A tourist's guide to the Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is coming to France next month. And as any French “rugbyman” knows, the home of French rugby is in the south – so it’s not a coincidence that many of the matches will be played in southern stadiums, at Montpellier, Marseille, Toulouse, and Bordeaux for example.
But from Lens in the north to Nantes in the west, other cities are also hosting the tournament. And while some of the cities are better known than others as tourist destinations, all have something worth seeing in between matches.
Saint Denis
You could just hop off the metro at Stade de France and never visit Saint-Denis – but that would be a shame. You’d miss your chance to see the basilica of Saint-Denis, burial place of the French monarchy. If you’re on metro line 13, instead of getting off at Saint Denis – Porte de France carry on as far as Saint Denis – Basilique, and you can swap the modern architecture of the stadium for a taste of the Middle Ages.
Saint-Denis goes all the way back to the Merovingians, when a cemetery (part of which has been excavated) occupied the site. In the middle ages, the basilica became the first Gothic church in Europe when Abbot Suger replaced the west front and then the choir of the old church in the 1140s. His remarkable work still survives, despite later alterations, and it is aimed at making a lighter and more unified interior; there’s even some of the original stained glass, so you can experience for yourself the impression of jewelled radiance that he created. The royal tombs include some stunning works of art - for instance the ornate tomb of Francois I, the King who brought the Renaissance to France. There's nothing inside most of the tombs - the royal remains were ripped out in the revolution and thrown into a pit; most of what could be found later, once monarchy had been restored, was gathered together and put in one of the side chapels of the crypt. And there are a couple of gruesome sights – the heart of Louis XVII for instance, a dried up scrap of leathery tissue in a little glass urn.
Saint-Denis with its skyscrapers and busy urban landscape couldn't be further from most people's idea of good beekeeping country. But in fact, urban bees do better than country ones nowadays, as they have a huge variety of garden plants to choose from, and few pesticides to worry them. At the tourist office, you can buy ‘miel beton’ - concrete honey! - produced by bees kept on the roof of the town hall. The tourist office will also show you how to walk from Saint-Denis to the Stade de France, if you’re game for a half hour hike.
Or if you're in a browsing (or buying) mood, you could head for the huge Saint-Ouen antiques market – also near metro line 13 stations, Garibaldi or Mairie de Saint-Ouen, though it’s a bit of a hike. It's open from ten in the morning till six in the evening, weekends and Mondays. Stalls sell just about every kind of antique (with an emphasis on 'real' antiques rather than junk) - there are vintage clothes, old cameras, lava lamps. There's even a whole stall devoted just to picture frames. You could buy an old fountain pen that would tuck neatly into your day bag - or a three piece suite made out of antlers and green velvet! The market is huge, with about a dozen indoor markets as well as a large and bustling street market which sells useful modern items, fashion and African drums. If you fancy refreshment, try the Bistrot Paul Bert, at the entrance to one of the markets; the hot chocolate is particularly good.
Nantes
In the early Middle Ages, the kingdom of France only covered the area immediately around Paris; it was one of a number of states that inhabited the current 'hexagon' (as the French call their country). Nantes wasn't French - it was a capital city in its own right, the seat of the independent Dukes of Brittany. The medieval feeling of the cobbled streets, half timbered houses, and the fine castle which dominates the town, all remind you of that time,. Indeed, it was the last duchess, Anne of Brittany, who created the fine late Gothic parts of the castle, which are more fairytale palace than defensive fortress. Unfortunately for Breton independence, Anne married a King of France - taking Brittany into the French kingdom as her dowry. But though she was a queen of France, and her body was buried with her husband Louis XII in Saint-Denis, near Paris, she left instructions that her heart was to be buried here in Nantes, in the tomb of her father, the last Duke. And that tomb, in the cathedral, is well worth seeing - it'sa late Gothic masterpiece in fine white marble.
Later on, Nantes became a rich trading port, handling the commerce of the French colonies in the eighteenth century. The superb classical mansions on the Ile Feydeau reflect the wealth of the merchants; the white stone and restrained style show their taste, too (after all, this is France, where style is as important as cash). The ‘mascarons’ or little masks that decorate the keystones on many of these mansions also show a seamier side of the past – some are pure grotesques such as you'd find in Italian Renaissance work, but some of them are quite clearly negro faces, reminding us of the slave trade that also came through the port.
Nantes itself is on the river and about half an hour's journey from the sea, but a day out could take you to La Baule, a chic resort. Trains are frequent during the summer. If coastal chic isn't to your taste, though, you might prefer to rent a bike at La Baule for the seven kilometre ride through the salt marshes to Guerande. This medieval walled town is still the centre of the salt trade - 'sel de Guerande' is considered the best in France and treasured by gourmets. And you'll be off road, since there's a ‘voie verte’ cycle route almost all the way.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux was one of France’s major ports in the Middle Ages, dealing in wine and wool,and trading with London and Bristol - in fact this was an English town up until 1453 when France recaptured it! English pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela disembarked here,and the Black Prince practically made it his capital. It’s at the centre of the vineyards – Sauternes, Medoc, Graves, Entre deux mers, and many others. It was the fruit of the vine that made the city rich; Chaucer's Shipman accompanies wine to England, occasionally swigging from the barrel when the owner isn't looking. In the eighteenth century , merchants built classical mansions decorated with carvings and paintings of vines and grapes, a testament to the source of their wealth. The Place de la Bourse, facing the river, is perhaps the greatest achievement of this age; its semicircle of merchants’ mansions is the equal of any of the classical crescents of Bath.
As you'd expect from a wine capital, Bordeaux cuisine is notable. Local specialities include eels from the Gironde estuary, as well as local oysters. Or you can have entrecote bordelaise, which is grilled over vine twigs. For dessert, try the local ‘canelé’ - if you think of a crusty rum baba you're half way there.(For some reason, everywhere else in France this is a cannele with two n's - it's a canele with only one 'n' in Bordeaux.
If you want a fine day out, you could rent a bike (several bike shops in Bordeaux offer rentals) and take a trip into the wine country. Most of the slopes are gentle, there are cycle lanes to get you out of the city, and tiny roads will take you into the back country. Many of the chateaux offer tastings. The tourist office also offers guided tours of the vineyards, with a different area and a different theme each day. Check the tourist office site before you go, or be prepared to take pot luck.
Toulouse
Toulouse is famed in France as ‘la ville rose’, the pink city. That's really after the lovely pink brick and tile of its buildings, which glows in the southern sunlight, but Toulouse also has a certain feminine charm which makes its title doubly appropriate. It's a city which rewards the casual stroller - take a gentle amble around the centre and you won't need a guidebook to enjoy your time here.
One of the great treasures of the city is its wealth of fine Renaissance mansions built by rich merchants here. Many of them have lovely internal courtyards with spiral staircases in wood or brick, so if the gate's open, poke your head in to see this more private world. Or go right back to the twelfth century and visit the basilica of Saint-Sernin, with its polygonal spire and fine Romanesque architecture. Saint-Sernin was a stop on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, and it's the city's greatest church, far outranking the cathedral! Another fine walk could take you slightly outside the centre, along the banks of the Garonne.
Cruises along the canals and river start from the Quai de la Daurade and offer an alternative view of the city (departures at 1030, 1515, 1645, and 1815). Toulouse is a stop on the Canal du Midi as well as the river Garonne, which flows north-west towards Bordeaux and the Atlantic. In fact there are three canals which meet here - – the canal du Midi, canal lateral à la Garonne, and canal de Brienne - which all meet up at the Pont Jumeaux.
If you have time for a day trip, take the train to Carcassonne. The amazing medieval castle here is, in fact, an entire city in itself; it even has a cathedral inside the walls. From the ramparts, you can look down on the extensive, rolling plains and imagine you're the lord of the entire country. The fortress was restored by architect Viollet-le-Duc in the nineteenth century, not quite authentically – for instance, he used slate roofs instead of the local tiles – but it’s still one of the best examples of a medieval castle in Europe, and not to be missed.
The local dish par excellence is cassoulet. You can find it just about anywhere in France nowadays, but it's said to have originated in Castelnaudary, between Toulouse and Carcassonne. It’s a bone of contention where you should eat it and exactly what the ingredients ought to be. No two locals will agree. But the filling mixture of beans, sausage, pork, and duck or goose, is tasty, whatever variations are played on it.
Montpellier
Montpellier is a learned city. Its university was the first ever founded in France and it had a renowned medical school even in the Middle Ages. However the best known alumni of the medical school aren't doctors – French comic writer Rabelais studied here, and so did the prophet Nostradamus.
The city centre isn't dominated by the university though. Creamy local stone together with a classical style distinguish the fine town mansions of the local gentry, giving a feeling of civilised ease. More recently, the Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill has given classical architecture a post-modern spin in the Antigone district. The whole kilometre long visual axis of the development is reminiscent at the same time of La Defense in Paris and of the great classical buildings of Versailles.
If you fancy getting out of town, the seaside calls. A bus will get you in half an hour or so to Palavas-les-Flots, with sandy beaches on a spit of land between the sea and a set of lagoons. The Phare de la Mediterranee, a 65 metre high water tower now converted into a conference centre, dominates the town; you can eat in the rotating restaurant at the top. Or if you'd like a quieter and more rural day out, take a walk along the coast from Palavas to Maguelone, where the fine Romanesque cathedral stands quite alone, in the middle of vineyards and lagoons, a magnificent fortress against time and tide.
www.ot-montpellier.fr
Lens
Lens isn't the most obvious tourist destination. It's a coalmining and textile town, now in post-industrial decline, and the landscape is dominated by two huge slag heaps. But it is being regenerated - first through being given several of the Rugby World Cup matches in 2007, and with a new outpost of the Louvre opening in 2009.
It does have some interesting sights though. For instance there's an art deco train station, built in 1927; inside, there's a luminous space with a glass ceiling, fine curves, and lovely mosaics. The round arched windows and the little belfry at the end are said to echo the forms of a steam engine, though you may need a good imagination to see the resemblance.
Outside Lens, visitors with an interest in the First World War will want to visit the Vimy monument, commemorating the battle of Vimy Ridge. This was the first action at which the Canadian Corps fought as a single force, and by denying the Germans access to the rich coalfields of northern France, helped ensure victory for the Allied forces.
Beer is dear to hearts of many rugby fans, and northern France is an area with a fine tradition of brewing. Ch’ti is brewed near Lens, at Benifontaine, and offers brewery visits from Tuesday to Friday - but phone ahead first (03 21 08 68 61). As well as blonde beers, the darker and sweeter ‘ambrée’ and ‘brune’ are worth seeking out – making an alternative version of the French tricouleur for beer lovers.
Finally, if you’re intrigued by the local mining tradition and the life of the ‘black mugs’ (‘gueules noires’), the tourist office runs a coach tour of mining sites in the area. Or sign up for a walk through the slag heaps with ‘La Chaine des Terrils’ (chaine.des.terrils.free.fr) – though these are infrequent, and need to be booked a fortnight ahead.
Paris Parc des Princes
Of course Paris has many wonderful places to visit. But if you already know the city, why not take advantage of the Rugby World Cup to get to know the leafy south-west of the city?
The Hauts-de-Seine is full of fine gardens but two stand out. First, the Jardins Albert Kahn, reached from Boulogne Pont de Saint-Cloud metro. Kahn was a rich banker and philanthropist, and he created a series of gardens in different styles – English, French, and Japanese. The gardens are open all day, except Mondays (they close in winter, though). You can even attend the Tea Ceremony in the Japanese pavilion (these visits need to be booked, on 01 55 19 28 00).
Kahn recreated styles from across the world in his garden, and he also collected a fine photographic archive intention of creating a view of the entire world. It’s a unique historical record, and can be seen in the museum next to the gardens.
The other fine garden is the Domaine National de Saint-Cloud (Porte de Saint-Cloud metro). With its fine views over Paris, its formal gardens, fountains and waterfalls, it’s in almost every way as good as Versailles – just the chateau is missing. The gardens are open all day, from seven thirty in the morning till nine at night. And if you don't want to walk, you can hire a bike (or a tandem, triple or quatro!) from the ‘Velocipederie’.
Saint-Etienne
Saint-Etienne, like Lens, is an industrial town; it was famed for gunmaking, weaving, and later, the manufacture of bicycles. You can still visit the site of Manufrance, the first mail order business in the world (or so they claim). Saint-Etienne got the first railway in France in 1827, admittedly powered by horses, not steam, and has a Museum of Mining in a huge, now unused, coalpit (guided visits 1030 and 330 on weekdays and 215 at the weekend – closed Tuesdays).
But the city centre retains vestiges of its earlier past. There are fine 16th and 17th century mansions in the Saint-Jacques district, on the pilgrim route to Santiago (Saint-Jacques), and half timbered houses too. And for culture vultures, Saint-Etienne quite unexpectedly houses a really fine museum of modern art, including works by Andy Warhol and other Pop Artists, as well as Picasso and Kandinsky.
If you want to get out of town, Saint Victor sur Loire, just 15 kilometres away, is a lovely medieval town which dominates the Loire gorge. Take a hike into the gorges, or just soak up the atmosphere of the winding alleys, the old town and its castle.
Marseille
Marseille is an amazing place – and a huge city. So it's difficult to know where to start. Most tourist guides beginwith the Canebiere, the main thoroughfare of the old town, and the old port. There’s still a daily fish market, but some of the 'real' flavour of the area has been chased out by the shops selling tourist tat. 
Some of Marseille’s most rewarding sights are some way out of the centre and require a rather more intrepid approach. For instance, you could take bus 22 or 21 from Rond Point du Prado metro station to the ‘Le Corbusier’ stop, to find an epoch making piece of architecture - Le Corbusier’s ‘Unité d’Habitation’ (housing complex). This 1940s development marked a new era in public housing, but still divides opinion; Marseillais know it as ‘La maison du Fada’ - local slang for ‘the lunatic’s house’. It's all built in concrete, up on stilts; it's rational, cool architecture, and yet it still looks revolutionary even today. Individuals are welcome to visit, though large groups are discouraged - people do still live here so it's not an architectural museum!
A metro trip to Noailles will set you down in the middle of a multicultural district, full of Arab and Chinese shops; it’s gritty, vibrant, a Marseilles you won't see on the Canebiere. Remember, Marseille is the centre of the French hip-hop scene, as well as the capital of bouillabaisse! The place has a real buzz - it does also have a few problems so make sure your wallet isn't in your back pocket.
For great views of the city, take the minitrain or bus up to Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde basilica. You could walk up, but only if you're feeling fit. Or for a very different day out, forsake the city buzz for the cry of seagulls and the scent of pine trees. Take the bus to Luminy – the university campus – and hike out to the Calanques. These beautiful fjords hide occasional sandy beaches, and a well marked ‘Grand Randonnee’ hiking path (signed with red and white painted flashes) takes you through forests and rocks above the coast.
Lyon
Lyon, on the confluence of the rivers Saone and Rhone, goes back as far as the Romans, who called it Lugdunum. (Intriguingly, its name comes from the same Celtic root as Laon in northern France – and London, too.)
Whatever you're interested in, whether it's haute cuisine (Lyon is said to be the gastronomic capital of France) or haute couture (it was also the capital of the French silk trade), this city's got something for you. There's a museum of printing, too - Lyon was one of the first centres of publishing in France. And it was the centre of the wine trade, with the huge advantage of being placed right between the Beaujolais and Cote du Rhone vineyards.
The old town, Vieux Lyon, with its ‘traboules’ (narrow alleyways between the houses) has fine Renaissance merchant mansions and interesting churches. The maze of alleyways was originally used for transporting woven silk, but in occupied France they became an underground network enabling the Lyonnais to avoid the Gestapo. Wandering round the old town can easily fill an afternoon; stroll up to presqu’ile (‘nearly island’), the area between the two rivers, to see an even older building, the fine Romanesque church of Saint Martin d’Ainay.
Tasteful it isn't, but the nineteenth century Fourviere basilica, perched high above the city, is worth a visit both for its architecture and for the views. You can walk, or take the funicular railway up from Vieux Lyon (EUR 2.20, every 5-10 minutes). The pseudo-Byzantine basilica resembles the contemporary Sacré-Coeur basilica in Paris, but if anything it's even more kitsch. Gilding, marble, mosaic, are all done to excess. Tours of the roofs of the basilica at 230 and 4 in the afternoon offer even more spectacular views than the terrace outside.
River trips provide a different view of the city. Reserve a dinner cruise if you have a free evening, or just take one of the day boats.