Book excerpt: The French have mastered the art of living well. With this guide, you’ll master the art of vacationing well—seeing what you want to see, doing what you want to do, and enjoying every mile and every minute. In France, there are so many sights to see and so much fabulous food and wine to savor that you may have to pick and choose. This friendly guide helps you plan ahead with info on: Four great itineraries for exploring France and five daytrips from Paris Provence, with the famous towns of Avignon, Arles, and Aix-en-Provence, and the quaint village of St-Rémy The fabled French Riviera, including Cannes, Nice, and Monaco The D-day beaches at Normandy Biking in the countryside, climbing to the heights of Mont-St-Michel, visiting prestigious vineyards, and more Hotels, ranging from one built as a convent in the early 18th century to an Italianate rose-pink villa from 1881 to a palatial hideaway in chic St. Tropez Museums, ranging from Musée de Louvre and Musée d’Orsay in Paris to Musée Picasso in Antibes and Foundation Maeght in St-Paul-de-Vence, a modern art Mecca Incredible castles, palaces, churches, and cathedrals, including Cathédrale de Notre-Dame in Paris, one of Western civilization’s greatest edifices Shopping for the latest fashions in the chic boutiques of Paris, for hand-painted pottery in Quimper, for home decorating items and antiques in St-Rémy-de-Provence, for fruits, vegetables, and area specialties at the famous fruit and vegetable market in Aix-en-Provence, and more Like every For Dummies travel guide, France For Dummies, 4th Edition, includes: Down-to-earth trip-planning advice What you shouldn’t miss — and what you can skip The best hotels and restaurants for every budget Handy Post-it® Flags to mark your favorite pages Whether your style is grabbing a bite at a sidewalk café or savoring five-star haute cuisine…taking in the major attractions or exploring the French countryside, with this guide, you’ll have a bon voyage!