EDGE Chicago

As a phrase, "summer in Paris" has a kind of hypnotizing appeal - and to find oneself in the City of Light during the brightest season is to fall in love with the city’s charms all over again.

Nearly one in four residents of Montpellier, France is a student, which makes for an eternally youthful city - even one that was founded in 985 AD. If Paris is for lovers, Montpellier is for students in love - and especially in summer.

Nearly thirty years ago, Montpellier, France had been our home. In those days, Montpellier was a sleepy town - and now, it’s the fastest growing city in France. So we returned to Montpellier to discover whether we or the city had changed more.

For many of us, jotting down a list of dream travel destinations is an annual (if not monthly) pastime. Presumably, "Taking Root In Provence" author Anne-Marie Simons did the same thing while working for 30 years in the Washington D.C. area.

Ever since F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald landed in the south of France during the Twenties, the Cote d’Azur has been a haven for the beautiful and the gifted who are drawn to the azure waters of the Mediterranean and the pink villages of France.

With at least fifteen gay bars, three gay beaches, two major LGBT festivals, and as many rainbow flags as wave in le Marais in Paris, Nice has become the de facto gay resort of France.

Looking for a vacation destination for autumn? (Or summer, if you act quickly - prices are great!) EDGE Style and Travel contributor Jason Salzenstein suggests heading to "La Belle France" for some French fashion, food, and fine men.

Most of the country is still in the throes of winter; in the Northeast we’ve got storm after storm, and even Southern California has had spells of "freezing" temperatures lately- I actually had to wear a sweater and jacket!. Luckily, the French Riviera is almost always warm. If you’re looking for sun, sand, and a whole lot more, you’ll find it in- and around- Cannes. Check it out!

France and art go hand-in-hand, as demonstrated in EDGE Travel Editor Jason Salzenstein’s recent feature, Art and the French Riviera. For avid art lovers, a week or so in France is like taking a vacation in a museum. (Albeit an extremely large one, with fabulous food. And great beds.) 2009 has been an especially important one for art-loving travelers in France, and particularly the South: Painters of the Côte dAzur - a newly installed historical, artistic and cultural journey celebrating the artists of the French Riviera - has brought art to life more tangibly than ever. And makes for a fabulous vacation. Read more...

France and art go hand-in-hand; for vacationers looking for high culture, there’s nowhere better to go. This year has been even more important for art in France, especially in the south. The French Riviera - always an inspiration for artists - has recently become a gigantic gallery, as well as a work of art. Alongside the already incredible number and diversity of museums in the south of France - and in France in general - this year brought the exclusive (and unfortunately, temporary) opening of a few unique museums in the Riviera, with events in Aix-en-Provence, Antibes, Nice, Cannes... In fact, the entire picturesque Mediterranean coast is currently playing host to art and artists- and also happens to be an incredible vacation spot. Read more...