France

Rating: ★★★★★ (4.9 / 5)

France is one of the world's most visited countries, and it is not difficult to see why, as it combines world-class art, architecture, gastronomy, and fashion with an astonishing variety of landscapes, from the lavender fields of Provence to the snow-capped peaks of the Alps. Paris, the City of Light, remains one of the great cultural capitals of the world, home to the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and a cafe culture that has influenced the way the world thinks about leisure and conversation. Beyond the capital, France rewards the explorer with the vineyards of Bordeaux and Burgundy, the prehistoric cave art of the Dordogne, the sun-soaked beaches of the Cote d'Azur, and a tradition of regional cuisine that is among the richest and most varied on earth.