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- TRAVEL
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- Europe
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- French Europe
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- France
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- Île-de-France
THE HEART OF FRANCE
In the central north of France, the capital city of Paris is surrounded by a small inner ring of 3 departments, then a large outer ring of 4 departments.
Of France’s eighteen official regions, this capital region of 8 total departments is the most visited by tourists who flock to the area’s many landmarks and historic sites. The region is rich in gastronomy, cheese, pastries, museums and galleries, cathedrals, and monuments.
City Préfecture (Departement)
- 20 Arrondisements
- Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine)
- Bobigny (Seine-Saint-Denis)
- Créteil (Val-de-Marne)
- Evry (Essonne)
- Melun (Seine-et-Marne) + Fontainebleau, Vaux-le-Vicomte
- Pontoise (Val-d’Oise)
- Versailles (Yvelines)
Île-de-France—the capital land “island” between three rivers: the Seine, Oise, and Marne—beyond Paris, is home to historic royal palaces of Versailles and Fontainebleau, chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte, and is the seat of the French government and institutions.
Île-de-France Explored
The Eiffel Tower: French Icon, Once Disputed, Now Cherished
Daybreak cast a hazy pastel backdrop beyond the trellised silhouette. Once viewed by Parisians as a blemish upon the skyline, this wrought-iron structure now proudly stands as France’s most celebrated icon. Our body clocks, not yet adjusted from Pacific Standard Time, woke us in the early morning darkness on the first day of our first…
Honoring Gothic Inspiration and Quality: Paris Notre Dame, the Masterpiece
Certain places throughout the world exude quality and inspire each of us to be the best version of ourselves. In Paris (and throughout France, for that matter) quality is the standard rather than the exception. At the heart of the city, rising over the banks of the Seine on the Île de la Cité, Notre…
Paris: First Experience, A Dream Realized
I’ve always believed that travel is good for the mind and soul. It exposes us to culture, language, food and surroundings beyond the familiar setting of our everyday. On one such trip to France with my husband, I worked to capture the allure of this culture in photos as my eye could capture. Among the…