Still some surprises left after centuries

The world’s most popular tourist destination, France’s very name conjures up images dripping with romance and bucolic charm. The French are known the world over for being both traditional and cool in every sense of the word, and virtually every traveller has a mental postcard of a Parisian café, complete with smoking patrons and accordion soundtrack. The country that taught the world what haute cuisine was all about may not have invented wine or cheese, but they certainly set the bar – both culinary and culturally – for the rest of us to live up to.