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Within the relatively small confines of Europe, there is a wealth of opportunities for those seeking to sample a little bit of everything.

From skiing, surfing and snorkelling, to climbing, canoeing and general relaxation, it's possible to cover all bases with no more than a couple of hours of continental commuting. Moreover, within the even smaller confines of an individual European country it's possible to manage all of the above too.

France is one such country that brings together every activity imaginable. Marseille, Montpellier and Nice in the south east of the country are ideal locations for those wanting a little Mediterranean sunshine, whilst Paris in the north needs little introduction as one of the world's true great cities.

As a country that is over half a million square kilometres, France is the largest nation in Europe. It is famed ' among many things ' for its many world class wines and is the world's number one producer, with its exports constituting over a third of the global wine market.

For those wanting to get to know French wines a little more intimately, it's certainly worth organising a tour of some of the bigger wine producing regions such as Bordeaux in the south west of the country or the Loire Valley, where most of the wine production takes place between the cities of Nantes in the north west and Orleans in north central France. It's possible to sample some of the world's finest wines in an organised tour lasting no more than a few hours.

Moreover, for those who like a bit more fizz from their wine, France is also home to the Champagne region, which lends its name to the world famous sparkling wine that is usual consumed in times of celebration. The name 'Champagne' can only be used for bubbly that is produced in this region, anywhere else must use 'sparkling wine' or other local monikers.

However, France's appeal extends way beyond its fine wine, coastal resorts and world class cities. Located in the Savoie region of the French Alps, Les Trois Vallées is the largest ski area in the world that is connected only by slopes and ski lifts. With over 600km of slopes and 120km of terrain available for cross-country skiing, it's easy to see why this is an appealing region for mountain thrill seekers the world over.

With so much to see and do in France, it's probably worth planning an itinerary in advance. There are a plethora of online research tools available that will help answer many lingering questions relating to travel within France, but for other queries it may be easier to pick up the phone and call the tour operator or accommodation provider instead.

English is widely spoken and cheap calls to France via special UK-based access numbers mean that it won't cost the earth to plan what should be the trip of a lifetime. Just go easy on the wine before taking to the slopes!