🇫🇷 FRANCE · TOURISM
What to visit in France ?
54 cities curated by Hozy · 1173+ places to discover. Landmarks, hidden restaurants, nature and viewpoints.
France runs at a rhythm many visitors take time to grasp: lunch is a real pause, shops still close on Sundays in most mid-sized towns, and a conversation with a stranger in a café in Lyon or Bordeaux can last two hours without anyone apologising for it. This relationship with time, the table and public space shapes the experience of the country far more than its monuments do.
Metropolitan France covers six broad geographic logics: the damp Atlantic north around Brittany and Normandy, the Rhône corridor running down to the Mediterranean, the alpine massif to the east, the Pyrenees to the south, the often-overlooked Massif Central plateau, and the Paris basin, which holds a third of the population. Each has its own cuisine, accent and seasons.
Good to know
May-June or September-October. Summer (July-August) overloads the Mediterranean coasts and pushes prices up everywhere. Spring and autumn offer steady temperatures, fewer people in Carcassonne or the Luberon, and local markets running at full tilt.
The TGV network links Paris to Lyon in 2 hours, Marseille in 3, Bordeaux in 2h10: go with the train for the main corridors. Away from the big cities, a car is essential - particularly in inland Brittany, the Gers or the Ardèche.
Book TGV tickets at least three weeks in advance on the SNCF website: Prem's fares, non-exchangeable, can be five times cheaper than the full fare bought the day before.
Cities to discover in France
Bayonne
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Biarritz
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Saint-François
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Pointe-à-Pitre
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Le Gosier
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Bouillante
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Deshaies
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Marie-Galante
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Colmar
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Annecy
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Cannes
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Chamonix
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Dijon
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Le François
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Lyon
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Nice
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Paris
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Rennes
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Saint-Tropez
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Strasbourg
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Terre-de-Haut
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Toulouse
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Bordeaux
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Étretat
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Le Moule
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Nantes
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Saint-Malo
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Gorges du Verdon
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Honfleur
Landmarks · Nature · Views
La Rochelle
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Lille
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Marseille
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Tours
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Avignon
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Mont-Saint-Michel
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Reims
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Bonifacio
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Nîmes
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Rocamadour
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Rouen
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Aix-en-Provence
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Carcassonne
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Arles
Landmarks · Views · Activities
Sarlat
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Montpellier
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Perpignan
Landmarks · Views · Activities
Basse-Terre
Landmarks · Nature · Views
Sainte-Anne
Landmarks · Nature · Activities
Menton
Nature · Beaches
Fort-de-France
Le Marin
Les Trois-Îlets
Saint-Pierre (Martinique)
Sainte-Anne (Martinique)
Frequently asked questions
Visiting France, in practice
Which cities should I visit in France ?
Hozy lists 54 cities in France: Aix-en-Provence, Annecy, Arles, Avignon, Basse-Terre, and more. Each city offers a curated selection of landmarks, hidden restaurants, viewpoints and activities.
How many days to plan for France ?
A 5 to 10 day trip lets you discover 2 to 3 major cities in France. For a full tour of the country, plan at least 2 weeks.
When is the best season to visit France ?
May-June or September-October. Summer (July-August) overloads the Mediterranean coasts and pushes prices up everywhere. Spring and autumn offer steady temperatures, fewer people in Carcassonne or the Luberon, and local markets running at full tilt.