Blog

In this section, you’ll find all the Oliver’s France posts: regional destinations, travel tips, France-wide activities, language tools, food, and much more. To go directly to regional destinations, click on the Regional tab on the menu, or click on one of the photos in the regional section on the home page. If you have something particular you want to find, there’s a search bar on the right side of the menu. And for a listing of all categories and posts, click HERE.

A Spa in France

A Spa in France

French Spas There are two types of spas in France. One is focused on health improvements and the other, a bit more familiar, is for relaxation and pampering. First, some cultural background on the first type, the cure thermale. The objective is a medical treatment,...

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Staying Overnight in France

Staying Overnight in France

France Hotels and More. There are many options for lodging when you visit France. In one of my previous posts, A Twist on French Lodging, I wrote about Gîtes, Chambre d’Hôtes, and Villas. In this post, you’ll learn even more great housing options: apartments, boutique...

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Rail Vacations through France

Rail Vacations through France

Traveling through France by train provides many advantages. First, you can view the scenery as it passes by. Train travel is very relaxing and smooth. You’re traveling but you can snooze, read, play board games or watch movies on your iPad as you go. It’s a great way...

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Christmas in Paris!

Christmas in Paris!

Merry Christmas from Paris! Surrounding you and extending all the way down the Champs Elysées to the Arc of Triumph is a glowing river of color, making you forget the chill in the air. Lights wink at you from the trees lining the majestic avenue, and it seems...

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Loches & Angers: Two Ends of the Loire Valley

Loches & Angers: Two Ends of the Loire Valley

Today Oliver’s France highlights two towns, Angers and Loches, both in the Loire Valley. You might not have heard much about them but should definitely visit. These two towns lie at opposite ends of the famed valley of Renaissance castles and are vastly different from...

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Oliver’s France Holiday List!

Oliver’s France Holiday List!

It’s holiday time! The activities pick up. The streets get more crowded. You start making lists (or  more lists if you’re already a list-maker!) The fun, frenzy, and fatigue all blend together!  You may be thinking about France with one of several questions....

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The Alsace Wine Route

The Alsace Wine Route

The Alsace Wine Route If you like wine, that’s only half the pleasure of following a wine route in of the best-known wine cultivation regions of France. The other half is all about the place itself. Medieval villages with half-timbered houses, lush vineyards and...

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French Castles, Old and New

French Castles, Old and New

Castles Old and New European castles are the stuff of fairytales and fantasies. Maybe that’s why we’re so drawn to them since we’ve grown up with these tales. Kings and queens, battles, court traditions. All over France, you can see these physical remnants of history,...

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Unforgettable Strasbourg

Unforgettable Strasbourg

Unforgettable Strasbourg Strasbourg embodies the old Alsatian culture, which is a curious blend of French and German, yet unique, as well as the cutting-edge vitality of a world-class city. It’s a city of students, international business, tourism, and culture,...

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