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

76.

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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77.

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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78.

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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79.

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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80.

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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81.

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... 

 See All 53 Off The Beaten Path in Toulouse

82.

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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83.

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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84.

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... 

 See All 36 Off The Beaten Path in Lyon

85.

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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86.

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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87.

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... 

 See All 22 Off The Beaten Path in Lille

88.

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... 

 See All 53 Off The Beaten Path in Toulouse

89.

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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90.

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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91.

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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92.

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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93.

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

94.

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... 

 See All 53 Off The Beaten Path in Toulouse

95.

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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96.

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... 

 See All 36 Off The Beaten Path in Lyon

97.

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... 

 See All 22 Off The Beaten Path in Lille

98.

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... 

 See All 53 Off The Beaten Path in Toulouse

99.

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... 

 See All 1,968 Off The Beaten Path in Paris

100.

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... 

 See All 1,968 Off The Beaten Path in Paris

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

SOURCE OF LA ESCAUT

by mtncorg

La Escaut does not have the name recognition - it's name changes to the Scheldt up north - of la Somme, but it does become an important river in northern France and western Belgium. As at the source of la Somme, there is a little park where the waters percolate out from under laid stone – for the most part, anyway – and you can sit and enjoy those waters as they begin their slow journey to the north. With a bottle of Orval in hand, the source of la Escaut is given that much more of a spiritual meaning.

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SOURCE OF THE SOMME

by mtncorg

A few miles northeast of St Quentin, the Somme River begins its life as it bubbles out of a hillside next to the little town of Fonsommes. Leave it to the French to make a big thing out of something so humble. That said the park here is quite nice where you can sit and contemplate the waters percolating out from the rock. We sat and watched it amidst a thunderstorm making an even stronger impression. The river becomes one of the more important rivers in Picardy and, of course, has connotations of other sorts due the huge battles fought in its vicinity during the First War. Don’t blame the river.

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Absinthe Bar

by Paula-Kent

A must for anyone who hasn't experienced absinthe before.Personally, I hate the taste. Reminds me of ouzo. But it's the whole performance of drinking the stuff that you've got to experience. The absinthe bar is situated in the Marche Provencal, on the corner of Rue Sade. The bar itself is in a cellar beneath a shop and can get quite busy on occasions. The owner is very friendly and will happily explain ther different types of absinthe on offer and how to use the fountains that are the centre-pience of each table.Picled garlic and other od dthings are oftern served with the drinks. Don't drink too many as there's a spiral staircase that you need to navigate on your way out.Well worth a visit, more to say 'you've done it' than real pleasure.

HARTMANNSWILLERKOPF/VIEL ARMAND

by mtncorg

Near the southern end of the Routes des Cretes is the peak of Hartmannswillerkopf, 956 m/3100 ft. From atop here you can overlook most of the Alsace and over onto the Black Forest of Germany. You can see south to the Jura of Switzerland and even the Alps on a clear day. During WWI the peak was the scene of several battles that took place in late 1914 and 1915. The peak top changed hands several times in 1915 before the fighting died down with both sharing the peak. 60,000 are said to have died here. The Monument was finished in 1932 and consists of a crypt blasted out of the bedrock. The entrance is flanked by two bronze statues of victory. Inside the crypt, covered by a large bronze shield is an ossuary containing the remains of 12,000 unknown soldiers. In front of the crypt is a French military cemetery with 1640 graves. It is a short walk to the peak's summit where there is a huge...

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Discover France's best kept secret - by Barge

by HughieGrant

Barge cruises in France don't need to be expensive! I, my wife and two friends chartered a very reasonably priced 4 person fully crewed 1922 barge this summer. We cruised the breathtaking River Meuse between Charleville-Mezieres in France and Dinant in Belgium. The informal barge 'Nilaya' offered very comfortable accomodation, breakfasts, lunches and one amazing five course dinner, all of which were excellent. The owner Kevin offers what he calls 'flexible' dining. We agree. A couple of nights we picked up wonderful produce from boulangeries, charcuteries and the like, self catering aboard, and on others treated ourselves to fabulous restaurants ashore. Plus we had the luxury of whole barge to ourselves! French country waterways have to be seen to be believed!We're booking Nilaya again for the Canal des Ardennes in 2009.Hughie

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Day trip to Monte Carlo from Nice

by hopang

Take a day trip to Monte Carlo, Monaco when you are having a vacation in Nice. You can either take a local bus or express train from Nice. Bus fare is very very much cheaper compared to train tickets and it takes just an hour along the coast where you are rewarded with amazing scenery of the coastline. Lots of attractions await a visitor in Monte Carlo such as the famous Monte Carlo Casino, Oceanographic Museum, lovely harbour, Change of guard at the palace, several beautiful gardens and beautiful night scene. Make it a point to visit Monte Carlo when you are in Nice. You will not regret for it!

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Parisian Afternoons - Place de pont nuef

by Stefaliscious

When the weather is the most beautiful (June or July), grab a bottle of wine, a baguette and some cheese - head down to the center of the River Seine (near the Louvre) to meet locals, in the know travelers, and musical parakeets. Dance and drink until the sun goes down and the river lights illuminate. This will be one of your best days in Paris, given to me by a group of Parisians and my expat brother.

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Love of Books?

by bnward5

Shakespear and Co...if u love books...this is the place to go...google the name of the bookstore to find out more...not trying to solicit....just have a respect for someone who traveled some place and didn't realize how much he'd end up loving the town and decided to never leave...ended up creating a bookstore from a small college room!

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The Mistrel Winds of the Camargue

by 807Wheaton

Most of my friends did not know about the Camargue when I mentioned we would be traveling through that area of Southern France. It is an area that I have wanted to see for a long time. I did a lot of reading and inquiring about it and we were not disappointed when we got there. We encountered very strong winds. We saw the salt marsh reeds dancing and bobbing in the wind, even lying flat at times. The big windbreak trees were moving in the wind too. Here and there we saw the sturdy white horses that roam through this marshy landscape. Arles is the main town of Camargue and rice is their main crop. The strong Minstrel winds are known to cause depression to some who live in this area of France. Seems strange doesn't it when so much of France is such a beauty to behold? Vincent Van Gogh the Dutch Post Impressionist painter was one of those who suffered terrible mental agony during the time...

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See Houses Built into Limestone Caves

by no1birdlady

In several areas of France, especially the Loire Valley, we saw houses that made use of limestone caves. Rooms are carved out of the soft limestone. This makes them cool in the summer. Our tour guide had pointed out some to us as we were driving but then when we were in Amboise walking up the Rue de Clos Luce, we saw some of them so were finally able to take photos of some of them. I'd love to see what they look like on the inside.

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 5 Reviews and 556 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 674 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. Carcassonne Off The Beaten Path
  16. Bordeaux Off The Beaten Path
  17. Antibes Off The Beaten Path
  18. Lourdes Off The Beaten Path
  19. Reims Off The Beaten Path
  20. Marne-la-Vallée Off The Beaten Path
  21. Mont Saint Michel Off The Beaten Path
  22. Montpellier Off The Beaten Path
  23. Colmar Off The Beaten Path
  24. Arles Off The Beaten Path
  25. Dijon Off The Beaten Path
  26. Nantes Off The Beaten Path
  27. Bayeux Off The Beaten Path
  28. Annecy Off The Beaten Path
  29. Tours Off The Beaten Path
  30. Chartres Off The Beaten Path
  31. Menton Off The Beaten Path
  32. Villefranche-sur-Mer Off The Beaten Path
  33. Saint-Malo Off The Beaten Path
  34. Éze Off The Beaten Path
  35. Nîmes Off The Beaten Path
  36. Caen Off The Beaten Path
  37. Saint-Tropez Off The Beaten Path
  38. Honfleur Off The Beaten Path
  39. Amiens Off The Beaten Path
  40. Morzine Off The Beaten Path
  41. Biarritz Off The Beaten Path
  42. Boulogne-sur-Mer Off The Beaten Path
  43. Beaune Off The Beaten Path
  44. Perpignan Off The Beaten Path
  45. Pau Off The Beaten Path
  46. Nancy Off The Beaten Path
  47. Angers Off The Beaten Path
  48. Rennes Off The Beaten Path
  49. Amboise Off The Beaten Path
  50. Saint-Denis 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

Mongy profile photo

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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