Ambitious environmental initiatives are making the French capital cleaner and greener than ever. Visitors to Paris today will encounter riverbank parks reclaimed from expressways, new gardens, vegetated rooftops and living walls, fewer cars, more cycling paths, eco-friendly public transport, renewable energies – including sleek, silent Eiffel Tower wind turbines partially powering its operations – along with hotels and restaurants utilising sustainable products and local produce.

Whether hiking on trails with altitude, rafting foaming rivers, tearing downhill on a mountain bike or skis, or paragliding above peaks, the Alps will have you itching to get outdoors. Rippling 1200km from France to Slovenia and topping out at 4810m Mont Blanc, these mountains certainly impress. Choose your base town wisely for an adventure of the highest order.

The largest seaborne invasion ever seen was launched from choppy waters onto the wind-whipped shores of German-held Normandy in the early hours of 6 June 1944. With the 75th anniversary of D-Day being marked in France in 2019, and commemorative events and exhibitions lined up throughout the year, there has never been a more insightful time to visit.