After 200 years in private ownership, jewels once worn by Marie Antoinette were auctioned off in Geneva. Each jewel in the collection is "absolutely imbued with history," said Daniela Mascetti of the Sotheby's auction house.

The famous queen was born in Vienna as the youngest daughter of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband Francis I. She married the French heir apparent Louis Auguste in 1770, at the age of 14, and became the queen of France four years later. With the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789, Marie Antoinette was put under house arrest, and eventually executed in 1793.

This natural pearl and diamond pendant sold for a whopping $36 million (€31.8 million), setting a record for the sale of a pearl at auction. Experts initially believed that the 26 by 18 millimeters (1 by 0.7 inches) pearl would fetch between $1-2 million. The pearl is one of ten items in the collection once worn by the French queen.

Among other items, the collection also contained a diamond brooch and a pair of Marie Antoinette's earrings. The jewels have been displayed in Hong Kong, New York, Munich, London and other venues across the world.

The diamond ring, monogrammed MA for Marie Antoinette, contains a lock of the queen's hair. All of the displayed items are currently held by the Italian royal House of Bourbon-Parma.

In the aftermath of the 1789 revolution, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette made plans to flee the country. In preparation, the queen put her jewels in a wooden chest and sent them off to Brussels, where they then passed to the Austrian emperor. The escape plan failed, but the queen's last surviving child, Marie Therese (pictured) was freed in 1795 and managed to retrieve the treasure.

Sotheby's also offered items owned by other historic figures, such as the diamonds which once belonged to Marie Antoinette's friend and brother-in-law Charles X of France. The precious stones were only made into a tiara in 1912.

Stroll along the banks of the Seine, admire the "Mona Lisa" in the Louvre, look at the Arc de Triomphe, or, as here, enjoy the view of the French capital from the Eiffel Tower: Paris offers infinite opportunities for visitors. After you finish sightseeing, you can go to a cafe in the fashionable Saint-Germain-des-Pres quarter or a bar in trendy Belleville.

Fragrant lavender fields, medieval mountain villages, shimmering heat and that very special light. Provence in the summer is a celebration of the senses. Famous artists like Picasso, Chagall or Van Gogh were so taken by this special place that they chose to stay here. With some 30 million visitors every year, the south of France is the country's most popular holiday destination.

The longing for sun traditionally leads to the Mediterranean in France. The Cote d'Azur stands for luxury and glamour; in the 19th century, holidays here were a privilege of the European aristocracy. Later came prominent artists and the international jet set. Today, everyone finds their favorite place between Marseille and Menton.

The French part of the Alps is located in the southeast. The mountain range Mont Blanc massif attracts mountaineers from around the world. The Mont Blanc itself, at 4,810 meters (15,777 feet), is the highest peak of the Alps. The first recorded ascent to its summit in 1786 marked the birth of modern mountaineering. Today there are over 100 routes leading to the roof of France.

In the southwest of France, the Pyrenees form the border to Spain. The oversize racing bikes on the Col d'Aubisque (1,709 meters/5,607 feet) pay homage to the fact that since 1951 this steep mountain pass has been part of the Tour de France cycle race. Those who manage to bike up here are really fit. Hikers can enjoy this mountain range from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic on the GR10 trail.

The Loire is the longest river in France. It winds its way over 1,020 kilometers (634 miles), from the Massif Central to the Atlantic. Nowhere else in Europe will you find so many castles in such a small area: 400 chateaux line the shores of Europe's last large wild river. One of the most famous is Chateau de Chambord (picture). The Loire Valley has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

Holidays on the Atlantic are all about the elements. The Breton coast in the far west of France has a rugged beauty, wild and windswept. The ever-changing weather is part of what makes this landscape so fascinating. After the Cote d'Azur, the Bretagne area is the second-most visited region in France.

Normandy experiences the strongest tides in Europe — measuring a difference of up to 14 meters (46 feet) between high and low water marks! Only a few times every year is this island completely surrounded by water. Mont-Saint-Michel with its Benedictine monastery is one of the most visited attractions in France. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

The name means "silver coast" and it refers to the Atlantic coast west of Bordeaux. Some 100 kilometers (60 miles) of fine, white sand — which shimmers silver in the sunlight — promise dream holidays. Located in the center of the coastline is Europe's tallest walkable dune, the Dune du Pilat. Its height varies from 100 to 117 meters (380 feet). It is 500 meters wide and 3 kilometers long.

France makes hedonists happy. The quality of French wines sets the global benchmark. There are 14 winemaking regions, each with its own characteristics, promising a pleasurable wine tasting trip from chateau to chateau. Many premium wines come from the area around Bordeaux.

There are 600 restaurants in France with at least one Michelin star. Alsace is a region which attracts many food lovers with its rich regional cuisine. To go out for a good meal here doesn't have to cost a fortune. The food traditionally is rich and the portions large. Everyone from the picky gourmet to the hungry traveler will find something to their taste here.