The French Riviera

Soak up the sun and spot the stars in the French Riviera. Strung along 71 miles of azure coastline, this is the glamour capital of France, where grand hotels line fashionable seaside promenades, mega-yachts dock next to fishermen unloading the day’s catch, and the gently lapping waters of the Mediterranean sparkle invitingly.

For a chance to walk the red carpet, visit Cannes. This formerly sleepy fishing village transforms into a playground for the ultra-rich each year during the Cannes Film Festival. Take in a film, amble along La Croisette—Cannes’s glitzy promenade—and keep a lookout for celebrity sightings.

As the French Riviera’s largest city and unofficial capital, Nice is sure to delight with its world-class art museums, stellar dining, and old-world decadence. Explore the lively markets or wander through the narrow alleys and cobblestone lanes of the historic Old Town, perhaps stopping for a warm bowl of bouillabaisse, the region’s famous fish stew, along the way.

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• French & Italian Rivieras: Avignon, Corsica, Elba & Rome

Corsica

Situated between France and Italy, Corsica has long been the center of a geopolitical tug of war. From 1284 until 1755, the island was ruled by the Republic of Genoa. Then, after 14 years of independence, it was conquered by the French, who briefly lost control to the British—twice—during the French Revolution and following the Napoleonic Wars. Just over a century later, Corsica traded hands again, becoming a Nazi territory when France was conquered, and later, an American military outpost (nicknamed "USS Corsica") at the height of World War II. In the late 20th century, following decades of perceived neglect and poor treatment, and spurred by a fierce sense of nationalism, Corsicans began to push back against the French government.

Over time, the island has been granted some measure of autonomy: Officially, it is a territorial collectivity of France with some governing authority. But in spite of this push for self-reliance, Corsica is French nevertheless. Even the local language, Corsican, is slowly dying—only ten percent of the population speaks it fluently today. And then, of course, there is Corsica's native son: Napoleon Bonaparte. Though no one would dispute his allegiance to France, Corsicans take immense pride in their local hero. From museums to eponymous airports, le petit caporal (affectionately, "the little corporal") is omnipresent on the island. There is even a statue in his likeness in Bastia, Corsica's primary port. From his pedestal in Saint Nicholas Square, he keeps a close eye on the comings and goings in this bustling city, surveying visitors as they weave in and out of the pastel-hued Old Port and marvel at the mighty Terra Nova citadel guarding the cove nearby.

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• French & Italian Rivieras: Avignon, Corsica, Elba & Rome

Carcassonne

Carcassonne sits high on a hilltop in the sun-drenched region of Languedoc. The city’s famed citadel—the Cité de Carcassonne—is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the stuff of fairytales: Stalwart turrets, double-lined ramparts, and a drawbridge conjure images of dueling medieval knights and courtly romance. It was featured in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and is even rumored to be the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.

Just beyond the fortress walls, another local icon awaits: the Pont Vieux, the oldest of the city’s seven bridges and indeed one of the oldest remaining medieval bridges in all of France. A stroll across this stone walkway is like a trip through time. On the other side lies Ville Basse, Carcassonne’s so-called “new” town, which features modern boutiques, outdoor cafés, and restaurants serving up savory cassoulet, the traditional casserole of pork and white beans that originated in Carcassonne.

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• French Impressions: From the Loire Valley to Lyon & Paris

Bayonne

Set on the confluence of two rivers, the Adour and Nive, Bayonne has often been called one of the prettiest cities in southern France. Perfect for exploring by foot, Bayonne beckons with its charming half-timbered houses, meandering cobblestone streets, and bevy of lovely bridges—five total—that span the two rivers. Locals and visitors alike enjoy walking through the Old Town, popping into the many shops and cafes, and soaking up Bayonne’s rarified atmosphere.

Bayonne is also the capital of Basque Country and, as such, can feel a bit less like France and more like Spain. Locals are fiercely proud of their Basque heritage—which is why you will find the shutters of Bayonne’s townhouses painted in the Basque colors of red and green. You can also see examples of this heritage in the language—still widely spoken throughout Bayonne—and the cuisine. Fresh fish, tapas, and air-dried ham are a few of the traditionally Spanish specialties of this city. The ham in particular is so renowned, that it bears the city’s name: jambon de Bayonne. After a day of winding through Bayonne’s narrow alleys and cobbled walkways, stop into one of Bayonne’s riverside cafes and taste it for yourself.

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Lyon

Lyon is known as France's culinary capital—so it is only fitting to explore the city through your stomach. Stroll through the covered stalls of the Les Halles market or cozy up at a table at a local bouchon (the homey, family-owned restaurants that can be found only in Lyon), and tuck into the city's famous specialties: Saint Marcellin and Saint-Félicien, two popular types of soft cow's milk cheeses; quenelle, a creamed fish dish; many varieties and preparations of saucisson (sausage); and soupe à l'oignon Lyonnaise, which is known internationally as "French onion soup" but was, in fact, first created in Lyon.

The city also has the good fortune of being surrounded by some of France's best wine-growing regions. Pair your nibbles with a glass of wine from the nearby Beaujolais or Côtes du Rhône regions for a culinary match made in heaven.

France's second city stretches across two rivers—the Rhône and the Saône; strolling across the many elegant bridges that connect the city's banks is a great way to see the sights (and walk off the rich food). Or, visit the newly-opened Musée des Confluences, which is nestled at the very spot where the two rivers converge. The museum's futuristic exterior is a worthy attraction on its own, but the exhibits it houses—thematically organized around the Earth, eternity, societies, and species—are fantastically thought-provoking.

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• French Impressions: From the Loire Valley to Lyon & Paris

Normandy Beaches

It is hard to imagine that these now-tranquil shores were once the site of the largest amphibious military invasion in history, but it was here on June 6, 1944, where nearly 7,000 boats hit the beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the coast of Normandy to put the final nail in the coffin of the Nazi occupation of western Europe. Those vessels carried soldiers from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and many other Allied nations, all of whom arrived determined to carry out the order of the commander of the operation, General Dwight D. Eisenhower: “Full victory—nothing else.”

In all, roughly 156,000 Allied troops landed at five beaches of Normandy that morning, pushing the Germans back from their fortifications to link up with airborne soldiers who had parachuted in the night before. By the end of the day, 10,000 Allied soldiers lay dead, wounded or missing, but the job was done; the Allies established their hard-won foothold in northern France that would eventually see Europe freed from the grip of Nazi terror.

Travelers today can walk amongst the sands where these bloody first steps were taken, and observe the remains of the German fortifications that still dot the shore. The quiet setting, and the memorials dedicated to the men who sacrificed everything here create an ideal atmosphere to contemplate the heroism of what Tom Brokaw dubbed “The Greatest Generation.”

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• New! Cruising Northern Europe: From Normandy's Beaches to the Shores of Scandinavia

Chateau de Villandry

Inhabited since the Renaissance, the 16th-century Chateau de Villandry, is the last great chateaux of the Loire Valley. This grand estate has been home to notable figures such as Jean Le Breton, minister of Francis I; the Marquis de Castellane, ambassador of Louis XV; and Jerome Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon I. Originally a medieval castle, Breton demolished most of the original construction to make way for his new Renaissance-style estate. Today, only the castle keep remains standing, where a defeated English King Henry II offered his surrender to France’s King Philip II, ending a bloody war of succession.

The star attraction of the Chateau is its immaculately-tended garden, a colorful 22-acre sprawl of flora added to the estate in the early 20th century by the Spanish doctor Joachim Carvallo. The manicured lawns contain a water garden, ornamental flower gardens, and vegetable gardens, organized in formal patterns and lined with low box hedges, and have been open to the public since 1920.

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• French Impressions: From the Loire Valley to Lyon & Paris