Margie Rynn - Frommers France

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ISBN 978-1-62887-152-4 (paper), 978-1-62887-153-1 (e-book)

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Lily Heise went to Paris as an exchange student in 2000 and fell in love with the country. She has extensive experience in the travel and culture sectors and contributes to various international and local publications, both in print and online. She lives in Montmartre and spends her free time exploring off-beat Paris, in addition to villages and vineyards around the country.

Mary Novakovich is an award-winning travel writer and journalist and a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers. She has been writing extensively about France and her other countries for 15 years for The Independent, The Guardian, Sunday Times Travel Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, the BBC, France Magazine, and CNN, among others. She has also written guidebooks for Frommers, Berlitz and Insight Guides, and is based in Hertfordshire, England.

Tristan Rutherford has been a freelance writer for over a decade. His lucky first assignment took him to Nice and hes been based there ever since. He has visited over 60 countries and written about 20 of them for The Independent and the Sunday New York Times Travel Magazine. Tristan also lectures on travel journalism at Londons Central Saint Martins. He lives in Nice, France.

Margie Rynn has been living and writing about France for over 13 years. The author of Pauline Frommers Paris, she has also written features for several travel magazines, as well as Time Out New York and Yoga Journal. In a previous New York life, she acted in a Broadway play and performed her own one-woman show. Margie is married to a kind and understanding Frenchman and they have a lovely 11-year-old son. She lives in Paris, France.

Louise Simpson fell in love with all things French as a teenager on holidays to her family home in Dordogne and as a French student at Cambridge University. Since moving to Southern France in 2003, she has authored over 10 print and online travel guides to Southern and Central France and written for the Financial Times Weekend, Independent on Sunday, and Timesonline in the U.K., as well as Zagat and Google in the US. She also writes a regular food column for Monaco Life. Louise lives in Nice, France.

Kathryn Tomasetti is US-born and Italian-raised. She writes travel and food features for a variety of publications including The Guardian and The Times. Her library of holiday photossnapped from as far afield as China, Albania and Chilehave been published by National Geographic and Time Out. Kathryns favorite places in Provence are the pavement cafes of Avignon and the art-filled city of Arles. She resides in Nice, France.

Victoria Trott is a British freelance travel and food journalist who specializes in France. She is the co-author of Frommers Provence. She lives in London.

Eiffel Tower, Paris

F rance presents visitors with an embarrassment of richesyou may find yourself overwhelmed by all the choices. Weve tried to make the task easier by compiling a list of our favorite experiences and discoveries. In the following pages, youll find the kind of candid travel advice wed give our closest friends.

FRANCES best AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES

Wine Tastings at a Burgundy Vineyard: Where better to taste a Burgundy wine than in the vineyard where it was made? The average producer in this region manages just 20 acres of vines and many offer the opportunity to sample their nectar on site. Ask at the tourist office for details of visits for individualsotherwise we recommend booking a trip with a specialist tour guide. See chapter 9.

Whiling Away an Afternoon in a Parisian Cafe: There is something quintessentially Parisian about doing nothing in a public space, especially when that space is a cafe. You can read a book, look out the window, chat with a friend, sip some wine, or simply ponder the mysteries of life. Better still, no one will attempt to dislodge you from your cafe chair, even if you sit there for hours.

Breaking the Bank at Monte-Carlo: The Casino de Monte-Carlo has been the most opulent place to have a flutter for over 150 years. Its creation by architect Charles Garnier (of Paris Opera House fame) in 1863 turned the tables for Monaco, transforming a provincial port into a world-class tourist .

An outdoor cafe at Place Colette, Paris

Ogling the Pomp of the Popes Medieval Party Pad: Those medieval popes knew a thing or two about interior design. Avignons Palais des Papes, or Popes Palace, is a moneyed medley of Gothic architecture and vast banqueting halls. The Chteauneuf-du-Pape papal vineyards just north of Avignon still produce some of the most noted wine in France. See .

Eating Boeuf Bourgignon: Burgundy is as well known for its gastronomy as its wine. One of its most famous dishes is boeuf bourgignon, ideally made with Charolais beef (from the famous white cows which originated in the Charolais area near Mcon) slow cooked with onions and mushrooms in a regional red wine. See chapter 9.

Fresh bread at a French bakery

Buying Your Daily Bread: That cute little boulangerie just down the street? Depending on where you are, theres likely to be anotheror severala short stroll away. The daily baguette run is a ritual for many French people. Get your coins ready (one euro, give or take 10 centimes) and join the queue. To really fit in, ask for your baguette chewy (pas trop cuite), or crusty (bien cuite).