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I think Pigeon is just blowing off steam.
It's okay.
Much of France is indeed of tremendous historical significance--but it's not as if the country is in a time warp and has not entered the 21st century.
People think I'm insane when I say this, but my favorite region of France is the Nord-Pas de Calais, the land of beffrois, windmills, coal mines, beer, and abandoned factories. I also happen to like gray dreary weather. Plus, it's fairly flat so it's very easy to bicycle from town to town.
While I love all of France and have never met a Frenchman I didn't like, I've found the people from the Nord-Pas de Calais to be particularly accueillants.
The countryside is filled with hundreds of military cemeteries from WW1. It can be very moving.
In addition--and this is perhaps one of its biggest draws--the Nord-Pas de Calais is relatively unknown to tourists. While I LOVE Paris and the South of France, it can sometimes be annoying to be surrounded by other tourists. You'll never have that problem in the Nord-Pas de Calais.
Last edited by Cornerguy1; 04-06-2009 at 08:40 PM..
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Yikes!...but as someone said : "to each his own"
drab, grey, damp, cold,flat, with abandoned coal mines, it's all I hate.
But the "Ch'timis" are reputed to be good fellas though!
Yikes!...but as someone said : "to each his own"
drab, grey, damp, cold,flat, with abandoned coal mines, it's all I hate.
But the "Ch'timis" are reputed to be good fellas though!
About JMT's perspective. Wherever I've traveled the non-tourist areas have also interested me. I prefer to see everything in any region, that way I know how they live and where they work. Most industrial areas aren't tourist destinations, but they are important for the local economy. And I get a much better idea of a certain region. It adds to the general knowledge of any nation.
All of it ....Every little part of France is beautiful.
I beg to disagree. It sucks (even the Mediterranean, more and more a concrete wall-to-wall). The oversea territories are beautiful though, but dangerous (insecurity, riots, passive-agressive attitudes towards white people)
My favorite area of France? Provence is absolutely BEAUTIFUL and has some of the best food and wine in the world. It's a very serene, relaxing place for a vacation.
We love the Charente Maritime region- Ocean, hills, sunflowers, mussels, seafood, the open air markets with food that smells wonderful and is fresh, L'ile d'Oleron, Cognac, Saintes. Ok we have a country house between Cognac and Saintes and lived 3 years there.
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Plus, it's fairly flat so it's very easy to bicycle from town to town.
Charente Maritime
