Author: Love France
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The French Château That Took 28 Years to Build — and Was Barely Ever Used
Château de Chambord took 28 years to build — and France’s greatest king barely slept there. Discover the double helix staircase mystery and the story of the Loire’s most spectacular château.
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Why Every Greeting in France Starts With a Kiss — and the Rules Nobody Agrees On
La bise is France’s famous cheek-kiss greeting — but the rules change by region. Here’s what every visitor should know before they arrive.
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Why Not Every Bread Shop in France Is Allowed to Call Itself a Boulangerie
In France, the word boulangerie is protected by law. A shop must bake its own bread on the premises every day or it cannot use the name. Here is what the 1993 Decret Pain means for bakers, and why it matters to every visitor.
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Before Europe Knew What Surfing Was, This French Town Was Already Hooked
In 1957, an American screenwriter arrived in Biarritz with a surfboard nobody had seen before. Discover how this Basque resort became Europe’s surf capital.
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The Strange Reason Every Village Square in Southwest France Looks the Same
The bastide towns of southwest France were planned medieval settlements built by rival English and French kings — and their 700-year-old grid layouts are still perfectly intact.
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The French Villages Destroyed in WWI That France Chose Never to Rebuild
Nine villages near Verdun were completely destroyed during the Battle of 1916 and never rebuilt. France still keeps them as official communes, with mayors but no residents — ghost villages that refuse to disappear.
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Why the French Alps Come to Life Long Before Ski Season Even Starts
Every summer, before the first ski lift turns, French Alpine villages hold festivals that have run for centuries — from decorated cattle processions to ancient market traditions.
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The French Riviera Before Wealth Changed It Forever
The French Riviera was a quiet fishing coast for centuries before the wealthy discovered it. Discover the villages, painters, and working culture that shaped this iconic coastline before glamour arrived.
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The Celtic Language Hidden Inside France That Locals Are Bringing Back
In a corner of northwest France, a Celtic language that nearly vanished is coming back to life — in schools, at festivals, and on street signs. The story of Breton is unlike anything else in France.
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The French Carnival That Has Been Running for Over 750 Years
The Carnaval de Nice has been running since 1294, making it one of Europe’s oldest. From papier-mâché kings to flower battles — here’s France’s most spectacular carnival.