World / Europe / France

More people take their holidays in France than in any other country, with 'L'Hexagone' as the locals call it, receiving more than 82 million visitors annually. No surprise really when you consider that in France, tourism offers a matchless variety of landscapes, geography and history, from the chateaux-filled Loire to the lavender fields of Provence; the snow-dusted Alps to the spectacular Normandy beaches. Just as leisure travellers are attracted to this endless variety, so business visitors are drawn to France's strengthening economy, which is fuelled by its banking, insurance and telecommunications industries.

Paris, the enduringly romantic capital, is the heart and soul of France, home to more than one sixth of the country's total population. Its 20 arrondissements snail out from Les Halles and the Seine in the centre encompassing must-see sights from Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre Museum and the Arc de Triomphe. France's transportation network is efficient and extensive, with fast connections between major cities. Lyon, France's historic second city, is a two-hour TGV train ride away. This ancient capital of the Gauls and heart of the Roman Empire is a warren of medieval streets at the confluence of major rivers the Rhone and the Saone. Discover its gastronomic delights, burgeoning biotechnology industry, Roman amphitheatre and modern opera house.