Legendary Paris, the capital of France, is situated on the River Seine in northern France, and has an estimated population of over 10 million in its greater region. Famous for its arts, fashion and inimitable lifestyle, Paris is often considered one of the world’s most beautiful cities.  Paris owes much of its beauty to a vast urban redesign project from the mid-19th century under Emperor Napoleon III. His building prefect Baron Haussmann leveled more than 60 % of Paris’ medieval dwellings to make way for wide, grand avenues lined with beautiful neo-classical stone buildings, the Paris as we know it today. The most sought after quarters of Paris are the 1st, 6th, 7th, 8th and the 16th arrondissements.

One of the most famous resort areas in the world, the legendary French Riviera (or Côte d’Azur) continues west from the Italian Riviera and Menton through Monaco, Nice, Antibes and Cannes, along the Mediterranean coast all the way to legendary Saint Tropez. The French Riviera became a fashionable international resort in the late 19th century having been a particular favourite of the British upper classes. Queen Victoria of England was an ardent admirer and frequent visitor to the Côte d’Azur, attracting in her turn many other crowned heads and members of the upper classes from all over Europe. After first having been a winter resort, the French Riviera has been the quintessential summer destination for the beau monde since the 1920s. Its most sought after locations are Cannes, Mougins, Nice, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, and Saint Tropez.

The Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the most fascinating regions of Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea to the east and the Pyrénées Mountains to the south. It benefits not only from the typical Mediterranean climate, but also from an abundance of wildlife, a spectacular coast, and a rich history. This beautiful region is dominated by 740,300 acres of vineyards, three times the combined area of the vineyards of Bordeaux. Although the Languedoc-Roussillon has become increasingly popular over the past years, it has managed to retain its original rugged, charm.

Bordeaux is often described as the world’s wine capital, with about 117,000 hectares of vineyards, 57 appellations (winegrowers’ regions), 9,000 wine-producing châteaux and sales of $ 14.5 billion annually. With an annual production of over 700 million bottles, the Bordeaux region produces large quantities of everyday wine as well as some the most expensive wines in the world. Bordeaux itself is considered a “City of Art and History” and has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. While the city of Bordeaux is one of Europe’s largest18th century architectural urban areas, the Bordeaux region offers an unbelievable wealth of beautiful country houses, estates and châteaux making it a favorite destination for tourists and residents alike.

Annecy is a city in the Rhône-Alpes region of east central France, on the shores of Lake Annecy, 22 miles south of Geneva, Switzerland. In the last 19th century, the region was discovered by wealthy clients from around the world, notably members of English and Russian high society. In the 1930es, the area underwent another renaissance in popularity among the “beau monde”, and has since then not stopped to attract connoisseurs from around the world.

Lyon is the third largest city of France (after Paris and Marseilles). Being at the crossroads of Europe since Roman times, Lyon has always been a proud city resisting the influence of Paris. From the early beginnings when five main Roman roads converged here until today, Lyon has always been a centre of trade adapting to the changes of times. The city has preserved a rich heritage dating from Roman time all the way to the 20th century (not forgetting the Renaissance in between); as a consequence, it has is now part of the World Heritage of the UNESCO.