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One of the best ways to get to know France is to visit a local market. Strolling among the stalls on Boulevard Richard Lenoir in Paris one morning, we watched as finicky chefs picked through crates of Brittany mussels and truck drivers recharged themselves with tiny cups of strong coffee. A little girl helped her mother arrange bouquets of fresh flowers. A well-heeled woman dismissed the fruit of four different vendors before finding the perfect pear. The sights and smells lured us to participate, and, stammering in bad French, we asked the vendors which cheese to pack for an afternoon picnic. Opinions were diverse, and we eventually settled on a pungent variety made from sheep's milk.
For visitors, all of France can seem like a market -- it's one of those rare countries where every region offers something worthwhile and distinctive. Paris represents the height of fashion, art and food -- its sense of style is so strong it intimidates some visitors, yet the city can also be remarkably comfortable and intimate. The provinces offer their own landscapes and cultures: the glittering crowds of the Cote d'Azur, the elegant chateaus of the Loire Valley, the hospitable vineyards of Bordeaux, the rocky coasts of Brittany, the dramatic slopes of the Alps and the Pyrenees, the charming farms and villages of Provence. The country can satisfy just about any traveler's taste.