France attractions

Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, the Quai Branly Museum (Musée du Quai Branly) is one of Paris' leading museums. Located right along the River Seine and adjacent to the Eiffel Tower, the museum showcases thousands of artifacts produced by Indigenous cultures from all around the globe. In addition to its permanent and temporary exhibitions, the museum also features attractions such as Les Ombres, a high-end rooftop restaurant.

A spectacular waterfront roadway, La Corniche—aka the Corniche President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, or the Corniche Kennedy—winds along Marseille’s Mediterranean coast for 3 miles (5 kilometers). Originally a pedestrian thoroughfare, it now serves both those on foot and four wheels looking for salty seaside views, accessible beaches, fabulous restaurants, and a taste of the city’s gorgeous coastline.

A highlight among the Loire Valley’s hundreds of UNESCO-listed castles, the Château de Villandry is renowned for its Renaissance architecture and its exceptional classical gardens. Built by Jean Le Breton, Minister of Finance for King Francis I in the 1530s, the site today is a riverside highlight for history buffs and nature lovers.

For history buffs interested in World War I and Australia’s role in the conflict, Villers-Bretonneux is a must. Home to the Australian National Memorial and the Franco-Australian Museum, this town in France’s Somme is an important stop on the Australian Remembrance Trail of the Western Front.

Perched on the northern edge of the Loire Valley, the historic cathedral city of Chartres makes a popular day trip from Paris. Chartres’ most noteworthy attraction is its UNESCO World Heritage-listed cathedral, and most visitors make a beeline for the Gothic masterpiece, renowned for its magnificent 12th- and 13th-century stained glass windows.

Named after one-time Strasbourg resident Johannes Gutenberg, who famously invented the movable-type printing press in 1439, Gutenberg Square (Place Gutenberg) remains an important commercial and navigation center of Strasbourg's Old Town. Strategically located close to Strasbourg Cathedral, it's a popular meeting place, surrounded by cafés and restaurants.

Running along the waterfront of Nice Old Town, the Quai des Etats-Unis (Wharf of the United States) is a pedestrian pathway that divides the seafront from the shops, restaurants, and hotels of Old Town and provides access to the beach. The quai was named in honor of the United States after its decision to join the Triple Entente in World War I.

Constructed a mere century ago, Château de Crémat is one of the younger castles along the French Riviera. Looking out over the Var Valley between the Mediterranean Sea and the Alpes, the estate and its rolling vineyards offer spectacular views of Nice, as well as a lovely place to enjoy wine made and bottled on site.

Located near the medieval village of Les Baux de Provence, the Quarries of Lights (Carrières de Lumières) is a multimedia art show projected onto massive limestone walls of a former quarry. Accompanied by music, this 40-minute light show mainly features works by famous artists.

The Saint Benezet Bridge, better known as the Pont d’Avignon is Avignon’s most famous landmark, immortalized in the popular French children’s song. Only a small section of the original bridge across the Rhone river remains.

Built on the site of an ancient Roman forum, Aix Cathedral is one of the oldest and best-loved buildings in Aix-en-Provence. Dating largely back to the 12th century—with modifications made over the years—the building showcases spectacular examples of Romanesque and Gothic architectural features. Visitors come here to explore the beautiful interiors, including an ornate cloister, historic chapels, and impressive religious artwork.

A highlight of the Burgundy Wine Route, Château du Clos de Vougeot is one for history buffs. Built as a winery by monks in the 12th century, the site has since evolved into a Renaissance-style walled estate. Today, it no longer produces wine but exists as an intimate wine museum and event location, showcasing historic grape presses, exhibitions, and lavish dining events.

Part cosmopolitan seaside resort, part laid-back surf town, Biarritz has been one of Europe’s top summertime destinations for centuries. With pristine sandy beaches, luxurious villas, a trendy French-Basque food scene, and some of the best surf in Europe, Biarritz is a true gem on the Atlantic Coast.

American paratroopers descended, and their scattered arrival sent the Germans running to defend their hold, a move which ultimately was one of the many factors in the Allies' victory. Most of the action from this event, code-named Operation Neptune, centered on the small village of Sainte-Mère-Église, which hosts the Airborne Museum, one of the most fascinating WWII sites in Normandy.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site and part of Christian pilgrimage trails, Chartres Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres) is hailed as one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in France. As well as boasting panoramic city views from its Bell Tower, the cathedral is home to more than 4,000 sculptures.

Welcoming visitors to Annecy’s Old Town, the 12th-century Island Palace (Palais de l’Île) sits right in the middle of Canal du Thiou on a prow-shaped islet between colorful canal-side streets. Over the years, the landmark building has served as a courthouse, mint, prison, military barrack, and ducal residence.

Housed within a striking building designed by renowned French architect Jean Nouvel, the Arab World Institute (Institut du Monde Arabe) celebrates cultures of the Arab world, from origins to today. From contemporary art to scientific objects, the cultural center showcases items from its own extensive collection as well as those on loan from national museums.

Located on the coast of Normandy, Cherbourg is both a seaside retreat and a bustling port. Immortalized by Catherine Deneuve in the classic 1964 filmThe Umbrellas of Cherbourg, the city has deep connections with French naval history.

Perched above Annecy’s Old Town, Annecy Castle (Château d'Annecy) was the princely residence of the Counts of Geneva between the 13th and 17th centuries. After years of neglect and multiple fires, the restored castle is today a historic monument housing the Alpine Lakes Regional Observatory and the Musée-Château d'Annecy Museum.

One of Strasbourg’s key historical landmarks, the Vauban Dam (known locally as the Barrage Vauban was built in 1686. Designed by military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, the covered bridge crosses the River Ill and also functions as a defensive fortification. It now houses a gallery and its rooftop is accessible to visitors.

Honfleur’s St. Catherine’s Church (Église Sainte Catherine) is the largest surviving church of its kind in France. In the 15th century, following the destruction of the church’s original stone structure during the Hundred Years’ War, St. Catherine’s was rebuilt entirely from wood. The ceiling looks like two upturned boats, a homage to the seafaring people who lived in this town.

The tiny village of Arromanches-les-Bains played a big role during the Second World War, when Allied troops installed a prefabricated marina just off the coast here. The remains are still visible, and the town’s fascinating Musee du Debarquement explores that wartime history. Now, the village is a key stop for travelers exploring D-Day sites in Normandy.

A somber neoclassical monument, the Chapelle Expiatoire stands atop the Madeleine Cemetery where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette—plus hundreds of others—were unceremoniously buried during the French Revolution. Commissioned by Louis XVIII, Louis XVI’s brother, the memorial chapel features sculptures of the royal couple, although their bones are now elsewhere.

As one of the largest flea markets in the world, Saint-Ouen Flea Market (Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen) is the go-to destination for savvy antique hunters, as well as anyone who wants to experience Paris like a local. A city institution that’s been running since 1870, the modern-day market features a dozen mini-markets and five streets of vendors, where you’ll find antique furniture, vintage clothing, classic vinyl, and countless other secondhand treasures. Prepare to spend hours browsing, bantering, and bargaining.

The easternmost beach of the five landing areas of the Normandy Invasion of World War II, Sword Beach in Ouistreham was assaulted on D-Day by units of the British 3rd Division, with French and British commandos attached. In and around town, visit myriad monuments, museums, and remnants from the war including the essential Musée No. 4 Command.

More than 500 years old, Château Margaux is one of France’s most esteemed wineries. Located in Bordeaux, the winery is one of only four Premier Cru Classé properties in the region. Château Margaux’s wines are some of the most expensive in the world.

Affectionately known as “the belly of Paris,” Les Halles was once the site of Paris’ bustling central food market. A focal point of the city since the 11th century, the food stalls were dismantled in the 1970s to make room for the Forum des Halles shopping center and metro station. Completely renovated in 2010, the undulating glass-and-steel covering—known as La Canopée—is one of the most striking examples of contemporary architecture in the city.

Place du Capitole is the main square in Toulouse and home to the impressive Capitole building, a neoclassical masterpiece that serves as the city hall. The square is a huge pedestrianized open space in the heart of Toulouse, with lots of people-watching at sidewalk cafés.

Set inside La Maison du Bel Air—one of the oldest buildings in Paris’s Montmartre district—the Montmartre Museum is home to a collection of paintings, drawings, and posters by some of the neighborhood’s celebrated 19th-century artists. Renoir created works such as Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette in the neighborhood, and the museum celebrates its heyday as an artistic and intellectual hub. The Renoir Gardens are equally worth visiting, with a beautiful pond and meandering pathways.

The Pheasant Wood Military Cemetery is the final resting place for Australian, British, and Commonwealth troops who lost their lives during the catastrophic Battle of Fromelles on July 19, 1916. Dedicated in 2010 following the discovery and exhumation of mass graves, it was the first new World War I cemetery in northern France for 50 years.