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. 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

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 in the link

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. 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

40. Volcanoes In France?

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

50. Surfing In Biarritz

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

55. Seeing The Tour de France

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

96. Hidden gardens in Etretat

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

109. Two Days In The Ardèche

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

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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