France

France
France
Capital : Paris
Currency: Euro
Area:5,51,000 sq km
Population: 64 million
Head of state: President Nicolas Sarkozy
Major Cities : Paris , Nice, Cannes, Marselle ,
Stresbourg
Border countries: Andorra, Belgium, Germany, Italy,
Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, Switzerland
Over 77 million foreign tourists a year make
France the number one worldwide destination!
International tourist arrivals by country of
destination 2009
Rank Country International tourist
arrivals
1 France 74.2 million
2 United States 54.9 million
3 Spain 52.2 million
4 China 50.9 million
5 Italy 43.2 million
6 United Kingdom 28.0 million
7 Turkey 25.5 million
8 Germany 24.2 million
9 Malaysia 23.6 million
10 Mexico 21.5 million
•France offers mountain ranges, coastlines such
as in Brittany or along the Mediterranean Sea,
cities with a rich cultural
heritage, châteaux (castles) like Versailles,
and vineyards.

•Tourism is accountable for 6% of the country's

income (4% from French tourists travelling
inside France and 2% from foreign tourists), and
contributes significantly to the balance of
payments.
 5 A’s OF TOURISM
The following five 'A' factors represent the essential
requirements for successful tourism:

Attractions

Accessibility

Accommodation

Amenities

Activities/ Ancillary services

 Major Attractions in France
France Tourist Atttractions

Eiffel Tower in Paris

Palace of Versailles

Louvre Museum Disneyland Paris

Cannes International Film

Fontainebleau
Festival
Le Mont-Saint-Michel
Rhone-Alps France

Loire Valley France Beaches

Museums of France
 Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, is one of the greatest engineering
masterpieces, ever built in the world.

Designed and built by a famous French engineer Gustave Eiffel, the

tower has become the most important symbol and historical landmark of
France.

It is one of the world's most visited and photographed tourist

attractions, attracting thousands of visitors every day.

It is rises to 300 m /984 ft , and at the time of its construction it

was the tallest structure in the world.
 Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles is a masterpiece of French

classical architecture surrounded by a spacious and
luxurious extensive gardens filled with fountains and
sculptures. One of the most extravagant palaces ever
built, the Palace of Versailles is known for its lavishly
decorated interiors.
The most important features of the Palace are Hall of
Mirrors, State Apartments and Queen's Apartments.
In the 1830's the French government decided to open
up the palace as a national museum.
 The Louvre Museum
The Louvre Museum in Paris is one of the most famous and oldest
museums and art galleries of France and the world.

 Known as Musee de Louvre in French, this museum is home to the

world of art of a number of world famous painters and artists including
Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt.

The biggest feature of this grand museum is the Louvre Pyramid. Built
in the year 1989, this huge glass structure adorns the entrance of the
museum.
Louver Museum in Paris is one of the most popular attractions of the
city and a good place to learn more about the culture of France.
 Disneyland Paris
The Disneyland Paris, known as Parc Disneyland in France,
is one the finest amusement parks in the world
Spread over an area of over 5, 000 acres, the Disneyland
Paris is a complete family vacation destination offering its
visitors world-class rides and other adventures.
Disneyland Paris consists of two major theme parks, The
Disneyland Park and The Walt Disney Studios Park. Located
in Paris, this amusement park was built in the year 1988 and
was opened to the public in the year 1992.
 Fontainebleau
Located just 55 km southeast of Paris, Fontainebleau is a popular
tourist destination in northern France.

Fontainebleau is world-famous for its scenic forests and the

magnificent Château de Fontainebleau.

The Forest of Fontainebleau is a protected area and recognised as a

national park, as it's home to varied flora and fauna including birds,
mammals and butterflies.

Fontainebleau is a paradise for nature lovers, adventurre seekers and

family vaactioners, attarcting over 11 million visitors every year.
 Le Mont-Saint-Michel
Le Mont Saint Michel is a small but exceptionally picturesque rocky
islet in Normandy, in northwestern France.

Mont St. Michel is world-famous for its interesting architecture and

history as well as for its scenic beauty, attracting over 3 million
tourists and pilgrims every year.

Mont Saint-Michel was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in

1979.

Le Mont-Saint-Michel is indeed one of the major symbols of

France's history and a good example of ancient Gothic architecture.
 Rhone Alps
Rhone-Alps is one of the most picturesque regions of France, located in
the southeastern France, bordering with Italy and Switzerland.

Named after the the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range, Rhone-
Alps is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.

The Rhone-Alps region is one of the most traveled tourist destinations in

France, attracting millions of nature lovers, honeymooners and adventure
seekers every year from all around the world.

The real charm of Rhone-Alps region of France is its 180 ski resorts,
spread over in 15 mountain ranges. The region has some of the world's
largest and famous skiing resorts, including Chamonix, Megève, Avoriaz,
La Clusaz and Courchevel.

Thousands of skiers throng to these internationally renowned resorts

every winter from destinations around the world.
 Beaches Of France
France has a long coastline of 3, 427 km dotted with
plenty of world-class beaches.
Most of the beaches of France are soft and clean
offering excellent conditions for sunbathing and other
recreation, including a range of exciting water sports
The main beaches that are worth visiting over here
include :
Bouillabaisse Beach, Graniers Beach, Jumeaux Beach,
Pampellone Beach and Tahiti and the Monte Carlo
beaches.
 Accessibility to France
•Entering The Country :
You’ll usually cross fluidly between France and other EU countries without
TRANSPORTS

passing through customs or border checkpoints. If you’re arriving from

The public
transport
system in the
main French
towns are
generally well
organized and
in Paris the
network
includes the
underground
railway, one of
the largest in
Europe.. Paris
Metro and RER
( Underground
train)The
Metro is a little
much more
accessible than
the Lon don
Underground;
expecially in
the downtown
area, which is
the more
interesting for
tourists, some
of the stations
are accessible
by lift. The
RER, the other
underground
railway net,
connected to
the Metro, it is
much more

non-Eu country , you will have to show your passport (and your visa
accessible
(expecially line
B) by lift. These
lifts must be
operated by
the RER staff.
The staff can
be contacted
by the
emergency
microphone.
TaxisIn Paris
the taxis are
standard 4
doors cars, the
drivers are
usually
nervous and
they do not
understand
English or very
few of them
understand it.
The fares are
cheap
compared with
other
European
towns. The use
of a taxi it will
be possible only
if the disabled
traveller can
move from the
wheelchair to
the car seat,
the wheelchair

permit ) or your identity card if you are an EU citizen , and clear customs.
must be folded
and placed
inside the car
trunk.  BusesT
he low floor
wheelchair
accessible
buses are few.
We have
informations
about only one
line with these
buses, the # 20
from GareSt
Lazare to Gare
de Lyon
passing near 
Opéra,
Montmartre
and Bastille.
The coaches
are very
frequent
expecially
during working
days from early
morning to
evening.The
low floor buses
are now
increasing and
the RATP (the
public company
providing the
public transport
system in

•Air:
Paris) is
expected to
add new lines
within during
year 2000.
Minivans with
driverWe can
book for our
guests
minivans with
lift and with
and English
speaking driver.
We use for our
guests special
vans with
powered lift, in
few cases we
use vans with
ramp. The vans
can transports
up to 8
passengers plus
our driver. We
calculate our
rates for
maximum 7
pax, because
during the
sightseeings
and the
excursions a
guide'll use the
seat near the
driver. In case
the party
doesn't ask for
the guide the
available
seats' ll be 8. In
few case the
vans can
transport less
than 8 pax.
Usually vans
can take in up

Budget carriers account for an increasing share of the flights into France,
to 2 or 3 wheel
chairs.

Rent a Car Trains 

We can rent a The
car from many French
compan ies like speed
Avis, Hertz, train
Maggiore, at TGV
very competive have a
rates. Cars with special
hand controls compar
are very few tment
and available where
on demand. A a
very little person
number of in a
accessible wheelc
minivans with hair
lift  to be can

particularly from other European destination, resulting in competitve

rented for self stay
driving (by an with an
ablebodied ablebod
driver)are ied
available  too; compa
they are nion.
available for Also
travel in other
France and in major
the other trains
European have
contries. In accessi
some cases you ble
can pick up the places
van in Paris for
and drop off in wheelc
Nice avoiding hair
the travel back users. T
to Paris, but he
you will be Eurosta
charged for the r train
extra costs. to
Londo
n is
accessi
ble
and 
the
main
French
railway
stations
are
accessi
ble
too.The
railway

fares from many major airlines.

s staff
will
provide
assistan
ce at
depart
ure
and
arrival
by
portabl
e lifts.
This
service
is free
but
must
be
booked
in
advanc
e.
Accessi
ble
Europe
can
book for
you the
special
places
and
the
assistan

•Air France is the major airline of the France.

ce
service
all
around
France.
Ferries
Ferries
from
France
to
Englan
d are
accessi
ble by
lift
access
from
the car
deck to
the
upper
decks
of the
ship.

•Airports:
France has two major international airports in Paris:

1). Roissy Charles de Gaulle 2) Orly

Land:
If you travel around Europe a lot you can travel by bus & train as they are
combined with discounted airfares.
Bus :
Buses are slower and less comfortable than trains, but are cheaper.
Buses are used quite extensively for short-distance within especially in rural
areas.
Intercars:
•French coach company intercars link france with cities through out Europe

Water :
Boat :
Canal Boating :
One of the most tranquil trips through France is to rent a house boat &
cruise along canals & navigable rivers, stopping at Whim along the way.
•Best Time to Visit :
•From June to Early September (Summer )
•From Mid- December to Late March (Winter)
•French pleasures can be indulged in any time although
many Francophiles swear spring is best.
 Accomodation In France
Hotel Chains :
There are dozens of hotel chains in France that group standardized hotels.
The range also covers all categories, from upscale to mid-range like Accor Group
(Sofitel, Novotel, Libertel, Mercure & Ibis) or Concorde Hotels, to more
economical hotels near major cities (Hotel Formule 1, Etap Hotel,
Balladins, Bonsaï, Liberté, Première Classe).

•Different Types of other accommodation types :

•At a campsite   * furnished accommodation
•tourist apartments * Gîtes or Guest Houses
•Holiday Villages
At a campsite
France offers more than 9,000 fully equipped campsites officially grated from 0 to
4* and 2,300 farm campsites.
 
In tourist apartments
These are buildings housing apartments for rent, fully equipped and with a choice
of hotel services.

 
In furnished accommodation
These are fully equipped holiday villas or apartments for rent to tourists:
information from Tourist Offices and estate agents.
 
In Gîtes or Guest Houses
By renting a room in the owner's home (per night or per week, with breakfast and,
occasionally with evening meal), you will have the chance to discover more about,
and share in, the French way of life.
 
In Holiday Villages
Non-profit making organizations who offer especially designed accommodation
for families and groups, the holidays Villages also have excellent leisure
activities. A stay in a holiday village is a great way to meet French people in a
friendly environment and at the same time keep a feeling of individual freedom.
 France Hotels
France ‘s different accommodation in Paris, Cannes, Monaco, Normandy,
Marseille, Montpellier, Bordeaux, Lyon,....
Nord-Pas de Calais
Brittany/Bretagne Calais Hotels
Brittany Hotes Lille Hotels
Dinard Hotels
Ile-de-France
Rennes Hotels
Disneyland Paris Hotels
Vannes Hotels Paris Hotels
Saint Malo Hotels
Lorient Hotels Champagne-Ardenne
Reims Hotels
Brest Hotels
Strasbourg Hotels

Pays de la Loire
Normandy Saumur Hotels
Nantes Hotels
Deauville Hotels
Le Havre Hotels Burgundy /Bourgogne
Rouen Hotels Beaune Hotels
Caen Hotels Dijon Hotels
Cherbourg Hotels Poitou-Charentes
Villedieu-les-Poeles La Rochelle Hotels
Hotels Mirambeau Hotels
Rhone-Alpes  Midi-Pyrenees
Annecy Hotels
Lourdes Hotels
Chamonix Hotels
Grenoble Hotels Toulouse Hotels
Lyon Hotels
Provence-Alpes-Cote
Languedoc-Roussillon d'Azur
Montpellier Hotels Aix-En-Provence Hotels
Nimes Hotels
Arles Hotels
Marseille Hotels
Aquitaine
Avignon Hotels
Biarritz Hotels
Cannes Hotels
Bordeaux Hotels
Juan Les Pins Hotels
Eugenie Les Bains Hotels
Nice Hotels
Centre
Tours Hotels
 Amenities In France
The Regional Tourist Authority (CRT) accompanies the regional council’s
tourism policy and plays an advisory role with regard to tourist amenities.
It coordinates the work of tourist organizations and sets up initiatives to
promote the Paris - Île-de-France destination in France and abroad.

Three new tourist reception and information desks were opened at Roissy -
Charles-de-Gaulle Airport on 5 July 2007.
Food & Drink:
 Wine region: 
1. Bordeaux 4.Loire Valley
2. Burgundy 5. Rhone Valley
3. Alsace 6. Champagne
Cuisine:
French cuisine has long stood for its great use of variety of
foods- beef , lamb,pork , poultry , fish and shellfish
,cereals , vegetables & legumes.-but the Staple “trinity’ is
bread, cheese & charcuterie (cured, smoked or processed
meat products.
 Activities In France
Water Sports:
 All types of water sports are available, although the warm Diving
and snorkelling are popular in Porquerolles and Corsica.
 The colder English Channel and Atlantic waters are popular with
sailing enthusiasts, and Biarritz is renowned for good surfing.

Canal Cruising:
 Popular itineraries include : the Lorient–Redon route; Marne–
Strasbourg; the Burgundy Canal (a popular wine route); and
Bordeaux–Sète.
 Boats can be rented from numerous private operators who can also
arrange the necessary permits.
 Most vessels sleep between two and 12 people.
Fishing
Good fishing regions include Brittany (salmon and trout), Franche-
Comté (which has many lakes), Languedoc-Roussillon (mountain
fishing), and Midi-Pyrénées (famous for the fario trout).
Popular catches include crayfish, lobster, scallops and, at low
tide, crabs, shrimps and mussels.
 Deep-sea-fishing trips are widely available on the Côte d’Azur.

Skiing
The French Alps offer excellent skiing with some of the world’s
best-known resorts.
There are over 480km (300 miles) of ski pistes, over 150 ski lifts,
innumerable ski schools and quality resort facilities.
All the major resorts offer skiing package holidays. The season
runs from early December to the end of April.
Cycling
French towns and cities are actively promoting the use of bicycles.
There are some 28,000km (17,500 miles) of marked cycling paths
throughout the country.
 Bicycles can be hired from many local tourist offices, and French
Railways (SNCF) also offers bicycles for hire at some 30 stations.
There is an extensive network of pistes cyclables (cycling paths)
along the Atlantic coast, all the way down to the Spanish border.

Horse riding
Although popular and available countrywide, one of France’s
favourite destinations for horse riding is the Camargue where even
inexperienced riders can gallop along sandy beaches and through
the characteristic marshland.
Horses can be hired from numerous stables.
Golf
There are over 200 golf courses.
 A number of companies are offering themed golf holidays which
combine golfing with other activities as well as sightseeing.
 Popular destinations include the Loire Valley, Burgundy and the
French Alps.

Spectator sports
The most popular are rugby and football Other Sports are like:
Cycling Race, French Open (tennis) , & Horse Racing

Wine Tours:
 In various regions, the most famous wine routes (routes du vin), as
well as special sales and auctions, are signposted.
Wine tours are frequently combined with cheese tasting. Like the
wines, France’s 365 cheeses vary according to region and climate.
Vivek Chaklasia
Vikramjit Singh
Visharad Saxena
Vikram Katoch
Yatinder Pal