Author Zoe Disigny (The Art of Traveling Strangers) has made her dream of owning a house in France come true! Read about her experience in this guest post for Artsy Traveler.
Vive la Différence
We bought a house in France! I know, I can’t believe it either!
I’ve fantasized about living in France since my first high school French class, and now, over fifty years later, that dream has come true four months out of the year. And although I’m new to this, I’d like to share some preliminary observations about living in rural Southern France versus urban Southern California.
A road outside my home in Southern California vs a road outside my home in Southern France
History is Everywhere
The first thing I always notice about France is the palpable presence of history, and my little village is no different. I’m drawn to the textures of the old buildings, with their peeling layers of plaster, red tile roofs, and decorative eaves looking like the pinched edges of pie crusts.
And I love how the village houses still cluster around medieval churches. In Southern California, the buildings would be sleek condos surrounding a shopping center.
Views of our village in the south of France
For Whom the Bell Tolls
A sturdy bell tower crowns the 12th-century church in the center of our village. Its ancient bell tolls daily at seven in the morning, noon, and seven at night, calling the faithful to pray the Angelus—a prayer dating back to the 11th century. The clanging bell is far from melodious, but it fills me with inexplicable joy.
Nothing in Southern California compares.
Beautiful Details
It’s not just the weathered façades of old French homes that reel me in but also their traditional wooden shutters with black iron hardware. The iron fasteners that hold our window shutters open take the shape of tiny female busts and are called arrêts bergère (shepherdess stops). I love their hats and how proper these ladies look. They clearly take their job seriously!
Against the stone façade of our house, our door shutters with their multiple iron bars remind me of a medieval fortress. And the six-step process to close and latch them each night feels just as archaic—an inefficiency that would not go over well in the U.S. but appeals to my romantic soul.
I’m also charmed by the delicate lace curtains placed flat against the inside of the windows. They soften the darkness of the closed shutters and filter the light when the shutters are open—an old-fashioned window treatment that would look entirely out of place in my home in California.
Navigating French Bureaucracy
The English word bureaucracy comes from the French word bureaucratie coined in the 18th century to describe a cumbersome government of multiple bureaus or offices. It’s fitting that the French invented this word because France is notorious for it.
Case in point: Our cash offer for our French house was accepted on May 16, 2022. Even though there were no contingencies, the sale was not approved until Aug. 30—three and a half months later!
In California, if all goes well, cash buyers can close a sale in as little as seven days.
Getting from Here to There
Driving in France (not Paris) is a pleasure, as long as you’re good at navigating endless rond points (roundabouts) and realize you won’t get stopped for speeding. Instead, if you’re caught on a speed camera, you’ll get a ticket in the mail. Surprise!
Of course, there’s often no need to drive because the trains go everywhere and are comfortable, clean, and inexpensive for short hops. It only takes twelve minutes and costs three euros for us to train to Narbonne (fourteen miles away on the Mediterranean).
And one of the best things about traveling around France . . . no billboards!
A highway in France
The Pause that Refreshes
In my part of France, most stores (except grocery stores) close from noon to 2 (unless it’s Sunday when nothing is open—again, except grocery stores, but they’re only available until noon). Got it?
Our home improvement store, Bricomarche, is very strict about its midday closure. As the noon witching hour approaches, staff members circulate the store, barring customers from selecting more items and shooing us toward the checkout counter.
Stop a client from buying? That would never happen in the U.S.
As the stores shut down for lunch, the restaurants open—but only from noon to 2 (or sometimes 1:30). If you miss that window, they don’t open again until 5 (at the earliest).
Dining in France
The tradeoff for this narrow timeframe is the delicious, artfully presented food! Other compensations include no loud music or distracting TVs (making mealtime more favorable for conversation, savoring, and digestion).
Tipping is strictly voluntary. With a government-required service charge added to the bill, a 5-10% tip is generous.
Artfully presented and delicious food in France
Another dining difference in France—the pace of the meal. Not only does it usually take a little longer to get your food, but it takes a lot longer to get your bill. This is not great if you’re in a hurry, but at least they won’t whisk your plate away while you’re still chewing your last bite!
And take heed, no “doggie bags.” I mean, you could ask for one, but it’s not normally done. So eat up!
Bonjour, Madame
Perhaps it’s just my little village and the towns near mine, but everyone passing by says “bonjour.” The delivery man, dog walker, shoppers, children. No one passes anyone without a friendly “bonjour.” And most of the time, the greeting is even more polite. “Bonjour, Madame,” “Bonjour Monsieur.” Or if you’re in mixed company, “Bonjour messieurs-dames.” It’s just so respectful and, well . . . French!
So, there you have it, a few of my early impressions on the differences between living in the U.S. and France.
Vive la différence!
Read about Zoe Disigny on the Artsy Traveler Guest Posters page.
Do you enjoy reading novels set in the places you are traveling to? I know I do. I love curling up at the end of a long day of sightseeing and reading a novel that helps me revisit the places I’ve seen.
I’ve chosen my top ten novels based on two criteria. First, the novel needs to evoke a sense of the place in which it was set, and second, it needs to relate in some way to the arts. You’re sure to find some new-to-you reads to take along on your next trip, or even to stay at home with.
England
Entertaining Mr Pepysby Deborah Swift
Entertaining Mr Pepys is the third novel in Deborah Swift’s “Women of Pepys’ Diary” series. All three novels are worth taking along if you are spending time in London and want a fascinating glimpse of what life was like in the 1660s. Famed diarist Samuel Pepys is at the center of this and the first two novels (Pleasing Mr Pepys and A Plague on Mr Pepys), each following a different woman who knew Samuel and was mentioned in his diary. In Entertaining Mr Pepys, the actress Elizabeth (Bird) Carpenter takes center stage as she navigates the world of the theater when women were finally allowed on stage as actresses. If you enjoy impeccably researched historical novels with plenty of intrigue, then the “Women of Pepys’ Diary” series is for you.
The Lost Book of the Grail by Charlie Lovett
While traveling in England, plan on touring some of its awesome cathedrals (don’t miss York Minster, Salisbury Cathedral, and Durham Cathedral to name just three of my faves!) and then settle down with The Lost Book of the Grail. The setting is an ancient cathedral in the fictional town of Barchester. Flashback chapters open with succinct descriptions of cathedral areas such as cloisters, the nave, chapels, and more that I found fascinating. Through a series of clever flashbacks, you navigate the history of the cathedral from its founding by a martyred saint through the Norman invasion, Reformation, Civil War, Victorian era, World War II, and modern times. The plot’s twists and turns provide enough mystery to make the denouement both surprising and satisfying.
France
Drawing Lessons by Patricia Sands
Are you taking a trip to Provence? Then pack or download a copy of Drawing Lessons, a delicious novel set in Arles that follows a woman’s quest to redefine herself after the death of her husband. Patricia Sands evokes the sensuous delights of Provence so beautifully that you’ll feel like you are there. And if, indeed, you are there, you’ll have the sights and smells that surround you confirmed in the story.
The Paris Hours by Alex George
This is the novel to read when you’re spending time in Paris. The Paris Hours tells the stories of four “ordinary” people during one day in Paris in 1927. Along the way, they encounter an extraordinary panoply of luminaries including Hemingway, Proust, Picasso, Gertrude Stein, Ravel, Josephine Baker, and even Sylvia Beach, the proprietor of Paris’s most famous English bookstore, Shakespeare & Company. Alex George brings the ambience, and the people, of Paris to life as he takes readers through streets and parks they can still walk through today. Surprises and twists abound in one of the most cleverly plotted and exquisitely written novels I’ve read in a long while.
Germany
And After the Fireby Lauren Belfer
I am a huge fan of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach (check out my visit to the Bach Museum in Leipzig) and so And After the Fire was the novel for me. It tells the fascinating story of a lost Bach manuscript with a disturbing message. The story spans over two hundred years, from Berlin in the 18th century through the Holocaust to New York in contemporary times. Inspired by historical events, the compelling narrative of this deeply researched and evocative novel resonates with emotion and immediacy.
Chasing the Wind by C. C. Humphreys
Heading for Berlin? Take along Chasing the Wind, a rollicking good adventure that mixes a Bruegel masterpiece, a female aviator, espionage, and the 1936 Berlin Olympics. It’s a page-turner, so make sure you’ve finished your sightseeing for the day before reading it, else you may decide to stay in your hotel room and read rather than go out to sample Berlin’s many museums (check out Booming Berlin: Your Artsy Guide for suggestions about what to do during a three-day visit to Berlin).
Italy
Raphael, Painter in Rome by Stephanie Storey
No trip to Rome is complete without experiencing the art of Raphael, Michelangelo and da Vinci. And the perfect novel to accompany you is Raphael, Painter in Romeby Stephanie Storey, and her other novel Oil and Marble. Both chronicle the lives of three of the most renowned artists in western Europe: Raphael in Raphael, Painter in Rome and Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci in Oil and Marble. Even in the 21st century, there are parts of old Rome in which only a small leap of the imagination is needed to be transported back to the Renaissance when intrigue lurked around every corner and the smell of oil paint was heavy in the air. Raphael. Painter in Rome takes you deep into the heart of a Rome that may be long gone but still lingers in the imagination after dark.
Netherlands
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
One of the things I love about touring the Netherlands is how the light often reminds me of an Old Master painting. One of the most famous is Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. So, the perfect read for fans of his work is the novel of the same name by Tracy Chevalier. Set in 17th-century Delft, Girl with a Pearl Earring is a richly-imagined portrait of the young woman who inspired the painting. I love how Chevalier seamlessly merges history and fiction in this and many of her other novels set in Europe, including The Lady and the Unicorn (14th-century France), Burning Bright(late 18th-century London), Falling Angels (early 20th-century London), A Single Thread(1930s England), and Remarkable Creatures (early 19th-century England).
Spain
The Return by Victoria Hislop
I picked up a copy of The Returnin a second-hand bookstore while wandering the back streets of Antibes seeking shade at the height of the 2019 heat wave (la canicule, as the French called it). It was the perfect novel to read while traveling west into Spain. It takes place both in the present and during the Spanish Civil War, a time in history about which I knew very little. The story of a flamenco guitar player (a tocadores) and a flamenco dancer (a bailaora) who fall in love in 1930s Granada and are separated during the terrible excesses of the Spanish Civil War will stay with you long after you leave Spain.
The Miramonde Trilogy by Amy Maroney
For a book lover, few things are more enchanting than enjoying a novel and then discovering that it’s the first in a trilogy. I had that experience after reading The Girl from Oto, the first offering in Amy Maroney’s trilogy about a female artist in Renaissance Spain, the other two novels being Mira’s Way and A Place in the World. I read all three not long after I traveled through the Pyrenees where much of the story takes place. Amy Maroney brings the region to life wonderfully—its wildlife and independent mountain people, the sweeping landscapes and harsh weather, and the turbulent history during the time when King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were on the throne.
What’s your favorite artsy novel set in Europe? Share your recommendations with other Artsy Travelers in the Comments below.
Most of the world-class art exhibitions that were scheduled to open in galleries and museums in Europe in 2020 were postponed to later in 2021 or 2022.
The following list of art exhibitions in Europe in 2021 doubles as my personal wish list. If I’m lucky enough to return to Europe this fall, I plan to take in at least a few of them. And if not, 2022 here I come.
My list of art exhibitions in Europe includes all the exhibitions that I’d go out of my way to see, which means it reflects my interests and preferences. I hope you also find some exhibitions that pique your interest and that you are able to get to. But if not, reading about them may be the next best thing. My list also includes arts-inspired novels related to the subjects of the exhibitions. For more artsy novels, check out Art In Fiction, the sister website to Artsy Traveler.
Basel
Sophie Taeuber-Arp: Living Abstraction at the Kunstmuseum Basel
The Swiss artist Sophie Taeuber-Arp “pioneered a form of abstraction that fused elements of Dadaism, avant-garde experimentalism, and her technical training as a teacher of applied art.” Until recently, Sophie Taeuber-Arp was over-shadowed by her better-known husband, Jean Arp, but she and her work were very influential. Also, her paintings are delightful. This exhibition is the first to present a comprehensive retrospective of Sophie Taeuber-Arp’s work to an international audience.
Following its exhibition in Basel, which runs from March 20 to June 20, Sophie Taeuber-Arp: Living Abstraction travels to the Tate Modern in London (July 15 to October 17) and then to the Museum of Modern Art in New York (November 21 to March 12, 2022).
Vermeer: On Reflection at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister
One of Vermeer’s most famous works–Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window–has been a feature of the collection at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden since 1742. This masterpiece–and its stunning restoration–will be the centerpiece of the exhibition that includes nine other paintings by Vermeer along with over 50 works of Dutch genre painting from the second half of the 17th century A segment of the exhibition will also feature Vermeer’s painting technique and the recent restoration of the Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window.
The exhibition is scheduled to run from April 6 to December 9. For more information and to purchase tickets, check the website.
Suggested Reading
Girl with a Peal Earring by Tracy Chevalier from the Visual Arts category on Art In Fiction transports readers to a bygone time and place in a richly-imagined portrait of the young woman who inspired one of Vermeer’s most celebrated paintings.
The Vermeer Deception by Jennifer S. Alderson from the Visual Arts category on Art In Fiction is a fun mystery set in Munich, Heidelberg, and Amsterdam in which an art historian finds–and then loses–a portrait by Johannes Vermeer.
London
Epic Iran at the Victoria & Albert Museum
This massive exhibition explores over 5,000 years of art, design, and culture in Iran. The Victoria & Albert is one of my favorite museums in London, and in my experience, their special exhibitions are first rate. The monumental Epic Iranexhibition includes both ancient and modern works. Here are some of the highlights:
Horoscope of Iskander Sultan from 1411
Jewelry, such as an armlet from 500-330 BC found in present-day Afghanistan
Pottery, such as a bottle and bowl with poetry from 1180-1220
Costumes, such as a woman’s jacket, blouse, and skirt from 1800
Contemporary paintings and sculptures
The exhibition is set to open on May 29. Check the website for up-to-date information.
Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London
Suggested Reading
The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani from the Decorative Arts category on Art In Fiction is an historical novel set in 17th-century Persia.
The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali from the Literature category on Art In Fiction is an historical novel set during a time of political upheaval in Tehran in 1953.
Jean Dubuffet: Brutal Beauty at the Barbican Art Gallery
I’ve long been a fan of the work of Jean Dubuffet. Many years ago, we drove to the village of Périgny-sur-Yerres about fifteen miles southeast of Paris in search of the Fondation Dubuffet, but alas, we arrived to find it closed. Those were in the days before smartphones on which access to museum websites is now a finger swipe away. We did get to peek through the fence to see a portion of Dubuffet’s distinctive white and black sculptures. Fortunately, a few years ago we were able to clamber around Jardin d’émail (the “garden of enamel”) installed in the expansive sculpture garden surrounding the marvelous Kröller-Müller Museum near Arnhem.
The Brutal Beauty exhibition at the Barbican Gallery is scheduled from May 17 to August 22. The exhibition is the first major survey of Dubuffet’s work for over 50 years and showcases four decades of his career, including his whimsical statues, butterfly assemblages, and giant canvases.
The exhibition also includes Dubuffet’s personal collection of Art Brut works. The term Art Brut, coined by Dubuffet, translates as “raw art”.
Check the Barbican Gallery website for more information.
Dürer’s Journey: Travels of a Renaissance Artist at the National Gallery
First off, I love any excuse to visit the National Gallery in London. Its collection of masterpieces takes my breath away–from Turner to Monet to Botticelli to Artemisia and so many more. Almost every room contains a painting that I recognize. Check out this overview of the collection highlights and you’ll see what I mean.
The exhibition of work by Albrecht Dürer is scheduled to run from November 20 to February 27, 2022 and it looks amazing. Ever since visiting Dürer’s home in Nuremberg, I’ve been a firm fan. Actually, I admired his work for many years before that, but visiting his home and watching a demonstration of how he made his famous woodcuts really cemented my opinions.
Dürer’s home and museum in Nuremberg
Dürer’s woodcut of a rhinocerous
The National Gallery exhibition follows Dürer’s travels across Europe through his paintings, drawings, prints, and letters. From the exhibition description: Charting his journeys to the Alps, Italy, Venice and the Netherlands, the exhibition will explore how Dürer’s travels sparked an exchange of ideas with Netherlandish and Italian Renaissance artists, fuelled his curiosity and creativity, and increased his fame and influence across Europe.
Check the National Gallery website for more information and to get tickets. Or join the National Gallery and go for free.
Suggested Reading
The Relic Master by Christopher Buckley from the Decorative Arts category on Art In Fiction is an “hilarious, bawdy, and irreverent …tale” about a 16th-century relic hunter and artist Albrecht Dürer who conspire to fabricate Christ’s burial shroud.
Drifts by Kate Zambreno from the Literature category on Art In Fiction is a story of artistic ambition, personal crisis, and the possibilities and failure of literature in which a woman’s love for the work of Albrecht Dürer plays a role.
Madrid
Georgia O’Keeffe at the Thyssen-Bornemisza
This major retrospective of the work of Georgia O’Keeffe is the first in Spain and is a complete survey of O’Keeffe’s career from 1910 to her death in 1986. I think the exhibition may be similar to the one I saw at the Tate Modern a few years ago. If so, it’s a must-see–one of the most beautifully curated and informative special exhibitions I’ve ever seen.
If you’re lucky enough to be in Madrid between April 20 and August 8, make a beeline for the Thyssen-Bornemisza, which in itself is worth an extended visit. The permanent collection includes an awesome collection of medieval art along with major works, from the Renaissance to the 20th century.
Georgia by Dawn Tripp from the Visual Arts category on Art In Fiction is a dazzling work of historical fiction that brings to life Georgia O’Keeffe, her love affair with photographer Alfred Stieglitz, and her quest to become an independent artist.
Queen of the Owls by Barbara Linn Probst from the Photography category on Art In Fiction is the powerful story of a woman’s search for wholeness, framed around the art and life of iconic American painter Georgia O’Keeffe.
Paris
Botticelli at the Musée Jacquemart-André
Oh, how I hope I can see this exhibition! It’s scheduled to run from September 10 to January 24, 2022 which means if my planned trip to Europe in September happens, I’ll get to see it. Botticelli is one of my favorite Renaissance artists. I love the clarity of his figures, the subtle ways in which he uses color, and his depiction of draped material, not to mention the way he paints curly locks of red hair in masterpieces such as The Birth of Venus.
The exhibition at the Musée Jacquemart-André is being touted as a major survey of Botticelli’s works. Forty works by Botticelli will be on display along with several paintings by contemporaries who were influenced by him.
Botticelli is a popular subject for authors. Several novels listed on Art In Fiction are inspired by his life and work. Here are two:
Botticelli’s Muse by Dorah Blume from the Visual Arts category on Art In Fiction is a provocative historical novel about Botticelli and his conflicts with Florence’s Medici family, and the woman at the heart of his paintings.
The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence by Alyssa Palombo from the Visual Arts category on Art In Fiction is a lush and sensual interpretation of Medici Florence, artist Sandro Botticelli, and the muse that inspired them all.
Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France
The Giacometti: A Family of Creators, Fondation Maeght
The Fondation Maeght is one of my favorite museums in France and is included in my post on the Top Ten Modern Art Museums in Europe. Whenever we’re traveling in the south of France, we always stop into the Fondation Maeght to see what’s on.
Gregg at the Fondation Maeght
The Giacometti: A Family of Creators exhibition highlights the Giacometti family of artists, starting with Alberto Giacometti, its most famous member. Many of his sculptures are already permanent features in the gardens at the Fondation Maeght. Also exhibited is work by his father Giovanni, and his cousin Augusto, both painters, as well as his brothers Diego, the middle brother, sculptor and designer, and Bruno, the youngest brother and architect.
If you are able to make it to any of these exhibitions, please share your experience in the comments 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 Simpson
Impressions 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.
Here are some more posts to read next to help you plan and enjoy your time in France:
