If you enjoyed watching the World Cup in Brazil as much as about three-quarters of the planet’s population seemed to – then maybe it’s time to start thinking about a trip to France for the next big international football tournament in two years’ time?

The UEFA EURO 2016 Championships are scheduled to be held in France between June 10 and July 10, 2016 at a host of different cities in this wonderful country. Visiting France is a great experience for any tourist at any time of year – but at the height of the summer, there is surely no better country on the face of the earth to visit.

This is, of course, why France is the world’s most poplar tourist destination – it just has so much to offer. From the beaches of Brittany and the west coast, to the Mediterranean and Cote d’Azur, to the wine regions, magnificent rivers, the Alps, endless miles of beautiful and varied landscape and the world’s most beautiful capital city, France really has it all. In many ways, France is like ten different countries in one – whilst retaining its unique overall charm.

There is no other country on earth that puts joie de vivre so high on the agenda. There, beauty, food, wine and art come before all other considerations – and it shows in many aspects of ordinary day-to-day life. But you really would have to tour this wonderful country for a lifetime to get to know it adequately – so if you’re coming for the football for EURO 2016 and hoping to put together an itinerary as well – plan your whole trip carefully and book everything well ahead.

The matches will be played in ten different stadiums around the country – so there’s plenty to choose from. From Paris, Lens, Lille and Saint Etienne – south to Lyon, Toulouse, Nice and Marseilles, and west to Bordeaux – you really are spoilt for choice for what you want to see and do. At the moment, we don’t know who’ll be playing and where (save for the host country who will play the opening game in the Stade de France, Saint-Denis in Paris on June 10).

We do know that the recent World Cup winners Germany are already favourites to win EURO 2016, though. If you check out www.bet365.com.au/news/en/betting you’ll soon see that France are well-fancied, buy the Germans are favourites, while holders Spain are also expected to try to make amends for their poor showing in Brazil. But two other countries that were forced to take ignominious early flights back from Brazil, Italy and England, will both be determined to make amends. All in all, it promises to be  a fascinating tournament for football fans the world over – second only to the World Cup itself. But as a World Cup was hosted in France as recently as 1998, (and they won it) it will probably be a lifetime before we see another.

So this is the big and maybe only chance for football fans who are also wannabe Francophiles to visit the country they think they might love – and to kill two birds with one stone. So if you’re one of them and you plan your trip well – France will not disappoint you.