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France is the top tourist destination in the world, which comes as no surprise since it has many spectacular attractions. Indeed, France is home to many historic and interesting sites which are all equally captivating, which is why you might have a hard time knowing where to start. It doesn’t matter where you do, though, as long as you visit these top France attractions during your stay.

The Palace of Versailles

First constructed in 1624 under the reign of King Louis XIII, Versailles became the French royal residence from 1682 to 1789, during which it served as a seat of political power and a symbol of luxury. Today, it is one of the most popular France attractions – a place of national importance, as well as incredible beauty, with its magnificent rooms, ornate furniture and stunning gardens – all of which are sure to take your breath away, send shivers down your spine or even move you to tears as they remind you of the grandeur of an era gone by. Versailles is located just a few minutes away from Paris, and is open most days of the year.

Grand Louvre

Some of the best France attractions are excellent museums such as the famous Louvre. The Louvre Museum houses more than 400,000 pieces distributed into three wings, including over 6,000 masterpieces from French, Spanish, Italian and other European painters. It is particularly known as the home of the ‘Mona Lisa’ by Leonardo da Vinci, which is one of the most controversial works of art ever produced. Aside from being a world-renowned museum, the Louvre is also one of the central landmarks in Paris, with its distinct pyramid situated on the right bank of the River Seine. The equally interesting Georges Pompidou Centre and the Musee d’Orsay are only a short drive away.

Eiffel Tower

Towering at a height of roughly 324 metres, the Eiffel Tower is the tallest building in Paris. More importantly, it is the most recorgnizable symbol of France. Therefore, there is no better proof of your visit to France than a picture of you against the base of this magnificent structure. Don’t stop there, though. Rather, climb to the first floor to shop for souvenirs or to the second floor to enjoy a great meal while being surrounded by spectacular views. The best views, though, are those seen from the top of the tower, especially at night when the City of Lights comes to life.

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

‘Notre Dame’ means ‘Our Lady’ in French, which is why there are many Catholic churches in France bearing the name. The one that readily comes to mind, though, is the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, best known for being featured in Victor Hugo’s masterpiece ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’. Even if it were not, though, it would still surely draw visitors for its rich history dating back from the 12th century and more notably, for its remarkable Gothic architecture. In fact, the Notre Dame de Paris is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the world. Other impressive cathedrals in France include those in Rodez, Reims and Strasbourg.

Chambord Castle

Just as the Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the best examples of Gothic architecture, the Castle of Chambord is an excellent example of French renaissance architecture. On the outside, it has over 800 sculpted columns and an elaborate roofscape lined with various types of towers and chimneys, all meant for decorative and not defensive purposes, while on the inside, it consists of 440 rooms, four vast hallways and 84 staircases. It is particulary popular for its unique double-helix staircase which runs up three floors and serves as its centerpiece.

The Loire Valley

During your vacation in France, don’t just linger in Paris. Rather, make it a point to discover the beauty of the French countryside, like the Loire Valley. Aside from the Chombard Castle, the Loire Valley offers many other enchanting castles, as well as charming towns and historic cities like Bourges and Orleans. It is also known for its excellent wine and breathtakingly romantic natural scenery, earning it the title of the Garden of France, which is why it is one of the best France attractions in itself.

If you still have some time left, you can also visit other France attractions, such as the Futuroscope, the Fontainebleau Forest and the beautiful beaches of the French Riviera. While you won’t be able to visit them all, you might as well try to see as many of the scenic spots in France as you can, so you can truly say that you have experienced France instead of merely visiting it – an experience sure to be on the top of your list for a lifetime.

Isabella Olsen is a travel writer who has toured major destinations worldwide, including France, by car. Zencarhire.com offer car hire from many locations throughout France, including, car hire Lyon. To book a car rental France, or learn more about discount car hire worldwide, visit www.zencarhire.com

Blackpool is an amazingly popular seaside resort on the English North West coast, which remains amazingly popular with tourists traveling from the close by towns which include Manchester, Liverpool, Warrington and more. The resort is also fanatically popular with folk from Scotland who turn up in large groups in a similar way to the groups of factory workers of old on their company day out. Sometimes it would appear that the seaside town is nothing but hotel accommodation and tourist attractions and although there is a great deal of Blackpool bed & breakfasts it is still best to book ahead to be safe. Accommodation varies from the cheap and chearful to first class. Many are on the sea front but, if you would rather stay somewhere far less lively you will find a few further inland.

Blackpool first started getting tourists in the 18th century who came to indulge in  the new fashion of sea bathing. With the advent of the railway, from 1846 onwards, the resort witnessed more and more visitors arriving to”take the cure” as sea bathing was called then. Today visitors can get to Blackpool by railway, air or automobile arriving there much faster than the early Victorians who could take up to 2 days from Manchester.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

The primary attraction in the resort of Blackpool, in Lancashire, which receives roughly 7 million customers a year, is Blackpool Pleasure Beach. The Pleasure Beach is a static funfair with mind blowing big rides, just a few are Valhalla, the Big One, Ice Blast, Grand National, Wild Mouse and Zipper Dipper, and including many, many more food booths, sideshows, thrill rides, sidestalls and games. The most recent thrill ride is Infusion, the world’s first to feature a suspended looping coaster completely over water.

 Please remember: If you are visiting as a family group it is possible to make considerable savings by buying an unlimited ride wristband especially if you will be going on as many rides as you can handle as the individual cost of each ride soon starts to add up.

Getting To Blackpool And Accommodation 

Blackpool is, as said earlier, very easy to get to nowadays as it is possible to get to the town by rail, air or rail. Traveling by rail you will, more than likely, be arriving at Blackpool’s main station, which is called Blackpool North on Talbot Road. Not that fat away, just a little distance down Talbot Road is situated the main bus station. The other Blackpool train station, Blackpool South, is at Waterloo Road, South Promenade, which is far closer to the Pleasure Beach. Blackpool International Airport is located roughly 2 miles from the center of town and was called, Blackpool Squires Gate Airport, one of Great Britains oldest airports.

Bed and breakfast accommodation in Blackpool is usually priced low. Rooms are often cheaper in the off season but not so cheap at weekends. Blackpool hotels are at their most expensive while the Illuminations are on, which is really the resort’s peak season.

A useful tip: Some guest houses and hotels can be extremely busy and rather noisy especially those near to Central and North Pier. If you would rather in a quieter location try booking a place beyond the North Pier.