12 Best Places to Visit in France Besides Paris

Paris as a luxury destination for first-time travellers and attractions in France

Paris is a luxury destination for first-time travellers with the Eiffel Tower

For a first trip, the essential attractions in France begin with a Paris destination that pairs VIP Eiffel Tower moments with the Louvre in a way that feels unrushed and Personal. Create a gentle first day by letting someone else handle the logistics, so you can simply explore the city’s light, its stonework, and the way café life spills onto the pavement. This is one of those places in France where luxury is time and space, not just a suite key.

Begin at the Eiffel Tower with VIP access to avoid long lines and arrive with a sense of calm. From the top, Paris becomes legible: the Seine’s curve, the long axes of boulevards, and a skyline that makes even seasoned travellers pause. If you’re travelling as a couple or family, a hosted entry also means fewer decisions in the moment, and far more room for beautiful pictures that don’t feel hurried.

Uncover the Louvre and Musée culture with quiet timing

Paris’s musée du Louvre is best experienced with Expert pacing. One high-end traveller once told me their exclusive after-hours tour of the Louvre changed everything: they stood in front of the Mona Lisa with space to breathe, and then wandered into neighbouring galleries where the silence made each canvas feel newly alive. That’s the quiet advantage of private timings, especially in peak season, when even the most famous rooms can feel like a tide.

Ask your guide to design a route that fits your interests rather than the default highlights. Decorative arts, sculpture courtyards, or a focused Renaissance thread can be deeply satisfying, and it keeps your energy for the rest of the day.

Notre-Dame, a cathedral, pause and 3 days in Paris planning

Make time for Notre-Dame as a cultural anchor, even if you’re simply viewing the exterior and surrounding neighbourhoods. When you step into any cathedral or chapel in the city, lean into respectful dress codes and a quiet tone; it’s a small gesture of Care that Local communities notice. A warm “Bonjour” with a smile goes a long way in Paris, particularly in smaller shops or when greeting your hotel team.

Mini planning box for 3 days in Paris

• Where to stay Choose a central base in the 1st, 6th or 7th for walkable evenings and easy transfers.
• When to book Reserve VIP Eiffel Tower entry and Louvre private experiences well ahead, especially May to September.
• How to photograph well Start early, lean on private timings, and ask your guide for quieter angles along the Seine.

When you’re ready to see France outside the capital, Paris becomes the perfect springboard rather than the whole story.

Versailles and the Loire Valley châteaux outside of Paris

Versailles on a private tour is the classic first step

If you’re looking for places to visit in France outside of Paris, Versailles on a private tour is the classic first step, followed by the Loire Valley for a fairytale sweep of châteaux. This is the moment the trip shifts from city glamour to grand scale gardens and architecture, and it’s well worth a visit even for travellers who think they “already know” the story. The trick is timing, access, and a pace that feels like your own.

Versailles private tour with Hall of Mirrors and formal gardens

Discover the Palace of Versailles with a private guided tour that brings the Hall of Mirrors into sharp focus, then carries you into the formal gardens when the light is softest. VIP often means early access, hosted entry, and a route that avoids pinch points. It also means you can pause for detail: gilded mouldings, the symmetry of fountains, and the way the palace frames the horizon like a theatre.

Versailles is minutes from Paris, making it an easy day trip. You can go by rail for simplicity, or choose a chauffeured car for door-to-door ease, particularly if you want to add a refined lunch or a gentle walk beyond the main axis.

Loire Valley château de Chambord and château de Chenonceau

Then uncover the Loire Valley, where château de Chambord feels like a stone dream built to impress, and château de Chenonceau stretches across the river with an elegance that’s hard to forget. The Loire River landscape invites slow luxury: a short cycle on a quiet lane, a canal-side picnic, and a night in a castle hotel where design lovers can savour wallpaper, antiques, and garden views at breakfast.

To choose your own list of places for château-hopping, start with what you love. Art collections and interiors, gardens and landscape design, or bold architecture each create a different mood, and an Expert planner can craft a route that feels coherent rather than crowded.

Normandy and Mont Saint-Michel best places Normandy, Mont Saint-Michel, France coastline destination

Normandy and Mont Saint-Michel coastline drama as a France destination

For travellers craving open air, this is where the best places in Normandy meet Mont Saint-Michel, and the France coastline becomes the star of the destination. With a private driver-guide, explore coastal towns at a gentler pace after Paris, breathing in sea air and stopping when a view catches your eye. Normandy’s charm is subtle, and it’s best felt when your schedule has room to move.

Mont Saint-Michel at dawn or dusk and tides for beautiful pictures

Uncover Mont Saint-Michel at dawn or dusk, when the light turns silvery and the crowds thin. It’s a UNESCO world heritage site, and tides shape the entire experience; sometimes the approach feels like a causeway, other times like a mirage floating on water. If you want beautiful pictures, your guide can time your visit around tide tables and the softest light, then lead you to quieter vantage points where the abbey’s silhouette feels almost unreal.

A Gothic cathedral stop in Rouen for the stained glass

Add a Gothic layer with a stop in Rouen, where a Gothic cathedral and its stained glass offer a different kind of awe. Visit respectfully and quietly, especially during services; in these spaces, luxury becomes attention and restraint. A short pause here also balances the day, grounding the grandeur of Mont with a more intimate sense of history.

This corner of France, northwest of Paris, rewards an overnight stay. Design a two-day loop so you’re not rushing between viewpoints and dinner reservations, and let pre-booked dining support a Seamless itinerary in peak months.

Bordeaux luxury wine tasting

Bordeaux and Dordogne for renowned vintages and countryside villages

To experience Bordeaux at its best, plan a Bordeaux luxury wine tasting in France that pairs cellar access with an Expert sommelier-led Insight into terroir, blending and ageing. Add the Dordogne, and you’ll feel the shift into countryside beauty, where drives become part of the pleasure and lunches stretch lazily into the afternoon. It’s one of the most beautiful parts of Western Europe for travellers who want taste, space, and stories in equal measure.

Luxury wine tasting and vineyard tours with rare vintages

Create a day around one or two top estates rather than trying to do too much. A thoughtful itinerary might include a private barrel room visit, rare vintages poured at the right temperature, and time to talk through the philosophy of the winemaker. This is where “renowned” means more than prestige; it means the patient’s work behind the label, explained with warmth and clarity.

Dordogne limestone cliffs, medieval villages and a prehistoric cave

Pair Bordeaux with the Dordogne for limestone cliffs, riverside roads, and medieval villages that seem lit from within at sunset. For a deeper cultural note, consider a prehistoric cave experience in the Lascaux area; private access can transform the mood, letting you absorb the artistry without being shepherded along. Choose a little town for a market morning, then settle into a slow lunch and browse artisans who still make things by hand.

If you’re curating beautiful villages in France, look at the plus beaux villages de France list and match it to your style: food-led, craft-led, or landscape-led. Practically, book tastings well in advance, coordinate transfers so nobody has to drive after wine, and keep valuables secure in busy tourist areas around popular market squares.

South of France destination in Provence and the French Riviera, Côte d’Azur, Cannes

Provence and the French Riviera in the south of France with heritage and coastline

In the south of France, Provence and the French Riviera offer two moods that work beautifully together when you design the flow with intention. This chapter’s promise is simple: a Provençal base that feels restorative, then a Riviera finale that stays Crafted rather than crowded. For high-end travellers, it’s also a great place to lean into Personal service that anticipates what you need before you ask.

Provence château stays, Luberon Gordes and a lavender field moment

Create your Provençal base in a 5-star château where the service feels human, not performative. One traveller shared how the team built Trust with tiny details: a preferred breakfast set up on a quiet terrace, tailored excursions at a gentle pace, and Local artisan visits that turned shopping into a story. From there, explore the Luberon with Gordes as your anchor, wandering cobbled streets in the cooler morning and pausing for coffee where the view does the talking.

In early summer, a lavender field can feel almost cinematic, especially when you arrive just before golden hour. With a private driver, you can time it for the colour and avoid the busiest pull-ins, keeping the moment calm and unforced.

Avignon, Pont du Gard and the Crafted shift to the Riviera

Layer in heritage with Avignon, then add a day trip to Pont du Gard, an ancient masterpiece that is well worth a visit, even if you usually prefer art to archaeology. Afterwards, shift to the Riviera and French Riviera glamour along the Côte d’Azur, with Cannes for promenades, discreet shopping, and sunset aperitifs that feel effortless. The key is choosing the right beach club and dining addresses in advance, so your evenings stay Seamless.

A two-centre plan works best: Provence for markets and design-led calm, then the Mediterranean Sea coastline for salt air and polished ease. If you’d like inspiration, the Trip gallery can help you imagine how the pieces fit together.

Alsace eastern France best places to visit

Alsace and an Alpine corner of France for a fairytale contrast in Strasbourg

Alsace is one of the best places to visit in France outside Paris when you want a fairytale contrast and a city in France that feels both familiar and intriguingly different. In eastern France, French and German influences meet in architecture, wine, and winter-friendly comfort food, and the Alsatian spirit shows up in the details. If you’ve ever wished France came with a fresh accent, this is your moment.

Strasbourg Petite France canals, old town and cathedral grandeur

Uncover Strasbourg slowly, beginning in Petite France, where canal reflections double the half-timbered façades. Aim for a quiet morning for photographs and café stops, then follow the lanes into the old town for boutique shopping that feels curated rather than commercial. The cathedral is a highlight here too, and it rewards a little patience; step inside, let your eyes adjust, and notice how stone and light create a sense of calm.

Style note for crisp evenings: bring a tailored coat or wrap, and consider comfortable shoes with grip for cobbles. For cathedral visits, keep shoulders covered and avoid overly casual beachwear; it’s an easy way to show Care while still feeling like yourself.

Mont Blanc is a high-end Alpine detour

For alpine drama, Mont Blanc makes a striking detour. Choose a day trip if you want a single, cinematic view, or stay longer if you’d like spa time, mountain dining, and a little more weather flexibility. It’s a reminder that parts of France can feel like different worlds, yet travel elegantly together when connections are planned with Confidence.

Designing a Seamless France itinerary with confidence

Designing a Seamless France itinerary with TGV travel and planning confidence

For travelling to France, tips matter most when they protect your time and energy. Think of this as destination planning for high-end travellers who want a Seamless flow, from museum doors to countryside check-ins, with Support when plans need to flex. A little structure up front lets the trip feel spontaneous once you’re there.

Best time to visit and transport with TGV and private drivers

The best time to visit is May to September for long evenings and outdoor life, though shoulder dates can mean quieter museums and restaurants. Use the high-speed TGV between major hubs for comfort and efficiency, then add a private driver for rural stretches where you want freedom to stop for viewpoints, markets, or a last-minute tasting. Coordinate luggage with hotel porters whenever possible; it sounds small, but it keeps transitions light.

Booking strategy, etiquette, safety and a Google map list

Booking attractions and experiences in advance is essential to secure VIP or private options, especially in Paris, Versailles and top vineyards. Be mindful of dress codes and polite greetings; “Bonjour” is a cultural key that opens doors gently, and tipping expectations are modest but appreciated for excellent service. Carry euros for small purchases, though cards are widely accepted in luxury venues.

• Safety in France is generally good, but keep valuables secure in busy areas and on metro platforms.
• Organisation: Save hotels, restaurants and meeting points in a Google map list, so you’re never searching on the street.
• Hotel choice Select teams known for proactive Support, from restaurant reconfirmations to last-minute car bookings.

When the logistics are handled with Care, the destination becomes easier to feel, not just to see.

What stayed with me after France travel

What stays with me after time in France isn’t a single landmark, but a softened rhythm. Light on limestone at the end of the day, the hush inside a gallery once the footsteps thin, and the way a table is set with quiet confidence so you feel looked after without being watched. These are the moments that make me think of France as one of the beautiful countries that understands atmosphere as well as artistry.

Luxury, in the end, becomes something human: time, space, Trust, and the Care of thoughtful service. It’s the glance over the Seine when the city finally exhales, a garden path at dusk where the gravel crunch is the only sound, or the vineyard hush just before a first sip. You start to recognise that the favourite places to visit are often the ones that gave you room to be present.

On the flight home, I caught myself smiling at a small detail I hadn’t expected to miss, the simple habit of greeting people properly, and the warmth that returned each time. I realised I didn’t just visit destinations in France, I carried a feeling of ease back with me, as if the journey had taught my nervous system to slow down. If you love France, perhaps it’s because it leaves you with that same gentle permission to notice life again.

And when you’re ready, which corner of France will you let find you next?