120 Best Sights in France

The sculptor Ossip Zadkine spent nearly four decades living in this bucolic retreat near the Jardin du Luxembourg, creating graceful, elongated figures known for their clean lines and simplified features. Zadkine, a Russian-Jewish émigré, moved to Paris in 1910 and fell into a circle of avant-garde artists. His early works, influenced by African, Greek, and Roman art, later took a Cubist turn, no doubt under the influence of his friend, the founder of the Cubist movement, Pablo Picasso. This tiny museum displays a substantial portion of the 400 sculptures and 300 drawings bequeathed to the city by his wife, artist Valentine Prax. There are busts in bronze and stone reflecting the range of Zadkine's style, and an airy back room filled with lithe female nudes in polished wood. The charming, leafy garden contains a dozen statues nestled in the trees, including The Destroyed City, a memorial to the Dutch city of Rotterdam, destroyed by the Germans in 1940.

Restored in the 1990s as part of the revitalization of the city, this museum now ranks among the best in France. It takes special pride in its prized Flemish and Dutch collection, with works by Van Dyck, Rubens, and Brueghel. There are also equally impressive paintings, sculptures, and ceramics by Monet, Goya, and Delacroix. The prints and drawings room alone holds 30 pieces by Raphael. Originally established by decree by Napoléon Bonaparte in 1801, the museum moved into its current Belle Époque--style building in the late 19th century.

The exterior of this massive, neoclassical palace (1732–42) by architect Robert de Cotte may be austere, but there's plenty of glamour inside. Decorator Robert le Lorrain's magnificent ground-floor rooms include the great Salon d'Assemblée (Assembly Room) and the book- and tapestry-lined Bibliothèque des Cardinaux (Cardinals' Library). The library leads to a series of less august rooms that house the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Decorative Arts Museum) and its elaborate display of ceramics. This is a comprehensive presentation of works by Hannong, a porcelain manufacturer active in Strasbourg from 1721 to 1784. Dinner services by other local kilns reveal the influence of Chinese porcelain. The Musée des Beaux-Arts (Fine Arts Museum), also in the château, includes masterworks of European painting from Giotto and Memling to El Greco, Rubens, and Goya. Downstairs, the Musée Archéologique (Archaeology Museum) displays regional finds, including gorgeous Merovingian treasures.

Set amid gardens, vineyards, olive groves, and woods, this stunning outpost of a Paris-based foundation has a world-class art collection that would be right at home in any major city. The foundation is in a renovated farmhouse, whose historic status necessitated creating a separate space to house the art. The result was a 20,000-square-foot, belowground gallery, whose rooms are ingeniously illuminated via a ground-floor pool that doubles as a glass ceiling. You can also see dozens of site-specific works on a stroll through the property. Afterward, sip a glass of local wine at the on-site café.

Just north of the Esplanade des Quinconces (a sprawling square), this two-story museum is imaginatively housed in a converted 19th-century spice warehouse—the Entrepôt Lainé. Many exhibitions here showcase cutting-edge artists from France and all over the world.

Directly opposite the Maison Carrée and looking a bit like an airport terminal, the glass-fronted Carrée d'Art was designed by British architect Sir Norman Foster. It literally reflects the Maison Carrée's creamy symmetry and figuratively answers it with a featherlight deconstructed colonnade. In addition to a library and archives, the sleek, modern structure houses the Musée d'Art Contemporain (Contemporary Art Museum), with a permanent collection of works that date from 1960 and onward and fall into three categories: French painting and sculpture; English, American, and German works; and Mediterranean styles. There are often temporary exhibits of new work, too. Atop the museum, enjoy spectacular city views over lunch at the Ciel de Nîmes. The restaurant, which closes at 6 pm, is also an excellent spot for afternoon tea or a drink.

Set in a former presbytery in the heart of the village, this municipal photography museum looks "to support artistic creation through exhibitions, publications, and artist residencies." There's a bookshop on the main floor and two stories for temporary exhibitions.

Contemporary art enthusiasts should check out the Centre National d'Art Contemporain. Behind the train station in an out-of-the-way district, it's noted for its distinctive warehouse space and avant-garde collection.

A gracious 18th-century château houses the collections of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, de la Faïence, et de la Mode (Museum of Decorative Arts, Faïence, and Fashion). The bright exhibition rooms feature brilliant lacquered ceilings and installations by French artists and designers, all the better to show off the gorgeous tapestries; furniture; Marseille faience pottery dating from the early 17th century; 18th-century hand-painted murals; and fashions from the 15th to 21st century. Touring the museum, taking in the château's large park, and grabbing a bite to eat in the café is the perfect way to spend an afternoon in this lovely part of the city.

Set above split-level gardens, this 17th-century village château (also depicted by van Gogh) now houses a fascinating immersive museum. You'll receive a set of headphones (English available), with commentary that guides you past various tableaux illustrating life during the Impressionist years. Although there are no Impressionist originals—500 reproductions pop up on screens interspersed between the tableaux—this is one of France's most imaginative, enjoyable, and innovative museums. Some of the special effects, including talking mirrors, computerized cabaret dancing girls, and a simulated train ride past Impressionist landscapes, are worthy of Disney.

Built between 1920 and 1933, this project (also known as the Cité de la Création), was France's first attempt at low-income housing. Over the years, several tenants have contributed artwork in an effort to beautify the space. Most notably, 22 giant murals depicting the work of Tony Garnier, the turn-of-the-20th-century Lyon architect, were painted on the walls. Artists from around the world, with the support of UNESCO, have added their vision to the creation of the ideal housing project.

One of several museums dedicated to the Surrealist master, this exhibition space's permanent collection includes about 300 works, mostly etchings and lithographs. Among the two-dozen sculptures are versions of Dalí's melting bronze clock and variations on the Venus de Milo. Since he was a multimedia pioneer ahead of his time, there are videos with Dalí's voice, and temporary exhibits have included the mustachioed man's foray into holograms. There's plenty of information in English, and audio guides (meant more for children) can be rented for €3.

Located at the foot of the Pont des Invalides, this floating museum is well placed to bring art and culture “closer to Parisians,” one of its stated missions as part of the Reinventing the Seine project, launched in 2018. The barge’s 26 massive glass panels, designed to mirror the river, render it almost transparent, and its surprisingly spacious interiors exhibit a permanent collection of works from the pioneers of street art. Temporary shows in the barge’s hold and on the main floor showcase emerging talents. There’s also a café, bar, and bookstore on the first floor and the chic rooftop bar is a popular spot in summer when the barge features outdoor concerts and art openings.

In the unlikely setting of Bonnieux’s old train station, France’s leading museum for West African art showcases a scintillating array of contemporary works in several exhibitions a year. The museum was founded 20 years ago by Jean-Paul Blachère (owner of Blachère Illumination, which lights the Eiffel Tower, New York’s Fifth Avenue, and Harrod’s London), who became enthralled with contemporary African art three decades ago and has since dedicated himself to discovering and exhibiting the exceptional talents of West Africa and beyond.

There's no shortage of museums in Paris, but this eye-catching gallery may be the city's premier place to view cutting-edge art. Funded by luxury giant Cartier, the foundation is at once an architectural landmark, a traveling corporate collection, and an exhibition space. Architect Jean Nouvel's 1993 building looks rather like a glass house of cards, layered seamlessly between the boulevard and the garden. The foundation regularly hosts Soirées Nomades (Nomadic Nights) featuring lectures, dance, music, film, or fashion on various evenings. Some are in English. Family tours and creative workshops for children ages 6 to 12 are also available as are free guided tours (in French) of exhibits on Tuesday through Friday, depending on space.  There are plans for the Fondation Cartier to move to a new location in the Place du Palais-Royal in the 1e in late 2025.

Located in the beautifully restored 15th-century Hôtel Léautaud de Donines, this foundation pays homage to Van Gogh's legacy and monumental influence with an impressive range of artworks contributed by 90 contemporary artists. It also hosts temporary art exhibitions, concerts, and other cultural events. Van Gogh's 15-month stay in Arles represented a climax in the artist's career. Enchanted with Arles's limpid light, vibrant landscape, and scenic monuments, Van Gogh experienced here what was to be his greatest blossoming as a painter.

The elegant iron-and-glass, 19th-century market hall at the foot of Sacré-Coeur stages dynamic exhibitions of art brut, "raw" or outsider and folk art. The international artists featured are contemporary in style and outside the mainstream. There's also a good bookstore and a café serving light, well-prepared dishes, such as savory tarts and quiches with salad on the side, plus homemade desserts.

This dynamic museum is set in Tours's most extravagant example of early Renaissance domestic architecture and one of its most extensively restored historic monuments; the neighborhood was almost completely destroyed by German bombs in 1944—hence the decidedly less romantic architecture all around it. The beautiful creamy white building (worth seeing for the architecture alone) now hosts a changing program of contemporary art exhibitions featuring artists from around the world.

Worth a visit for the beauty and balance of its architecture alone, this fine old museum contains a rich collection of antiquities and classically inspired works. Acquisitions include neoclassical and Romantic pieces and are almost entirely French, including works by Manet, Daumier, and David. There's also a good modern section, with pieces by Bonnard, Dufy, and Camille Claudel (note Claudel's piece depicting her brother Paul, who incarcerated her in an insane asylum when her relationship with Rodin caused too much scandalous talk). The main building itself is a Palladian-style jewel in pale Gard stone dating from the 1740s, and the garden is so lovely that it may distract you from the art.

This Napoléon III–era building at the north entrance of the Jardin des Tuileries began life in 1861 as a place to play jeu de paume (or "palm game"), a forerunner of tennis. It later served as a transfer point for art looted by the Germans during World War II. Rather than a permanent collection, today the ultramodern, white-walled building provides a space for temporary exhibits from up-and-comers as well as icons such as Diane Arbus, Richard Avedon, Cindy Sherman, and Robert Frank. In 2022, the museum launched the first annual Jeu de Paume festival, a celebration of multiple media that marries exhibits, screenings, concerts, and more. Book your ticket in advance online for €12 or purchase on site for €13.

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.

This superb collection of major 18th- to 20th-century paintings and decorative arts was assembled by Parisian couturier Jacques Doucet (1853–1929), who befriended many of the major painters and writers of his day and, with an unerring eye, purchased—or funded—some of the great works of the 20th century (he was the original owner of Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon). He built this mansion toward the end of his life to house works by Degas, Van Gogh, Manet, Cézanne, Modigliani, and Picasso, along with important drawings, sculpture, photography, and furniture. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions.

Housed in the Bishop's Palace beneath the cathedral, the Musée Baron-Gérard (also known as the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Baron Gérard or MAHB) displays a fine collection of Bayeux porcelain and lace, plus ceramics from Rouen, vintage pharmaceutical jars, 16th- to 19th-century furniture, and paintings by local artists. Note the magnificent plane tree out front—dubbed the Tree of Liberty, it was planted in 1797.

Antoine Bourdelle was a lifelong artist and prolific sculptor who worked with Auguste Rodin before breaking away to pursue his own style. He received commissions for prestigious projects, both small and monumental, many of which are documented in his cavernous, former workplace. This lesser-known museum has undergone a few renovations and extensions but still has preserved some of the artist's original spaces as well as the small garden with towering sculptures.

Set in a beautifully restored 17th-century house, this lovely little museum has one of France's foremost collections of Fauve and Surrealist art. It's a must for fans of the genres, with paintings by Signac, Dufy, Léger, Ernst, Arp, and Bacon, as well as Kandinsky and Dubuffet.

One of the loveliest museums in Paris, this 16th-century, rococo-style mansion contains an outstanding collection of mostly 18th-century artwork in its rooms of boiserie (intricately carved wood paneling). A tour through them allows a rare glimpse into the lifestyle of wealthy 19th-century Parisians. Ernest Cognacq, founder of the department store La Samaritaine, and his wife, Louise Jay, amassed furniture, porcelain, and paintings—notably by Fragonard, Watteau, François Boucher, and Tiepolo—to create one of the world's finest private collections of this period. Some of the best displays are also the smallest, like the tiny enamel medallion portraits showcased on the second floor, and on the third floor, the glass cases filled with exquisite inlaid snuff boxes, sewing cases, pocket watches, perfume bottles, and cigar cutters. Exhibits are labeled in French only, but free pamphlets and €5 audioguides are available in English.

In the Beaux Arts district of Montpellier, discover this extraordinary collection of over 750 works devoted to the Art Brut (or "raw art") movement—artwork produced by self-taught artists spanning from the early 20th century to the outsider movements of today. The collection includes key works by marginal and obsessive artists, including some with worldwide recognition, including Aloïse Corbaz, Martin Ramirez, Augustin Lesage, Johann Hauser, and Adolf Wölfli.

The collection here includes paintings by Vernet and Fragonard, postwar abstract art, and works by the cartoon-influenced Di Rosa brothers.

Laon's art and archaeology museum has a collection of Mediterranean finds from the Bronze Age through the Gallo-Roman era that is second in importance only to that at the Louvre. Other highlights include fine 17th- and 18th-century paintings by celebrated local artists Mathieu Le Nain and Jean-Simon Berthélemy, as well as the chilling effigy of Guillaume de Harcigny, doctor to the insane Charles VI. The Chapelle des Templiers in the garden—a small, octagonal, 12th-century chapel topped by a shallow dome—houses fragments of the cathedral's gable.

Just up from the Fragonard perfumery, the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Provence is open daily and has a large collection of faience from the region, including works from the famous pottery towns of Moustiers, Biot, and Vallauris.