Things to Do in France

Housed in a series of 17th-century buildings on Avenue des Gobelins, the Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins is a government-run tapestry factory and museum dedicated to showcasing the historic art of tapestry weaving and traditional crafts. 

Named after the Gobelin dynasty, a family of dyers who shot to fame after discovering a much sought-after scarlet dye in the 15th-century, the district became renowned throughout the 17th-century for producing tapestries under royal patronage of Henri IV and later, Louis XIV. It was Colbert, Louis XIV's minister who first formed the Manufacture Royale des Meubles de la Couronne (Royal Cabinet-Makers), bringing together the tapestry, cabinet and goldsmiths workshops in the area that today is home to the Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins.

Today the historic district is still a working entity, preserving the art form by producing and restoring tapestries from around the world. Although normally closed to visitors, several weekly guided tours allow visitors the chance to peek inside and watch the craftsmen at work. Visitors can learn about the origins and development of the historic crafts; discover how the dyes were found and produced; understand the years of work that goes into producing a single tapestry; and see the 17th-century weaving techniques still in use today. Displays of intricate hand weaving offer an insight into the painstaking process and there are often hands-on workshops available where visitors can try out their tapestry skills on an ancient loom. Also on site is the Galerie des Gobelins, displaying the royal factory collections and hosting a series of temporary exhibitions of ancient and contemporary art.

The Monastery of Cimiez includes a church, a cemetery and a convent where some Franciscan friars still live. The church has significant paintings by 15th century local artists the Brea brothers. The convent houses the Musee Franciscain which is decorated with 17th century frescoes, many documents and a recreated cell showing how the austere religious life is lived. The chapel dates from the 17th century and the lovely gardens have sweeping views across Nice.

The painter Henri Matisse is buried in the cemetery of the Monastère Notre Dame de Cimiez. His grave is signposted 'sepulture Henri Matisse' from the cemetery's main entrance (next to the monastery church on av Bellanda). Raoul Dufy (1877 - 1953) is also buried here.

In the 7th arrondissement of Paris, Les Ombres restaurant is as famous for its view of the Eiffel Tower as it is for its menu designed by chef Jean-François Oyon. Set in a glass and iron-ceilinged atrium on the top floor of the Musee du quai Branly, the restaurant's outdoor patio looks out over the Eiffel Tower and makes for a popular place to enjoy contemporary French cuisine with a fusion twist.

More than just an events venue, the Opera Nouvel is an architectural achievement. The original arcades of the original 1756 edifice remain, but it is the soaring vaulted roof, glowing in the Lyon night, that offers your first glimpse into its magnificently modern style.

The Iles du Frioul is a collection of 4 islands off the coast of Marseilles. They are Pomègues, Ratonneau, If and Tiboulen. Until the 16th century they were largely uninhabited although visited by passing sailors needing a rest from trade or war. But in 1516, Francois the Ist visited Marseille and decided the islands were the perfect place for a fort to defend Marseille, hence the Ile d'If was developed as a fortress and later, prison.

From the 17th to the 19th century, they were used as a place of quarantine for people suspected of carrying plague or cholera. Sea birds and rare plants thrive on these tiny islands, each about 1.25  miles (2.5km) long, totalling 500 acres (200 hectares), which are sprinkled with the ruins of the old quarantine hospital, Hôpital Caroline and Fort Ratonneau (used by German troops during WWII).

In 1974, the small village of Port Frioul was established as a base for exploring the flora, fauna, beaches and clear-waters of the islands. It has restaurants and around 700 mooring points for boats.