6 Best Day Trips from Paris
Paris has something to satisfy every cultural craving. You can glide around on a double-decker bus and snap selfies with iconic landmarks, or take a bespoke tour of the cutting-edge art scene; relish cabaret shows at the Moulin Rouge or experience sensational drag performances at Madame Arthur; savor a classic Gallic feast at a Belle Époque brasserie, or sweat through a dish of fiery Filipino fried chicken wings at a hip 11ème restaurant. You can be a flâneur or flâneuse (a wanderer) and lose yourself among cobblestone streets and Haussmanien façades. It’s a challenge to get bored in Paris.
But as the city swells with tourists for the Olympic Games this summer, visitors can take a breather with a day trip. Travel companies are rolling out new services to make it easier than ever to venture beyond the capital: The airline French Bee, for example, recently introduced its air+train service in partnership with SNCF, allowing flyers to combine their flights with train tickets to 15 destinations in a single itinerary, with reduced rates and assistance for delays or cancellations. Travelers can focus more on brushing up on their Français, and less on transportation hiccups. Here’s our guide on where to go, what to see, what to eat, and what to do in on these best day trips from Paris—Bordeaux, Marseilles, Versailles, Fontainebleau, Reims, and Lille—according to our local experts.
Read our complete Paris travel guide here.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date. Every review on this list has been written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination and has visited that activity. When choosing things to do, our editors consider landmarks and experiences that offer an insider’s view of a destination, keeping authenticity, location, service, and sustainability credentials top of mind.
All products and listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
GettyVERSAILLES
Versailles is one of the most common trips to pair with a visit to Paris for good reason: the Palace of Versailles is a true marvel, and barely 30 minutes away by car. The crowds can get gnarly, sure, (this is one of France's most popular tourist destinations) but braving them is well worth it to experience this vibrant slice of history so vividly. Expand beyond the court of Louis XIV during your trip, and nab at table at some of the modern restaurants setting the standard for food in the city.
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hotelWaldorf Astoria Versailles - Trianon Palace
$$$ |
Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2021Just at the edge of the Chateau de Versailles gardens, the Trianon Palace takes its inspiration from the Grand Trianon, the pink-marble hideaway built by Louis XIV as an escape from confining courtly life. Rooms are spacious with plush, contemporary furnishings, but request one facing the garden or park in the historic hotel, and not the newer annex. Rooms come with Nespresso machines, Salvatore Ferragamo bath products, and mosaic-tiled marble bathrooms with heated floors. Some have marble fireplaces. You can’t get much closer to sleeping at the Chateau de Versailles than an overnight at the Trianon Palace.
Pierre MonettarestaurantOre - Ducasse au Château de Versailles
$$$The best part about dining here is that the experience is all Alain Ducasse in style and service, without the steep prices. The menu at Ore is a combination of gussied-up snacks like croque-monsieur, and thoughtful market-fresh dishes like spelt and wild mushroom salad, or steamed turbot with truffled hollandaise sauce, all priced to fit a range of wallets. Signature desserts, such as “Les Versaillaises,” offer lightened updates on French classics. Foreigners are likely to come here only if they're already planning to tour the Château—but it merits a special visit on its own. It's grand, as it should be, but accessible.
restaurantLe Pincemin
$$At Le Pincemin, the artistic, inventive menu changes often based on the chef's whims, but you're likely to find dishes that meld land and sea; say, beef tartare with oysters, salicornes, and confit cucumbers, served in a giant Limoges porcelain shell. The signature—which must be ordered in advance—is the blue Breton lobster, flambeed and served with vegetables glazed in lobster bisque. The fixed lunch menu costs 35 euros (about $38); dinners have a five-course tasting for 65 euros (about $70).
restaurantLa Mangette
$La Mangette is a postage stamp-sized canteen close to the Palace of Versailles. The daily menu is scrawled on a blackboard with a handful of simple options featuring fresh, locally sourced ingredients from the surrounding Ile de France region. An added bonus? It’s mostly organic. La Mangette is also a great option for take-out. There’s a refrigerated display case by the door where you can pick up salads and such—perfect for picnics in the palace gardens. It's a perfect spot for a healthy lunch or to provision a picnic to enjoy in the palace gardens.
Courtesy La Table du 11restaurantLa Table du 11
$$$This Michelin-starred restaurant is steps away from the Palace of Versailles, but worlds away from the crowds. The setting is sublime; the Cour des Senteurs (“the courtyard of fragrances”) was restored a few years ago and is now a tranquil, cobbled courtyard lined with fashionable shops (like one devoted to Toile de Jouy fabrics), a tea room, and La Table du 11. Young chef Jean-Baptiste Lavergne Morazzani (he’s not even 30 years old) trained at top addresses, including the Trianon Palace, Cobéa, and Le Meurice (under super-chef Yannick Alléno) before striking out on his own. Now he’s branched out with a bistro and wine shop in addition to this gourmet address—a veritable gastronomic empire in Versailles, with a mission of promoting sustainability. Lavergne Morazzani is all about line-caught fish and organic vegetables sourced from his own vegetable garden in Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche.
Rieger Bertrand / GettyactivityPalace of Versailles
$This mind-blowing historic marvel is one of France's most opulent jewels, and is crucial to understanding the country's history and a very specific moment of leadership. A 17th century Château and estate that spans over 800 hectares (1,977 acres), The Sun King's grand creation is open for visits year-round and includes bedrooms, the King's state apartments, the Hall of Mirrors, and some 2,300 rooms in total. Annual summer exhibitions highlight the works of prominent contemporary artists like Jeff Koons, Anish Kapoor, and Olafur Eliasson, whose art is displayed in the sprawling gardens. The old and new come together beautifully, a nod to its initial mission to support artistic creations.
barBar Galerie, at the Trianon Palace (Waldorf Astoria)
$$This spot inside the Trianon Palace provides a beautiful backdrop for afternoon tea. It is served in The Gallery, the long vestibule that serves as the main artery of the hotel. Think soaring columns, gold ceiling, and marble floors in black and white tiles. Crystal chandeliers hang above velvet sofas and high-backed green leather armchairs. You have choices as to how indulgent you want your tea service to be, but note the chariot de pâtisseries (pastry trolley) is available on Saturdays and Sundays only. When it comes to the tea itself, the selection may include classics like Darjeeling, Earl Grey, Oolong, and Tarry Lapsang, but you want the Marie Antoinette NINA’S: Ceylon tea scented with roses and apples pulled from the Potager du Roi (the King's Kitchen Garden) in Versailles.
Ricardo Lopes/GettyFONTAINEBLEAU
Little more than 40 miles from Paris and accessible by train, Fontainebleau is a cinch of a day trip. The main sight to see is the Château de Fontainebleau, but you'll want to stay a while to savor the food and drink at places like the acclaimed L'Axel. It's also a perfect jaunt for the outdoorsy, too, with ample opportunities for bouldering and climbing in the plucked-from-a-fairy-tale forest that surrounds the town and has inspired artists for centuries.
hotelHôtel de Londres
$$The owners refer to the Hotel de Londres (“Hotel London”) as a “hotel de charme,” and the minute you step inside you see why, with its toile de Jouy wallpaper, comfy armchairs, and wall-size painting depicting an English hunting scene. Three generations of the Famille Colombier have tended to this cozy three-star hotel, which is a historic registered landmark dating from 1850. Best of all: You can’t get much closer to the Chateau de Fontainebleau. From the light-filled breakfast room, you can watch the morning light glint on Napoleon’s gilded gate while sipping a café crème and munching on a croissant.
Yoann StoeckelhotelHôtel La Demeure du Parc
$$$La Demeure du Parc is like the private home of a stylish connoisseur, with a sleek and contemporary design, and right next to the Chateau de Fontainebleau gardens. The interiors still have historic touches, like the hefty timber beams in the restaurant. Back in the Chateau de Fontainebleau’s heyday, this mansion served as an annex for Louis XIV’s guests. Today, it's a boutique hotel with black and white tiled floors alongside natural wood parquet, covetable designer chairs in a rich royal blue, and a glass-roofed atrium flooding the lower level with light.
AlamyactivityBarbizon and the Auberge Ganne
The forest of Fontainebleau inspired 19th-century painters in the Barbizon School, the art movement anchored in Realism that was named for the village at the forest’s doorstep. Oozing charm, the village is still an inspiration to present-day artists—you'll see plenty of galleries lining the cobblestone streets. Take a stroll down the main road to see the Théodore Rousseau house and Jean-François Millet’s art studio. The Auberge Ganne, the inn that hosted many of the period painters, has been converted into a small museum (Musée des Peintres de Barbizon).
restaurantFrédéric Cassel Pâtisserie
$In the world of haute pâtisserie, there are a few names enshrined in the hall of fame. Frédéric Cassel is one of them. Early in his career, he worked alongside his friend Pierre Hermé at Fauchon, and now has international stores in Kyoto, Tokyo, Berlin, and Casablanca. Cassel was World Pastry Champion in 2013 and presided over the prestigious Relais Desserts association from 2003–2018. Reflecting the seasons, his collection changes every six months. Showstoppers in the display case may include the Jivara, a brownie-bottomed dome with layers of vanilla crème brûlée and chocolate mousse; and the Tarte Jardin des Hesperides, a shortbread tart topped with bergamot-flavored orange and grapefruit wedges.
restaurantLa Table du Parc
$$This restaurant inside La Demeure du Parc isn’t just a hotel restaurant but a stylish spot for a good meal. A fashionable crowd takes its time to linger over the food, savoring amuse-bouches and multiple courses. Chef Christophe Borniche frequently changes his menu based on what’s fresh and seasonal at the market. Dishes might include the oeuf parfait to start—served with truffles and spring shoots atop a comté-infused potato purée—and, for the main course, aged beef cooked in a Josper charcoal oven. Tip: Order the mandarin and cinnamon soufflé at the beginning of your meal as it takes time to prepare.
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L'Axel
$$$Inside a townhouse, just a few minutes’ walk from the Fontainebleau chateau, is the best table in town. Japanese chef Kunihisa Goto opened L’Axel with his wife Vanessa in 2012 and won a Michelin star shortly after. The food is dizzyingly good. To start, choose the “oeuf translucide” with green asparagus and parmesan emulsion. (If you’re lucky, there might even be an amuse-bouche of foie gras flan and oyster foam.) Taste flavors like yuzu and salty salicornes in the signature fish dish: a turbot prepared in the meunière fashion with beurre blanc. Don’t miss the Wagyu beef prepared with onions, ginger, and vegetables as a riff on a classic “pot au feu.” The wine list features some excellent bottles from Burgundy, thanks to the chef's contacts there.
GettyactivityChâteau de Fontainebleau
$It's a UNESCO World Heritage site, but still perhaps one of the most underrated landmarks in France. For one thing, it was inhabited by French royalty continuously for seven centuries. Napoleon preferred it to any other residence, calling it “the true home of kings.” It's also the most furnished chateau in the country and the decor is something to see (think Renaissance frescoes, precious porcelain, exceptional furniture through the Second Empire). No wonder so many art history students come here to study the decorative arts. There are newly renovated spaces that are only available on special guided tours: the Imperial Theatre, commissioned by Napoleon III, Marie-Antoinette’s Turkish Boudoir, Napoleon III’s study, and Eugenie’s Lacquer Room. The chateau is close enough to Paris—less than an hour southeast by train—but it feels like deep countryside. Allow time for a stroll in the sprawling gardens and along the canal designed by architect André Le Nôtre.
AlamyactivityForêt de Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau's famous forest is one of the largest in France, encompassing 50,000 acres. The chateau, in all its stupefying glory, wouldn’t exist without the Forest of Fontainebleau. This was the playground of Renaissance king François I, who spent so much time on the royal hunting grounds that he decided to expand the existing medieval castle into a royal chateau. (Why camp out in the Loire Valley when you have access to game-packed forest much closer to Paris?) Stags and wild boar still roam the woods—you’ll notice warning signs on the road. In the 19th century, the forest starred on the canvases of the Barbizon school painters, like Jean-Francois Millet and Camille Corot. Today, Fontainebleau Forest continues to inspire artists, as it does outdoors enthusiasts, who flock for hiking, cycling, and bouldering.
AlamyshopMarché de Fontainebleau
Three times a week (Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday mornings), the grand square next to the Fontainebleau tourist office (Place de la République) is converted into a bustling street market. Hitting up the marché is a great way to mingle with locals and soak up the authentic ambience. Fontainebleau is in fact a city (and a prosperous one at that), but the market exudes a village vibe. Cheesemongers, butchers, green grocers, farmers, clothing, artisanal soaps—there’s a huge selection among the stalls. Follow the locals to find the best ones, and don't leave without a wheel of brie de Meaux.
activitySpa at Château d'Augerville
$$Sprawling across 6,600 square feet, the serene spa takes its design cues from nature, with “living” walls, white stones, and light-colored wood. It occupies two levels of a restored ancient building. A highlight is the vast “sensorial space” that includes a wet area with pools, a hammam, sauna, “rain mist” corridor, and ice cave. There’s a three-pronged focus here: relaxation, slimming, and après-Golf, and you can actually follow the circuit through the sensorial zone based on your spa goals. The spa is open to the public, but it’s also possible to rent out the whole space.
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Guillaume CrochezactivityChâteau de Vaux le Vicomte
$Simply put: This is the prettiest privately owned château in France. Even Princess Elizabeth agreed. On a visit in 1948, she said, “more beautiful than Versailles!” Famously, Vaux-le-Vicomte was actually the inspiration for the Château de Versailles. Today the chateau can be visited year-round, except for an annual winter closure; tickets can be purchased on site or online in advance. It draws a mix of Parisians and tourists. There are fun events throughout the year that draw regulars. In the summer, the gardens are lit with 2,000 candles during the “candlelit evenings.” There are also theatrical shows and concerts. The annual Christmas festivities are wildly popular as well; each room is individually decorated with a Christmas tree and festive decor.
GettyREIMS
Reims is a lot of things—the unspoken capital of the Champagne wine region, the City of Kings, and home to multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites. One of them is the nearly destroyed Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims, where kings were crowned for more than a thousand years. The underrated destination in northeast France is riddled with Roman history, too. It's said that Remus, the brother of Romulus, founded the city, hence its name.
hotelL'Assiette Champenoise
$$$Not only is it one of only two luxury hotels in the region, it's also a temple of high gastronomy. Any stay here should include a meal in the three-Michelin-Star restaurant which, on its own, is memorable enough. The outside may look straight out of the history books, but it's completely contemporary once you step through the front door. Rooms are large, bright, and airy, with jumbo beds ideal for sleeping. Finally, as this is Champagne, there is plenty of the good stuff available.
Michel JoylothotelDomaine Les Crayères
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2021Grand is the operative word at this Relais & Châteaux property adjacent to the Pommery champagne house. The building is surrounded by 17 acres of verdant parkland, the best view of which can be had from the La Rotonde bar, a warm space with live music and tall bay windows. A grand staircase takes guests up to one of 20 rooms done up in classic French style. Room decor sports royal vibes, transporting visitors to another century. With a Michelin-starred restaurant on site, staying here is like experiencing life as a Champagne royal.
AlamyactivityDomaine Veuve Clicquot
Tours at the Veuve Clicquot headquarters spotlight the brand's history while also showing off the cellars, which are carved into ancient limestone quarries called crayères. Group tours are limited to 19 people and conclude with a tasting. Other options include a Madame Clicquot-themed tour of Reims (for up to eight people) and tasting workshops. The tour provides a good overview of the Champagne-making process while also evoking a fascinating backstory.
restaurantL'Assiette Champenoise
$$$Arnaud's Lallement three-Michelin star restaurant inside L'Assiette Champenoise hotel offers unparalleled ingredient sourcing and plated perfection. Lallement took over the space from his father 20 years ago and puts out signature dishes, like langoustine royale with a creamy "nage" and caviar lemon; farm-raised squab with spinach caillette and pigeon juice; blue lobster from Brittany (an homage to his father). Service is first-rate from start to finish. Given the price tag and the formality of the experience, this is a once-in-a-lifetime meal for a special trip or occasion.
restaurantLe Parc
$$$An elegant dining room dining room set inside Les Crayères hotel, is the place for a last-meal-of-your-life situation. It's pure poetry and presentation. From the way the dishes are served to the plating and masterful flavor combinations, the food is awe-inspiring and far more modern and inventive than the grand, if classic, dining room decor would lead you to believe. If your belly allows, opt for the “Entre Vigne et Terroir” menu to get the full experience, or the Menu Blanc, which gives carte blanche to chef Philippe Mille to surprise you. Make sure to call over the cheese trolley, which features many options from the region, and choose the Champagne pairing with dinner. The list is truly vast.
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Racine
$$An original fine-dining experience that feels unique for Reims. Artistic presentation and perfect preparations are what you'll take away from a meal here. Beautiful flavors that blend the chef's Japanese heritage with French training and ingredients. It's no surprise it earned a Michelin star. Go for the tasting menu to get a broad sense of the chef's culinary vision. Take the diner who wants a fine-dining experience without the pomp and circumstance that often follows the Michelin-starred vibe in Champagne.
hotelHôtel Les Avisés
$$A puckishly hip ten-room hotel opened by Anselme Selosse, one of the great small Champagne makers, in a handsome nineteenth-century neoclassical manor house with sweeping views of the vineyards. A postmodern riff on conventional château style. French designer Bruno Borrione, who once worked with Philippe Starck, furnished the spacious lounge and dining room with sleek contemporary pieces while highlighting the parquet floors and white-painted moldings. Rooms are plush, well-lit cocoons in warm, acidic earth tones.
© Fred LaurèsrestaurantCafé du Palais
$This Reims institution is super-charged, with stained glass, wall hangings that look plucked from an antique market, old paintings and framed illustrations, small statues and flea market ephemera, vintage clocks, and old bistro tables and chairs. It's bright and colorful but if the weather allows, take your meal on the outdoor terrace. The space is full of character, with hearty, saucey, generous food, and a friendly and engaging staff. Perfect for a quick lunch before touring the Champagne estates all afternoon.
Cécil MathieuactivityDomaine Vranken Pommery
$This estate is one of a few in Champagne to have crayères, chalk caves that began as quarries in the Early Middle Ages and are ranked a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tour itself, which is only available upon request, with reservation, and with a guide (in English or French), takes a sizable group (10 to 12) into the Gallo-Roman crayères. Most cellar visits are relatively straight forward, but the Pommery visit is punctuated by contemporary art installed throughout the tunnels and galleries as temporary exhibitions. This is an excellent tour for anyone visiting Champagne who knows little about the region, Champagne production, and even less about the crayères. It's an engaging visit that ends with a tasting.
Courtesy Royal Champagne Hotel & SpahotelRoyal Champagne Hotel & Spa
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023A short car ride from Reims, in the village of Champillon (population 500), you’ll find the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa. The light-flooded rooms, restaurant, and spa offer panoramic views of the surrounding Marne Valley. Staff are professional, attentive, and a subtle reminder that you’ve arrived at a 5-star property. The 47 rooms and suites feature warm woods, champagne hues, and striking gold-leafed mosaics. La Royal, the onsite Michelin-starred restaurant, and Le Bellevue, a (slightly) more casual brasserie, are major selling points for this property, with menus that showcase local products and wine lists to satisfy even the most exigent wine connoisseurs. With a steam room, sauna, jacuzzis, yoga studio, fitness room, beauty bar, and two stunning swimming pools overlooking the vines, the wellness area is as lux as anything you’ll find in Paris. In March 2024, the spa partnered with the Clarins group to roll out signature skincare treatments—a perfect pairing.
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Gregory DuvalactivityCathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims
This gothic cathedral in the heart of Reims is more than 800 year old, and was badly damaged during WWI. In fact, 80 percent of the city was razed around it, so it's no small feat that it still stands today (with the help of perpetual periods of renovation). It was once where the kings of France were crowned, and it was one of the first monuments listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tickets are required ($9), but can be purchased upon arrival. A visit inside is crucial to really getting a sense of its grandeur, as well as the history of Reims.
Tom Merton/GettyDomaine Billecart-Salmon
A sommelier favorite, Billecart-Salmon is a seventh-generation family-owned champagne maker that’s been producing bubbly since 1818. Over two centuries of experience have given the house plenty of time to perfect their craft. In a region with plenty of global brands, a visit to the Billecart-Salmon domain feels delightfully intimate. There, you can stroll through French-style gardens surrounding the brick family home where the 98-year-old great aunt and 101-year-old great uncle of Mathieu Roland-Billecart, current CEO, take their champagne apéro each evening (6:00pm, sharp). Roland-Billecart’s team can guide visitors through 17th- and 18th-century chalk cellars, the biodynamically farmed Clos Saint-Hilaire vineyard, and tastes of their iconic cuvées.
George Pachantouris/GettyLILLE
Lille, which is on the French-Belgium border, is known for its Flemish influences and architecture and for being named the European Capital of Culture. The university town is an intellectual hub, full of coffee shops and cafés where you'll find residents and students in conversation. Vieux Lille, the city's old town, is a charming neighborhood of restored red brick buildings that have a totally different feel from Paris when you walk along them.
hotelL'Hermitage Gantois, Autograph Collection
$$There's no mistaking you're in a converted, historic building: long before the Flemish gabled structure was Lille's first five-star hotel, it was a 15th century hospice. There's a massive stained glass window on the façade, an old hospice room still intact, and a 17th-century chapel. All of this sits alongside modern art, vast courtyards, a glass canopy, and a modern restaurant. Rooms are a mix of modern and a bit old fashioned: exposed wood beams, wood panels lining the walls around the bed, great light. There's fine dining in the red vaulted-ceiling restaurant, and it's considered some of the city's finest.
David GrimberthotelClarance Hotel Lille
$$Through a courtyard and into an 18th-century former hôtel particulier, or private mansion, there's a stately feel to an arrival at Clarance. It's one of the only five-star boutique hotels in town and is affordable for the quality of the services and dining options available. Rooms are spacious and comfortable, and all decorated differently. La Table, the on-site restaurant, has a Michelin star, its chef Thibaut Gamba having worked with the likes of Pierre Gagnaire and Thomas Keller. The garden terrace is a wonderful spot for a drink when weather allows.
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La Table
$$Inside the Clarance Hotel, La Table serves Michelin-starred food in 18th century surroundings. The food is seasonal and hearty, and the chef includes herbs foraged from the garden. Dishes may range from grilled langoustine served with salsify from Dries, fermented black garlic butter, and sage tempura, or Burgaud roasted duck atop stuffed Flanders cabbage. All of it beautifully plated and balanced in flavor (arguably what won the restaurant a Michelin star). The natural light the main dining room lets in is exquisite, but the other dining room is an all-wood library alcove set off in the back of the restaurant. It has an original spiral staircase that leads up to rows of books.
Caspar S. MiskinrestaurantLe Bloempot
$$From a self-taught chef, the high level of modern Flemish cooking happening here draws increasingly discerning crowds. New York City loft meets Berlin beer garden meets French industrial zone: a vast space with heavy use of brick, rough-hewn wood, metallic beams, and massive open kitchen. It's laid-back and casual, welcoming and cool, a vibe that doesn't adequately prepare you for the high level, original cooking that lands on the plate. There’s a fixed menu called “Les yeux fermés,” a multi-course surprise with drink pairings, which shows off the bounty of the region. Sample dishes might include creamy pollack rillettes with bread chips, endive leaves and a jus de cuisson mousse; brined and grilled chicken with plump cauliflower; nettle sorbet with whole strawberries, strawberry chips, and yogurt mousse.
restaurantAux Merveilleux de Fred
$Take one look at the line snaking down the street, and you'll know you've come to the right place. And, as the name suggests, it's all about merveilleux here: an airy, layered meringue mound covered with sweet whipped cream and enveloped in a variety of coatings, from chocolate flakes to caramelized hazelnuts. All of the merveilleux are prepared in front of customers in a large open kitchen, and it's quite a sight to behold.
Courtesy La CapsulebarLa Capsule
$This is a destination for beer lovers. Since 2008, they've offered French and foreign craft beer brewers, on tap and by the bottle. There are always a rotating selection of 28 beers on tap and more than 100 options by the bottle. Don't want anything too hoppy? Into IPAs? There's something for everyone. Send your beer-loving friends and family members here for a taste of the best coming out of France and beyond. It's also in the heart of the old town, which means there are plenty of sights to take in before or after.
AlamyrestaurantMéert
$This shop and tea salon is visually arresting, with 18th and 19th century and Louis XVI decor, and many of its original bones. Even the façade dates to the first part of the 18th century. The rows of shelves and display cases full of cakes, waffles (gaufres, the Méert signature), candies, and chocolates recall an old fashioned candy shop. The vanilla gaufre may be the house's signature, but any manner of other exquisite, perfectly prepared pastry are worth attention: financiers, éclairs, lemon tartelettes, Saint-Honoré, and another Lille specialty, the merveilleux. This place makes an impression inside and out.
Philippe Huguen / GettyactivityOpéra de Lille
$$The original 18th-century opera house was destroyed by a fire, so its replacement dates to the early 1900s (officially opening to the public in 1923). Yet it still does a terrific job of transporting you to the past with its neo-classical flourishes. Today, it is one of the most prized architectural icons in the city. You can see operas, concerts, and contemporary dance performances—for the most part they're all original and locally produced. The primary audience is Northern French and Belgian, however, any fan of dance, opera, or music should stop in for a show to experience the space.
Thierry Monasse / GettyactivityLa Piscine - Musée d'Art et d'Industrie André Diligent
$The Art and Industry museum in Roubaix, not far from Lille, is set inside the town's former Art Deco municipal pool. There are sculptures, paintings, ceramics, drawings, and more, all related to the textile industry. It's an atypical museum experience, but a fascinating look at northern France's artistic and industrial heritage. The central atrium with the solar stained glass and the water basin often hosts fashion shows, and there are often several temporary collections viewing simultaneously. The space itself is incredible and brings the pieces to life in a bold way. Overall: it's an Art Deco relic that has been preserved to honor the city's industrial and working class past. Good news when it comes to food, too. This isn't your average cafeteria food, it's Méert, the Roubaix outpost of the historic Lille pastry shop and tea salon.
GettyactivityPalais des Beaux Arts
$This is one of the largest museums in all of France (also one of the first to be built, under Napoleon I), so expect grand and expansive collection halls. The collection highlights fine arts, modern art, and antiquities, with sculptures, paintings, drawings, and ceramics. All the heavy hitters are here: Raphael, Donatello, Van Dyck, Tissot, Jordaens, Rembrandt, Goya, El Greco, David, Corot, Courbet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Delacroix, Rubens, Rodin. It's an incredible and diverse array of works, with highlights like ancient mummies and Monet's painting of the Houses of Parliament in London.
Gary Yeowell/GettyBORDEAUX
To the outside world, Bordeaux is synonymous with great wine—the region has been perfecting the art of winemaking since antiquity and today is home to 65 appellations and over 7,000 winemakers. But enotourism is just one facet of the little city in southwestern France. In Bordeaux, you’ll also find a dynamic restaurant scene, cool shopping driven by entrepreneurial creatives, urban hiking trails, options for pampering, and much more. It’s a city that encourages you to slow down, appreciate craftsmanship, and savor each sip of the experience.
m57.studio/SymbioseSymbiose
Along the banks of the Garonne River, Symbiose is a restaurant and cocktail bar grounded in the idea of synergy. The kitchen provides raw materials for seasonal cocktails and the cocktails elevate Chef Félix Clerc’s bold dishes. Both menus draw inspiration from the bounty of the restaurant’s wild botanical garden. A recent early summer menu featured slender haricots verts with ponzu, nori, spring onions and a truffle emulsion, or a half lobster grilled on a Japanese barbecue with a saffron-pastis bisque, with zucchini, asparagus, and smoked pepper from Béarn. You might pair that with a sparkly Grand Bleu cocktail—– galangal, spirulina, Provençal Rosé, whey, and St-Germain Liqueur, finished with Hendrick’s Gin and fir tree liquor. Coming from Paris, the restaurant prices feel as friendly as the staff.
ANAKA/La Cité du VinLa Cité du Vin
Swirling wine in a glass was the design inspiration for La Cité du Vin, a riverside cultural facility dedicated to wine. The facility’s permanent exhibition introduces visitors to the history, production, and significance of France’s celebrated grape juice. La Cité du Vin also hosts wine tastings, workshops, and events, like gourmet cinema nights that pair food, artistic performances, and bon vivant film screenings. With panoramic views, the onsite Le 7 Restaurant merits a visit. The menu was developed with an eye towards reducing the carbon footprint, and the wine list features over 500 wines.
ATU Images/GettyCartopolo
If you’re captivated by vintage maps, you’ll love this independent shop in Bordeaux’s hip Chartrons neighborhood. The owners source beautiful maps and prints from around the globe and each one captures a moment in history—from a 1540 world map to the technical design of the Tour Eiffel and much more. You can choose whether to take them home on paper, cotton canvas, aluminum, or wood (and worldwide shipping is also available).
Ahoueke Hilaire/DéméterDéméter
Opened in 2022, Déméter is a cool, chef-driven restaurant that showcases Bordeaux bistronomy. Inside an 18th-century building, the vibe is casual and warm, with stone walls, vaulted ceilings, and bare wooden tables. Named after the ancient Greek goddess of the harvest, the menu features locally grown and raised products, elaborated by chefs Gary and Guillaume, whose influences come from around the globe. Here, you can order caramelized cauliflower with green, honey-kissed tahini and chili crisp or veal with chimichurri, and sip a biodynamic French wine. You can feel the place’s passion for honest, creative food and thoughtful drinks to go with.
David Duchon-Doris/Villas FochVillas Foch
In the heart of Bordeaux’s historic center, you’ll find Villas Foch, a 20-room, five-star hotel that combines neoclassical design with modern touches—think pendant, blown glass lamps dangling over a palatial red-carpeted stairwell. It’s art contemporain meets grandeur. Rooms capture Haussmanian elegance, with “Point de Hungrie” parquet floors and gilded 19th-century mirrors over creamy marble fireplaces. The hotel bar, Le Ferdinand, serves creative cocktails, like Sous Le Soleil (La Progresiva rum, housemade spelt syrup, and Malagasy Chocolate bitters) and wines largely from Bordeaux, especially the nearby village of Saint-Émilion.
Roberta Valerio/Courtesy M. Cellard/Courtesy Les Sources de CaudaliehotelLes Sources de Caudalie
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Gold List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2019To the south of Bordeaux proper, nestled in the vineyards of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, you’ll find Les Sources de Caudalie, a 5-star hotel with 61 rooms and suites spread among six Aquitaine-style houses. Alice Tourbier and Delphine Sauvaget designed the interiors to feel like a contemporary country home, with earthy tones and smooth wooden decor. Splashed in natural light and shades of white, “L’Île Aux Oiseaux” (Birds Island) suite feels like a Nancy Myers movie set. The spa incorporates the famed wine grapes into beauty treatments with their trademarked vinotherapy, which draws upon the anti-aging properties of the polyphenols found in grape seeds, combined with organic Caudalie products.
Delpixart/GettyMARSEILLE
Alexandre Dumas called Marseille “the crossroads of the world." The author, whose novel “The Count of Monte Cristo” is set in the port city’s Château d'If, a fortress and former prison, captured Marseille’s role as a melting pot for different cultures. Greek sailors founded Marseille around 600 BC, and in modern times, it’s known for its diverse communities from North Africa, Italy, Armenia, Comoros, and more. That diversity has fomented a rich cultural landscape, including compelling museums and galleries, renowned music festivals, and a dynamic restaurant scene. Together with the unbeatable climate—300 days of sunshine per annum—it’s no wonder that France’s second-largest city is becoming an increasingly compelling destination.
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Richard Haughton/Le Petit Nice PassedathotelLe Petit Nice Passedat
Opened in 1917, Le Petit Nice Passedat is a star-studded destination—five for the hotel, and three Michelin stars for the restaurant. Perched on the edge of the Mediterranean, the hotel has 17 rooms, suites, and villas with elegant, understated interiors that emphasize the overstated sea views. The new wellness area is outfitted with a hammam, sauna, and Japanese bath. Chef Gérald Passedat has led Le Petit Nice’s famed restaurant since 1985. His approach focuses on Marseille’s maritime heritage, with a menu featuring over 65 varieties of local catches throughout the year, respecting the guidelines for protecting resources. The most iconic dish is Chef Passedat’s Bouille-Abaisse, an elevated take on the traditional Marseille fish stew.
Yann Deret/Les Bords de MerLes Bords de Mer
On the Catalans beach, Les Bords de Mer is a breezy boutique hotel from Les Domaines de Fontenille collection where the shimmering Mediterranean takes center stage. Sea views are the focal point of the 19 rooms, outfitted with smooth decor and minimalist color palettes. Enhancing the sea’s calming effect, the hotel has a mineral spa with body and facial treatments, plus a sauna and hammam. Led by Filipino-Taiwanese-French Chef Chester Tsai, Les Bords de Mer restaurant serves views of the Frioul archipelago and a seafood-focused menu with dishes like Filipino ceviche dressed in coconut vinegar, chili pepper, garlic, and pickles.
Yuliia Kokosha/GettyLe Bec du Coq
Near the Vieux-Port neighborhood, Le Bec du Coq is a wine bar featuring local beers and thoughtfully chosen organic wines, with vibrant small plates to go with. Cozy up on pink velvet banquettes and tuck into dishes like a housemade tostada with mussels, pickled veggies, and dill, or Mediterranean bonito with dashi, trout row, and nasturtium. The owners call it “a warm place for sharing beautiful products, inspired by all the places where we loved to be.” Le Bec du Coq is a cool spot where you’ll love to be, eat, drink—and return.
Westend61/GettyOUREA
Ask a restaurant industry person who knows Marseille for their recommendations and you can bet they’ll name check Ourea. Opened by two Semilla (Paris) alums, Matthieu Roche and Camille Fromont, the veggie- and seafood-forward menu showcases Provençe products at their peak. The set menu is three or five dishes for lunch, and five for dinner—maybe a monkfish carpaccio, with chorizo, lemon gel, and samphire (a salty sea vegetable), or line-caught porgy with housemade spaghetti, cauliflower, lemon zabaglione, and bottarga.
Hemis/AlamyMuseum of Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean
The Museum of Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean (MUCEM) links old with new; history with modernity. Designed by Rudy Ricciotti (in collaboration with Roland Carta), the main building, J4, is a perfect cube topped by concrete mesh that gives the structure an organic quality—like a wisp of sea sponge fallen on a rock. A soaring footbridge connects J4 to the historic Fort Saint-Jean. The museum’s exhibitions focus on Mediterranean and European culture, from “Fashion Folklore,” which looked at traditional regional costumes, to nearly 300 works from an artist who spent ample time along the Mediterranean—Picasso.
GettyLivingston
The name nods to Richard Bach’s Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a book about non-conformity and a search for higher meaning—it’s one of chef/co-owner Valentin Raffali’s favorites. It makes sense that Raffali’s restaurant has evolved into the non-traditional concept of rotating chef residents, all seeking to express their distinct culinary vision in the compact space with a graffiti façade in the Cours Julien neighborhood. While the menus constantly change, the scene is consistently buzzing with food and wine-loving locals and visitors, with a drink menu focused on biodynamic wines and orange ones in particular.
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