France is one of Europe's largest countries covering an area of approximately 548,000 sq km, and has a population of 60 million people. The English Channel lies to the north-west of the country, the Atlantic to the west and the Mediterranean to the south-east. France shares borders with several countries including Spain across the Pyrenees to the south, and Italy and Switzerland over the eastern Alps. Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium lie across the relatively flat north-eastern border. France has its fair share of mountainous regions with the ancient Massif Central covering a huge 1/6th of middle France, and a ski apartment in Les Arcs will put you in one of the largest ski areas of the French Alps where Mont Blanc, Europe's highest peak at 15,750 ft, is another big attraction that is easily accessible from any skiing chalet in Chamonix.
The climate is predominantly temperate across France with mild winters, except in mountain areas. The Atlantic facing north-west can be humid and windy with significant rainfall, whereas the north-east is typically continental with hot summers and cold winters. The south coastal plains enjoy a Mediterranean climate with little rainfall and high summer temperatures, with Paris, the capital, boasting the nation's lowest levels of annual rain, despite its central location.
France is a popular destination for British holiday-makers due to an excellent choice of channel crossings by ferry, hovercraft and more recently the train, via the Channel tunnel. Holiday accommodation can be easily found according to the type of vacation you are seeking, and self catering villas, apartments, cottages or farmhouses are popular as a base from which to explore the magnificent countryside and exciting cities. With its wealth of history and culture, France is the epitome of romance and has, arguably, some of the finest cuisine in the world.
Summer or winter, France has a holiday home and a location to suit the vacation requirements of everyone - from a skiing chalet in the French Alps to a traditional gite in Poitou-Charentes, the sky's the limit. For wine buffs, what better than to rent a cottage in Burgundy and spend time enjoying the picturesque vineyards of this peaceful region, while the wild and sun-scorched countryside of the Languedoc attracts many visitors to an area steeped in history and dotted with rustic villages. And a villa in Provence draws thousands of European holiday-makers each year to an area teeming with more chic resorts, stunning beaches and diverse countryside than any other in France. So whether you enjoy visiting art galleries and museums, touring the open countryside, skiing and snow-boarding, or just lounging on hot, sandy beaches, France has something for everyone.
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