Carcassonne: This walled city with Gothic towers on its double towering walls is breathtaking and beautiful. Its history includes not only battles, but religious wars. It was a center of Cathar activity until the Inquisition of the Roman Catholic Church intervened in the Albigensian Heresy.

Chambon-sur-Lignon: This is a Hugenot (French Protestant) town which saved hundreds of Jews from the Nazis during World War II, despite the personal danger from the SS.

Chantilly: There is a beautiful chateau here, as well as the most incredible stables ever built, both in a beautiful park. A nobleman who thought he would be re-incarnated as a horse built a stable equal to his position!

Clairiere de l'Armistice: In the woods in the Compiegne forest is the clearing where two pairs of railroad tracks mark the exact spot where Marshal Foch forced the Germans to walk to his railroad car to sign the the World War I Armistice.  It also is the spot where the same car stood when Adolf Hitler forced the French to walk to it to surrender France near the begining of WWII. The site includes a museum.

Colmar: This city in Alsace shows its mixed German and French history. The sculptor Bertholdi (Statue of Liberty) came from here. The Unterlinden Museum showcases the art of the area including Grunewald’s  Issenheim Altarpiece.

Dinan:This city with its lovely medieval area was the home of a French Knight, Bertrand de Guesclin who served as Constable of France in the 14th century and fought and won many battles against the British, regaining much of the territory that they had conquered during the Hundred Years War.

Giverny: This small town was the home of the artist Claude Monet whose home and garden are now a treasured possession of the French state and a big tourist attraction.

Lascaux: The area near Perigueux has the most famous pre-historic cave drawings in the world. The originals were being damaged by tourists, so an accurate duplicate was made for tourists.

Loches: Thislittle town on the Loire has a very old chateau. It was built by Charles VII for his mistress, Agnes Sorel while he was still the Dauphin. Joan of Arc visited him here to persuade him to become King and run the English out of his country. The home town of the great philosopher, Rene Descartes, is nearby.