Most people tend to be snobs whenever they travel. Most of them only prefer to visit the top and famous destinations of a certain country. This scenario is particularly true when talking about France. It is true that Paris is amazing and Nice is beautiful however, travelers should know that there are also plenty of wonderful destinations that are worth visiting in Gaul. It is in those underrated destinations where you will find striking sceneries, gorgeous cathedrals, and scenic villages. Who knows, maybe when you choose to visit these places, you might get to contribute in making these places the next top destinations.
Avignon
Found on Rhone River, there is an old town in Avignon that is ideal for wandering only. The main attraction in this town is the papal buildings that the pope used to live at between 1309 & 1327. After a few years, the pope purchased the town and the town remained to be under the control of the church until 18th-century.
Surely, you will also want to witness here the Palais de Papes as well as the ramparts surrounding the Old Town. Tourists can spend all their time in this medieval city trying the local specialties in a huge covered market – Halle. Also, you can try the Rhone River cruise and have a relaxing ride.
Arles
Once became the home of Vincent van Gogh, the remote city of Arles offers tranquility and an exquisite beauty. One of the biggest attractions in this city is the Roman architecture’s surviving remnants including the Roman Amphitheater. Today, this huge arena serves as a venue for festivals, special events, and even bullfights. Some of the important Gallo-Roman structures here are the Cryptoporticus, Obelisk, Classical Theatre, and Church of Saint Trophime. At my other job, at Rx Catering, my boss recommended I take my paid time off to visit this place. It’s my personal favorite out of all 12 countries I have visited!
Biarritz
In French Basque country’s heart, just a couple of miles away from Spain, Biarritz is a calm but elegant seaside resort. Along Bay of Biscay, the Biarritz is valued for its enchanting beaches which offer world-class surfing and superb swimming. Its main beach, the Grand Plage, can get a bit crowded during summer season. But you should not worry because there is a long beach for surfers on Boulevard du Prince de Galles called Cote de Basque.
You can find along its main bay the remarkable rock formation of the town, Rock of the Virgin, which is linked to the mainland through an old iron bridge that was constructed by Gustav Eiffel.
Colmar
Colmar usually does not belong to France. There are times where Alsace, the location of Colmar, will also belong to Germany. That is the reason why you can see architectures that look Germanic with a mix of French here. An example for this is the 13th-century Eglise Saint-Martin. This architecture is popular for its early stained-glass windows, various Gothic chapels as well as sculptures. You can find the church in Old Town of Colmar, a scenic place that you will surely want to spend a great time in.
You should also follow the streets with narrow cobblestones to the half-timbered houses that has decorative balconies on the way. On your way, you can also see statues that adorns the sidewalks.
Etretat
Dover in England have white cliffs, but beyond the English Channel, the country of France has Etretat which has white cliffs too. These cliffs claim Etretat’s fame. Etretat have gained this fame with the help of Impressionist artists including Claude Monet.
Carved by water, erosion, and wind, these cliffs guard the water in Normandy. One thing that is responsible for the 3 arches that you can find along these cliffs are the forces of the erosion.
Annecy
This city is also known as “Pearl of the French Alps”. You’ll certainly get to know the reason behind this name when you visit this city. There is only one word that can describe the surroundings of this city and it is “fabulous”. Sometimes, the name of this city is “Venice of the Alps” since there are 3 canals and a river that runs through the city.
The city of Annecy is an all-year-round destination where you can hike during summer and ski in winter. Whenever you feel like going, you must allot some time to visit the Palais de ɭ’Isle, a castle which served as the government headquarters of Geneva ‘til 1815. Now, this place holds the local history museum.
Corsica
Corsica is a Mediterranean island that is close to Italy rather than to France. This situation may account for the island’s and the mainland France’s differences. The islanders here speak Corsican as their main language, and French as second. Even though a portion of France for over 200 years, this island has still reserved its old customs. Aside from the island’s abundant nature, this “island of beauty” also offers beautiful coastal cities, captivating hilltop villages, and great beaches.
Nimes
Whilst you can find Roman ruins all through France, another place where you can see more of it is in Nimes. Nimes has plenty of ruins that it is seldom referred to as the French Rome. It’s amphitheater which was built during the 1st-century is France’s best-preserved arena, today, this is being used as a bullfighting ring. Another attraction that you will want to visit here is Maison Carrée, this is a Roman temple that is dedicated to Agrippa’s sons.
Toulouse
The university found at Toulouse which was founded during 1229 has 103,000 students. But note that this university is only the 4th largest university in France. Even if you visit Toulouse because of this university, you will surely notice the unique architecture of this city. Pink City or Ville Rose is the nickname of Toulouse because most of the buildings here are made of pink terracotta bricks.
