The Best Books to Travel in France From Wherever You Are

On the left is an alfresco-styled restaurant (in Lurs, France) outside a provincial mansion with groups of wooden tables and chairs under the shade of a tree. On the right is a narrow village street in Provence, France, with a woman walking in her black coat and jeans and she is pushing a baby stroller. — Top: Lurs, France – @thibautvergoz_photo / Provence, France – @sita_lombera / Above: Le Chateau des Alpilles – @chateaudesalpilles / Above: Arles, France – @superchinois801

This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, we may receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thanks for supporting HiP Paris in this way so we can continue to provide you with fabulous content.

There isn’t a country that is more written about than France. From cookery books, to lengthy essays on how to emulate the elegance of Parisian women – every topic has been covered, multiple times. As much as it might seem over the top at this point, there is a reason why so many books are published about France every year: we can’t get enough! If, like us, you are obsessed with the hexagon, we have selected four of the best books to immerse yourself in France, from wherever you ar

French Chateau Style

A lot of us dream about buying an old chateau in France, doing it up and living happily ever after. Someone took the assignment to heart and started the research! Catherine Scotto decided to find out what was hidden inside beautiful French chateaux scattered all over the country. From Normandy to Provence, she introduces the reader to the owners of these historical landmarks, and invites us to visit some of these still unknown beauties.

On the left is the cover of the book "French Château Style" by Catherine Scotto where a dainty and charming village kitchen is seen with wooden furnishing, baskets hanged in the ceiling, and a set of white French doors. On the right is a living room with a fireplace decorated with candles, books, statues, and a mirror. — French Château Style: @mariepierremorel & @chateauxetdependances / Salon d’hiver: @chateauxetdependances

One More Croissant for the Road

Felicity Cloake embarked on a mission: to cycle around France to find the best croissant in the country. In her book, the journalist travels everywhere – from Alsace to Provence, trying (and scoring) not only croissants, but also local dishes and landmarks. A fun travel book that will teach you something about France through the eyes of a foreigner. That’s the kind of mission we can definitely get on board with.

The New Parisienne: The Women & Ideas Shaping Paris

A lot has been written about Parisian women but most books remain quite shallow. This book by Lindsey Tramuta sheds light on the real Parisian women shaping the city and its future. Featuring fifty activists from famous French author Leïla Slimani and journalist and feminist activist Lauren Bastide, to the city’s Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Tramuta presents the real Parisienne to the world, far from the over-used stereotypes.

On the left is the author Lindsey Tramuta, smiling as she rests her right arm in a stack of books with a bottle of champagne on top. On the right is a blue book called "The New Parisienne: The women and Ideas shaping Paris" laying on a wooden table beside a couple of brown french pastries. — Lindsey Tramuta: @lostncheeseland

Provence Glory

Sometimes pictures are worth a thousand words. With this book, Assouline and François Simon invite us to lose ourselves in wanderlust and travel, if only in the mind, to the beautiful region of Provence. From crystalline water and endless lavender fields, to fresh bread dipped in peppery olive oil and stunning architecture, it’s easy to see why Provence is a place people dream about.

On the left: two girls, one in a red dress and the other wearing a blue printed dress, are walking in a field of lavender as they hold hands. On the right is an old provencal house painted in beige and is decorated with green shrubs and vines, light blue external windows, marbled tiles, and white french doors/windows. — Provence: @_marie__laure_ / @lacasadilorenza

WRITTEN BY

Alessia Armenise

Alessia is a writer and creative based in Paris. After a few years working in London, she moved back to Paris and now writes freelance for media and brands, specialising in eco-luxury, slow travel and sustainability. Her work has been featured in Stylist, Milk Magazine and Grazia France among others. She also runs a sustainability and slow living focused website called Pretty Slow and hosts a podcast called Pretty Good Business.