France Off The Beaten Path

  Abbaye de St Hilaire (France)
by Redang
 
  • Abbaye de St Hilaire (France)
      Abbaye de St Hilaire (France)
    by Redang
  • Pont d'Avignon (France)
      Pont d'Avignon (France)
    by Redang
  • Chateau de Rully near Beaune
      Chateau de Rully near Beaune
    by Beausoleil
  • Etaples Military Cemetery
      Etaples Military Cemetery
    by sue_stone
  • King & Queen Tomb
      King & Queen Tomb
    by balhannah
 

Most Viewed Off The Beaten Path in France

26.

Montmartre & Sacré Coeur   Paris

Montmartre & Sacré Coeur, Paris

 73 Reviews  After our ceremonies we were given a private tour of the Sacre Couer, Place du Tertre, and private places by Mayor Yatt. It was such a lovely and memorable morning. If anyone is interested in doing... 

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27.

Perouges   Lyon

Perouges, Lyon

 4 Reviews  Pérouges is a typical village of the Middle Age located on top of a hill at about 35km of Lyon. A lot of efforts have been made to preserve its medieval character and all the historic buildings have... 

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28.

Chamonix Valley   Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

Chamonix Valley, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

 8 Reviews  Discover the oldest tramway of the valley! The little rack-train departs from the village of Le Fayet, a few kilometers West of Chamonix, for a journey of over an hour. The panorama is alternating:... 

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29.

In town   Cannes

In town, Cannes

 14 Reviews  We hadn't planned our trip to Nice according to the schedule of the world famous Cannes Fílm Festival, we didn't even know what time of the year it is held! Again, like with Formula 1, we seemed to be... 

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30.

Hidden places in Lille   Lille

Hidden places in Lille, Lille

 4 Reviews  Maison Coilliot looks a little different to the average house in Lille. That is because it was designed by famous Art-Nouveau designer Hector Guimard, best known for the elaborate metro station... 

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31.

Outside Toulouse - Excursions   Toulouse

Outside Toulouse - Excursions, Toulouse

 24 Reviews  the official France walkers assoc site is here with contact info http://www.ffrandonnee.fr/_68/contact.aspx For Toulouse area contact bottom side http://cdrp31.free.fr/rando/ Hope it helps, its a... 

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32.

Castles   Tours

Castles, Tours

 13 Reviews  I would have to admit that it's quite a while since I studied French at high school. One of our books was called 'La Belle France' and one of the few things I can recall from it was a photo of... 

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33.

Walking Around   Paris

Walking Around, Paris

 121 Reviews  Another of the Parisian fountains that brought water to the overcrowded courtyards and alleys of the Popincourt/Bastoche areas. Built by Molinos under King Louis-Philippe in 1846, people could draw... 

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34.

Palais du Facteur Cheval   Lyon

Palais du Facteur Cheval, Lyon

 2 Reviews  The Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval in Hauterives in the department of Drôme in central France is my kind of palace. It was built by and for a hard working man as opposed to royalty. This palace was... 

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35.

Outside Chamonix Valley   Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

Outside Chamonix Valley, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

 5 Reviews  If you travel in the Alps in the Fall, keep a look-out for signs advertising "Bataille des Reines" (Battle of the Queens). These are cow fights, where naturally agressive and territorial cows (yes,... 

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36.

Islands   Cannes

Islands, Cannes

 5 Reviews  The "Iles de Lerins" are two islands just off the coast of Cannes and a regular boat connection goes to both Ile Sainte-Marguarite as Ile Saint-Honorat. Both island are very worth while to go to in... 

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37.

Wazemmes Market   Lille

Wazemmes Market, Lille

 2 Reviews  Another thing to do every Sunday morning is the fantastic Wazemme market which is located off rue Leon Gambetta a major road that cuts through the centre of Lille. Make sure you get to the market by... 

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38.

Inside Toulouse   Toulouse

Inside Toulouse, Toulouse

 16 Reviews  The Maison de l’Occitanie is a sort of cultural and activist centre that strives to protect the Occitan language and culture and to encourage their adoption and reinvigoration by the people of... 

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39.

Museum   Tours

Museum, Tours

 2 Reviews  Aquarium of Turen is the biggest in Europe aquarium of fresh-water fishes. I visited such a big aquarium for the first time. To tell the truth I chosed an excursion to this aquarium because castles... 

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40.

Galleries & Passages   Paris

Galleries & Passages, Paris

 35 Reviews  Just a block and a half from the Hôtel Louvre Bons Enfants, between rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs and rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, there is an elegant nineteenth-century passage called Galerie Véro-Dodat... 

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41.

Lyon City   Lyon

Lyon City, Lyon

 7 Reviews  One of the few museums we could find, the Miniatures museum is in old lyon. For a nominal fee (we don't even remember what it was!), you can walk through various rooms that hold tiny exhibits --... 

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42.

Outside Cannes   Cannes

Outside Cannes, Cannes

 3 Reviews  It was years before I discovered this most beautiful hidden gem just two miles north of Cannes. It takes a little effort to get there - but its worth it ten times over. Take a bus from Cannes centre... 

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43.

Citadelle   Lille

Citadelle, Lille

 5 Reviews  Memorial tombstone for a Leon Trulin at the Citadelle park. The tombstone reads 'Here Leon Trumin, died a hero November 8, 1915 at the age of 18. (In the last letter to his mother he wrote) I forgive... 

 See All 22 Off The Beaten Path in Lille

44.

Festivals-Celebrations   Toulouse

Festivals-Celebrations, Toulouse

 4 Reviews  Every year the Garonne invites a stream of the world. After the Ebre, the Nile, the Mekong, the Ganges, the Arno, the Volga, Mississippi, the Rio of the Plata, in June 2003, the Garonne invites the... 

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45.

Parks, Gardens, and Squares   Paris

Parks, Gardens, and Squares, Paris

 186 Reviews   The Luxembourg palace was constructed by Maria Medici after death of her husband Henry the Fourth. She could not get used to an atmosphere of the Louvre and replaced it with an atmosphere of native... 

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46.

La Dombe   Lyon

La Dombe, Lyon

 1 Review  Take the Dombes Lakes Route Tour (by car). Dombes is about 45 minutes drive north of Lyon. The area has thousands of little ponds used for crop, cattle and fish farming. The local government... 

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47.

Out of Lille   Lille

Out of Lille, Lille

 2 Reviews  Nord Pas de Calais & Lille do not have to claim to be the crossroads of Europe ! I personally met quite a few persons working in Lille and live in Belgium, or vice-versa. Why not take a nice drive to... 

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48.

Views on Toulouse.   Toulouse

Views on Toulouse., Toulouse

 4 Reviews   Voici une particularité qui étonne toujours les visiteurs : Toulouse est constamment survolée par des avions qui atterrissent ou decollent de l'aéroport de Toulouse-Blagnac. Les avions passent au... 

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49.

Cemeteries & Other Resting Places   Paris

Cemeteries & Other Resting Places, Paris

 129 Reviews   Père Lachaise cemetery is well-known for a burial place of communars. We came there in memory of fighters for social justice. The cemetries of Paris absorbed all they could. The victims, placed side... 

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50.

Movies and Paris   Paris

Movies and Paris, Paris

 34 Reviews  On the corner of rue des Trois Freres and rue Androuet is the well known ( in Montmartre) grocers, familiarly called "La Maison Collignon", now the "Marché de la Butte". This is the site of the... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

MONTFAUCON

by mtncorg

In the forests and countryside about 15 km northwest of Verdun is the village of Montfaucon - Mountain of Falcons. High on the hill lies the old ruined village - the newer town rebuilt below and to the west. Towering 200 feet above the ruins is a tall doric column topped with a replica of the Statue of Liberty. The monument commemorates the vistory of the US First Army in the Meuse-Argonne offensive of 26 September - 11 November, 1918 and to the heroic services of French troops on that battlefront. The hilltop was earlier a German observation post and was steadfastly defended in the first days of the American attack - a delaying action which allowed the Germans to bring in reinforcemnets which was to turn the Argonne operation into a smaller, but just as deadly, version of Verdun. 600000 Americans were involved in the offensive. The American army had been hastily put together and their...

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Grasse

by traveldave

A beautiful town situated in the hills of Provence, Grasse is the center of the French perfume industry.In the beginning of the nineteenth century, the rise of the big perfume companies in Paris led the Grassois to abandon their traditional industry of tanning sheep hides for the distillation of raw materials into concentrated fragrances for perfume making. This was a logical step, as the climate and fields around Grasse were good for growing lavender and other fragrant flowers.Nowadays, factory tours of parfumeries (perfume factories) show visitors how perfume is made. The main parfumeries in Grasse include Galimard, Molinard, and Fragonard.

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A pottery village, lost in time

by Yianna225

Drome is a province in France that doesn't really feature in any written travel guide, but the most beautiful village to me was Dieulefit. It dates back hundreds of years, and is really unspoilt, a pottery village with many painters and other artists in the area. The main street is about 1 km long, with every store you could ever need. One of them is a general store, trading since the 1800's, selling any and everything that is not food. The bread from the bakeries is mind-blowing, the people friendly and willing to speak English, and regular daily buses from Montelimar.

CIRCUIT DE STONNE

by mtncorg

The main French defense line was pierced at Sedan by German attacks on 13-14 May 1940. With the bulk of the Allied army positioned to the north and west of Sedan, it was imperative that the French seal off the German breakthrough - as important also to the Germans to solidify their gains. A series of hard fought battles were fought in the forests and ridgelines around the Butte de Stonne from 14 May to 24 May in which the little village would change hands some nineteen times. In memory of the many French troops who valiantly fought in the woods and ridges around Stonne, a ‘circuit de memoire’ has been set up which you can drive around. There are fourteen different stops covering different aspects of the hard fought battles of Stonne. A small museum in Stonne is the starting point. Some of the roads can be a bit rough though a normal car can probably catch most of the stops if the weather...

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What did the Romans ever do for us?

by Buckz

Well apart form invading, doing the roads, law, commerce, peace etc there was that whole water thing. I think there is clear evidence that the Romans didn't appreciate beer. Beer drinkers would not put so much effort into getting water, they would have moved to the water, not moved the water to them...This is Rocqfavour, between Arles and Aix, in Provence.. its off the main road, but its on the map. There is another north of Arles.

menton-monte carlo

by alf1052

Lots of good advice given. If you are a history buff, Normandy is not to be missed. The cemetery @ Coleville is an emotional feeling you'll never forget. I agree, the people in Normandy love Americans best. They have not forgotten what our grandparents did. Food can be great and scenery beautiful. Don't miss Bayeux and the 1066 tapestry.Nice and its environs are also great. Fantastic museum and food country. A hop to Monte Carlo and Menton. You'll love either.

Wander the magical forests of France!

by Princess-Kitten

If you fancy a walk in beautiful woodland, take yourself to one of the regional natural parks, home to vast swathes of ancient beech, oak and pine forests.One great place to start (or finish) is the pretty little village of Lyons-la-Floret in Normandy. quite posibly one of the prettiest villages in Franvce, it is popular for French holiday homes soat the weekend the resident population doubles. BUT! During the weekend it's as quiet as the grave. The centre Market-Halle is a lovely place to sit and eat outside and meet locals and tourists alike. We loved it!The forests fan out in all directions from everywhere, but if you just take a drive and follow your nose, you'll be bound to find a wonderful ramble, devoid of another human for miles around!

Italy for a coffee and a swim

by kat-m

Not really off the beaten track from Nice but another country all the same. The drive to italy was beautiful, all along the coastline , through Monaco(which was jam packed), and over the border at Menton which is another lovely beach/town. We drove about 15 miles into Italy and stopped, had a lovely coffee and a swim then returned to france by the mountain route. Again this was hubbies idea of fun being up high and going through very long tunnels hewed out of mountain,(got to keep them happy). A lovely day out.

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AMERICAN MILITARY CEMETERY AT ST ALVOLD

by mtncorg

Five of the eleven American military cemeteries in France are devoted to those men who fell in WWII. Just north of the town of St Alvold on the German border is the largest American overseas military cemetery in Europe. Here, some 10,489 men are buried here – many from the hard fighting that took place in Lorraine during the fall and winter of 1944-45. 444 missing men are remembered as are the campaigns in which Americans fought in this area. Four Medal of Honor winners are buried here: Sgt Ruben Rivers, Sgt Andrew Miller, PFC Frederick Murphy, 1LT David Waybur.

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CHURCH AT MARBOTTE

by mtncorg

In the small village of Marbotte on what was the southern edge of the St Mihiel Salient, this 18th century church was the only building left standing, serving as a hospital and morgue – one soldier recalling the horror he felt as he saw blood flow the length of the church giving a permanent brown tint to the stone floor. Regiments and individuals who took part in the fighting in the area – which claimed over 30,000 French lives – have covered the walls with memorial plaques. The stained glass windows are magnificent depicting scenes from the nearby battles: Commandant d’Andre and his beleaguered men in the Tranchee de la Soif; Adjutant Pericard’s exhortation “Debout le Morts!” ; the scene of the dead and dying lying in the church. One of the most powerful memorials you will find.

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 5 Reviews and 551 Opinions  The Four Seasons George V is truly one of the world's great hotels. I really, really love to stay... 

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 3 Reviews and 672 Opinions  The hotel was amazing, right on the beach. It was very clean and the rooms were of excellent... 

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 1 Review and 183 Opinions  I toured Alsace by bicycle in mid-September, 2008. After the group ride was over, I stayed for 3... 

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Off The Beaten Path: Cities in France
  1. Paris Off The Beaten Path
  2. Nice Off The Beaten Path
  3. Lyon Off The Beaten Path
  4. Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Off The Beaten Path
  5. Versailles Off The Beaten Path
  6. Marseille Off The Beaten Path
  7. Cannes Off The Beaten Path
  8. Strasbourg Off The Beaten Path
  9. Lille Off The Beaten Path
  10. Toulouse Off The Beaten Path
  11. Rouen Off The Beaten Path
  12. Aix-en-Provence Off The Beaten Path
  13. Avignon Off The Beaten Path
  14. Grenoble Off The Beaten Path
  15. Bordeaux Off The Beaten Path
  16. Carcassonne Off The Beaten Path
  17. Reims Off The Beaten Path
  18. Lourdes Off The Beaten Path
  19. Antibes Off The Beaten Path
  20. Marne-la-Vallée Off The Beaten Path
  21. Mont Saint Michel Off The Beaten Path
  22. Colmar Off The Beaten Path
  23. Montpellier Off The Beaten Path
  24. Arles Off The Beaten Path
  25. Dijon Off The Beaten Path
  26. Bayeux Off The Beaten Path
  27. Nantes Off The Beaten Path
  28. Annecy Off The Beaten Path
  29. Chartres Off The Beaten Path
  30. Tours Off The Beaten Path
  31. Villefranche-sur-Mer Off The Beaten Path
  32. Menton Off The Beaten Path
  33. Saint-Malo Off The Beaten Path
  34. Nîmes Off The Beaten Path
  35. Éze Off The Beaten Path
  36. Caen Off The Beaten Path
  37. Saint-Tropez Off The Beaten Path
  38. Morzine Off The Beaten Path
  39. Biarritz Off The Beaten Path
  40. Amiens Off The Beaten Path
  41. Honfleur Off The Beaten Path
  42. Boulogne-sur-Mer Off The Beaten Path
  43. Beaune Off The Beaten Path
  44. Nancy Off The Beaten Path
  45. Perpignan Off The Beaten Path
  46. Pau Off The Beaten Path
  47. Angers Off The Beaten Path
  48. Rennes Off The Beaten Path
  49. Amboise Off The Beaten Path
  50. La Rochelle Off The Beaten Path

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Île-de-France Off The Beaten Path  Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Off The Beaten Path  Rhône-Alpes Off The Beaten Path  Languedoc-Roussillon Off The Beaten Path  Basse-Normandie Off The Beaten Path  Bretagne Off The Beaten Path  Aquitaine Off The Beaten Path  Centre Off The Beaten Path  Midi-Pyrénées Off The Beaten Path  Alsace Off The Beaten Path  Nord-Pas-de-Calais Off The Beaten Path  Haute-Normandie Off The Beaten Path  Bourgogne Off The Beaten Path  Pays de la Loire Off The Beaten Path  Picardie Off The Beaten Path  Champagne-Ardenne Off The Beaten Path  Lorraine Off The Beaten Path  Poitou-Charentes Off The Beaten Path 

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Questions and Answers

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Q:  Dear all, Does anyone knows whether it is possible to get a phone sim card in France for use during a short term/traveller stay... 

gwened profile photo

A: get it at any mobile phone provider Bouygues, SFR or Orange. I use Orange. very easy http://agence.orange.fr/search?query=paris&st_like%5BSERVICES%5D%5B%5D=%25 have... 

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