“We’ll always have Paris”…so this time let’s go someplace else!
18 places in France that you absolutely don’t want to miss
Everyone knows that Paris is a must-see if you’re ever in France, so do we really need another blog talking
about the monuments or sites of the city? I mean, come on…it’s Paris! Everybody knows about the Eiffel
Tower and the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées. But France has so much more to offer…
This past summer I got to spend 14 days traveling around this beautiful country. As a French teacher, it’s not
surprising that I took close to 4,000 pictures and videos during my trip. When I got home, I decided I needed to
let people know about some of the amazing cities and sites beyond Paris. So, here’s a list of 18 places that are
definitely worth a visit if you get the chance.
Places not far from Paris:
1. The châteaux of the Loire Valley
These castles that were built during the time of the Renaissance offer some of the most beautiful
architecture that you’ll find anywhere. There are dozens of them and each one has characteristics that
make it unique from all the others. You could literally spend several days touring all the châteaux that
are open to visitors. If you only have time to check out a few of them, though, here are my top 4 picks.
 Amboise
Aside from being a beautiful structure in and of itself, the château of Amboise offers an amazing
view of the surrounding area. This château also has the distinction of being the location where
Leonardo daVinci lived the last part of his life at the Clos Lucé, a manor house located not far from
the main structure of the château. If you’re a serious Leonardo fan, you can visit the manor house, as
well as the little chapel on the château grounds where Leonardo is buried.
 Chenonceau
Best known for its gallery that extends across the River Cher, Chenonceau is one of the most visited
of all the châteaux in the Loire Valley Valley. It’s called the “château des dames” due to the fact that
over the course of the castle’s history, several significant women have owned it, added to it, and
enhanced it. Chenonceau was preserved when so many other castles were pillaged and ransacked at
the start of the French Revolution, so much of the original furnishings are still available for visitors
to enjoy.
 Chambord
Built by François 1, the king of the French Renaissance, Chambord is the largest of the Loire Valley
châteaux. It has 440 rooms and 3 massive spiral stone staircases, one of which is a double helix
rumored to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Visitors can climb the spiral staircase all the
way to the roof of the château where they can enjoy an impressive view of the grounds.
 Ussé
Legend says that this elegant château inspired Charles Perrault to write the story of Sleeping Beauty
(in French – La belle au bois dormant). Recent renovations have made it possible for visitors to tour
the château’s attic and dungeon, lending even more of a fairy tale feel to the visit.
2. Chartres
 A little over an hour southwest of Paris, the city of Chartres is best known for its Gothic cathedral.
I’m a huge fan of stained glass, so it’s not a surprise that the cathedral in Chartres is one of my
favorites. For starters, the majority of the cathedral’s original stained glass is still intact. Also, the
glass has a unique blue tint that is actually described as le bleu de Chartres. As well, the cathedral
has two distinctly different spires. One was built in the 1100’s, while the other was repaired in the
16th century and reflects the style of that era.
3. Versailles
 Originally constructed to be a hunting lodge for King Louis XIII, the palace of Versailles reached
the height of its glory in the late-1600’s under the reign of Louis XIV. Three French kings named
Louis (XIV, XV, XVI) called the palace home and added their own elements to the construction. In
modern dollar amounts, the cost of the palace’s construction is estimated to be around $2 billion.
In the south:
4. Nice / Cannes
 If you like glamour and places where famous people have walked, slept, eaten, or been involved in a
scandal, then Nice & Cannes are two cities you don’t want to miss.
 In Nice, you can stroll along the Promenade des Anglais and enjoy an amazing view of the
Mediterranean as you shop or simply enjoy the atmosphere. If you take the corniches (a series of 3
coastal roads that climb the rocky hillside) you’ll get a breath-taking view of Nice and the harbor.
Not far from the city, you can visit the Fragonard perfume factory and take a tour of the facility. It’s
free and the factory is open every day from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
 The city of Cannes is most famous for its yearly film festival. Every year, hundreds of celebrities
and thousands of tourists come to the city in May for the prestigious and glamorous festival. Many
famous movie producers and directors choose to debut their films at this festival.
 The weather along the Mediterranean is warm and beautiful almost every day of the year. The water
is clear blue and so is the sky, so spending at least a little time at the beach is a must. The beaches in
Nice are rocky and take some getting used to, so you’ll definitely want to bring a pair of shoes to
protect your feet. The beaches in Cannes are sandy, but many of them are private and reserved for
guests of the various hotels there.
5. Cassis
 About 30 minutes east of Marseille is the quaint seaside city of Cassis. You can spend the day at the
beach there or (weather permitting) take a boat out to the calanques, a series of steep-walled inlets
not far from the city. You can swim in the clear water or hike to the top of the cliffs and enjoy an
amazing panoramic view of the Mediterranean.
6. Château d’If
 Located about a mile off the coast of Marseille, the Château d’If is an island fortress built during the
reign of François I. It was eventually used as a prison and gained notoriety in Alexander Dumas’s
novel The Count of Monte Cristo.
 On a side note - The city of Marseille is better known as a commercial port than a tourist destination,
and it can be a little rough for many tourists to feel really comfortable staying there. However, there
are some interesting sites to take in, such as the hilltop church of Notre-Dame de la Garde and the
Palais Longchamp.
7. Avignon
 Most people don’t realize that for over 100 years (1309-1425), the head of the Catholic Church left
the Vatican behind and moved to France. Seven Popes called this walled city home during that time.
Tourists can visit the Pope’s Palace, which is open every day of the year.
 Avignon is also famous for its broken bridge, which inspired a very catchy children’s song (“Sur le
Pont d’Avignon”) that dates all the way back to the 15th century.
8. Nimes
 The city of Nimes is home to several Roman ruins. The Roman Arena was built in 70 AD and can
seat over 16,000 spectators. Though the gladiator battles are a thing of the past, the arena is still in
use today for concerts and bull fights.
 Not far from the arena is the Maison Carrée. Built in 16 BC, it is one of the best preserved Roman
temples in existence today. If you like Roman temples, you can also visit the Temple of Diana, or at
least the remains of what used to be the temple. In a considerably more deteriorated condition than
the Maison Carrée, it is still worth a look.
9. Pont du Gard
 About 30 minutes northeast of the city of Nimes is the Pont du Gard, a Roman aqueduct bridge that
used to be part of the Nimes Aqueduct, which carried water to the city of Nimes. At 160 ft (49 m)
tall, it’s the highest of all Roman aqueduct bridges. You can rent kayaks and row down the Gardon
River or swim and have a picnic in the shadow of the Pont du Gard.
10. Dune de Pilat (also called Dune de Pyla)
 It may not sound like much to say that the Dune de Pilat is the tallest sand dune in Europe, but trust
me when I say it’s pretty impressive. If you don’t believe me, just try to climb the darn thing! You
can use the convenient staircase that is set into the sand, or if you want a real challenge you can
tackle the mound without any assistance. (I recommend the stairs!) Once you’ve reached the top,
take a few minutes to enjoy the amazing view of the Atlantic Ocean (while you catch your breath),
or descend the other side of the dune and spend some time on the sandy beaches.
11. Carcassonne
 Carcassonne is a Medieval fortress city in the south of France not far from the Pyrenées Mountains.
The city has been restored so visitors are able to get an idea of what it looked like in the Middle
Ages. Within the city walls, you can visit the fortified castle (complete with a draw bridge!) and the
Basilique de St Nazaire et St Celse, a beautiful cathedral located a short distance from the castle.
12. Lascaux 2
 In 1940, a group of teenage boys stumbled upon one of the most extensive prehistoric cave systems
in the world. Located in the Dordogne region, these prehistoric caves give us a glimpse into the daily
life of Cromagnon Man. The original Lascaux cave is no longer open to the public, but visitors can
tour Lascaux 2, an exact replica of a large portion of the caves.
In the north:
13. Giverny
 Monet’s home & garden
 Japanese bridge from so many of Monet’s paintings
 About 50 miles northwest of Paris
14. Normandy beaches & Pont du Hoc
15. Veteran’s cemetary & D-Day museum
16. Mont St-Michel
 Island abbey of the coast of Normandy
 When the tide comes in it’s an island; when the tide is out it’s surrounded by quicksand except for
one raised roadway
 The island itself has a population of less than 50 people but more than 3 million people visit every
year
17. Rouen
 Aitre St-Maclou – originally a cemetery for victims of the Black Plague / ossuary
 Cathedral
 Gros Horloge
 Joan of Arc’s execution & trial
18. St Malo
 In Brittany
 Walled port city
 1700’s - Home of the corsairs (French privateers – pirates)
Of course, I recommend everyone visit the city of Paris at least once in so many amazing and interesting places,