France has been the world's most popular tourist destination for over twenty years. It received 83 million visitors in 2012, although these figures are highly skewed by the number of people who frequent the country for the weekend, particularly to visitDisneyland Paris, Europe's most popular visitor attraction. All these people come to France for many a reason: its cities contain some of the greatest treasures on the continent, its countryside is prosperous and well-tended and it boasts dozens of major tourist attractions. France is one of the most geographically diverse countries in Europe, containing areas as different from each other as urban chicParis, the sunnyFrench Riviera, long Atlantic beaches, the winter sports resorts of theFrench Alps, the castles of theLoire Valley, rugged CelticBrittanyand the historian's dream that isNormandy.
The country seduces travellers with its unfalteringly familiar culture, woven around cafe terraces, village-square markets and lace-curtained bistros with theirplat du jourchalked on the board.Francecitizens enjoy a highstandard of living, and the country performs well ininternational rankingsofeducation,health care,life expectancy, civil liberties, andhuman development.