Discover France
France Cities & Villages
From grand cities to hilltop villages, here are the French places we know best — and why they belong on your journey.
Why Explore France
- From Paris to the Riviera, France packs world cities, alpine peaks, vineyards and Mediterranean coast into one effortless country.
- Europe’s fastest trains: the TGV links Paris to Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille and Strasbourg in a few scenic hours.
- A different world in every region — Alsace half-timbered villages, Provençal markets, Atlantic surf and Alpine summits.
- The birthplace of gastronomy and wine: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne and the Rhône are all a day trip away.
- Every season delivers — lavender summers, golden-vine autumns, snow-sure Alps and blossoming spring gardens.
Cities
The urban highlights and travel hubs we build journeys around.
Paris
The City of Light — grand boulevards, world-class art and café-lined riverbanks.
- Climb the Eiffel Tower and cruise the Seine past Notre-Dame and the Louvre.
- Wander Montmartre’s lanes up to Sacré-Cœur, then browse the Marais boutiques.
- Day-trip by train to the Palace of Versailles or Monet’s gardens at Giverny.
Nice
Belle-Époque capital of the Côte d’Azur, where the Alps meet the Mediterranean.
- Stroll the Promenade des Anglais along the pebbled Baie des Anges.
- Lose yourself in the ochre lanes and markets of Vieux Nice.
- Base for Monaco, Cannes and the clifftop village of Èze.
Lyon
France’s gastronomic capital, wrapped around two rivers and Roman hills.
- Eat your way through the bouchons and Les Halles Paul Bocuse.
- Explore Renaissance Vieux Lyon and its hidden traboule passageways.
- Gateway to Beaujolais and the northern Rhône vineyards.
Bordeaux
A UNESCO-listed river city at the heart of the world’s most famous wine region.
- Admire the Place de la Bourse mirrored in the Miroir d’eau.
- Taste your way through La Cité du Vin and nearby Saint-Émilion.
- Reach the Atlantic dunes of Arcachon and Europe’s tallest dune in under an hour.
Marseille
France’s oldest city — a sun-baked Mediterranean port full of colour and grit.
- Watch the fishing boats at the Vieux-Port beneath Notre-Dame de la Garde.
- Hike or sail into the turquoise Calanques between Marseille and Cassis.
- Explore the revived Panier quarter and the waterfront MuCEM museum.
Strasbourg
Franco-German crossroads of canals, cathedral spires and half-timbered houses.
- Wander the fairy-tale lanes of La Petite France along the Ill.
- Climb the soaring Gothic cathedral and see its astronomical clock.
- Follow the Alsace Wine Route out to Colmar and Riquewihr.
Annecy
The “Venice of the Alps” — a turquoise lake ringed by snow-capped peaks.
- Wander the flower-lined canals and pastel old town.
- Swim, sail or cycle around crystal-clear Lake Annecy.
- Springboard to Chamonix, Mont Blanc and the Haute-Savoie mountains.
Villages
Hilltop villages and hidden corners worth the detour.
Èze
A medieval eagle’s-nest village perched high above the Riviera.
- Climb cobbled lanes to the exotic garden and its dizzying sea views.
- Walk the Nietzsche path down to the Mediterranean at Èze-sur-Mer.
- Sits between Nice and Monaco — an easy half-day escape.
Gordes
A stone hilltop village crowning the Luberon, ringed by lavender.
- Photograph the tiered stone houses tumbling down the hillside.
- Visit the nearby Sénanque Abbey framed by summer lavender.
- Base for Roussillon’s ochre cliffs and Provençal markets.
Riquewihr
A perfectly preserved 16th-century wine village on the Alsace Wine Route.
- Wander the ramparts and flower-decked half-timbered houses.
- Taste Riesling and Gewürztraminer straight from the growers.
- One of France’s “Plus Beaux Villages” — magical at Christmas.
Rocamadour
A sacred village clinging vertically to a limestone cliff in the Lot.
- Climb the pilgrims’ stairway past chapels to the château above.
- Gaze over the Alzou canyon from the cliff-edge terraces.
- Taste the region’s famous Rocamadour goat cheese.
Chamonix
The original alpine resort, in the shadow of Mont Blanc.
- Ride the Aiguille du Midi cable car to 3,842 m of glacier and rock.
- See the Mer de Glace glacier by the historic Montenvers railway.
- World capital of mountaineering, skiing and summer hiking.
Saint-Paul-de-Vence
A fortified hilltop village that drew Chagall, Matisse and Picasso.
- Browse the art galleries lining its ramparted lanes.
- See the Fondation Maeght’s modern-art collection and gardens.
- A short hop inland from Nice and the coast.
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