Let's enjoy France this summer 😊!
Of course, summer 2020 will be a bit special but that does not prevent you from enjoying the sun, nature, architecture and summer activities offered throughout the country 😊
Discovering France
Because of the recent quarantine, the trend this summer may be the staycation. That means that French people will be encouraged to visit their own region and thus discover the diversity of this country.
Whether you are in Provence, Alsace, Brittany, Auvergne or elsewhere, there’s a lot to visit, both natural and cultural!
So take the opportunity to make short weekends or long weeks to enjoy it (depending on your vacation capital 😉)
We give you some ideas for destinations:
- The calanques of Marseille,
- The Massif de l'Esterel (Var department),
- La Saint-Victoire (Aix-en-Provence region),
- The Loire castles (by bike): Amboise, Chenonceau, Chambord, Blois, Saumur, Tours, and many more!
- The GR20, famous hiking trail, in Corsica,
- The old town of Saint-Malo,
- The port of Honfleur (just over two hours by car from Paris),
- The cliffs of Etretat,
- The Arcachon bassin and the Dune du Pyla,
- Strasbourg, Obernai and the Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle in Alsace,
- Le Puy du Fou (commune of Epesses, in Vendée),
- Futuroscope (as in Chasseneuil-du-Poitou, near Poitiers),
- The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela…
How about hiking?
France is full of natural parks, forests and hiking trails (for all levels)!
If you are in Paris area: the Bois de Vincennes, Fontainebleau, the Clamart forest, the Meudon forest.
If you are near the Alps: Les Cervières, Mont-Blanc, Le Chemin du Petit Bonheur, Queyras, Le Parc du Mercantour (where you can meet wild wolves 😉).
If you are in Auvergne: Puy-en-Velay, Mont-Dore, Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise… and take the opportunity to take a tour in Clermont-Ferrand!
Museums reopen their doors everywhere in France
Who says summer does not necessarily mean sunshine for two months ... In case it comes to rain, know that many exhibitions await you in French museums.
Monet, Renoir and Chagall in the Mediterranean (Atelier des Lumières, Paris)
L'Atelier des Lumières presents the visual experience of Monet, Renoir, Chagall, trips to the Mediterranean until January 3, 2021. Immerse yourself in the colors of Provence, discover currents of painting such as Impressionism and Fauvism. You will no longer look at paintings: you will live inside!
The Cité du Vin in Bordeaux
For foreigners wishing to discover the products of French terroir, it is an unmissable event in the region: know that the Cité du Vin offers tasting workshops throughout the year, as well as an exhibition retracing history wine in the West.
Ruralities: Mediterranean galleries (MUCEM, Marseille)
To stay on the subject of the Mediterranean, the famous MUCEM (Museum of Mediterranean Civilizations) offers this free exhibition. You will discover the foundations of agriculture and livestock in the region.
Other free exhibitions:
RATP Expo in the Paris metro: To celebrate the return of users in the metro, the RATP and Paris Experiences Photo have decorated 11 stations with the works of 14 different artists.
Street Street Art Exhibition at the Lélia Mordoch gallery (Paris 6th): The Lélia Mordoch gallery is hosting a brand new street art exhibition that oscillates between art and current events.
Flowers hanging in Bercy Village: 2,600 flowers hanging in the air, like garlands. See until October 11, 2020.
Ben invites himself to Chamarande (40 km south of Paris): are you still using notebooks with Ben's quotes? Note that an exhibition is dedicated to him until October 11 as well. For this event, the artist brings together more than 400 works produced in 50 years of creation.
If you are not in Paris area, know that the Beaux Arts has a website that lists free museums all year round throughout France: https://www.beauxarts.com/grand-format/ou-voir-de- art-for-free-in-france /
