Once upon a time it was considered rather odd to travel all the way to the south of France for some fun in the sun.

And they came back to town to Paris eventually with a sun tan, which was a shock to everybody

because before that the sun tan was for the workers for the people in the fields.

You might detect a provincial accent in today's French themed edition of Travel with Rick Steves.

We'll open with tips for enjoying the stylish Mediterranean playground. travel with him about the country, including how local pride sometimes includes a bit of Paris bashing.

And if you're in a slightly xenophobic area in France, very often the worst thing to be is a Parisian.

And we'll investigate your options for memorable day trips from Paris.

Louis XIV designed the elaborate gardens at Versailles to make quite an impression on

visitors. And he loved his gardens. He even wrote a little booklet, How to Visit My Godlets.

Viva France on today's Travel with Rick Steves.

Year after year, global tourism numbers confirm that the most popular country in the entire world to visit is France.

Today on Travel with Rick Steeves, we'll take a look at a few of the reasons why.

We'll share tips for impressive day trips you can take from

Paris. And author Graham Rob shares what he discovered about the multi-faceted

culture of France after riding the French back roads by bike for four years.

Second to Paris, the abundance of sunshine

on the Mediterranean coast of Southeast France

makes it among the most popular regions to visit.

For an overview of the attractions you'll find along the Coate-Dazur,

we're joined now by French tour guides Virginie More and Patrick Vidal.

Virginie and Patrick, welcome.

So when we think about the Coate-Dazur and the French Riviera, first of all, are those terms

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