Romantic and alluring France is known to many cities such as Paris, Nice, Cannes and Strasbourg. Of course, these are wonderful places, but you should look for true French charm a little away from the main tourist routes.
1. Lille
Lille will be a very profitable and interesting find for travelers - an unforgettable French charm, fine cuisine and exquisite architecture.
The city is located near Belgium and Luxembourg. For only € 5 you will be home to Lille from the Belgian Charleroi.
In Lille, visit the Palace of Fine Arts, which you can begin to admire from the outside. And inside you will appreciate the paintings of the famous Renoir, Rubens, Monet and Rembrandt, walking through the halls of the museum. Not less interesting event will be a visit to the house-museum of the hero of France Charles de Gaulle.
What to visit: Notre Dame de la Trey, Palace of Fine Arts, Lille Museum of Natural History, Countess Hospital Museum, Lille Metropolitan Museum of Contemporary Art, Lille Stock Exchange, Botanical Garden, Citadel.
2. Mont Saint Michel
A unique place that has no analogues in the world. Among the plains is a monastery towering on a rock. But in reality it is not only a monastery - it is a whole city with narrow streets, cafes and many beautiful places.
A visit to Mont Saint-Michel is free, anyone can walk around the complex as much as they like, but you have to pay for visiting the sights. For example, entry to the abbey costs € 10.
Each tourist should do the following in Mont Saint-Michel: visit the chapel of Notre-Dame-Sous-Terre, watch the tide near the stone parapet, and take a walk at low tide at the foot of the mountain.
What to visit: Monastery of Saint-Saint-Michel, the chapel of Saint-Aubert, the church of Saint-Pierre.
3. Nantes
Another unique city of our route. Of course, the main advantage of Nantes will be well-preserved buildings of different eras, which are divided into quarters. Without exaggeration, you can travel through time, just walking through the city’s quarters: from the medieval Dekre and Buffay of the 15th century to the modern districts with postwar buildings of the 20th century.
Be sure to try the fish and seafood in the cafes and restaurants of Nantes to the accompaniment of local wines.
What to visit: the Castle of the Dukes of Breton, the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Dobre Museum, the project “Machines of the Island of Nantes”.
4. Toulouse
It is best to visit Toulouse from September to November or from March to May, when there is comfortable weather here. The city is very bright, extraordinary, one feels the merging of past and future.
Toulouse is the center of astronautics and aviation of France. Here is, perhaps, the best space museum in Europe. Dozens of cool exhibits will surely surprise you - there is even a copy of the legendary Soviet satellite sent to space in 1957. And in the aviation museum, you can take a tour of the Airbus A380 - another reason to visit Toulouse.
What to visit: the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, the Toulouse Town Hall, the Augustinian Museum, the space town, the Cathedral of Saint-Étienne, the Palace of Assese, Notre-Dame de la Daurade.
5. Montpellier
Montpellier is a very dynamic and youth city. Most of the attractions are located in its old part, which is separated by a pedestrian zone from other areas.
There are many fountains, squares, museums. The most interesting is the Fabre Museum, where paintings by Rubens, Bruegel, Matisse, Manet, Renoir and other great artists are stored.
The advantage of Montpellier lies in the fact that the city is located a few dozen kilometers from the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and a number of picturesque lakes.
What to visit: Cathedral of Montpellier, Fabre Museum, Peyrou Triumphal Gate.
6. Avignon
This city is fascinating at first sight. Small in size, beautiful architecture, almost always good weather - for these advantages, the city will appeal to many.
The center of Avignon is surrounded by high walls, built in the XIV century. You can get there through one of the eight gates that used to serve as portals to the city. The priesthood of Avignon is the Papal Palace built here - the main attraction of the city. The thing is that in the Middle Ages Avignon became the capital of the Catholic world for 70 years, where the popes lived before returning to the Vatican.
What to visit: the Papal Palace, Pont Saint-Bénézé, Avignon Cathedral, Calvet Museum, Museum of Petit Palais.
7. Lyon
Lyon is worthy to spend 2-3 days in it, because in one day it is impossible to visit all of its top attractions. The city captivates with its colorful quarters, which are very different from each other. The old city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, because this quarter has remained unchanged since the Renaissance. The two rivers, the Rhone and Sona, form the picturesque Presquil Peninsula, which is one of the symbols of Lyon.
The city is also the capital of a well-known organization - Interpol, therefore security is always at the highest level.
What to visit: Tête d'Or Park, Notre-Dame de Fourviere Basilica, Lyon Cathedral, Lyon Museum of Fine Arts, Three Gallium Amphitheater, Croix-Russ.
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