France Travel Tools for you! If you’ve been around Oliver’s France a little while, you might know it’s an AD-FREE RESOURCE for France-lovers all over the planet. In addition to helpful posts twice monthly, Oliver’s France offers travel resources. Here’s a description...
Activities and Culture
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...
Three French Christmas Markets: A Video Journey
Come visit three Christmas markets in different regions of France! One of the wonderful things about Christmas in Europe is Christmas Markets. France has its share! Here are three of them, Alsace (the region closest to Germany), Provence (has its own southern style),...
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,...
Specialties of Burgundy and the French Alps
Food of Burgundy and the French Alps Before we continue our food journey across France, I wanted to let you know I’ll be there for a visit during the last half of July. I’ll post photos and news on Facebook and Instagram from time to time so you can “come along” with...
Five Impressive Monuments Outside of Paris
Amazing historical French monuments exist across the country. We’ve seen many in Paris but here are five notable examples of visible history in other parts of France: Le Mont St. Michel in Normandy, Abbey Fontevraud in the Loire Valley(Plantagenet burial place), the...
French Monuments: A Château, A Cathedral, and a Tower
French Monuments: A Château, A Cathedral, and a Tower French monuments embody centuries of culture and history, the actions and events that shaped present-day France. There’s a reason they are recognized and receive so many visitors each year. Today we’ll look at...
15 Memorable Beaches in France
Discover French Beaches What comes to mind when you think of French beaches? The Riviera? D-Day Beaches in Normandy? France is surrounded on three sides by the coastline and has hundreds of beaches. Here’s a list of 15 of them by region, all around the country,...
Flowering French Towns
Flowering French Towns . . . Villes Fleuries All across France, you’ll see towns and villages abounding with potted plants, gardens, and plots of flowers on street corners and intersections. Most of these are planned and planted by the town itself, not its residents,...
Sports in France: Extreme or Not
Sports in France: Part of the fabric of French culture. We may know this instinctively as we watch the World Cup, the Roland Garros, or the Tour de France on TV or online. French high schools don’t typically offer team sports as extracurricular activities, but many...
7 French Specialties You’ve Never Heard Of
Many people know French specialties like foie gras, Bordeaux wine, croissants, and crêpes. You may even know about Tarte Tatin and Cassoulet. Some are national (and international) favorites and others are regional. But here are a few delicacies you may never have...
The Oldest in France
Oldest in France One of the things we love about France and Europe, in general, is the history we see all around us. Many historical events are remembered with the help of the buildings that still stand, giving us the opportunity to view and imagine what it was like....