ANGERS, BORDEAUX, LA ROCHELLE, STRASBOURG...Must-See Attractions in FRANCE

USPA NEWS - Tourists visiting FRANCE will always be drawn to the Star Attractions like Mont St-Michel in Normandy and Palais des Papes in Avignon, not to mention the numerous must-see Places in the Capital City Paris. But there is much, much more to see in the world's most visited Country than those Sites often included in the 'Top Ten' lists at the beginning of Tourist Guides. The simple fact is that many Attractions in France are hidden away or simply not well known enough to pull in the Crowds, but that doesn't mean they're not well worth a visit, quite the contrary.

Tourists visiting FRANCE will always be drawn to the Star Attractions like Mont St-Michel in Normandy and Palais des Papes in Avignon, not to mention the numerous must-see Places in the Capital City Paris. But there is much, much more to see in the world's most visited Country than those Sites often included in the 'Top Ten' lists at the beginning of Tourist Guides. The simple fact is that many Attractions in France are hidden away or simply not well known enough to pull in the Crowds, but that doesn't mean they're not well worth a visit, quite the contrary.

Petit Futé Guides keeps publishing among French Cities, numerous Great Destinations, and the following are some of them :

* ANGERS : Angers is the Historical Capital of Anjou and was for Centuries an important Stronghold in Northwestern France. It is the Cradle of the Plantagenet Dynasty and was during the Reign of René of Anjou one of the Intellectual Centers of Europe. Angers developed at the Confluence of three Rivers, the Mayenne, the Sarthe, and the Loir, all coming from the North and flowing South to the Loire. The Angers Metropolitan Area is a Major Economic Center in western France, particularly active in the Industrial Sector, Horticulture, and Business Tourism. Angers enjoys a rich Cultural Life, made possible by its Universities and Museums. The Old Medieval Center is still dominated by the Massive Château of the Plantagenêts, Home of the Apocalypse Tapestry, the Biggest Medieval Tapestry Ensemble in the World. Angers is also both at the Edge of the Val de Loire, a World Heritage Site, and the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Natural Park.

* BORDEAUX : Bordeaux is the World's Major Wine Industry Capital. It is Home to the World's Main Wine Fair, Vinexpo,[and the Wine Economy in the Metro Area takes in 14.5 Billion Euros each year. Bordeaux Wine has been produced in the Region since the 8th Century. The Historic part of the City is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as 'an Outstanding Urban and Architectural Ensemble' of the 18th century. After Paris, Bordeaux has the Highest Number of Preserved Historical Buildings of any City in France. Some 20,000 people work for the Aeronautic Industry in Bordeaux. The City has some of the Biggest Companies including Dassault, EADS Sogerma, Snecma, Thales, SNPE, and others.

* LA ROCHELLE 'Châtelaiillon-Plage - Ile De Ré : is a City in Western France and a Seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Department. The City is connected to the ÃŽle de Ré by a 2.9-kilometre (1.8-mile) Bridge completed on 19 May 1988. Its Harbour opens into a Protected Strait, the Pertuis d'Antioche. La Rochelle will captivate you, first of all with its Maritime Character. Anchored to the Atlantic coast, near the Islands of Ré and Oléron, La Rochelle is best discovered and enjoyed through its various ports. Its exceptional Water and its Taste for Sports Challenges have made it a Household Name on the National and International Boating Circuit. La Rochelle lives at an intense pace with big Events like the Francofolies, the International Film Festival, the Grand Pavois, the TV Fiction Festival, the 'Jazz between the Two Towers' Festival, and a good number of others.

* STRASBOURG : It is the Capital and Largest City of the Grand Est Region of France and is the Official Seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the Border with Germany in the Historic Region of Alsace, it is the Capital of the Bas-Rhin Departement. Strasbourg is the Seat of Several European Institutions, such as the Council of Europe (with its European Court of Human Rights, its European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and its European Audiovisual Observatory) and the Eurocorps, as well as the European Parliament and the European Ombudsman of the European Union. The City is also the Seat of the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine and the International Institute of Human Rights. Strasbourg's Historic City Centre, the Grande ÃŽle (Grand Island), was classified a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1988, the first time such an Honour was placed on an entire City Centre....

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