France is known around the world its romantic ambiance filled with wine, cafes, haute couture, and delicious cuisine and is often a country that stands out from the rest of Europe. Here is a travel guide for the best places to visit and the best experiences to be had, best explored through private and exclusive tours throughout France.
______________________________________
The Eiffel Tower
Constructed as a temporary exhibit for the 1889 World’s Fair, the popularity of this tower turned it into a permanent structure still standing today. Because of its popularity, do yourself a favour and pre-book your tickets online to avoid horribly long ticket queues to tour and see the tower up close. With a ticket, you are able to ascend to the tower’s three floors for a legitimately breathtaking view of Paris from its most iconic feature.
While there, you have two options for refreshments from different snack bars; a small cafe on the first floor and a gastronomic eatery on the second floor. Additionally, there is a macaron and champagne bar located on the top floor if you feel like treating yourself.
Abbaye du Mont St-Michel
The abbey is by far the Mont’s most popular attraction due to its stunning presence perched at the top of its hill. A tour included with the ticket into the abbey and is recommended. English speaking tours begin at 11 am and 3 pm from October to March with about three to four daily tours in spring and summer, unless you are happy to engage a private French tour guide.
Musée de la Vigne et du Vin d'Arbois
Created by a family that has been in the Champagne making business since 1872, this museum will allow you to view and explore hundreds of years old Champagne-making equipment. Make sure to keep your eye out for the 16-tonne oak-beam grape press from 1630 during your tour. Call ahead or book your ticket online because the museum can only be viewed by the tour that is available in both English and French.
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau
Built in the early 1500s, the moat-ringed Azay-le-Rideau is a romantic site celebrated for its perfectly proportioned windows, delicate stonework, classic turrets, and elegantly steep slate roofs.
When entering the interior of the castle, you will notice an extensive collection of 19th-century furnishings collected from the French government as well as a lovely Jardin des Secrets (available to view from April to September) that feature a variety of vegetables and flowers.
After viewing the castle and working up an appetite, head down to the beautiful stone-built village and try out one of the many local eateries or cafes that this amazing city has to offer.
Musée du Louvre
People from all over the world travel to Paris specifically for this world-class museum some of the most famous masterpieces throughout mankind’s history. The Louvre holds masterpieces such as da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and tens of thousands of works of art - from Greek antiquities to Mesopotamian and Egyptian Masterpieces. If it is all too overwhelming for you, enlist the assistance of a knowledgeable Parisian museum guide who will show you the most popular pieces and cater to your tastes in art.
Cathédrale Notre Dame
The Notre Dame is often seen as one of the Western world’s crowning achievements when it comes to an architectural feat. While the fate of the Notre Dame Cathedral almost went down in flames recently due to a fire during renovations, it is still worth the stop in any trip to France.
The Cathedral is known for its brilliant and vibrant blue stained-glass windows as well as its sacred holy veil. In fact, there are 176 breathtaking stained-glass windows throughout the cathedral, most of which date back to the 13th century. This impressive collection of windows creates arguably one of the most important ensembles of medieval stained glass in the entire world. It is highly recommended that you take a guided tour through the cathedral to truly experience and appreciate this architectural wonder of the western world.
Grotte de Lascaux
Featuring France’s most popular and famous prehistoric cave paintings, you can see French history that has been naturally protected for millennia at the Grotte de Lascaux.
While here, you will be able to see an exact reproduction with nearly 600 paintings from the original cave. While it may be a reproduction, there is a legitimate feel as though one is traveling through the damp, dark, and chilly original cave.
The International Centre for Cave Art has two main sections that offer an hour-long guided tour and a self-guided tour. It is recommended that you make reservations online due to the limited number of tickets that are sold. However, reservations can only be made up to two days in advance. Don’t fret if tickets are sold out online, if you show up early enough, you may still be able to get them in person at Grotte de Lascaux.
Château Royal de Blois
Throughout Frances complicated political history, seven French kings lived within the Blois’ royal château. The château’s four grand wings were built during four different periods within French architecture, making it an interesting building to explore.
You can easily spend a half-day with your local tour guide immersing yourself in the Gothic, Flamboyant Gothic, early Renaissance, and classic architectural styles of this château while learning about some of France’s more dramatic and bloody history.
Within the Blois’ royal château, there is also a Fine Arts Museum. Here you can view over 300 16th- to 19th- century tapestries, sculptures, paintings, and other works of art in addition to the vast amount of oil paintings throughout the château.