France links
General
The French Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication maintains an excellent website showcasing over 100 National Monuments throughout France.
Transportation
Ready to book your rail travel? Click here for Rail Europe , a Castle and Palace Hotels partner.
If you read French, the medieval fortified towns known as bastides are covered in depth on this site. There are also links to historical information and some photos of the hundreds of bastides in the area.
Many of the castle ruins of the Dordogne have individual websites with photos, history, and visitor information. Château de Bonaguil (French only) and Château de Castelnaud have independent website, while the Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux can be explored through the website of the French Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication.
Most of the prehistoric caves of France restrict the numbers of daily visitors, and reservations should be made in advance. Visit the following websites for further information: Grotte Font-de-Gaume and Grotte de Combarelles can be explored through The French Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication. Grotte du Grand Roc, and the Grotte de Lascaux II have independent websites.
The Maison de Vin, or House of Wines, has an excellent website that everyone should start off with to better appreciate the wines of Bordeaux. You can even attend an intensive course at a Bordeaux wine school. Links will help you plan your visit to the area.
The Parc National de Pyrénées has an excellent website with maps and everything a visitor needs for inspiration.
Toulouse's Cîté l'Espace has a website in French only (despite promises that English is coming soon) that gives a good idea of what to expect during a visit.
The Musée de Toulouse Lautrec website is a fun introduction about the artist.
RETURN TO AQUITAINE AND MIDI-PYRÉNÉES REGION PAGE
The Château de Chambord site offers a virtual tour and some lovely photos. Most of the site is in French, with practical visitor information in English.
The Château de Chenonceau site has a fine presentation of this utterly exquisite palace.
Enjoy a virtual tour through the gardens of the Château de Villandry on its official site.
The Château de Chaumont and Château d'Azay-le-Rideau are represented through the website of the French Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication.
You'll find information about the Cathedral at Chartres on the website of the French Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication.
On the site of the French Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication, you'll find pictures and visitor information for the Palais de Jacques Coeur in Bourges. For those obsessed with Jacques Coeur, his life and times, you won't find any more devoted information on the Internet than the website of Les Amis de Jacques Coeur.
Take a virtual tour, read up on the history, and find out about concert information for the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud on their official website.
Look for visitor and historical information on the Château d'Angers and its Tenture de l'Apocalypse on the website for the French Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication.
RETURN TO CENTRE AND PAYS DE LA LOIRE REGION PAGE
If you're interested in the history of Carcassonne, this website makes a great introduction. You can even take a virtual tour of certain points of interest.
Although in French, the website for Peyrepertuse castle has visitor information and loads of pictures to look at before you head out.
Again, only in French, if you wish to visit the Roman monuments of Nîmes, this website has very nice photos, historical background, and visitor information.
The most visited ancient monument in France, the Pont du Gard has an excellent site with lots of background and visitor information.
RETURN TO LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON REGION PAGE
If you read French, you can read up on the history of the famed Limoge porcelain and enamelware on the official site for the Musée National de la Porcelaine Adrien-Dubourché. You'll also find visitor information.
The Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne's website has a lot of useless fluff, but the pictures are helpful to visualize the scenery. French only.
RETURN TO LIMOUSIN AND AUVERGNE REGION PAGE
The medieval Towers of Saint-Nicolas, de la Chaîne, and de la Lanterne in La Rochelle can be explored through the site of The French Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication.
Explore the cinema theme park Futuroscope through their website.
Learn all about Otard cognacs, its Scots founder, and the Château de Cognac on its website. Other houses open to tours are Hennessy, Martell, and Rémy-Martin. Besides information about their products, you'll find visitor information on their websites.
RETURN TO POITOU-CHARENTES REGION PAGE
Avignon's Palais des Papes's website is a little short on pictures, but it has all the visitor information you need, including special exhibitions, hours, and background.
The Festival d'Avignon's theatre productions held at the Palais des Papes and other venues around Avignon are listed on their website, along with ticket information.
Although in French only, the Musée de l'Arles Antique has a good presentation, which leads you from the region's prehistoric past, the Iron Age, and to the age of Rome.
Before visiting Les Baux, check out this website that has good pictures and background about this fascinating place.
Want to drive around the lavender fields? This "lavender-route" site is excellent. You'll find downloadable maps and everything you could possibly want to know about this fragrant herb.
If you still haven't had enough lavender, be sure to call on the Musée de Lavande--the Lavender Museum in Coustellet.
Although the following art museum sites are in French only, you can get an idea of what their collections hold and visiting information. Musée National Message Biblique Marc Chagall, the Musée National Picasso, the Musée National Fernand Léger, and the Musée Matisse.
RETURN TO PROVENCE-ALPES AND CÔTE D'AZUR REGION PAGE
Textile junkies will have fun surfing the collections of Lyon's Musée de Tissus.
To begin your education on Beaujolais wine, start with this excellent site. Perhaps you'll even be inspired to enrol in the wine school!
Visit the official site for the Vienne Jazz Festival to see who's performing this year and to purchase tickets. In French only.
If you read French, you'll find hiking and camping information and some pictures of the Gorges de l'Ardèche and its surrounding villages.
RETURN TO RHÔNE-ALPES REGION PAGE
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