My favorite regions in Italy range from Milan and the Dolomites in the north to Naples in the south. Unless you have several months to spare, you can’t really “do” all of Italy in one trip.
You’ll spend far too much time traveling and far too little time enjoying. Pick one or two regions and spent a week or two in each.
As Rick Steves says, “travel like you plan to return.”
Map of Favorite Regions in Italy
The map below shows approximate locations of the main regions in Italy that I recommend you explore. I’ve visited all of them except for Sicily (coming soon!).
I’m going to start in the north and move south because we often drive to Italy, so that’s the direction we enter the country from.
Here are the five regions of Italy I suggest you explore:
Northern Italy: Turin, Lake Como, Milan, Dolomites
Venice and Ravenna
Tuscany and Umbria
Rome
Compania: Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast
In this post, I give a brief overview of these areas and provide links to more in-depth posts.
Northern Italy
You could spend at least a week traveling through the regions of northern Italy.
Milan Cathedral
From east to west, I recommend Turin, Lake Como, Milan, and the Dolomites. Spend at least a week in the north (not counting Venice which deserves at least three days on its own). You won’t run out of things to do!
Highlights of Northern Italy
Here are some of my favorite artsy highlights (a by no means an exhaustive list) in northern Italy:
Turin: The Egyptian Museum – Museo Egizio is first-rate. It houses one of the oldest collections of Ancient Egyptian artifacts in the world. Even if you’re only moderately interested in ancient Egypt, put it on your list.
Milan: The Duomo, Da Vinci’s Last Supper, and La Scala just for starters. There’s lots to see in Milan and it has a very different vibe (calmer in my opinion) than Rome.
Italian Lake District: Spend several days exploring small towns such as Sirmione on Lake Garda, the various lakes; gorgeous views, great food, lots of history.
The Dolomites: Drive as far up as you can and then take a chairlift or gondola even higher. The alpine culture is very different from the rest of Italy.
Don’t stint on the time you allocate to visiting Venice. The city is worth at least three days (preferably longer). You could choose to spend a week in the area–three or four nights in Venice, a night in the Veneto to visit Vicenza and Padua, and then head south to spend two nights in glorious Ravenna (more on Ravenna in a minute).
Rialto bridge in stunning Venice
You don’t need a car in Venice and you can reach the other towns in the area by train.
Highlights of Venice
Peggy Guggenheim Museum – one of my very favorite small modern art museums in Europe (read more in 12 Modern Art Museums in Europe.
Piazza San Marco late at night when the crowds have thinned
AccademiaGallery – great selection of Renaissance and Baroque artists in a lovely, old building
Island of Murano to watch glass-blowing and buy glass souvenirs
Duomo and Doge’s Palace: must-see attractions, but go early or late and get reservations to avoid crowds
Enjoying a Vivaldi concert and getting lost in the dark on the way back to your hotel
Ravenna is a delightful small city south of Venice, most famous for the mosaics in the eight Christian monuments on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
While many of these sites, particularly the most famous mosaics in the Church of San Vitale, attract the tour busses, the rest of Ravenna is wonderfully non-touristy. Relax in the main square and watch the world go by. Ravenna has a subtle charm that made me want to write a novel set there just so I could go and stay for a good long while.
Piazza del Popolo in the evening, Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
While we were in Ravenna, we watched a bride and groom emerge from a church and get into a red Ferrari, stopped into an art opening and drank white wine with the two Italian artists who were exhibiting their paintings, and enjoyed one of the best meals we’ve ever had in Italy at Ristorante Alexander. Check out the website and make a reservation! The food was to die for and the prices very reasonable.
TIP: When dining in Italy, make use of review apps and websites to find good restaurants. Every time we’ve taken the time to search out well-rated restaurants and to make reservations, we’ve been amply rewarded by fabulous meals.
Highlights of Ravenna: Touring the UNESCO World Heritage Sites
The mosaics in the early Christian monuments are the big draw in Ravenna, as noted earlier.
TIP: Buy your combination ticket for the six UNESCO sites in central Ravenna at any of these locations: the Basilica San Vitale, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Neonian Baptistery, and the Archbishop’s Chapel.
The sixth site–the Arian Baptistery–is free and worth a visit to view the well-preserved domed mosaic, dating from the early 6th century AD, that shows Christ being baptized by John the Baptist.
At just €9.50 for entrance to all these sites, the Ravenna Mosaics combo ticket has to be one of Europe’s best artsy bargains. In addition to the six sites in central Ravenna, don’t miss the remaining two UNESCO sites. The mausoleum of Theodoric is a short walk from the town center, and the Church of Sant’Apollinare in Classe is an 8-kilometer drive towards the Adriatic coast.
Mosaic in Ravenna featuring the Empress Theodora
Staying in Ravenna
We were driving when we visited Ravenna, and so, as usual, we stayed in a hotel on the outskirts. We then took taxis into the city and from there walked to seven of the eight UNESCO sites in the center of Ravenna. On our last morning in Ravenna, we drove to the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe.
Toscana! The very name evokes warmth and good living and beauty while at the same time associated with a deliciously turbulent history.
All those towers and walls and fortifications in towns such as San Gimignano and Siena and Lucca were not built back in the Middle Ages because life was easy. The architecture of Tuscan hill towns screams strife.
The Fortress of Montalcino, a hill town in Tuscany
At the same time, the museums and churches of Tuscany burst at the seams with art–much of it created between 1300 and 1600, from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.
We’ve been visiting Tuscany for years and plan to return. We’ve only recently “discovered” Umbria and were taken with its less touristy, more authentic atmosphere. While I love Tuscany, it can get overrun with visitors, particularly in Florence.
TIP: I recommend allocating at least a week to exploring Tuscany and another week for Umbria. Spend a few days in Florence to see the highlights and then if you have a car, find a house or an agriturismo property to rent for several days or a week in or near one of the medieval towns in Tuscany. Take day trips to other towns, bearing in mind that driving in Tuscany can be slow going on the twisty, narrow roads.
In a typical week, reserve a few days for just staying put and enjoying bella Toscana.
If you don’t have a car, you can still stay in the country, but choose a place that provides some assistance with transportation. You can join local tours such as wine tours (highly recommended!). Some properties offer cooking classes and painting classes.
After your week in Tuscany, spend a week in Umbria. The areas around Perugia or Assisi are good choices.
You won’t run out of things to see. I guarantee it!
The Eternal City takes hold of your psyche with the weight of its 2,000-plus-year history and the central role it has played in the development of western culture.
Rome will not be denied.
Piazza Navona in Rome in the morning
I’ve visited Rome several times since my first trip there with my parents in 1974. During our most recent trip, Gregg and I spent ten days enjoying the city during Gregg’s exhibition of his paintings at a gallery near the Vatican. We lived like locals in an apartment in the same area and set aside time every day to explore new areas of Rome.
Here are additional suggestions for what to see in Rome, including tours.
Naples and the Compania
Naples is kind of crazy–or at least it was when I visited a few years ago. We keep meaning to get down there again to see how or if it’s changed. I rather hoped it hasn’t.
I have a vivid memory of being driven in a taxi through downtown Naples and noticing how the driver barely slowed down at stop signs caked with dirt. Apparently, obeying them was optional. The driver pulled up in front of the National Archeological Museum in Naples, reputed to be one of the best museums in Italy for Roman antiquities. He then turned around and announced chiuso. Closed.
Oh. Those were the days before the Internet took the guesswork out of travel planning. Our only day in Naples was also the only day of the week when the museum was always closed.
That mistake wouldn’t happen nowadays which is a good thing although sometimes I miss the serendipity of the “olden” days when plans could so easily be derailed.
View of the Bay of Naples, the city of Naples, and Vesuvius in the distance
First, the landscape is varied and stunning. From the rolling hills of Tuscany to the rugged cliffs of the Amalfi coast and the dreamy canals of Venice, Italy has so much to offer travelers. We are constantly discovering new regions to explore. Our latest favorite is Umbria after spending two weeks there in 2018 during an exhibition of Gregg’s paintings in the charming town of Galdo Tardino.
When I’m not admiring the landscape of Italy, I’m immersed in its history. Between the Etruscans and the Romans, Italy is brimming with ancient sites. Every town and village traces its roots to at least Roman times and all have a central medieval core. The Middle Ages is my preferred historical period, and Italy brings both the medieval and the Renaissance periods to life every day, sometimes literally.
Stunning Umbrian landscape
I don’t think I’ve ever visited Italy and not seen people dressed in medieval garb at one of the many festivals and demonstrations of medieval life.
Costumed reveler at the Venice Carnival
Food is another big draw in Italy. Tuck into steaming plates of pasta swimming in amazing sauces, eat your plate-sized paper-thin pizza with a knife and fork like the locals do, enjoy exquisitely prepared main courses, and finish off with desserts to die for. Italy is a gastronomic paradise.
And finally, there’s the art. From the Etruscans to the moderns, art is everywhere in Italy. Some of the most beautiful artworks in the western world were created in Italy and are still there to be admired, which is excellent news for the Artsy Traveler.
For more about what to see in Italy art-wise, check out these posts:
You can easily fill several days visiting Vienna’s world-class museums.
You’ll find museums that cater to just about every artsy interest–from painting to music to theater and much more.
In this post, I describe what I consider the 15 must-see museums for artsy travelers to visit while touring Vienna, one of my favorite European cultural capitals.
So let’s dig into my suggestions for the 15 best museum experiences in Vienna.
As you’ll quickly discover, Vienna really is one of Europe’s best destinations for museum lovers.
The only trouble is that you need to pace yourself. All those long, marble-floored corridors are hard on the knees. Take your time! It’s better to enjoy fewer museums and enjoy yourself than try to see them all and be too exhausted to take in a concert in the evening and enjoy a plate of weiner schnitzel.
Assume you’ll return!
And while Vienna has some of the best museums in the world, it’s also a wonderful place to just sit back and watch the world go by. There’s a reason that Vienna consistently ranks in the top ten of the world’s most livable cities.
Here are my suggestions for 15 museums to visit in Vienna.
National Museums
#1: Kunsthistorisches Museum
Start at the Kunsthistorisches Museum (#1), Vienna’s answer to the Louvre and considered by many to be one of the best museums in all of Vienna.
Located at Maria-Theresien-Platz in the Imperial Palace complex, this fabulous (and HUGE) museum exhibits the art collection of the Habsburg family. They were also known as the House of Austria and for several hundred years ruled a large chunk of Europe.
Skip the line by purchasing your tickets online before you leave. You save time and are guaranteed entry into this marvelous museum.
The Kunsthistorisches Museum includes several collections.
Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna
Egyptian and Near Eastern
You’ll find one of the world’s most important collections of Egyptian antiquities at the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Take a tour of the collection which includes more than 17,000 objects. I always enjoy a good Egyptian museum, and the collection here is first-rate.
Greek and Roman Antiquities
The collection spans 3,000 years. I’m particularly fond of the Greek vases decorated with scenes of Greek life.
Kunstkammer Wien: The Cradle of the Museum
This relatively new area of the museum (opened in 2013) contains over 2,200 fabulous artworks. The Habsburg emperors were busy collectors from the late Middle Ages to the Baroque Age. You’ll find sculptures, clocks, objets d’art, scientific instruments, automatons, and a lot more.
The list goes on. Have a good look. You won’t regret it.
Picture Gallery
The collection in the Picture Gallery is nirvana for the art lover. You’ll find pieces by Pieter Bruegel the Elder that you’ll probably recognize if you like 16th-century Dutch painting and if you’ve ever taken a European art history course.
You’ll also find masterpieces by Caravaggio, Titian, Rubens, and one of my favorites, Arcimboldo, who really had a way with food.
We bought a jigsaw puzzle of one of the Arcimboldo paintings in the marvelous museum gift shop. I do like a good museum giftshop and the one at the Kunsthistorisches has a great selection.
Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Collection of Historical Musical Instruments
I write about the incredible collection of historical musical instruments in Music Lover’s Guide to Vienna. On my solo trip to Vienna, I spent a happy afternoon enjoying the rooms full of pianos and harpsichords and various other instruments. The collection of Renaissance and Baroque instruments is reputed to be the finest in the world.
I was in heaven, particularly because this area of the massive museum was virtually empty. If I’d been so inclined, I could have played one of the pianos, and probably no one would have been the wiser.
Needless to say, I didn’t try. The prospect of even a short stay in a Viennese prison did not appeal, even if it’s likely to be well maintained and serve wiener schnitzel and torte.
The Kunsthistorisches Museum also includes the Coin Collection, an Armory, and lots more, but you get the picture. The museum is worth a good chunk of your day. Alternatively, pace yourself and space your visit across a few days. It depends on your stamina because plenty of museums await you in Vienna’s Museum Quarter.
The Kunsthistorisches Museum is open daily except Mondays from 10 am to 6 pm and on Thursdays from 10 am to 9 pm.
The architectural mirror image of the Kunsthistorisches Museum is the Museum of Natural History of Naturhistorisches Museum (#2) opposite it.
I have a soft spot for natural history museums, and Vienna’s is excellent, easily on par with the Natural History Museums in London, New York, and Washington.
The big draw is the squat statue of the wonderfully fecund Venus of Willendorf. She’s a clay figurine just 11.1 centimeters tall, reputed to have been made between 24,000 and 22,000 BCE, which is a long time ago on any calendar.
Although little is known about how or why she was made, you have to think her purpose had something to do with fertility.
I mean, seriously! Look at her!
Because she lacks defined facial features, some philosophers and archeologists view the Venus of Willendorf as representative of a universal mother.
Well, I certainly took to her. She’s displayed in a special, atmospherically lit case that will probably be surrounded by other museum-goers.
Wait your turn and then spend a few minutes contemplating universal motherhood and also thinking about the people who made this exquisite figure.
How had they used her? Had she been cherished? I like to think so.
Animal Displays
One of the museum’s many highlights being the massive second floor containing several high-ceilinged, ornate rooms stuffed to the ceiling with stuffed animals.
When we walked into the reptile room on our family trip, I had to sprint through it with my eyes closed.
Stuffed snakes in glass cages slithered every which way through the massive room. And I don’t mean the cute plush variety of stuffed snakes.
Oh no. I’m talking about very real, very menacing, very snakey snakes. Ugh!
Fortunately, the other rooms made up for the trauma of the reptile room. The Vienna Museum of Natural History gets top marks for taxidermy.
Museums in the Museum Quarter
Vienna’s Museum Quarter (MQ) (#3) in central Vienna is truly a remarkable cultural area. Housing over sixty cultural institutions, the MQ is one of the largest districts for contemporary art and culture in the world.
You’ll find museums and events devoted to art, architecture, music, fashion, theater, children’s culture, literature, dance, street art, photography, even gaming culture.
This is the place to be if you love the arts.
Highlights of the MQ directly related to visual art include viewing modern art at the Leopold Museum, MUMOK – the Museum of Modern Art and Kunsthalle Wien, and visiting the remarkable Kunst Haus Wien–Vienna’s first ecological museum.
The MQ is always open and entry is free. Relax in the various courtyards and engage in some serious people watching.
Hanging out in the Museum Quarter in Vienna
For more information about what’s on, including special events, check the MQ website and the websites for the individual museums. The range and breadth of cultural activities truly is breathtaking!
Here are four of the major art museums in the MQ.
#4: Leopold Museum
The Leopold Museum (#4) exhibits the world’s most important collection of paintings and works on paper by Egon Schiele.
Along with Gustav Klimt, Schiele is one of the best-known Austrian artists of the 20th century.
Egon Schiele, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
#5: MUMOK – Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien
MUMOK (#5) is the largest museum of modern and contemporary art in central Europe (and that’s saying something!).
You’ll find an amazing collection that features works of classical modernism (my favorite) by artists such as Picasso, Mondrian, and Magritte to mention only a few, along with pop art, Fluxus, minimal art, and concept art, as well as Vienna Actionism and contemporary art.
MUMOK in the Museum Quarter in Vienna
#6: Kunsthalle Wien
The Kunsthalle Wien (#6) fcouses on temporary exhibitions of contemporary art. I confess I’m not generally a fan of contemporary art, but if you are, check the website for current exhibitions.
#7: Kunst Haus Wien
Vienna’s first ecological museum, the Kunst Haus Wien (#7), features contemporary art with a focus on photography. You have to check out the building–it’s remarkable with colorful tiles, uneven floors, and irregular structures.
The museum also houses the Museum Hundertwasser which displays the largest permanent collection of works by Friedensreich Hundertwasser who designed the building for the Kunst Haus Wien and is also one of Austria’s most famous artists and visionaries.
Here’s an option for purchasing tickets to the Kunst Haus Wien:
The Meeting Place at the MuseumsQuartier (MQ) is one of the largest cultural quarters in the world. You’ll need another day to tour the MQ and also hang out in its public spaces.
Other Top Museums in Vienna
#8: Belvedere Palace
You can’t visit Vienna and not visit the Belvedere Palace (#8)! It’s the home of the world’s largest collection of Klimt’s paintings, including his masterpiece, The Kiss, and the iconic Judith I.
You’ll also find an excellent 19th-century collection that includes work by Monet and van Gogh.
Gustav Klimt, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The baroque Belvedere Palace itself is worth visiting to see its magnificent ornamental gardens and the stunning views of Vienna.
Here’s an option for visiting the Belvedere that includes a private guided tour:
The Albertina Museum (#9) is located not far from the Vienna Opera House, and contains the world’s most important graphic collections along with works of art by Monet, Renoir, Chagall, Miro, Magritte, Munch, Picasso, and more.
You can also visit the Albertina – Modern a few blocks away, which is Vienna’s new museum of modern art.
#10: Theater Museum Vienna
I always go out of my way to visit a museum dedicated to theater. My third novel, The Muse of Fire, is set in the theater.
The collection at the Theater Museum (#10) in Vienna includes over 1,000 stage models, 600 costumes, and a lot of props that bring the history of theater in Austria to life. So much to see!
#11: Jewish Museum
Billed as the world’s first Jewish Museum, the Jewish Museum Vienna is the place to learn about Vienna’s Jewish life from the Middle Ages to the present (#11).
The permanent collection showcasing the Jewish community in medieval Vienna is particularly compelling. For two hundred years beginning in the thirteenth century, Vienna was a center of Jewish knowledge and learning. In 1420/21, the members of this first Jewish community were expelled and murdered by order of Duke Albert V. The recent discovery of the remains of the destroyed medieval synagogue drew attention to Vienna’s hitherto largely ignored medieval history.
#12: MAK – Museum of Applied Arts
The MAK Museum (#12) is a “museum for arts and the everyday world.” Its extensive collection focuses on the applied arts and the interface of design, architecture, and contemporary arts.
MAK showcases a special exhibition called « Vienna 1900 » with some of the most illustrious art nouveau designers.
MAK’s permanent collection includes one of the world’s finest collection of lace and glassware, particularly Venetian glass (I’m a sucker for Venetian glass). You’ll also find a collection of textiles and carpets, and lots more.
#13: Wien Museum
I thoroughly enjoyed touring the Wien Museum with its displays showcasing the history and culture of Vienna over the centuries. The museum’s permanent exhibition is called “Vienna. My History” and provides the visitor with a chronological tour of the city — from the first settlement to the present day.
When I was visiting Vienna to research A Woman of Note, I spent a long time in the Wien Museum getting a feel for what life was like in Vienna in the early 19th century.
I found the scale model of Vienna as it looked when it was still enclosed by a wall particularly interesting. In the 19th century, the wall was demolished and replaced with the Ring Road.
Music Museums in Vienna
Vienna is the City of Music and home to an impressive number of the world’s most famous composers–Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, Strauss, and Mahler.
And several more composers stopped by to perform, including Chopin, Liszt, Schumann (Robert and Clara), and Brahms.
#14: Pascqualati House
A highlight of my solo trip to Vienna was visiting Pasqualati House (#13) where Beethoven lived and worked for a while. He changed apartments a lot, apparently.
Another good choice of Beethoven lovers (and who isn’t?!) is the Beethoven Museum.
Me in front of Vienna’s Pasqualati House, one of the places where Beethoven lived
#15: The House of Music
Also known as the House of Sound (#14), this celebration of music–particularly classical music (my favorite)–is spine-tinglingly awesome! I could sepnd days here exploring five floors of first-rate, music-themed exhibits.
Try your hand at conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and find out it’s not as easy as it looks!
#16: Mozarthaus Museum
Mozart lived in several houses in the city during his short and tumultuous life. The only one that survives is the Mozarthaus Museum (#15) at Domgasse #5, where he lived from 1784 to 1787.
The museum sprawls over 1,000 square meters on six levels and is a place of pilgrimage for Mozart lovers. Here’s an option for purchasing tickets.
If you enjoy touring museums and have two or more days in Vienna, consider purchasing a Vienna PASS.
You’ll be able to skip the line to popular attractions, get in free to more than 60 attractions, including the Belvedere Palace and St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and ride the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus. It’s a pretty good deal and it saves you time.
Another option is the Vienna City Card.
Another less expensive option is the Vienna Flexi PASS that allows you to customize your itinerary.
So many authors (including myself!) have set novels in Italy–and no wonder! With its rich history, gorgeous landscape, and fascinating cultures, Italy never fails to be inspiring.
In this post, I feature a selection of novels that are not only set in Italy, but also relate in some way to the arts.
Artemisia Gentileschi was one of the most talented painters of the Baroque era and one of the most famous female painters of all time. Her story is riveting.
One woman’s journey of self-discovery and personal empowerment inspired by the great art masterpieces of Milan, Venice, Ravenna, Florence, Siena, Rome, and Paris.
A fascinating glimpse inside the source of Vivaldi’s musical legacy, combined with the captivating story of an exceptional young woman’s coming of age in a deliciously reminiscent place and time.
Stephanie Storey brings early 16th-century Florence alive, entering with extraordinary empathy into the minds and souls of two Renaissance masters–Michelangelo and da Vinci to create a stunning art history thriller.
A gleeful mashup of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and Othello: Greed, revenge, deception, lust, and a giant (but lovable) sea monster combine to create another hilarious and bawdy tale from modern comic genius, Christopher Moore.
A story of memories lost and found that explores the mysteries of the mind, the truth behind lore, and the miracle of inspiration.
Have you read a novel set in Italy, particularly an arts-inspired one? Do you have a favorite guidebook? Share your recommendations with other Artsy Travelers in the Comments below.
Here are some more posts to enjoy as you plan your adventures in Italy:
Each region in France has much to offer, and over the years, I’ve traveled in just about all of them.
But if I had to narrow down my choices to just six different regions that I recommend to artsy-inclined travelers, I’d choose Normandy, Brittany, the Loire, the Dordogne, Provence/Côte d’Azur, and of course, Paris.
This post presents an overview of my six favorite regions to visit in France with links to more detailed posts.
If you want to fully explore these regions, consider renting a car. My post on Driving in Europe gives you some pointers gleaned from our three decades of experience exploring Europe by car.
Recommended regions to explore in France
Normandy
Rolling fields, picture-perfect villages, and searing World War II history make Normandy in northern France an awesome destination.
I lived for two months at an artist-in-residence place in the Perche region of Normandy a few years ago. When my husband, artist Gregg Simpson, and I weren’t being artists/writers in residence, we spent several happy days exploring this under-touristed area.
Favorite Places in Normandy
The Perche Region
This far-off-the-beaten-track area has no big sites, but the countryside is lovely. Take a detour through it while driving up to the coast.
World War II Beaches
As a Canadian, I was moved by the museum at Juno Beach where Canadian troops landed on D-Day. You should also visit the Caen Memorial Museum, which is considered the best World War II museum in France. I found it fascinating.
Honfleur and the Satie Museum
Honfleur is a mecca for artists with lots of galleries and beautiful architecture. Linger at a cafe in the harbor and then don’t miss the quirky Satie Museum–an artsy-traveler must-see.
Bayeux and the Bayeux tapestry
The clever way in which the tapestry is exhibited is almost as captivating as the tapestry itself. And the town of Bayeux is just delightful. Plan to spend at least half a day exploring.
Mont St. Michel
It’s crowded and touristy, but go in the late afternoon to enjoy the sunset after the crowds leave.
Étretat
These stunning white chalk cliffs were a favorite of Monet and other Impressionist painters. Wander along the cliff tops of this incredible coastline and marvel at the fascinating shapes sculpted by the wind.
The stunning area of Étretat was a favorite of Monet’s
I adore Brittany. Every time I visit the area, I say We really ought to spend more time in Brittany.
I recommend visiting Brittany in the summer when the weather is pleasantly warm rather than torrid like it is farther south. Beautiful sandy beaches vie for your attention with craggy coves and spectacular rock formations.
Favorite Places in Brittany
Rennes
This charming town with its half-timbered houses is a real delight. Stay the night and enjoy wandering around its virtually empty and picturesque streets.
Pont-Aven
This charming village is a pilgrimmage destination for art lovers. In the 1880s, it was a mecca for such notable artists as Gauguin and Serusier. Walk in their footsteps in the Bois d’Amour (the Wood of Love) and see why they loved the area so much. I recently spent a week there; check out my post: Savoring Life in Pont-Aven: City of Artists.
Cote de Granit-Rose
This rugged coastline in northern Brittanny is a photographer’s dreamscape. Stay a few days to enjoy the seaside and the fabulously shaped rocks.
Carnac and other prehistory sites
Brittany is home to France’s most concentrated collection of Celtic and prehistoric sites. Standing stones abound in this history-steeped region. Check out my post on Prehistory Sites in Europe that includes several places in Brittany.
Saint-Malo
This walled town recently made famous by All The Light We Cannot Seemakes a great home base for exploring the northern coast.
Côte de granit rose in northern Brittany
Consider at least a week’s stay in Brittany, or better still, three or four days on the north coast around Trégastel and three or four days on the south coast near Carnac.
The Loire Valley
Châteaux are exceedingly thick on the ground in the Loire Valley thanks to the Loire Atlantique region being the playground for the kings of France until kings rather suddenly went out of fashion.
Château of Chenonceau in the Loire Valley
Favorite Places in the Loire Valley
Spend a week here to tour not only the big (and crowded) blockbuster châteaux like Chambord and Chenonceau, but also the more intimate, even quirky ones like Villandry and Azay-Le-Rideau.
Rochemenier Cave Village (Rochemenier Village Troglodytique)
Visit the cave dwelling village museum to discover the underground houses inhabited for centuries. This place is amazing!
Château de Chenonceau
It’s hard to choose the most beautiful chateau in the Loire Valley, but Chenonceau with its graceful arches spanning the River Cher is definitely a contender.
Château de Chambord
This is the largest chateau in the Loire and also the most crowded. It’s definitely impressive, but go early or late in the day.
Château Azay-le-Rideau
This is one of my favorite chateaux in the Loire Valley. It’s incredibly photogenic!
Chinon
Registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chinon makes a great home base for exploring the eastern Loire Valley, and it also famous for its wine, castle, and historic town.
Chartres Cathedral
The cathedral has incredible stained glass windows. Visit on a day trip from Paris or en route to the chateaux in the Loire Valley.
In addition to châteaux-hopping, consider an extended stay in the Loire Valley because, let’s face it, the region is drop-dead gorgeous. Rent a bike or go on a walking tour to immerse yourself in the fairy tale landscape. Also, the food in the Loire is exceptional (and that’s saying something!).
If your time is limited, consider a day trip from Paris to tour at least a few of the châteaux.
The Dordogne Valley
The Dordogne is an excellent choice for two reasons: prehistoric caves and amazing food. Spend at least a week exploring the beautiful towns and villages of this interesting region of France.
Favorite Places in the Dordogne Region
Les Eyzies
This charming little town is home to the National Museum of Prehistory, a must-see if you’re interested in the prehistoric history of the Dordogne.
The charming village of Montignac near Lascaux makes an excellent home base for exploring the area.
Sarlat-la-Canéda
This medieval town hosts an indoor food market, and a glass elevator in the bell tower offers city views. Wander around its ancient streets in the early morning to catch the sunshine bouncing off the yellow sandstone buildings.
Bergerac
Famous for its vineyards and old town center, Bergerac is close to fortified medieval towns called bastides, with Monpazier and Eymet. being particularly noteworthy examples.
If you have a hankering for gorgeous scenery mixed with compelling prehistory sightseeing followed by long, slow dinners where duck often plays a role, then meander down to the Dordogne.
Gorgeous villages are waiting to be explored in the Dordogne
Provence
I dare you to say Provence without sighing!
Ah, Provence! See?
Enjoy lavender fields like this in the Luberon region of Provence
Like Tuscany, Provence has earned its reputation as one of Europe’s most beautiful regions. Settle in for a good long visit to discover why so many artists made their homes here (Picasso, van Gogh, Renoir, Cezanne, Lèger, Matisse, and I’m sure I’m forgetting a bunch).
I think it has a lot to do with the light. Every time Gregg and I visit Provence, Gregg is inspired by the unique way in which light floods a landscape of sharp contrasts—soft greens and lavenders, hard whites and ochers, startling blues.
Favorite Places in Provence
Luberon
This is still one of my favorite regions of Provence. Don’t miss Roussillon with its ocher cliffs, along with the hill towns Bonnieux and Gordes. In recent years, the Luberon has become rather “chichi”, as in scores of well-heeled people driving nice cars and living in lavender-coated villas, but the food is still wonderful, the weather warm, and the landscape stunning.
Avignon
The Pope’s Palace in Avignon is a lot of fun to explore. The last time I was there, a Picasso exhibition was on. Before you go, check to see if any special art exhibitions are featured.
Van Gogh lived here for only a few months but that was enough to put Arles on the map for art lovers. It’s a delightful town, worth a few days of your time to just kick back, relax, and enjoy the ambiance.
Aix-en-Provence
Home of Cezanne, Aix-en-Provence is a great place to kick back and spend a week. Don’t miss the wonderful Hotel de Caumont Art Center which almost always has excellent art exhibitions, drive out to Chateau La Coste and wander around the vineyards and forest paths to look at striking modern sculpture, and drop into the Fondation Vasarely to see Vasarely’s geometric masterpieces.
Gorges du Verdon
Provence is a region of mountains with many tiny, twisty roads leading up into the Alpes Maritimes and into the French Alps. Take some time to explore the rugged Gorges du Verdon.
The French Riviera
Spend at least some of your time with the beautiful people. Cannes is a good choice for a home base.
Another central option is Nice, or my favorite, Menton, which is very close to the Italian border.
And while you’re in the area, visit some of the many single-artist museums such as the Fondation Leger in Biot and the Matisse Museum in Nice.
Provence is big enough to deserve a two-week stay, or at least a week divided in two. I suggest enjoying the stunning countryside in the Luberon region for a week and then driving down to the French Riviera to hang with the beautiful people (and see a ton of art) while basking in the Mediterranean sun.
Spend some time on the fabled Riviera in the south of France
Paris and the Île de France
If you’re planning your first visit to France, Paris will likely be on your itinerary. It’s a must-see city in Europe if you are in any way artsy inclined.
Paris is home to dozens of art museums and galleries in addition to the big-ticket sights like the Eiffel Tower (go early or late to avoid the crowds), the Arc de Triomphe, and the Champs-Élysées.
Le Tour Eiffel–see it early or late to avoid crowds
To truly appreciate Paris, rent an apartment and settle in for the long haul. For the entire month of March one year, Gregg and I stayed in an apartment in Montparnasse. He spent his mornings painting and I spent my mornings writing, and then we set out almost every afternoon to explore the artsy delights of Paris.
Favorite Places in Paris and the Île de France
Musée d’Orsay
With its world renowned collection of paintings from the late 19th century, the Musée d’Orsay is a who’s who of famous painters: Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Morisot, Renoir, Gauguin… You name it!
This museum is always on my must-see list every time I visit Paris.
L’Orangerie
Here’s where you’ll see Monet’s waterlily paintings. The experience of walking through the two rooms surrounded by his tranquil and very large paintings is sublime.
Luxembourg Gardens
This is Paris’s playground that many visitors never see. Go there to relax and people watch.
Musée Cluny
I adore medieval art and the collection at the Cluny AKA the Musée national du Moyen Âge is one of the world’s best. Don’t miss the Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries.
Pompidou
For early to mid-20th century modern art, there’s few better places then the Centre Pompidou. Check out iconic works by Miro, Dali, Ernst, Pollock, and a lot more. It’s a treasure trove!
Île de France
There’s lots to see in a day trip from Paris including Versailles (the gardens go on forever and the Hall of Mirrors is jaw-dropping), Monet’s gardens at Giverney, and the chateau and forest of Fontainebleau where artists of the Barbizon school back in the 19th century did a lot of plein air painting.
I’ve never ran out of things to see in Paris. In fact, a stopover in Paris has been on my itinerary for almost all of our dozen-plus trips to Europe.
Here are some suggestions for things to see, skip-the-line tickets, and tours in Paris.
Other Regions in France
I’ve limited myself to just six of the best regions to visit in France (in my opinion!), but if you have the time, there’s a lot more to explore. Every region in France has a great deal to offer.
In Eastern France, tour the Alsace region, pop into lovely Strasbourg, take a canal trip in Burgundy (check out the wine route!), and visit Dijon with its half-timbered buildings and great food.
While touring Southeast France, check out the Alps, with Mont Blanc a highlight.
In Western France, don’t miss Bordeaux, Bayonne (the Basque Museum is marvelous), Biarritz, and Toulouse, then venture down to the Pyrenees.
Also check out the walled city of Carcassone (go early or late to avoid crowds) and Albi, famous for the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum.
And on your way to Provence, explore the Auvergne in central France and then stop by charming Lyon where you’ll find lots to see and a wonderful culinary tradition.
Conclusion
What is your favorite region in France? Share your suggestions for other artsy travelers in the comments below.
Visit Vienna and Salzburg to enjoy some of Europe’s quintessentially artsy travel opportunities.
Concerts, world-class museums, and incredible art await. If you’re a classical music fan (Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, oh my!), you’ll be in 7th heaven.
Find out why I recommend travel to Vienna and Salzburg in this post!
I first visited Austria on a skiing holiday in 1975 and fondly remember the friendliness of the people and the gorgeous Tyrolean scenery in the ski resort town of Sölden.
Since then, I’ve spent most of my Austria sightseeing time in Salzburg and Vienna (my particular favorite). In fact, my second novel A Woman of Note about a female composer in the 1830s is set in Vienna.
Artsy Sightseeing in Salzburg
When I first visited Salzburg with my family in the early 2000s, I drove them crazy (short drive) with my constant references to my favorite musical of all time–The Sound of Music.
Yes, I know. It’s sentimental and over-the-top, but I loved it when I first saw it in the theater as a child and I still watch it every few Christmases. Those songs just don’t get old.
I threatened to embarrass my family by breaking into song at strategic locations.
To their relief, I never did, but I was rather surprised to discover that The Sound of Music was not always popular in Salzburg. I could find only a small pamphlet about the movie in the gift shop at the castle–the Hohensalzburg Fortress shown below.
The Hohensalzburg Fortress looms above the rooftops of the Baroque historical district.
All that has changed. You can find information about shooting locations and you can take Sound of Music tours.
According to the website, more than 300,000 fans visit Salzburg every year to walk in the footsteps of the von Trapp family in the original shooting locations.
I loved wandering around Salzburg. It’s a stunningly beautiful small city dominated by the Hohensalzburg Fortress.
Apparently, the fortress is the largest preserved castle in central Europe and has become the symbol of Salzburg as the City of Mozart.
You can visit the Fortress year round. Tour the Fortress Museum to view historical exhibits about courtly life, the Marionette Museum, and the Altes Zeughaus which has interactive displays focused on the development of cannons, armaments and firearms (not really artsy, but interesting nonetheless!).
Part of the fun of a visit to Salzburg is riding the funicular from the Festungsgasse. Admission is included with the Salzburg card.
Go early to beat the crowds (always good advice with popular tourist attractions in Europe).
Hohensalzburg Fortress in Salzburg
Mozart in Salzburg
One big reason people visit Salzburg is to worship at the feet of Mozart.
Evidence of Salzburg’s love affair with its most famous son is everywhere.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg on January 27, 1756 and died on December 5, 1791 in Vienna at the age of 35. Mozart wrote over 600 works, including symphonies, concertos, chamber music, operas, and choral music.
Ask anyone to name a great composer and chances are if they don’t say Beethoven or Bach, they’ll say Mozart.
Salzburg styles itself as the City of Mozart.
If you like Mozart-themed chocolates and other souvenirs, you’ve come to the right place. And if you don’t get them in Salzburg, you’ll also find them in Vienna.
Mozart is everywhere in Salzburg.
The big Mozart attraction is Mozart’s House at No. 9 Getreidegasse in the heart of Salzburg’s old city. Tour the house to see items of everyday life from the period, memorabilia that documents Mozart’s life in Salzburg, and several historical instruments.
To get the lay of the land quickly, consider signing up for a tour of the city that includes Mozart’s house. This tour also includes a tour of the Mirabell Gardens.
For me, attending concerts in Austria has two benefits.
First, I get to hear awesome music played by local orchestras, often in the concert halls where the music was first performed. I get goosebumps listening to a concert of Mozart’s music just steps from the house in which he was born.
Second, concerts that are part of local festivals are generally tourist-free. Plenty of tourists attend the special Strauss/Mozart concerts put on for the bus tour groups.
These tourist concerts are great, don’t get me wrong. But if you want to be one of the few people in the audience who isn’t a local, check out the many musical festivals and concerts that attract a primarily Austrian crowd.
On the other hand, this strategy can backfire if you don’t do as the Austrians do. Let me explain!
A Tourist Faux Pas at a Concert in Salzburg
One year, we snagged tickets to a concert at the International Mozarteum Foundation building (Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum) in Salzburg. The concert was called Sturm und Drang (Storm and Struggle) and featured piano pieces by Liszt.
Anticipating a fiery afternoon of pyrotechnic piano playing, we happily entered the ornate concert room and took our seats.
Within minutes, we became acutely aware that we stood out like stupid-tourist sore thumbs. Although the day was searingly hot, every single person in the audience wore formal dress.
The men were decked out either in tuxedos complete with cummerbunds or in full dress uniforms, medals sparkling.
The women shimmered in long evening dresses and dripped with pearls and diamonds as they swished into their seats.
Gregg wore ratty, paint-daubed shorts and a T-shirt, Julia wore pink shorts and a grubby T-shirt (hey, we were on holiday–who does laundry?), and I wore my decidedly hippy-dippy, no-crease travel dress.
We looked like country bumpkins.
We also seriously miscalculated the appeal of the program. The music was by Liszt all right, but most of the program consisted of delicate, gossamer settings of Schubert’s lieder. The music was beautiful, no doubt about it, but it was also really, really, really slow.
After fifteen minutes of trying desparately to look entranced, I wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball under my chair and snooze away the afternoon hidden from the disapproving gaze of all those well-dressed Austrians.
And as for twelve-year-old Julia, who, despite our best efforts at the time, was not much of a classical music fan, sitting still in the oppressive heat was agony.
We left at the interval.
That said, don’t let our experience put you off investigating concerts while you’re traveling, especially in Austria where music concerts are as common as lunch.
Vienna is one of Europe’s loveliest cities. It’s small enough to be easily walkable, at least in the charming city center. And there’s a lot to see, particularly if you enjoy art and music.
Vienna has been ranked by consulting firm Mercer as the most livable city in the world for ten years running.
Quick side note: My home town of Vancouver, Canada was recently ranked number 3 in the same survey. I think we have Vienna beat for scenery and recreation, but Vienna is head and shoulders above Vancouver when it comes to world-class museums and cultural events. And Vienna’s laid-back ambience, historic coffee houses and slabs of sachertorte are also features that Vancouver can’t compete with.
I pre-purchased my transportation tickets and was very glad I did because I never did figure out how to pay for the trams. Fortunately, I had my city card so if I was stopped (I never was), I was legit.
A smooth train whisks you from the airport to the center of Vienna in just 16 minutes. You can then catch public transit from the U. Look for the blue U signs at the entrances to the subway stations.
Sign for the U train–the subway in Vienna
On both my trips to Vienna, I spent a lot of time walking around the cobbled streets and people-watching. Stephansplatz in the center of Vienna is the perfect place to hang out and watch the action.
Cityscape image of Vienna, Austria with St. Michael’s Square at sunrise
Music is a major reason to visit Vienna. My Music Lover’s Guide to Vienna provides a great deal of information about enjoying music in Vienna. You’ll also find plenty of other arts-related sightseeing opportunities in Vienna.
Museums in Vienna
Vienna has an amazing number of first-rate museums. In fact, it has an entire Museum Quarter. If you are a museum-goer, you might not emerge for days.
Consider purchasing a Vienna PASS. You can use it to skip the line at popular attractions, get free admission to over 60 attractions including the Belvedere Palace and St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and ride the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus. It’s a pretty good deal and saves you time.
A less expensive option is the Vienna Flexi PASS that allows you to customize your itinerary. Check exactly which attractions they offer to calculate if they’ll save you money.
Be sure to enjoy a concert or two while in Vienna. You can purchase tickets from Mozart-costumed touts in Stephansplatz for the tourist shows, or go online and find local concerts.
Also check the web for music festivals and concerts being presented during your time in Austria. Every time I’ve visited Austria, I’ve found a classical music festival–or two–to attend.
You can also look for performances by the state opera, the Vienna Boys’ Choir, and the Vienna Philharmonic. If music is your thing, visit Vienna during the season–from about October to May.
Here are some options:
Tours and Tickets in Vienna
Here are some other options for sightseeing in Vienna.
Vienna is an expensive city. Expect to pay €250-400 or more for a centrally located, good-quality hotel room in Vienna. When you’re looking for accommodation in Vienna, choose places within the old city walls.
You could opt for a budget hotel on the outskirts but I don’t recommend doing so. You’ll waste too much time commuting through dreary suburbs into the wonderful city center. Spend the money and book a good hotel in the old city.
I made the mistake of being budget conscious to a fault on one trip to Vienna when I booked an apartment about a 40-minute tram ride from the city center. Sure, the place was inexpensive, but the hot water ran out on the second day and it was located in a nondescript neighborhood, kilometers from the action.
Apartments can be a good bet in Vienna, but again, book one in the center of the city. You’ll find excellent ones listed on HomeAway and on Booking.com. Click on the map below to find places to stay in Vienna.
Have you traveled to Vienna and Salzburg? Share your experiences and recommendations with other Artsy Travelers in the Comments below. Here are some more post about Vienna & Austria
Read novels set in Austria to get you excited about your trip or, even better, to read while you’re there. Numerous authors have been inspired to set novels in Austria, particularly novels inspired by Austria’s rich cultural heritage.
Each of the novels listed in this post relates in some way to the arts–from Klimt to Mozart to Beethoven. The rich cultural life of Vienna has inspired many authors (including me!).
Many are set in the late 18th century when Mozart, Hadyn, and Beethoven walked the streets of Vienna, or at the end of the 19th century starring such luminaries as Klimt and Mahler.
Set in Vienna a century ago, this tale of Alma Mahler, wife of the composer Gustav Mahler and a composer herself, is part cautionary tale, part triumph of the feminist spirit.
In the dazzling glitter of Vienna at the turn of the last century, Adele Bloch-Bauer—young, beautiful, brilliant, and Jewish—meets painter Gustav Klimt and begins a passionate affair.
Photography illuminates this simple tale of a lonely man searching for his lover; a complex study of obsessions, set in Austria and spanning two centuries.
In 18th-century Vienna, Mozart’s estranged sister, Nannerl, stumbles into a world of ambition, conspiracy, and immortal music while trying to discover the truth about her brother’s death.
The great composer himself is cast as an amateur sleuth in 18th-century Vienna in this first in a series of Joseph Haydn mysteries. If you love this one, you’ll be glad to know there are two more!
In Book 2 of the Joseph Haydn mystery series, Kapellmeister Joseph Haydn receives a curious a message from Kaspar, an impoverished violinist with an ailing wife, asking Haydn to evaluate a collection of scores reputed to be the lost operas of Monteverdi. But before he can examine the works, Kaspar is murdered—beaten and left to die in front of a wine tavern.
In Book 3 of the Joseph Haydn mystery series, Hadyn receives an unexpected invitation from wily King Frederick. Worse still, the invitation appears to stir up suspicion in the highest quarters in Vienna—so much so that a mysterious cloaked lady visits Haydn’s Music Room and issues a thinly veiled threat.
A stirring and romantic historical novel about 19th-century Vienna and the tragedy and dynamic passion that inspired Beethoven to write his beloved Moonlight Sonata.
When an English quartet, the Maggiore, undertakes a challenging work of Beethoven’s, violinist Michael Holme is overwhelmed by memories of mastering the piece as a student in Vienna. That’s also where he met Julia McNicholl, a pianist whose beauty was as mesmerizing as her musical genius and whom Michael loved with an intensity he never found again.
When the assistant manager of a hardware store in rural New Jersey shows up at the offices of Cubbage & Wakeham, an elite New York auction house, with a worn musical manuscript he hopes to sell for a small (or perhaps hefty) fortune, he is greeted with subdued snickers—not surprisingly. The title page of the document reads, “William Tell: A Dramatic Symphony” and is signed “Ludwig van Beethoven.”
Christopher Alt, piano maker, is the best in Vienna, probably in all of Austria and possibly the world. His piano keys have given life to melodies by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, and many others. On his deathbed, he leaves a will specifying that his descendants, if they are to get their inheritance, must live together in the family home. Over successive generations of the Alt family, history itself passes through the doors, down the halls, and into the private rooms of the Alts’ building.
Want more novels set in Austria? You’ll find many more on Art In Fiction, the website I created to showcase novels inspired by the arts.
Guidebooks About Austria
My favorite travel writer, Rick Steves, of course has produced an excellent guidebook on Austria. Rick’s suggestions are pretty much always on the mark. I also enjoy Lonely Planet books for their comprehensive accommodation guides, particularly for budget places.
Tours Around Austria
Vienna is one of my favorite culture capitals in Europe, but after you’ve explored Vienna, make sure you set aside time to visit more places in Austria. This day trip from Vienna takes you to much-photographed Halstatt, the Melk Abbey overlooking the Danube River, and enchanting Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart and the setting for The Sound of Music. A perfect Artsy Traveler day out!
Have you read a novel set in Austria, particularly an arts-inspired one? Do you have a favorite guidebook? Share your recommendations with other Artsy Travelers in the Comments below.
Check out these posts that provide suggestions for what to read in other European countries:
The walnut tree is the reason the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo was built.
Every Roman citizen knew about the tree and the large number of black crows–an unnatural number–that clung to its branches every day. And it was common knowledge that the tree had everything to do with the Emperor Nero.
In the Renaissance, people wondered why the crows always flocked to that particular tree. It was unnerving, especially to the merchants and officials who used the Flaminia roadway which led north out of Rome. They had to pass right by the tree because the city’s walled gate was next to it.
They were convinced that the shiny, black, rustling tree caused bad luck. Mishaps on their various journeys only confirmed this. They became so fearful of the evil that inhabited the area that they finally demanded the Church fathers do something about it.
Every Roman citizen knew about the tree and the large number of black crows–an unnatural number–that clung to its branches every day. And it was common knowledge that the tree had everything to do with the Emperor Nero.
In the Renaissance, people wondered why the crows always flocked to that particular tree. It was unnerving, especially to the merchants and officials who used the Flaminia roadway which led north out of Rome. They had to pass right by the tree because the city’s walled gate was next to it. They were convinced that the shiny, black, rustling tree caused bad luck. Mishaps on their various journeys only confirmed this. They became so fearful of the evil that inhabited the area that they finally demanded the Church fathers do something about it.
Origins of Santa Maria del Popolo
There are many reasons why the churches in Rome were built and many reasons for their chosen locations. The church of Santa Maria del Popolo is located on the site of the walnut tree that grew over the very spot where the despised Nero’s body had been unceremoniously buried some 1500 years earlier. Nero obviously now haunted the place; people had seen him there. Only a church built on that spot would calm the populace. And it needed to be made important. If the Pope recognized the church, it would become a Basilica.
The order eventually came down from Pope Paschal II. The situation had become a social scandal, and this was his official solution. Important artists must be commissioned to decorate its side chapels and ceiling. The artistic works created for it would need to spring from such important themes that even God would notice it.
For the project, the Church recruited renowned artists Caravaggio, Raphael, and Bernini, who all enjoyed fame during their lifetimes. (Well, Caravaggio was definitely known, but not necessarily for his art.) If you’re unfamiliar with these gentlemen artists of the 16th century, I must tell you that they are very famous in the art world. Legendary, even.
What’s Special about Santa Maria del Popolo
In situ is Latin for “in place” and is the term given for paintings, mosaics, frescoes, and sculptures that are still in the exact spot for which they were commissioned, for where they were designed to be. It is always special when one views something in situ, especially a major work.
And that is why I love Santa Maria del Popolo. It lays claim to two Caravaggio paintings, sculptures by Bernini, and a mosaic ceiling designed by Raphael. These creations have remained undisturbed in their precise positions. They could have easily been moved to some world-class museum or other, to bolster their daily visitation numbers and be celebrated at members-only cocktail events that the press would cover with uneducated glee. But something even more amazing happened: the works stayed where they were and as a result are almost unknown.
Location of Santa Maria del Popolo on the Piazza del Popolo
Located a bit out of the way at the north end of Piazza del Popolo, Santa Maria del Popolo sits quietly, without banners or signs. One would never know that it displays mind-boggling, priceless art. The masterpieces are not featured in any special way. You must actually go looking for them.
In the Chigi Chapel, you’ll find products of the genius of both Raphael and Bernini. Raphael obviously based his mosaic ceiling on the most important theme he could think of, The Creation of the World. It is so incredible that even as you are staring at it, your eyes tell you that it’s a painting, not a mosaic.
Raphael, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Statues by Bernini
All the amazing statues in this chapel are by Bernini. If you’re not familiar with Bernini, you’ll want to check out more of his beautiful statues, mostly notably those in the Borghese Gallery in the lovely Borghese Gardens in Rome.
In the Cherasi chapel, you’ll find the two astounding canvas paintings by Caravaggio positioned directly opposite one another—the sensual Conversion on the Way to Damascus and the gut-wrenching Crucifixion of Saint Peter.
Conversion on the Way to Damascus, Caravaggio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The theme of Peter (as in the apostle Peter of Vatican fame) being crucified upside down in Rome as the Bible describes is not a theme that many artists favor. Perhaps that’s because it is simply too horrific. Caravaggio was not afraid of much, it appears, and clearly threw caution to the wind.
Crucifixion of Saint Peter, Caravaggio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Visiting Santa Maria del Popolo
You’ll be surprised at the lack of visitors inside the Basilica; you may well be the only one. The reason is simply that most people don’t know about the place or what makes it special, even after being featured in Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons.
The Church of Santa Maria del Popolo is located at 12 Piazza del Popolo, next to the north stone gate and is free to enter. It’s open daily with sporadic hours; check their website for the days of your visit: rome.net/santa-maria-del-popolo. Avoid visiting on a Sunday during Holy Mass because you won’t be allowed to freely wander. Phone: Intl. calling: (011) 39-06-631-0836 / Local calling: 06-631-0836
Happy travels,
Andie Easton
Read about Andie Easton and her wonderful series of books!
I love Paris so much that I set my fourth novel there. Love Among the Recipesis about a cookbook author who reinvents herself by moving to Paris. The novel is also my love letter to Paris–one of my favorite cities in the world.
In Love Among the Recipes, cookbook author Genna McGraw writes a cookbook/guidebook that matches Parisian sights such as the Eiffel Tower with recipes for bistro-style French dishes such as steak haché.
The next time you visit Paris, use this post to visit the places featured in Love Among the Recipes. Included are descriptions of the sights along with links to some of their matched recipes.
No visit to Paris is complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower! This iconic monument symbolizes the City of Light. For the most romantic experience, ascend the Eiffel Tower at night.
In Love Among the Recipes, the Eiffel Tower is the first sight Genna visits soon after her arrival in Paris. From the second level, she enjoys both the view and the passing parade of tourists. She also comes up with the idea for the first recipe for her cookbook/guidebook–Steak Haché et Frites.
Here’s how Genna describes this staple of the menu enfant–the children’s menu:
One beef patty, grilled and crispy, accompanied by a mound of light, hot, salty, and crunchy french fries—the best fries in the world. Steak haché et frites was as basic as cooking got in France.
The Eiffel Tower–the most iconic structure in Paris
Get tickets to the Eiffel Tower in advance to avoid very long lines. The Eiffel Tower is open year round from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm (9:30 am to 11:45 pm from June 1 to September 1).
Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe stands proudly in the middle of the Place Charles de Gaulle (formerly known as the Place de l’Étoile), oblivious to the traffic swirling around it. I know whereof I speak. In the days before Google Maps and GPS, we took a wrong turn and were swept into the Place Charles de Gaulle. Gregg had to circumnavigate the unusually large roundabout (twelve exits!) numerous times before finally crossing a frightening number of lanes to reach our exit. I still break out into a cold sweat when I think of that drive.
Begun in 1806, the Arc de Triomphe honors soldiers who fought in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Directly under the arch is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier who was killed in World War I.
You can wander around and under the Arc de Triomphe for free, but you’ll pay to climb the stairs to the top. The glorious view of the Place Charles de Gaulle, Champs-Élysées, the Tuileries, and the Eiffel Tower in the distance is well worth the price. WARNING: Don’t even think about trying to cross the Place Charles de Gaulle! Use the pedestrian tunnels located around its perimeter to lead you safely under the traffic.
The Arc de Triomphe marooned in the middle of a river of speeding cars
L’abbaye de Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Dating from the 6th century, the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés is the oldest church in Paris and contains some notable frescoes. The current church was built in the 12th century, with the distinctive spire added in the 19th century. The abbey is also where the heart of philosopher René Descartes is buried.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna rents an apartment on the top floor of a building steps from the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. I modeled her apartment on one I stayed in with my family in 1995. The needlepoint reproduction of La Grande Odalisque by Ingres that hangs in Genna’s apartment was inspired by a similar (and equally hideous) version that hung in the apartment we rented.
Close to the church are two famous cafés in which several scenes take place: Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore. While sitting at a table overlooking the church, Genna decides to pair it with a recipe for French Onion Soup. This version comes from My Parisian Kitchen.
The Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Les Invalides
Napoleon’s mammoth tomb and an impressive military museum (Musée de l’Armée) is housed in Les Invalides and is worth a look for Napoleon buffs.
When life starts to go sideways for Genna in Love Among the Recipes, she makes a tearful visit to her grizzled but kindly landlord and most loyal taste-tester. After pouring her heart out to him while savoring shots of fine Napoleon brandy, Genna pairs Les Invalides and its Napoleonic associations with Steak Diane Flambéed in Brandy. This recipe is created by Emeril Lagasse and comes from the Food & Wine website.
Les Invalides, home to the tomb of Napoleon
Les Invalides is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, except for January 1, May 1, and December 25. Get priority entrance tickets here.
Notre-Dame Cathedral
The partial destruction of Notre-Dame Cathedral in 2019 broke the hearts of many cathedral lovers, including me. Some of my most memorable moments in Paris were spent in the vicinity of Notre-Dame. Several times, I attended music concerts in the cathedral and was blown away by the sublime sound and medieval atmosphere.
In Love Among the Recipes, which is set several years prior to the fire, Genna matches Notre-Dame Cathedral with Lemon Sole with Butter Sauce. Here’s the description she wrote for her cookbook/guidebook:
A visit to Notre-Dame Cathedral takes you into the heart and soul of France. Emerging from a recent cleaning, the cream-colored stone glows in the spring sunshine, much as it did when it was first built a millennium ago.The cathedral sits on an island in the middle of the Seine, until modern times the principal artery for commerce. For centuries, fish from the river nourished the well-fed clerics who kept the great cathedral running.From soul to sole, this recipe for grilled lemon sole swims in a light cream sauce made tart by thin slices of melted lemon. Serve with a fluffy rice pilaf studded with pistachio nuts for a heavenly experience.
Me in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral on a spring evening
Rose Window in Notre-Dame Cathedral
The rose window at Notre-Dame Cathedral is one of Europe’s most stunning examples of Gothic stained glass. Miraculously, the rose window survived the 2019 fire. In Love Among the Recipes, Genna pairs a classic Strawberry Tart with the rose window. This recipe comes from Recipe Girl.
Sainte-Chapelle
Sainte-Chapelle on the Île de la Cité ranks as my all-time favorite religious structure. I first visited when I was 14 years old while on my epic trip around Europe with my mom, and I always pop in every time I’m in Paris. The joyful release I experience when stepping from the dark, winding staircase into the bright and airy stained-glass heaven of the upper chapel never gets old. I include Sainte-Chapelle in my post about the top cathedrals in Europe.
Sainte-Chapelle is open from 11 am to 7 pm and reservations are required. Get tickets for priority access.
Tour Saint-Jacques
Located in the 4th arrondissement, the Tour Saint-Jacques is a fabulous example of the flamboyant Gothic style. It was originally part of a church built in the 16th century which was destroyed during the French Revolution. I always enjoy catching sight of the statue-encrusted Tour Saint-Jacques while walking around the area. The tower’s connection to butchers (the original church was called Eglise Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie) inspires Genna to pair it with homemade sausages.
Genna liked the contrast of the ornate tower with the lowly sausage, a dish perfect for an everyday dinner. She could include directions for making the actual sausage. A homemade sausage made from freshly ground meats in the cook’s own kitchen and blended with a rich mix of seasonings was surely one of life’s great gastronomic pleasures.
Viewing the eight giant canvases Claude Monet painted of the water lilies in his garden at Giverny never fails to exhilarate me. Two purpose-built rooms contain four canvases each. Stepping into the rooms is like stepping to the edge of a tranquil pond in a cool forest glade.
In Love Among the Recipes, the water lily paintings have a particularly dramatic effect on Marsha, a young woman whom Genna befriends from her French class. While Marsha blisses out in front of the paintings (collectively called Les Nymphéas), Genna settles onto a bench and thinks about Vichyssoise. Here’s what she writes:
Made with tender young leeks, pale yellow potatoes, heavy cream, and black pepper, a bowl of chilled Vichyssoise on a hot summer day will transport you to Monet’s world, where your soul receives the solace that only nature can supply.
Detail from a painting of water lilies by Claude Monet
Musée de Cluny
As I’ve written in my post Paris for Art Lovers: Cool Art Museums You May Not Know, the Cluny (otherwise known as Musée national du Moyen Âge) is my favorite art museum in Paris. I spend at least a few hours of every trip to Paris wandering through the dark rooms overflowing with medieval treasures. That’s my idea of paradise–that and stopping for a glass of wine at a local bistro after my visit.
Genna also loves the Cluny, particularly the stunning Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. While enjoying coffee with Parisian hottie Pierre Leblanc, Genna’s description of why she paired the famous tapestries with Duck Confit comes replete with some seriously suggestive double entendres.
This recipe for Duck Confit to match with the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries comes from Serious Eats.
The sixth tapestry: À mon seul désir Photo: Wikipedia
The Cluny Museum is open every day except Monday from 9:30 am to 6:15 pm. Ticket office closes at 5:30 pm. Evacuation of the rooms begins at 5:45 pm.
Musée Delacroix
The Musée Delacroix is housed in Delacroix’s former home and is considered a rare gem in the heart of the 6th arrondissement. The collection includes over a thousand artworks by Delacroix along with objects that belonged to him, and artworks created by artists who admired him.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna visits the Musée Delacroix the day before she hosts a dinner party for her new friend Marsha and Marsha’s insufferable boyfriend. She pairs the Musée Delacroix with a rich and flavorful Bœuf Bourguignon:
The idea for bœuf bourguignon came to her as she was touring rooms that once housed Delacroix’s living quarters and studio. When she thought of Delacroix, she thought of clutter and heat, of fallen soldiers and distressed maidens densely painted in browns and ochers and reds. Delacroix’s large canvases were too big, too full, too heroic—and a good match for the richness of a well-cooked bœuf bourguignon.
The museum is open Wednesday to Monday, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with a night opening until 9 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month.
Musée d’Orsay
I never tire of visiting the Musée d’Orsay. It teems with masterpieces created between 1848 and 1914, and includes scores of great paintings by Manet, Morisot, Monet and more. Genna matches three recipes to various aspects of the venerable museum.
To avoid the crowds, buy your tickets in advance and go early in the day. Head first for the fifth floor so you can enjoy the most popular paintings accompanied by few visitors. Take your time wandering from room to room and then stop by the café behind the large clock–the original from when the Musée d’Orsay was a train station.
Musée d’Orsay as a Whole
When Genna visits theMusée d’Orsay with her daughter, Becky, she pairs cassoulet with the museum. She explains her choice to Becky, who has arrived unexpectedly in Paris, bringing with her an attitude and a secret:
“I was watching all the people crowding into the galleries and I couldn’t help thinking of them as so many ball bearings all rolling along together, one indistinguishable from the next. Then from there I went to beans—white haricot beans that are smooth and round and meaty. And from there, I thought of richness—the paintings, which led me to think of chunks of homemade garlic sausage and duck confit legs simmered in wild garlic and . . .”
“Stop!” Becky held up her hand. “I get the picture. The cassoulet mixes all kind of colors and textures with herbs and beans, just like the museum combines paintings and people.”
“Exactly!” At this rate, they’d start wearing matching stretch pants and pink T-shirts with Mother on one and Daughter on the other.
Here’s a recipe for cassoulet, a tasty recipe from southwest France, on Jo Cooks.
Mère et enfant sur fond vert, Musée d’Orsay
Becky is fascinated by the painting Mère et enfant sur fond vert by Mary Cassatt. Later in the novel, Genna pairs the painting with clafoutis, a delicious and simple fruit pudding suitable for serving to children.
Mère et enfant sur fond vert by Mary Cassatt from Musée d’Orsay
Great Clock at the Musée d’Orsay
Genna pairs the great clock that dominates the façade of the Musée d’Orsay with a classic French apple tart–a tarte aux pommes. This recipe for Apple Tart comes from My Parisian Kitchen.
The clock in theMusée d’Orsay
Make sure to buy tickets to visit the Musée d’Orsay in advance so you can skip the line-up. The museum is open from 9:30 am to 6 pm daily except Mondays.
Musée du Louvre
The Louvre is massive, over-crowded, expensive, and magnificent. The key to visiting the Louvre with ease is to focus on one or two areas at most. There’s a great deal of art in the Louvre, and while all of it is amazing, some pieces are more amazing than others.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna pairs recipes with three different parts of the Louvre: the Denon wing, La Grande Odalisque by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, and a charming terra cotta piece from the antiquities exhibits in the Sully wing.
Denon Wing
When you enter the pyramid and descend the escalator to the center of the Louvre, you’re faced with three wings: Sully, Richelieu, and Denon. Most visitors make a beeline for the Denon wing because that’s where some of the most famous artworks in the world are displayed, including the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. Unless you have a burning desire to stand in a massive crowd bristling with pickpockets so you can peer over the tops of heads to see a tiny, glass-enclosed painting on a single wall, I’d give Mona a miss. If you do want to see her, arrive early, or drop by just before the museum closes.
Instead, head for the far end of the Denon wing and work your way back. You’ll pass several remarkable pieces, including:
The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Autumn by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix, Public domain, via Wikipedia Commons
Saint John the Baptist by Leonardo da Vinci, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The rich, deep-red walls of the Denon wing inspire Genna to match it with a recipe for Shrimp-Stuffed Salmon. When she serves the dish at a party, the consequences are devastating–and a pivotal moment in Love Among the Recipes. Here’s a link to a recipe for a similar dish on Jamie Oliver’s website.
La Grande Odalisque by Ingres
Your stroll through the French masterpieces in the Denon wing also takes you past La Grande Odalisque by Ingres. The enigmatic image of the nude courtesan plays a prominent role in Love Among the Recipes. In one of the final scenes of the novel, Genna matches the painting with a recipe for tagine–a warm and spicy Moroccan dish of lamb cooked with apricots and nuts. This recipe for Tagine and Couscous comes from Easy Peasy Foodie.
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Greek, Roman, and Egyptian Antiquities
While perusing the fabulous collection of antiquities in the Sully wing, Genna comes across a small terra-cotta carving depicting a row of bakers:
Genna trailed past glass cases brimming with cooking pots and spear tips, wrought gold bracelets and bronze helmets. Her attention was arrested by a roughly hewn terra-cotta piece showing a row of figures seated at a bench, kneading what appeared to be dough. Thanks to her progress in French class, she easily deciphered the description. The object represented bakers making bread. The preparation of food was rarely represented in art, and almost never in the art of antiquity. Genna tried to imagine the artisan who had sculpted the little piece and for what reason. It was neither well-formed nor beautiful. A child with Plasticine could have done better. But at over 2,500 years old, the piece was remarkable.
Take virtual tours of the Louvre. Make sure to buy tickets to visit the Louvre in advance so you can skip the line-up. The museum is open from 9 am to 6 pm daily except Tuesdays.
Quai Branly Museum
Also know as the Musée du Quai Branly Jacques Chirac, the Musée Quai Branly deserves a place on your Paris itinerary, particularly if you enjoy art and objects created by indigenous cultures from around the world. The collection is displayed in four distinct areas representing Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. Read more about the Musée du Quai Branly in my post Paris for Art Lovers: Cool Art Museums You May Not Know.
Genna visits the Branly with Becky, just after Becky inadvertently shares news of a seriously life-altering event. While prowling the dimly lit exhibits, Genna decides on a recipe for Chocolate Mousse. This one comes from My Parisian Kitchen.
Here’s what Genna writes:
No one who has gazed awestruck at an intricately carved exorcism mask from Sri Lanka or the complex geometric rugs woven by Berber tribeswomen could doubt that the objects on display in the Musée du Quai Branly represent human ingenuity in all its diverse glory. Intrepid visitors glide from the Congo to the Sahara, across India and around Polynesia, into the vast lands of Asia and on across the Pacific to the plains of North America and the secret jungles of Brazil. A delicately constructed chocolate mousse should explode with flavor with the same intensity so richly captured in the Branly’s dark passageways.
Display in the Africa area in the Musée Quai Branly
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm (Thursdays until 10:00 pm). Get tickets in advance to avoid lines.
Situated in the trendy Marais district, the Musée Picasso is close to the apartment Marsha buys in Love Among the Recipes. When Marsha takes Genna to see the apartment, Genna is bowled over by its size and elegance, while poor Marsha is distraught.
Genna pairs a recipe for bouillabaisse, the classic Mediterranean fish stew, with the museum devoted to the work of Picasso, who was born in Málaga on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. Her decision to include bouillabaisse in her cookbook/guidebook prompts her to host a dinner party for the new friends she’s made in Paris. The events at this party lead to the climax of the novel.
The Picasso Museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 10.30 am to 6 pm and weekends from 9.30 am to 6 pm. The museum is popular, so buy tickets in advance.
When Genna visits the Musée Rodin, she is entranced by the many large and small versions of Rodin’s famous Kiss sculpture and by the sophisticated beauty of the museum and its grounds. She contemplates The Thinker, admires the sculptures in the sumptuously appointed chandeliered rooms, and comes up with crème brûlée to match with the museum. Here’s what she writes:
A silky crème brûlée topped with a sheen of caramelized sugar cracked open by one smart rap of the spoon made the perfect ending to a meal. It combined hard and soft together in one dish, like one of Rodin’s sculptures. The cold marble came alive with the heat generated by the two bodies wrapped around each other. What looked solid became malleable and alive.
The Musée Rodin is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6:30 pm. Buy tickets in advance and skip the lines.
Pompidou Centre
The fourth floor of the Pompidou Centre houses an incredible collection of early-to-mid-20th-century modern art. It’s one of my husband Gregg’s favorite art museums. As a painter, he loves admiring the work of the artists who have inspired him–from Max Ernst to Matisse to Pollock.
Pompidou Centre is the most visited museum in Paris
Buy tickets to the Pompidou Centre in advance to avoid line-ups, open every day except Tuesdays from 11 am to 8 pm.
Stravinsky Fountain, Centre Pompidou
Adjacent to the Pompidou Centre is one of the most striking and fun fountains I’ve ever seen. Created by Niki de Saint Phalle, the Stravinsky fountain was a huge favorite with my daughter, Julia, when she was a child.
Immediately before her rose the whimsical Stravinsky Fountain—a favorite of her children on their family trip to Paris. Sixteen sculptures, including a treble clef, a pair of swollen red lips, and various brightly painted amorphous shapes, rotated, swiveled, and shot water at odd angles. Genna defied anyone to stand next to Niki de Saint Phalle’s extraordinary creation on a hot summer’s day and not smile.
The quirky, colorful cheeriness of the Stravinsky Fountain inspires Genna to pair it with a scrumptious fruit flan that she describes as: Slices of yellow peaches, green kiwis, and creamy white pears, glistening blueberries, and rosy-red strawberries and raspberries and cherries would be arranged in perfect spirals on top of a custard filling spread over a crunchy sugar crust, the whole creation bathed in a glaze of equal parts sherry and Cointreau.
The Jardin des Plantes in the 5th arrondissement is a marvelous place to spend an afternoon. If you enjoy prowling through natural history museums (as I do), then allocate a day to explore the Gallery of Evolution, the Gallery of Mineralogy and Geology, the Gallery of Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy, and the Gallery of Botany.
Le Jardin des Plantes is open from 7:30 am to 6:30 pm, with most of the galleries opening at 10 am.
Luxembourg Gardens
The Luxembourg Gardens holds a special place in the hearts of my family. We spent many happy hours at the awesome playground when our daughter was young, and in recent years have always enjoyed strolling through its shaded walkways and lounging by the round pool.
Genna also has very positive associations with the Luxembourg Gardens and goes there with her daughter, Becky. The variety of facilities within the gardens inspire Genna to create a recipe for pot-au-feu.
Fountain at the Luxembourg Gardens
Monet’s Garden at Giverny
An hour outside Paris is Giverny and the house that artist Claude Monet lived in for several decades. The garden he created–depicted in many of his paintings–attracts millions of visitors every year.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna visits Giverny with Bill Turner. The first glimmer of romance is sparked amid the leafy green walkways and dreamy views of water-lily-studded ponds. While gazing over one of these ponds, Genna decides on a light and fluffy asparagus soufflé. This recipe comes from Simply Recipes.
One of the charming green bridges in Monet’s garden at Giverny
Parc Buttes Chaumont
This wonderful neighborhood park in the 19th arrondissement is the fifth largest park in Paris and almost completely bypassed by tourists. Wander several kilometers of pathways and admire the evocative Temple de la Sibylle perched on a cliff overlooking the lower garden.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna pairs the park–a favorite with families–with a family-friendly recipe for Chicken & 40 Cloves of Garlic that she serves to an appreciative Monsieur Leblanc, her landlord. This version comes from Jo Cooks.
Temple de la Sibylle in Parc Buttes Chaumont
Parc de la Villette
This massive park, also in the 19th arrondissement, is full of interesting things to see and do. It’s home to one of the largest concentrations of cultural venues in Paris, including the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, Europe’s largest science museum; three major concert venues, including the Philharmonie de Paris; and La Géode, an Omnimax theater. Also in the park are ten themed gardens, including the Jardin du Dragon, along with 26 follies–large, bright red metal sculptures.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna visits Parc de la Villette with Pierre Leblanc and later tells him she’s pairing the park with a Pork Terrine with Roasted Red Peppers and Hazelnuts. Here’s an excerpt from her conversation with Pierre:
“A layered terrine of pork pâté with roasted red peppers and a layer or two of nuts all pressed into a perfect rectangle. When you cut the terrine into thick slices, all the layers are exposed.”
“Like the structures of the park in nature.”
“Exactly!” Genna put down her fork and grinned at Pierre. “You are an amazing inspiration, Pierre. That’s the second good connection I’ve made, thanks to you.”
This delightful park in the 8th arrondissement contains a number of interesting follies, including a miniature ancient Egyptian pyramid, a Roman colonnade, antique statues, a pond full of water lilies, a Dutch windmill, a minaret, and an enchanted grotto. Far off the tourist path, the Parc Monceau is the perfect place for an after-lunch stroll.
The Paris Métro is efficient, fast, and cheap. You can’t beat it as the quickest way to cross the city when you don’t want to take a taxi driven by a French driver with a death wish. If you have more time to get where you’re going, take busses so that you can watch the passing parade of Parisian sights and people. But if you’re in a hurry, descend to the Métro, check your route on the illuminated maps, and enjoy the ride.
While waiting in the Métro, Genna is struck by its relationship to the humble pissaladière, a pizza-like flatbread criss-crossed with anchovies and studded with olives. This recipe comes from Serious Eats.
Île de la Cité
Before fire devastated Notre-Dame Cathedral in 2019, one of my favorite things to do on a warm evening was to stroll around the magical Île de la Cité. Repairs to the cathedral are progressing, but we likely won’t see the cathedral in all its floodlit glory for quite some time.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna pairs Île de la Cité with Rainbow Trout as a result of a tip from the irascible but kind-hearted and seriously committed foodie, Monsieur Leblanc. The recipe is from Dinner with Julie.
Near the Île de la Cité on a chilly spring day
L’Opéra Bastille
I was fortunate to see a performance of Wagner’s Götterdämmerung at L’Opéra Bastille a few years ago. A remarkable structure, the opera house in the Place de la Bastille in the 12th arrondissement was inaugurated in 1989 and is the home of the Paris National Opera.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna is inspired by the wrapped and layered exterior of the opera house to create a recipe for veal cutlets in parchment (Escalopes de veau en papillote).
L’Opéra Bastille
Les Halles
Back in the day (and as recently as 1971), Les Halles was Paris’s central fresh-food market. Now, the market is part of a massive underground shopping mall. Les Halles is usually an area I traverse through long tunnels when changing lines at the Châtelet–Les Halles Métro stop. It’s one of the largest underground stations in the world that connects three of five RER lines and five of the sixteen Métro lines.
Thanks once again to the refined palate of Monsieur Leblanc, Genna pairs Les Halles with a recipe for Rabbit in Mustard Sauce.
Plaza above Les Halles
Montmartre
Montmartre overlooks Paris atop a large hill in the 18th arrondisement. It’s dominated by the ice-cream-cone domes of the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur and includes plenty of charming cafés and an artsy atmosphere. However, each time I’ve visited, the crowds have been intense and so I usually haven’t stayed long. On the other hand, the views across the Paris skyline from Sacré-Cœur are magnificent, and I do remember our daughter at the age of nine enjoying the carousel at the base of the basilica.
Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur with the carousel at its base
Place du Tertre in Montmartre
The Place du Tertre teems with sidewalk cafés, street artists, locals, and tourists. At the beginning of the 20th century, the area was home to many famous painters, including Picasso and Modigliani. The home and studio of Renoir and Suzanne Valadon are also nearby.
The lively and cheerful area is a perfect match for macarons–the crispy, chewy, gloriously colorful confections that take pride of place in every French patisserie. This recipe comes from Serious Eats.
Place du Tertre in Montmartre
Place de la Concorde
The busy Place de la Concorde symbolizes monumental Paris. Stand in the middle of it and you can see many of the most famous sites in Paris, from the giant Ferris wheel to the Egyptian obelisk to the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Genna chooses the elegant French cookies called madeleines to pair with the Place de la Concorde.
Place de la Concorde
Tuileries Gardens
After trudging through the Louvre in search of great art, nothing beats taking some “me” time in one of the metal chairs arranged around fountains in the Tuileries Gardens. The flower beds overflow with color, the crowds swish past, and all is right with the world.
In Love Among the Recipes, Genna and Bill relax in the Tuileries before heading across the river to the Right Bank and Bill’s posh hotel on the Rue Saint-Honoré. Before they leave the gardens, Genna matches the Tuileries Gardens with Salade Niçoise, a hearty salad brimming with fresh anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, green beans, tuna, tomatoes, and potatoes. As Genna says, “every bite is a new combination of salty and crunchy.” This recipe comes from Serious Eats.
Gregg relaxing in one of the metal chairs in the Tuileries Gardens
Versailles
Versailles, the sumptuous palace of French kings and queens, is worth the day trip from Paris, but arrive early to avoid the crowds! Tour the palace first and then spend the rest of your time wandering around the grounds. You can easily walk all day and not come close to exploring all 2,000-plus acres of what is considered the world’s largest royal domain.
I find the interior of Versailles too over the top and opulent for my taste, but it is worth seeing. I remember experiencing terrible claustrophobia trapped in a heaving mass of tourists in the famous Hall of Mirrors, which is why I suggest getting to the palace as soon as it opens. Outside the palace, the grounds and fountains are truly spectacular. Schedule your visit on a day when the fountains are playing. Check the Versailles website for times.
Genna visits Versailles with Pierre Leblanc, and together they come up with Caesar Salad as the perfect dish to pair with the royal residence. This recipe comes from Serious Eats.
Hall of Mirrors in Versailles
Book your tickets well in advance and skip the line for the Palace of Versailles. The Palace is open every day except Monday from 9 am.
Have you read Love Among the Recipes? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below.
As the largest country in western Europe, France has more than its fair share of amazing places to visit.
I’ve been going to France since 1970 when, at the age of 14, I traveled around Europe with my mother on a budget of about $10 a day (you can read about that trip in My Story.
This amount covered our hotels, city tours, meals, and probably even our Eurail passes. I don’t remember exactly because I wasn’t paying the bill.
Since then, I’ve returned to France numerous times—both alone and with Gregg (usually with Gregg). In the past ten years, we’ve visited France together eight times, bringing my lifetime total to 17 visits.
So if you’re wondering why I’m listing 17 places to visit in France, now you know! I want to celebrate my 17 visits to France by listing my 17 quirky, fascinating, amazing favorites. Each holds special memories for me that I want to share with other artsy travelers.
In the Normandy countryside about an hour south of Honfleur, one of my 17 Awesome Places in France
Map of France Showing My 17 Choices
The map below shows my 17 choices in the order in which I mention them, starting with Honfleur (#1) and ending with the Fontainebleau Forest (#17). If you have wheels, you could easily string together an around-France itinerary using these 17 places as stop-over points.
I also include a Google map showing the location of each individual place following its description in the post.
You may not have heard of all of theses places to visit in France, but each is worth a visit.
For a place to make my list, it needed to have an artsy component, be beautiful (not hard to do in France), and be off the beaten path. As a result, you won’t find the big name places like Paris, Nice, and Lyon on the list (fabulous though they are).
Ready to check out my 17 favorite places to visit in France? Here they are, starting with Honfleur on the Normandy coast northwest of Paris and going in a more or less counter-clockwise direction to take in Brittany, the Loire Valley, the Dordogne, the south of France, the east of France and ending at the Fontainebleau Forest just south of Paris.
#1: Honfleur, Normandy
A few years ago, Gregg and I were fortunate to be artists-in-residence at a gallery located in the Perche region of central Normandy. For two months when we weren’t painting (Gregg) and writing (me), we explored this beautiful and untrammeled area. Although close to Paris, peaceful rural Normandy feels like another country.
On one trip, we went north to the gorgeous little town of Honfleur on the Normandy coast. To our delight, Honfleur was packed with artsy sites.
What is Special About Honfleur as Place to Visit in France?
Art Galleries in Honfleur
First of all, if you’re looking to purchase art, Honfleur is renowned for its galleries. You can spend many happy hours browsing the offerings in the galleries lining the streets leading to the harbor.
From an architectural perspective, Honfleur has much to offer. The Church of St. Catherine on the town square was built entirely of wood in the late 15th century by shipwrights. Wander through the church to view its many decorative details.
Church of St. Catherine in Honfleur, Normandy
The Vieux-Bassin
You’ll eventually end up at the harbor (the vieux-bassin), surely one of the most stunning sights in Normandy. The distinctive high and narrow timber-frame houses are reflected in the still water of the boat-filled harbor.
We spent quite a bit of time walking along the harborfront enjoying the gorgeous views and stopping for a dinner of moules et frites (mussels and fries) along with local wine.
The Vieux-Bassin in Honfleur harbor is lined with wonderful cafés.
Museums in Honfleur
Two museums in Honfleur are particularly attractive to the Artsy Museum.
First up is the Musée Eugène Boudin, named after the painter Boudin who was born in Honfleur. The museum exhibits an impressive collection of Boudin’s paintings along with works by other artists who have visited or are closely associated with Honfleur, including some big names: Courbet, Dufy, and Monet (you’ve probably heard of him!).
As a side note, Honfleur is not far from Étretat which we also visited. Courbet, Boudin and Monet each painted these cliffs.
Alabaster Coast at Étretat. Aval cliff. Normandy, France.
But our favorite of the two museums we visited in Honfleur is the entrancingly eccentric Maisons Satie. Housed in the birthplace of the composer and darling of the Dadaists, Erik Satie (1866-1925), the museum takes you on an interactive tour of Satie’s music.
Armed with an audio guide, you prowl through dark rooms and activate various musical themes from Satie’s work. It’s a playhouse for music-loving grownups that puts the q in quirky.
If you love Satie’s music (Gymnopedies and Gnossienne are his most famous works), then don’t miss this wacky, wonderful museum.
Getting to Honfleur
Location of Honfleur northwest of Paris
Honfleur is about a two-hour drive northwest of Paris. The Normandy coast from Honfleur in the northeast to Mont St. Michel in the southwest on the border with Brittany is worth a good long stay.
In addition to Étretat, two other highlights of this fascinating section of coastline are the D-Day beaches and Bayeux. Both places witnessed invasions, a millennium apart.
D-Day Beaches in Normandy Near Honfleur
At the D-Day beaches, I was struck by the spectacular beauty of this stretch of coastline. That it was the scene of so much death and destruction in 1944 is sobering. We visited the marvelous museum and memorial at Juno Beach where the Canadians landed. The Caen Memorial Museum near Caen south of the beaches is also worth a visit.
You can take a guided tour of the area from Paris.
Omaha BeachPortion of the Bayeux tapestry showing Edward the Confessor who is looking a trifle bemused
Bayeux Tapestry
A millennium earlier, the French went in the opposite direction to invade England. At Bayeux, you can see the Bayeux tapestry that documents the invasion. The audio guide presentation of the tapestry is excellent–a definite must-see.
Honfleur makes a good home base for a few days while you tour the area. We stayed at the Hôtel L’Ecrin, a lovely old mansion house set in beautiful gardens that included a pool. Free parking was a bonus as was the location of the hotel, an easy stroll to the harbor.
Check the map below for other accommodation options in the area.
Gregg and I have visited the spectacular Côte de Granit Rose twice and hope to return. Thanks to its many plages (beaches), the area is a popular destination in the summer for French families. But the area doesn’t feel touristy or crowded.
What is Special About the Côte de Granit Rose as a Place to Visit in France?
The thirty-kilometer stretch of pink granite rocks twisted into fantastic shapes is considered one of the most outstanding coastlines in Europe. The marriage of pink rocks with turquoise ocean has inspired many artists, notably the French surrealist artist Yves Tanguy (1900-1955).
The Côte de Granit Rose in northern Brittany is a delight for the senses.
This area is perfect for walking and hiking. In fact, you can walk the sentier de douaniers, a former coastguard footpath, from Perros-Guirec via Ploumanac’h to Trégastel Plage. You’ll pass rocks that make you think of slabs of pink-tinted fudge huddled around invitingly sandy coves perfect for paddling in.
The last time we were in the area, a violent windstorm reminded us how nature is her own best artist, using wind and water to sculpt the rocks into such fantastic shapes.
Getting to the Côte de Granit Rose
The 30-kilometer stretch of coastline between Perros-Guirec and Trégastel is known as the Côte de Granit Rose.
You need a car to tour this area of northern Brittany. Consider allocating a week to enjoy two or three areas in Brittany–perhaps two nights in the Côte de Granit Rose, two nights farther west in Crozon in the Parc Naturel Regional d’Armorique, and then two nights farther south near Carnac.
For even more amazing coastline, go farther west to the Pointe de Pen-Hir on the Crozon peninsula in Brittany.
But even a week isn’t long enough. You could easily spend two weeks!
In Brittany, driving is slow along small country roads, and Brittany itself is surprisingly large and varied. Take your time to explore both the northern and the western/southern coasts of this spectacular peninsula.
Did you know that in Brittany, people consider themselves Bretons first, French second? You will occasionally see signs written in Breton–a language related to the Celtic languages of the British isles. After all, Brittany is not far from Cornwall in England.
Practical Tips for Your Visit to the Côte de Granit Rose
We always found delightful small hotels in Brittany. Another option is to rent a house for an extended stay. And while you’re in Brittany, make sure you sample plenty of galettes–the Breton crepes.
Towns to stay at in the area include Trégastel, Perros-Guirec, and Saint-Guirec.
Known as the island of ancient stones, tiny Gavrinis is located in the Gulf of Morbihan, renowned as one of the largest and most beautiful bodies of water in France.
In an area brimming with ancient burial sites, stone alignments, and other Neolithic sites, the burial chamber at Gavrinis is considered one of the most interesting.
What is Special about Gavrinis as a Place to Visit in France?
The Neolithic structure on the island of Gavrinis consists of a tumulus (earth mound) that covers a cairn (stone mound) that in turn covers a dolmen within which is the stone burial chamber. We were told that at Winter Solstice, the sun shines down the passageway and hits the back wall.
How did Neolithic people figure out how to do that? I haven’t a clue, but I love visiting neolithic sites, like Carnac in Brittany and of course, the big kahuna, Stonehenge in England, to try and find out.
What makes Gavrinis unique are the swirling patterns and symbols cut deep into 23 of the 29 rock slabs that form the 24-meter passageway leading to the burial chamber. The designs were cut into the stone over 5,500 years ago (3,500 BC) by some very artistic and amazing people.
[CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]–Gavrinis passage. Replica in the “Musée des tumulus de Bougon” (Deux-Sèvres), France.
Who were they and why did they make the carvings? You’ll find out on the 90-minute guided tour (including the boat trip) required to view the burial chamber.
The carved patterns are startling in their modernity—zigzag lines, swirls, lozenges, and circles. Some of the shapes appear to be non-abstract objects, such as axes and horns.
Getting To Gavrinis
Gavrinis is located in the Gulf of Morbihan in the southern area of Brittany in western France – Map data @ 2019 Google
The island is accessible by a guided tour from the small town of Larmor-Baden. The boat trip across the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Morbihan makes the 90-minute tour especially enjoyable.
Boat trip across the Gulf of Morbihan to the island of Gavrinis
Check the Brittany Tourism site for more information about touring Gavrinis.
Practical Tips for Your Visit to Gavrinis
The Gulf of Morbihan area is worth several days of your time so you can explore dozens more Neolithic sites and enjoy the marine scenery.
The island of Gavrinis is uninhabited and the village of Larmor-Baden where you catch the boat to tour Gavrinis doesn’t have much in the way of accommodations. However, you’ll find plenty of small, family-run hotels in the area. Zoom out the map below to find some options.
The Loire Valley is famous for its beauty, its wine, and its châteaux. It’s definitely a must-visit place in France! Even if you don’t have a week to explore, consider taking a day trip from Paris to at least see the highlights.
Back in the days before the French Revolution, kings and dukes and marquises and your basic blue-blood types built their summer cottages in the Loire Valley.
Château de Chenonceau is a French castle spanning the River Cher near Chenonceaux village, Loire valley in France
Okay, cottages is maybe a bit of a misnomer. The number, variety, size, and awesomeness of the châteaux in the Loire is astonishing. You won’t run out of architectural wonders to gawk at, ornamental gardens to wander through, and history to learn.
What is Special about Chenonceau as a Place to Visit in France?
The Château de Chenonceau is my favorite Loire Valley château.
A series of graceful arches supports the château across the river Cher. In World War II, Vichy France was on one side of the river and Free France was on the other. I wonder how many people used the château to escape to freedom.
The first château dated from the 12th and 13th centuries, of which only the dungeon remains: the Tour des Marques. The château in its current form was built between 1513 and 1517.
Women have played an outsized role in the development of Chenonceau. Henry II gave the château to his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, who, shortly after his death, was kicked out by his wife, Queen Catherine d’Medici. Catherine managed the Kingdom of France from her study, the Green Cabinet at Chenonceau.
In the 18th century, Louise Dupin, an exceptional woman who drafted a Code of Women’s Rights, entertained some of the biggest names of the Age of Enlightenment at Chenonceau.
During your visit through the sumptuous rooms, you’ll learn all about these remarkable women and a lot more. Also visit the formal gardens and imagine yourself in Renaissance dress taking your morning constitutional. There is even a maze!
If you had money back in those days, you sure had it made.
Getting to Chenonceau
Chenonceau is located on the Cher river 214 km west of Paris and 34 km east of Tours. If you don’t have time to stay in the Loire Valley, consider taking a tour from Paris. Here are some options.
Practical Tips for Your Visit to Chenonceau
Spend several days in the Loire Valley so you can visit more than one château, but limit yourself to two a day, at most. Château-visiting gets tiring after a while. Less is more.
To minimize driving, spend two or three days around Tours near Chenonceau and then another two or three days closer to Blois. You won’t run out of places to visit.
Another highlight of a visit to the Loire Valley and the area around Chenonceau is the opportunity to sample excellent wine and food. Of course, that’s true pretty much anywhere in France, but the Loire Valley is particularly blessed.
Zoom out the map below to find accommodation options in the Loire Valley.
For more information about visiting Chenonceau, check the website.
#5: Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Dordogne, Aquitaine
I chose Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil (Les Eyzies for short) because it’s smack in the middle of some of the Dordogne’s most compelling prehistory attractions.
Houses in the town of Les Eyzies, Dordogne, France under the shadow of overhanging limestone cliffs
Gregg and I are suckers for prehistory–cave paintings, dolmens, megalithic monuments, archeological museums, the lot. If it’s really old, we like it. And if you are also that way inclined, head for this area of the Dordogne around Les Eyzies.
What is Special about Les Eyzies as a Place to Visit in France?
It’s small and charming and is the location of the wonderful Musée National de Préhistoire. Start your exploration here to discover the rich paleolithic heritage of the Vézère Valley, also known as the European “Valley of Man.”
Musée National de Préhistoire in Les Eyzies
Not far from Les Eyzies is the Grotte de Font-de-Gaume where you can view over 800 engravings and drawings of prehistoric horses, bison, aurochs, lions, reindeer, and more.
The Font-de-Gaume is one of the few extensive prehistoric caves still open to the public. Check online for information and to buy tickets. Admission is limited so make sure you buy your tickets well in advance of your visit.
You’ll find many more prehistoric sites in the area. Stay a few days around Les Eyzies and then drive about thirty minutes north to Montignac to visit Lascaux II. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit there and recommend it to anyone interested in prehistoric cave painting.
Yes, Lascaux II is a replica of 90% of the paintings found in the original cave, but it is still awe-inspiring. You must take the 40-minute guided tour. Check the website for information.
Getting to Les Eyzies
Les Eyzies is a two-hour drive east of Bordeaux in the Aquitaine region of southwest France. Consider staying for several days in the area. In addition to exploring prehistoric sites, châteaux. and super-charming villages, you will find many great restaurants.
We had one of the best meals we’ve enjoyed in France (and that’s saying something) at a restaurant overlooking a sleepy canal not far from Les Eyzies.
Dinner next to a canal in the DordogneL’Escargots
Practical Tips for Your Visit to Les Eyzies
You’ll find plenty of charming family-run places in the area. On one trip, we stayed in the tiny village of Thonac about halfway between Motignanc and Les Eyzies. The place was on the Vézère River, which we spent an afternoon canoeing down. Heavenly.
Zoom to see accommodation options in the Dordogne.
Albi in southwest France is a charmingly walkable city with a wonderful red brick cathedral and the world-class Musée Toulouse-Lautrec. If you’re on your way to the Pyrénées, take a day out for Albi.
What is Special about Albi as a Place to Visit in France?
It’s just so darned pretty with its red bricks glowing in the evening light, good restaurants, panoramas over the River Tarn, and laid-back atmosphere.
I also like that it’s steeped in the history of the Cathars–the enlightened sect that practiced a form of proto-Protestantism and refused to recognize the authority of the Catholic church. That didn’t go down too well with the Church (no surprise there) and led to the Cathars being cruelly wiped out in the Albigensian Crusade (1209-1229).
Dominating the ridge above the Tarn River, the cathedral was built a few decades after the conflict and looks more like a fortress than a church. It’s the only large gothic cathedral built out of bricks (pink ones at that) rather than stone.
Here’s a view of the cathedral from our bed-and-breakfast across the river.
Cathedral in Albi
In addition to the cathedral, the big attraction in Albi is the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec located in the also-pink-bricked medieval Palais de la Berbie next to the cathedral.
Albi is located 85 km northeast of Toulouse. I recommend staying the night so you can wander around the narrow cobbled streets in the evening and watch the sun as it sets over the cathedral.
Map showing the location of Albi in southwest France
Practical Tips for Your Visit to Albi
Albi makes a good stop either on your way east from the Dordogne or on your way west toward the Pyrenees and Spain. It’s far enough off the beaten track to retain its provincial feel while still maintaining good tourist services.
#7: Chaos of Montpellier-le-Vieux, Milau, Midi-Pyrénées
If you like weird rock formations, you must pay a visit to the Chaos of Montpellier-le-Vieux. Situated in the heart of the Grand Causses Regional Natural Park about 15 km from Milau and south of the Ardeche area of southwest France, the Chaos is far off the beaten path. You’ll need to plan a special trip.
Panorama at the Chaos of Montpellier-le-Vieux Photo Credit: La Cité de Pierres
What is Special about Chaos of Montpellier- le-Vieux as a Place to Visit in France?
The Chaos is nature’s art gallery–a maze of canyons bristling with tortured limestone formations. You’ll find over 30 natural works of art, the result of centuries of erosion, with fanciful names such as The Great Sphinx, L’Arc de Triomphe, The Crocodile, The Cathedral, and the Chair of the Devil.
The most accessible rock formations are contained within a 120-hectare area called La Cité de Pierres. On the website, you’ll find information and pictures about the geology, the 30 natural works of “roc-Art”, the 12 rock shelters showing evidence of human habitation from the Neolithic period to the Middle Ages, and some beautiful panoramas.
Getting to Chaos of Montpellier-le-Vieux
It’s pretty remote! We visited while enroute from the city of Montpellier on the Mediterranean northwest toward Albi.
Map showing the location of the Chaos de Montpellier-le-Vieux in southwest France
Practical Tips for Your Visit to Chaos of Montpellier-le-Vieux
The area is rugged with some of the most precipitous roads we’ve ever driven in Europe. Leave yourself plenty of time and consider staying the night in Milau.
South of Arles and bordering on the Mediterranean Sea is Europe’s largest river delta–the vast, flat, and wildlife-teeming Camargue. Every time we visit, we declare that we really need to stay longer to explore the lakes and marshlands.
The Parc naturel régional de Camargue protects the area and provides visitors with facilities such as observation towers, information boards, themed trails, and guided tours.
What is Special about the Camargue as a Place to Visit in France?
The wild and flat scenery is beautiful, but for me the big attraction of the Camargue is its wildlife–horses, bulls, and especially flamingos. I don’t know why, but it feels very exotic to come across flocks of flamingos in Europe. Even from the road, you can see them standing serenely in the marshes, looking pink and delightful. If you’re into birds, the Camargue is a must-see with more than 400 species of birds.
Pink flamingos in the Camargue
On one trip to the beach, we were surprised to look across the marsh from where we’d parked the car and see several very large, very horned grazing bulls. We stayed clear! Shortly after seeing the bulls, Gregg dove into a foot of water (he thought it was deeper) and smacked his head on the sea bottom. Fortunately, it was sand, but the bruise persisted for many days!
Black Camarguais bulls in swamp, southern France
And of course, if you’re lucky, you’ll see the famous Camargue horses galloping freely, white manes flowing. Riding stables are scattered throughout the area if you harbor fantasies of riding a horse along the beach. Here’s a TripAdvisor list of horseback riding tours accessible from Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.
White Camargue horses running free
Getting to the Camargue
The Camargue is located between Montpellier in the west and Marseille in the east. Drive south from Arles and you’re in the Camargue.
Map showing the location of the Parc naturel régional de Camargue west of Marseille
A good strategy for exploring the area in a few days is to home base in either Arles or Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer. We like both places for different reasons. Arles has the Roman arena and, of course, its association with Vincent van Gogh. With its winding streets, good shopping, and outdoor cafes, it’s a very pleasant town to spend time in.
Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer is, as its name suggests, on the Mediterranean Sea. Bristling with boats, cute shops, and cafes, the town is well worth a visit. When we were last there, it was mid-springtime, and the place was virtually deserted.
On the beach near Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer
Practical Tips for Your Visit to the Camargue
Two words: mosquito repellent! We got caught without any while taking a stroll through the Camargue wetlands in mid-summer and oh, dear. It was not pretty. I tried counting how many mosquito bites I got and had to give up.
We discovered a brand of mosquito repellent in France called Le Camargue. That tells you something.
This relatively new attraction in a quarry near Les Baux-de-Provence brings you up close and personal with massive projections of artworks, particularly the art of Vincent van Gogh. Managed by CultureSpaces, the exhibition is a “digital immersive experience.”
Van Gogh Experience at Carrières de Lumières
We visited in June 2019 and saw two “experiences”: Van Gogh and Japanese Prints. Both ran about 30 minutes and were accompanied by music.
What is Special about Carrières de Lumières as a Place to Visit in France?
Digital immersive experiences are definitely becoming a thing. The CultureSpaces website list three digital art centres in France: The Carrières de Lumières in Les-Baux-de-Provence, the Atelier des Lumières in Paris, and the Bassins de Lumières in Bordeaux.
In the enormous interior space that was once a rock quarry, artworks are projected and duplicated. You are literally walking into the art. The experience is truly remarkable.
Here’s a video I took of the van Gogh performance when the sunflower paintings were being projected. The venue is dark, but you can get some idea of the scale of the projections.
Getting to Carrières de Lumières
The Carrières de Lumières is located 800 m from the Château des Baux-de-Provence, 15 km north-east of Arles and 30 km south of Avignon.
Map showing the location of Carrières de Lumières near Les-Baux-de-Provence
Practical Tips for Your Visit to Carrières de Lumières
Purchase your tickets in advance. Admission to the Carrières is strictly limited so if you don’t have advance tickets, you may be out of luck. Parking near the venue is also very limited. Check the website for details.
Once you’ve toured the Carrières de Lumières, spend some time exploring Les Baux-de-Provence, preferably in the late afternoon or early evening when the bus tours have pulled out. From the ramparts at the top of the village, you get a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside.
Each time we’ve stayed near Les Baux-de-Provence, we’ve found wonderful rural properties with pools. Here’s a video I shot on the grounds of the Domaine du Mas Foucray situated near the small town of Maussane-les-Alpilles and within sight of Les-Baux-de-Provence. Billed as an aparthotel, our one-bedroom suite included a kitchen and sitting area and a private terrace. In early July when we were there, we picked fresh apricots off the trees.
Roussillon has been a family favorite since we first discovered it 25 years ago. The red and ocher walls of the village houses distinguish it from other villages in the Luberon area.
The village itself is truly lovely in an area full of lovely villages, including Bonnieux, Ménerbes and Gordes. Pick any village in the Luberon and settle in for several days.
Colorful houses in the village of Roussillon
What is Special about Roussillon as a Place to Visit in France ?
What really distinguishes Roussillon are the ochre cliffs situated about 200 meters from the entrance to the village. Trails that make up the Le Sentier des Ocres wind through this magical area where the vivid oranges, yellows and reds of the ochre cliffs contrast with the green trees and brilliant blue Provençal sky.
Ochre landscape at Roussillon in Provence, France
When you arrive in Roussillon, leave your car in the main parking area and walk to where Le Sentier des Ocres starts. Visit Roussillon late in the day, say, about an hour before the quarry closes. Then you can enjoy it relatively crowd-free and take spectacular photographs of the ochre cliffs in the afternoon sun. After your stroll through the quarry, wander around the village and have dinner at one of the local restaurants.
Several shops sell locally produced ceramics (I have a piece on my desk as I write) and other Provence-themed products. End the day by dining at one of the many restaurants in the village. Most have terraces and beautiful views.
At the Le Sentier des Ocres near Roussillon
Getting to Roussillon
Roussillon is about an hour’s drive east of Avignon. The main villages–Gordes, Ménerbes, and Bonnieux– are close by. You need a car to enjoy the area.
Map showing the location of Roussillon in the Luberon region of Provence
Practical Tips for Your Visit to Roussillon
Here are two highly recommended hotels in the Luberon, one in Roussillon and one in Gordes.
Les Sables d’Ocre – A 15-minute walk from the village of Roussillon, this place sets the bar for what a country-style, family-run, low-key, easy-on-the-budget place should be. Book a room that includes a terrace. You’ll have your own private outdoor space and be steps from the pool.
Domaine de l’Enclos – This place close to Gordes–one of the most beautiful hill towns in the area–is wonderful. We snagged a room with a terrace which Gregg made use of to do some drawing. The views from the garden over the Luberon are spectacular.
For more accommodation options, check the map below.
On a beautiful May day in 2018, we drove into the hills behind Aix-en-Provence with no particular destination in mind. The day was gorgeous–fluffy white clouds, not too hot, fresh breeze. Perfection!
We hoped to stumble across a nice side-of-the-road restaurant to enjoy a hearty Provençal lunch, preferably overlooking the landscape that had inspired Cézanne.
Rounding a bend in the twisty secondary road, I saw a sign to Château La Coste. I didn’t know anything about the place, but in the vague hope that it would have a café attached to it, I told Gregg to turn left and follow the signs.
And so we discovered lovely and luscious Château La Coste with its gourmet lunch and, best of all, its several hectares of modern outdoor sculptures.
What is Special about Château La Coste as a Place to Visit in France?
Château La Coste is a vineyard that also features a fabulous art walk populated with modern sculpture. Artists and architects from around the world were invited to visit the domaine and choose a place in the landscape on which to create a sculpture or installation.
The resulting Art Walk is an eclectic array of pieces, many which move with the wind and can be pushed, sat upon, and walked through. The Art Walk is extensive and includes hills, so put on your walking shoes and bring water.
Here’s a selection of pieces we explored.
Gregg walking through a colorful sculptureSculpture by Calder at the entrance to the Château La CosteSculpture in front of the glorious Provence landscape at Château La Coste
Getting to Château La Coste
Château La Coste is about 15 km north of Aix-en-Provence along a beautiful winding secondary road with gorgeous views over the countryside. Drop in for lunch (the food was fabulous!), pick up a few bottles of wine, and do the Art Walk. You can easily spend an entire afternoon there.
Map showing the location of Château La Coste north of Aix-en-Provence
Practical Tips for Your Visit to Château La Coste
You can go all out and spend a night (or three) at the Villa La Coste, billed as a luxury hotel and spa. It’s way out of our price range, but wow – it looks amazing!
When you drive into Seillans, a hill town in the Var region of Provence, you are greeted by a sign announcing Seillans as among the Plus Beaux Villages de France; that is, one of the most beautiful villages in France.
You see these signs all over France at the entrance to villages. On the official website, 159 villages are currently listed. Follow the link above to view them. The website is in French, but the site includes plenty of pictures and maps.
What is Special about Seillans as a Place to Visit in France?
We don’t love Seillans because it’s beautiful (and it really is). We love it because of its association with Gregg’s favorite surrealist artist—Max Ernst.
From 1964 until his death in 1976, Max Ernst lived in Seillans with his wife, Dorothea Tanning, another noted surrealist artist. View a selection of their lithographs at the Seillans tourist office located in the main square about 100 meters from the parking area.
Large black-and-white photographs of Ernst are posted on the stone wall lining the cobbled street leading down to the square.
Max Ernst and Gregg, just before Gregg hangs an exhibition of his paintings in Seillans
Just past the square is the exhibition space—the Salle du Couvent (a former convent) in which Gregg has twice exhibited his work, most recently in June, 2019.
We spent two weeks in Seillans. While Gregg chatted with visitors to his exhibition, I wandered around Seillans, snapping pictures and communing with the ghosts of the centuries of humanity who made Seillans home.
Seillans was likely founded around 500 BC by the Saillens, a Celtic-Ligurian tribe. The village grew slowly with one of the oldest surviving structures, the castle from the 11th century, located at the top of the village.
You can only explore Seillans by foot. Drive up the steep road leading from the lower entrance to the village as far as you can go, then leave your car in the large and shady parking lot. From there, walk into the village to explore its quaint and shady streets.
Seillans is about a 30-minute drive from the A8 motorway that connects the Riviera with Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, and western France. You can choose to exit the motorway at two places. Coming from the west (Aix-en-Provence or Marseille), take Exit 36 and drive north toward Callas. You’ll pass gorgeous wineries sprawling across the rolling countryside.
Vineyards in the Var region of southern France
Coming from the east (Nice or Cannes), take Exit 39 and drive alongside the stunning Lac de Saint-Cassien that is actually reservoir and accessible at several points for water sports.
Map showing the location of Seillans in the Var region of Provence in southern France
Practical Tips for Your Visit to Seillans
Seillans is one of several appealing villages in the Var region of Provence. The region is perfect for a one-week stay to fully immerse yourself in the heat and beauty of this relatively under-touristed area. You are only about an hour from the glitz and galleries of the Cote d’Azur; about 40 minutes due south are Sainte-Raphael and Frejus where you can swim in the Mediterranean.
Overlooking the Mediterranean from Cap Esterel about 40 minutes south of Seillans
And if you go to Seillans even for a short visit, stay overnight in the area and have dinner at one of Seillans’ wonderful small restaurants. We enjoyed a marvelous meal at Chez Hugo which perches on the edge of Seillans overlooking the bucolic Var countryside.
You’ll find small B&B’s in the area along with several homestay options. We rented a house for two weeks through HomeAway. The house was about a 30-minute walk to the village of Seillans along a lovely country road.
To find other accommodation options in the area, zoom out on the map below.
Over the years, we’ve stayed in a few towns in the hills above Cannes and Nice in the Côte d’Azur. Our favorite is still Vence. It’s big enough to feel like a real town and old and quaint enough to be enjoyable to stroll around.
Whenever we fantasize about living in the south of France, we inevitably agree that Vence would be the perfect location.
What is Special about Vence as a Place to Visit in France?
The town itself is the attraction. Perched high above the Mediterranean Sea, it feels a world away from the glitz and bustle of cities like Canne and Nice. The pedestrian-only medieval streets are quiet and relatively crowd-free, certainly compared to the towns bordering the sea.
Enjoy lunch or dinner in a café, do some shopping, and take in an art exhibition
A highlight of a trip to Vence is touring the Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence, otherwise known as the Matisse Chapel. The stained glass and murals are spare and modern. Matisse himself considered the chapel his masterpiece.
Getting to Vence
You need a car to really enjoy Vence and the surrounding areas. Drive farther north up the Col de Vence to enjoy stunning views of the countryside and the Mediterranean. Also visit Saint-Paul-de-Vence a few kilometers south. The Fondation Maeght is the big attraction there. Read about it in Top Ten Modern Art Museums in Europe.
Map showing the location of Vence between Cannes and Nice
Practical Tips for Your Visit to Vence
In all the years we’ve been visiting the area, we’ve never not found great, family-run hotels to stay in. Here are some options.
The last time we visited Monte Carlo (which I know is technically not in France), we did so by mistake. The house we’d rented way up in the hills above Monaco turned out to not be available when we arrived, and we were obliged to find alternative accommodations.
We rolled down the very steep hills to the Mediterranean and for three nights stayed right on the harbor in Monte Carlo. To Gregg’s delight, our hotel overlooked not only the boats in the harbor but also part of the route of the Monaco Grand Prix. Preparations were underway for the 2018 race while we were there.
Our splurgeworthy 4-star hotel room would shoot from a relatively affordable 200 euros per night to 2000 euros per night on race days!
Harbor at Monte Carlo in Monaco
What is Special about Monte Carlo as a Place to Visit in France?
I never expected to like Monte Carlo so much. I’d visited before but only for a short time–just long enough to see where the casino was but not to go in since we were traveling with Julia.
Monte Carlo and Monaco (they kind of blend together) are compact and easy to walk around. Stay for a few days and just wander the narrow streets and quiet squares. Monaco’s old town up on a bluff overlooking the harbor includes the palace and plenty of charming little streets to get lost in.
Overlooking an interior harbor near the old town in Monaco
A highlight for us was the car museum, especially for Gregg who is a racing car enthusiast. While in Monte Carlo, he completed this piece as a homage to the Monaco Grand Prix.
Straightaway by Gregg Simpson
Getting to Monte Carlo
The area around Monaco is very, very tight. If you don’t have to drive, take the train from Nice. If you’re driving, get to your hotel, park the car, and then walk. On one of our days in Monte Carlo, we caught the train to Menton to visit friends, a much easier way to travel. The traffic on the Côte d’Azur is pretty much always dreadful.
Map showing the location of Monte Carlo and Monaco
Practical Tips for Your Visit to Monte Carlo
We stayed in the fabulous Port Palace Hotel right on the harbor. It was a splurge but worth every penny. The staff were friendly and the room huge, with a view over the boats. Here are other options.
In 1879, a postman named Ferdinand Cheval picked up a stone while on his rounds and over the next 33 years built a fantasy structure that can only be described as surreal. In fact, the surrealists led by André Breton consider postman Cheval’s Palais Idéal as the precursor of surrealistic architecture. Breton, along with other artists, including Max Ernst and Léonara Carington, visited and wrote about the Palais Idéal several times.
Palais Idéal – Source: Wikipedia
The Palais Idéal is also considered a premier example of Naïve art. Ferdinand Cheval, who had no training in art or architecture, is recognized as a pioneer of Naïve art.
The Palais Idéal may be off the beaten track for many tourists, but it is well known to French people. In fact, the day we visited, I wouldn’t be surprised if we were the only English speakers there. It was mobbed by French families eagerly enjoying the quirky melange of cement and rock.
What is Special about Palais Idéal as a Place to Visit in France?
The Palais Idéal is quite simply remarkable. It looks like a cross between Angkor Wat and a strangely ornate wedding cake. You really have to see it and wander through its passageways to admire the incredible details.
You are awestruck by Cheval’s dedication and imagination. If you’re feeling at all cynical about the power of one person’s commitment to fulfilling a dream, visit the Palais Idéal and have your faith in human ingenuity restored.
Getting to Palais Idéal
The Palais Idéal is located about an hour south of Lyon in the village of Hauterives in the Drôme Department of southeast France. Combine a trip to Palais Idéal with a drive through this beautiful area west of the Alps.
Map showing the location of the Palais Idéal in the Drôme Department of southeast France
Practical Tips for Your Visit to Palais Idéal
Check the Palais Idéal website for detailed information about ticket prices and location.
Here are accommodation options in the area of Hauterives.
The city of Strasbourg is not really off the beaten track, but I include it because for us it was a surprise. The Petite France area is utterly charming, with its waterside cafés and Alsatian architecture.
As the chief city of Alsace and a major business center, Strasbourg is also the seat of a number of the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, and the European Court of Human Rights. It’s a hopping place.
What is Special about Strasbourg as a Place to Visit in France?
Strasbourg is the center of Alsatian culture–a unique combination of French and German reflecting a 2000-year history during which custody of Strasbourg frequently changed. The city is also drop-dead gorgeous, with its maze of narrow streets and a melange of architectural styles, including the distinctive half-timbered houses, lining the canals in the Petite France area.
Half-timbered houses in Strasbourg, la Petite France in Alsace
The center of Strasbourg is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Another great attraction of Strasbourg is, predictably, the food! Alsatian cuisine is a unique and hearty combination of French and German, all accompanied with glasses of wine. Strasbourg is close to the Alsatian Wine Trail known for producing Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, and Riesling wines.
Also don’t miss Strasbourg Cathedral with its ornate Gothic facade framing a delicately stunning rose window.
Strasbourg Cathedral at sunrise
Getting to Strasbourg
If you’re coming from or going to Germany, stop a day or two in Strasbourg.
Map showing the location of Strasbourg in Alsace in northeast France
Practical Tips for Your Visit to Strasbourg
Strasbourg’s status as the location for the European Parliament means that it’s very well served by transportation, including an international airport and a TGV train that whisks you to Paris in under two hours.
The Forêt de Fontainebleau is an easy day trip from Paris, but do yourself a favor and settle in for at least one or two nights. That way, you’ll have time to explore both the Château of Fontainebleau and the vast forest, once the hunting grounds of the kings of France and the second-largest national forest in France.
View of the palace of Fontainebleau with White Horse Court
Kilometers of trails criss-cross the forest, taking you past sunlit glades and strange rock formations, many resembling animals, such as elephants, tortoises, and crocodiles.
What is Special about Fontainebleau Forest as a Place to Visit in France?
The Forêt de Fontainebleau has been a mecca for artists since the 19th century when it was the headquarters for the Barbizon group of painters. Gregg was in good company when he created his own series of paintings inspired by the strangely evocative forest. Here are two of his large canvases completed after our first visit to Fontainebleau.
66The Clearing by Gregg SimpsonImpressions of the Fontainebleau Forest by Gregg Simpson
In addition to spending time in the forest, you can’t miss the Palace at Fontainebleau. We were fortunate to visit it just after it opened in the morning and so were the first people to walk through its sumptuous rooms.
I enjoyed our visit to the palace much more than Versailles, which is overcrowded and overpriced. I’m not suggesting you give Versailles a miss—it’s definitely worth seeing. However, if you have time for only one day trip from Paris and you want to see a royal palace, consider the much less touristy, more authentic-feeling Palais de Fontainebleau.
Getting to Fontainebleau Forest
The last time we visited Fontainebleau, we took a train from the Gare de Lyon train station in Paris and then picked up our rental car near the train station at our destination. It’s much less stressful to pick up a rental car in a small town like Fontainebleau than in the middle of Paris (I don’t recommend doing that!).
After spending a day tootling around the forest, we headed south to begin our trip around France.
Allow forty minutes to take the train or drive from Paris to Fontainebleau.
Map showing the location of Fontainebleau south of Paris
Practical Tips for Your Visit to Fontainebleau Forest
The charming town of Fontainebleau contains several of the type of small hotels we favor when traveling in France. Check options on the map below.
Click the image below to discover lots more things to see and do in wonderful France.
Conclusion
Whew! That’s a lot of France! I hope you’ve discovered some new places to visit and re-acquainted yourself with some old favorites.
One of the many things I love about France is how incredibly diverse it is–from the rugged pink granite cliffs in Brittany to the pastoral, château-studded Loire Valley and south through the history-steeped Dordogne, the wild and wonderful chasms of the Cevennes and Ardeche, the rugged beauty of Provence and then back north alongside the Alps to the Germanic flavor of the Alsace, and finally to get royal in Fontainebleau.
I could easily write a post about another 17 awesome places, but these will do for now!
Have you visited any of the places featured in this post? Let other artsy travelers know about your experiences in the comments below.
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