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In France, there are a huge number of beautiful cities and places, in addition to Paris! Unfortunately, most tourists are limited to visiting the capital, but we hope that at least once you will find the opportunity to see with your own eyes the amazing treasures of the French province. Each region in France has its own history, cuisine, traditions, architectural style and natural beauties. We have compiled for you a list of the ten most beautiful and amazing places in France that are definitely worth a visit. They are arranged in order from the closest to Paris to the most distant from the capital. 1 MONT SAINT-MICHEL Mont Saint-Michel is called the "Western Wonder of the World". It is a medieval village and an ancient monastery towering on a rocky island on the Norman coast. Built between the XI and XVI centuries, it was one of the most significant places and pilgrimage destinations of Western medieval civilization. The village and the monastery were able to maintain their authenticity, and the seashore remained unchanged for centuries. Since 1979, Mont Saint-Michel has been included in the unesco list of specially protected cultural heritage sites. Thousands of tourists come here every day to look at this wonder of the world. Take the opportunity to stay in the village for one or a couple of days, despite the numerous tourists. In the evening and at night, the flow of people subsides, and you can be left almost alone with the silence and beauty of this unique place. On our website you will find an article about Mont Saint-Michel. How to get there: From Paris you can get to Mont Saint-Michel by TGV train from Montparnasse train station to Rennes or Dol de Bretagne, then by bus to Mont Saint-Michel. The journey takes about three hours. 2 CASTLES IN THE LOIRE VALLEY Less known than the Palace of Versailles or the Palace of Fontainebleau, the castles in the Loire Valley are worth a visit. In general, along the river there are more than a hundred beautiful castles for a hundred kilometers. More than half of them are open to the public. The most famous among them are: Amboise Castle, Chambord, Azay le Rideau, Chenonceau, Cheverny, Chinon, Le Clos Lucé. Why is the Loire Valley such a midpoint of luxurious royal castles? Because the French royal court was located here in the 15th and 16th centuries during the French Renaissance, and the Loire Valley was chosen due to its strategic position. Many French aristocrats acquired and built their castles and estates in the Loire Valley. Later, the French king decided to move the royal court closer to Paris, to Fontainebleau, Versailles and the Louvre, and the Loire Valley lost its former attractiveness and political significance. After the 16th century, none of the castles changed their façade and interior, and very few new castles were built in this place. Therefore, arriving in the Loire Valley, you will have a unique opportunity to see the original royal castles as they looked several centuries ago. How to get there: most castles are not accessible by public transport. The nearest city is Tours, where the train goes from Paris (the ticket costs 20-30 euros). From there you can take a taxi to each of the castles. 3 STRASBOURG Strasbourg is located on the border of southern Latin Europe and northern Germanic Europe. In this city, as in no other in France, the German architectural style and atmosphere are common. The historic center of Strasbourg, called "Petite France", is permeated with a system of canals. Its Germanic style and fabulous half-timbered houses create a special magical atmosphere. It is best to plan a trip to Strasbourg in December: the most famous and largest Christmas market in France takes place here. How to get there: 2 hours by train from Paris (departure from Gare de l'Est gare de l'Est). The ticket costs from 50 to 100 euros. 4 BORDEAUX Just two hours on a comfortable high-speed train from Paris, and you are in Bordeaux - the capital of the wine industry in France and a beautiful city. Its historic center was inscribed on the UNESCO List of Cultural Heritage in 2007 due to the beauty and classic French architectural style of the 18th century. Most of the buildings have been restored over the past few years. In the center on the Square of Commerce was installed the world's largest mirror fountain Miroir d'eau - "Mirror of Water". Bordeaux is the capital of the entire wine industry in France and the world. Around it there are hundreds of vineyards and castles, where you can come for a real wine tasting. Recently, the Wine Museum (Cité du Vin) was opened in this city, where you can learn all about the secrets of winemaking and all the subtleties of the process of producing the best French wine. In the restaurants of Bordeaux you can taste delicious snacks and dishes of southern French cuisine: foie gras (Foie Gras), duck confit (Confit de Canard), Salade de Gésiers ... Your stomach will rumble with pleasure! How to get there: 2 hours by train from Gare Montparnasse from Paris. The ticket costs 50-100 euros. 5 DUNE SAW (DUNE DU PILAT) When looking at the photos from the Dune of Saw, it may seem that it is located somewhere in the Sahara Desert. But this largest sand dune in Europe is only an hour's drive from Bordeaux! Three kilometers long, 600 meters wide, 100 meters high - this sand dune is the highest in Europe. You can climb it on foot or use the wooden stairs. From the top there is a delightful view of the Atlantic Ocean and arcachon Bay. How to get there: The train from Bordeaux to Arcachon takes about 40 minutes, the ticket costs 12 euros. Then from Bordeaux you can take bus number 1 to Dune du Pilat, the journey takes 30 minutes. 6 MONT BLANC Who says Mont Blanc is in Italy? This mountain range runs along the French-Italian border... But its top is located on French territory (here the French always triumph)! This "White Mountain" is the highest mountain range in Europe (4810 meters). Only experienced climbers can climb to the top, but you can easily climb to the "midday peak" (Aiguille du Midi) by funicular from the city of Chamonix. From this peak there is a panoramic view of the crystalline mont-blanc mountain range. How to get there: to get to Mont Blanc, you need to take a train to Chamonix. The journey by train takes about 5 hours (with two transfers). 7 NÎMES AND PONT DU GARD In the south of France there are many beautiful and very beautiful cities: Arles, Avignon, Aix-en-Provence ... But the lesser-known southern city is Nîmes, which we advise you to go to. It is in Nîmes that the famous and oldest ancient Roman constructions are located. This city was the most important political center of the Roman Empire. To this day, the largest Roman amphitheater (Arena Nîmes) has survived, which accommodates 25 thousand spectators. Not far from the city is the Pont du Gard (Bridge over the Gard River), the tallest and oldest Roman aqueduct. 50 kilometers long, this aqueduct was built to draw water to the Roman city of Nîmes. It was included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1985. How to get there: 3 hours by train from Paris. The ticket costs 80 euros. 8 LAVENDER FIELDS OF PROVENCE The lavender fields of Provence have recently gained fame among tourists as one of the most picturesque and photogenic places in the south of France. However, it is not so easy to see the flowering of lavender: the season is quite fleeting and falls on the end of June-early August, and most of the fields cannot be reached by public transport, only by car. But it is worth at least once in a lifetime to see how the gold of the setting sun gently lies on the endless blooming rows of lavender. Many villages and towns in Provence hold festivals and festivals during the lavender harvest period. This is a good reason to learn more about the colorful local culture of Provence. How to get there: by car from Aix-en-Provence (Plateau Valensole) or Avignon (Luberon). 9 VERDON GORGE The 25-kilometer gorge gorge Gorges du Verdon is considered the most beautiful and deep (700 meters deep) river gorge in Europe. It is the perfect place to spend a sunny summer day. You can take a walk on the limestone cliffs and enjoy panoramic views of the turquoise water surface or rent a kayak or a boat. How to get there: The Verdon Gorge can only be reached by car from Aix-en-Provence or from the Côte d'Azur. The nearest town is Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. 10 CALANQUES Calanques in the south of France are very popular and popular among the French, but little known among tourists. The word Calanques means narrow bays. These are the narrow bays that have turned into famous rocks. They stretch along the Mediterranean coast between Marseille and the city of Cassis. This is a specially protected natural area and a National Park. Some of the calanocks are closed in the summer due to the danger of fires. There are several ways to explore the calanques: by boats and ships departing from Marseille or Cassis, by car or by hiking. Along the coast there are many fishing villages and picturesque beaches. How to get there: by ship or by car from Marseille or Cassis.