Driving Experiences in France
A "grand tour" of France is nearly impossible for the visitor who doesn't have a lifetime to explore. If you want to get to know a province, try to devote at least a week to a specific region; you may have a more rewarding trip if you concentrate on getting to know two or three areas at a leisurely pace rather than racing around trying to see everything.
You'll find some 70,840km (44,000 miles) of roads, mostly in good condition. (Try not to go by the Route Nationale network all the time. Nearly all of France's scenic splendours are along secondary roads.)
Normandy
The quintessential image of Normandy is of a lush, pastoral region of apple orchards and contented cows, cider and pungent cheese - but the region also spans the windswept beaches of the Cotentin and the wooded banks of the Seine valley. Highlights include the great abbey churches of Caen, the mighty island of Mont-St-Michel and Monet's garden at Giverny.
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Provence
The borders of Provence are defined by nature: to the west, the Rhne; south, the Mediterranean; and north, where the olive trees end.
To the east are the Alps and a border which has shifted over the centuries between France and Italy.
Within is a contrasting terrain of plummeting gorges, Camargue salt flats, lavender fields and sun-drenched beaches. Past visitors have left their mark. In Orange and Arles, the buildings of Roman Provincia are still in use.
Fortified villages like Eze were built to withstand the Saracen pirates who plagued the coast in the 6th century. In the 19th century, rich Europeans sought winter warmth on the Riviera, and by the 1920s, high society was in residence all year, and their elegant villas remain.
The warm sunlight nurtures intense flavours and colours. Peppers, garlic and olives transform a net full of Mediterranean fish into that vibrant epitome of Provencal cuisine, bouillabaisse.
French Pyrenees
The mountains dominate life in the French Pyrenees. A region in many ways closer to Spain than France, over centuries its remote terrain and tenacious people have given heretics a hiding place and refugees an escape route.
Today, it is the last remaining wilderness in southern Europe and a habitat for rare animal species. Heading east from the Atlantic coast, the hills are wonderfully lush after the plains of Aquitaine. The deeper the Pyrnes are penetrated, the steeper the valley sides and the more gigantic the snow-clad peaks become.
This is a magnificent, empty, dangerous country to be approached with caution and respect. In summer the region offers over 1,600 km (1,000 miles) of walking trails, as well as camping, fishing and climbing. In winter there is both cross-country and alpine skiing at the busy resorts along the borders.
