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Start Here!

Wondering where to start?

This page will help you find your way around Offbeat France, from destinations and travel advice to the history that explains why France is the way it is.

Welcome!

If you're here, it's probably because you love France. Or you're about to.

Whether you're planning your first trip or your 15th, you'll find plenty of practical information here.

You'll also discover the history behind the places you visit, and the little details that make France what it is today.

Where would you like to start?

If you enjoy understanding places before you visit them, this is where you should start.

Travel through France's past, from prehistoric caves and Roman ruins to the Revolution, Napoleon and the Belle Époque. Every period links to places you can still visit today. 

BROWSE HISTORICAL TRAVEL
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Explore by destination

Looking for somewhere specific?

Whether it's Paris, Provence or a village you've never heard of, you'll find guides organized by destination, region, department or city. 

BROWSE DESTINATIONS
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Explore French life

Some of my favorite stories aren't about famous places at all.

They're about food, traditions, local customs and everyday France － the things visitors notice but don't always understand. 

BROWSE CULTURE
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Planning your trip

Ready to start organizing?

From transport and itineraries to timing your visit and understanding French customs, you'll find practical advice throughout the site. 

BROWSE PLANNING
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Before you disappear down a rabbit hole...

Here's Leo, one of my six (or is it seven?) cats, enjoying the sunrise outside my office window. He supervises my work with great dedication, usually by sleeping through it.

Leo the cat sitting on my roof

A little bit about me

I'm Leyla, a French-born writer based in eastern France between Lyon and Annecy.

After years abroad as a journalist and diplomat, I came home and began rediscovering my own country. The more I traveled, the more I realized that every place seemed to raise another question.

Why here?

Why this village?

Why this tradition?

Eventually, those questions became Offbeat France.

Today I spend my time traveling around France and digging into its history, always trying to understand why France is the way it is.

If you'd like to know more about me (or why I have so many cats), you'll find the full story on my About page.

Stay in touch

The best way to keep exploring France is through Beyond the Baguette, my free Tuesday newsletter.

Every week, I explain another piece of France and point you towards new stories on my blogs.