What to see in France: 10 must-sees
Discover what to see in France: 10 must-see destinations, from Eiffel Tower to Louvre. Predominantly UNESCO heritage and monument; each entry includes the best time to visit and the link to its official source.
UNESCO Heritage(6)
Stop before the Benedictine abbey crowning an 80-meter rock in the middle of the English Channel, surrounded by Europe's most spectacular tides, which transform the bay with every hour. Walk its medieval alleys up to the monastery and you'll understand why it was the second pilgrimage destination in Western Europe during the Middle Ages. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, this corner of Normandy remains an exceptional testament to a cultural tradition where Gothic architecture rises alone between water and sand.
Follow Louis XIV through the Palace of Versailles, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Walk the Hall of Mirrors, explore the gardens designed by Le Nôtre, and gaze out over the Grand Canal. The complex covers 67,000 square meters with 700 rooms, 1,200 fireplaces, and 35,000 works of art attesting to the absolute power of the French monarchy. You're in Île-de-France, a short distance from Paris.
Walk through Bordeaux, in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, and explore its 18th-century façades along the Garonne. Try oysters and canelés at the Marché des Capucins, then cross the Pont de Pierre to the renovated quays. Book a tour of the Saint-Émilion or Médoc vineyards, less than an hour away, and end the day with a glass of local red wine facing the Place de la Bourse.
Discover Strasbourg's Petite France as you stroll along the canals of the river Ill, where 16th-century half-timbered houses reflect in the water and geraniums decorate balconies and bridges. This Alsatian quarter, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988, preserves the layout of the old tanners, millers, and fishermen who worked beside the locks. Walk down rue des Moulins, cross the Ponts Couverts, and admire the medieval defensive towers watching over the banks. From the panoramic terrace of the Vauban dam, you'll get a close-up view of the sloping rooftops and colorful façades that define the local architecture.
Get a taste of Lyon, the gastronomic capital of France, where bouchons serve tablier de sapeur and quenelles in the dining rooms of former silk weavers. Explore the traboules that run through the Renaissance courtyards of Vieux Lyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, and head up to Fourvière to watch the Rhône and the Saône meet beneath the basilica. The city, cradle of French haute cuisine since the 20th century, comes alive at night on the terraces of the presqu'île.
The Gothic cathedral of Chartres, a jewel of Île-de-France that houses some of the most beautiful medieval stained glass in France. Walk its naves as 176 windows tell the story of humanity in colored light, with the famous Chartres blue suffusing the interior. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, the cathedral preserves sculptures, a labyrinth, and spires that make it a complete masterpiece of Gothic art. It stands as an exceptional testament to faith and medieval architecture, less than an hour from Paris.
Monument(1)
Ascend the world's most famous monument, where 18,038 pieces of wrought iron create a 324-meter-tall structure that has served as Paris's ambassador to the world since 1889. The Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair, was criticized by Parisian artists as an iron monstrosity that destroyed the city's skyline, but today it is the most visited monument in the world, with 7 million visitors a year.
Museum(1)
Wander through the Louvre's galleries, a museum founded in 1793 with 72,735 square meters of exhibition space spread between the palace and the pyramid courtyard. Before you, Leonardo's Mona Lisa (1503), the Venus de Milo (130 BC), and the Winged Victory of Samothrace (190 BC) share space with 35,000 works of art and 380,000 objects spanning 10,000 years of human history, from Paleolithic sculptures to contemporary art. Plan your route by department, because seeing everything in one visit is impossible.
Beach(1)
Visit Nice and the French Riviera, where the Promenade des Anglais runs along the Mediterranean for seven kilometers, lined with palm trees, historic hotels, and sun loungers facing the water. Walk to the old town, try socca at the Cours Saleya market, and climb up to Castle Hill for a view of the whole bay. If you come in February, the Carnival fills the streets with floats and flower battles. Between swims, stop in at the Matisse Museum or the Chagall Museum, two must-see encounters with 20th-century art.
City(1)
Walk down Paris's most famous avenue, a 1.9-kilometer axis linking the Arc de Triomphe with the Place de la Concorde. Stroll among its theaters, historic cafés, and shop windows as you line up the perfect sightline to the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. For 200 years, this promenade has hosted Bastille Day parades, protests, and sporting celebrations. Climb to the rooftop of the Arch to see the twelve avenues radiating out from Place Charles de Gaulle.
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