8 Unusual Destinations in France – A Guide To 8 Off The Beaten Destinations

France is a favourite with European travellers, and with good reason. From the historic Normandy area, home to the Bayeux Tapestry and World War II beaches to the cosmopolitan French Riviera, there is plenty to entertain even the choosiest tourist.

If, however, you’re looking for something a bit more unusual, maybe you could consider one of our more off-beat destinations for your next French trip. Treat yourself to a stay in a French Villa while you are at it for the height of luxury.

1. The peculiar Palais Ideal

Hauterives, a tiny village in the Rhone-Alps province of France is, for the most part, unremarkable. The one thing for which it is famous is the Palais Ideal, a folly designed and built by a single man – postman Ferdinand Cheval – in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Palais idéal, Hauterives, France by Ankopedia

The Palais draws on a range of styles, particularly that of Hindu temples, and took 33 years to complete. Cheval himself rests in the complex in a grand mausoleum.

2. The Machines of the Isle of Nantes

Marauding around the city of Nantes are giant mechanical creations, devised by two French artists in the warehouses of the former shipyards who were previously based there. Inspired by the imaginary worlds of Jules Verne and Leonardo da Vinci, a huge mechanical elephant was the first to be unveiled in the park and carries up to 49 passengers for a 45 minute walk around the site.

Later in 2012 the second exhibit, the Machine Worlds Carousel, will be opened with three levels showing 35 moving mechanical animals. In 2014 a third exhibit, The Heron Tree, will join the first two.

3. Ardeche region

With the ever-popular Normandy region and oft-visited Riviera, the inland regions of France are frequently overlooked. The Ardeche, in the Rhone-Alps area of the country, is rich with history from the prehistoric cave paintings at Chauvet Pont d’Arc through to more modern scientific pioneers of locomotives in Lyon.

If you have the chance, check out the Romanesque churches around Niègles and Rochecolombe dating back to the 10th century.

4. The Green Flash at sunset in St-Jean de Luz

Thought to be an optical illusion brought about by the refraction of light and the curvature of the earth at that precise point, in the last moments of sunset viewed from St-Jean de Luz a green ray seems to shoot out of the sun.

Located on the Basque coast amongst some of the finest fishing ports on the Riviera, why not check out one of the excellent fish restaurants while awaiting sunset?

5. The Midi-Pyrénées region

Home of the world-famous Roquefort cheese,the Midi-Pyrenees region has a host of hidden gems to offer the intrepid traveler. In particular the Cambalou caves, where the Roquefort cheeses are aged, has a great visitor centre that explains the process of making and maturing the legendary cheese.

6. Parisian Catacombs

Little do the majority of Paris’ visitors realize that beneath their feet lie the bones of six million people in the remains of the city’s former stone mines. The catacombs offer a fascinating insight into Parisian life through one of the most important things in life – the way we treat the dead.

7. Waterways of France

Often thought of as the preserve of the British, canal barge holidays are popular in France and there are many waterways to choose from. With over 8,000km of canals and rivers to cruise, the east and west of the country are crisscrossed with beautiful routes on which to take a relaxing boating holiday.

8. Great Dune of Pyla

In La Teste-de-Buch, 60 km from Bordeaux, lies the Pyla dune. The tallest sand dune in Europe, the bank abuts the Atlantic Ocean and rises to 107m above sea level.

The Great Dune of Pyla, France by Larrousiney

The dune is a beautiful place to walk, but is also popular for a number of other sports. The strong gusts off the Atlantic make it an ideal place for paragliding, while others use the steep slopes for sand boarding – a variant of snowboarding that can be enjoyed all year round.

Conclusion

Whether you want a peaceful holiday or to explore and find new experiences, there are plenty of destinations off the beaten track that can open up a new world on your doorstep.

Tags: bayeux tapestry, chance check, french artists, french riviera, french trip, french villa, hindu temples, imaginary worlds, mechanical animals, mechanical creations, mechanical elephant, normandy area, normandy region, palais ideal, prehistoric cave paintings, regions of france, rhone alps, shipyards, tiny village, world war ii

Category: France, Travel Tips