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.
Cognac, France: Town and Taste
Cognac It’s not just high-end French brandy. It’s also a town of over 18,000 inhabitants. Cognac lies about 60 miles north of Bordeaux (100 km) and is close to the towns of Angouleme and Saintes. In Cognac, there is more there to see than only Cognac distillery tours...
A Tour Through the Luberon: Provence, France
When you think of Provence, France, you might think of lavender fields, olive groves, rocky outcrops topped with walled villages. You’re thinking of an area called the Luberon, at the foot of the Luberon mountain range. This area was put on the tourist map by Peter...
Kid-Friendly in Paris
Kid-Friendly in Paris When you travel as a family, you’ll want to know about kid-friendly activities. For your next trip to Paris, Oliver’s France has you covered. (It's not too early to plan ahead!) Here are 10 ideas to keep your kids happy! (And you, too!) ONE La...
French Architecture: What to Know
Making Sense of French Architecture When you travel to France, your travel guidebook will often use words such as Renaissance, Neoclassical, or Gothic to describe French architecture. What does it all mean? For this post, I’ll give you an overview of some...
Brittany Charm: 8 Towns You Must See
Brittany Charm If you’re looking for charming villages and memorable places in France, go to Brittany and you’ll never run out. I won’t say these are the best, since dozens will vie for that place. But these are all worth a serious visit! As you may know, Brittany is...
Real French for Travelers Online Course
Real French for Travelers Online Course Real French for Travelers Online Course is finally here! At last, the book that helped many people learn basic French for their trip has been expanded into an online course, complete with all the pronunciation help you need,...
The Journey of French Cuisine
About French Cuisine (and big news below!) French cuisine is actually made up of many types of cuisine; there are special dishes from every region: Alsace, the Alps region, the Southwest, Brittany, Normandy, the middle (Auvergne, Lyonnais,) as well as Paris. Each...
Tours, Gateway to the Loire Valley
Tours, Gateway to the Loire Valley Tours, France is often called the Gateway to the Loire Valley, because it’s a great jumping-off point for visiting the many sites along the rich river valley…such as chateaux and vineyards. Despite this ideal centrality, you don’t...
Cassis, France: the Petit French Riviera
Cassis If you’re hitting the French Riviera but want to avoid the big glitzy destinations, don’t overlook Cassis, France. It’s kind of glitzy in its own way, but on a smaller scale. You can find it just east of Marseille on the southern coast touching the...
Aside from Castles, Fun in the Loire Valley
Among travelers familiar with the Loire Valley, the first image that comes to many minds is castles. It’s true that the Loire Valley, just one and a half hours from Paris, is rich with history displayed in sumptuous castles. But there’s more. Much more. Turn your...
France Memories
If you're like me, you're missing Paris right now. So, I found some images to show you. I hope you enjoy them. [video width="1920" height="1080"...
Go East to Alsace
Alsace is an eastern region of France separated from Germany by the Rhine River. It's a region unique in its own way. Although it is thoroughly French, it bears outward signs of its nearness to Germany. History, also, ties these two countries together. Alsace-Lorraine...
