10 Best Sights in France

Named after Russian Tsar Alexander III who negotiated the Franco-Prussian alliance of 1892, this ornately sculpted and gilded Beaux Arts–style bridge was inaugurated in 1900 for the Universal Exposition, like its cousins the Grand Palais and Petit Palais. At the time, it was considered a benchmark in engineering, built low to maximize the views between the Champs-Élysées on one side and Invalides on the other. To this day its elegant lines, sculpture-topped columns, and dramatic Art Nouveau lamps are catnip for Instagrammers, fashion shoots, and filmmakers, and it's the ideal spot for taking in views of the surrounding monuments. It’s wonderful to see on a nighttime boat ride on the Seine when it’s fully lit up.

The town's finest sight is this 14th-century bridge, its three elegant towers constituting a spellbinding feat of medieval engineering.

Early on June 6, 1944, the British 6th Airborne Division landed by glider and captured this bridge, which local residents later named for the division's emblem of Bellerophon astride his winged horse. This proved to be the first step toward liberating France from Nazi occupation, and the bridge itself became a symbol of the Allied invasion. To see it, take D514 north from Caen for 13 km (8 miles) and turn right at Bénouville. The original bridge—erected in 1935—has been replaced by a similar, slightly wider one, but the older span can be seen at the adjacent Mémorial Pegasus visitor center. A full-size replica Horsa glider is currently on view in the museum's park, with a fully refurbished cockpit.

For a view of the picturesque quayside, stroll across the Garonne on this bridge, built on the orders of Napoléon between 1810 and 1821—and until 1965, the only bridge across the river. A huge geometric lion figure, made of sky-blue metal and placed here in 2025, guards the Place de Stalingrad at the bridge's eastern end.

Despite its name, the graceful span of the Pont Neuf is hardly new: it opened to traffic in 1632. Remains of the old bridge—one arch and the lighter-color outline on the brick wall of the Hôtel-Dieu (hospital)—are visible across the river. The 16th-century hospital was used for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. Just over the bridge, on a clear day in winter, the snowcapped peaks of the Pyrénées can often be seen in the distance.

From the Pont Notre-Dame you can watch the wild trout in the Nive (also an Atlantic salmon stream) as they pluck mayflies off the surface. Note that fishing is forbidden in town. Upstream, along the left bank, is another wooden bridge. Cross it, and then walk around and back through town, returning to the left bank on the main road.

The remarkable single-arch Roman bridge, built in the 1st century, stands firm across the Ouvèze River.

Legend has it that the 12th-century Pont St-Bénezet—featured in the song “Sur le Pont d’Avignon" (l'on y danse, l’on y danse)—was built after a shepherd boy received orders from heaven. There’s less space for dancing today: although this UNESCO World Heritage site once stretched all the way to Villeneuve, less than four of its original 22 arches remain. It's also a bit narrow for dancing "tous en rond" (round and round), and, besides, the traditional place for dance and play was under the arches. You can, however, climb along its high platform for broad views of the Old Town ramparts. The ticket price includes an audio guide or tablet, and the latter (for which you'll need to show your passport or driver’s license) illustrates how the bridge appeared in medieval times.

He immortalized many everyday objects and captured views still seen today, but Van Gogh's famous painting of the Langlois Bridge over the Canal d'Arles à Bouc—on the southern outskirts of Arles, about 3 km (2 miles) from the old town—seems to strike a particular chord among locals. Bombed in World War II, the bridge has been restored to its former glory. It's one of the 10 sites on the city's Van Gogh Circuit.

These three bridges, distinguished by their four stone towers, were once covered with wooden walls and a tiled roof. Part of the 14th-century ramparts that framed Old Strasbourg, they span the Ill as it branches into a quartet of fingerlike canals.