10 Must-See French Attractions Outside of Paris
Festival of Lights, Lyon, Rhone-Alpes
If you haven’t heard of the Festival of Lights, you need to add it to your bucket list right now. The third biggest festival in the world, the Festival of Lights is held in Lyon over four days in early December each year.
The whole city takes part in the celebrations, with tradition dictating that each house place candles outside their windows, adding to the surreal light installations artfully scattered around town. Join millions of other revelers in the beauty and spirit of this event.
Bordeaux Wine Tasting, Aquitaine
An oenophile’s paradise, Bordeaux is at the heart of one of the most celebrated wine producing regions in the world. Picture sun-soaked vineyards and wine-soaked dinners, where you can wrap your tongue around regional specialties such as Lamproie a la Bordelaise, Confit de Canard and Canelé. Bliss.
These former Olympic host cities have done a great job transforming stadiums and other buildings into fun attractions. Here are the ones worth visiting!
Toulouse
Known as La Ville Rose (the Pink City) France’s fourth largest town should be considered an essential when it comes to France destinations. With a lively student population, a beautifully preserved old quarter and an abundance of parks and picturesque riverside paths, this town sums up all the best France has to offer, minus the tourists that flock to Paris and Nice.
Add to this the fact that Toulouse is also perfectly situated as a jumping off point for hiking in the Pyrenees, and you have an unmissable stop on your French itinerary.
