List of French Cities

Vannes cityscape


①Paris

Eiffel Tower

【City Description】

It’s the French capital. As there are so many sightseeing spots like Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, you need several days for the visit. We show you three routes to visit main sightseeing spots on this site.

①Arc de Triomphe – Louvre Museum

②Eiffel Tower – Notre Dame Cathedral

③Montmartre, Opera – Marais


②Alsace

Strasbourg cityscape

【Region Description】

It is a region that can be reached in 2 to 3 hours east of Paris, and because it is close to Germany, you can feel Germany in the language and buildings. Strasbourg is famous for its Christmas markets, and its main city is Strasbourg.

①Strasbourg: A city famous for its Christmas market

②Colmar: A cute pastel-colored street

③Mulhouse: One of Europe’s largest automobile museums


③Île-de-France

Versailles Palace

Region Description

A region in northern France that includes Paris. . Although it is small, there are many places to see, such as the Palace of Versailles and Chantilly, which is famous for its horse racing, so it is recommended that you go on a day trip.

Versailles: A magnificent palace and vast gardens

Chantilly: The castle where fresh cream was born


④Auvergne

Le Puy en Velay cityscape

【Region Description】

This is a region in the center of France where you can see black buildings made of volcanic rock because it is a volcano. It is also the starting point for pilgrimages to Spain and the region where Volvik, famous for its waters, is located. The main city is Clermont-Ferrand.

①Clermont-Ferrand: A jet-black town made of volcanic rocks

②Le Puy-en-Velay: A pilgrimage site with two giant rocks

③Vichy: A World Heritage hot spring resort

④Issoire: A Romanesque church with a gorgeous interior

⑤Brioude: A church with a precious painting of Christ on the ceiling


⑤French Riviera

Nice Ocean

Region Description

It is a resort region in southern France facing the Mediterranean Sea. Famous cities such as Nice, Cannes, and the Principality of Monaco line up, and in addition to the sea, the inland areas such as Eze and other “Eagle’s nest villages” are also attractive. I recommend Nice as your base.

①Nice: A resort famous for its beautiful sea

②Eze: The Eagle’s Nest Village with its medieval scenery

③Monaco: A small country of celebrities

④Menton: A town famous for lemons

⑤Cannes: A resort famous for its film festival

⑥Sainte-Marguerite Island: An island where the legend of the Iron Mask remains

⑦Saint-Honorat Island: An island where the entire island is the land of a monastery

⑧Antibes: A port town where Picasso also stayed

⑨Saint-Paul-de-Vence: A popular Eagle’s Nest Village

⑩Vence: The smallest cathedral town in France


⑥Hauts-de-France

Lille cityscape

Region Description

It is a region north of Paris that borders Belgium, and people who come to this region consume more beer than wine. The central city is Lille.

Lille: The gateway to the north of France


⑦Franche-Comté

Besancon citadel

Region Description

It is a mountainous region near Switzerland, and is also a producer of yellow wine, which is rare in France. The main city is Besancon.

①Besançon: Birthplace of Victor Hugo

②Arbois: The town of yellow wine and chocolate


⑧Burgundy

Golden wine field in Nuits Saint Georges

Region Description

This region is famous for its wine production, and the highest quality wine, Romanée-Conti, is also produced here. Mustard is also famous in the central city of Dijon.

①Auxerre: A beautiful town on the banks of the Yonne River

②Autun: A town with ancient Roman ruins

③Chalon-sur-Saône: A town on islands in the Saône

④Semur-en-Auxois: A medieval town watched over by four towers

⑤Dijon: The central city of the region

⑥Tournus: A town famous for its Benedictine monastery

⑦Nuits-Saint-Georges: A town of wine and cassis

⑧Beaune: A town known as the capital of Burgundy wine


⑨Brittany

Dinan cityscape

Region Description

It is a region west of Paris and can be reached in 2 to 3 hours by train. Many traces of the former Duchy of Brittany remain, and the Breton language still remains. Famous foods include galettes and Kouign-amann.

①Rennes: A town where buses to Mont Saint-Michel depart

②Fougeres: A town with a medieval fortress

③Saint-Malo: A popular medieval seaside city

④Dinan: A medieval town with a clock tower and port

⑤Vannes: A historic town with a castle

⑥Auray: A rustic port town

⑦Carnac: A town with a mysterious group of megaliths

⑧Quiberon: One of Brittany’s most popular beaches

⑨Belle Île: Brittany’s largest island

⑩Lorient: A port town with the International Celtic Festival

⑪Quimper: A town famous for its pottery

⑫Locronan: One of the most beautiful villages in France

⑬Brest: A modern town on the westernmost tip


⑩Provence

Avignon Rhone river

Region Description

It is a region facing the Mediterranean Sea with Marseille as its central city, and in the interior there are many ruins from the Roman Empire era. There are many towns and villages such as Avignon that have a medieval atmosphere.

①Marseille: An exotic port town

②Les Iles / Île d’If: An island accessible from Marseille

③Aix-en-Provence: The town of fountains where Cézanne was born

④L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue: A watermill town popular in the antique market

⑤Avignon: A medieval town that was also the subject of a nursery rhyme

⑥Villeneuve-lès-Avignon: A town with a fortress on top of a hill

⑦Arles: A town with ancient Roman ruins where Van Gogh stayed


⑪Limousin

Limoges pottery museum

Region Description

Like the Auvergne region, it is a region in central France, but it is a mountainous region and is very difficult to access. The main city is Limoges, famous for its pottery.

Limoges: France’s leading pottery town


⑫Mont-Saint-Michel

Mont-Saint-Michel

Region Description

It is a popular tourist spot in France. You can join a tour, but here we will introduce how to go on your own.

Mont-Saint-Michel: France’s top tourist destination


⑬Rhone-Alpes

Lyon cityscape

Region Description

It is a region in the east-central part of France, and it is a two-hour train ride from the central city of Lyon to Geneva, Switzerland. There are many cities with attractions such as Annecy, which has the clearest lake in Europe, and Grenoble, where the Winter Olympics were held.

①Lyon: One of France’s leading gourmet towns

②Oingt: France’s most beautiful village in Beaujolais

③Pérouges: A medieval village that can be reached on a day trip from Lyon

④Bourg-en-Bresse: A town famous for its high-quality local chicken

⑤Annecy: A town with the clearest lake in Europe

⑥Chambery: Former capital of the Duchy of Savoy

⑦Grenoble: A town with a fortress overlooking the Alps

⑧Vienne: A town with ancient Roman ruins

⑨Valence: A town with a three-star restaurant famous for its female chef


⑭Lorraine, Champagne

Nancy Stanislas Square

Region Description

You can also take a day trip from Paris to Nancy, famous for Art Nouveau, and Reims, the center of Champagne production, which is located just east of the Ile-de-France region where Paris is located. From Nancy you can also go to Baccarat and neighboring Luxembourg.

①Nancy: The city where Art Nouveau developed

②Metz: A church with stained glass by famous artists

③Reims: The cathedral where the kings of France were crowned


⑮Loire Valley

Chambord Castle

Region Description

It is a region in the south of the Ile-de-France where Paris is located, and many castles remain along the Rhône River, one of France’s four major rivers. It’s easily accessible from Paris, so many people go there to visit castles. Their specialty is tarte tatin, which is similar to apple pie.

①Orléans: The town where Joan of Arc was active

②Chambord: The largest castle in the Loire

③Blois: A rare castle that incorporates various architectural styles

④Beauregard: A castle with portraits and lapis lazuli

⑤Cheverny: A homely castle

⑥Chaumont-sur-Loire: A castle that hosts the International Garden Festival

⑦Amboise: The town where Da Vinci spent his later years

⑧Chenonceau: A castle run by a female lord that spans the river

⑨Loches: A town where beautiful women lived

⑩Tours: A base town for travel in this region

⑪Langeais: A town with the oldest remaining fortress in France

⑫Azay-le-Rideau: A beautiful castle that stands out on the water

⑬Chinon: The town of Joan of Arc and wine

⑭Saumur: A castle on a hill and a town of horse riding

⑮Angers: A castle with the world’s largest tapestry

⑯Nantes: A large town with an island of machines


⑯Occitania

Toulouse sunset

Region Description

It is a region bordering Spain and has many attractions such as Toulouse, known as the rose-colored city, Carcassonne, famous for its huge fortified city, and Perpignan, where you can feel the atmosphere of Spain. Specialties include cassoulet, which is made with duck meat and a large amount of beans baked in an oven.

①Lourdes: The miraculous town where the Virgin Mary descended

②Toulouse: The central city famous as the pink town

③Albi: A huge cathedral and a medieval town

④Carcassonne: A popular medieval fortified city that is a World Heritage site

⑤Perpignan: A town where Catalan culture remains

⑥Montpellier: A city famous as an academic city since ancient times


⑰Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Bordeaux Bourse Square

Region Description

The region is centered around Bordeaux, which is famous for its port wine, and the atmosphere is different between the north and south of Bordeaux. To the north are Poitiers, where Joan of Arc was tried, and to the south are Biarritz, a resort town on the Atlantic Ocean, and Bayonne, where Basque culture remains.

①Poitiers: The town where Joan of Arc was tried

②La Rochelle: A popular port town with three towers

③Bordeaux: The central city famous as the port of the moon

④Pau: A town on a hill overlooking the Pyrenees

⑤Bayonne: A town where Basque culture remains strong

⑥Biarritz: One of the leading resorts in the Basque region

⑦Saint-Jean-de-Luz: A seaside town where Louis XIV was married


Useful Links for Travel

Expedia

There is a lot of great hotel deals listed, and you can read comments from people from all over the world. You can also book these together with your flight.

Hotels.com

There is also a lot of hotel information here. Another great thing is that many of them offer no cancellation fees.

Booking.com

This world-famous hotel booking site has a huge number of listings, so you can find the hotel you like. If you become a member and stay many times, you can get discounts and get even better deals.


Expedia

It is a world-famous travel site. It is convenient because you can also purchase domestic air tickets.


klook

This is a convenient site where you can book tickets and tours to tourist spots around the world. Be sure to check it out as they sometimes offer discounts.


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