France

1.Europe

France is a diverse and interesting country with lots of sites and attractions. Mont Blanc is the highest mountain peak in Europe at 4,809 metres (excluding the Caucasus range). While climbing the peak looks challenging to say the least, you can take a spectacular cable car from Chamonix to Plan de l'Aiguille at 2,317m and then further up to Aiguille du Midi at 3,778m (with an additional elevator to 3,842m, which is the highest altitude I've ever been to). The views of Mont Blanc, the surrounding peaks and the clouds below are breathtaking. You'll even get to experience some mild symptoms of altitude sickness! The cable car station itself and the entire complex at Aiguille du Midi are very cool and sci-fi looking.

No description needed for Paris: you just have to experience it yourself. Take the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower and enjoy the view; hop on a Seine cruise, take a walk along the Champs Elysees and in the many beautiful parks; enjoy the excellent French cuisine; and don't miss Disneyland. I also enjoyed the Cite des Sciences et l'Industrie and the panorama from the striking Tour Montparnasse.

Next, take the TGV to London through the Channel Tunnel or head to Southern France/Provence for nice landscapes, historic cities and excellent desserts and local food products.

In Avignon you'll find the spectacular Palais des Papes built in the XIII century and the picture-perfect Point d'Avignon, while in Aix-en-Provence you can enjoy the charming historic center.

Nice has a very nice promenade and a cool beach vibe, and it's believed to be the site of one of the oldest human settlements in Europe (check out the Terra Amata Human Paleontology Museum); the city is only a short bus or train ride away from beautiful and interesting Monaco. In Marseille, which I visited on an MSC Seashore cruise, I enjoyed the nice Vieux-Port area and visited the splendid Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde.

Additional info:
- country entry on Wikipedia
- country profile on Wikivoyage

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