France is always at the top of the list of most visited places in the world, and it’s not hard to see why.
It has some of the best food and wine in the world, as well as interesting towns, beautiful landscapes (like the Alps and the Pyrenees), and an enviable coastline. If you want to see more than one area, you can cover a lot of land because public transportation is cheap and there are a lot of highways. But it’s just as tempting to stay put and enjoy the seductive way of life in the country.
You want to know what to do in France? Take a look at these top places to visit to get ideas.
1. The wine roads in Strasbourg and Alsace are full of fairy-tale charm.
Strasbourg is a half-timbered dream, and its old town is set on an island in the middle of the River Ill. Visit the impressive Cathédrale Notre-Dame and then relax on one of the cafe patios in the small Place du Marché Gayot just behind it. The city is a great place to start a trip along France’s oldest wine route, the Alsace Wine Route. Alsace is the only place in France that makes both wine and beer, so beer fans aren’t left out.
2. You can learn about WWII history on the coast of Normandy.
The long shore of Normandy is full of historical sites, but the D-Day beaches stand out. The many moving monuments, like the American cemetery at Omaha Beach and the Juno Beach Centre at Courseulles-sur-Mer, can’t help but make you feel something. If you go further east, you’ll find that Cabourg, Deauville, Trouville, and Honfleur are like time capsules from the 19th century.
3. The best way to see the buildings in the Loire Valley is by bike.
At some point, you’ll want to explore the gentle hills of the Loire Valley on two wheels, especially since the Vélo Verte network of bike routes makes it so much easier to ride a bike. Combine a trip to the vineyards with a visit to one of the 42 luxurious chateaux. The Chateau de Chenonceau and the Chateau d’Azay-le-Rideau, which is on its own island on a branch of the Indre, are particularly impressive.
Local tip: If you want to see your bike (or at least most of it) again, don’t leave it locked up on the street overnight. Some places have rooms where bikes can be locked up.
4. Paris has a great urban feel.
Even if you want to see the most famous things in Paris, like the world-class art at the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, the Eiffel Tower, and Sacré-Coeur, make time to see some of the city’s lesser-known sights as well. Before going to the old shops in the 10th arrondissement, you can wander the charming streets of the Marais and stop in the free Musée Carnavalet and Musée Picasso. Go to bustling Belleville, where you can see amazing views of Paris from Parc de Belleville. Follow the pathways around the elegant 19th-century Parc des Buttes-Chaumont for a full dose of greenery in the city.
Local tip: If you want to eat like a real local, stay away from places that advertise a tourist menu or have a plastic sample meal on the sidewalk.
5. There are a lot of boho chic people in Biarritz and Basque Country.
Since Queen Hortense, the mother of Napoleon III, fell in love with this fishing village on the Atlantic coast, royals have been coming here for more than two hundred years. Then, starting in the 1950s, surfers came and gave Biarritz a laid-back cool to go with its great beaches. After you’ve gone swimming at the Grande Plage and Plage de la Côte des Basques, visit the coastal towns of Bayonne and St-Jean-de-Luz in the Basque Country before going into the Pyrenees.
6. Annecy is the most beautiful Alpine town.
Annecy, on the edge of the French Alps, is another one of those beautiful French towns that make you sigh. Its medieval center is squeezed between the Thiou River and the Canal, and tall pastel-colored homes tower over the cafes along the water. The Palais de l’Île, a medieval castle that used to be a jail and is now a museum, is the most famous building in the Vieille Ville. You will always end up on the beautiful shores of Lake Annecy, which is one of the most beautiful in France.
7. Lyon is a top food destination
Even Parisians have to admit that Lyon is gastronomic royalty in France. Bring a big appetite to do justice to eating in Lyon’s trademark bouchons, intimate little bistros that specialize in hearty meat-heavy lyonnaise cuisine. Start your bouchon tour in the Unesco-listed Renaissance lanes of Vieux Lyon, where you can also spot the old secret passageways known as traboules.
8. People who like wine should go to Bordeaux.
The streets of Saint-Pierre and Place du Parlement, which were built in the 18th century, are full of cafes and people enjoying themselves. These streets are in Bordeaux, which is the wine capital of France. Take the nice walking path along the River Garonne to La Cité du Vin, a building with a bold design that houses a fun museum about wine from Bordeaux and other places.
Even at mid-range restaurants, clubs, and bars, it’s better to dress up than to dress down. Leave your jeans and sneakers at home, unless you’re going to a bar in a small town where a more casual look is fine.
9. The Dune du Pilat is the most beautiful place to camp in France.
The Dune du Pilat is the largest sand dune in Europe. It is more than 100m (328ft) above sea level. Because of the Arguin sandbank, the water is much calmer here than it is on the west side of Cap Ferret, further up the Atlantic coast. It has campsites all around it, giving you not only one of the most beautiful views but also some of the most beautiful sunsets. When you’re not running up the sand hill, you’ll be mesmerized by the paragliders who never leave this spot.
Local tip: About 400 meters from the dune, there is a big car park that charges a small fee to park. But you can’t park here overnight or you’ll get a €50 ticket.
10. The Dune du Pilat is the most beautiful place to camp in France.
The Dune du Pilat is the largest sand dune in Europe. It is more than 100m (328ft) above sea level. Because of the Arguin sandbank, the water is much calmer here than it is on the west side of Cap Ferret, further up the Atlantic coast. It has campsites all around it, giving you not only one of the most beautiful views but also some of the most beautiful sunsets. When you’re not running up the sand hill, you’ll be mesmerized by the paragliders who never leave this spot.
Local tip: About 400 meters from the dune, there is a big car park that charges a small fee to park. But you can’t park here overnight or you’ll get a €50 ticket.
11. In Provence’s Luberon, there are many beautiful towns on top of hills.
Terracotta roofs and honey-colored stone houses tumble down pine-covered hills, and olive groves and lavender fields weave through the valleys between vineyards. When that happens, you know you’re in Provence, and more especially in the lovely Luberon. Wander from village to village on a hilltop and get lost in the ancient streets of some of France’s most beautiful places. Start your list with Bonnieux, Gordes, Ménerbes, Roussillon, and Saignon.
Local tip: Buy a bread from the boulangerie and fill it with Camembert, paté, or charcuterie (cold meats). Finish with something sweet, like macarons, kouign amann (Breton butter cake), or cherries in the summer.
