La Belle France is a vast country with myriad and diverse regions – picturesque villages, romantic river valleys, rolling vineyards and scenic coasts. We’ve road-toured many of them and, as much as we adore Paris, truly nowhere more embodies the charm of French life and culture than the half-timbered buildings and lush gardens of Normandy and Picardy, the fairy-tale châteaux of the winding Loire Valley, the breathtaking views in the Dordogne and the historic towns of Provence. We truly feel a lifetime of exploration is barely enough to discover and savor it all.

A quiet morning in the historic town of Poitiers.

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Two views of the spectacular Château de Villandry, famous for its symmetrical gardens, both floral and vegetable. Villandry is located in the enchanting Loire Valley, known for its fairytale castles and luscious scenery.

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A private home on the edge of the village of Azay-le-Rideau, in the Loire Valley, just a few miles from Villandry.

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The views from the hilltop village of Domme, in the Dordogne, are at once peaceful and dramatic.

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Above, Beynac Castle in the village of Beynac-et-Cazenac, on the shore of the Dordogne River. Below, a typically charming street in Beynac.

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Warm early summer light fills a stone alleyway in Sarlat-la-Canéda, also in the Dordogne.

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An artist's atelier in Saint-Émilion, a perfectly preserved medieval village a short drive from Bordeaux which is a worldwide center for wine connoisseurs. 

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A shuttered window in the Languedoc, beautiful in its rustic simplicity.

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A window in Menèrbes, Provence, the location for the book A Year in Provence.

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A shabby but colorful door, also in Menèrbes.

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We hope this has given you a taste of the wonders and beauty of rural France and an idea of why we are so passionate about this country and its never-ending fascination and appeal. 

À bientôt!