5 Top-Rated Things to Do in France

When planning a trip to France, travelers dream of the Eiffel Tower,

elegant Parisian boulevards, the sunny French Riviera, and charming pastoral villages. But often the most memorable moments of a vacation happen when taking part in local activities instead of just sightseeing.

These special experiences and small adventures go beyond just visiting a monument or a museum, they capture the spirit of the place.

Discover the country from a different point of view and make the most of your visit with our list of the top things to do in France.

1. Watch the Sunset from the Eiffel Tower To discover Paris at its most enchanting, tourists should visit the Eiffel Tower at sunset.

In the early evening, the gentle lighting has an ethereal effect.

At this special time of day (from late afternoon until dusk),

golden glows on the horizon lend a romantic quality to the vistas.

From each level of the tower, the panoramas become even more spectacular as the sun goes down, with the city's monuments illuminated and the Seine River reflecting the stunning colors of sunset.

Another bonus, every evening the Eiffel Tower is decked out with glittering

lights that sparkle for five minutes on the hour. For a truly memorable experience, tourists can watch the sunset while dining at one of the Eiffel Tower restaurants:

the contemporary-style brasserie on the first level or the Michelin-starred

Le Jules Verne gastronomic restaurant on the second level.

Breathtaking views are available from the dining rooms of both restaurants.

2. Take a Seine River Cruise

Cruising the Seine River is a delightful way to see all of Paris' top sights

while enjoying a relaxing experience. The Compagnie des Bateaux-Mouches offers scenic boat tours, sailing past the Place de la Concorde, the Louvre, the Musée D'Orsay, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, and other landmarks along the way.

Tourists can choose from a variety of Bateaux-Mouches experiences, including daytime boat tours, brunch or lunch cruises, romantic dinner cruises, and cabaret shows.

At night, the monuments along the Seine are illuminated, creating a truly captivating impression.

The Compagnie des Bateaux-Mouches kiosk is located at Pont de l'Alma near the Eiffel Tower.

3. Stroll through the Charming Old Quarters of Paris

The Quartier Latin, the Île Saint-Louis, and Le Marais are charming neighborhoods, where visitors can soak up the ambience of medieval Paris.

Begin exploring on the Left Bank in the Latin Quarter, the city's university quarter since the Middle Ages. After discovering the eclectic shops and bookstores of this lively neighborhood, cross the Seine River at the Petit Pont bridge and head to the Île de la Cité to admire the facade of the Notre-Dame Cathedral. (The cathedral is currently undergoing reconstruction after being damaged by a fire in April 2019.)

From the Île de la Cité, the Pont Saint-Louis bridge leads to another island in the Seine River, the Île Saint-Louis, an area brimming with old-world charm.

Wander the quiet pedestrian streets and browse the inviting boutiques on the Rue Saint-Louis en l'Île. Be sure to visit the Eglise Saint-Louis en l'Île, a lovely

Baroque church that was dedicated to Saint Louis (King Louis IX), and then enjoy a treat from the nearby Glacier Berthillon ice-cream parlor.

Continue by walking across the Pont Marie bridge to Le Marais, an atmospheric historic district filled with old palaces and mansions.

Take a leisurely stroll around the tranquil tree-shaded paths of the Place de Vosges, a graceful square lined with elegant 17th-century aristocratic residences, and then amble along the Rue des Francs Bourgeois, a narrow street with many fashionable shops.

4. Make a Pilgrimage to Mont Saint-Michel

Soaring above its perch on a rocky island off the Normandy coastline, the Abbaye du Mont-Saint-Michel appears as if a vision from heaven. Mont Saint-Michel is known as the "Pyramid of the Seas" thanks to its awe-inspiring and otherworldly splendor.

The island's glorious Gothic abbey has been a stop along the "Way of Saint James" pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela since the 11th century.

Medieval pilgrims walked across the Bay of Saint-Michel's sandbanks at low tide to arrive at the Mont Saint-Michel. The bay crossing was the last stretch of the long, arduous pedestrian journey to reach this important Christian destination.

The "Chemins du Mont-Saint-Michel" ("Paths of Mont-Saint-Michel") pilgrimage routes lead to Mont-Saint-Michel from various starting points such as Paris, Rouen, and Tours.

These routes continue on to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

Modern-day visitors can follow in the footsteps of the medieval pilgrims for a meaningful spiritual experience. Today's pilgrims arrive by foot in the same way this journey

has been approached for centuries. Walking across the bay takes about two hours and must be completed with the help of an accredited guide.

Please Note: It is not safe to attempt the bay crossing without a guide. Dangerous conditions define Bay of Mont Saint-Michel and its sandbanks: quicksand and powerful fast-moving tides.

With an extreme tidal range (15 kilometers in each direction), the bay's high tide turns Mont Saint-Michel into an island for about one hour each day. conditions define Bay of Mont Saint-Michel and its sandbanks: quicksand and powerful fast-moving tides. With an extreme tidal range (15 kilometers in each direction), the bay's high tide turns Mont Saint-Michel into an island for about one hour each day.

Upon arriving at the abbey, pilgrims are rewarded with the awe-inspiring ambience of an 11th to 13th-century chapel.

The Fraternités Monastiques de Jérusalem (Monastic Communities of Jerusalem) offer religious services (Laudes, Mass, and Vespers)

three times per day at the abbey church. The liturgy is conducted in chants, noteworthy for their harmonious polyphonic melodies.

Saint Michael's Day at the end of September draws many pilgrims to Mont Saint-Michel. This occasion celebrating the Archangel Michael

includes several religious ceremonies at the Abbey Church. A solemn mass is held on the nearest Sunday (before or after) Saint Michael's Day, and morning prayers and mass take place on Saint Michael's Day (September 29th).

5. Discover the Charm of Artists' Villages in Provence

Many famous Impressionist and Expressionist painters fell in love with Provence's quaint medieval villages and sun-drenched seaports, representing the gorgeous scenery in colorful works of art. The legacy of this cultural heritage is seen in the numerous museums and art galleries scattered throughout the region's towns.

The medieval hilltop town of Saint-Paul de Vence has been popular with artists since the 1920s. Marc Chagall lived here for 20 years, and during that time, he painted prolifically. The Office of Tourism offers "In the Footsteps of Marc Chagall" guided tours.

Belgian artist Jean-Michel Folon adorned the Folon Chapel in Saint-Paul de Vence with splendid paintings, sculptures, and stained-glass windows. Other well-known 20th-century artists also found inspiration in Saint-Paul de Vence, and their works are on display at the Fondation Maeght, a prestigious cultural foundation and one of Europe's largest modern art collections. Near Saint-Paul de Vence is another perched medieval village, Vence, worth a detour to see the Chapelle du Rosaire in the outskirts of town. Matisse added his post-Impressionist decorative flair to the stained-glass windows, paintings, and art objects that adorn the chapel.

Saint-Rémy de Provence is famous for its association with Vincent van Gogh, who stayed here for a year at the Saint-Paul de Mausole asylum. The Musée Estrine displays works by Vincent van Gogh and his contemporaries. Over 20 of the sites in Saint-Rémy de Provence that the artist painted are indicated on the "Promenade dans l'Univers de Vincent van Gogh" trail. Biot is a tiny village in the countryside where Fernand Léger resided briefly. The Musée National Fernand Léger displays the works of the celebrated avant-garde artist, from his Impressionist paintings to Cubist pieces. For such a teensy town, Biot surprises visitors with its abundance of art galleries and artisan shops tucked away on quiet side streets. Just 12 kilometers from Biot, the lovely little village of Mougins is also full of art galleries and artists' ateliers. From 1961 to 1973, Picasso resided at the estate of the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Vie, an ancient hermitage chapel and listed Historic Monument surrounded by beautiful grounds. The chapel's Treasury contains a small museum.

Along the Provençal coastline, the sun-dappled scenery of the Mediterranean Sea lured many artists in the late 19th to early 20th century.

An impressive list of famous painters, including Paul Signac, Pierre Bonnard, André Derain, and Henri Matisse, spent time in the fishing village of Saint-Tropez. Taking advantage of the southern light, the artists created vibrant paintings of the old port and other sights in and around Saint-Tropez. The Musée de l'Annonciade displays an excellent collection of these paintings.

The pleasant seaport of Cassis appealed to Post-Impressionist painters, who captured the picturesque harbor and charming waterfront houses of Cassis in colorful works of art.