Churchgoers in Sunday finery sweat out a sermon with the help of handheld fans in Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia's steamy capital. Worshipers sit in same-sex groups, blending their voices in rousing himenes—Tahitian-style hymns. So transporting is the sound, vows one hearer, 'it lifts you right out of your seat.
—From "French Polynesia: Charting a New Course," June 1997, National Geographic magazine
Like one of Cézzane's impressionist paintings stirred to life by summer winds, Provence is a place where even the simplest of landscapes can turn suddenly sublime.
Journey back to the 1100s when France first dared to fashion heaven's image in soaring cathedrals of stone with this gallery of images from photographer James L. Stanfield.
Take a vacation: Experience the simple luxuries of sun, sand, and sea, and get to know some of the few places in the world that can truly be called paradise on Earth.
Discover the allure of this World Heritage Site in Jordan, which is being put at risk by the throngs of tourists who flock to this ancient city of stone each year.
