde
Musée d'Orsay
Place des Vosges
Opéra de Paris Garnier
Pont Neuf
Panthéon and many more………………

7. Lyon is the second largest city in France and has a history dating back over more than
20 centuries. Established by the Roman Emperor Augustus in 1BC as the capital city of
the Gauls, it rapidly became one of the major economic, military, religious and political
centres in France over the following centuries. Its location at the confluence of Rhone
and Saone rivers enabled the town to develop major trading activities. As a result Lyon
became the birthplace of the French silk industry, producing refined pieces of this
precious fabric for the court of Louis XIV.
Ever since the Middle Ages Lyon has been considered the French capital of gastronomy.
Today this is illustrated by the impressive number of restaurants within the city and
surrounding area, ranging from the famous bouchons (typical local eateries) to
Michelin star-awarded establishments.

8. Serving as a stage for more than 2’000 years of
history, the city has a remarkable architectural
heritage. Expanding towards the east
throughout the centuries, without destroying
the existing areas, 500 hectares of its city
centre became a Unesco World Heritage Site in
1998. Wandering around Lyon is like embarking
on a fascinating journey through time.
As for culture, the National Opera, one of the
20 most prestigious ballets in the world, and the
Célestins Theatre offer an ambitious
programme all year round. Furthermore, the city
has museums that exist nowhere else in the
world, such as the Lumière Institute, the Fabric
Museum, the Lyon History Museum, the Fine
Arts Museum and the Puppets of the World
Museum.

11. Nice is the fifth most populous city
in France,
after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulous
e. The urban area of Nice extends
beyond the administrative city limits
with a population of about 1 million on
an area of 721 km2(278 sq mi). Located
on the south east coast of France on
the Mediterranean Sea, Nice is the
second-largest French city on the
Mediterranean coast after Marseille.

12. The natural beauty of the Nice area and its mild
Mediterranean climate came to the attention of the English
upper classes in the second half of the 18th century, when an
increasing number of aristocratic families took to spending
their winter there. The city's main seaside promenade,
the Promenade des Anglais (‘the Walkway of the English') owes
its name to the earliest visitors to the resort. For decades
now, the picturesque Nicean surroundings have attracted not
only those in search of relaxation, but also those seeking
inspiration. The clear air and soft light has been of particular
appeal to some of Western culture's most outstanding
painters, such as Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Niki de Saint
Phalle and Arman. Their work is commemorated in many of the
city's museums, including Musée Marc Chagall, Musée
Matisse and Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Chéret. Nice has the
second largest hotel capacity in the country and it is one of its
most visited cities, receiving 4 million tourists every year. It
also has the third busiest airport in France after the two main
Parisian ones. It is the historical capital city of the County of
Nice (Comté de Nice).

15. The Palace of Versailles is the central part of a complex that
housed the French government, most notably its royalty,
during the reigns of Louis XIV (France’s famed “Sun King”),
Louis XV and Louis XVI. After the French Revolution in
1789, it ceased to be a permanent royal residence.
Located about 10 miles (16 kilometers) southwest of Paris, it
is beside the settlement of Versailles. Before the
construction of the palace by Louis XIV, this settlement was
little more than a hamlet but by the time of the revolution it
had a population of more than 60,000 people, making it one
of the largest urban centers in France.
Before the revolution, the Versailles complex included the
palace, gardens, a walled-in royal hunting ground, a smaller
palatial structure known as the Grand (or Marble) Trianon
and an estate used by Marie Antoinette, Louis XVI’s queen.
Between the palace and the town there are also buildings
that housed the war and foreign affairs ministries,
residences for those not entitled to live in the palace, stables
and a kennel, among other structures.

18. l

19. • The Festival de Marseille returns
in December with an emblematic
figure of dance.There the art
builds bridges between classical
cultural traditions, art and
modernity.

20. .