France - Destination Paris, France

This year in France is a big one for sports. The 94th Tour de France starts in London on July 7 and winds into France (Dunkerque) and up through Belgium to the wonderful canals of Ghent, down through central France via Compiègne and Chablis, veers east to mountainous Le-Grand-Bornand and Tignes, south along the elegant riviera past Marseille and Montpellier, north via Cahors and Cognac (chance for a bit of liquor) and finishes in Paris on July 29. In Paris youll have to be early to get a spot on the Champs-Élysées for the final traditional circuit - not to be missed! The Rugby World Cup starts September 7 at the Stade de France in Paris. France will host 20 teams, 600 players, 2 500 media representatives and 2.4 million television viewers during the Cup. Its going to be huge. Not all the games are in the capital and some are in Scotland and Wales.

If youre more interested in culture than sport, there are plenty of other things to check out. You will be familiar with the big three monuments - the 12th century cathedral Notre Dame, the 19th century Eiffel Tower and the Napoleonic Arce de Triomphe. A visit to Paris is incomplete without seeing them. But you cant forget the museums either. Theres the Louvre - yes Tom Hanks domain in Da Vinci Code - where the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo statue are exhibited, the Picasso Museum featuring Pablos finest, the Centre Georges Popidou with tons of modern art and Musee dOrsays impressionistic art. If churches are your thing these two are bound to raise a sacré bleu from your lips - the Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on the Montmartre hill and the Gothic 13th century Sainte-Chapelle palace chapel. And of course you will have to try the croissants, baguettes, frommage (cheese), street side crepes, foie-gras, vin and more. You just have to pronounce them right before ordering! Bon apetit...

MORE ON BASTILLE DAY...
Frances most important national holiday (July 14) commemorates the storming of the former high-security prison and the uprising that marked the beginning of the French Revolution. Celebrations begin the night before with dancing in the Bastille square, at balls around the city (look into the fire stations) and the Incredible Picnic. On the 14th crowds pack the Champs-Élysées to watch the military parade from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. At night people gather at the Champ-de-Mars to watch fireworks from Trocadéro and bars and clubs stage their own celebrations. Everyone should take in one Bastille Day in their lives.