1175 Best Sights in France

A three-year restoration buffed this superb historic Art Deco building to a lustrous shine, all the better to highlight the 21 resident gourmet food stalls, offering everything from authentic Italian pizzas to Mediterranean, Provençal, South American, and classic French fare, including fresh oysters and shellfish to eat sur place at a table inside or outside on the terrace. The rooftop bar is a great place to watch the sunset over gourmet snacks and a glass of local wine.

More than 4 km (2½ miles) long, these crenellated walls and towers were built by the popes in the 14th century to keep out rampaging brigands and mercenary armies attracted by legends of papal wealth. They’re extraordinarily well preserved, thanks in part to the efforts of architect Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc, who restored the southern portion in the 19th century. Modern-day Avignon roars around its impervious walls on a noisy ring road that replaced a former moat.

Bertrand Duguesclin built this home for his wife Tiphaine in 1365. The former was a general fierce in his allegiance to the cause of French independence; the latter was a famed astrologer. Now a museum, the logis traces the couple's marital life through small rooms filled with period furnishings and artifacts—including a medieval chastity belt, armor, and astrological tools. It's an interesting stop, even if it can't offer the same return on investment as some of the Mont's more spectacular sights. 

This chic beach club and restaurant on Plage de Pampelonne offers a mix of elegance—with collaborations from houses such as Gucci—and relaxed Riviera atmosphere. Sun filters through a pergola where you can enjoy linguine with vongole, truffle pizza, sea bream carpaccio, or other Italian-inspired dishes on the menu designed by chef Benoît Dargère. The atmosphere gradually shifts from casual dining to lively beats up until closing time at 7 pm. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; showers; valet parking; water sports. Best for: swimming; partiers.

Since 1933, systematic excavations have unearthed vestiges of Lyon's opulent Roman precursor. The statues, mosaics, vases, coins, and tombstones are excellently displayed in this partially subterranean museum next to the Roman theaters. The large, bronze Table Claudienne is inscribed with part of Emperor Claudius's address to the Roman Senate in AD 48, conferring senatorial rights on the Roman citizens of Gaul.

This popular attraction tells the story of Joan of Arc in well-translated videos. As visitors tour the Archbishop's Palace, they follow in Joan's footsteps—she was condemned to death here in 1431 and pardoned posthumously in 1456 following a trial on the second floor.

This gargantuan building, the region's second largest historic monument after Avignon’s Palais des Papes, was built between 1750 and 1789 by Dom Malachie d’Inguimbert, Bishop of Carpentras, as a hospital to serve the sick and poor as well as to house physicians, nurses, and pharmacists. Indeed the pharmacy here is one of the last remaining originals in France (open on French Journées Européennes du Patrimoine in September).

Declared a historic monument in 1862, the building closed in 2002 and was restored between 2009 and 2024, reopening as a state-of-the-art library and museum, exhibiting a wealth of medieval texts, fine paintings, and 80,000 rare historic books and musical manuscripts. The exceptional collection tells the story of the Comtat Venaissin from prehistory to modern times. The building also houses a bookstore and a café opening onto a terrace with views of the Mont Ventoux. A large courtyard serves as an open-air cultural space for pop, classical, and jazz concerts.

The mairie (town hall) of the 6e arrondissement often stages impressive free art exhibitions and concerts. Stop by the accueil (reception desk) on the ground floor to see what's on or to pick up information on other timely happenings around this artsy district.

On a busy downtown square, this exquisitely preserved temple strikes a timeless balance between symmetry and whimsy, purity of line and richness of decoration. Modeled on the Temple to Apollo in Rome, adorned with magnificent limestone columns and elegant pediments, the Maison Carrée remains one of the most noble surviving structures of ancient Roman civilization anywhere.

Built around 5 BC and dedicated to Caius Caesar and his brother, Lucius, the temple has survived subsequent use as a medieval meeting hall, an Augustinian church, a storehouse for Revolutionary archives, and a horse shed. In addition to hosting temporary art and photo exhibitions, it contains a permanent display of photos and drawings of ongoing archaeological work. Don't miss the splendid Roman fresco of Cassandra (being dragged by her hair by a hunter) that was discovered in 1992 and carefully restored. There's also a fun 3-D projection of the heroes of Nîmes.

One of the Rhône's great names and a leader in biodynamic wine-making, this is a stellar place for tasting and stocking up on all the best Chapoutier vintages from both sides of the river and around France. Tastings are free for parties of five or fewer, and an extensive program of workshops, evenings, and events pairing wines with food, truffles, and chocolate (many in English) helps you explore the full range of these world-class wines. Chapoutier also offers full- or half-day tours of the vineyards on electric bikes, with backpack, water, helmet, and snacks provided.

The modest home of the great French 19th-century writer Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850) contains exhibits charting his tempestuous yet prolific career. Balzac penned nearly 100 novels and stories known collectively as The Human Comedy, many of them set in Paris. You can still feel his presence in his study and pay homage to his favorite coffeepot—his working hours were fueled by a tremendous consumption of the "black ink." He would escape his creditors by exiting the flat through a secret passage that led down to what is now the Musée du Vin.

During the 10-day Siege of Orléans in 1429, 17-year-old Joan of Arc stayed on the site of the Maison de Jeanne d'Arc. This faithful reconstruction of the house she knew contains exhibits about her life and costumes and weapons of her time. Several dioramas modeled by Lucien Harmey recount the main episodes in Joan's saintly saga, from the audience at Chinon to the coronation at Reims, her capture at Compiègne, and her burning at the stake at Rouen.

Headquarters to France's state broadcasting company, this imposing, circular, 1963 building is more than 500 yards in circumference. It's said to have more floor space than any other building in the country and features a 200-foot tower that overlooks the Seine. Radio France sponsors 100-plus concerts a year, including performances by its own Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and the Orchestre National de France. Though the concerts take place at venues throughout the city, a great number are held here, and they're generally inexpensive. French-only building tours are offered on various days at various times. Check the website for current information.

Opposite the town hall, the Auberge Ravoux—where van Gogh lived and died—is now the Maison de Van Gogh. The inn opened in 1876 and owes its name to Arthur Ravoux, the landlord from 1889 to 1891. He had seven lodgers in all, who paid 3.50 francs for room and board (that was cheaper than the other inns in Auvers, where 6 francs was the going rate). A dingy staircase leads up to the tiny attic where van Gogh stored some of modern art's most iconic paintings under his bed. A short film retraces the artist's time at Auvers, and there's a well-stocked souvenir shop. Stop for a drink or lunch in the ground-floor restaurant.

France's most famous scribe lived in this house on the southeast corner of Place des Vosges between 1832 and 1848. It's now a museum dedicated to the multitalented author. In Hugo's apartment on the second floor, you can see the tall desk, next to the short bed, where he began writing his masterwork Les Misérables (as always, standing up). There are manuscripts and early editions of the novel on display, as well as others such as Notre-Dame de Paris, known to English readers as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. You can see illustrations of Hugo's writings, including Bayard's rendering of the impish Cosette holding her giant broom (which has graced countless Les Miz T-shirts). The collection includes many of Hugo's own, sometimes macabre, ink drawings (he was a fine artist), and furniture from several of his homes. Particularly impressive is the room of carved and painted Chinese-style wooden panels that Hugo designed for the house of his mistress, Juliette Drouet, on the island of Guernsey, when he was exiled there for agitating against Napoléon III. Try to spot the intertwined Vs and Js (hint: look for the angel's trumpet in the left corner). A recent restoration not only spiffed up the house but made the museum fully accessible to people with physical or mental disabilities and impaired sight or hearing, with improved touch screens and audioguides. It also added a lovely garden terrace and a café by Paris's famous pastry shop Maison Mulot.

Up the street from the Ancienne Douane on the Grande-Rue, the Maison des Arcades was built in 1606 in High Renaissance style with a series of arched porches (arcades) anchored by two octagonal towers.

Old-time Jacquard looms are still in action at this historic house in La Croix Rousse, and the weavers are happy to show children how the process works. The boutique is a great place to stock up on a colorful range of silk, wool, and linen scarves—all made in Lyon.

Just a few steps from city hall and an 18th-century church, this spot offers a unique introduction to the local wines via a tasting machine that dispenses a revolving selection of 12 of the finer local appellations, including six distinctive reds, a color less associated with Sancerre (€2–€16). Downstairs, visitors can get the whole story through a 3D presentation on the soils and climate that give the wines their character, and then follow a friendly bee in the rollicking—literally—six-seat cinema through the whole wine-making process. Afterwards, you can shop in the boutique and enjoy the gardens and panoramic views of Sancerre and its vineyards on the terrace.

Built in 1529, this former goldsmith’s house is notable for the five sculpted heads (têtes) protruding above the second-floor windows. The central figure is thought to depict the owner, while the outer characters represent the exotic countries he traded with. The building façade is original, but the heads themselves are copies. You can see four of the originals in the Musée de la Cour d’Or while the fifth is displayed in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Saumur is the heart of one of the finest wine regions in France. To pay a call on some of the vineyards around the city, first stop into the Maison des Vins d'Anjou et de Saumur for the full scoop on hours and directions.

The surrealist artist, photographer, and poet Dora Maar purchased this 18th-century manor in 1944 and spent her summers here in solitude until her death in the 1990s. Although famous for being Picasso’s lover and muse, Maar was already an established photographer when she met the artist. The house, now an artists’ residence, offers a glimpse of her life in elegant rooms with magnificent Luberon views. It’s easy to imagine her quietly gathering inspiration for her landscapes and poetry. There’s also a bookstore. Book your visit on the website.

Opposite the church, this chapter house is the finest medieval building in town. Once used as a barn for storing grain, its wood-beam roof is constructed of chestnut to repel insects.

This 17th-century mansion is one of Lyon's oldest. In the courtyard you can glimpse a charming garden and the original Tour Rose, an elegant pink tower. In those days, the higher the tower, the greater the prestige. This one was owned by a tax collector.

The former home of van Gogh's closest friend in Auvers, Dr. Paul Gachet, is a local landmark. Documents and mementos evoke both van Gogh's stay and Gachet's passion for the avant-garde art of his era. The good doctor was himself the subject of one of the artist's most famous portraits (and the world's second-most-expensive painting when it sold for $82 million in the late 1980s); the actual creation of it was reenacted in the 1956 biopic, Lust for Life, starring Kirk Douglas. Even his house was immortalized on canvas, courtesy of Cézanne. A friend and patron to many of the artists who settled in and visited Auvers in the 1880s, Gachet also contributed to their artistic education by teaching them about engraving processes. Don’t overlook the garden—it provided the ivy that covers van Gogh's grave in the cemetery across town.

Take a look at Albi's finest restored traditional house, the Maison du Vieil Albi.

Behind the stately facade of this 15th-century medieval-Renaissance dwelling carved into a sheer rock face lies a massive prehistoric structure now complete with a kitchen, ceremonial hall, chapel, arms rooms, a dungeon, bedrooms (with stunning panoramas from 120 feet high), and more, all decked out in authentic period furnishings as though the inhabitants had just stepped out for a stroll. This historic monument is one of the most intriguing and surprising sights in the area (and that's saying a lot).

The most difficult Paris museum to get a ticket to these days is the Serge Gainsbourg House and Museum, a must for die-hard fans of the talented (and infamous) musician-composer. Due to its small size, only a handful of visitors are admitted every hour so be sure to book your ticket before you arrive (spots often book up months in advance).

Born Lucien Ginsburg in Paris in 1928, Serge Gainsbourg wrote multiple hits for top pop artists along with performing several of his own, becoming well-known for his adept play on words and provocative lyrics. His most famous song, "Je t’aime . . . moi non plus (I love you . . . me neither)", recorded in 1969 with romantic partner Jane Birkin, was banned by the Vatican for its blatant eroticism, but the single sold millions around the world. Gainsbourg died in 1991 but the house where he lived on the Rue de Verneuil stayed in the family and is now easily recognizable by its front wall, lovingly graffitied with tributes and portraits since the day of the artist's death. A 30-minute, auto-guided tour is narrated by Gainsbourg's daughter with Birkin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, who takes visitors through her childhood house, recounting her memories and describing her father’s love for the objects that surrounded him. After the tour, visitors can continue across the street to a small museum that has a chronology of recordings (in the original French with English subtitles) of the many interviews Gainsbourg gave over the years, along with additional Gainsbourg-related memorabilia.

Jules Verne (1828–1905) spent his last 35 years in Amiens, and his former home contains some 15,000 documents about his life as well as original furniture and a reconstruction of the writing studio where he created his science-fiction classics. If you're a true Jules Verne fan, you might also want to visit his final resting place in the Cimetière de la Madeleine ( 2 rue de la Poudrière), where he is melodramatically portrayed pushing up his tombstone as if enacting his own sci-fi resurrection.

Take a tour of the twin-tower Maison Louis-XIV. Built as the Château Lohobiague, it housed the French king during his nuptials and is austerely decorated in 17th-century Basque fashion.