A trip to Europe is unimaginable without visiting France. In this country, amazing natural treasures, magnificent castles and temples, comfortable beaches and ski slopes are scattered like small pearls. There are places among them that every traveler dreams of visiting, but there are also those that are still little known, and visiting them will be a real adventure.
We will tell you which sights in France are worth visiting first of all in order to feel the real French spirit, understand the culture and be inspired to discover new things.
What to see: the main attractions of France
France is like a treasure map, where it is always exciting to travel and what is interesting to see. To briefly describe the main attractions of France, we propose to conditionally divide them into monuments and castle complexes, cultural heritage, picturesque natural reserves.
The Eiffel Tower
According to Top-medical-schools, tourists from all over the world annually confirm what the main attraction of France is the unusual, alluring and eye-catching Eiffel Tower. Romantics and skeptics, young and mature couples tend to come here. This is the most visited attraction of the capital of France.
The symbol of Paris served as a temporary “gateway” to the World Exhibition, but won the love of the townspeople and became an integral part of the capital of France. This metal structure has become the tallest urban structure. Now hundreds of tourists come here to climb the observation decks, which offer a great view of Paris.
It is significant that, like many years ago, not everyone is ready to positively evaluate the architecture of this landmark of Paris, the capital of France. Some traveler reviews say that due to the large concentration of tourists, long queues are formed near the entrance to the elevator. But your patience pays off with luxurious views of the fashion capital of the world. We emphasize that the entrance ticket to the tower costs 16-25 € for adults on the elevator, 10-20 € on the stairs (depending on the floor you want to climb).
Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel
The ancient city-fortress is located on the island of the same name in the north of the country. The abbey is securely protected by a high rocky cliff and a deep undulating sea. People come here to see the grandeur and power of medieval architecture, which is surrounded by greenery. The attraction attracts with its impregnability, and numerous ebb and flow only excite the imagination. Right outside the gates of the city, small streets scattered with numerous souvenir shops and local entertainment, and an old stone staircase leads to the Abbey.
To visit one of the most important attractions in France, experienced guests recommend taking a bus, because parking is prohibited near the cliff due to frequent tides. Along the way, they often stop at the square so that guests can take “postcard” photos of Mont Saint-Michel.
The entrance ticket to the fortress costs only 9 € for adults, so this is a great option for an interesting educational excursion for a budget tourist.
Louvre
The main sights of the country on the map reflect the characteristic features of the whole of France, serve as a reflection of its cultural and spiritual heritage. Everyone should see the best sights of France, whose names are familiar to everyone since childhood: works of art, paintings and sculptures, decorations and frescoes, and even antique furniture. The Louvre Museum has the largest collection of world-class masterpieces. Here you can see the famous painting “Mona Lisa”.
Guests of Paris are fascinated waiting for long lines at the entrance to the world-famous museum to touch the beauty, to see the best masterpieces of French creativity. Sometimes the waiting time can reach several hours under the hot sun, which should also be taken into account by tourists of mature age and families with children. A visit to the museum is paid, the price is 15 €, and admission is free for children. It is recommended to buy a ticket online for 17 €, thanks to which it is possible to skip the line.
Palace of Versailles
You can see past eras in all their glory and luxury of royal houses in the Palace of Versailles. This is a special attraction of France, the beauty and richness of which is difficult to rightfully appreciate through the prism of one photo. Hours of walking through the palace rooms, looking at museum exhibits will help you imagine how the kings lived. Unhurried sightseeing walks along long corridors gradually flow into acquaintance with the Versailles palace complex. The building is framed by a beautiful garden, decorated with 1400 outlandish fountains.
Favorable rates apply for visitors to the Palace of Versailles: adults enter 15 €, under 18 years old – no fee is charged. Please note that if you want to walk around the park in the summer, use the tips from the reviews: after 15.00 admission is free here. But for music lovers, we recommend coming to the palace on the days of concerts (for only 25 € you will get the opportunity to enjoy the good sound of your favorite works and see the residence of the Sun King).
Monet Museum and Garden
We suggest going to Giverny, where the magnificent house of Claude Monet has been preserved. Here the great artist was inspired, wrote his amazing works. In the museum you can see not only the environment in which the artist lived and worked, but also consider a collection of his best works.
This tourist place is especially popular among creative people: you can also stroll through the incredibly beautiful garden, which has retained its originality to this day. Strewn with numerous flower beds, trees and narrow paths leading to the house, the garden is reminiscent of the wild. There are no clear geometric lines or markings, fences and proportions, the garden is like a small oasis of wildlife in the middle of a bustling city, where you can relax with your soul.
Entrance to the Museum costs from 3.5 to 7.5 €, and if you want to see the magnificent landscapes of the Monet’s Garden for free, come on the first Sunday of the month.
Disneyland
The sights of France are interesting not only for adults, but also offer an extensive cultural and entertainment program for children. Disneyland is a place where every child dreams of visiting. And a trip here will fully justify your hopes and expectations, because Disneyland Park is one of the best places in Europe for family tourism.
Here you will find living heroes of your favorite fairy tales, incredible attractions. Disneyland is a huge complex with its hotels and parks, fabulous meadows and magical rooms. Ride down the hill or take a photo with your favorite cartoon character – even adults should do it here. The vivid impressions that tourists share in their reviews of Disneyland Paris will remain a favorite childhood memory.
Entry fee to the Magical Park is 30€ for children and 50€ for adults. Additionally, for 30 and 50 € you can visit the Walt Disney studio, where popular cartoons are created.
Natural attractions of France
The “stone” sights of France attract with outlandish architecture, luxury and richness of facades, non-standard ideas of the owners of castles and palaces, and equally bold decisions of architects. But there is something to see here besides the city wonders.
The nature of France is amazing and changeable, and tourists should definitely see sharp contrasts: just a few hours drive from the sunny beaches of the Cote d’Azur, you will find a bewitching quiet place – a ski resort with small cozy villages.
Dune Pyla: desert near the sea coast
To see the highest sand dune in Europe, head to Arcachon Bay. This unusual attraction with a height of more than 130 m attracts with its “activity”: the sandy mountain “grows” in height every year. In addition, this natural landmark is expanding its possessions, gradually moving deeper into the coast. The guides explain this anomalous activity of the dune by constant tides, as well as frequent strong winds in this region of the country.
Anyone can walk along the top of the sandy hill: you can climb a specially equipped staircase, but if you have the strength and desire, you can try to lay your own path. As a result, you will be able to enjoy amazing views of the sea, coastline and endless green forests.
The bay has a well-developed tourist infrastructure: after walking along the sandy spit, you can dine at a local cafe, buy souvenirs, or even stay overnight at a hotel.
Verdon Gorge
Mountains, forests, uncharted paths and descents along the river – you can see this natural luxury in Provence in the southeastern part of the country. The Verdon Gorge is one of the favorite places not only for tourists, but also for the local population of France. Here you will find exciting walks in the surroundings, horseback riding and long stories of local legends.
The Verdon Gorge is buried between the peaks of the mountains, and its maximum depth is 700 meters. To see in detail the surroundings of the Verdon River, to be convinced of the greatness of the green mountains and white cliffs, we recommend kayaking.
Etretat rocks
The Etretat Rocks are favorite vacation spots not only for modern tourists, but also for many French emperors and kings. High cliffs with beautiful white arches rise above the blue sea. They either seek to pierce the blue sea surface, or simply go into the sky, endowing guests with the brilliance of white walls. The height of the cliffs of Etretat reaches tens of meters.
The name of the natural attraction is also interesting, which is translated from French as “house of the setting sun”. Sunsets here are beautiful: the red flame of the passing day is reflected on the white walls of the rock, creating an unusual effect.
Calanques
Magnificent landscapes, beautiful nature and a unique combination of sea and land can be seen in the national park, created in 2012. The Calanques have become the centerpiece of the park, where you can not only admire the unusual inhabitants of the park, but also join the climbers in training.
The vast territory of the natural park includes small bays where you can see rare marine life, white rocky islets. Please note that the territory of the park includes not only natural “wild” areas, but also several cities and part of the sea coast.
