Best of WhyGo France Travel Guide 2011

Bonne Année! Here at WhyGo we’re excited about how much the France Travel Guide has grown – and we thank you sincerely for joining us in 2011 as we discover all of the breathtaking adventures France as to offer. If you’re new to the site – or if you’re just looking for a good read – I invite you to check out what I believe were the best posts of the year. Whether it’s because they were the most popular, the most informative, or just the most fun to write, they remain close to my heart and the posts I want to remember as we move forward into 2012. Enjoy!

January: How To Eat In A French Restaurant

From “I have a reservation” to “check, please,” this is a full list of the words and phrases you’ll need to get through a meal in France – as well as some finer points of what to expect.

February: Four Side Trips From Paris, A No-Nonsense Guide

One of our top goals at WhyGo France is to get you the heck out of Paris, if even for a day. I could have done 104 side trips, but these are four solid choices to experience French life outside the City of Light.

March: Julie’s 10 Favorite French Swear Words

Boy oh boy, but you guys are a dirty bunch. Month after month, this piece continues to be the top hit on WhyGo France. So not to be outdone, I made my own list of what I think re the best French curse words. Yep – we’re a classy bunch.

April: 3 Omaha Beach Itineraries

This piece came out of planning a trip with two dear friends who were visiting Paris and wanted to take a mini trip with me out to the WWII American Cemetery & Memorial. I wasn’t sure what they’d be into, so I did research on three different kinds of trips to Normandy, and let them figure it out. (We chose #2, “The Relaxer,” and had a marvelous time in Port-en-Bessin!)

May: Provence Overview and Travel Guide

If you need to convince someone to go on vacation with you to Provence, this is the article to show them.

June: Train Travel in France

While flying will require you to worry about transportation to and from the airport, train stations are almost without exception located in city centers, saving you time – you don’t need to leave an hour earlier to get there, and you don’t need to arrive two hours before the train leaves! This article also marked the launch of our super-slick train booking widget, which has proved quite popular.

July: Corbières: Wine, Cheese and Medieval Fortresses

I hadn’t heard of this town before researching it, and now it’s near the top of my “must-visit” list for France. The post also includes a wonderful little video for your viewing pleasure.

August: What to Eat in France and Drinking in France

OK, I kind of cheated by including two posts – but what’s food without wine, and vice-versa? These are my two favorite posts ever, and I was so appreciative of how well they were received. (Also, this is really the only info you need when visiting France. Ha!)

September: Things You Should Know About France

More philosophical than practical, this gives you a good idea for what to expect when you’re expecting to visit France. It also includes links to what you should know about France’s most popular regions – including Provence, which I admit here that it doesn’t really exist.

October: Overnight Trips to France From Italy

I’m nothing if not a travel enabler, so with this post I wanted to expand your horizons to include some jet-setting (or train-setting, as it were) if you were in Italy and wanted to hop over into France (or vice-versa!)

November: France Vacation Splurge – Hotel Byblos, Saint-Tropez

Hotel Byblos invited me to stay in their fantastic suite for two nights. This is my story.

December: 10 days in France – Itinerary Ideas

The BootsnAll Travel Network is all about helping independent travelers, so in that spirit, I made a Choose Your Own Adventure-style compendium of fun, doable, three-day itineraries that you can use to make the best trip ever.
From all of us at WhyGo France, may your 2012 be fun and filled with travel – hopefully to France!
Photo: Jule Berlin