100 iconic places to discover in France before Paris 2024
The Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will take place along the Seine in the heart of the French capital, with a flotilla of boats flanked either side by some of the country's most cherished buildings and cultural gems.
But Paris is not alone in having breathtaking tourist sites, with the entire French territory populated with historical buildings and unique landscapes.
If you have secured your tickets to the Olympic Games or plan to book in the near future, spare some extra time to visit the rest of France: print this article, or take your notebook and write down some of the places below - you'll love to visit them!
This is a non-exhaustive and subjective list given the multitude of other exceptional places to visit in France.
Discover the map of the Olympic Torch Relay route ahead of the Olympic Games Paris 2024
Romantic castles in France
Chambord Castle (located in Loir-et-Cher): 16th century castle listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 8 July.
Chenonceau Castle (Indre-et-Loire): 16th century castle listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Amboise Royal Castle (Indre-et-Loire): 15th century castle.
Blois Royal Castle (Loir-et-Cher): 13th century castle. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 8 July.
Cheverny Castle (Loir-et-Cher): inspiration for Tintin creator Hergé, which now hosts a permanent Tintin exhibition.
Guédelon Castle (Yonne): the site of a fortified castle, built using methods from the Middle Ages that started in 1997.
Versailles Castle (Yvelines): historic monument and former home of the kings of France since Louis XIV. The Paris 2024 equestrian and modern pentathlon events will take place here. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 23 July.
Vincennes Castle (Val-de-Marne): the largest royal castle in France. The Paris 2024 road cycling time trial will pass through here. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 21 July.
Ormesson Castle (Val-de-Marne): iconic Renaissance building from the 16th century. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 21 July.
Historical sites in France
Omaha Beach and the landing beaches (Calvados). On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 30 May.
Mont Saint-Michel (Manche): a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 31 May.
Place Stanislas in Nancy (Meurthe-et-Moselle): a classic urban spot listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.
European institutions of Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin): significant administrative organisations are located in this beautiful city. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 26 June.
Caves of Lascaux (Dordogne): paintings and engravings from the Paleolithic era can be seen on the walls of these caves. Discovered in 1940 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 22 May.
Vauban fortifications in Besançon (Doubs): Twelve fortified buildings listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 25 June.
Garabit Viaduct (Cantal): 19th century bridge designed and built by Gustave Eiffel a few years before the Eiffel Tower.
Hospices de Beaune (Côte d'Or): 15th century Gothic hospital, classified as a historical monument and converted into a museum. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 12 July.
Chauvet Cave - Pont d'Arc (Ardèche): discovered in 1994 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this cave contains Paleolithic paintings estimated to be more than 30,000 years old.
Old Port of Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône): iconic area of the city a few steps from the Olympic sailing venue and the Marseille Marina. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 8 May.
The Nîmes Arena (Gard): a Roman amphitheatre which dates back to the first century AD and is widely-considered one of the best-preserved antique arenas in the world.
The Millau Viaduct (Aveyron): an iconic cable-stayed bridge spanning the Tarn valley, which at its highest point reaches 343m. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 13 May.
Château d'If (Bouches-du-Rhône): a fortress built in the 16th century located off the coast of Marseilles, made famous by Alexandre Dumas’ novel "The Count of Monte Cristo".
The alignments of Carnac (Morbihan): a site with thousands of menhirs (megalithic stones) which were built between the 5th and 7th millennia BC.
Provins (Seine-et-Marne): a historic site from the Middle Ages which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Belfort Citadel (Territory of Belfort): a historic site built in the Middle Ages and expanded in the 19th century.
The City of Carcassonne (Aude): a medieval town which is acknowledged as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 16 May.
Najac (Aveyron): a picturesque town located in the French commune of Aveyron, with six monuments listed in France’s historical monuments.
Palais Idéal du facteur Cheval (Drôme): 'The Postman Cheval's Ideal Palace' is a classified historical monument built by a postman between 1879 and 1912.
Iconic places in France
The Route des Grands Crus de Bourgogne (Côte d'Or): a 60km-long tourist route which weaves through 37 vineyards.
Oradour-sur-Glane (Haute-Vienne): a historic village and location of a wartime massacre, now a solemn place of remembrance.
La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime): located on the Atlantic coast, the fortified port dates back to the 14th and 15th centuries.
Port of Saint-Malo (Ille-et-Vilaine): a harbour which provides stunning views over the Emerald Coast. Don't miss the picture-postcard buildings in the town of Dinard and, in the distance, the tip of the Cape Fréhel. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 1 June.
Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine): widely-considered the capital of Brittany and famous for its half-timbered houses, several of which date back to the 18th century, including the Parliament of Brittany, the Opera and City Hall. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 1 June.
Nantes (Loire-Atlantique): famed for its castle (Château des ducs de Bretagne), cathedral and the famous Passage Pommeraye. The city will host Olympic football matches at La Beaujoire Stadium.
'Promenade des Anglais' in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes): a famous avenue along the "Baie des anges" with several prestigious hotels within a short distance to another Olympic football stadium (Nice Stadium). On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 18 June.
Little Venice district in Colmar (Haut-Rhin): a picturesque district with several historic canals. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 26 June.
Troyes (Aube): a medieval town centred around beautiful buildings. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 13 July.
The Grand’Place in Lille (Nord): an outstanding urban site not far from Lille’s Olympic venue: Pierre-Mauroy Stadium. On the Olympic Torch Relay: 2 July.
The forest of Fontainebleau (Seine-et-Marne): a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site with its castle classified as a historical monument. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 20 July.
The Hippodrome (racecourse) of Enghien-Soisy, near Enghien-les-Bains (Val d’Oise): famous for its horse races. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 19 July.
The Bouchons Lyonnais (Rhône): traditional and local French restaurants, located near the Olympic venue Lyon Stadium.
Quais de Bordeaux (Gironde): the capital of Gironde, along the Garonne River where the Bordeaux Stadium - an Olympic football venue - is located. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 23 May.
Pays basque (Nouvelle-Aquitaine): a cultural region located by the Pyrenees on the border with Spain. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 20 May.
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie (Lot): a picture-perfect region in Lot and home to the Causses du Quercy Regional Natural Park, a UNESCO Global Geopark.
Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val (Tarn-et-Garonne): a commune listed among the Great Sites of the Occitanie region.
Pays Cathare (Occitanie): offers breathtaking views in the Aude region.
Gouffre de Padirac (Lot): a natural cave with an underground river flowing 100m below the surface.
Rocamadour (Lot): get your cameras ready for this local area highlighted by the association of the Most Beautiful Villages of France.
Dune of Pilat (Gironde): the highest sand dune in Europe, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the Arcachon Basin.
Cordes-sur-Ciel (Tarn): a commune listed in the association of the Most Beautiful Villages of France and voted France's Favourite Village in the TV show of the same name.
Collioure (Pyrénées-Orientales): an area located in Pyrénées-Orientales on the Mediterranean coast with a picturesque marina. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 15 May.
Rungis Market (Val-de-Marne): home of the biggest farmers market in the world. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 21 July.
Museums and cultural activities in France
Verdun Memorial (Meuse): a museum dedicated to the history of the Battle of Verdun that took place during World War I. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 29 June.
Louvre-Lens Museum (Pas-de-Calais): linked to the Louvre Museum by a scientific and cultural convention. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 3 July.
Armistice Memorial in Rethondes (Oise): dedicated to the armistice at the end of World War I.
Festival of Lights in Lyon (Rhône): an annual event where light installations are projected onto numerous buildings in the city.
Avignon Festival (Vaucluse): a famous month-long annual festival of theatre and other live performances.
Rencontres de la Photographie in Arles (Bouches-du-Rhône): an international photography festival.
Mucem (Bouches-du-Rhône): Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations in Marseille.
Musée des Confluences in Lyon (Rhône): a museum of natural history located where two famous rivers meet, the Rhône and the Saône.
Music Day (France): celebrations and concerts take place throughout the French territory on 21 June of each year.
Musée des Impressionnismes (Eure): museum dedicated to the impressionist movement located in Giverny, home of its most famous resident Claude Monnet.
Musée de la BD d’Angoulême (Charente): museum dedicated to comic books, where an annual festival is held every January. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 24 May.
LYON, FRANCE - DECEMBER 04: For four nights over 70 light installations will create a magical atmosphere in the streets, squares and parks all over the city and millions of visitors both French and from abroad will enjoy the friendly and joyful spirit of this unique event on December 4, 2014 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Bruno Vigneron/Getty Images)
Natural sites in France
La Chaîne of the Puys (Puy-de-Dôme): chain of 80 volcanos listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Vichy (Allier): a spa resort listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Poitevin Marsh (Vendée, Deux-Sèvres, Charente-Maritime): area of marshland nicknamed The Green Venice, where you can take a boat through meadows and woodlands. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 2 June.
Pink Granite Coast (Côtes d’Armor): coastline with pink rock formations more than 3,000 years old, and home to the Castle of Costaérès.
Les Abers (Finistère): picture-perfect fjords in Brittany. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 7 June.
Paimpon in the forest of Brocéliande (Ille-et-Vilaine): famous for its myths and legends since the Medieval Ages. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 1 June.
Loire Estuary (Loire-Atlantique): preserved wetlands.
Salt marshes of Guérande (Loire-Atlantique): an area spanning 50 km2 that has produced salt for thousands of years.
Cliffs of Étretat (Seine-Maritime): iconic site of Normandy with the famous Porte d’Aval, a natural arch made by the sea, on the white chalk coastline. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 5 July.
Verdon Gorge (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Var): a river canyon 25km in length with 700m cliffs.
Calanques national park (Bouches-du-Rhône): a series of creeks along the Mediterranean coastline that is lined with hiking trails between Marseille and Cassis. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 12 May.
Mont-Blanc (Haute-Savoie): the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe (4,805m) and Aiguille du midi (3,842m), that is reachable by cable car. Mont-Blanc is located at the edge of Chamonix city, host of Chamonix 1924, the first Winter Olympic Games in history. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 23 June.
Montagne Sainte-Victoire (Bouches-du-Rhône): iconic mountain made famous by the painter Paul Cézanne. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 12 May.
Parc naturel régional du Luberon (Vaucluse and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence): mediterranean mountain with multiple picturesque villages.
Gorges de l’Ardèche (Ardèche): a 30-kilometre canyon with limestone cliffs overlooking the Ardèche river.
Port-Cros national park (Var): a natural site made up of several islands off the Mediterranean coast of Hyères. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 10 May.
Scandola Nature Reserve (Corse-du-Sud): an iconic marina home to exceptional biodiversity and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 14 May.
Pic du Midi de Bigorre (Hautes-Pyrénées): a mountain in the French Pyrenees, famous for its observatory. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 19 May.
Cirque de Gavarnie (Hautes-Pyrénées): a picture-perfect valley in the central Pyrenees.
Gorges de l’Aveyron (Tarn-et-Garonne and Aveyron): a series of gorges registered as part of the Great Sites of the Occitanie region.
Parc naturel régional de Camargue (Bouches-du-Rhône): a 372,000-acre protected wetland home to a wide variety of plants and animals, including 30,000 pink flamingos. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 12 May.
Jura lakes (Jura): 70 lakes famed for their astonishing beauty and connected by a 93-mile road with panoramic views.
CHAMONIX-MONT-BLANC, FRANCE - FEBRUARY 25: Alpine skiers ski down a piste at La Flegere ski resort as the Mont Blanc summit is seen in the distance on February 25, 2018 near Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France. The French Alps are a popular destination for skiers and climbers, though they are also dangerous. Several visitors have fallen to their deaths while skiing or snowboarding off piste just in recent weeks. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
There’s more than one Notre-Dame!
Chartres Cathedral (Eure-et-Loire): a 12th century Gothic cathedral and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 7 July.
Saint-Étienne de Bourges Cathedral (Cher): a 12th century Gothic cathedral and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, near the Chateauroux Shooting Centre at Paris 2024.
Sainte-Croix d’Orléans Cathedral (Loiret): a 13th century Gothic cathedral. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 10 July.
Basilique Notre-Dame-du-Port de Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme): a 12th century Romanesque basilica and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Notre-Dame de l’Assomption de Clermont Cathedral (Puy-de-Dôme): a 13th century Gothic cathedral.
Notre-Dame du Puy-en-Velay Cathedral (Haute-Loire): a 13th century Romanesque cathedral and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Abbey of Fontenay (Côte d'Or): the oldest preserved Cistercian abbey, built in the 12th century, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine de Vézelay (Côte d'Or): a Romanesque and Gothic basilica erected in the 12th century and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 11 July.
Notre-Dame de La Charité-sur-Loire Priory (Yonne): 11th century Romanesque priory and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Saint-Étienne d'Auxerre Cathedral (Yonne): 16th century Gothic cathedral. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 11 July.
Notre-Dame de Strasbourg Cathedral (Bas-Rhin): a Gothic cathedral listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 26 June.
Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral (Marne): a Gothic cathedral listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 30 June.
Notre-Dame d'Amiens Cathedral (Somme): a Gothic cathedral listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 4 July.
Palais des Papes of Avignon (Vaucluse): a Middle Age Gothic palace where the Pope lived in the 14th century. On the Olympic Torch Relay route: 19 June.
Notre-Dame-de-La-Garde Cathedral (Bouches-du-Rhône): a cathedral overlooking the city of Marseille – where the Marseille stadium and Marina, two Olympic venues, are located – that is nicknamed ‘La Bonne Mère’.