Bonjour!
There are so many architectural styles throughout France that it is hard to know where to begin! The cultures within each part of France go back thousands of years. Each culture helped shape the France we know today, which is to say, a country with stereotypical Parisian architecture but also distinct regional styles. The country's infrastructure is very focused on its public transportation system. In fact, the French like to boast that their country has one of the best systems in the world!
Two years ago, I studied abroad in Strasbourg, France in the Alsace region. Close to the German border, and belonging to Germany several times throughout history, Strasbourg has architecture with a lot of German influences. For example, many of its older buildings were designed in the German “pan-de-bois” (half-timbering) architectural style. This style features crisscrossing wood on the outside and a steep, clay-tiled roof. It is my favorite style and, honestly, a big part of what led me to choose Strasbourg as my destination!
I have a very close friend who lives in Normandy, and I spent this past Christmas there with her and her family.
