Archive for 'Must See Attractions in France'

This incredibly striking beauty is Verdon Gorge, one of the finest natural attractions in all of France and part of the hilly, or Alpine, portion of the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Beyond the perfect beaches and glamorous seaside towns of the Riviera and the lavender fields, olive groves, and vineyards of Provence you will find a landscape that is a little wilder, more rugged, less pastoral but no less stunning. Head north of Nice or East from Avignon and you're going to quickly move from fields to hilly landscapes to the limestone massifs of the Alpine foothills, where rivers flowing down from the peaks of the Alps have carved deep and impressive valleys into the land over millions of years.

Cue the Verdon Gorge, created by the Verdon running from its source near the Italian border south to Castellane and then west to meet with the Durance, near Manosque. Between these two towns of Castellane and Manosque, we find the most exceptionally picturesque creation of the Verdon, a deep canyon that is considered the second largest in the world after America's iconic Grand Canyon and which attracts thousands of visitors annually who come to enjoy various leisure pursuits and to simply enjoy the view. If you have found a vacation rental in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and are a nature-lover enjoying the wonderful scenery of the region, be sure to pull yourself away from the softer, picture-perfect landscapes of lavender fields and beaches and come discover the more dramatic and breath-taking panoramas of this part of France.

Montmartre is, without a doubt, the most famous Parisian district. This completely picturesque neighbourhood is now a household name and was famously home to many of the world's most beloved and best-known artists throughout the past couple of hundred years. While it has, undeniably, suffered from its own fame and mass-tourism, making the area less authentic in some ways and making it so expensive that the culture of young artists occupying the area that propelled its reputation is no longer financially viable for said young artists, there is still much to love about the area. You might just have to ignore the gaudier tat on sale in some shop windows and try and avoid times and places that attract the most oppressive tourist crowds. However, if you have found a vacation rental in Paris and you are looking for somewhere to wander around pretty streets and lush green spaces, to grab a bite, to go and take in some of the city's most famous sights, to soak up the unique atmosphere of Paris, and more, then Montmartre is not to be missed!

Located on the Butte (hill) Montmartre, the district of Montmartre was once marked by the dozen or so windmills that were visible atop the hill. Today, only a few remain; that of the Moulin Radet, the Moulin de la Galette, and the incredibly famous Moulin Rouge. An area that excavations have shown has been occupied since at least Roman-Gallo times, it was once known as “Mont de Mars,” or Mount Mars, and then became “Mont des Martyrs”, after Saint Denis, a Christian bishop, was decapitated on the hilltop in 250AD for preaching the Christian faith to the Gallo-Roman inhabitants the city. All of which eventually led to the current name of Montmartre. Until 1860, the neighbourhood was actually located just outside the city limits of Paris but it was annexed to the city that year along with other surrounding communities and became part of the 18th arrondissement of Paris, as it is today.

The Pompidou Centre, or Centre Pompidou, is an important art and cultural space in Paris that will likely be familiar to many for the covered external staircase that snakes across its famous facade. Located in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement of Paris, near Les Halles, rue Montorgueil, and the Marais, it was designed in a high-tech architectural style by a team of architectural juggernauts including Richard Rogers, Su Rogers, Renzo Piano, and Gianfranco Franchini.

Named after Georges Pompidou, the President of France from 1969 to 1974, and the person who commissioned the building, it was officially opened to the public in 1977 as a space to house the vast Bibliothèque publique d'information (Public Information Library), the Musée National d'Art Moderne (the largest modern art museum in Europe), and IRCAM (a centre for the research of music and acoustics). Having welcomed over 190 million visitors since opening, it is a major tourist attraction and fixture of Parisian cultural life and it is easy to understand why; an architectural gem and marvel in its own right, it also houses three such incredible cultural institutions, all under one roof.

Located in the Mediterranean, the stunning island of Corsica is a French territory but, due to its position, has shifted hands between Italy and France on several occasions throughout the centuries. As a result, its towns and culture reflect this mixed heritage beautifully, and its breath-taking landscape seals the deal: it is a truly gorgeous place. For those interested in the great outdoors – be that exploring it, photographing it, or just looking at it – Corsica is an ideal destination and a must-see in France. From craggy peaks lined with hiking routes to water almost too blue to be real, stacked villages backing right up to rugged cliffs to impressive rock formations emerging from the sea, and ancient fortifications and pretty lighthouses lining the coast to painterly sunsets that astound, Corsica is a jewel-box of an island, full of delights and surprises, just waiting to be explored.

As travel is not possible quite at the moment and we are all long due and in need of a holiday, we thought we'd compile some wonderful photos of beautiful Corsica to help sate your wanderlust (or perhaps stoke it?) and for you to enjoy at home for now so you can compile a list of all of the incredible sights you want to go and see when we are free to move about once more. So, for now, may enjoying these photographs of Corsica in the comfort and safety of your home suffice until you are able to see the majestic beauty of the island for yourself, in person.

While the lucky among us may be stuck safely indoors at the moment, it does not mean that it isn't hard and frustrating. Luckily, in the time that we live in today, if you have an internet connection, you can basically explore the whole world from your own home; from attending online personal training sessions and dance classes, to doing virtual pub quizzes with pals, to screening recent cinema releases on your own television, to using Google Street View to explore cities all over the globe. In addition to all of this the Google Arts & Culture program and various schemes from different museums globally has made museums and art galleries all over the world accessible at the click of a button, with catalogues of holdings and virtual tours.

If you had been hoping to get to France this spring to enjoy the pleasant weather, lovely towns and cities, cuisine, flowers and blossom trees, and the abundant cultural wealth of her architectural gems, tourist attractions, and museums but had to postpone your trip then, fear not: all is not entirely lost because you can still visit many of the country's best and most beloved galleries...virtually!

Here is our guide to some of the best museums in France that you can visit online and for free right now!