Tourism in France

With 81.9 million foreign tourists in 2007, France is the number one tourist country in the world, ahead of Spain (58.5 million in 2006) and the United States (51.1 million in 2006). This figure of 81.9 million does not include people who stayed in France for less than 24 hours, such as those traveling from Northern Europe to Spain via France, or those traveling to Italy in the summer.
Mont Saint Michel is one of the most visited places in France.
France has 37 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and cities of great cultural value. Paris of course, but also Toulouse, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Lyon, seaside resorts, ski resorts and the countryside that many prefer. Green tourism based on the splendor of nature . Small and picturesque French villages (such as Colon-la-Rouge or Locronan) are protected by Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (translation: "The Most Beautiful Villages of France"). “About two hundred gardens have the status of magnificent gardens, which are qualified by the Ministry of Culture. This qualification is intended to preserve and develop magnificent gardens and national parks. France also attracts the attention of many pilgrims heading to St. James or Lourdes.
France, and especially Paris, is home to some of the world's greatest museums, including the Louvre, the most visited of all museums, as well as the Orsay Museum, dedicated to Impressionism, and the Pompidou Center, dedicated to modern art.

Disneyland Paris is the most visited theme park in France and Europe, with approximately 15,405,000 visitors in 2009. The historical park Pays du Fun in the Vendée region is the second most visited park in France. Other famous gardens are Fuchskop and Asterix Garden.
With more than 10 million tourists, the Côte d'Azur is the second largest tourist destination after Paris. According to the Cote d'Azur Economic Analysis Company, there are 300 days of sunshine a year, 115 km of coastline and beaches, 18 golf courses, 14 ski resorts and 3,000 restaurants. 50% of all luxury yachts visit the Côte d'Azur every year, and every superyacht has been here at least once.
Another major tourist destination is the Loire Valley Castle, a world heritage site with its historic towns and castles built in the French Renaissance style.
The main tourist centers are (according to 2003 visitors per year) the Eiffel Tower (6.2 million), the Louvre (5.7 million), Versailles (2.8 million), the Orsay Museum (2.1 million), the Arc de Triomphe. (1.2 million), Center Pompidou (1.2 million), Mont Saint-Michel (1 million), Chateau de Chambord (711,000).