For the second time in history, France will be returning home from the FIFA World Cup with a gold trophy in tow.
Les Bleus defeated an unlikely Croatia team 4-2 yesterday at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow to win the 2018 World Cup, 20 years after their first victory at the international competition. From the entire team at Passion Passport, we’d like to congratulate the French on a hard-fought win. To celebrate, here is a selection of some of our favorite stories we’ve published from France over the years.
Liberté. Egalité. Fraternité.
Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting France
France is the most-visited country in the world by tourists, and its cities and cultural landmarks are known throughout the world. Its capital, Paris, boasts the most-photographed site: the Eiffel Tower. Staples of its cuisine have become symbolic of the country itself: bread, cheese, and wine. As the largest country in the European Union and a center for fashion, art, food, cinema, and innovation, France is any traveler’s dream.
Four Lesser-Known Regions of France Worth Exploring
When most people think of France, a few images come to mind — the stone buildings of Paris, the castles of the Loire Valley, the D-Day beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean coastline of Provence. But several equally vibrant regions remain off the beaten path. In that vein, here are some of the lesser-known French destinations you might want to explore on your next trip to this European nation.
A Love Letter to Paris
When Sasha Sloan visited Paris, she had expected the French capital to feel distant and aloof — a city existing in a sociocultural stratosphere far out of her reach. But the city surprised her with its charm. She’d read once that love is recognizing yourself in someone else. In the City of Love, she was startled to find just that. There was something uniquely, distinctly human about this place.
How to Photograph Paris in the Rain
Paris is just as enchanting in the rain as centuries of writers and poets would have you believe. But for photographers chasing golden light, when the sky goes grey over La Ville Lumiere, there are some challenges. For Aneesh Kothari, this meant getting out of his camera comfort zone, expanding his photographic horizons, and finding some new vantage points from which to appreciate the wonders of Paris.
Discover the Cafés of Paris
It’s no secret that cafés are a cornerstone of Parisian culture. José Matos says he was truly inspired the day he edited this video, which would explain why all of the elements seem to work so well together. The visuals, music, and chosen edits all seem to evoke what it’s like to partake in the French capital’s café culture.
Bon Fond: A Culinary Journey Through France
Meet Lise and Eric, two chefs with international backgrounds who have put food at the forefront of their travel experiences. After they realized their shared passion for ingredients, they set off on a year-long journey through France to discover sustainable farming techniques, taste the savoir and faire of artisanal producers, and meet the individuals who keep France’s culinary scene fresh.
What It’s Like to WWOOF in France
Caity Pfohl didn’t know that WWOOFing — volunteering as a Willing Worker on Organic Farms — would make her fall in love with a new European country. But her three weeks at a French guesthouse in Serres, a small village an hour south of Grenoble, cast a spell on her. It’s not always possible to stay on good terms with your first love, but with France, Caity can say that that’s not the case.
Travel Video: Nice La Belle
“Nice just has another rhythm.”
While visiting the city in the French Riviera, Alex Soloviev was fascinated with the colors of the sunrise and sunset. In his video, he wanted to honor that by showing how the lighting changed from dawn to dusk. Discover the relaxed rhythm of Nice in Alex’s video.
Looking for more French travel inspiration? Check out our complete guide to the Western European country here.
Header image by @dzzdzz012
