France is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're going to get. Each region has its specialty. In Bordeaux, the chocolate-coated cherry known as a guinette delights locals with its soft liqueur heart. Over in Biarritz, the rugged Basque coastline inspired chocolate makers to create the rocher de Biarritz: roasted almonds and preserved orange peel coated with dark or milk chocolate. Finally, in Strasbourg, a chocolatier sought inspiration in the sandstone found throughout the Vosges forest to create a delicious praline emblematic of the city.

The French region of Burgundy is packed full of treasures of the palate. It's best known for its wine, which is made with passion and know-how, right down to the production of oak barrels to preserve it. But the region also boasts the anis de Flavigny, an aniseed sweet with a centuries-old history, and the legendary nonnette, a gingerbread from Dijon with a secret recipe dating back to the Middle Ages. FRANCE 24 takes you to Burgundy to meet those who perpetuate these delicious traditions.

One of the most popular holiday destinations for French people is the campsite. Argelès-sur-Mer, in the eastern Pyrenees, is the town with the largest amount of camping accommodation in Europe. In the summer, this Western corner of the Mediterranean sees its population increase tenfold. We meet two brothers who run a campsite in Argelès.

Off the coast of the French region of Brittany is a picturesque island for all those who want to disconnect. A 45-minute ferry ride separates the island of Belle-Île-en-Mer from the mainland, making it a world apart that attracts 100,000 visitors a year. Tourists also appreciate Belle-île's food, especially its fish. We take a closer look at the island in summer.

Brocéliande is the largest forest in the western French region of Brittany. Although it covers more than 11,000 hectares, it's best known for being home to the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. With its landscape of moors and deep valleys, the forest is more than a place for rambling. It's a genuine open-air theatre; a magical site brought to life by a whole community of actors, guides and storytellers.

In the southern French city of Nîmes, the passion for Ancient Rome is more alive than ever. For the past decade, the city has been holding the Great Roman Games show every spring. Legionaries, centurions and gladiators invade the city and bring its incredible Roman monuments back to life: in particular the arena, where the Great Games are organised. Thousands of people, young and old alike, turn out to be transported back to the Rome of Julius Caesar.

Batz is an emerald green island off Roscoff, in France's Brittany region. This land of a few square kilometres has 507 permanent residents; islanders who live off either tourism or farming. There are also day visitors, those who stay longer and a few lucky ones who have the privilege of owning a second home there. In summer, some 2,000 tourists arrive every day, a change of pace that the islanders prepare several months in advance. All the island's inhabitants are supplied by a barge, which makes a daily crossing to Roscoff.

In the town of Saumur in France's Loire Valley, the riders of the Cadre Noir represent excellence in the world of French equestrianism. The military-style academy trains elite riders who take part in top international competitions. Its expertise has been recognised by UNESCO, which listed it as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011. FRANCE 24 takes you behind the scenes of the stables.

This French Renaissance-style castle would probably have remained largely unknown if it hadn't become home to the secret wife of Louis XIV, Madame de Maintenon. Françoise d'Aubigné – her real name – was a woman of humble origins who is often compared to Cinderella. After Louis secretly married her, the Château de Maintenon underwent numerous transformations as she put her own stamp on it. Meanwhile, the French-style garden was designed by renowned landscape architect André Le Nôtre but was only laid out in 2013.

He was a genius who left a lasting mark on France. As military architect to King Louis XIV, Vauban imagined a series of impregnable citadels to protect the country, from Besançon to the Ile de Ré. Each time, the architect reinvented himself to take into account the local geography and landscape. Today, many of these buildings remain key French landmarks. We take a closer look.