5 French Destinations Everyone Should Visit At Least Once
I’ve been residing in Paris for the previous half-decade, and I can not let you know the variety of instances I’ve cringed internally eavesdropping on vacationers at dinner desk convos in Montmartre bistrots.
Usually it entails a dramatic retelling of their thrilling “first day” in “Europe,” how the Mowna Lisaah is certainly small and unimpressive in actual life, “can you AirDrop us those Eiffel Tower piccies?”, and the way they’re truly in Fraaynce for under 3 days earlier than hopping on the Eurostar out to London.
That’s France ticked off for some, I reckon.
I suppose I ought to reduce them some slack for not less than having paid the Louvre a go to as an alternative of re-enacting the done-a-million-times, holding-the-tip-of-the-pyramid shot, however I can’t assist feeling that in case you say you’ve been to France and all you introduced again residence are Insta-perfect moments, then let’s face it:
You have not actually been to France.
Capitals are merely the tip of a much-larger iceberg, and gorgeous as Paris may be, in relation to France as an entire, it isn’t precisely consultant of the broader nation.
France is nothing wanting the final European state, the place you get Northern and Celtic cultures up north, Germanic influences out East, majestic Alps, and Iberian and Italian-esque Mediterranean aptitude down South—to not point out abroad territories that aren’t even in Europe.
Being in Paris and calling it completed and dusted is simply making a numpty of your self.
From your favourite jingoistic adopted Frenchie, listed here are 5 bucket record locations in France everybody ought to go to not less than as soon as once they’re within the frog-eating heartland:
PLUS: I’ve constructed a quiz for you on the finish of the article to search out your good match, so stick round!
Paris
Because there isn’t any France with no little Eiffel second.
Paris stands out as the most cliché, over-romanticized, over-photographed European metropolis there’s, however thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of individuals flock into its Haussmann-designed boulevards 12 months in, 12 months out for a motive.
Naturally, you possibly can discover it underwhelming if the Paris you recognize is simply selfie spots, overpriced croissants within the fifth arrondissement, and countless memento outlets, however let me let you know about my Paris.
It entails waking up lazily within the largely-French-still fifteenth, grabbing a ache au chocolat in a café terrace whereas watching the ebb and movement of individuals and vehicles, then unhurriedly making your technique to the verdant Jardin de Luxembourg, by way of a beautifully-designed metropolis grid with vast streets lined with beautiful fin-de-siècle edifices, and mendacity on the grass on a scorching day for some summery, do-nothing bliss.
Once the idle will get a little bit too indulgent, a fast cease by Saint-Germain-des-Prés to admire one among medieval Paris’ most lovely frescoed church buildings, and an uncompromised flick through the Latin Quarter’s quirky librairies and document shops.
Then I would devour my jambon-et-chèvre baguette I received from the closest Merci Jérôme outpost (make it a well-baked tradi, s’il vous plaît), sat on the traditional steps of Paris’ forgotten ‘colosseum’: the Arènes de Lutèce, an ancient-Roman-arena-turned-public park solely a ten min stroll from the Panthéon.
Most vacationers do not know that is proper beneath their bloody nostril!
For sundown, I’d go up the equally-overlooked Tour Saint-Jacques, a skyline-piercer from the Middle Ages boasting epic 360°-degree views of central Paris and the winding Seine. Shall I proceed?
Dinner must be on the Franco-Italian fusion culinary gem that’s Dad’s Den within the maze-like Village Saint-Paul: finest pesto gnocchi you may style in your life (and let’s not faux the principle motive I am going again there each weekend is I’ve made pals with their mischievous black cat).
Paris is a must-see on any go to to France, however in case you do go to, be sure to do it justice. There’s simply an excessive amount of soul and historic gravitas past the surface-level Eiffel-centered itinerary. Savor it slowly, à la parisienne.
The Vibe: Stately structure, lovely parks, unimaginable meals (if you recognize the place to search for it).
Perfect For: a vibrant European metropolis break.
The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:
- Église Saint Germain des Prés: attractive medieval church with a starry ceiling and medieval frescoes.
- La Tour Saint-Jacques: for the finest view of central Paris most vacationers miss out on.
Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon
From French Polynesia to the Caribbean Antilles, all the way down to South America, and even distant territories in Africa and the South Pacific, France spans a whopping 12 time zones by advantage of its former colonies that at the moment are totally (or ultimately) part of the nation.
Now, simply in case you have been by no means geo-curious sufficient to have a look at a map of the broader France, let me draw your consideration to this tiny dot simply off the southern coast of Newfoundland in Canada:
With rocky coastlines, rolling hills, and sleepy villages that seem like they belong in a unique century altogether, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon is a French archipelago―the final French territory in North America―that is as a lot a part of France as, say, Paris, Lyon, or Marseille are.
They use the euro, and the flag flying above civic buildings is the French tricolor. Though locals converse a dialect just like Acadian French, prevalent within the namesake Canadian area, and are in all probability more adept in English than your common Frenchie, its 5,819 residents are full-fledged French residents with burgundy EU passports.
And they’re solely 12 miles off Newfoundland! Mental, proper?
There are two fundamental islands: the smaller, extra densely populated one, Saint-Pierre, and the teardrop-shaped, a lot bigger but much less developed Miquelon, which appears to be like like two islands linked by a slender, bridge-like strip.
Saint-Pierre Town, the capital of the archipelago, is positioned on the smaller island. It’s recognized for its Scandi-style wood homes, painted in vibrant colours, and a busy harbor.
It additionally concentrates a majority of the archipelago’s cultural sights, together with the Heritage Museum, and the stone-belfry Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Saint-Pierre. I do know, the French aren’t actually recognized for his or her creativity so far as naming issues go
Over in Miquelon, La Dune―the thin isthmus linking each ends of the landmass―is an underrated summer season getaway for wild seashores and Atlantic views, and Miquelon village is a quaint fishing settlement residence to pleasant locals, family-run bistrots with a French vibe, and colourful bungalows and gardens that appear to embody the spirit of those islands.
Oh, let’s not neglect the enduring lighthouse at Cap Whittle, on the ‘Langlade’ facet of Miquelon: perched on dramatic cliffs overlooking the ocean, and at over 140 years outdated, it is probably the most scenic lighthouses in the complete Americas―and in France, in fact.
The Vibe: a slice of France off the coast of Canada.
Perfect For: lengthy walks alongside the seafront, wild Atlantic seashores and slow-paced island life
The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:
- Saint-Pierre Town: the archipelago’s capital and its fundamental cultural vacation spot
- La Dune: the sandy isthmus connecting either side of Miquelon Island
Albi
A €5, 1-hour prepare journey from Toulouse, France’s Ville Rose, Albi is that Ville Rouge you did not even know you desperately wanted visiting till now. Trust me, I did not know myself till I occurred upon it nearly accidentally whereas road-tripping within the Southwest.
Despite the misleading title, Albi is something however white: the buildings that make up its timeless medieval core are in actual fact reddish in colour, because of the native clay-reinforced brick used throughout development. All round city, it is rows upon rows of pink, orange, and ocher façades you get.
French cathedrals are nothing wanting majestic, with their sculpture-decorated fronts, tall spires, and haunting interiors, however they do observe an identical sample. Not Albi’s.
The Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d’Albi rises above the maze of terracotta roofs in a fortress-like method, with Gothic partitions so thick and imposing the informal onlooker might simply mistake it for a fortress, and a solitary fundamental tower full with arches, ornate niches, and complicated brick patterns.
Oh, and evidently, it is an earthy pink in colour, and the inside?
Something I can solely describe as celestial.
The cathedral undoubtedly steals the present right here, however you should not miss out on Palais de la Berbie, a former Bishop’s Palace proper beside, residence to the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum. Listen, I’m all museum’d-out myself at this level, however in case you love medieval artwork, this one’s a should-see.
Within the fortress advanced, the Jardin de la Berbie is a peaceable expanse of inexperienced the place locals go for picnics and walks, and for the everyday French brasserie expertise, hit up Pacha Mama on Place du Vigan, the principle sq. within the coronary heart of all of it:
Top spot for consuming a verre and watching people attempt to dodge the taking pictures jets of the dancing fountain.
Oh, and a little bit Instagrammer secret for you: one of the best lookout in all of Albi is the Tarn Riverwalk, exterior the Old Town. From this riverfront promenade, you get superb views of the town, its Pont Vieux, a medieval bridge spanning the Tarn river, and the hovering cathedral.
The Vibe: red-colored medieval metropolis in contrast to something you have ever seen.
Perfect For: taking in France’s historic heritage with out the thrill of the Instagrammer crowds.
The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:
- Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d’Albi: the town’s placing clay-colored Gothic gem of a cathedral.
- La Vieille Ville: Albi’s timeless Old Town, crisscrossed by slender alleys and dotted with reddish buildings.
Avignon
One of essentially the most traditionally charged cities in France, Avignon is a medieval treasure on the banks of the Rhône, dominated by a mahoosive palace, whose declare to fame is traced again to the legendary Avignon Papacy.
For my fellow geeks on the market, you may acknowledge it because the interval when the capital of the Roman Catholic Church was, in actual fact, primarily based right here, on this fortified city within the South of France. In different phrases, the Pope dominated from right here, not Rome, for a important time frame.
How lengthy, you could ask?
The Avignon Papacy lasted round 70 years, through the lengthy, turbulent 14th century, however Avignon’s status as a spiritual capital lingers on to today, primarily because of the imposing Palais des Papes, or Palace of the Popes.
In case the photographs aren’t indication sufficient, this sits among the many largest medieval castles in all of Europe.
As you stroll by way of its column-supported chambers, discover the vaulted ceilings of the solemn chapels, and stroll alongside the ramparts, you’ll shortly perceive why Popes felt safer right here on this multi-layered citadel than of their risky homeland.
As for Avignon itself, it’s probably the most nice medieval cores you’ll ever wander by way of:
Picture cobbled lanes, leafy squares bordered by conventional eateries, slender stone buildings with the basic, shuttered Mediterranean home windows, and a beautiful riverfront dominated by Pont Saint-Bénézet, an 850-year-old arch bridge, of which solely 4 of the unique 22 stay.
Somehow, it appears to be like much more placing with its remaining stretch, spanning a couple of fifth of the Rhône, than it will have if the bridge had survived in full.
Incredible historical past apart, for one thing unmistakably Provençale, add Le Carré du Palais to your restaurant record: their beef cheek braised in Rhône pink wine is nothing wanting the French equal of perfection.
The Vibe: fortified riverside metropolis wealthy in Roman and Papal heritage.
Perfect For: deep dives into French historical past and medieval sightseeing.
The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:
- Palais de Papes: a UNESCO-protected Papal palace perfectly-preserved from the Middle Ages.
- Pont Saint-Bénézet: the remaining stub of a once-monumental bridge crossing the Rhône River.
Île de Ré
A small island off the west coast of France, Île de Ré is the best-kept secret of each Frenchman who appears to be like down on Americans who go to Saint-Tropez in summer season as a result of they do not know any higher.
Out with the gross French tacos and kebab stalls, in with oceanfront pubs which have been within the household for generations, genuine fishing villages the place folks truly reside in year-round, English merely ain’t spoken, and historic forts overlooking picturesque marinas.
There’s a lot to see and do round Ré I might in all probability write an entire e-book on it―significantly on the numerous bicycle paths criss-crossing the island’s lush fields―however the charming capital St-Martin-de-Ré is a good-enough place to begin.
It’s the house of the UNESCO-listed Fortifications of Vauban, a Seventeenth-century star-shaped citadel in-built astounding symmetry, towering over a café-lined harbor, and a few of the finest seafood eating places in all of France.
I’m considering in fact Auberge paysanne de la mer, the place you may get freshly-caught shrimp and Atlantic fish whereas respiratory within the oceanic air; Ben-Hur Char à Huîtres, a no-frills, backgarden-inspired oyster shack recognized for Atlantic staples and their reside music Sundays, and Le Saint Mart’, good for that buttery galette bretonne and do-it-yourself cider with port views.
If you are searching for what to do exterior the principle city in summer season, yow will discover locals going for swims within the Atlantic on Plage de la Conche des Baleines, an extended, wild sandy strip.
The landmark Phare des Baleines, a 257-step historic lighthouse, lies on the western finish of the seashore.
For a little bit style of that sluggish coastal island life, take a look at Ars-en-Ré, with its fishing docks, salt marshes, white-spire church, and postcard-ready white homes with inexperienced shutters.
If I’m trustworthy, I prefer it even higher than Saint-Martin, however possibly that’s as a result of I’m barely hooked on this unassuming foodie spot referred to as Le Glacier du Port.
Don’t fall for his or her high-quality Charolais beef burger temptation, otherwise you could be coming again yearly.
You’ve been warned.
The Vibe: laid-back French island but to be found by the overseas lots.
Perfect For: beach-hopping, biking from one fishing village to the subsequent, savoring French coastal city.
The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:
- Saint-Martin-de-Ré: the island’s fundamental city, dominated by a star-shaped fortress.
- Plage de la Conche des Baleines: an emblematic seashore paved with gentle, golden sands, and backed by a historic lighthouse.
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