The Great Tours: France Through the Ages

Contemplating the French art de vivre and the appeal that makes France one of the most visited tourist spots; an overview of the upcoming journey across the rich cultural landscape of France; learning about the iconic figure of Charles de Gaulle.

Learning how Paris evolves from an ancient settlement to a Roman city and then the capital; studying medieval Paris through the Cluny Museum, the great cathedral of Notre Dame and the royal chapel of Sainte-Chapelle; following the growth of Paris.

Discovering the Palace of Versailles as the world of Louis XIV; noting how the landscaping surrounding the palace symbolizes features of Louis's reign and how the Versailles court prizes royal spectacle; exploring Louis's patronage of the arts.

Examining the social and political background of the French Revolution of 1789; visiting key locations in Paris where the events unfold, from a coffee house to the site of the Bastille prison and the Place de la Concorde; mapping Napoleon's rise.

Learning about Rheims and the fortunes of its historic and glorious cathedral; studying the beverage that gives this region its name; discovering the area's great champagne makers; visiting the cemeteries and memorials that commemorate World War I.

Visiting the northern French coast, where three dramatic events take place; learning about the 1066 Norman invasion of England; stopping in Dunkirk, the site of the massive evacuation of Allied troops during World War II; Normandy's beaches.

The beauty of the Normandy coast is a magnet for 19th-century painters; visiting Claude Monet's home and learning about the inspiration for his famous paintings; sampling the region's cheeses; studying the architectural wonders of Mont Saint-Michel.

Learning the Celtic culture of Brittany, starting in the city of Saint-Malo; exploring the contrasting cities of Quimper, with its Breton traditions, and Lorient, with its seafood and World War II history; viewing the ancient megaliths of Carnac.

The Chartres Cathedral and its masterpieces of stained glass; the history of the Loire's plethora of extraordinary châteaux; the region's notable citizens; the historic maritime city of Nantes, home to a 19th-century science fiction theme park.

The mysterious cave paintings of Lascaux and Chauvet; the extraordinary figure of Eleanor of Aquitaine and the region that bears her name; the renowned Bordeaux wine region; the concept of terroir, a key to the quality of France's finest produce.

Basque people and their traditions, seen in the scenic city of Bayonne; the 19th-century town of Biarritz and the fishing port of Saint-Jean-de-Luz; the Pyrenees; the town of Lourdes is a lightning rod for the modern role of French Catholicism.

Exploring the Camargue; the spectacular castles of the medieval sect known as the Cathars; the town of Carcassonne; the urban landscape of Montpellier; at Albi, taking in its fortress-like cathedral; the delicious regional dish of cassoulet.

Near the city of Arles, two incredible feats of engineering; an ancient Roman viaduct and a 21st-century cable bridge taller than the Eiffel Tower; Les Baux-de-Provence; the Gallo Roman architecture of Arles; the sites that inspire Vincent van Gogh.

The storied Cote d'Azur; the history, culture and architecture of the port of Marseille; the area's signature dish, bouillabaisse; the game of pétanque; the local liqueur, pastis; the summer playground of Cannes, city of a famous film festival.

Corsica's blend of French and Italian cultures; Ajaccio is the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte; the island's food and drink at the port of Bastia; the citadel of Bonifacio, home to the renowned French Foreign Legion; the island's beloved landscapes.

Avignon is home to the papacy in the 14th century; the city's magnificent Palais des Papes, the site of a revered theater festival; the rich Rhone valley's produce is embodied in the region's ratatouille; Mont Ventoux is Provence's tallest peak.

Mont Blanc is Western Europe's tallest mountain and the birthplace of rock and ice climbing; Lyon, the capital of French gastronomy; its famous chefs, eateries and Beaujolais wine; Lyon's historic neighborhoods and its invention of the cinema.

Burgundy's history as a politically independent duchy; Dijon's Les Halles Centrales market; Burgundy's dining specialties; Baune's medieval treasures and iconic wine auction; the region's famous citizens: Louis Pasteur and Lucie Aubrac.

Lorraine's great heroine, Jeanne d'Arc; how she saves her country; the oldest written document in a proto-French language; Strasbourg is home to the European Parliament; Alsatian wine and German-style beer; Alsace's roles in French military history.

The 19th-century urban planning works of Emperor Napoleon III and city administrator Georges-Eugene Haussmann; the sociopolitical background of the Second French Empire; the Grands Boulevards, sewer system and masterpieces such as the Opera Garnier.

Famous artists' haunts of Paris; Montmartre, where the quality of light and Bohemian culture draw artists during the Belle Époque; the cemeteries of Montmartre and Père Lachaise; the literary culture of Montparnasse and two of its famous cafés.

Paris, a vital hub for the creative arts; the Cinematheque Francaise; how photography comes of age in Paris; the many Parisian venues for photography; Paris's world-famous fashion houses; the Sevres porcelain factory; the Cordon Bleu culinary school.

How Paris responds to successive waves of modernization; architectural wonders such as the Eiffel Tower and the Grand Palais; the Metro, Paris's admired underground rapid transit; the Centre Pompidou, the complex of La Defense and the Musee D'Orsay.

France's national celebrations; the Stade de France is a shrine to French sports achievements; two essential events that conclude on Paris's Champs-Élysées; the Tour de France and the Bastille Day parade; the Fête de la Musique; the Fête du Cinéma.