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.
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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. Top Chateaux In The Loire Valley To Visit
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
8. Take a cooking course at Cordon Bleu
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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
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
17. Lunch At The Eiffel Tower–See #13 in the link
18. Attend the Fete de la Veraison In Chateauneuf-du-Pape
19. Eat Lunch or Dinner at a Farmhouse
21. Seeing An English-Speaking Comedy In Paris
22. Market Tour and Cooking Class at Le Foodist
23. My Favourite Kitchen Supply Store: 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 in the link
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
Check Out My Top 10 Active Experiences
41. Marché Aux Puces: A Flea Market Worth Visiting In Paris
42. Experience Eating These French Foods
43. Taking Home Some Unique Gifts From France
44. Oysters and French 75 On New Year’s Eve
45. Visiting London and Paris via the Eurostar
46. Wine Experiences For The Senses In Paris
47. VizEat: A Dining Experience With Locals
48. Experiencing Medieval France
49. Active Boomer In France: Some activities to consider
51. Discovering The Covered Passages In Paris
52. Unique Experiences During My First Trip To France
53. Oysters and Wine At Le Baron Rouge Wine Bar After A Market Visit
54. Visiting Fondation Louis Vuitton For The Architecture
56. Visiting the Cité Medievale de Conflans in Albertville
57. The Most Beautiful Villages Of France: Some That I Have Visited (and recommend)
58. Visit a“Cave à Vin” to sample delicious foods and wine.
59. Joyeux Noel: The Unofficial Christmas Truce (WWI)
60. Visiting and Going On top Of Some of France’s Arcs, Arches, and Portes
61. Sales Season In France: Les Soldes
Check Out My Top 10 Arts And Entertainment Experiences
62. You MUST Try Bouillabaisse (Fish Soup/Stew) The Traditional Way
63. La Cité du Vin Wine Museum In Bordeaux
64. The Other Part Of Versailles Visitors Often Miss: Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet and Petit Trianon
65. Flamingos, Wild Horses and The Medieval Fortress of Aigues-Mortes In The South Of France
66. 36 Hour Stopover In Collioure With A Hike up to Fort Saint-Elme.
67. Cruising Down The Seine River In Paris OR 4 Boat Tours To Experience Outside Of Paris
68. Fête de la Transhumance: Sheep Fill The Streets In St-Rémy
69. Rochers Sculptés (Sculptured Rocks) in Brittany
70. Quirkiest, Most Imaginative Sight: Les Machines de L’île In Nantes
71. An Easy Hike In Colorado– Le Colorado Provencal
72. What’s There To See In Brocéliande Forest In Brittany?
73. Visit Le Chateau des Baux de Provence While You Can
74. Discover France’s Version Of Stonehenge: Carnac’s Megalithic Alignments
75. Seeing Optical Illusions At The Fondation Vasarely in Aix-en-Provence
76. Learning About Paris While You Run: With Paris Running Tours
Check Out My Top 10 Favourite Learning Experiences
77. Celebrating Cinema At the Lumière Museum In Lyon
78. Traboules and Wall Murals In Lyon
79. Paris Greeters: A Free Walking Tour Worth Taking
80. Highlights Of Montpellier And An Excursion to Sete
81. See Van Gogh’s Paintings Come Alive In Provence And On Film
82. Fashion At Musée Yves Saint Laurent In Paris
83. 9 Beautiful Spots To Get Away From The Crowds In Paris
84. Paris Dinner Soirée At Jim Haynes
85. “59 Rivoli”–A Former Squat That Provides Studios For Artists In Paris
86. Remains Of The Bastille: 4 Spots You Likely Overlooked
87. National Library of France: 2 Sites Worth Visiting
88. Parisian bistro with traditional French cuisine: A la Biche au Bois
89. Abandoned railway in Paris: La Petite Ceinture
90. Where You Can Find Lavender In Provence
91. Discover Pont d’Arc By Kayak
92. Two Of The Best Ways To See The Cliffs At Étretat
93. Where To See The Best Bastille Day Fireworks In Normandy
94. Lunch with a view of Etretat
95. The 3 Best Immersive Art Exhibitions In France: Paris, Les Baux, and Bordeaux
97. Take Your Daughter To This Museum In Paris: Marie Curie Museum
98. A multi-sensory experience devoted to Calvados apple brandy
99. Historical Walking Tour: Life In Paris During WWII
100. The drive between Normandy and Paris: ‘Route des Abbayes’
101. Where to see French films with English subtitles in Paris
102. Localers Food Tour Near Canal Saint Martin
103. Point Zero and The Paris Meridian
104. Not your typical food court: Beaupassage Paris
105. Augmented Reality At The Relief Map Museum In Paris
106. Exploring The Caves at Aven d’Orgnac
107. La Felicità, Paris
108. Sculptures de Décure At The Paris Catacombs
110. Free Water in Paris: Wallace Fountains
111. The Hidden Courtyard At Le Petit Palais
112. The Grand Gallery of Evolution
113. “Dame de Coeur” Sound And Light Show At Notre-Dame de Paris
114. Leonardo da Vinci’s Inventions at Château du Clos Lucé
115. A Quaint Coastal Village In Normandy: Veules-les-Roses
116. What It’s Like To Hike The Three Calanques Near Cassis
117. Day’s Outing To Marseille Via the Scenic Train Côte Bleue
118. Wine And Relaxation At Château Autignac
119. Journey On The Little Yellow Train To See The Pyrénées
Check Out My Top 10 Favourite Outdoor Experiences
120. A Unique Cave Experience In The Dordogne Valley: Gouffre de Padirac
121. Bike Ride Along The Canal du Midi From Carcassonne
122. Affordable Michelin-Starred Lunch: La Barbacane In Carcassonne
123. Why You Should Line Up For Tickets To Font de Gaume Cave
124. Spending 2 Months In France
125. Food, Wine, and Tours at the Montmartre Wine Festival (Fête des Vendanges)
126. Cycling On Île de Ré
127. Roman Amphitheatres In France That Still Hold Events
128. France’s Alcatraz: Château d’If
129. The World Of Science In Paris: Arts et Métiers Museum
130. Relaxing Paris Oasis: Promenade Plantée
131. Interesting Sights At Fourvière Hill In Lyon
132. Should You Take The Time To Visit Carcassonne?
133. La Praluline: Delicious Pink Praline Brioche From Roanne
134. Impressive Castle Ruins: Château de Lagarde In The Ariège
135. Lemon Pastries In Menton At The Fête du Citron
136. 4 Types Of Caves In The Dordogne To Explore
137. Making the classic French 75 cocktail (Soixante-quinze)
138. Fête de la Musique (World Music Day)
139. Bastille Day In Paris: Parade And Dinner Cruise With Fireworks
140. Castles And Scenery-Kayaking On The Dordogne
141. Day’s Outing: Bicycle From Arcachon To Dune du Pilat (Europe’s tallest sand dune)
142. Visit Fondation Maeght For Modern Art In Saint-Paul-de-Vence
143. Walking In The Woods-La Forêt des Cèdres Near Bonnieux
144. Rendezvous with Doisneau-Cycling La Voie Verte (Sarlat)
145. Pont Julien: Historic Roman Bridge Near Bonnieux
146. Nice’s Iconic Symbol: La Chaise Bleue
147. Why stop in Biot? Glass. Bubble glass at La Verrerie de Biot
148. Tour and Tasting at Palais Bénédictine In Fécamp
149. Château Musée Grimaldi (And Parking) In Cagnes-sur-Mer
150. Visit The Best Perched Villages In The Lot Department: Saint-Cirq-Lapopie And Rocamadour
151. A Most Delicious Apératif From Normandy: Pommeau de Normandie
152. La Salle des Mariages-Jean Cocteau in Menton
153. Château de Versailles Spectacle: Marie-Antoinette Fireworks And Light Show
154. 6 Best Photo Locations Around Cassis
155. Get A Haircut In France In French! It Can Be A Great Experience.
156. Scenic Rides Through France….On A Peloton Bike
157. Tips For Visiting Versailles. One Trip Is Not Enouigh.
158. Beautiful And Famous Bridges In France To Photograph
159. Unique French Pastries Too Beautiful To Eat?
160. Amusing And Unique Sculptures And Structures In France
161. Spend Two Weeks In The Dordogne-based in Sarlat and Beynac-et-Cazenac
162. Abbaye de Fontfroide (Narbonne)
163. Tarascon-sur-Ariège: The Perfect Base To Explore The Ariège
164. Lest We Forget: The Douaumont Ossuary Near Verdun
165. Josephine Baker’s Château des Milandes And Her Crazy Banana Skirt
166. The Christmas Tradition of Santons de Provence: A Unique Collection
167. Best Views Of Monaco: Jardin Exotique de Monaco
168. A Winter Visit: The Gardens And Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
169. Recommended By Locals: Delicious Places To Dine
170. 10 Unique Spots In Montmartre To Discover
171. Why You Need To Know About the Crit’Air Sticker For Driving In France
172. Renting An Apartment In Paris, But NOT An Airbnb: Why I Loved Citadines Marais Bastille
173. A Visit To 3 Cheese Caves In Roquefort-Sur-Soulzon
174. Aveyron Specialties And Restaurants: My Recommendations
175. Why Le Tout-Paris Rooftop Bar At The Cheval Blanc Hotel Is Worth A Visit
176. La Bambouseraie en Cévennes-Achieving A State Of Zen In This Bamboo Grove
177. Château de Guedelon: Building A 13th Century Castle From Sratch
178. 2 Wine Bars In Bordeaux-One Hip And Modern. One Cozy And Rustic
179. Bouillon Restaurants In Paris: Which One Should You Dine At?
180. Where To Go Running In Paris: 10 Best Spots
181. 5 Activities At Pont du Gard You Can Do (And 1 You Can’t)
182. French Sites Where No Photos Are Allowed-More Reason To Visit
182. Flying To Paris On Icelandair: Carry-On Size Restrictions And Tips
183. Panoramic View Of Paris From The Panthéon Dome
184. Carnaval Tropical de Paris Parade On The Champs-Élysées
185. Discover What It’s Like To Take A Burgundy Barge Cruise
186. Rouen Cathedral Light Show You Shouldn’t Miss
187. Visiting Canada House On Juno Beach
188. Best Jazz Club In Paris? Le Duc des Lombards For Live Music
189. Things To Do In Bayeux And The Surrounding Area
190. Explore French Gastronomy At Dijon’s Cité de la Gastronomie et du Vin
191. Unique Things To Do In Dijon (When You Only Have 1-2 Days)
192. Is It Worth A Special Trip To Costco In France?
TRAVEL RESOURCES
Booking.com and Expedia: are the companies I use for finding accommodations.
VRBO: is super for booking apartments and houses.
AutoEurope: is the only car rental supplier that I will use–with the best prices, and they will refund the difference if the price goes down.
Trainline: offers an easy way to book train tickets.
Get Your Guide and Viator: Both offer tours, city cards, tickets, airport pickups, and so many other things you’ll need at your destination.
Orange SIM Card-this is the company I use when I want a physical SIM card
Orange e-SIM and Airalo e-SIM-both companies offer e-SIMS and get great reviews
Need More Ideas?
- 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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