Top 100+ Unique Experiences In France

Top 100+ Unique Experiences In France—The List Keeps Growing

France has so much to offer in terms of sites and experiences and while the typical travel guide will highlight the Top 10 or most common ones, I like to share those that have been truly unique. I have done each one of these Top 100 experiences in France (active, outdoor, culinary, arts and entertainment, or learning) during my many trips to France and some I have done more than once (ie. Kayaking under the Pont du Gard) because I loved the experience so much.

My list of unique experiences in France keeps growing and as you can see it is well over 100. I will continue to add to the list so keep checking back or bookmark this page.

Check out the map at the end of the page. Each of these experiences is indicated on the map, so if you’re looking at visiting a certain area of France, click on one of the locations and read about the experience.

1. Touring Many Chateaux In The Loire Valley 

2. Paddling A Kayak Under the Pont du Gard in Provence

3. Running In The Marathon du Medoc

4. A Week Taking French Language And Cooking Classes At Ecole des Trois Ponts

and

What To Expect When You Take A French Immersion Course In France

5. Having A Picnic Dinner In Paris

6. Attending A Chamber Music Concert in Sainte-Chapelle In Paris

7. Riding A Bicycle In France

8. Take a cooking course at Cordon Bleu

Check Out My Top 10 Favourite Culinary Experiences

9. Attend a performance or take a guided tour at the Paris Opera (Palais Garnier)

10. Visit a local market and buy a roasted chicken

11. Attend a French concert

12. Attend a bull fight (La Course Camarguaise)

13. Stand in the middle of a field of sunflowers

14. The Best Gift From France: A Framed Hermès Scarf

15. Sit in a bar on the Champs Elysee and watch the World Cup Finale

16. Fly In A Hot Air Balloon

17. Lunch At The Eiffel Tower–See #13

18. Attend the Fete de la Veraison In Chateauneuf-du-Pape

19. Eat Lunch or Dinner at a Farmhouse

20. Visit “Le Café Des Chats”

21. Seeing An English-Speaking Comedy In Paris 

22. Market Tour and Cooking Class at Le Foodist

23. Kitchen Gadget Shopping at E. Dehillerin in Paris

24. Be in Paris on New Year’s Eve

25. Be in Paris on July 14 and watch the Bastille Day Parade

26. Attend a fashion show at Galeries Lafayette in Paris

27. Do the Van Gogh Walk in Saint Remy de Provence

28. Drink a hot chocolate at Angelina in Paris

29. Historic Walking Tour of Paris

30. Take a tour of La Conciergerie–see #7

31. Buy an ice cream from Berthillon and walk around the Ils St-Louis

32. Walk along the Canal St-Martin

33. Have a drink on a barge on the Seine in Paris

34. Go to a book talk at Shakespeare and Co.

35.  Spend the night at a real chateau

36. Visit Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise

37. Hiking In Chamonix And The French Alps

38. D-Day and The Beaches Of Normandy

39. Champagne Tasting in Champagne

40. Volcanoes In France?

41. Running In France

Check Out My Top 10 Active Experiences

42. Marché Aux Puces: A Flea Market Worth Visiting In Paris

43. Experience Eating These French Foods

44. Taking Home Some Unique Gifts From France

45. Oysters and French 75 On New Year’s Eve

46. Visiting London and Paris via the Eurostar

47. Wine Experiences For The Senses In Paris

48. VizEat: A Dining Experience With Locals

49. Experiencing Medieval France

50. Active Boomer In France: Some activities to consider

51. Surfing In Biarritz

52. Discovering The Covered Passages In Paris

53. Unique Experiences During My First Trip To France

54. Photographing The 10 Most Beautiful Places In France

55. Oysters and Wine At Le Baron Rouge Wine Bar After A Market Visit

56. Visiting Fondation Louis Vuitton For The Architecture

57. Seeing The Tour de France

58. Staying In A Chalet In The Heart Of The French Alps

59. Visiting the Cité Medievale de Conflans in Albertville

60. The Most Beautiful Villages Of France: Some That I Have Visited (and recommend)

61. Visit a“Cave à Vin” to sample delicious foods and wine.

62. Joyeux Noel: The Unofficial Christmas Truce (WWI)

63. Visiting and Going On top Of Some of France’s Arcs, Arches, and Portes

64. Be In France During “Les Soldes” (Winter or Summer)

65. Seeing Paris In A Different Light—Night Time

Check Out My Top 10 Arts And Entertainment Experiences

66. You MUST Try Bouillabaisse (Fish Soup/Stew) The Traditional Way

67. La Cité du Vin Wine Museum In Bordeaux

68. The Other Part Of Versailles Visitors Often Miss: Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet and Petit Trianon

69. Flamingos, Wild Horses and The Medieval Fortress of Aigues-Mortes In The South Of France

70. 36 Hour Stopover In Collioure With A Hike up to Fort Saint-Elme.

71.  Cruising Down The Seine River In Paris OR 4 Boat Tours To Experience Outside Of Paris

72. Fête de la Transhumance: Sheep Fill The Streets In St-Rémy

73. Rochers Sculptés (Sculptured Rocks) in Brittany

74. Quirkiest, Most Imaginative Sight: Les Machines de L’île In Nantes

75. An Easy Hike In Colorado– Le Colorado Provencal

76. What’s There To See In Brocéliande Forest In Brittany?          

77. Visit Le Chateau des Baux de Provence While You Can

78. Discover France’s Version Of Stonehenge: Carnac’s Megalithic Alignments

79. Seeing Optical Illusions At The Fondation Vasarely in Aix-en-Provence

80. Learning About Paris While You Run: With Paris Running Tours

Check Out My Top 10 Favourite Learning Experiences

81. Celebrating Cinema At the Lumière Museum In Lyon

82, Traboules and Wall Murals In Lyon

83. Paris Greeters: A Free Walking Tour Worth Taking

84. Highlights Of Montpellier And An Excursion to Sete

85. See Van Gogh’s Paintings Come Alive In Provence And On Film

86. Seeing Fashion At  Musée Yves Saint Laurent In Paris

87. 9 Beautiful Spots To Get Away From The Crowds In Paris

88.  Paris Dinner Soirée At Jim Haynes

89.  “59 Rivoli”–A Former Squat That Provides Studios For Artists In Paris

90. Remains Of The Bastille: 4 Spots You Likely Overlooked

91. National Library of France: 2 Sites Worth Visiting

92. Parisian bistro with traditional French cuisine: A la Biche au Bois

93. My City Hunt With Paris In Action

94. Watch, follow, or ride in a Citroën 2CV

And now the NEXT 100!

95. Abandoned railway in Paris: La Petite Ceinture

96. Where You Can Find Lavender In Provence

97. Discover Pont d’Arc By Kayak

98. Two Of The Best Ways To See The Cliffs At Étretat

99. Where To See The Best Bastille Day Fireworks In Normandy

100. Visiting A Lavender Farm In Provence And Learning About Lavender And Lavandin Oil

101. Lunch with a view of Etretat

102. Sound and Light Shows In Paris and Provence That You Must See

103. Hidden gardens in Etretat

104. Take Your Daughter To This Museum In Paris: Marie Curie Museum

105.  A multi-sensory experience devoted to Calvados apple brandy

106. Historical Walking Tour: Life In Paris During WWII

107. The drive between Normandy and Paris: ‘Route des Abbayes’

108. Where to see French films with English subtitles in Paris

109. Localers Food Tour Near Canal Saint Martin

110. Point Zero and The Paris Meridian

111. Not your typical food court: Beaupassage Paris

112.  Augmented Reality At The Relief Map Museum In Paris

113. Exploring The Caves at Aven d’Orgnac

114. La Felicità, Paris

115. Sculptures de Décure At The Paris Catacombs

116. Two Days In The Ardèche

117. Free Water in Paris: Wallace Fountains

118. The Hidden Courtyard At Le Petit Palais

119. The Grand Gallery of Evolution

120. “Dame de Coeur” Sound And Light Show At Notre-Dame de Paris

121. Leonardo da Vinci’s Inventions at Château du Clos Lucé 

122. Most Unusual Sight In Normandy: Le Chêne d’Allouville

123. A Quaint Coastal Village In Normandy: Veules-les-Roses

124. Concept Stores In Paris Worth Visiting For Unique Gifts

125. Lunch At Château de Champlong: A Delicious French Immersion Excursion

126. What It’s Like To Hike The Three Calanques Near Cassis

127. Day’s Outing To Marseille Via the Scenic Train Côte Bleue

128. Wine And Relaxation At Château Autignac

129. Journey On The Little Yellow Train To See The Pyrénées

Check Out My Top 10 Favourite Outdoor Experiences

130. A Unique Cave Experience In The Dordogne Valley: Gouffre de Padirac

131. Bike Ride Along The Canal du Midi From Carcassonne

132. Stained Glass at Eglise Saint-Pierre d’Yvetot: Largest In Europe

133. Affordable Michelin-Starred Lunch: La Barbacane In Carcassonne

134. Why You Should Line Up For Tickets To Font de Gaume Cave

135. Spending 2 Months In France

136. Food, Wine, and Tours at the Montmartre Wine Festival (Fête des Vendanges)

137. Cycling On Île de Ré

138. Roman Amphitheatres In France That Still Hold Events

139. France’s Alcatraz: Château d’If

140. The World Of Science In Paris: Arts et Métiers Museum

141. Relaxing Paris Oasis: Promenade Plantée

142. Interesting Sights At Fourvière Hill In Lyon

143. Should You Take The Time To Visit Carcassonne?

144. La Praluline: Delicious Pink Praline Brioche From Roanne

145. Impressive Castle Ruins: Château de Lagarde In The Ariège

146. Lemon Pastries In Menton At The Fête du Citron

147. 4 Types Of Caves In The Dordogne To Explore

148. Making the classic French 75 cocktail (Soixante-quinze)

149. Fête de la Musique (World Music Day)

150. Bastille Day In Paris: Parade And Dinner Cruise With Fireworks

151. Castles And Scenery-Kayaking On The Dordogne

152. Day’s Outing: Bicycle From Arcachon To Dune du Pilat (Europe’s tallest sand dune)

153. Visit Fondation Maeght For Modern Art In Saint-Paul-de-Vence

154. Walking In The Woods-La Forêt des Cèdres Near Bonnieux

155. Rendezvous with Doisneau-Cycling La Voie Verte (Sarlat)

156. Pont Julien: Historic Roman Bridge Near Bonnieux

157. Nice’s Iconic Symbol: La Chaise Bleue

158. Why stop in Biot? Glass. Bubble glass at La Verrerie de Biot

159, Tour and Tasting at Palais Bénédictine In Fécamp

160. Château Musée Grimaldi (And Parking) In Cagnes-sur-Mer

161. Visit The Best Perched Villages In The Lot Department: Saint-Cirq-Lapopie And Rocamadour

162. Tasting And Buying The Most Delicious Apératif From Normandy: Pommeau de Normandie

163. La Salle des Mariages-Jean Cocteau in Menton

164. Château de Versailles Spectacle: Marie-Antoinette Fireworks And Light Show

165. 5 Reasons To Take French Lessons On Skype – from a French teacher in France!

166. 6 Best Photo Locations Around Cassis

167. Get A Haircut In France In French! It Can Be A Great Experience.

168. 25 Scenic Rides Through France….On A Peloton Bike

169. Tips For Visiting Versailles. One Trip Is Not Enouigh.

170. Beautiful And Famous Bridges In France To Photograph

171. Unique French Pastries Too Beautiful To Eat?

172. Colourful Murals At Notre Dame de l’Abbaye (Carcassonne)

173. Amusing And Unique Sculptures And Structures In France

174. Spend Two Weeks In The Dordogne-based in Sarlat and Beynac-et-Cazenac

175. Abbaye de Fontfroide (Narbonne)

176. Tarascon-sur-Ariège: The Perfect Base To Explore The Ariège

177. Lest We Forget: The Douaumont Ossuary Near Verdun

178. Josephine Baker’s Château des Milandes And Her Crazy Banana Skirt

179. The Christmas Tradition of Santons de Provence: A Unique Collection

180. Best Views Of Monaco: Jardin Exotique de Monaco

181. A Winter Visit: The Gardens And Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

183. Recommended By Locals: Delicious Places To Dine

184. 10 Unique Spots In Montmartre To Discover

185. Why You Need To Know About the Crit’Air Sticker For Driving In France

186. Renting An Apartment In Paris, But NOT An Airbnb: Why I Loved Citadines Marais Bastille

187. A Visit To 3 Cheese Caves In Roquefort-Sur-Soulzon

188. Aveyron Specialties And Restaurants: My Recommendations

189. Why Le Tout-Paris Rooftop Bar At The Cheval Blanc Hotel Is Worth A Visit

190. La Bambouseraie en Cévennes-Achieving A State Of Zen In This Bamboo Grove

191. Château de Guedelon: Building A 13th Century Castle From Sratch

192. 2 Wine Bars In Bordeaux-One Hip And Modern. One Cozy And Rustic

Need More Ideas?

1. If you want more ideas in the area where you are travelling, check out this map. It shows the location and related post about the site and experience. Click on the map or on this link and you’ll be directed to a Google Map indicating all the places in this post.

2. If you’re looking for specific, unique experiences in Paris, check out this page: Unique Paris Experiences 

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