When visiting Europe, France is often part of everyone’s itinerary. The idea of visiting the ‘romantic city’ and the world famous iconic Eiffel Tower gives motivation especially to first time Europe tourists. France is popular for thousands of reasons, taking the ‘world’s most visited country’ title several times. Art, architecture, food, music and film are the entire craze in this country. Here in this list we compile activities what to do should you arrive France. Scroll down and get ready to learn more!
Tour around the ‘City of Love’ Paris!
Ah yes, the ‘City of Love’ – Paris. There are countless reasons why this city is frequently on the list of must-go places. Good food, fashion, art, architecture, café culture, parks and more make-up of what Paris is today. You might opt to tour around it for one week but it might not even be enough. Foodie trips, Fashion hunt, tasting French bakery goods, exploring Art museums, Cruises, are good examples of how Paris can be toured on. Famous attractions of the city are the Versailles Palace, Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Musee d’Orsay, Champs Elysees and Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur and Disneyland Paris.
Go sightseeing on beautiful chateaux
Chateaux are castles, manor house, fortresses or residence of the lords in the French nobility. France has listed 6,450 chateaux. 900 of them are owned by state while the rest are privately owned by families for generations. Chateau de Versailles is the most visited while Chateau de Chambord of Loire Valley is the largest of the country.
Discover the charm of Provence
If you’d like to take a break from the city life, head over to Provence and see its beautiful landscape! Provence is also famous for its Old Port of Marseille, Gorges du Verdon, the Lavender fields, the hillside village of Bonnieux, the natural wonder of Calanques, and the Pope’s Palace – Avignon.
Taste the local wine and cheese
What also contributes to France’s popularity is their wine and cheese. France would produce 50-60 million hectolitres of wine annually, making them one of the top countries for wine production. Cheese has also been one of France’s specialties. There are over 1500 cheese varieties alone which are separated with seven categories of cheese making. Get over the funny scent and the experience of eating their cheese would be worth it.
Immerse Yourself in French Art
Photo by Adrianna Geo
Art is incredibly rich in France, giving people another push for visiting the country. Painting, theatre, sculpture, architecture, cinema and music are all mastered by French artists throughout their history. Go visit Louvre Musem, Musee d’Orsay, Versailles, Musee national d’Art modern and more as you engage in the world of French arts!
Photo by Camila Camacho
Photo by Keriliwi
Try and taste authentic French food
French cuisine has been and will always be world class. Their must-eat food are their bakery goods; croissant, baguette, macaroons. Their famous dishes include Cassoulet, Bouillabaisse, Foie Gras, Bœuf bourguignon and many more. If you dare to try their wacky options, escargot and frog legs are a must!
Go on a pilgrimage of France’s Lourdes Sanctuary
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is a destination of pilgrimage, healing, baths, churches and a grotto. It was known to have 69 verified miracle cures since 1858 after a peasant girl claimed that she saw the Virgin Mary in a cave. The sanctuary, together with its Rosary Basilica continues to welcome about six million pilgrims annually.
Relax at one of the beaches of Cote d’Azur
Cote d’Azur translates to ‘blue coast’. It is known as the French Riviera as it is a region of vegetation with subtropical climate, which is what the south of France is. Some of the best beaches in Cote d’Azur are Paloma beach, Almanarre beach, Garoupe beach, Bocca beach and Notre-Dame beach. Choose either of these and your beach day is guaranteed!
Live with luxury for a day in Saint Tropez
Saint Tropez, since the 19th century had been visited frequently by the rich and famous. It is known for its exclusive beach clubs, expensive restaurants, chic cafes, fishing boats and yachts. The town eventually attracted the international ‘jet set’ in the 1960’s and it still has its charm for calling the celebrities to its vicinity. Walking around the port or just watching the nearby scene in a café is already quite an experience you should have in Saint Tropez!
Photo by 18427938
Spot celebs at the Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival which is held every year for films of all genres including documentaries garners attention from all over the world with famous personalities. Head early and try to get a spot nearby the venue to get a glimpse of your favorite actor/actress!
Shop for fashion
As one of the leading countries for fashion, France boasts having famous fashion brands such as Chanel, Saint Laurent, Dior, Givenchy, Lacroix and many more. Moreover, Paris is hailed as a fashion capital where international fashion trends and fashion products are on the top line and fashion weeks, trade fairs and fashion awards are often held. Champs Elysees, Rue du Fauburg Saint- Honore and La Vallee Village are one of the best fashion shopping streets to go.
Photo by Jules D.
Which of the following above would you like to do? Is there anything you can add on the list? Share it with us in the comments below!
Read our previous Austria post which is
Interesting Facts About These 9 Austrian Must-See Places
in case you missed it!
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