1176 Best Sights in France

This large village, with its promenade running the length of the pebble beach, is renowned for the magnificent tall rock formations that extend out into the sea. The Falaises d'Étretat are white cliffs that are as famous in France as Dover's are in England—and have been painted by many artists, Claude Monet chief among them.

A stunning white-sand beach and white-chalk rocks, such as the \"Manneporte\"—a limestone portal likened by author Guy de Maupassant to an elephant dipping its trunk into water—are major elements in the composition. Here Monet became a pictorial rock climber with the help of his famous \"slotted box,\" built with compartments for six different canvases, allowing him to switch midstream from painting to painting as weather patterns momentarily changed. With storms and sun alternating hour by the hour, you'll quickly understand why they say, \"Just wait: in Normandy we have great weather several times a day!\"—it was yet another reason why the Impressionists, intent on capturing the ephemeral, so loved this town.

At low tide it's possible to walk through the huge archways formed by the rocks to neighboring beaches. The biggest arch is at the Falaise d'Aval, to the south, and for a breathtaking view of the whole bay be sure to climb the easy path up to the top. From here you can hike for miles across the Manneporte Hills, or play a round of golf on one of Europe's windiest and most scenic courses, overlooking L'Aiguille (The Needle), a 300-foot spike of rock jutting out of the sea just offshore. To the north towers the Falaise d'Amont, topped by the gloriously picturesque chapel of Notre-Dame de la Garde.

The plunging chalk cliffs of Étretat are so gorgeous and strange that they seem surreal at first—the hordes of camera-toting visitors, however, can bring you back to reality quickly. So plan on heading for the cliffs in early morning or early evening.

This museum, which replaced the Mougins Museum of Classic Art, has heralded a female-forward artistic focus. Around a hundred works created by nearly 90 female artists from around the world are on display. The four floors house paintings, sculptures, and photographs by major artists—Barbara Hepworth, Frida Kahlo, Berthe Morisot, Blanche Hoschedé-Monet, and Tracey Emin—who have shaped key artistic movements from Impressionism to 21st-century contemporary art.

Since legendary couturier Azzedine Alaïa's death in 2017, his atelier—tucked away on a quiet leafy street—has become a pilgrimage spot for those who revered his exquisite, masterfully tailored couture and ready-to-wear masterpieces. Housed in a soaring glass-roofed building, the foundation mounts brilliant exhibitions dedicated to Alaïa, whose luxurious, form-fitting creations enhanced the silhouettes of generations of fashion icons from Greta Garbo to Naomi Campbell. You’ll also want to peruse the foundation's superb bookstore and the cozy café serving lunch, coffee, and drinks inside or in the leafy courtyard in warm weather.

Henri Cartier-Bresson, the legendary artist-photojournalist and co-creator of the Magnum photo agency, launched this foundation with his wife Martine Franck, a British-Belgian portrait and documentary photographer, and their daughter Melanie. The soaring, light-filled gallery showcases a collection of 50,000 original prints along with an exceptional series of solo exhibitions from notable photographers. The foundation's bookstore itself is a draw for photography buffs.

Maison La Roche is a must-see for architecture and design lovers. Built as a residence in 1923, it’s a stellar example of Swiss architect Le Corbusier's innovative construction techniques based on geometric forms, recherché color schemes, and a visionary use of iron and concrete. The sloping ramp that replaces the traditional staircase is one of the most eye-catching features. Hour-long English tours are available (four-person minimum) by advance booking.

Rising up out of the Bois de Boulogne like a magnificent ship sporting billowing crystal sails, Frank Gehry’s contemporary-art museum and cultural center is the most captivating addition to the Parisian skyline since the unveiling of the Centre Pompidou in 1977. Commissioned by Bernard Arnault (chairman and CEO of luxury-goods conglomerate LVMH), the museum, which opened in 2014, houses Arnault’s substantial private collection, including pieces by Pierre Huyghe, Gerhard Richter, Thomas Schütte, Ellsworth Kelly, Bertrand Lavier, Taryn Simon, Sarah Morris, and Christian Boltanski, among others. La Fondation Louis Vuitton also hosts extensive temporary exhibitions, like the mesmerizing light installations of Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson. Le Frank, the pricey on-site restaurant overseen by Michelin-starred chef Jean-Louis Nomicos, is noted for its sophisticated mix of French and international cuisine. The museum is a 12-minute walk from Les Sablons métro on Line 1; alternatively, you can catch the Fondation shuttle (€2 for a return ticket), which leaves every 10–15 minutes from Avenue de Friedland at Place de l’Étoile.

Many people come to St-Paul-de-Vence just to visit France’s most important private art foundation, founded in 1964 by art dealer Aimé Maeght. High above the medieval town, the small modern art museum attracts 200,000 visitors a year. It's an extraordinary marriage of the arc-and-plane architecture of Josep Sert; the looming sculptures of Miró, Moore, and Giacometti; the mural mosaics of Chagall; and the humbling hilltop setting, complete with pines, vines, and flowing planes of water.

On display is an intriguing and ever-varying parade of important works by modern masters, including Chagall's wise and funny late-life masterpiece La Vie (Life). Two newer extensions provide additional exhibition, performance, and conference space, as well as panoramic windows opening to the extensive grounds. The impressive vistas help to beguile even those who aren't into modern art. Café F, should you need time to reflect, is open year-round. Contact the tourist office for a private guided visit in English (€11 plus discounted admission rate of €14).

As the father of "op-art," Victor Vasarely has taken his rightful place among the great artists of the later 20th century. A visit to this exhilarating museum, a short drive or bus ride (lines 2 and 20) from Aix center, will delight art lovers (even those who aren't fans of the genre) of all ages. The building itself is an architectural wonder, composed of 16 hexagonal galleries each housing six of the artist's monumental tapestries, mosaics, paintings, or sculptures. Upstairs, a detailed timeline of Vasarely's life and work reveals the versatility and genius of an artist both of and ahead of his time.

Housed in a stately Belle Époque mansion set on the river, this vibrant contemporary sculpture center is one of the most respected establishments of its kind in Provence. Its talented, far-sighted curators scour the European arts scene for ingenious theme shows that mix established names with up-and-coming sculptors. While the shows change only once a year, they are always revelatory, with artwork cleverly installed in every room of the house, including the old shower stalls, the pretty garden, and even from trees hanging over the canal.

Following on the heels of the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris (and helmed by its former director), this drop-dead gorgeous exhibition space, housed in the same building as the Dior flagship boutique store and restaurant, inaugurated a new direction for Dior, fusing fashion and culture, in 2022. The permanent exhibition showcases groundbreaking designs from all of the house's great designers—from Yves Saint Laurent and Gianfranco Ferré to John Galliano and Maria Grazia Chiuri—and of course iconic pieces from the master himself. This primer on the history of Paris fashion is an absolute must-see for fashion buffs, and afterward, you may be inspired to pop into the Avenue Montaigne boutique for some shopping or a quick pick-me-up at the superchic café.

Considered the grande dame of Paris's 19th-century passages couverts—the world's first shopping malls—this graceful arcade evokes an age of gaslights and horse-drawn carriages. Parisians once came to passages like this one to tread tiled floors instead of muddy streets; to see and be seen browsing boutiques under the glass-and-iron roofs. Today, the Galerie Vivienne still attracts unique retailers selling clothing, accessories, and housewares. La Marelle (No. 25) stocks secondhand designer labels, and wine merchant Legrand Filles et Fils ( 1 rue de la Banque) is the place for an upscale tasting. The Place des Victoires, a few steps away, is one of Paris's most picturesque squares. In the center is a statue of an outsized Louis XIV (1643–1715), the Sun King, who appears almost as large as his horse.

The stunning Byzantine glass coupole (dome) of the city's most famous department store is not to be missed. Amble to the center of the main store, amid the perfumes and cosmetics, and look up. If you're not shopping, visit the (free) first-floor Galerie des Galeries, an art gallery devoted to fashion, applied arts, and design; or have lunch at one of the many restaurants, including Créatures rooftop bar and restaurant in the main store, with its panoramic city views. Chic Café Coutume, on the third level under the main building's famous coupole, serves craft coffee and delicious snacks. If you prefer a Champagne brunch, stop in at the Wine Gate, with 100 wines to taste with gourmet bites and views of the coupole up close. The top floor of the main store is a good place to pick up interesting Parisian souvenirs. Across the street in Galeries Maison, the gourmet food hall has one of the city's best selections of delicacies and several restaurants, including Top Chef Pierre Sang's Korean delights and elegant La Maison de la Truffe lunch bar. Don't miss Duclot La Cave on Galeries Maison/Gourmet's first floor, where 2,500 bottles of wine from France and around the world are on display—you can sample dozens of them at the semicircular wine bar.

You are here for one reason only: to explore the extraordinary Gorges du Verdon, also known as—with only slight exaggeration over another, more famous version—the Grand Canyon. Through the eons, the jewel-green torrent of the Verdon River has chiseled away the limestone plateau and gouged a spectacular gorge lined with steep white cliffs and sloping rock falls carpeted with green forest. The jagged bluffs, roaring water, and dense wild boxwood create a savage world of genuinely awe-inspiring beauty, whether viewed from dozens of cliff-top overlooks or explored from the wilderness below.

If you're driving from La Palud, follow the dramatic Route des Crêtes circuit (D23), a white-knuckle cliff-hanger not for the faint of heart. When you approach and leave La Palud, you'll do it via D952 between Castellane and Moustiers, with several breathtaking overlooks. The best of these is the Point Sublime, at the east end. Leave your car by the hotel-restaurant and walk to the edge, holding tight to dogs and children—that's a 2,834-foot drop to the bottom. You can also access the famous drive along D71, called the Route de la Corniche Sublime, from Moustiers. Top lookout points here are the Horserider's Cliff, the Balcon de la Mescla, and the Pont de l'Artuby bridge.

Several trails converge in this prime hiking territory. The most spectacular is the branch of the GR4 that follows the bed of the canyon itself, along the Sentier Martel. This dramatic trek, beginning at the Chalet de la Maline and ending at the Point Sublime, was created in the 1930s by the Touring-Club de France and named for one of the gorge's first explorers. Easier circuits leave from the Point Sublime on sentiers de découverte (trails with commentary) into the gorge known as Couloir Samson.

Had Jules Verne (a son of Nantes) and Leonardo da Vinci somehow got together when they were both in a particularly whimsical frame of mind, they may well have established this unique and engaging workshop-gallery. Their spirit certainly lives on in the imaginative, artistic, and mechanically brilliant creations that are built and displayed here. The Grand Eléphant gets most attention—hardly surprising, since the 50-ton giant, just short of 40 feet high, regularly \"ambles\" along the quay carrying 49 passengers. Inside the gallery are works in many shapes and sizes—some of them interactive—and you can watch more being made in the workshop on weekdays. The eye-popping Carrousel des Mondes Marins (Marine Worlds Carousel) is located just outside the gallery on the banks of the Loire.

With its curved-glass roof and sinuous Belle Époque ornamentation, you can't miss the Grand Palais, whether you're approaching from the Seine or the Champs-Élysées. This larger structure forms an elegant duo with the Petit Palais across Avenue Winston Churchill. Both buildings, adorned with colorful mosaics and elegant sculpted friezes, were built for the 1900 World's Fair and, like the Eiffel Tower, were not intended to be permanent. After more than 120 years of wear-and-tear, the graceful stone, glass, and cast-iron structure finally closed for a four-year restoration. Though some Olympic events were held here in summer 2024, the structure fully reopened in spring 2025, gleaming and ready for an exciting schedule of art shows and annual events, including Saut Hermès international horse-jumping competition; the Art Paris contemporary art fair; Taste of Paris, featuring culinary creations from France's leading chefs; Grand Palais des Glaces, when the immense nave transforms into an ice skating rink with music and lights; and an exciting program of international art shows.

The grandest stables in France were built by Jean Aubert in 1719 to accommodate 240 horses and 500 hounds used for stag and boar hunting in the forests nearby. Now with 30 breeds of horses and ponies living here in straw-lined comfort, the palatial stables function as the Musée Vivant du Cheval (Living Horse Museum). Equine history is explored through an array of artifacts, prints, paintings, textiles, sculptures, equipment, and weaponry. Visitors can also enjoy the elaborate horse shows and dressage demonstrations year-round; check the website for dates and times.

Lourdes wouldn't even be on the map if it weren't for this deep grotto near the Gave de Pau where 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous first claimed to see visions of the Virgin Mary in 1858. Church authorities initially reacted with skepticism: it took four years for the miracle to be authenticated by Rome and a sanctuary erected over the grotto. In 1864 the first organized procession was held, and now there are six official annual pilgrimages between Easter and All Saints' Day, the most important being on August 15. In fall and winter there are far fewer visitors—a plus for those seeking tranquility.

Want an up-close look at Cro-Magnon cave drawings? Those at les Combarelles are considered among the best in the world. Although traces of pigments have been found, the colors have long since vanished, leaving the sinuous graven outlines of woolly mammoths, cave bears, lions, and astonishingly lifelike reindeer. There are well over 600 drawings all told, and seeing them is an almost mystical experience, especially since only 40 people are admitted per day. Hour-long tours are available in English at 11:15 am; guides on other tours may speak English, but it’s the luck of the draw. Just note that this is not a spot for the claustrophobic—the winding 1,000-foot-long cavern is 6½ feet tall and, at most, 3 feet wide.

Font-de-Gaume is the last French cave with polychrome paintings that remains open to the public. Though discovered in the late 1800s, it wasn't until the early 20th century that the importance of the artwork (dating back to around 17,000 BC) was recognized by archaeologists. Astonishingly graceful animal figures, many at eye level, include woolly mammoths, horses, reindeer, rhinos, and more. The cave's masterpiece is a grouping of five large superimposed bison in vivid color that was uncovered in 1966 during a routine cleaning. Like similar representations in Lascaux, the sophisticated shading techniques used for their bellies and thighs create a stunning impression of dimensionality and movement. Guided tours run every 40 minutes, but only 80 visitors are admitted each day.

One of the region's most famous wine-producing châteaux is actually within the city limits: follow N250 southwest from central Bordeaux for 3 km (2 miles) to the district of Pessac, home to Haut-Brion, producer of the only non-Médoc wine to be ranked a premier cru (the most elite wine classification). It's claimed that the very buildings surrounding the vineyards create their own microclimate, protecting the precious grapes and allowing them to ripen earlier. The white château looks out over the celebrated pebbly soil. The wines produced at La Mission–Haut Brion (Domaine Clarence Dillon), across the road, are almost as sought-after. Visits are by request only and should be booked at least two months in advance online.

This splendid museum is the closest you'll get to Versailles in Paris. It took more than 200 skilled artisans and nearly $160 million to achieve what is hands down Paris’s most ravishing museum to date, allowing the public a glimpse behind the elegant facade of a masterpiece of French 18th-century interior design for the first time in 250 years. No detail was overlooked in the restoration: wallpaper and curtains were painted or sewed by hand using the original 18th-century techniques; the woodwork was painstakingly stripped, restored, and gilded by master craftspeople; and decorative features were created in Paris’s most rarified workshops. 

The mansion is one of two twin structures built in 1758 for Louis XV to mark a new square created in his honor (now Place de la Concorde). Both buildings sat unused before the eastern facade—now the Hôtel de Crillon—was auctioned off to the Duc d’Aumont. The western edifice became the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne, the institution in charge of selecting, maintaining, and storing the king’s furniture. In 1789, it became the headquarters for the navy ministry, which remained in the building for 226 years. The decrees ending slavery and the slave trade in France were signed here in 1794. Visitors can learn about the building's history through state-of-the-art interactive displays in the grand ballroom and loggia, a sprawling balcony facing Place de la Concorde with impressive views of the Assemblée Nationale and the Eiffel Tower. You can take a guided visit (in English) or grab a state-of-the-art headset; well worth it to discover the museum's fascinating history.

The museum also houses the exquisite Al Thani collection, featuring objects and artwork spanning 6,000 years and myriad civilizations, as well as an outpost of the Cordon Bleu cooking school ( www.cordonbleu.edu/paris-hoteldelamarine). The waiting room retains lovely details of the historic mansion while classrooms are equipped with top-of-the-line culinary equipment. At stations designed for two students, participants in these hands-on ateliers glean the secrets of French cuisine from professional chefs; while classes are taught in French, expert interpreters are always present to ensure English-speakers reap the full benefits. Classes start at €33 for a one-hour demonstration, but spring for the €110 two-hour Capitaine or €165 three-hour Amiral for the fullest experience.

Another great pleasure of your visit is lunch, teatime, or a cocktail at the romantic Café Lapérouse (offshoot of the historic Paris restaurant) or Mimosa, across the courtyard, helmed by chef Jean-François Piège, one of the city's star chefs. Both restaurants offer sumptuous interiors and outdoor dining in the interior courtyard or under the pillars overlooking Place de la Concorde.

Part museum, part cabinet of curiosities, this 14th-century mansion in the heart of Cavaillon, a medieval town 15 km (9 miles) west of Ménerbes, is an extraordinary repository. Its five floors contain architectural and archaeological artifacts (some found in an on-site dig), religious relics, ancient books and prints, tapestries, and musical instruments. In addition, a remarkable collection of art includes everything from masterpieces by Caravaggio and Artemesia Gentileschi to modern works by Victor Vasarely and Cy Twombly—each illustrating, in its own unique way, the story of this fascinating region. Even the garden is a wonder, harboring the remains of Hellenistic and Roman temples. Visits, by reservation only, can be made on the website.

Just across the square from the cathedral is the Hôtel Groslot, a Renaissance-era extravaganza bristling with caryatids, strap work, and Flemish columns. Inside are regal salons redolent of the city's history (this used to be the Town Hall); they're done up in the most sumptuous 19th-century Gothic Troubadour style and perhaps haunted by King François II, who died here in 1560 by the side of his bride, Mary, Queen of Scots.

From the drop-off point on Île Ste-Marguerite, walk left for 10 minutes to see the Fort Royal. Built by Richelieu and improved by Vauban, the fort offers views over the ramparts to the rocky island coast and the open sea. On the southern side of the island, you'll have to get wet to see the underwater eco-museum: its six statues are submerged 92 to 144 yards from the shore at a depth of 10 to 16 feet. The island's two restaurants—L'Escale and La Guérite (a favorite of Sir Elton John's, who has given an impromptu performance here)—are both closed from mid-October to spring. They're also rather pricey; you are paying for food with a view. Public toilets are accessible.

Opened in 1640 and once known as the Jardin du Roi (King's Garden), this sprawling patch of greenery is a neighborhood gem. It's home to several gardens and various museums, all housed in 19th-century buildings that blend glass with ornate ironwork. The botanical and rose gardens are impressive, and plant lovers won't want to miss the towering greenhouses (serres in French)—they are filled with one of the world's most extensive collections of tropical and desert flora. If you have kids, take them to the excellent Grande Galerie de l'Évolution or one of the other natural history museums here: the Galerie de Paléontologie, replete with dinosaur and other skeletons, and the recently renovated Galerie de Minéralogie. If the kids prefer fauna, visit the Ménagerie, a small zoo founded in 1794 whose animals once fed Parisians during the 1870 Prussian siege. The star attractions are Nénette, the grande-dame orangutan from Borneo, and her swinging friends in the monkey and ape house. If you need a break, there are three kiosk cafés in the Jardin.

Set 1,310 feet above sea level, this is one of the Riviera's most visited sites. Full of rare succulents and Jean-Philippe Richard sculptures, the botanical garden is also blessed with superlative views: from this crest-top locale you can pan all the way from Italy to St-Tropez—on a clear day, you can even see Corsica. Just a few feet from the entrance, take a timeout lunch at Le Nid d'Aigle, an inexpensive eatery that features focaccias and salads and is quaintly set on stone levels rising up around a tall tree.

For Périgord Noir at its most enchanting, head to the heavenly heights of this hilltop garden in Vézac, just south of Beynac. Founded in 1682, its design—including a parterre of topiaries—was greatly influenced by André le Nôtre, the \"green geometer\" of Versailles. Shaded paths bordered by 150,000 hand-pruned boxwoods are graced with breathtaking viewpoints, rock gardens, waterfalls, and verdant glades. From the belvedere 400 feet above the river, there's an exceptional view of the Dordogne Valley. For a unique and romantic perspective, the garden stays open until midnight under candlelight each Thursday in July and August. You can drink in panoramic views from the terrace of the tea salon, from March to mid-November.

On a site occupied since the Gallo-Roman period, this picturesque 11th- to 12th-century priory—designated a Historic Monument by the French Ministry of Culture—presides over 10 acres of themed gardens. The restored priory, with well-preserved Gothic and Romanesque flourishes, houses an ethnological museum that provides insight into the region's various cultures. The garden preserves 2,500 species of native plants and flowers and is organized into five themed areas—like "simple gardens and village plants," which includes field and cultivated plants that were both consumed and used medicinally. There's also a medieval garden, a fragrant garden with benches under the roses and honeysuckle for maximum sensory effect, and a modern "exotic" garden that crosses five continents.

La Cité de Carcassonne is the original fortified part of the town, often first glimpsed as a fairy-tale-like castle floating on a distant hilltop when approaching by car. Legend has it that Charlemagne laid siege to the original settlement here early in the 9th century, only to be outdone by one Dame Carcas—a clever woman who boldly fed the last of the city's wheat to a pig in full view of the would-be conqueror. Thinking this indicated endless food supplies (and an endless siege), Charlemagne promptly decamped, and the exuberant townsfolk named their city after her. During the 13th century, Louis IX (St-Louis) and his son Philip the Fair strengthened Carcassonne's fortifications—so much so that the town came to be considered inviolable by marauding armies and was duly nicknamed \"the virgin of Languedoc.\"

A town that can never be taken in battle is often abandoned, however, and for centuries thereafter Carcassonne remained under a Sleeping Beauty spell. It was only awakened during the 19th-century craze for chivalry and the Gothic style, when, in 1835, the historic-monument inspector (and poet) Prosper Mérimée arrived. He was so appalled by the dilapidated state of the walls that he commissioned the architect, painter, and historian Viollet-le-Duc (who found his greatest fame restoring Paris's Notre-Dame) to undertake repairs. Today the 1844 renovation is considered almost as much a work of art as the medieval town itself. No matter if La Cité is more Viollet than authentic; it still remains one of the most romantic sights in France.

There’s no mistaking the fact that 21st-century tourism has taken over this UNESCO World Heritage site. La Cité’s streets are lined with souvenir shops, crafts boutiques, restaurants, and tiny \"museums\" (a Museum of the Inquisition, a School Museum), all out to make a buck and rarely worth that. But you should still plan on spending at least a couple of hours exploring the walls and peering over the battlements across sun-drenched plains toward the distant Pyrénées. Staying overnight within the ancient walls lets you savor the timeless atmosphere after the daytime hordes are gone. There's an annex of the city tourist office at 21 rue Cros Mayrevieille, just inside the Porte Narbonnaise.

The exterior of this contemporary building is inspired by the way wine swirls when it is poured into a glass; inside, you'll find an interactive museum highlighting the world of wine and wine making. Every aspect of the history, culture, and manufacture of wine is explored through a range of interactive exhibits that are explained via an audio guide. The visit concludes with a wine tasting on the panoramic terrace at the top of the building.