Frankrike

Named for the dolphin (dauphin) that graced the coat of arms of its prior rulers, the historic region of Dauphiné encompasses the territories south and southwest of Savoie, stretching from the Rhône River in the west to the Italian border in the east. It roughly corresponds to the départements of Isère, Drôme and Hautes-Alpes.

High up in the French Alps, it's enthralling to imagine the forces that shaped these colossal peaks. The African and Eurasian tectonic plates collided some 35 million years ago, forcing the land skyward into a 1000km chain of saw-edged mountains.

Where the Petit Rhône and Grand Rhône meet the Mediterranean, the Camargue arises: 930 sq km of sansouires (salt flats), étangs (small saltwater lakes) and marshlands, interspersed with farmland.

Grit and grandeur coexist seamlessly in Marseille, an exuberantly multicultural port city with a pedigree stretching back to classical Greece.

Paris borgmästare har beslutat att satsa motsvarande nästan 2 miljarder kronor på att göra Champs-Élysées till en grönare plats. Trafiken ska halveras, träd ska planteras, och fontäner installeras. "En extraordinär trädgård" har borgmästaren utlovat.

France's westernmost département, Finistère (www.finisterebrittany.com) has a wind-whipped rocky beach and cove-strewn coastline dotted with lighthouses and beacons lashed by the waves. Wild and mysterious, Finistère is, for many travellers, the most enticing edge of an already enticing region.

With its mix of real-city life, old-world opulence, year-round sunshine, vibrant street life and stunning seaside location, no place in France compares with Nice.

Om fransoserna själv får välja – då är Hunspach deras favoritby i landet. En årlig tävling utser landets favoritby och årets segrare – Hunspach – tillhörde en gång Sverige.

Few regions sum up the attractions of France better than the Dordogne. With its rich food, heady history, château-studded countryside and picturesque villages, the Dordogne has long been a favourite getaway for French families on les grandes vacances. It’s also famous for having some of France’s finest prehistoric cave art, which fill the caverns and rock shelters of the Vézère Valley.