How many people visit France yearly?

What draws people to visit France? What places/things do people come to see?

• Answer:

  Most people who visit France for the first time concentrate on Paris which is the capital. The historical centre is truly remarkable, where there are amazing historical buildings, art galleries and museums that are full of magnificent things. It is an airy town with lovely gardens, and a river on which you can cruise. It has all sorts of entertainments, and restaurants that range from gourmet to simple good value quality food. Like all capitals, it has some very extensive suburbs, some of which are dingy and down at heel but not areas where tourists usually go. For Europeans it is closer than the USA to go to Disneyland, which is on the outskirts of Paris.The Royal palace at Versailles,now in a southern suburb, is a world wonder and inspired all the other European rulers of the time: it draws massive international crowds to its elegant buildings and splendid gardens. However there are hundreds of lovely towns and cities in the provinces with medieval areas, stunning cathedrals, castles, abbeys, museums, good food , and quaint villages huddled by picturesque old churches. The countryside is beautiful wherever you go. The Loire Valley and its numerous and stunning chateaux is a perpetual enchantment. You can do winter sports in the mountains in the winter, or trek there in the summer. There are miles of coastline by the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast with some of the most lovely scenery and beaches in Europe. There you can swim, surf or do all sorts of water sports . In the summer in the old volcanic chain of the Massif Central people do arial sports like paragliding, or in the other mountain ranges like the Alps, where you can also do rock climbing and moutaineering. In other areas you can pothole in caves or kayak in rapids down steep gorges. There are megalithic monunents in profusion in Brittany, Roman arenas in Provence, prehistoric caves and wall paintings in the Dordogne, chasms in the Lot, vineyards in several regions, fields of lavender or sunflowers all over the place. Some people are drawn to the Normandy beaches where the allied forces landed in WW2,and others seek relatives' graves in the WW1 cemeteries of northern France. The culture is non-ending, and there is something interesting to see or to do wherever you go; festivals, concerts, folk dances, carnivals, processions, competitions, the Tour de France race in the late spring, the Tour du Mans car races, amusement parks of various kinds, zoos and nature reserves, activity centres, just to name a few attractions. Here are a few photos for you to look at , but if you simply google "Pictures of France", there are thousands of others to see on the net. http://www.francethisway.com/photosoffra... http://www.pictures-europe.com/pictures-...