Must-See Cities on Your Trip to France
So you are ready to take on France, the jewel of continental Europe. Congratulations, as you have made a perfect choice. Whether you are a cyclist, an extreme sports enthusiast, a wine-lover, an art-lover, or just a family wanting to have a good time, there is so much to see and do and in France.
The country boasts of incredible cities that attract visitors from all over the world because of their rich histories, vibrant industries, soothing luxury, gripping landscapes, velvet wines, and a host of many things. France is a top tourist attraction, and it is no fluke.
Here Are Some Cities You Should Visit On Your Trip to France:
Paris
We kick off proceedings with the obvious, the City of Lights. Paris is amazing all year round, but in winter, covered in snow, the trees, the Seine, and the Eiffel tower take on new colors. Stop at the Galleries Lafayette for a peek of the incredible Christmas tree decorated with gold ornaments. It will be a smart move too to indulge the ice ballerina in you; the ice rink at Champs-Elysées is a perfect place to kick up some ice.
The undifferentiated sandstone of the Haussmann buildings, the lush historic structures, and the shimmering Seine and its stylish bridges have arguably made the French capital the most romanticized city in the world. It is an ideal place for deep relaxation. Even though Paris dons its history of monarchy, revolution, and artistic innovation, it is looking more to the future and reaching out to other parts of the globe.
While on vacation, explore the city’s rich heritage. You can spend long afternoons beholding the Louvre or checking out Musée d’Orsay or visiting the numerous cathedrals around. Step onto the art venues on the street steeps of Belleville to the boutique hotels and reinvented bars of Pigalle. Paris is the full package!
When Christmas comes around, the whole city is covered with Christmas lights; the streets that are also bordered by clean-cut pines graced with decorations and ornaments. Paris attracts visitors yearly from everywhere in the world with iconic attractions like the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. Also, it offers unmatchable dining and shopping scenes, and wonderful architecture. As a tip, the French capital usually invites lots of people; that’s why their room rates can be expensive. Ensure you take time to compare prices and packages online for the best deals.
Provence
How about a southeastern France experience? Dating back to the time of the Romans, Provence has been a place of relaxation as they built arenas and theatres across the landscape. In the 14th-century, when the seat of Papacy left Rome for Avignon, their interests were plainly salacious than liturgical. Life in the region may still flow uninterrupted from the spiritual to the luscious.
You should also know that the region enjoys a peaceful crowd; in the winter season, the temperature is as low as 14 degrees sometimes. This implies that you can enjoy a great time on your French vacation without worrying about huge tourist crowds. Nothing feels like seeing attractive places with fewer people. Provence is a nice pick if you are looking forward to further head to Nice and Marseilles. It is a perfect place to relax in winter.
Bordeaux
The exciting city of Bordeaux should be on your list of French areas for great relaxation. Since its inception, it has been a dynamic cosmopolitan center that appeals to tourists and locals alike. Located in Southwest of the country, the city is dubbed ‘port of the moon’ for its romantic position on a crescent-shaped bend of the Garonne River. In this awesome view that facilitated the flourishing of trade, Bordeaux has a wealthy cultural heritage that dates far back to antiquity.
The city’s poise on the River Garonne has undoubtedly made it a valuable port for centuries. If you intend to explore the wine chateaux of Medoc, St Emilion, and Bordeaux, the city is the perfect base; it also has the largest European pine forest.
Also, do watch out for the nouveau Cité du Vin; a 21st-century architectural manifestation of what wine means to the city and the rest of the world. Aside from architectural magnificence, Bordeaux is quite more enough for you to be lost in its wonder.
You might also want to have a memorable wine tour in this beautiful city. If you are wondering where you can drink some good and nice wine in Bordeaux, the answer cannot be farfetched. Their wines are excellent here. At Maison du Vin, you will find one of the best wine tours in the city. The cheese plates are also generous, and you can combine them with a few glasses of wine.
Speaking of cuisines, ensure that you have a taste of some local cuisine. Some Bordeaux culinary treats include French steak with Bordelaise sauce (made with red wine) and canelés (pastries with rum and vanilla). There are great places to eat in Bordeaux while you enjoy the incredible city view. Marche des Capucins also referred to as the ‘the belly of Bordeaux; this is one of the places to step in for a memorable culinary experience too. From cheese, canelés, and seafood, there you will discover a wide range of food options that you can try. And do not forget to get some edible gifts and souvenirs for you to go with.
Nice
Also famous as Nice la Belle (Nice the Beautiful). The city of Nice’s strategic location, history, and culture make it one of France’s top destinations for tourists. Nice offers a perfect blend of a thrilling seaside resort and the richness of a cosmopolitan European city. And if you are looking to experience the distinct blissfulness of the French Riviera, a vacation to its biggest city, Nice is perfect for you.
Proud of a mild Mediterranean climate, a colorful culture, a lively Old Town district, and a flawless shoreline strip of terrific hotels, the Southeastern French city has been a popular travel destination since the 18th century. And though soft, Nice’s intense light, captivating architectural structures, and fanciful market centers have long been appealing to artists from all over the world. Artists like Matisse and Chagall have witnessed Nice’s artistic glory. As an art and history buff, the city will spoil you for choices like no other French city; with even more museums than Paris.
Nice, like most cities in the Mediterranean, experience warm weather almost year-round with average temperature reaching 80s in the summer and as low as 40s in the winter. As such, spring is a good time to visit Nice and the Côte d’Azur. The best time to visit will be in late spring and early summer to enjoy Nice.
When in Nice, visit the Promenade des Anglais. It is a seaside boardwalk that spans along the Baie des Anges; it was established by the British tourists who first popularized Nice as a vacation destination in the early 18th century. Lined with beach cabanas, cafes, and premium hotels, and palm trees, this area is one of the most well-known seaside promenades you will find on the Mediterranean. Though pricey, the seaside private restaurants/beach is a wonder you must not miss. You can also rent a chaise lounge a few feet from the shore, and let waiters serve you lunch and drinks. Your Riviera experience would not be whole until you completely take a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais.
Nice’s well-known cocktail bars allure the young people with DJ sets, live jazz, and Latino bands’ performance at night. Even the bar staff make lovely cocktails, like the royal Negresco, with champagne, kirsch and raspberry juice. With a swelling number of hotels in Nice, you have lots to choose from.
Lyon
Considered by many as a worthy rival to Paris, Lyon is as breathtaking to tourists as it is to locals. It is among the few cities in Europe that blends the galleries and the museums of a cultural hub with the vigor of a past industrial capital. When you touch down in Lyon, be sure that there will be a lot to see and do to help you relax.
You can see the Vieux Lyon, Lyon is one of Europe’s largest renaissance old quarters. From the 15th century to the 17th century, wealthy merchant families from France, Flanders, Italy, and Germany settled in the city. Lyon’s silk industry at the time boomed. They built opulent homes in the gothic, Italian renaissance, and the French renaissance styles, as you will see some of the remaining structures. Some of them still stand in areas like Saint-Jean, Saint-Georges, and Saint-Paules.
Walking along Lyonnais streets, you will find a lot of wall beautiful arts. In the city, there are over a hundred large paintings on walls, and you will find them in working-class areas and on social housing. In États-Unis, especially, there is an outdoor museum with twenty-five murals painted in the 1980s detailing the career of architect Tony Garnier. He planned the district in the 1920s.
To get more intimate with Lyon’s major figures, there are Fresque des Lyonnais, 24 historical personalities, and six modern ones that the city reveres. Lyon’s original fresco worths a mention too in this category. The painting, which is updated every ten years, is called the Canuts Mural, and it chronicles the story of the Croix-Rousse area.
Another relaxing thing to do is to indulge the Musée Miniature et Cinéma. This brilliant building in Vieux-Lyon is a 17th century World Heritage structure five stories in height and with a loggia. It is divided into two, but the major attraction is some 100 “hyper-realistic” miniature scenes. Some of the world’s best miniaturists, including the museum curator, Dam Ohlmann, scrupulously made them.
They reanimate well-known locations that might take you a short while to notice what is happening in them. Places like the Maxim’s Restaurant in Paris or everyday French scenes are featured works. In addition, there is also a cinema exhibition with over 300 unique props, artifacts, and models relating to popular movies from the last 50 years.
Avignon
Avignon is one of the cradles of the Papacy during a tumultuous period in the church’s history. Towering above the imposing Rhône river, Avignon was the home of the pope from 1309 to 1377. Seven popes ruled the Catholic world when Italy was deemed highly unsafe between 1334 and 1335, this great and rich structure was built as it is revered as the largest Gothic palace in the world. It served as both a fortress and palace.
Avignon’s museums offer a tremendous display of collections. You will be lost in the world of prehistory at the Musée Lapidaire; there, you will discover paintings from the Middle Ages at the Petit Palais museum, fine arts at the Musée Calvet, the impressionists at Angladon, decorative arts at Musée Vouland and modern art at the Collection Lambert.
The city also has a well-known theatre festival, as it is the host for contemporary works in the performing arts. Also, Avignon is an important center for culinary peculiar to the Provence region. Illustrious chefs prepare local and innovative menus in alluring restaurants throughout the city. And you can have a great time on a wine tour as the city is the capital of the Côtes-du-Rhône wines, as you relish every taste you have.
Cities You Must See on Your Trip to France – Summary
Visiting France is about living life to the fullest, appreciating aesthetics, and tasting some of the world’s best cuisines. From sophisticated Paris to the stunning arts of Bordeaux, there is so much to explore while you are away from the rush and noise of the world.
