France
France, France · Paris · Versailles · Loire Valley
The place
France has shaped the Western world out of all proportion to its size — its revolution gave the modern age its ideals of liberty and equality, and its art, food, and fashion still set the standard. Our trips have stayed in the north and center: Paris and its museums and cafés, the palace of Versailles, the Renaissance châteaux of the Loire, and the abbey-island of Mont-Saint-Michel off the Normandy coast.
Places I visited
History & facts for each spot — with a “then & now” archival photo where one exists.
1Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city of France, with an estimated city population of 2.04 million in an area of 105.4 km2 (40.7 sq mi), and a metropolitan population of 13.2 million as of January 2026. Located on the river Seine in the centre of the Île-de-France region, it is the largest metropolitan area and fourth-most populous city in the European Union (EU). Nicknamed the "City of Light", partly because of its role in the Age of Enlightenment, Paris has been one of the world's major centres of finance, diplomacy, commerce, culture, fashion, and gastronomy since the 17th century.
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2Versailles
The Palace of Versailles is a château and historic monument in Versailles in the Yvelines department of France, southwest of Paris. It served as the principal residence of the French kings Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI.
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3Loire Valley
The Loire Valley, spanning 280 kilometres (170 mi), is a valley located in the middle stretch of the Loire river in central France, in both the administrative regions Pays de la Loire and Centre-Val de Loire. The area of the Loire Valley comprises about 800 square kilometres (310 sq mi). It is referred to as the Cradle of the French and the Garden of France due to the abundance of vineyards, fruit orchards, and artichoke and asparagus fields, which line the banks of the river. Notable for its historic towns, architecture, and wines, the valley has been inhabited since the Middle Palaeolithic period. In 2000, UNESCO added the central part of the Loire River valley to its list of World Heritage Sites.
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4Mont-Saint-Michel
Mont-Saint-Michel is a tidal island and mainland commune in Normandy, France.
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On the map
Numbered pins are the specific spots above — click any one for its story.