France

France is the gold standard of l’art de vivre. It is a country ruled by the seasons and the table, where a two-hour lunch is considered a human right, not a luxury. Beyond the postcards of Paris, France is a collection of fiercely independent regions: the chalky cliffs and briny oysters of Normandy, the lavender-scented heat of Provence, and the snowy silence of the Alps. To travel here is to slow down, to respect the ritual of the apéro, and to realize that a simple butter croissant, done right, is better than any Michelin-starred meal.