The island has a beach for every mood, but none can be more classically beautiful than Palombaggia, in the sun trap southeast. Rose-tinged granite boulders, electric-blue waters, stumpy olive trees and sugar-white sands make it look like the French stole this beach from the Seychelles. Canoeing is possible from March to October, but in spring and early summer, the water level can be high and the current strong; late summer and autumn are prime. To save the return journey, Collias’ rental outfits can collect you a further half-hour downstream. 14. Hike up Puy de Dôme to survey the volcanic landscape With its cute steepled church and cluster of traditional Savoyard houses, this Real McCoy village in the Tarentaise Valley is straight out of a beautifully illustrated storybook. Skiers spill out of bed and onto snowy slopes at 1450m (4757ft), linked by lifts to the snow-sure Trois Vallées – the world’s biggest ski area stitched from 600km (373 miles) of slopes. Its seven resorts include Brit-loved Méribel, sky-high Val Thorens, family-friendly Les Menuires and A-lister Courchevel, where the super-chic hobnob. Skiing here is for all levels, although intermediates and above have an absolute blast.

France’s third-largest metropolis, at the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône Rivers in the country’s southeast, Lyon has long been a creative hub. In 1895, brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière shot the first-ever motion-picture reels of workers leaving their photographic-plate factory, La Sortie des Usines Lumières ( Exit of the Lumières Factories). The savage beauty of the isolated Massif Central opens up on one of France’s oldest train routes – and one of the most challenging to build, given the topography of the Gorges de l’Allier. In the mid-1800s, the technology didn’t yet exist to blast through granite and basalt mountains – so in a triumphal feat of engineering, workers used rudimentary techniques to blast out the line’s tunnels. Le Cévenol (also known as La Ligne des Cévennes) opened in 1870 for both passengers and freight, including coal headed to the Rhône region and wine to Paris. Deep in central France, you can sense the landscape’s evolution in one of the country’s wildest and most remote natural regional parks, the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne. Local tip: For authentic local dining experiences, avoid restaurants that tout a menu touristique, or display a sample meal of plastic food on the pavement outside. 2. The Loire Valley's castles are best explored by bikeImportant note: if you’re arriving at night by car, look out for early-morning market-day parking restrictions that could see your vehicle towed. Etiquette 6. A phrasebook or language app could be your best French friend Traveling south of Lake Geneva, the higher, mightier French Alps reach their apex at Mont Blanc. Exhilarating Chamonix , along with Val d'Isère and the world’s largest ski area, Les 3 Vallées , are magnets for snowy winter sports and high-altitude summer hiking, fortified by melted cheese dishes like bubbling fondue. Sample epicurean treats and outdoor pursuits in the Rhône Valley

Today one of the most exclusive hotels in France, the Hôtel du Palais was originally built as a summer palace for Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, who used to spend her summers taking the waters in Biarritz. Other members of European royalty soon followed; even an unamused Queen Victoria was a regular visitor.Arriving at Mont St-Michel is something of a pilgrimage itself, as you cross the causeway by maringote (horse-drawn carriage), motorized shuttle or on foot (steep steps on the island are unavoidable). For the original pilgrim experience – and an up-close appreciation of the bay’s natural environment, including 130 different bird species – walk barefoot across the bay with an accredited guide at low tide. 10. Visit the birthplace of cinema in Lyon Sometimes the most beautiful sights are the unexpected and unassuming: impressive Gothic cathedrals are nice, but after a while all of that grandeur can tire the eye. Take refuge in the pleasing line of white beachside changing cabins with bright primary color roofs in red, yellow and blue that turn the natural landscape of Gouville-sur-Mer into a painting one can meander in. The cabins were originally built for vacationers in the 1920s, disappeared during the German occupation and were reinstated post-liberation – now, there are about 70 in total. Nearby, you can lunch at L’azac, where you’ll find unpretentious and delicious food at affordable prices served by friendly staff. The best place to learn about lavender’s history, harvest and production is at eco-museum Musée de la Lavande in the picturesque Luberon; book ahead for workshops, such as painting with scented watercolors, and bring ingredients from Provence’s markets for a picnic.