France has the best tourist arguments for curious visitors from all over the world. Historic cosmopolitan cities, Mediterranean coastal scenery, green river landscapes and alpine mountain panoramas await travellers. There are about 45 World Heritage Sites in the country, which welcomes more than 80 million international guests every year. In short: France is a tourist dream destination and not for nothing statistically the most popular travel destination in the world. But which French holiday resorts and destinations are particularly popular?
Paris
La Ville Lumière: Paris has been known as the city of light and love for centuries. The cultural metropolis and French capital is characterized by the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the banks of the Seine. In addition to being the birthplace of the city, it is still the geographical heart of Paris. With the world-famous Louvre Art Museum, the historic landmark Eiffel Tower and monumental buildings such as Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Arc de Triomphe, the world metropolis has an extraordinary density of world-famous sights. So it is hardly surprising that Paris is high on the list of the most popular urban travel destinations. The largest metropolitan region in the EU scores not only culturally, but also culinarily as a European gourmet capital: with around 100 Michelin-starred restaurants including haute cuisine and specialities such as tartare de bœuf, eclairs and macarons.
Côte d’Azur
Dreamlike coastal landscapes stretch from Toulon to Nice and Monaco – the Côte d’Azur. Mediterranean beaches present themselves to beach holidaymakers who indulge in the sun in the south of France. This is where the attractive sandy seas of the Calanque d’en Vau near Cassis, the Plage de Pampelonne near Saint Tropez or the Plage de Salis near Antibes spread out. Nice and Cannes are also famous for their city beaches, which score with promenades close to the sea. Cannes, with its renowned film festival, is the best example of how the Côte d’Azur is known not only for its beautiful beaches, but also for international culture. Cities such as Nice, Cannes, Saint Tropez and neighbouring Monaco provide cultural variety between all the world-class beaches. The unique sea panoramas of the Côte d’Azur have inspired world-famous artists – including Picasso, Matisse and Renoir – for a reason.
Brittany
The largest peninsula in France looks back on a turbulent history. The historical Celtic influence of the Bretons gave Brittany its own cultural face early on. Relatively isolated by its location as a peninsula, a very unique way of life could develop here. Brittany is known for its extensive hiking trails along the riverside landscapes, for its beautiful small coastal villages and for culinary specialties such as cider and fresh oysters. A lighthouse tour can also be worthwhile, which leads along special coastal structures such as the Phare du Cap Fréhel, the Phare de Men Ruz, the Phare du Petit Minou and the Phare d’Eckmuehl. Along with the French Riviera, Brittany delivers some of the best coastal scenery France has to offer.
Alsace
One of the most beautiful cultural regions in France is Alsace, which is comparatively easy to travel to from southern Germany. The historic half-timbered houses that unfold in Strasbourg’s Petite France district, among other places, are famous. Strasbourg is probably the most important port of call in the region: The city with about 290,000 inhabitants is the largest settlement in Alsace and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 with its medieval old town on the Grande-Île to the Neustadt. The Strasbourg Cathedral, with its striking pink Vosges sandstone, is one of the most historically important cathedral buildings in Europe is world-famous. If you discover Alsace as a tourist, you can also enjoy one of the exquisite tarte flambée with onions and bacon or leeks, sour cream and onions. In Alsace, visitors will also be presented with tranquil towns and villages with a multifaceted history – whether Colmar, Ribeauvillé, Obernai, Kaysersberg or Éguisheim.
Loire Valley
Magnificent châteaux are nestled in the greenery of the picturesque Loire Valley, also known as the Garden of France. The splendour of the historic buildings has been captured on numerous photo motifs – and has survived the centuries. Chambord Castle is worth mentioning, setting a cultural example with its bombastic Renaissance architecture. Since 1981, it and its park have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List. But that’s just one example: Famous Renaissance castles also include Amboise Castle, Chenonceau Castle and Montsoreau Castle. It is hardly surprising that the universal genius Leonardo da Vinci found his retirement home in the beautiful Loire Valley, in the castle of Clos Lucé near Amboise. The romantic flair of the region has not lost its tourist charm to this day.
Normandy
Few landmarks are as magnificent as the historic Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey. It shapes the landscapes of southwestern Normandy. The monumental building, which took over 300 years to build, is one of the main reasons for the tourist attraction in the region. Every year, more than three million visitors are drawn to the striking building. Le Havre, Rouen, Caen are the largest settlements in the region, which is influenced by the coastal landscapes of northern France. Normandy is characterised by Norman cuisine, which also includes the famous Camembert. In addition to Mont-Saint-Michel, Claude Monet’s historic house and colorful garden also attract travelers. An estate that still lies near Giverny with its water lilies. The dreamlike idyll of the region thus presents the best tourist arguments for a visit in its own way.
