Top travel destinations in France: 15 can’t-miss places

TL;DR:

• Paris, the Riviera, Provence, and the Alps top most itineraries.
  
• Add culture hits like Lyon, Bordeaux, and Strasbourg for variety.
  
• La Loire châteaux, Mont-Saint-Michel, and Carcassonne deliver wow moments.
  
• Go late June to July for lavender, September to October for wine.
  
• Use trains between hubs, then rent a car for rural loops.
  

France is compact, varied, and easy to navigate by train. Pick two or three hubs, then layer in day trips and scenic loops. Mix cities, coast, and countryside for balance. Official tourism guides and UNESCO listings are great for planning deep dives. 

Quick planner table

The 15 best places to visit in France

1) Paris

The capital rewards both first timers and repeat visitors. See the big three, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Notre-Dame’s area, then roam by neighborhood. Wander the Marais, the covered passages near Grands Boulevards, and the Left Bank’s tiny streets. Save one night for a Seine cruise at dusk.

2) The French Riviera, from Nice to Antibes

Nice offers beaches, art museums, and easy links to coastal gems. Day trip to Èze for sky-high views and to Antibes for old-town walls and the Picasso Museum. Ride coastal buses for cheap seafront scenery. Avoid peak July crowds if you can.

3) Provence, Luberon villages and lavender

Base in Aix, Avignon, or Saint-Rémy for markets and Roman sites. Then loop the Luberon hill towns like Gordes and Roussillon. Lavender usually blooms from late June into July, with a shorter window at lower elevations like Valensole. Plan sunrise or sunset for photos, then pair fields with the ochre cliffs of Roussillon.

4) The Gorges du Verdon

France’s “grand canyon” stuns with turquoise water and limestone cliffs. Rent a paddle boat on Lac de Sainte-Croix, or drive the Route des Crêtes for cliffside views and griffon vultures. Pair with Moustiers-Sainte-Marie for ceramics and a calm lunch stop.

5) Loire Valley châteaux

Base in Amboise, Blois, or Tours for easy castle loops. Chambord wows with a double-helix staircase, while Chenonceau spans a river like a bridge. Bring a bike for flat vineyard rides and garden stops at Villandry. Shoulder seasons mean good weather and fewer tour buses.

6) Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy

The abbey crowns a rocky islet in a vast bay with dramatic tides. Stay the night on the Mont or in nearby Beauvoir to enjoy quiet lanes after day trippers leave. Check tide tables in advance if you want the classic island look surrounded by water.

7) Bordeaux and the Atlantic coast

Bordeaux’s riverfront, 18th-century squares, and museums pair well with tastings in Médoc or Saint-Émilion. Add a day at Arcachon’s Dune du Pilat for Europe’s tallest sand dune and oysters in Cap Ferret. A city tram makes car-free stays easy.

8) Lyon

France’s culinary capital blends Roman sites, Renaissance lanes, and street art. Book a bouchon for local classics, then hunt traboules, the secret passages linking inner courtyards. Two rivers cut the city into walkable districts with distinct vibes.

9) Alsace, Strasbourg and Colmar

Strasbourg’s cathedral anchors a historic center of canals and timbered houses. Colmar adds postcard lanes in “Little Venice” and easy access to the Alsace Wine Route. Visit in December for famous Christmas markets, or in September for harvest views.

10) The French Alps, Chamonix and Annecy

Chamonix sits under Mont-Blanc, a base for gondolas, hikes, and glacier views. Annecy charms with a bright lake, canals, and a lively old town. Summer brings paddle boards and mountain trails. Winter brings reliable skiing across nearby resorts.

11) Dordogne and the Vézère Valley

Base in Sarlat for a golden-stone old town and a great Saturday market. Tour canoe-friendly rivers, hilltop bastides, and prehistoric cave art at Lascaux’s superb replica. Evenings are for duck confit and walnuts under stone arcades.

12) Burgundy, Beaune and the wine road

Beaune is a compact base with the Hospices’ patterned roof and cellar doors everywhere. Drive the Route des Grands Crus between Gevrey-Chambertin and Santenay. Slow roads, vineyard picnics, and village tastings set the pace here.

13) Champagne, Reims and Épernay

Tour chalk-quarry cellars, then walk Épernay’s Avenue de Champagne. Reims adds a soaring cathedral and lively squares. Book tastings ahead, and plan a driver or use trains between bases.

14) Corsica

Ferries and short flights reach this wild, mountainous island. Hike day sections of the GR20, boat to the red cliffs of the Gulf of Porto, and swim tucked-away coves near Bonifacio. Spring and September bring mild weather and clear seas.

15) Carcassonne and Toulouse

Carcassonne’s double walls and towers look lifted from a storybook. Sleep inside the citadel for quiet lanes at night. Toulouse mixes aerospace sites, pink-brick streets, and a strong food scene along the Garonne.

World-heritage heavy hitters to anchor your route

France packs dozens of UNESCO sites that map well to this list. Think Bordeaux’s Port of the Moon, Lyon’s historic quarters, Carcassonne’s fortified city, the Loire Valley’s châteaux ensemble, and Mont-Saint-Michel’s abbey and bay. Use UNESCO pages to match your interests to exact places and themes. 

Sample routes you can copy

One week, first-timer mix

• Paris 3 nights, Louvre, a Versailles half day, and neighborhood walks.
  
• Loire Valley 2 nights, Chambord and Chenonceau, bike the vineyards.
  
• Mont-Saint-Michel 1 night, abbey at dusk, morning photos at low tide.
  
• Train back to Paris.
  

Ten days, southbound sunshine

• Lyon 2 nights, traboules and bouchons.
  
• Provence 3 nights, Luberon loop, lavender if late June or July.
  
• Verdon Gorge 1 night, paddle au Lac de Sainte-Croix.
  
• Nice 3 nights, day trips to Èze and Antibes, swim before dinner.
  

Two weeks, wine and coast

• Paris for 2 nights.
  
• Champagne 2 nights, Reims and Épernay cellars.
  
• Burgundy 3 nights, Route des Grands Crus.
  
• Bordeaux 3 nights, Médoc day trip, Arcachon dunes.
  
• Basque coast or Brittany 3 nights for surf towns or pink-granite walks.
  

Practical tips that save time and money

• Trains first, cars second. Use TGVs between hubs, then rent a car for rural days.
  
• Book major sights early in summer. Reserve château tickets, abbey entries, and cellars.
  
• Skip midday castle crushes. Visit early, pause at lunch, return late afternoon.
  
• Eat where the market is. Shop morning markets, then picnic under plane trees.
  
• Shoulder months shine. May, June, September, and October give the best mix.
  

Common mistakes to avoid

• Doing five regions in seven days. Distances are short, but transitions eat time.
  
• Booking only in July and August. Spring and fall bring better prices and weather.
  
• Ignoring Sundays and Mondays. Some museums and restaurants close.
  
• Parking in old towns. Use signed lots, then walk.
  
• Skipping reservations for popular tastings and lavender photo tours.
  

Why it matters

Smart picks and tight routes reduce cost and stress. This guide highlights places with strong transport, varied day trips, and reliable wow moments. It leans on official tourism and UNESCO data so you can plan with confidence.

Sources:

• France.fr, Discover our destinations, https://www.france.fr/en/destination/, 2025-09-10
  
• UNESCO World Heritage Centre, France — State Parties, https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/fr, 2025-09-10
  
• Lonely Planet, The 10 best places to visit in France, https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-places-to-visit-in-france, 2025-09-10