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AS the world’s most popular tourist destination France has something for everyone and you will never run out of places to visit.

With easy travel options and accommodation available practically everywhere you could a lifetime discovering the country, below is a look at some of the off the beaten track highlights.

Lalbenque truffle market
An otherwise undistinguished town in south west France will be magically transformed into one of the most exciting, adrenaline-pumping and important events in the entire French culinary universe.

A magical walk with the trois évêques, near Lavaur, Dordogne
You are sure to see the steep rock face from the road as you navigate the tight bend, but not many people stop and take a stroll to the Fontaine des trois évêques.

Latour-Marliac water lily gardens
Begun in 1875 by Joseph Bory Latour-Marliac making the Nénuphar centre the oldest lily nursery in the world.

Abbaye Nouvelle, a place of hidden stories
A Gothic-style abbey, which dates from the 13th century, with its five bays towering above you, found near Gourdon, the Lot.

CAFI, a Vietnamese village in the Lot, France
The Indochinese living at CAFI arrived by British boat to Marseille some 54 years ago, here is their story of life in France.

Woolen mill Filature de Belvès
The spinning mill sits beneath the hill on top of which sits the Dordogne town of Belvès, and it produced yarns up until the 1990s.

Visit to the Museum of Resistance, in Cahors
Across six rooms you learn how the Resistance in the Lot département took shape to attack armoured columns, bomb railway lines and support Allied troops and operations in the region.

A walk around Prats du Perigord
Stroll around the small Dordogne village of Prats-du-Périgord*, but keep an eye out for the speedy Nordic Walkers as they stride past.

Canoeing on the river Dordogne
Glide through the water in your canoe as you pass the turrets and towers of Castlenaud on the river Dordogne.

Stepping into angelica country at Bessines
The village straddles the D9 to Coulon and is the gateway to angelica country, but also each May Bessines plays host to the Angelica Festival.

Counting sheep at Mouton Village, Deux-Sevres
Mouton Village occupies a large part of the village, with its 1,600 human inhabitants greatly outnumbered by their four-legged woolly compatriots.

The Roc aux Sorciers comes to life
The Roc aux Sorciers exhibition centre has images recreated by laser etching tools to feature bison, goats, cats and even erotic female forms.

UNESCO sites in France
France is heavily involved in the work of UNESCO around the world, but closer to home there are a number of interesting places you could visit.

A festive stroll around Strasbourg Christmas market
Strasbourg is internationally famous for its Christmas market, or Christkindelmarïk, and for good reason.

Tips for visitors of Paris museums and monuments
Paris museums and monuments are the things you want to visit in the capital. However, they can often be crowded, overwhelming, and expensive.

Visitors guide to the Auxois region
Each community of communes in the Pays d’Auxois has adapted a site in partnership with l’Office National des Forets.

Flavigny sur Ozerain – a village set in time
An hour north of Dijon and a short drive from the A6 lays the fortified, Burgundian, hilltop village of Flavigny sur Ozerain.

The château of Époisses in Burgundy
The interior of the château brings to life its long history, with the entrance decorated with the coats of arms of successive owners.

Carrière Wellington Museum at Arras
Parts of the underground city built during World War One near Arras have been opened to the public, showing the conditions that thousands of soldiers endured.

AS more and more families move across to France questions about the French schooling system are sure to be asked.

There are quite a few differences to the way children are schooled in the UK and this can be a bit of a shock, but at the same time the rigid nature of the system appeals to many.

French education, an introduction
A look at the basic set up of the French state education for nursery and primary school pupils.

Education for older pupils in French schools
Views on the secondary education system from both French and English people.

Education in France – a view from the playground
How an English schoolgirl found her feet at her new French school.

Count down to, La Rentrée
The restart of the school year sees parents looking at the list provided by schools and ensuring that everything has been bought for their children.

Back to school calendar in France
Track down the different dates for holidays amongst the three distinct educational zones in France.

Being an English Language Assistant
A popular route into France, especially for those who have recently graduated from college or university, is as an English Language Assistant.

Advice for a single parent heading to France
Some of the particular challenges single parents may face when in France.

WHETHER you are using the internet to help support your business or just to keep in touch with friends, you may find you spend more time online in France than ever before.

Here you can find out how to help improve your website, try a few online tools for common tasks and ensure you work safely online so that you don’t fall victim to dodgy tricks and scam merchants.

Holiday home website tips
As more and more people turn to the internet to track down a holiday home in France it is vital that your site has the basics right.

First steps in starting a blog
A series of articles that will set you up with a blog and help you keep readers up to date and ensure search engines regularly visit.

Tips to improve your holiday home website
For gite and holiday rental owners your website is your shop window and often is the only way a potential client can see what they are going to get.

Promote your holiday home with postcards
As the cost of online printing services fall here is a very easy way of putting your property in front of others.

Use newspapers and eBay to boost business
Use the power of eBay and newspaper inserts to give your business a boost.

Online tools to stay in touch with friends and family
Thanks to the internet it is possible to keep people up to date with places you’ve visited, photographs you’ve taken and those strange peculiarities of French life.

Ditch dodgy email and stay clear of scam messages
Unfortunately an array of tricks, frauds and crooked emails are circulating the internet every day, here’s what to look out for.

Keep your computer safe when in France
It is important your computer is protected with anti-virus software but you can also keep up to date with the latest spam tricks.

Forums, message boards and Facebook in France
There is a growing collection of websites for people keen to chat and message others about moving to France.

An availability calendar for your holiday home
How to use Google Calendar to create a simple availability calendar you can manage from anywhere.

A contact form for your holiday home website
Using Google Documents to build a form that accepts enquiries and lets you easily manage them through a spreadsheet

FROM the high speed TGV rail system to flights from destinations around the world France can be access quickly and easily.

But once you move to France you are going to need a car and maybe some other helpful advice on things like petrol prices, rail tickets and beating traffic problems.

Importing an English car into France
You can bring your English registered car into France but to drive it long term it has to be part of the French system.

Advice on car registration in France
Some more hints and pointers on registering cars in France.

How the carte grise works
Just like the UK you need to be the registered owner of the car and for that you need to apply for your carte grise.

Alcohol breathalyser for motorists
The requirement to have a single use alcohol breathalyser in your vehicle when driving in France.

Website for petrol prices in France
If you want to track down the cheapest price for petrol a regularly updated website will help you out.

Traffic reports for French roads
Maps and pointers to potential traffic problems from across France which will prove useful during the tourist season.

Driving tips in France
A few simple checks before departure will ensure your trip runs smoothly and doesn’t get stuck in a pothole or two.

Advice and tips to travel safe and securely
Nearly one in five people holidaying in France fall foul to thieves of one sort or another.

EU pet passport scheme for travel
Pets travelling between European Union member states must have an official EU Pets Passport.

Eurostar ticket tips when making a booking
If you are travelling to France on the Eurostar get the best priced ticket deal.

Cheap ferry ticket tips to France
If you can be flexible with your times of travel you may be able to get a cheaper ferry ticket than you thought.

Rules on air travel for disabled passengers
Rules have been introduced by the Department of Transport to give disabled people new rights when travelling by air in Europe.

Carte Senior from SNCF
If you are aged over 60 and enjoy discovering the different corners of France by train, then SNCF’s Carte Senior may be worth investigating.

THE French health system is seen as one of the finest in the world, with billions of euros spent on it by the government.

And whilst only some people enjoy a completely free health service, it is still very cheap and waiting times are kept to a minimum.

Here is a look at some of the articles on the site offering insight into the health system, but also information on some of the benefits available and support groups in France.

Tips and advice on French health system
A list of helpful tips offering advice on how the French health system works.

French health and emergency services
It is worth being aware of how to contact the emergency services should the worst happen.

UK benefits and allowances after moving to France
For some people giving up their old lives and leaving family and friends is complicated by whether they will continue to receive the allowances and benefits they receive in the UK.

Counselling services in France
What with a language to learn, a wage to earn and friends to make, the dream move to France can soon turn into a nightmare.

Advice from Cancer Support France
Offering a helping hand for both those with cancer and their carers.

Chronic Fatigue or ME and associated disorders
For sufferers who already have this condition and are receiving treatment and support, a move to France can be challenging.

Diabetic treatment in France
Readers of the site offer their experience of having diabetes and the medical help available.

Haemochromatosis advice and support
Haemochromatosis is a genetic disorder that sees people absorb excessive amounts of iron from their diet. Here is a piece about the illness as well as ways to get support from others.

WITH the excitement of completing on your new home comes a whole new set of challenges.

There are the services to get hooked up, internet connection to sort out and things like how the septic tank works – you can’t tackle them all in a couple of days so some planning is required.

Contacting France Telecom’s English helpline
There is an English language helpline but unfortunately the service is not always answered.

Broadband access in France
One of the key things people want to install is access to the web, here are some tips.

Electricity tariffs in France
If you use items that require larger amounts of electricity at certain times of the night you can save.

The cost of living in France
One of the things that is difficult to work out is how far your income, which may be lower than you are used to, is likely to stretch.

Insuring your property or home
It is a legal requirement to insure a vehicle, your home, yourself for civil liability and school children.

Keeping la chasse off your land
It can come as a bit of a shock to see a hunter crossing your property with a gun slung over a shoulder.

Tips on using septic tanks in France
Still a common site in the countryside the fosse septique requires a little care and attention.

Waste water and sewage treatment in France
Used waste water cannot be discharged in France without appropriate treatment either via a private waste water treatment system or a municipal waste water plant.

Preparing your house for winter
Many people move to France for the sunshine, but heavy rain, strong winds and freezing temperatures can be experienced almost anywhere.

Natural risks for French communes
Information on natural risks such as avalanche, flooding and forest fire, as well as extensive lists of other websites if you require more detail.

Manuals and handbooks for French telephones
How to get hold of instruction booklets for France Telecom telephones.

Buying items from a French auction
Pick up a bit of a bargain for your French home by heading to the auction room.

NOT everyone can retire to France and live off their pension, so it may be necessary for people to find a job or work for themselves.

There are many protections in place for French workers, but this can make employers extremely choosy and job opportunities may not be as easy to track down as expected.

Websites for business start ups in France
Setting up a business in France can be a daunting prospect but a browse around the internet can produce some useful advice.

Selling on a French market
Example of how one trader opened a market stall in France selling fishing tackle.

Finding agricultural work in France
Drawing together agricultural positions, but also those in the forestry industry, fishing and jobs working in the countryside.

Finding summer jobs in France
A wide range of occupations are available to browse and include permanent and seasonal job opportunities.

A job with the French civil service
If your language skills are strong then the civil service may provide an opening, but competition is tough.

Helping disabled people in finding employment
A free service allows employers to advertise available positions and job seekers to post an online C.V. and search for employment.

Review of Starting a Business in France book
Useful guide that looks into many aspects of starting and running a business.

Professional qualifications recognised in France
If you are able to get your professional qualifications recognised in France it could provide you with a way to earn a living.

Finding local Chambres de Métiers
Looking to start up as a builder, or artisan, in France then it is important that you are properly registered.

Quick guide to business registration
Real advice from a small business owner who has gone on to establish himself in the Limousin.

Advice on French banking system
Advice on the banking system and what to expect.

The portage salarial scheme in France
If you are an independent operator in specific fields, then you could get someone else to do the paper work.

Tips on using Google Adwords to promote your business
Advice on the use of Google Adwords and pay per click advertising to help your business in France.

The auto-entrepreneur system for small businesses
The government is to introduce the auto-entrepreneur system for small businesses.

English language guide to l’auto-entrepreneur system
Unofficial translation of the auto-entrepreneur guide for small businesses.

MONEY and tax issues are likely to be high on your list of things to do when moving to France.

The French tax system does have quite a reputation, some would say rightly so, and that’s why making sure you are properly registered, or at least ensure professional advisers are doing their job, can take away the stress and strain of a move.

French tax return for income received abroad
The end of May sees the deadline for the submission of details about your income to the French tax authorities.

Holiday home tax changes passed, questions remain
The new legislation put forward by François Hollande’s to increase taxes on foreign-owned second homes in France has passed its final hurdle.

Update on changes to CGT on second homes in France
Capital gains tax (CGT) when selling property excluding main residences was a central element of the debates of the Additional Finance Bill for 2011

French income tax system
You are required to declare all your earnings from the moment you arrive in France if your stay is uninterrupted.

Exchange rate for French income tax returns
Where to track down the exchange rates required should you draw income from abroad.

Basic residency rules for France
The most important factor that will decide how the tax office will treat you will be where you are considered resident.

Inland revenue advice if leaving the UK
The Inland Revenue has a list of Frequently Asked Questions that may prove useful for some.

Helping hand offered by tax office
Dordogne tax office advice and .pdf documents to download.

How to use a French cheque book
How to lay out the words and numbers when writing a cheque, as their use is still quite common in France.

Opening a bank account
Opening a bank account is not a difficult task and the French banking system is quick and efficient.

Advice on French banking system
Independent advice centre on how the French banking system work.

BUYING a home in France need not be a fraught experience as long as you read up in advance.

The purchasing process in France is balanced for both buyer and seller, with a cooling off period also available, below are a number of articles that will help you understand the system, as well as ask questions of the professionals involved.

Finding French estate agents
French estate agents (agent immobilier), just like their British counterparts, are there to bring buyers and sellers of property together.

Dealing with French estate agents
There are a number of steps, phrases and documents involved when buying a house, make sure you keep up with your estate agent when looking at properties.

Role of a notaire
The notaire is an important figure in French society, they see 15 million people every year and draft more than 4 million legal documents.

The Compromis de Vente
Once you are happy with the price for your property then the initial contract, the Compromis de Vente, is drawn up.

Importance of clauses suspensives when buying a property
Conditional clauses, known as clauses suspensives, can be inserted into the property purchase contract.

Septic tank regulations for property sales in France
A report on the condition of a property’s septic tank, if it has one, has been necessary before a house sale.

The Acte de Vente
The completion of the sale of a property in France is undertaken by the notaire using an Acte de Vente, or deed of sale.

What to ask of your French lawyer
Independent French property lawyers can help purchasers through the different stages of the transaction, explaining the conveyance procedure and its implications.

Buying a home en viager
One method of buying a property in France is en viager, which sees the purchaser agree to pay a monthly charge whilst the owner lives in the house.

Buying at a property auction
If you buy a property at auction in France not only can the sale process be completed in under a fortnight, but you may pick up a bargain.

Setting up a farm in France
French agricultural life still plays a role in many corners of the country, but despite this many farms are still left to drift into a state of disrepair.

Buying property In France as a disabled person
If you are not as mobile as you once were don’t let this put you off. All it needs is more thought, more planning and a checklist of your needs.

Finding a long term rental
Renting a property long-term provides you with a certain security whilst searching for a dream home in France, but finding a place can be tough.

Selling your French property yourself
The first thing to consider is the creation of a website promoting your home, the second is marketing it and getting it in front of plenty of people.

Snapshot of towns in France
Check the population size, age ranges of the people living in French towns, as well as average wage rates plus other details.

IF for whatever reason you are keen to let your property long term, maybe you want a break from the stresses and strains of changeovers, there has been a number of messages left by people looking to rent a property in many regions of France.

Check out the comments on the article, Finding a long-term rental and click on people’s names to email them directly if you can help.