5 Must-See Places Outside of Paris.

Paris, the city of love with the iconic Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral, is a city that everyone should visit at least once in their lives, but a holiday to France shouldn’t centre itself only on Paris. As the most visited country in the world, you can find everything in France from sweeping valleys, to the French Pyrenees Mountains down to the beautiful southern coastline, not to mention everything else in between! Here’s a pick of 5 must-see places outside of Paris…

Normandy

The historical region of Normandy in the north-west corner combines wondrous and dramatic coastline with evocative ties with World War II. Away from the shores, lush farmland, quaint French villages and friendly market towns lay in wait, as do the large bustling cities of Rouen and Caen. In addition, there’s a spattering of other things to see and do. Take a trip to the Caen War Memorial or the picturesque village of Giverny which lies on the banks of the River Seine, which is the home of Claude Monet. The garden of his home is said to be the inspiration of his famous water lily pieces, so naturally it proves popular with visitors. The Abbey of Mont Saint Michel, perched atop a 264ft high rocky inlet is another unmissable sight and the second most visited attraction in the country!

Lourdes

A lively town surrounded by the Pyrenees Mountains, Lourdes is well known for famous Virgin Mary sightings and is thus a place of great religious importance. As such, it has become the second most visited place in the country behind Paris, attracting around 5 million pilgrims every year, and boasts the second highest number of hotel rooms in the country; quite impressive for somewhere so small! The Basilica of the Rosary, built to welcome the many visitors is very impressive indeed and worth a trip. Combine your expedition with some time spent in the spectacular mountains, just a stone’s throw away.

French Riviera

Simply the crème de la crème of a beach holiday in France, the French Riviera is both bustling and beautiful. The warm welcoming waters of the med compliment the golden beaches perfectly and there are numerous alluring cities to visit; Cannes, St Tropez and Nice to name but a few. The traditional French villages provide a welcome contrast whereas the rich heights of Monaco gives an envy inspiring insight into how the other half live with the mammoth yachts moored in the marina and many high end restaurants to choose from. The winning combination of old and new is hard to beat here.

Disneyland Paris

Whilst Paris might be in the name, it’s actually quite a distance from the country’s capital and is magical to visit, whether you’re with the family or just a big kid at heart. Enjoy the many rides both in the park and at Walt Disney studios, meet your favourite characters and watch the myriad of shows, parades and fireworks. You’ll soon find yourself swept up in the magic of the place!

Vineyards

Last but not least, you can’t forget the country’s best produce; the famously delicious wine. A visit and tour of one or two vineyards, if not more, is pretty much an essential item on any itinerary. Wine tasting goes hand in hand, and if you time your visit right, you may stumble across wine festivals and have a go at squashing some grapes for the next seasons production.

This is just a selection of some of the things on offer outside of the alluring capital city but rest assured that wherever you end up, you will have a truly memorable holiday.