The eastern part of France consists of the Alsace, Lorraine, Franche Comté and Burgundy regions which feature rolling hills, many beautiful cities and acres of vineyards that produce the most exquisite wines. The centre of France features the Loire Valley, with many great castles and beautiful towns. To the south and east stand the Alps, which are great for skiing in winter and hiking in summer. The south impresses with its lovely nature, good food, Roman ruins and, of course, the Riviera. In the southwest of France the Dordogne is one of the most quintessential French regions, with cute, small towns, wonderful food and a breathtaking valley.

With the exception of the mountainous and Alsace regions, France's climate is generally temperate. Brittany in the northwest is profoundly affected by the Atlantic, which makes it an often windy, rainy region. Because of its continental climate, Alsace sees hot summers with rain in June and July, and snowy winters. Paris, which lies between Brittany and Alsace, is affected by both climates. The average temperature in Paris is 12°C, but its climate is otherwise similar to that of Ontario, with freezing temperatures in January and scorching heat in August. The south of France has hot, dry summers, mild frostless winters and brief and sudden downpours in spring and in autumn.

Capital City: Paris

Currency: Euro (EUR) - Order Online

Language(s) Spoken: French

France's weather differs from region to region throughout the year but the best time of the year to visit to beat crowds is either in April to June or in the fall from September to November.

• Paris
• Provence
• Normandy
• Rhone-Alps
• Corsica
• Burgundy