Five of the most beautiful places to visit in France

1. Loire Valley

An area of outstanding natural beauty, the Loire Valley is also affectionately known as the garden of France. The valley is filled with culturally and historically important architecture which has earned it a world heritage site status- unsurprisingly it’s one of the most visited places in the country. Renowned for its large collection of fairytale-esque chateaux and mansions, exceptionally beautiful landscapes and one of the most striking rivers in Europe the Loire Valley is a gentle but most definitely bourgeois paradise.

2. Mont Saint-Michel

Second only to the Eiffel Tower as France’s best-loved landmark, Mont St-Michel is rocky, peaked island which is connected by a causeway to northwest France. An imposing sight sitting amid sandbanks and powerful tides, the heritage site is most celebrated for its Gothic-style Benedictine abbey. Directly below the grand monastery is a medieval village complete with winding streets, small houses and souvenir shops. The island is accessible at all times except when the tide is very high.

3. Côte d’Azur

The Mediterranean coastline of southeast France is otherwise known as the French Riviera. Although expensive and over-developed to some, with its miles of gorgeous coastline and azure waters it’s still one of the most beautiful places in France. The area has attracted and transfixed many visitors over the years including royalty, celebrities, writers and artists such as Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse. The Côte d’Azur is also famed for it’s stylish coastal cities such as Nice Cannes and St-Tropez, which still remain exclusive holiday resorts even today.

4. Giverny

Giverny is a riverside rural idyll located on the borders of Normandy which is most famous for being the birthplace of impressionism  The small village was once Claude Monet’s cherished country retreat and now both his pink shutterboard house and highly photogenic country gardens are open to the public. Planted by Monet himself, the walled water garden (which inspired so many of his famous paintings) features white and purple wisterias, water lilies, weeping willows, bamboo and the iconic green Japanese bridge.

5. Versailles

 

A wealthy suburb of Paris Versailles is an important administrative centre and a proud tourist attraction in its own right. It’s most famous for its chateau – the grand and ornate Palace of Versailles which once housed the kings of France, (including the ill-fated Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette). Both the beautifully preserved palace and manicured gardens are extraordinary and they also offer an interesting insight into the lives of 18th century French royalty before the start of the legendary Revolution.