From its boulevards to seaside resorts in Cote d’Azur, France packs a lot of destinations that you could explore to make your vacation a wonderful experience. It delights romantics through fairy-tale castles, beautiful villages, and soaring cathedrals. Tourist Attractions in France are beautiful if you want to visit there.
Realists will also find France fascinating with the many progressive styles including the Eiffel Tower. If you think that the city is only about its design and heritage, then that will be completely wrong. The history of France is equally enthralling as wandering around the country on a long vacation for the most popular tourist attractions.
There are also several museums packed with historical facts including paintings and sculptures. As an enthusiastic traveler, D. Scott Carruthers has explored most of these destinations and has some valuable information that could help first-timers choose well.
He has been reviewing destinations based on factual information he gathered while on a personal trip, and to help you choose the most amazing museum attractions in France, where he offers a guide to the best you could get.
Do Not Miss These Top 5 Tourist Attractions in France:
1. Louvre Museum:
The Louvre museum is one of the most visited tourist attractions in France and this is due to its significance in both the history of the country and its quality of collections.
It is ranked among top museums in Europe that exhibit fine arts and most of the most famous works of Western European civilizations are displayed in this museum. Along with that, it is also known as one of the top tourist attractions in France.
Some of these include the Mona Lisa done by Leonardo DaVinci, Venus de Milo sculpture done in the first century, and the Wedding Feast at Cana, which was the work of Veronese. Most of the collections you will find in this museum are linked to kings who ruled more than eight centuries ago, and are categorized among the best across the world.
2. Musée de Cluny:
The Musée de Cluny is a French museum from the Middle Ages that is located to the south of Boulevard Saint-German. It holds some of the oldest art presentations and is largely preserved for the historical significance of the material stored within the museum.
The Musée de Cluny houses a number of medieval artifacts including antique furnishings, stained glass, gold, ivory, and illuminated manuscripts. It is an important part of the France tour as it depicts the history and the culture of France thoroughly. If you fancy history and its beauty, this will present to you the perfect opportunity to explore what the world has to offer to teach you about ancient beliefs and religious or government systems.
Most of the sculptures date back to the eighth century and are made of gold and silver. Its collection is wide and you will be taken through each to learn what they meant and the significance of these forms of art to the country. It will be a great opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the French ancient population.
3. Petit Palais:
The Petit Palais is among 14 museums in Paris which were incorporated from January 1st, 2013 to the Paris Musees. Its history takes you back to the 19th century when a competition was organized in 1894 meant for the 1900 Exhibition area. Architects grappled with different ideas and the implementation was delayed until 1897 to be completed in 1900 at a cost of 400, 000 pounds.
The idea to build the museum was inspired by the French Petit Palais of the eighteenth century. The exhibits kept at the Petit Palais museum show art from its beginning to modern times, and it also highlights the history of art in France between 1800 and 1900, which shows great stages of growth during this era.
4. Eiffel Tower:
If you visit France, you just cannot miss one of the seven wonders of the world. Moreover, your better half would not be so excited to hear about it. It is most of the romantic people’s dream to visit the topmost romantic places in the world. One is the Taj Mahal, the evergreen creation of Shah Jahan for his wife and the love of his life Mumtaz, and the second comes to Eiffel Tower.
Apart from being the symbol of France, Eiffel tower is also known to be a national heritage. It was built in the year 1887 to 1889, as the entrance to the world’s fair. Whether the fair was much significance is not known to anyone, but surely we all do know about the Eiffel tower, name after Gustave Eiffel, the engineer. Eiffel tower represents a pleasant view and some people have given it a romantic reference as Paris itself is known as the city entwined with love in the air.
Read more: 10 Best Things to Do in Paris(France)
5. Palace of Versailles:
The Palace of Versailles may make you remember the Treaty of Versailles, which marked the end of the French Revolution. But, it also represents some gory artifacts from the Reign of Terror, the famous being the Guillotine. The palace presently serves as a museum and is also one of the top tourist attractions in France. The palace originally served as the hunting lodge for King Louis XIII, but later regained its grandeur as the palace.
This is where the people protested against the monarchy and the famous revolution uprose. Today, there are various artifacts and monuments in this palace that holds historical significance. And people mostly studying world history come here to get a glimpse of the past. It makes the palace of Versailles the most famous part of France’s tour. It is also widely known for its elaborate architecture.
Honorable Mentions
Although we have extensively discussed some of the best places that you need to see at least once when you visit France. There are a few more that we want to mention. These places are two of the most famous places on this planet. Yet they did not make our list as we wanted to keep our list as off-beat as possible,
Côte d’Azur
Stretching from Saint Tropez to the Border of Italy, Côte d’Azur is one of the most aesthete beaches in France. The phrase ‘Côte d’Azur’ literally translates to ‘Coast of Blue’. I believe that it is a fitting name for this mesmerising coast. For those who are wondering, this place is also known as the French Rivera. During the summer months, the beach is saturated with sun-loving tourists.
The Rivera is so famous that this place is also frequented by the rich and the affluent classes. The coast is overlooked by the idyllic town of Nice. During the months of the Cannes Film Festival, the beach is filled with movie stars. Apart from beautiful sandy vistas, the city is also known as home to some of the most opulent places to stay.
However, if you are backpacking across France, you can easily find affordable living as well. So do not worry about the budget. The prime spot of Rivera overlooking the newer part of town has one of the finest beaches. But they are mostly quite crowded. If you want a glorious view of the horizon along with some serenity, try visiting the beaches of Antibes.
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres
A list of France will be incomplete, if we do not include the famous Cathedral of the Chartres. Sources suggest that the cathedral has been giving hope to the hopeless for over eight centuries. Recently, this megastructure was listed by UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites Across the World.
The cathedral is famously known for its stained glass art. Most of this dates back to the 12th Century AD and covers a staggering 2,500 square meters. The stained glass artistry mostly depicts Biblical scenery and stories. The best time to visit Chartres is from April through October. The City Of Chartres hosts a Chartres en Lumeres or a festival of light during this time of the year.
Conclusion:
These exhibits are placed into sections including paintings, drawings, and furniture that was made in the 18th century. You will also enjoy the pleasure of viewing different sculptures and drawings that assist you to learn in detail about the history of the French. Apart from the learning experience, you will get from exploring the museum.
There also lies a great opportunity to spend some awesome time and you could as well make new friends. Although France is filled with delicious food like the croissant and the Coq Au Vin, so make sure that you also keep the famous restaurants in the country along with the top tourist attractions in France.
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