Places to Visit in France

Since all this can be a little overwhelming, here’s a handy list of places to visit in France when you finally plan that trip. SOTC has some wonderful France tour packages waiting for you. Choose yours today!

Apart from checking out the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre Museum, indulging in delicious gourmet meals is a good choice as traditional French cuisine recently got the status of Intangible Asset of the World from UNESCO. Each and every region of the country has its own distinct culture and cuisine. For instance, in Brittany, you’ll find that the quiet fishing hamlets specialise in seafood and crepes, while in the French Alps, cheese fondue with charcuterie is one of the most common dishes. Indulging in them is a sure-shot way to ejoy France’s irresistible charm. 

Below, we have compiled a list of must-see places in France:

Eiffel Tower 

Also known as the ‘Iron lady’, the Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris and one of the world's most recognisable landmarks. This feat of human engineering consists of 8,000 metallic parts and was designed by Gustave Eiffel for the World Fair of 1889 as a temporary exhibit. Though critics initially loathed it, the 320-meter-tall tower has become a symbol of the Parisian skyline. 

Louvre Museum 

With more than 3,000 artworks on display, the Louvre Museum, a former royal palace, has some of the topmost paintings of the western world such as the Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci, the 1st century BC sculpture of Venus De Milo and Veronese’s Wedding Feast at Cana. Additionally, many of the artworks present here belong to the spoils of Napoleon the First. 

Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris 

Spread over an area of over 2,500 square metres, this UNESCO World Heritage Site has beautiful stained-glass windows that allow light to filter into the cathedral in colourful hues. Many of the church’s windows date back to the 13th century and are a great example of unbelievable craftsmanship that was used to depict stories from the bible. 

Arc de Triomphe 

One of the most famous monuments in the city of Paris, this structure stands at the western end of Champs-Elysees, right at the juncture of 12 radiating avenues of Place Charles De Gaulle.

Mont Saint-Michel 

Le Mont-Saint-Michel is a mainland commune and tidal island in Normandy, France. The island is located around 1km off of France’s north-western coast, right at the mouth of the river Couesnon near Avranches. 

French Riviera 

The French Riviera, also known as Côte d'Azur, is South-eastern France’s Mediterranean coast. Though the place was a health retreat in the 18th century, in later times, aristocrats, and artists were attracted to the place. Now, it is a popular holiday destination that you should definitely visit.

Champs-Élysées 

In the 8th arrondissement of Paris lies an avenue named Avenue des Champs-Élysées. It runs between the Place Charles de Gaulle and Place de la Concorde, where the Arc de Triomphe is present, and is a popular tourist destination.

Sacre Couer 

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, also referred to as Sacré-Cœur Basilica and often simply Sacré-Cœur, is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Paris.

Musee d'Orsay 

Located in Paris, the Musée d'Orsay is a museum on the Left Bank of the Seine River. It is located in the former Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts railway station which was built between 1898 and 1900. The museum primarily comprises French art dating from 1848 to 1914 and includes paintings, furniture, sculptures and photographs.

Montmarte 

Montmartre is a large hill in the 18th arrondissement of the city of Paris. It is 130 m tall and gives its name to its surrounding district, which is part of the northern section of the city’s right bank.

Tuileries Garden 

Located between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde, the Tuileries Garden is a public garden in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. It was created in 1564 by Catherine de' Medici as the garden of the Tuileries Palace and was opened to the public in 1667. After the French Revolution, it became a public park. 

Luxembourg Gardens 

The Jardin du Luxembourg, also known as the Luxembourg Gardens in English, is located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. Its construction began in 1612 by Marie de' Medici, the widow of King Henry IV for the newly built residence she constructed named Luxembourg Palace.

Moulin Rogue 

Moulin Rouge is a cabaret in Paris. The original house,was founded in 1889 by Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller  and was burned down in 1915.

Disneyland Paris Resort 

Formerly known as Euro Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris is an entertainment resort in Chessy, a town located 32 km east from the centre of Paris. It comprises two theme parks, several resort hotels, a shopping and entertainment complex, Disney Nature Resorts and a golf course.

The Centre Pompidou 

Also known as the Pompidou Centre in English, The Centre Pompidou is a building in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement of Paris, near the Marais and the Les Halles.

Place de la Concorde 

The Place de la Concorde is the largest public square in Paris. It is located at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées, in the city's eighth arrondissement.

Sainte-Chapelle 

Within the medieval Palais de la Cité, which was the residence of French monarchs till the end of 14th century lies Sainte-Chapelle, a royal chapel made in the Gothic style, on the Île de la Cité of the River Seine. 

Le Marais 

The Marais district in the 4th arrondissement of Paris is also known as South Marais and is filled with galleries, hip boutiques and gay bars. As this was once the heart of the city’s Jewish population, several kosher restaurants still exist here.