Tourism business

2.1 Main tourism centers

Capital of France is Paris, at the same time this city is one of the main tourism centers here. Other tourism centers are Normandy, Ile de France, Brittany, Burgundy, Loire Valley, France Riviera, Alps and Pyrenees [1] .

In 2013 the City of Paris welcomed 15.6 million international visitors; the largest number of whom came from the United States. The Paris Region received 32.3 million visitors in 2013, putting it just ahead of London as the world's top tourist destination region, measured by hotel occupancy. In the Paris region, the largest numbers of foreign tourists came in order from Britain, the United States, Germany, Italy and China [7]. Paris offers the largest concentration of tourist attractions in France, and possibly in Europe. Besides some of the world's most famous museums, its has a vibrant historic city centre, a beautiful rivers cape, an extensive range of historic monuments, including cathedrals, chapels and palaces, plus one of the most famous nightlife scenes in the world. Paris is also famous for its cafés and restaurants, its theatres and cinemas, and its general ambiance. Main sites and sights of Paris:

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  The Eiffel tower - take the lift to the top, for a spectacular panorama of Paris. The tower is 317 meters high, over 1,000 ft.
  
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  Notre Dame Cathedral - one of the finest gothic cathedrals in Europe. Climb the 400 steps to the top of the towers (included in Paris Museum pass).
  
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  La Sainte Chapelle, not far from Notre Dame. Thirteenth century royal chapel, with remarkable stained glass windows. (included in Paris Museum pass)
  
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  The Arc de Triomphe - the largest triumphal arch in the world, commissioned by Napoleon. Another place with spectacular views over Paris. (included in Paris Museum pass)
  
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  Montmartre and the Sacré Coeur. Narrow streets, filled with artists, round the 19th century basilica on top of a hill on the north edge of Paris.
  
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  Les Champs Elysées; one of the most famous streets in the world, a broad tree-lined boulevard. Enjoy a drink on a pavement café, but watch the prices!
  
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  Seine river boats (les bateaux mouche). Take a trip on one of the famous Seine river boats, and see Paris from the river. Departures from the Pont Neuf. Or use the Batobus. Daily and weekly passes from 12 to 17 Euros.
  
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  Les Invalides - a fine military museum, containing the tomb of Napoleon, and a remarkable collection of historic models of French cities (included in Paris Museum pass).
  
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  The Latin quarter; narrow streets, with lots of cafés and restaurants, antique shops and boutiques, near the Sorbonne University. Free.
  
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  La Cité des Sciences - the Paris science museum, well worth a visit.
  
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  Musée des Arts Décoratifs - museum of decorative arts, close to the Louvre [8] .
  

Thousands of Allied troops – Americans, British, French, Canadians and others, gave their lives in the battles to recapture Normandy and achieve victory over the Nazis. The Normandy beaches and the area inland are today the site of many memorials and museums in memory of those who fought through and those who died during this momentous period of history. Soon to be reunited, but still today separate regions of France, the area that was once the dukedom of Normandy is divided into two administrative regions - Upper Normandy (Haute Normandie), capital Rouen, with its two departments, Eure and Seine Maritime, and Lower Normandy, (Basse Normandie) capital Caen, comprising the departments of Calvados , Manche, and Orne. There are plenty of people who will be very happy to see the two regions reunited - which will make historic sense. Le Havre, Caen and Rouen are the three main cities in this region. There are four smaller cities - or large towns, these being Evreux, in the Eure, Cherbourg - still an active seaport, though less than in its heyday when it was France's gateway to America - Dieppe, a minor seaport, and Alençon, capital of the Orne. Outside the towns and cities, Normandy is a prosperous agricultural area, specialising in dairy products, fruit (notably apples) and mixed farming. The most famous regional products are the cheese Camembert, and two drinks, Cider and the spirit distilled from it, Calvados. Normandy is also famous for its racehorses, and the region has many top breeding stables [9].

Brittany, lying in the northwest corner of France, is one of the great historic provinces of France. The most Atlantic of France's regions, Brittany is proud of its Celtic heritage that sets it apart from the rest of France. It enjoys a mild climate somewhat warmer though not necessarily drier than the climate of the southwest of England. Main tourist attractions in Brittany are:

Ille et Vilaine

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  Mont St. Michel. (Actually just in Normandy) Fairytale like mediaeval abbey and city perched on an offshore rock, off the north-east coast of Brittany. A UNESCO world heritage site. One of the most visited tourist attractions in France.
  
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  St. Malo - the ancient city of pirates, historic St. Malo stands above the waves, encircled by its granite ramparts. Large aquarium.
  
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  Dinard - classic tourist resort at the mouth of the river Rance, opposite Saint Malo.
  
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  The tidal power-station on the Rance - unique tidal barrage generating electricity from the ebb and flow of the tide. Boat trips on the Rance.
  
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  Fougères - mediaeval fortress city once part of the eastern defences of the duchy of Brittany. Ramparts, old town
  
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  Vitré - great mediaeval fortress castle in the centre of this small historic town.
  

Cotes d’Armor

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  The northern coast - dramatic rocky coastline with enchanting names like the Emerald coast and the Pink Granite coast, with small sandy beaches.
  
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  Dinan - small town surrounded by ramparts, one of the most attractive towns in Brittany. Near Dinard.
  
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  Treguier - old town with stone and half-timbered houses, mediaeval cathedral [10]
  

Today, Burgundy is one of the administrative regions of France, lying astride the main lines of communication between Paris and Lyon; anyone travelling by train or on the French motorway network between Paris and north-east France, and Lyon and the south of France, must pass through Burgundy. The region is bordered by the river Loire, in the west, and by the Franche-Comté and Champagne regions in the east. To the south it is bordered by the Rhone Alps region. The historic and modern capital of the Burgundy region is Dijon (population 150,000), a thriving administrative and cultural centre, which is also a major communications and freight-distribution hub. Dijon has a historic city centre, with old narrow streets, and houses built in the local pale honey-colored stone; of particular interest to visitors are the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy, and the gothic Cathedral of Saint Bénigne. The world-famous Burgundy vineyards produce some of the most prestigious and expensive wines in the world. The top wines are mostly produced on a narrow strip of land running south from Dijon, on the western fringe of the Saône plain, in the Côtes de Nuits and the Côtes de Beaune vineyard areas. These include names such as Gevrey-Chambertin, Vosne-Romanée, Pommard, Volnay and Clos Vougeot. Some of the top vineyards, which are quite small, are protected behind stone walls and iron gates, so valuable are the grapes that they produce [11].

The Loire Valley lies in the middle stretch of the river. It is also known as the Garden of France – due to the abundance of vineyards, fruit orchards, artichoke, asparagus and cherry fields which line the banks of the river – and also as the Cradle of the French Language. It is also noteworthy for its architectural heritage: in part for its historic towns such as Amboise, Angers, Blois, Chinon, Nantes, Orléans, Saumur, and Tours, but in particular for its castles, such as the Châteaux d'Amboise, Château de Chambord, Château d'Ussé, Château de Villandry and Chenonceau, and also for its many cultural monuments, which illustrate the ideals of the Renaissance and the Age of the Enlightenment on western European thought and design. On December 2, 2000, UNESCO added the central part of the Loire River valley, between Maine and Sully-sur-Loire, to its list of World Heritage Sites. In choosing this area that includes the French départements of Loiret, Loir-et-Cher, Indre-et-Loire, and Maine-et-Loire, the committee said that the Loire Valley is: "an exceptional cultural landscape, of great beauty, comprised of historic cities and villages, great architectural monuments – the Châteaux – and lands that have been cultivated and shaped by centuries of interaction between local populations and their physical environment, in particular the Loire itself." [12]

France's famous Riviera - known to the French as the Côte d'Azur - was an area of sleepy fishing villages, with little contact with the outside world. Then tourism was invented, and foreigners, at first mostly from Britain, began arriving in increasing numbers. The seafront at the little town of Nice became known as "La Promenade des Anglais" - and so it is still called to this day. Today the French Riviera is one of the world's most famous coastlines; and in spite of heavy development, it still boasts many fine beaches and plenty of beautiful shorelines. Main areas and resorts of French Riviera:

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   Monte-Carlo, most famed for its casino, is an opulent micro-state, with the world's highest per-capita GDP. This does not prevent Monaco from abounding in prestigious luxury shops, and for visitors searching for the most famous brands in designer clothing, jeweler and other luxury goods, Monaco offers great shopping opportunities (as does Nice).
   
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   Nice is France's sixth city, as well as being the biggest resort on the French Riviera. Nice is a city that has masses to offer, including historic quarters, a beautiful long seafront (from the Promenade des Anglais and westwards), a famous flower market, some interesting sites and sights, including the Matisse museum, the Chagall museum, and the famous Russian Orthodox basilica . It is also very well endowed in hotels, from five-star palaces such as the Negresco, to backpacker hotels away from the tourist quarters. And of course it is a city with plenty of nightlife and plenty of opportunities for shopping, in all seasons.
   
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   Cannes is the other main city of the French Riviera: Cannes is of course most famous for its annual Film Festival. Cannes is also a popular venue for trade fairs, including the annual music industry fair, the Midem. During these events, the town attracts visitors hoping to get a glimpse of their favourite film-star or musician; and of course, it is a town with plenty of tourist accommodation and beaches. A few miles inland from Cannes lay the small town of Grasse, capital of the French perfume industry. The famous Fragonard perfumery offers free guided factory visits and perfume museum visits [13].
   

The French Alps offer the broadest range of skiing opportunities anywhere in Europe, but they are not the only mountain range in France with skiing facilities, and in some cases it may be interesting to check out the opportunities available in the Vosges, the Jura, the Massif Central and the Pyrenees, all of which have fully equipped downhill and cross-country ski resorts. Les Portes du Soleil, the northernmost area, takes in a dozen resorts, including Avoriaz - reputedly the capital of snowboarding and Morzine, a long-established resort, at an altitude of 1000m, with plenty of facilities for beginners. Les Trois Vallées, including the resorts of Courchevel, Val Thorens and Les Menuires, is the world's largest ski area accessible with a single pass. The area gives skiers access to over 600 km of slopes - more than enough for even the most demanding of skiers [14] .

It is the Pyrenees that, after the Alps, undoubtedly offer the widest selection of ski resorts in France. Apart from the distance, and the possibility of a lack of snow in this mountain range straddling the French-Spanish border, the Pyrenees is a ski area with everything in its favor. The biggest ski area in the French Pyrenees is in the Hautes Pyrénées department, midway between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Tourmalet (Barèges La Mongie), lies south of Lourdes and Tarbes; it is the second oldest ski resort in France, after Chamonix. In the eastern Pyrenees, the largest domain is Font-Romeu, a large area with 58 km of slopes of all levels for a single ski-pass. There are also over 100 km. of cross-country skiing pistes here [15] .

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