The Study Of The Grand Tour About British To France In The 18th Century

The Grand Tour is an important phenomenon in the history of Western Europe,which originated from the British continental tour.18 th century was the booming period of the Grand Tour,and more and more British people chose to travel to France.By studying the letters,travelogues and diaries of British travelers,we thus learn about various aspects of British travel in France and their views on various things in France,which in turn reflect French society from the British perspective in cross-cultural exchanges.Through the perspective of the traveler,the various conditions of France at that time are shown in different ways.For example,transportation was much smoother in large cities than in small towns and rural areas.In general,transportation in 18 th century France was good.The main problems were mosquitoes and poor hygiene,which were most evident in the small towns.In large cities,there are more hotels to choose from,but quality accommodation requires money,so some tourists spend a lot of money to improve their accommodation.British food is also not as good as it should be when traveling in France,so most tourists bring their own food and take care of their meals on the coach.Most British tourists prefer their own food and are critical of French food,although French wine receives a lot of praise.Travel allows visitors to gain a great deal of knowledge,and many discover their own interests while traveling.But foreign travel also provided British tourists with opportunities for sexual adventure,and some even became involved in gambling and other vices that were difficult to break,so the Grand Tour received a lot of criticism at the time.The English had a tradition of traveling to France since the 15 th century,and it became more common in the 18 th century,when France,after the reign and construction of Louis XIV,was famous.Paris became the fashion center of Europe at that time.Louis XIV spread court fashion throughout Europe and even Asia,and Parisian clothing fashion was followed by the courts of all European countries.The flourishing of the French luxury jewelry and clothing industry attracted many fashion seekers.The French salon culture is also in full swing in Paris,with foreign scholars,social seekers,and those with a taste for elegance coming to France to take pride in attending these events.The French-style architecture was also one of the factors that attracted the British to France.When British tourists arrived in France,they chose several major cities to travel to,one of which is the capital,Paris.Tourists visited Paris as a center of civilization,fashion and art.Several other cities also had their own characteristics that attracted some tourists.Through their observations of French politics and society,the British tourists sensed the hostility of the French and saw how hard life was for the lower classes in France.In contrast,they considered the British to be freer and happier,and were generally critical of French society.In terms of religion,most British tourists were critical of Catholicism,but there were also cases where tourists were Anglo-Catholic.When appreciating French culture,travelers mainly observe French architecture,paintings and operas.