If a tourist wants magnificence and luxury, he goes to France, a country where amazingly beautiful castles are combined with small and cozy villages, and lavender fields stretch for several kilometers and exude a special aroma that nothing else can compare with. Moving south, you can endlessly admire the vineyards, and the local wine is considered one of the best in the world. Fans of fashion brands and shopping will also find something to their liking here, as well as romantic couples. If you have never been to the country of Cezanne and Parmesan, then you have not seen the beauty in pure form, therefore, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the top 10 most beautiful cities in France, and which of them you will go to is up to you.
Paris is undoubtedly the leader of this rating and it is false to argue with this. The most beautiful and most visited city in France captivates at first sight and makes your heart beat faster. Whatever you do here - stroll along the promenade or have breakfast in one of the Michelin restaurants, you will get a lot of unforgettable impressions from everything. Worth a visit to the Cathedral Notre Dame of Paris, Boulevard Haussmann, the Champ de Mars, the Eiffel Tower or the Bourbon Palace, how these memories will remain in your memory for a lifetime. Just wandering through the narrow streets of Paris is already the ultimate dream for many, while every tourist can find here a suitable activity for himself.
Lyon is considered to be the heart of the Rhône-Alpes and the gastronomic Mecca of the country. In addition to fine cuisine, the city is famous for its picturesque views and many interesting sights. Old León is listed by UNESCO world heritage and is located in an honorable second place in size among all areas of the Renaissance. Lyon is a city of contrasts: ancient districts with narrow streets coexist harmoniously with ultra-modern ones. The main pride of the Lyons is the Cathedral of St. John, which is distinguished by its special splendor and beauty. Here is one of the most large areas country, in the center of which there is a statue of King Louis XIV.
The Middle Ages and the Renaissance that replaced them left us a rich cultural and historical heritage, in particular, in the form of perfectly preserved in Europe ...
The unsurpassed star of the French Riviera is distinguished not only by the exquisite beauty of its architecture, but also by its magnificent climate. The city is located in the Bay of Angels and offers tourists to visit a huge number of historical monuments, created in the style of Baroque, Middle Ages and Renaissance. Nice is growing rapidly and never ceases to amaze with emerging parks, gardens and recreational areas. The city is popular not only among the French, but also among tourists around the world. bathing season opens in May and lasts until mid-autumn, and even in winter months the temperature rarely drops below +10.
Strasbourg is the capital of Alsace. The city is famous for its extraordinary architecture, and the most remarkable object is Notre Dame. Don't be surprised by the abundance here works of art belonging to the hand of Monet, Gauguin, Rubens and Picasso. The local suburbs are more like alpine villages than traditional French settlements. Travelers prefer to go on a cruise on the Rhine, and the most visited area is the "petite France", where you can visit restaurants or go shopping. Every tourist should visit Strasbourg, and the most beautiful time to visit is the Christmas holidays.
Avignon is located in the southeastern part of the country and is rightfully called Eden for those who prefer leisurely walks in beautiful surroundings. Here you can go to the Saint-Benez bridge, which is more known as Avignon, taste truffles in one of the local restaurants or just enjoy a glass of wine, sitting in a quiet and not crowded street cafe. In July, Avignon opens its doors to the theater festival and then the city captures a special atmosphere that will not leave anyone indifferent.
France is famous for many things: beautiful cities and castles, beautiful language, charming nature. As well as its famous cuisine, which is adored by the Gu...
.png)
Annecy is a small town located in the Rhone-Alpes region, not far from Switzerland, just 30 km from its capital. Annecy is located in a very picturesque place, near an incredibly beautiful blue lake, framed by a panorama of mountain peaks. The main attraction of the city is an old tower, standing right in the middle of the river. It is not for nothing that Annecy is considered one of the most beautiful cities not only in France, but throughout Europe, so it is a must to visit here.
It is one of the oldest and most beautiful European cities. After Paris, Marseille is the second largest city in France, at the same time being considered the largest Mediterranean port, located in the southeast of the country. On the local streets you can admire the medieval architecture, dilapidated buildings built back in the days of the Roman Empire. Marseille is famous for its universities, which are considered very prestigious to enter. The noisy harbor of Marseille accommodates many large and small ships, and tourists consider the Calanques, deep gorges swallowed by the sea, to be the most interesting object. Arriving here, you will have a huge choice of what you can visit here: historical statues, gallery museums are found here at every turn. There are many entertainment venues for young people, and dance and music festivals are held in Marseille several times a year.
The resort city, located in the south of the country, is known throughout the world not only for its excellent beaches, but also for the famous film festival, which is held here annually. In the last few decades, Cannes has become even more beautiful, which is a great merit of the local municipality and the inhabitants of the city. The most beautiful is the road to the palace, where the film festival takes place. Palm trees are planted along the sidewalk, and around there are a huge number of luxury hotels, luxury stores and Michelin-starred restaurants national cuisine. You will always find a cozy cafe to drink a cup of coffee and eat a real croissant. Historic District Le Suquet invites tourists to get acquainted with the monuments of history and architecture, and on the island of St. Honore there is a monastery and a castle. Not far from Cannes there is a small island on which, according to legend, a prisoner was imprisoned, known to everyone as the “iron mask”.
Italy is a classic example better holiday on the sea. This country has many excellent and diverse resorts. Its coastline is...
The city is the administrative, financial and cultural center of Burgundy and is one of the ten most beautiful French cities. Dijon is distinguished by its extraordinary architectural diversity and combines Gothic cathedrals with half-timbered houses and modern buildings. The old French atmosphere reigns in the city, it is always quiet and calm here, so visiting it means getting to know France from the inside.
The city is the capital of the Midi-Pyrenees, a distinctive and charming region. Toulouse is located in the southeast of France, near the French-Spanish border. The population of the town is about 430 thousand, which puts Toulouse in fourth place in terms of the number of inhabitants. Due to the color of the bricks used in the construction of the old city, Toulouse is called "pink". In the Middle Ages, there was a pilgrimage center here, after which many ancient churches have been preserved.
France is the largest state Western Europe. On its territory there are many large and small cities. The main administrative-territorial unit is the departments, the number of which varies from 77 thousand people to 2.5 million people. So which cities in France are the largest and most famous?
The most famous city in France and its capital is Paris. Paris is the administrative center of the Île-de-France region. Located in northern France on the Seine River. It is in this city that the largest population is 2.5 million people. This city is the main cultural and economic center of France, and also plays a big role in modern politics. Here are the headquarters of UNESCO and the International Chamber of Commerce. There are many attractions in Paris that attract people from all over the world - the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Bourbon Palace, the Pantheon.
Rice. 1. Paris.
Marseille - second Big City in France. It is the center of the Bouches-du-Rhone department. The population of the city is almost 860 thousand people. It has a Mediterranean climate with mild winter and hot dry summers.
Marseille is located at a similar latitude to the city of Sochi. Therefore, these two cities have a similar climate.
Marseille is one of the largest ports in Europe and the de facto capital Cote d'Azur. It was founded 2500 years ago as a port city and became part of France only in the 15th century. The city has a very developed transport system: highways, railways with modern high-speed trains, an airport accessible public transport. Among the sights, it is worth highlighting the Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde, the opera, the school of dance and ballet.
Rice. 2. Marseille.
This city is the third largest city in terms of population after Paris and Marseille. The population is more than 500 thousand people. The city is located in the southeast of France, 392 km. from Paris. Unlike Marseille, a continental climate dominates here with dry, windy winters and sunny, hot summers. The city is located at the confluence of two rivers - the Rhone and the Saone.
TOP 4 articleswho read along with this
According to surveys, Lyon has become the most attractive city to live in France
Rice. 3. Lyon.
To better systematize the material on the topic studied, you can pay attention to the list of "Cities of France", which indicates the city, the region to which the city belongs, and the population.
All cities and resorts in France for travel. List of the most famous regions, regions, cities and resorts of France: population, codes, distances, best descriptions and reviews of tourists.
Cities, resorts and regions of France on the map and alphabetically
Yes, France begins with Paris - but by no means ends with it. As soon as an inquisitive traveler gets out of the city, all the treasures of the Île-de-France region will be at his disposal: this is the predecessor of Versailles, the elegant Vaux-le-Vicomte, as if descended from the pages of Dumas' novels, and the Renaissance castle of Fontainebleau surrounded by the famous forest, and, finally , the brilliant Versailles itself, which everyone who has ever heard of France knows about.
Ile-de-France is famous not only for history and architecture: many shopping centers located not in Paris itself, but nearby - so shopping in this region can be both exciting and profitable at the same time. There is no shortage of entertainment for the family either - the only Disneyland in Europe will not leave indifferent neither children nor adults.
To the north of Paris is Disneyland's direct competitor, Parc Asterix. The French themselves prefer to have fun there, while foreigners crowd into Disneyland.
To the west of Ile-de-France, the world-famous castles look into the waters of the Loire: Amboise and Blois, without which the history of France is unthinkable, Chenonceau, for which Diana de Poitiers fought with Catherine de Medici, ancient Orleans and gloomy Chinon, whose fates are closely intertwined with the fate of Joan of Arc, the impeccable Usse, who became the prototype for the Sleeping Beauty castle. And the small but strikingly beautiful Clos Luce, where he lived last years Leonardo da Vinci.
Even further west, where the shores of France are washed by the highest tides in Europe, Mount Saint-Michel rises with the monastery of the same name - a true wonder of the world, a witness of centuries-old asceticism and the struggle of man with harsh nature embodied in stone. To the north of the mountain all the way to Calais stretches Normandy with its famous fields, cows and apple orchards - as well as the Rouen Cathedral, widely known from the paintings of Monet, the Bayeux tapestry, which tells about the conquest of England by William the Conqueror, and the young, but already very famous museum dedicated to the Allied landings in 1944
South of Mont-Saint-Michel lies mist-shrouded Brittany, with its Celtic roots, mystical legends and hidden dream of independence. The ancient forest of Broceliande, famous in the ballads about King Arthur, the rows of Neolithic menhirs and rocky secluded bays have long attracted poets and romantics from all over the world, and the well-maintained beaches of Quibron and balneological resorts - those who want to relax comfortably and at the same time improve their health.
The southern borders of Brittany are guarded by the ancient Nantes - once the capital of the Duchy of Breton, and now the Loire Country region. The powerful castle remained in memory of the times of Anne of Brittany, the openwork lattices of balconies and plane tree alleys remind of Paris, but the signature “Nantes mixture” of salty air, the cries of seagulls and the bustling port cannot be confused with anything. She is still the same as in the days of Jules Verne - a local native and a great patriot of the city.
Further south, the Gulf of Aquitaine curved in a wide arc. This land has always had a special fate: even in ancient times, the locals differed in blood and culture from the surrounding Celts, in early middle ages the country was conquered by the Goths, then the Arabs walked through Aquitaine until they were defeated here, in the battle of Poitiers. In the Hundred Years War, this land belonged to England: until now, in Bordeaux, the favorite city of Victor Hugo and one of the most beautiful cities in France, there is something subtly English.
Traces of English influence have also been preserved in Perigord, formerly part of Aquitaine. It is called the “land of a thousand castles”, and this is not an exaggeration - in fact there are 1001 of them! In addition to castles, the area is interesting for the picturesque valley of the Dordogne River, the medieval cities of Bergerac, Sarlat-la-Caneda and the Cro-Magnon cave with rock art.
The northern part of historical Aquitaine, the Poitou region, is known to everyone who has ever looked at Fort Boyard - the monastery of the elder Fora is located there. Like the no less famous fortress of La Rochelle - the "heroine" of the novel by Alexandre Dumas. A little further from the ocean are two world-class amusement parks: "Puy-du-Fou", mainly dedicated to French history, and "Futuroscope" - a place where the present and the future are intertwined.
South Aquitaine is the aristocratic Biarritz, once a favorite resort royal family, and now chosen by surfers, its eternal rival Arcachon with luxurious beaches, thalassotherapy centers and famous oysters, red-white-green Basque flags on the streets of freedom-loving Bayonne - the "southern capital" of French corsairs.
France is the most visited country in the world - this fact is known to many. But which cities in France attract the most tourists?
And it's natural. Paris is the most famous and largest city in France, the capital of the state. There are many things to see and visit in the city: , , Buttes Chaumont, Montmartre, , , etc. (Tour Eiffel, Louvre, Buttes Chaumont, Montmartre, Musée d'Orsay, Sacré-Cœur, Notre-Dame). Tourists dream of being photographed against the backdrop of the world-famous symbols of Paris.
- one of the oldest cities in France and the former capital of Roman Gaul. The city is rich in historical, cultural and architectural monuments: the Opera House, the Roman Theater of Fourvière, the Croix-Rousse quarter, the Fourvière Basilica (l’ Opera, les Theaters Romains de Fourviere,le Quartier de la Croix-Rousse,la basilique de Fourviere). As for Lourdes, numerous Catholics come to the city where it is located, where Bernadette Soubirous saw the Virgin Mary. In this place, diseases are cured.
Toulouse - the pink city - attracts tourists with its Cite d'Espace, the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, the local history museum and the Capitol ( Cite de l'Espace, de la Basilique Saint-Sernin, Muséum d'Histoire naturelle ,Capitole).
- capital. Previously (yes, perhaps even now) it was a favorite vacation spot for aristocrats from all over Europe. The city has many objects of culture, art and history, and, most importantly, there is the sea and beaches.
A charming town with an old sea fortress. Here is the largest aquarium in Europe. Architecture lovers will find many buildings in classical style and Renaissance style.
— Small town, located on the banks of the English Channel, is surrounded by the greenery of parks and offers boat trips.
The medieval city of Carcassonne is very interesting for lovers of history, fortresses and castles, as well as wine.
Strasbourg is the capital of the region. Museums, festivals, theatres, opera, incomparable half-timbered houses attract crowds of tourists. And they are famous all over the world. They say they are the most beautiful in Europe.
On Mount Saint-Michel is the abbey of the same name: magnificent views, medieval architecture. it's the same .
French city of Pau (Aquitaine region)
The French city of Pau is locality and a commune located in southwestern France, the capital of the Pyrenees-Atlantiques department of the Aquitaine region.
Having arisen in the form of a modest village at the crossroads of Gave-de-Pau (Gave - “valley”), where people flocked to the mountains and from the mountains, Pau (Pau) in 1464 turned into the capital of the ancient Viscountcy of Bearn, and in 1512 - French part of the Kingdom of Navarre.
In 1567, his monarch Henry d'Albret married the sister of the King of France, Marguerite of Navarre, a friend and patroness of artists and intellectuals, who herself became the author of the famous collection of short stories "Heptameron" written in imitation of G. Boccaccio. She made the city a center for the arts and independent thinking.
Their daughter was Jeanne d'Albret, an ardent Protestant whose religious zeal offended her own subjects, and in addition brought the wrath of the Catholic King of France, Charles X, because of which Béarn was drawn into religious wars. In order to stop them (if only for a while), they had to wait for the ascent to the French throne in 1589 of Jeanne's son Henry IV.
As a skilled politician, he renounced his faith to facilitate this transition, wittily remarking that " Paris worth a mass" and then assuaged the regional pride of his Béarnian subjects by declaring that he was giving France to Béarn, not Béarn to France. He did not include Béarn in the French state; this was done after his death by his son and heir Louis XIII in 1620. As the most famous of Poe's sons, Henry earned himself a correspondingly colorful reputation.
He was baptized in the traditional Béarnian way, using local Juraneon wine - and the baby's lips were anointed with garlic. As an adult, he earned the nickname "old red tape" for his love affairs. He also gave France one of its most famous recipes- chicken stuffed and boiled with vegetables (poule au pot): according to rumors, he once said that he wanted everyone in his domain to be rich enough to afford such boiled chicken, at least once a week.
What you least expect to find in Pau is his connection with the British, which arose with the arrival of Wellington and his troops in the city after the defeat of Marshal Soule at Orthez in 1814. Enticed by the local climate and healing properties of these places, at the instigation of the Scottish physician Alexander Taylor, the English flocked to Pau throughout the 19th century, bringing with them their cultural passions: fox hunting, horse racing, polo, croquet, cricket, golf ( in 1860, the first 18-hole course in continental Europe appeared here; it is also the first in the world where women were allowed), cafes, confectionery and parks.
When the railway was built here in 1866, the French also reached out to Pau: artists and writers like Victor Hugo, Stendhal and Lamartine, as well as representatives of secular society. The first rugby club in France opened here in 1902, after which the sport spread throughout the southwest. In the 1950s, a deposit was discovered in neighboring Lak natural gas, and there are new jobs and ancillary businesses - as well as a powerful source of pollution based on sulfur dioxide: today emissions are reduced due to filtration, but still remain significant.
In addition to the above, in 1972 the respected university: Thanks to its approximately 8 thousand students, the lively city is always full of young people. The French town of Pau (Aquitaine region) is located close to many small picturesque villages in the north-western Bearn (Bearn), as is the hiking route GR-65 - a 60-kilometer trail leads to the border with Spain.
Pau airport, north of the city, is small compared to its neighbors in Tarbes-Lourdes and Biarritz, so do not count on international flights - only a few flights go to Paris. The city is located on the Pyrenean highway (autoroute Pyreneene) A-64 and on the main railway from east to west, stopping at Bayonne and Biarritz in the west and Lourdes, Tarbes and Toulouse in the east, as well as in Bordeaux and in Paris.
The train station is south of the centre, by the river: SNCF buses leave from here, and private buses from various outlying terminals from Gachet Street near Place Clemenceau. Buses run south to the Osso Valley (Vallee d`Ossau) and Oloron-Saint-Marie (Oloron-Ste-Marie), stopping by the Aspa Valley on the way.
A free funicular will take you from the train station to boulevard of the Pyrenees(boulevard des Pyrenees), opposite the Place Royale, at the far end of which is the tourist office. For information about hikes and climbing expeditions, try to get in the local CAF (Club of Alpinists of France; Club Alpin Francais; 5 rue Rene Fournets) or in the Pyrenean Library (Librairie des Pyrenees: 14 rue St-Louis), where there are many different books about the mountains. In the center is the Internet cafe CyberSeventys (7 rue Gambetta).
If you are looking for a welcoming, clean, quiet and inexpensive hotel, check out the Hotel le Matisse (17 rue Mathieu-Lalanne, opposite the Museum fine arts). Close to the center is the Hotel Central (15 rue Leon-Daran). Comfortable two-star ensuite rooms are offered by Postillon (10 Cours Camou, behind place Verdun), built around a patio.
