1175 Best Sights in France

Built in 1901 to house the Vaxelaire department store, this imposing metallic façade is the last vestige of the work of Émile André and Eugène Vallin.

This elaborately-worked metal exoskeleton, the first in Nancy (1901), exudes functional beauty. The floral decoration is a reminder of the building's past as a seed supply store. Windows were worked by Jacques Gruber; the building was designed by Henri Gutton and his nephew Henry Gutton, while Frédéric Schertzer conceived the metal frame.

Housing the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, this 1908 building is remarkable for the Lorraine thistle (a civic emblem) and brewing hops woven into its undulating exterior. It was designed by architects Émile Toussaint and Louis Marchal, with Gruber's windows enhanced by the curving metalwork of Louis Majorelle.

Designed by architect Émile André, this lovely structure—now a bank—can be visited during business hours. You can still see the cabinetry of Louis Majorelle, the decor of Paul Charbonnier, and the stained glass windows of Jacques Gruber.

Furniture maker Eugène Vallin and architect Georges Biet left their mark on this graceful 1903 bank.

The church of Notre-Dame, with its fine, pinnacled south front, was built in the 15th and 16th centuries. This is a good starting point to visit the 10 or so other picturesque historical sites, from medieval postern gateways to the 14th-century St-Nicolas hospital chapel (now a museum of religious art) within town; other jewels, such as Madame de Sévigné's Château-Musée des Roches-Sévigné, are set in the nearby countryside. Inquire at the tourist office for details.

One of the city's oldest churches, Notre-Dame stands out with spindlelike towers, delicate arches gracing its facade, and 13th-century stained glass. Note the windows in the north transept tracing the lives of five saints, as well as the 11th-century Byzantine linden-wood Black Virgin. Local tradition has it that stroking the small owl sculpted on the outside wall of the adjoining chapel with your left hand grants you a wish.

Originally called Sancta Maria de Ecclesia Alba in Langue d'Oc and Ste-Marie de l'Église Blanche in French (alba and blanche both meaning "white"), the name of this church evolved into "de Albata" and later "Dalbade." Ironically, one of its outstanding features today is the colorful 19th-century ceramic tympanum over the Renaissance door.

The 18th-century Notre-Dame de la Daurade overlooks the Garonne. The church's name—derived from doré (gilt)—refers to the golden reflection given off by mosaics decorating the 5th-century temple to the Virgin Mary that once stood on this site. It's also known as Notre-Dame la Noire, a nod to the church's "Black Virgin," a figure of devout worship and dressed in special finery by designers, including Christian Lacroix.

Just east of Bandol on the D559, past the smaller resort of Sanary, as you turn left onto the D63 you'll see signs pointing to the small stone chapel of Notre-Dame de Pépiole. It's hemmed in by pines and cypresses and is one of the oldest Christian buildings in France, dating from the 6th century and modeled on early churches in the Middle East. The simple interior has survived the years in remarkably good shape, although the colorful stained glass that fills the tiny windows is modern—composed mainly of broken bottles.

If you have any energy left after exploring Louis XIV's palace and park, a tour of Versailles—a textbook 18th-century town—offers a telling contrast between the majestic and the domestic. From the front gate of Versailles's palace, turn left onto Rue de l'Independence-Américaine and walk over to Rue Carnot past the stately Écuries de la Reine—once the queen's stables, now the regional law courts—to octagonal place Hoche. Down Rue Hoche to the left is the powerful Baroque facade of Notre-Dame, built from 1684 to 1686 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart as the parish church for Louis XIV's new town.

Built on the spot where St-Saturnin (or Sernin), the martyred bishop of Toulouse, was dragged to his death in AD 250 by a rampaging bull, this church is famous for its cloche-mur, or wall tower. The wall looks like an extension of the facade and has inspired many similar versions throughout the region.

Just east of town on the Route de Fayence is the Romanesque chapel Notre-Dame-de-l'Ormeau, which contains a remarkable altarpiece dating from the 16th century. Sculpted portraits of the wise men and shepherds adoring the Christ child, strikingly real in emotion and gesture, contrast sharply with the simple ex-votos that pepper the walls. Guided visits (€5) take place throughout the year on Thursday at 4:30; you need to reserve with the tourist office (five-person minimum).

Towering above the city and visible for miles around, this overscaled neo-Byzantine basilica was erected in 1853 by Napoléon III. The interior is a Technicolor bonanza of red-and-beige stripes and glittering mosaics, and the gargantuan Madonna and Child on the steeple (almost 30 feet high) is covered in real gold leaf. While the panoply of ex-votos, mostly thanking the Virgin for deathbed interventions and shipwreck survivals, is a remarkable sight, most impressive are the views of the seaside city at your feet.

To find Picasso's final home, where he lived for 12 years until 1973, follow the D35 south of Mougins 2 km (1 mile) to the ancient ecclesiastical site of Notre-Dame-de-Vie. From his room, Picasso could see the 13th-century bell tower and arcaded chapel, a pretty ensemble once immortalized in a painting by Winston Churchill. The chapel, listed as a historical monument since 1927, is said to date from 1655. Approached through an allée of ancient cypresses, the former priory house Picasso shared with his wife, Jacqueline, overlooks the broad bowl of the countryside (now blighted with modern construction). Unfortunately, his residence was bought by a private investor and is now closed to the public.

At the end of Boulevard du Boramar is the 17th-century church of Notre-Dame-des-Anges. It has exuberantly carved, gilded churrigueresque altarpieces by celebrated Catalan master Joseph Sunyer and a pink-dome bell tower that doubled as the original lighthouse.

Walk into the old section of St-Jean-Pied-de-Port through the Porte de France, just behind and to the left of the tourist office; climb the steps on the left up to the walkway circling the ramparts; and stroll around to the stone stairway down to the Rue de l'Église. The church of Our Lady of the End of the Bridge, known for its magnificent Gothic Rayonnant doorway, is at the bottom of this cobbled street. Built in the 12th century and designated a church in the 13th century, it is a characteristically Basque three-tier structure.

With its twin spires, Romanesque nave, and early Gothic choir and vaults, the church of Notre-Dame-en-Vaux is one of the most imposing in Champagne. The small museum beside the excavated cloister contains outstanding medieval statuary.

The area's famous vein of natural ocher, which runs for about 25 km (16 miles) along the foot of the Vaucluse Plateau, has been mined for centuries, beginning with the ancient Romans, who used ocher for their pottery. Visit this museum housed in a former factory to learn more about ocher's extraction and its modern uses. English-language guided tours (50 minutes) are available. If the landscapes of Provence that inspired so many great artists have also inspired you, head for the on-site gift shop to pick up some bottled pigments or a set of ocher and indigo watercolors to use in your own creative endeavors.

The last vestiges of Toulon’s medieval and Renaissance past can be seen in this once-decrepit maze of narrow streets, alleyways, and squares that lies just behind the port. A targeted urban renewal plan has largely restored this storied quartier around the bustling Rue des Arts district, home to dozens of small galleries, cafés, boutiques, vintage shops, and bars. It also features murals and sculptures, like the trompe l’oeil painting on the Rue Chevalier Paul depicting the saucy ladies of the night who inhabited the famous red light district—still referred to by locals as Chicago—that catered to the sailors who once flocked here.

The barrel-vaulted Lyon Opera, a reincarnation of a moribund 1831 building, was designed by star French architect Jean Nouvel and built in the early 1990s. It incorporates a columned exterior, soaring glass vaulting, neoclassical public spaces, and an all-black interior.

Take a guided tour of Ortillopitz, a vintage Basque country manor. Its typical architecture and traditional furnishings give a glimpse into 17th-century farm life. The rural vistas are especially lovely.

Just 3 km (2 miles) south of Amboise on the road to Chenonceaux, the Pagode de Chanteloup is a remarkable sight—a 140-foot, seven-story, Chinese-style lakeside pagoda built for the duke of Choiseul in 1775. Children will enjoy puffing their way to the top for the vertigo-inducing views, but some adults will find the climb—and the 400-yard walk from the parking lot—a little arduous. You can take a 3D virtual tour of the former château that once stood on the grounds, in its only remaining pavilion, for an idea of its pre-destruction magnificence (it was demolished in 1823 for unknown reasons), then rent a little rowboat (€6 per hour) to float across the adjoining lake. It's worth a quick stop if you're in the area, especially for architecture buffs, and the views from the top are lovely.

The meeting place for the old regional Parliament of Burgundy serves as a reminder that Louis XI incorporated the province into France in the late 15th century.

This 19th-century, neoclassical courthouse complex occupies the site of the former royal palace of St-Louis that later housed Parliament until the French Revolution. It is recognizable from afar with the tower of Sainte-Chapelle, tucked inside the courtyard, peeking out. Although the new Renzo Piano–designed Palais de Justice in the 17e arrondissement handles the bulk of the caseload, this venerable edifice is now the court of appeals. Black-frocked judges can often be spotted taking a cigarette break on the majestic rear staircase facing Rue du Harlay.

Designed by Paris architect Henri Bernard in 1977, this continental landmark is headquarters to the Council of Europe, founded in 1949 and independent of the European Union. Guided tours (75 minutes) are availalbe only to groups of at least 15 people, and must be booked online.

Meander through the Vieille Ville, starting on the small island in the River Thiou, at the 12th-century Palais de l'Isle, once site of law courts and a prison, now a landmark. Like a stone ship, the small islet perches in midstream, surrounded by cobblestone quays, and is easily one of France's most photographed sights.

Fécamp is also the home of Bénédictine liqueur. The Palais de la Bénédictine, across from the tourist office, is a florid building dating to 1892 that mixes neo-Gothic and Renaissance styles. Watery pastiche or taste-tingling architectural cocktail? Whether you're shaken or stirred, this remains one of Normandy's most popular attractions. Fans will want to take advantage of mixology workshops, special meals, or guided tours. There's also a shop selling Bénédictine products and souvenirs.