There are plenty attractions in France that draw millions of visitors back year after year. France’s charms are evident, whether it is the chic boulevards of Paris, the breath taking ski slopes of the Alps, sunlit vineyards and sun-baked beaches, a dusty game of boules, or coffee and croissants in an undiscovered village. Or perhaps a tour of the majestic chateaux of the Loire, the glamorous jet-set lifestyle of the Mediterranean, or a relaxing picnic in Provence, where the air is fragrant with wild herbs and lavender? Keen to avoid a repeat of the destruction caused by two world wars, France was a founding member of the European Union. It continues to be a driving force behind the EU’s progress towards economic and political management and is still active in almost every other part of the world. France proudly covets its title of the world’s number one tourist destination, and this uniquely appealing country has little trouble in tempting first timers back for numerous repeat visits.

As the world’s most popular tourist destination, France manages to be all things to all people.

For those who enjoy city breaks, Paris is one of the world’s truly great cities, with a myriad of attractions and diverse eating and drinking experiences.

The large cities of Lyon and Marseille are not far behind Paris with their own copious charms, both offering alternatives and complements to the Parisian experience.

Outside of the big three, there are many more cities worth exploring and every town and village seems to have something to offer, with even the smallest town usually boasting a couple of worthwhile churches and a civic museum, as well as the bountiful culinary traditions that the country is rightly famed for.

Beyond urban France, there is a diverse range of scenery, with everything from towering Alpine peaks in the southeast and rugged sea cliffs on the Atlantic coast, through to sweeping beaches in the west and south and some of Europe’s wildest areas, like the wild Camargue in the south. Any list of French attractions is, by virtue of the country’s rich and eclectic nature, bound to be incomplete.

There is an ever increasing range of cheap flights to France available from most UK international airports. Flights to France can roughly be divided into three main categories - flights to Paris, flights to other major cities such as Toulouse and Nice, and flights to rural destinations.

The availability of flights to major French cities such as Nice, Toulouse, Lyon, Marseille and Bordeaux varies greatly from one UK airport to the next. Despite each city having a number of important businesses, only Lyon and Toulouse have a significant range of links from outside London, with Toulouse in particular having flights from Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester, largely due to the cities' aerospace industry.

During the ski season regular charter flights are available to Toulouse and Lyon, as well as a number of budget airline options. If you are unable to find direct flights to any of these cities from your local airport, then regular connecting shuttle flights are available from Paris, although because Air France have a virtual monopoly on these routes, prices are never particularly attractive.

Rural France
A growing range of flights to rural France have become available from an increasing number of regional airports as well as London. This market is led by budget airline Ryanair, although Flybe are also expanding on a number of niche routes into France. Destinations such as Perpignan, Bergerac, Nantes and La Rochelle have all seen rapid expansion recently.