Snigdha TiwariFrance, in Western Europe, encompasses medieval cities, alpine villages, and Mediterranean beaches which is a land of sleepy country towns and pungent cheeses, romance and wine, the moneyed Riviera, and the soaring snowfields of the Alps.
It’s difficult not to fall in love with this amazing and extraordinarily beautiful country, where Paris bursts with art and Nice is trodden by fashionistas.
Here are the Top 5 Stunning Places to Visit in France:
1. The Alsace Region
Alsace is a historical region in northeastern France on the Rhine River plain bordering Germany and Switzerland which has alternated between German and French control over the centuries and reflects a mix of those cultures.
The architecture and ambiance of Alsace were influenced by neighboring Germany, as seen in the brightly painted, half-timbered houses and venerable Gothic churches.
The Alsace Villages route is a popular tourist itinerary and is a delightful way to explore the region.
Many of the villages are listed as the “Plus Beaux Villages de France” (Most Beautiful Villages of France) and many villages are designated “Villages Fleuris” (Flowering Villages) because of the vibrant potted flowers that adorn the homes and streets.
2. Corsica
Once a Greek colony, then a part of the Roman Empire and under the medieval hegemony of Italian dynasties, it’s hardly surprising that Corsica has a character apart from the rest of France which presents a mix of stylish coastal towns, dense forest, and craggy peaks (Monte Cinto is the highest).
Rugged and unspoiled, this is a land beset by mountains and cliffs, rolling from ivory-white pebble beaches to the precipitous inland hills.
Nearly half the island falls within a park whose hiking trails include the challenging GR 20.
Its beaches range from busy Pietracorbara to remote Saleccia and Rondinara.
Yet for all that, this is still the island that gave the world Napoleon, who was born here in Ajaccio in 1769.
3. Marseille
Marseille, a port city in southern France, has been a crossroads of immigration and trade since its founding by the Greeks circa 600 B.C.
The city is full of monuments and museums to see, but if you were to visit only one thing, the Vieux-Port is definitely where you should be.
There, you can enjoy street musicians, dance performers, or artistic exhibitions often making the most of this space.
4. Nice
Nice, capital of the Alpes-Maritimes department on the French Riviera, sits on the pebbly shores of the Baie des Anges.
Founded by the Greeks and later a retreat for the 19th-century European elite, the city has also long attracted artists.
It has some of the best pebble beaches in France, where you can enjoy the sun before taking a dip in the sea.
Vieux Nice is charming to boot, with its medieval homes, while Cimiez means ancient ruins and Roman relics.
5. Saint – Tropez
Saint – Tropez is one of the liveliest towns along the coast during the summer which is a coastal town on the French Riviera, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of southeastern France.
It is one of the most glamorous tourist destinations in the world where its magnificent beaches range from the famous celebrity-spotting Pampelonne to the small, quaint, and secluded Plages la Glaye or la Ponche.
