What's New

France held its spot as the number-one tourist destination in the world this past year, with more than 78 million foreign visitors reported in 2007. Travelers are intrigued by France's glorious past as well as its cutting-edge cuisine, style, and fashion. In this section, we preview some of the country's latest developments. Note that most of the old favorites are still going strong for returning visitors to enjoy once again -- or for new arrivals to discover for the first time.

Planning Your Trip to France

In January 2008 the French government banned smoking in all public places, causing an outcry. Cafes, nightclubs, and restaurants were told to adapt or else face heavy fines. Thus an iconic image -- the French man or woman with a cigarette -- passed into oblivion. Opinion polls suggested that 70% of the population supported the ban, but chain smokers are in violent objection. At present there are some 60,000 deaths a year in France that are directly linked to tobacco consumption, with an estimated 5,000 deaths linked to "passive smoking."

Paris

Where to Stay -- Visitors by the thousands to Paris are seeking alternatives to hotels and staying in private apartments or even a private home (read that B&B). Of course, these rental outlets are more suited for those who want to spend a week or more in Paris instead of the hurried visitor. Even so, some rentals require only a 3-night minimum. In this edition, we've surveyed the agencies such as Good Morning Paris that offer the best deals. With one of these rentals, you can live in the City of Light like a Parisian.

That doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of hotels, some better than ever, continuing to open. One of the most glamorous in many a year includes Fouquet's Barrière, 46 av. George V, 8e (tel. 01-40-69-60-00), linked with the legendary cafe and restaurant that has stood on the Champs-Elysées for decades. Here you get glitz and glamour, with one butler to every eight guests.

A Left Bank boutique hotel, the Five Hotel, has opened at 3 rue Flatters, 5e (tel. 01-43-31-74-21), luring fashionistas to the Latin Quarter. It's in a restored 19th-century townhouse and is a bold (some say too bold) statement in individual design. It's a lot of fun if you like Chinese lacquer.

The former dormitory for the dancers at the fabled Moulin Rouge has been turned into Premium Hotel Montmartre, 5 rue Tholozé, 18e (tel. 01-46-06-30-52). The rooms are a bit small but the hotel has been elegantly modernized; the elevator doors are painted with cancan dancers. The budding Montmartre Picassos of tomorrow have decorated the walls with their art.

Where to Dine -- One of the most celebrated chefs in Paris, Guy Martin, is still in charge at the chic Grand Véfour, but he's opened his own Left Bank bistro at Sensing, 19 rue Bréa, 6e (tel. 01-43-27-08-80). For his decor, he chooses video projections on the walls. A finely honed modern French cuisine is served here in an atmosphere dedicated to the five senses.

Serious foodies are heading for the 9th arrondissement to sample the Provençal and Corsican cuisine at Casa Olympe, 48 rue St-Georges (tel. 01-42-85-26-01). This is the citadel of the Michelin-starred Olympe Versini who dazzles you with the earthiness and goodness of her cuisine. She deserves her wide acclaim in her new location.

What to See & Do -- Paris's latest major museum opening is the inauguration of La Cité de L'Architecture et du Patrimoine, 1 place du Trocadero, 16e (tel. 01-58-51-52-00). Lying in the east wing of the Palais de Chaillot, the site is the largest architectural museum in the world, with exhibits devoted to 12 centuries of French architecture, even reproductions of the famous stained-glass windows in the cathedral city of Chartres.

After Dark -- The nightlife scene in Paris continues to explode, especially for those under 35. Bars are no longer just a place to drop in for a drink, but real nightlife destinations. No club is getting more media exposure than Le Baron, 6 av. Marceau, 8e (tel. 01-47-20-04-01), a bastion of cool housed in a former brothel. The dance floor is one of the most packed in Paris for the Gucci crowd.

The African influence is all the rage, notably at Andy Whaloo, 69 rue des Gravilliers, 3e (tel. 01-42-74-03-41). As you sit on Moroccan rugs or smoke a hookah, you'll think you've been transported to a souk in North Africa.

Side Trips from Paris

Getting to Versailles and avoiding the long lines has been made easier. You can purchase a combined RER train fare and château entrance at the same time, which means with this ticket you can avoid the snakelike lines at the entrance to the palace. Called a forfait, it's a real deal at 21€ ($30).

Brittany

Concarneau, long a favorite of artists, is graced with a new good choice for dining at affordable prices. L'Ancre, 22 rue Dumont d'Urvilles (tel. 02-98-50-56-58), lies in the Old Town and has become known for its French food and fresh seafood dishes, including barbecued fish on skewers. Among other offerings, it also barbecues exotic meats such as ostrich and kangaroo.

Alsace-Lorraine

The region's capital city, Strasbourg, has become an easy commute to Paris. The superfast TGV train has cut travel time to this city near Germany to nearly 2 hours and 20 minutes (it used to take twice as long).

The Rhone Valley

The young men and women of Lyon are flocking at night to a cargo boat anchored in the river, Le Sirius, Berges du Rhone, 21 quai Augagneur (tel. 04-78-71-78-71). Sometimes big musical acts with name entertainers are booked here; otherwise, it's dancing the night away to the sounds of Lyon's best DJs.

The French Riviera

The long-standing Noga Hilton Cannes has closed and reopened as the Palais Stéphanie at 50 bd. De la Croisette (tel. 04-92-99-70-00). In its new role, it has become one of this chic resort's most sought-after hotels, a palace of glass, steel, and marble. A new in-house restaurant is stylish, glossy, and upscale.

St-Paul-de-Vence, the Riviera's most famous hill town, has seen the opening of some remarkable yet affordable hotels, including La Grande Bastide, Rte. De la Colle (tel. 04-93-32-50-30). This 18th-century villa has been stylishly converted, its grounds vastly improved with the addition of one of the best poolhouses in the area. In another development, Hostellerie des Messugues, Domaine des Gardettes (tel. 04-93-32-53-32), has been restored and today offers attractively furnished bedrooms. The location is set in a flowery park with a swimming pool.

The first holistic spa in France, Hip, at 16 rue de la Liberté (tel. 04-93-16-00-20), is operating in Nice, the capital of the French Riveria. On egg-shaped treatment beds, both men and women are being restored to life. Also, on Nice's hotel scene, Brice Tulip Inn Hotel, 45 rue Maréchal Joffre (tel. 04-93-16-92-77), has become the latest government-rated four-star hotel to be restored, renamed, and revitalized. It has more facilities than most of its competitors, including a spa, pool, deluxe gym, and even a piano bar and a rooftop terrace with a panoramic view.

The Basque Country

The ancient city of Pau has been graced with its finest dining at Chez Ruffet, 3 av. Charles Touzet (tel. 05-59-06-25-13). In an old-fashioned, stone-built house, the freshest and best of a Béarnais/Asian cuisine is served. The set-price menus represent the chef's "trips of discovery" around the world.

Bordeaux & The Atlantic Coast

In the historic city of Poitiers, Vingélique has opened at 37 rue Carnot (tel. 05-49-55-07-03), serving a classical French cusine. Their set-price lunches and dinners are the rage of serious foodies in Poitiers.

After being closed for 13 years, the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle has reopened at 28 rue Albert ler (tel. 05-46-41-18-25). One of the best such museums in France, it's loaded with all the good stuff that 17th-century La Rochelle traders brought back from their trips around the world.