French Ambassador Nicolas Galey reveals the true heart of France
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GO TO FRANCE?
It depends on what travelers want to do. France is very popular because of its diverse landscape and climate. Brittany has the Atlantic climate; Provence and the French Riviera are sunny; the northwest is cool and green; the Alps feel like Switzerland; and the Basque region in the southwest has Spanish influences.
There’s a mix of everything in a relatively small territory. Skiing would be between December and April when it is snowing in the Alps. The nice period is between April and October, although July and August are peak months so tourist spots tend to get crowded.
But once you leave the famous monuments, the streets are empty. Curious travelers will have the space to discover lesser-known places. It’s nice to lose your way and discover small streets.
WHERE SHOULD TOURISTS GO AROUND PARIS?
There are the unavoidable spots. You have to see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the Champs Elysées. If you have more time, explore the “normal” places where Parisians live.
Most travelers remain on the right bank of the Seine with the tourist attractions, but the left bank has a different atmosphere with neighborhoods like Saint Germain, the Latin Quarter, and Montparnasse. This is where you will feel the atmosphere of daily life in Paris.
WHAT ARE THE MOST BREATHTAKING CASTLES IN FRANCE?
Versailles is the biggest castle in the world and it is an extremely beautiful building, with gardens designed by André Le Nôtre, the most famous landscape architect at that time.
There are many royal castles by the river Loire built between the Renaissance period and the 18th century. Chambord and Chenonceau are the famous ones, but there are also smaller yet equally beautiful castles with fewer crowds.
“Versailles is the biggest castle in the world and it is an extremely beautiful building, with gardens designed by André Le Nôtre, the most famous landscape architect at that time.“Nicolas Galey, Ambassador of France
Then there are medieval castles in Normandy, a disputed region between France and England during the Hundred Years War. The castles are a result of that war, and date back from the 11th to 13th centuries, although some are not in very good shape. There are beautiful views from the top of the castles since they are situated in strategic points to monitor the region.
WHERE SHOULD TRAVELERS GO FOR A RELAXING GETAWAY?
There are many resorts along the Atlantic Ocean coasts for thalassotherapy. They come with special diet plans, various baths, saunas, and massages — all to put you back in good shape. You immediately feel better after staying for a few days.
There are also remote hotels all over France, sometimes in the middle of a park or garden, with special labels to ensure that you won’t be disturbed by noises of planes or cars.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE MUSEUMS?
Visit Musée Guimet and Musée Cernuschi. These are small museums with private collections featuring artifacts from Asia. Another is the Museum of Decorative Arts, which is now hosted in the Louvre Museum.
They display small and well-crafted everyday items. The artisanship stems from a French approach called l’art de vivre (art of living), in which objects are created with practicality and quality in mind.
WHERE IS THE MOST PICTURESQUE PLACE IN FRANCE?
Tourists already know this, but the glass pyramid of the Louvre is very picturesque, especially at night when it is illuminated from within. You can also find photogenic spots along the Seine when you ride the Bateaux Mouches.
In Parc de Volcans (Volcano Park), there is a mountainous region called Massif Central with volcanoes that have been extinct for millions of years. They still retain the volcanic shape, but don’t expect to see any lava. Brittany is also very picturesque with its dark forests and medieval forts.
WHAT ARE OBSCURE FASHION BOUTIQUES TRAVELERS MUST VISIT?
The notion of “total look” is something French people dislike. They show their personalities by matching clothes from different shops. They don’t only like buying from big names you can find everywhere.
Many Parisians like shopping in designer boutiques with only one branch, since you can buy distinct pieces found only in that shop. These are common in the Latin Quarter and Montparnasse.
The notion of “total look” is something French people dislike. They show their personalities by matching clothes from different shops. They don’t only like buying from big names you can find everywhere.
WHERE SHOULD TRAVELERS GO TO LISTEN TO LOCAL MUSIC?
There are lots of jazz bars in the Bastille, particularly behind the Bastille Square, together with the inexpensive ethnic restaurants. There is a place called Bel Canto on the right bank, with waiters who are music students learning to sing opera. Some will stop serving to start singing classical Italian or German opera.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE FRENCH CUISINE?
France has a great variety of cuisine. Our chefs are like football stars or movie stars; they are very celebrated. But we also want to establish French cuisine as something affordable.
The luxurious reputation for French cuisine is flattering but it can be counterproductive at times. I would advise tourists to focus on the thousands of unknown restaurants in France where you can have excellent and inexpensive meals.
WHICH PARTICULAR DISHES SHOULD TRAVELERS TRY?
We have very good jambon de bayonne (smoked ham) and saucisson (salami). Choucroute is a dish from Alsace made of sausages and cabbages and it’s eaten with lots of mustard; the equivalent in Toulouse is called cassoulet. France is also the country of oysters because of its proximity to the Atlantic.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE DESSERTS?
I really like vacherin, which is a meringue with custard and ice cream. Smaller patisseries often make sorbet, a healthier, water-based ice cream. Berthillon is a small but famous luxury ice cream shop in Paris. It has very good ice cream that people queue for.
L’Epicerie du Bon Marché is a food market that sells a wide range of food products from all over France and from around the world. It is across the street from the first modern department store called Le Bon Marché.
Bread is a kind of a religion in France. For breakfast, we have brown “country bread” that you can toast. If you go to a French bakery, you will see all the different kinds with raisins and different grains.
WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND TRAVELERS TO BRING HOME?
Bouquinistes sells books along the Seine riverbanks during weekends, as well as old postcards, vinyl records, maps, and posters. Provence has fragrant herbs called herbes de Provence (herbs of Provence) that can last for three months.
Alsace creates a fragrant white alcohol called Eau De Vie, made with Mirabelle plums or pears; and this is rarely exported.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO END A TRIP IN FRANCE?
You can plan your next trip. But I would have a nice meal in a restaurant along the banks of the River Seine. They are not particularly for tourists, but they have great views, especially in the evenings.
DESCRIBE FRANCE IN THREE WORDS.
Quality, because we like things of quality with good details. Tradition, since France is an old country rich with history. Innovation, since we are known for brilliant scientists and engineers.
For instance, Gustave Eiffel calculated the measurements for the Eiffel Tower by hand. If I had a fourth word, it would be Culture, because this is evident all around our country.
