Underrated Destinations in France
Even though France is the number one most visited country in the world, it seems like most people head to the same destinations: Paris and Nice. In fact, Paris gets around 50 million visitors each year! And although I personally love the city and think it deserves the hype, let’s spread some of that love around, shall we? Here are 14 underrated destinations in France that are definitely worth a visit.
Lyon
If you’re looking for a charming city that captures the essence of France, Lyon is the perfect spot. Sometimes referred to as “the pink Paris” for the purple and pink hues of the Old Town, it won’t be just the gorgeous architecture that draws you in.
Lyon has a unique history that you can experience yourself through what they call “traboules,” or small secret, covered pathways through the city that have been used for hundreds of years. The city is also known as a “foodie” destination and is considered to be home to some of the finest food in all of France.
Etretat
Etretat is the place to go if you are a fan of seaside villages and natural beauty. Here, you’ll find arches that were carved by the sea, a little beach, and a village that you’ll never want to leave. When my family and I stayed here, we rented a little farmhouse just outside of town and within walking distance of the cliffs.
You can hike along the cliffside for miles and get an incredible view of the sea below, the famous white arches, and even some World War Two bunkers. If you are looking to be inspired and find a literal piece of heaven on earth, this town needs to be on your French bucket list.
Annecy
Annecy, a medieval city on a light blue lake, is an absolutely dreamy destination, no matter the season. It was nicknamed “The Pearl of the French Alps” but in my opinion it should be called the “Diamond of the Alps”. It’s one of the most stunningly beautiful locations in all of France and is finally starting to go a little viral online.
It has “beaches” around the lake where you can lay out and tan during the summer and swim in this picture-perfect location. There are also hundreds of miles of some of the best hiking trails, and fantastic skiing, not to mention the town alone is one of the cutest in all of France.
Rouen
Rouen is a history lover’s dream destination, as it was where Joan of Arc spent time in prison, was paraded through the city, and eventually burnt at the stake in the center of the town. At that same spot, you can now find a church dedicated to Joan of Arc as she was a major religious figure in France and named a saint.
You can also step right into history and the court proceedings that led to her death at the Joan of Arc Museum, which is the actual building where she was condemned to death for heresy. But even if you’re not a big history buff, this city will blow you away with things like the Gros-Horloge (or Giant Clock) which is a 14th-century, gold astrological clock that sits over an archway that you can walk through.
Dinan
Brittany is a region of France that’s not on a lot of Americans’ radar. It’s kind of like the secret French beach location that only they know about. Dinan is a little further inland but is still only 30 minutes from the beach and is a medieval walled city! It has cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses that look like they’re straight out of a storybook.
Saint-Malo Church is one of the main structures in the town that has Gothic architecture, stained glass windows, and was built to honor Saint Vincent of Saragossa. The Château de Dinan is one of the most famous castles in the area (there are thousands of castles in France) and has a wall that surrounds it that you can walk along and see the city from a different perspective.
Lourdes
Hit two birds with one stone if you have any medical ailments and want to travel to somewhere beautiful, as Lourdes is known for its water that has magical healing powers.
The story is that the Virgin Mary visited a young woman here and now the water that flows from that spot is holy and has healing properties. It is continually flowing and you can bring water bottles to fill up with it so you can take some home with you! Each night there is a candlelight vigil that you can participate in, where they walk and chant or sing prayers, and it’s definitely a healing experience.
Gordes
The South of France is full of little hilltop towns that look incredible against the surrounding landscape. Gordes is a town that shoots up and climbs the hill that it’s placed on. The buildings are perfectly stacked on top of each other, making it look like a tiered cake.
This area is where you’ll find the famous French lavender fields, Gordes de Verdon, and lots of medieval history. It’s near the town of Avignon, which is a much larger town and is the perfect town to base yourself out of to visit Gordes.
Honfleur
This picturesque sea town is where the Seine meets the English Channel and has inspired many artists, including Claude Monet. The town is unlike any other town in France because while it has many colorful buildings, there are lots of black buildings. If you’ve traveled to France, you know that there are not a lot of black buildings here, but this town is chock-full of them! They make this city feel like the moody little port town that it is, while still oozing with French charm.
The good news is that you can visit this city in less than a day if needed. It’s just outside the city of Rouen, which is the capital of Normandy, so you can do Honfleur and Etretat on a day trip if you’re short on time.
Carcassonne
Want to be immediately transported back to medieval times? Carcassonne is a walled city that looks like it’s straight out of a French fairytale! It’s another walled city that has a massive castle inside it, along with a church, cobblestone streets lined with little stores, and a little river that flows below the city.
Carcassonne is near Montpellier, which is the seventh largest city in France. That means that you can stay in Montpellier and then do Carcassonne as a day trip. When I visited here, we did the entire city in about two hours, but I could have spent at least five if we had the time.
Cassis
Marseille can get very busy and sometimes overwhelming, so instead, hit the small town of Cassis. This city is perfect, especially if you enjoy hiking and exploring since it is home to “Les Calanques” national park.
You can hike to gorgeous inlets filled with bright blue water and be surrounded only by those also brave enough to hike. Just make sure to check ahead of time, since sometimes the weather is too hot and the national park is closed in case of fire. The town itself has a beach and is a super quaint place to wander and discover.
Corsica
An island vacation and a trip to France all in one? Corsica is off the coast of Nice (quite a long ferry ride at almost 7 hours long!) but the good news is you can fly straight there.
It goes without saying that there are tons of gorgeous beaches with pristine water all over the island. It also used to be part of Italy, so you may feel a bit of that influence during your stay.
Forcalquier
This is a very small town that not even the French know about. The only reason I found out about it was because I did a trail run that started in this town. You can get to it by bus from Marseille (I’m not a fan of Marseille, but a lot of people love it), which makes it the perfect day trip to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
It’s a little town with a population of just around 4,000 people but the really incredible part of the city is the old town that you walk through to get to the most popular site of the city, the Citadelle de Forcalquier. It’s perched high on the hill that Forcalquier is built on and offers amazing views of the surrounding area. There are lots of little towns to explore around Forcalquier, so do your research before coming here!
Riquewihr
Have you ever wondered what city the movie “Beauty and the Beast” was based on? It’s the city of Riquewihr! It’s in North-Eastern France and is near the popular city of Colmar and Strasbourg. These towns are all on the France-Germany border and have charm from both countries. The buildings have the half-timbered look that this area is famous for and looks like it could be in a Disney Park.
This town is from medieval times and the gate that you enter the city from is from the 13th century. Some of the other famous locations in the town are Thieves’ Tower, the Winemaker’s House, and Dolder Tower.
Nimes
Last on the list, we have Nimes. This city is most famous for its Amphitheatre from Roman times that holds events and concerts. In fact, in 2020, Taylor Swift was supposed to perform here during her “Lover Tour”. There’s no way she could fit her current tour she’s doing in this cute little 16,300 occupancy stadium. In the end, she had to cancel the tour because of Covid.
This little town is often referred to as “French Rome” because it has so many Roman monuments and statues around the city. Some of the most famous are Maison Carrée, Tour Magne, and the Temple of Diana.
What do you think?
What city are you most excited about visiting? What’s your underrated French destination that you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading!
