If a tourist wants splendor and luxury, he goes to France, a country where amazingly beautiful castles are combined with small and cozy villages, and lavender fields stretch for several kilometers and exude a special aroma that nothing else can compare with. Having gone south, you can endlessly admire the vineyards, and the local wine is considered one of the best in the world. Lovers of fashion brands and shopping will also find something to their liking here, as will romantic couples. If you have never been to the country of Cezanne and Parmesan, then you have not seen the beauty in its purest form, so we invite you to familiarize yourself with the top 10 beautiful cities France, and which one you go to is up to you to decide.

1. Paris

Paris is undoubtedly the leader of this rating and it is false to argue with this. The most beautiful and visited city in France fascinates at first sight and makes your heart beat faster. Whatever you do here - stroll along the embankment or have breakfast in one of the Michelin-starred restaurants, you will get a lot out of everything unforgettable impressions. The Cathedral is worth seeing once Notre Dame of Paris, Boulevard Haussmann, Champ de Mars, the Eiffel Tower or the Bourbon Palace, how these memories will remain in your memory for a lifetime. Just wandering through the narrow streets of Paris is the ultimate dream for many, and every tourist will be able to find a suitable activity for themselves here.

2. Lyon

Lyon is rightfully considered the heart of the Rhône-Alps and the gastronomic Mecca of the country. In addition to fine cuisine, the city is famous for its picturesque views and many interesting attractions. Old Leon is listed by UNESCO World Heritage and is located in honorable second place in size among all areas of the Renaissance. Lyon - a city of contrasts: ancient areas with narrow streets coexist harmoniously with the ultra-modern. The main pride of the Lyons people is the Cathedral of St. John, which is distinguished by its special splendor and beauty. There is also one of the largest squares in the country, in the center of which there is a statue of King Louis XIV.


France is famous for many things: beautiful cities and castles, beautiful language, charming nature. And also for its famous cuisine, which is adored by...

3. Nice

The unrivaled star of the French Riviera is distinguished not only by the exquisite beauty of its architecture, but also by its magnificent climate. The city is located in the Bay of Angels and offers tourists to visit a huge number of historical monuments, created in the style of Baroque, Middle Ages and Renaissance. Nice is growing rapidly and never ceases to amaze with its emerging parks, gardens and recreational areas. The city is popular not only among the French, but also among tourists around the world. Swimming season opens in May and lasts until mid-autumn, and even in the winter months the temperature rarely drops below +10.

4. Strasbourg

Strasbourg is the capital of Alsace. The city is famous for its extraordinary architecture, and the most notable site is Notre Dame. Do not be surprised by the abundance of works of art here, belonging to the hand of Monet, Gauguin, Rubens and Picasso. The local suburbs are more like alpine villages than traditional French settlements. Travelers prefer to go on a cruise along the Rhine, and the most visited area is “Little France”, where you can visit restaurants or go shopping. Every tourist should visit Strasbourg, and the most beautiful time to visit is the Christmas holidays.

5. Avignon

Avignon is located in the south-eastern part of the country and is rightly called Eden for those who prefer leisurely walks in beautiful surroundings. Here you can go to the Pont Saint-Benez, which is better known as Avignon, and taste truffles in one of the local restaurants or simply enjoy a glass of wine while sitting in a quiet and uncrowded street cafe. In July, Avignon opens its doors to a theater festival and then the city is captured by a special atmosphere that will not leave anyone indifferent.


The Middle Ages and the Renaissance that replaced them left us a rich cultural and historical heritage, in particular in the form of perfectly preserved...

6. Annecy

Ansi - no Big city ok, located in the Rhône-Alpes region, close to Switzerland, just 30 km from its capital. Annecy is located in a very picturesque place, near the incredibly beautiful blue lake, framed by a panorama mountain peaks. The main attraction of the city is an ancient tower standing right in the middle of the river. It’s not for nothing that Annecy is considered one of the most beautiful cities not only in France, but throughout Europe, so you should definitely visit here.

7. Marseille

It is one of the oldest and most beautiful European cities. After Paris, Marseille is the second largest populated area in France, while at the same time being considered the largest Mediterranean port, located in the southeast of the country. On the local streets you can admire medieval architecture and dilapidated buildings built during the Roman Empire. Marseille is famous for its universities, which are considered very prestigious to enroll in. The bustling harbor of Marseille accommodates many large and small ships, and the most interesting object tourists consider the Calanques to be deep gorges swallowed up by the sea. Arriving here, you will have a huge choice of what to visit here: historical statues, museums and galleries are found here at every turn. There are many entertainment venues for young people, and dance and music festivals are held in Marseille several times a year.

8. Cannes

The resort city, located in the south of the country, is known throughout the world not only for its excellent beaches, but also for the famous film festival that is held here annually. Over the past few decades, Cannes has become even more beautiful, thanks in no small part to the local municipality and city residents. The most beautiful is the road to the palace where the film festival is taking place. Palm trees are planted along the edge of the sidewalk, and around there is a huge number of luxury hotels, luxury shops and Michelin-starred restaurants with national cuisine. You will always find a cozy cafe to drink a cup of coffee and eat a real croissant. Historic District Le Suquet invites tourists to explore historical and architectural monuments, and on the island of Saint Honoré there is a monastery and a castle. Not far from Cannes there is a small island on which, according to legend, a prisoner known to everyone as the “iron mask” was imprisoned.


Rosstat and various rating agencies closely monitor the cost of goods and services in various localities in Russia. They are all together...

9. Dijon

The city is administrative, financial and cultural center Burgundy and is among the ten most beautiful French cities. Dijon has extraordinary architectural diversity and connects gothic cathedrals with half-timbered houses and modern buildings. The city has an old French atmosphere; it is always quiet and peaceful here, so visiting it means getting to know France from the inside.

10. Toulouse

The city is the capital of the Midi-Pyrenees, a distinctive and charming region. Toulouse is located in southeastern France, close to the French-Spanish border. The population of the town is about 430 thousand, which puts Toulouse in fourth place in terms of the number of inhabitants. Due to the color of the bricks used in the construction of the old city, Toulouse is called “pink”. In the Middle Ages, a pilgrimage center was located here, after which many ancient churches have been preserved.

April 26th, 2014 , 12:51 pm

I learned about the town of Pau back in school, when I decided to plot the route of the Tour de France cycling race on the contour map of France instead of minerals. In general, for a long time I had a “C” in geography. I forgot about minerals a long time ago, but for some reason the segment “Tarbes - Pau” remained in my memory for centuries...

Rue Tran

A settlement was formed here around the second half of the 11th - early 12th centuries, and since 1464 the city became the capital of the historical region of Béarn.


Rue de la Fontaine

Now Pau is the second economic center of Aquitaine after Bordeaux. About 80 thousand people live here.


Rue Tran

In one of the courtyards, a woman was found grabbing a fawn by the antlers. This is the goddess of the hunt - Diana. The exact same sculpture stands in the Louvre.


Diane

The city is visited quite often by Swedish tourists. The fact is that the house in which Napoleonic general Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte (1763-1844) was born, who later became the king of Sweden under the name Karl XIV Johan, has been preserved here. Bernadotte could not even think about such a turn of fate, because... was an ardent revolutionary and wore a “Death to Kings!” tattoo.


Bernadotte Museum

During the trip, our guide Marina Zaitseva demonstrated quite good knowledge of the cities of France, but in Pau, in fact, besides the castle, she was only able to show Bernadotte’s house. And if we had only walked some 50 meters from the museum along the same street, we would have seen the beautiful neo-Gothic church of Saint-Jacques.


Place Gramont

Po is the only one European city, where two founders of royal dynasties were born, ruling in three states to this day - Henry IV (the Bourbons) and Charles XIV Johan (the Bernadottes).


Henry IV

Henry IV of Navarre (1553-1610) was born in Pau, in the castle of his maternal grandfather Henry d'Albret.


Pau Castle (Chateau de Pau)

The main contribution to the construction of the castle was made by Gaston III of Foix ( 1331-91) - ruler of local lands during the Hundred Years' War. His court was widely known for its luxury. Gaston himself had very good artistic and literary taste. Being a passionate hunter, Gaston wrote a book that was considered one of the best medieval treatises on hunting.


Gaston III de Foix ( Gaston III Fébus)

After this, the castle was rebuilt many times. Main entrance with three arches in the Renaissance style was built in 1859-64.


Pau Castle (Chateau de Pau)

Now the castle has been turned into a museum. Henry IV's tortoiseshell cradle has been preserved.


Pau Castle (Chateau de Pau)

In the 16th century The Albret family created a magnificent garden around the chateau.


Garden

There is even a fish pond here.


Pond

Next, the group went to the castle itself (entrance costs 7 euros), but we had 1.5-2 hours to see the city. If I have any doubts about Angers Castle with Apocalypse, then here we definitely made the right decision.


Pau Castle (Chateau de Pau)

Opposite the castle is the building of the former parliament of Navarre, built in 1585. Part of the complex is a tower - a remnant of the Church of St. Martin, which was destroyed in 1884.


Parliament of Navarre

The City Hall of Pau is located in the building of the former Saint-Louis Theater (1862).


City Hall

Instead of old church In the 15th century, a new one with a 77-meter spire was built nearby.


Church of St. Martin (Église Saint-Martin)

The first stone was laid in 1863, and the grand opening took place in 1871.


Church of St. Martin (Église Saint-Martin)

The neo-Gothic style was complemented by Byzantine motifs.


Church of St. Martin (Église Saint-Martin)

Some precious objects were given by the Spanish Queen Isabella II during her visit to Pau in 1868.


Church of St. Martin (Église Saint-Martin)

Looking at the sign “Pizza Napoli” one remembers the words of the French writer Lamartine: “Just as Naples has the most beautiful sea views, so Pau has the most beautiful earthly landscape.”


Rue Gassion

He said these words about the panorama that opens from Pereneev Boulevard. Now there is a railway station below.


Railway station

The 1800-meter boulevard of the Pyrenees was built in 1893-99. following the example of the English Promenade in Nice, so that visiting aristocrats and resort guests could “look at others and show themselves off.”


Boulevard des Pyrénées

From the boulevard, picturesque paths called Royal ones descend to the lower city, surrounded by palm trees.


I already mentioned the Tour de France. The route of the cycling race changes every year, but it passed through Pau as many as 62 times (only Paris and Bordeaux visited more). Pau is the “gateway” to the Pyrenees, and one of the most prestigious cycling peaks, the Tourmalet Pass, is nearby. And on the highway between Tarbes and Pau there is a huge monument to the Tour de France.


Royal Paths (Sentiers du Roy)

Some streets were fenced off with safety rails. The thing is that 5 days before our arrival, the Pau Grand Prix race was held here, which, like in Monaco, takes place right through the streets of the city (since 1933). Nowadays, not the highest series compete here, but Formula 1 stages were once held (though outside the championship calendar).


Avenue Napoleon Bonaparte

The Pau Grand Prix was won by such legendary drivers: Nuvolari, Fangio, Ascari, Clark, Rindt, Stewart, Montoya, Hamilton...


Turn

Lyokha, as in Monte Carlo, repeated his trick - he jumped out onto the roadway to take a photo in first position. Thus, he got his next pole position.


Avenue Gaston Lacoste

The local basketball team "Pau-Orthez" is one of the three most titled in France. All 9 championships have been won in the last three decades.


Restaurant "Dauphine" (Le Dauphin)

The city stands on the Gave de Pau River, which has several tributaries, including the Us.


River Ousse (Ruisseau de l'Ousse)

The Belle Epoque style Beaumont Palace with two unusual bell towers was built in 1900. In 1927, a casino settled here, and during the war - a hospital. It is now a convention center and casino.


Palais Beaumont

The central square of the city is Place Clemenceau, which has recently been reconstructed.


Place Clemenceau (Place Clemenceau)

In Po the temperature exceeded +30. Perhaps this was our hottest city of the tour. Well, in the afternoon we went to Lourdes...

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10th place - Lille

  • Population: 231 491
  • Region: Nord-Pas-de-Calais
  • Square: 34.83 km 2

Lille is the capital of the historical region of French Flanders, the center of the northern region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais, a city with a Flemish accent near the border with Belgium. For centuries, the reason for Lille's existence was textile production, which fell into a significant decline with the advent of synthetic fabrics on the market. However, the steely northern character of the city did not surrender under the onslaught of new times (it was not for nothing that the iron general de Gaulle was born here): today Lille is one of the cultural capitals of France, an important commercial and trade hub, the center of French students and simply an amazingly beautiful and majestic city, in addition unanimously recognized as the most hospitable to visitors.

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9th place - Bordeaux

  • Population: 243 626
  • Region: Aquitaine
  • Square: 68 km 2

B'ordeaux is the capital of the Gironde department and the entire Aquitaine region, “little Paris”, “Sleeping Beauty” and “port of the Moon” at the same time, if you believe the romantic epithets of the French. Bordeaux is famous for its long and rich history with an English twist, and as a result - a variety of attractions, beautiful botanical gardens, cozy atmosphere universal equality and of course the “fun component” - the famous Bordeaux wines, recognized as one of the best in the world.

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8th place - Montpellier

  • Population: 272 084
  • Region: Languedoc - Roussillon - South - Pyrenees
  • Square: 56.88 km 2

Montpellier is one of the largest settlements in the south of France, the eighth largest in the entire country, administrative center the Languedoc-Roussillon region and the Hérault department. The city is known for its cultural life and annually hosts many festivals (six nationally only). However, its main decoration is considered to be compact and architecturally homogeneous. Old city, full of medieval charm and always seething nightlife, in addition, it is almost completely closed to transport.

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7th place - Strasbourg

  • Population: 275 718
  • Region: Grand Est
  • Square: 78.26 km 2

Trasbourg is a city in eastern France, the capital of Alsace, a region that borders Germany. Strasbourg was founded by the Romans, who set up a military camp here during the German campaign in 14-16 AD. Argentorat was the name of the settlement at that time. Strasbourg today is a real international fusion: here you can easily hear German speech and refresh yourself with beer and pretzels in a seemingly canonical French brasserie. Even the name of the city itself sounds quite German, and if you are not savvy in geography, Strasbourg can easily be classified as one of the other German “burgs”.

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6th place - Nantes

  • Population: 292 718
  • Region: Loire lands
  • Square: 65.19 km 2

Nant is one of the most major cities France. Nantes is the administrative center of the Loire-Atlantique department and the Loire Land region. The city is located at the mouth of the Loire, the longest river in the country, near its confluence with Atlantic Ocean. Such famous Frenchmen as the writer Jules Verne and the actor-comedian Louis de Funes were born in Nantes. The city has several outstanding architectural monuments, and in 2013 Nantes was named the Green Capital of Europe.

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5th place - Nice

  • Population: 342 295
  • Region:
  • Square: 71.92 km 2

Nizza is a Mediterranean city and port in the south of France, one of the main resorts of the Cote d'Azur (or French Riviera). Today Nice is the fifth most important city in France. It has its own airport, the passenger traffic of which is in second place after Paris. The mild climate (Mediterranean with moderately warm winters and dry, warm and sunny summers), as well as the fact that Nice is easily accessible, as well as its reputation as a favorite holiday destination for the aristocracy of past centuries, make this city one of the leading resorts in the world.

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4th place - Toulouse

  • Population: 458 298
  • Region: Midi-Pyrenees
  • Square: 118.3 km 2

Tulouse is the fourth most populous city in France and the largest cultural, scientific and industrial center. At the same time, Toulouse with its beautiful historical center is one of the most vibrant and original cities in the country. Here, Spanish, Basque, Aquitaine, Languedoc, Provençal and French traditions are mixed in equal proportions. Over the past 20 years, Toulouse has become the main center of aviation and space flight in France. More than 35 thousand local residents(out of 400 thousand) work in the space industry, and Airbus company considered the largest employer in the entire region.

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3rd place - Lyon

  • Population: 500 715
  • Region: Auvergne - Rhone - Alps
  • Square: 47.87 km 2

Lion is one of the largest and most beautiful cities in France. His ancient history and magnificent cultural and architectural monuments, as well as the proximity of the Alps, attract a large number of tourists, both from Europe and from other places on our planet. In ancient times, Lyon was called Lugdunum - Crow Mountain. The documented date of the founding of Lyon is 43 BC. e., and its founder is considered to be the Roman senator Lucius Plancus. He introduced a Roman detachment into the Gaul settlement of Lugdunum with the aim of expanding it and creating a Roman outpost in its place.

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2nd place - Marseille

  • Population: 855 393
  • Region: Provence - Alps - Cote d'Azur
  • Square: 240.62 km 2

Marcel is the standard of a Mediterranean port city, as we are used to imagining them from adventure books and films. Biggest Trading port country, a major industrial center and the second most populous city in France; One of the oldest cities in Europe, Marseille is a hub of breathtaking smells, fresh winds and romance.

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1st place - Paris

  • Population: 2 291 621
  • Region: Ile-de-France
  • Square: 105.4 km 2

Paris is the capital of France and the largest city in this country by population. Located on the banks of the Seine River in the northern part of the country, in the Ile-de-France region. Paris is the main economic and cultural center of France, as well as an important political center of Europe. The headquarters of UNESCO and the International Chamber of Commerce are located here.

Paris grew up on the site of the settlement of Lutetia, founded by the Celtic tribe of Parisians in the 3rd century BC. e. The settlement was located on safe island Cite, surrounded by the waters of the Seine River. At the beginning of the 2nd century BC. e. Lutetia was surrounded by a fortress wall. The basis of the economy of the Celtic settlement was trade: the Seine linked the Mediterranean Sea with the British Isles.

10 most touristic cities in France

France is the most visited country in the world - this fact is known to many. But which cities in France attract the most tourists?

  1. In first place, of course, is the capital of France -

And this is natural. Paris is the most famous and largest city in France, the capital of the state. There is a lot to see and visit in the city: , , Buttes Chaumont, Montmartre, , , etc. (Tour Eiffel, Louvre, Buttes Chaumont, Montmartre, Musée d’Orsay, Sacré-Cœur, Notre-Dame). Tourists dream of taking pictures against the backdrop of world-famous symbols of Paris.

  1. Lourdes and Lyon

- one of ancient cities France and former capital Roman Gaul. The city is rich in historical, cultural and architectural monuments: the Opera, the Fourvière Roman Theater, the Croix-Rousse quarter, the Fourvière Basilica (l’ Opera, les Théâtres Romains de Fourvière, le Quartier de la Croix-Rousse, la basilique de Fourvière).

As for Lourdes, numerous Catholics come to the city where Bernadette Soubirous saw the Virgin Mary. Diseases are cured at this place.

  1. Toulouse

Toulouse – pink city– attracts tourists with its Cité d’Espace, the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, local history museum and the Capitol ( Cité de l'Espace,de la Basilique Saint-Sernin, Muséum d'Histoire naturelle,Capitole).

- capital. Previously (and, perhaps, even now) - favorite place holidays for aristocrats from all over Europe. The city has many objects of culture, art and history, and, most importantly, there is the sea and.

  1. La Rochelle

Charming city with old sea ​​fortress. The largest aquarium in Europe is located here. Architecture lovers will find many buildings in classical and Renaissance styles.


— Small town, located on the English Channel, is surrounded by green parks and offers boat trips.

  1. Carcassonne

The medieval city of Carcassonne is very interesting for lovers of history, fortresses and castles, as well as wine.

  1. Strasbourg

Strasbourg is the capital of the region. Museums, festivals, theaters, the opera, and incomparable half-timbered houses attract crowds of tourists. And they are also famous all over the world. They say they are the most beautiful in Europe.

On Mount Saint-Michel there is an abbey of the same name: magnificent views, medieval architecture. it's the same .

French city Pau (Aquitaine region)

The French city of Pau is locality and a commune located in southwestern France, the administrative center of the Pyrenees-Atlantiques department of the Aquitaine region.

Having emerged as a modest village at the crossroads of Gave ("valley"), where people flocked to and from the mountains, Pau (Pau) in 1464 became the capital of the ancient Viscountry of Béarn, and in 1512 - French part of the Kingdom of Navarre.

In 1567, his monarch Henry d’Albret married the sister of the King of France, Margaret of Navarre, a friend and patron of artists and intellectuals, who herself became the author of the famous collection of short stories “Heptameron”, written in imitation of G. Boccaccio. She made the city a center for the arts and independent thinking.

Their daughter was Jeanne d'Albret, an ardent Protestant whose religious zeal offended her own subjects and also brought upon her the wrath of the Catholic King of France, Charles X, which caused Béarn to become embroiled in the Wars of Religion. In order to stop them (even if only temporarily), they had to wait until Jeanne’s son Henry IV ascended the French throne in 1589.

As a skilled politician, he renounced his faith to facilitate this transition, wittily remarking that " Paris worth a mass,” and then appeased the regional pride of his Béarn subjects by declaring that he was giving France to Béarn, not Béarn to France. He did not include Béarn into the French state; this was done after his death by his son and heir Louis XIII in 1620. As the most famous of Poe's sons, Henry earned himself a suitably colorful reputation.

He was baptized in the traditional Béarnian way, using local Juraneon wine - and the baby's lips were anointed with garlic. As an adult, he received the nickname "old red tape" for his amorous exploits. He also gave France one of its most famous culinary recipes - chicken stuffed and boiled with vegetables (poule au pot): according to rumors, he once said that he wanted everyone in his domain to be rich enough to afford such boiled chicken at least once a week.

What you least expect to find about Pau is his connection with the British, which began with the arrival of Wellington and his troops in the city after the defeat of Marshal Soul at Orthez in 1814. The English, seduced, at the instigation of the Scottish physician Alexander Taylor, by the local climate and the healing properties of these places, flocked to Pau throughout the 19th century, bringing with them their cultural passions: fox hunting, horse racing, polo, croquet, cricket, golf ( in 1860, the first 18-hole course in continental Europe appeared here; it was also the first in the world where women were allowed), cafes and pastry shops and parks.

When the railway was built here in 1866, the French also flocked to Pau: artists and writers, like Victor Hugo, Stendhal and Lamartine, as well as representatives of secular society. France's first rugby club opened here in 1902, after which the sport spread throughout the southwest. In the 1950s, natural gas was discovered in nearby Lac, bringing new jobs and support businesses—as well as a powerful source of sulfur dioxide pollution: today emissions have been reduced by filtration but are still significant.

In addition to the above, in 1972 a respected university: Thanks to its approximately 8 thousand students, the vibrant city is always full of young people. The French town of Pau (Aquitaine region) is close to many small picturesque villages in northwestern Bearn, as is the GR-65 hiking trail, a 60-kilometer trail that leads to the Spanish border.

Arrival, city information and accommodation in Pau

Pau Airport, north of the city, is small compared to its neighbors at Tarbes-Lourdes and Biarritz, so don't count on international flights - only a few flights go to Paris. The city is located on the Pyrenees highway (autoroute Pyreneene) A-64 and on the main railway from east to west, with stops at Bayonne and Biarritz in the west and Lourdes, Tarbes and Toulouse in the east, as well as in Bordeaux and in Paris.

The train station is located south of the center, by the river: SNCF buses depart from here, and private buses from various outlying terminals depart from Rue Gachet near Place Clemenceau. Buses head south to the Vallee d'Ossau and Oloron-Ste-Marie, stopping at the Aspe Valley along the way.

The free funicular takes you from the train station to Boulevard Pyrenees(boulevard des Pyrenees), opposite Place Royale, at the far end of which there is a travel agency. For information about hiking and mountaineering expeditions, try to get information from your local CAF (Club Alpin Francais; 5 rue Rene Fournets) or the Library of the Pyrenees (Librairie des Pyrenees: 14 rue St-Louis), where there are many different books about the mountains. In the center there is an Internet cafe CyberSeventys (7 rue Gambetta).

If you are looking for a welcoming, clean, quiet and affordable hotel, check out Hotel le Matisse (17 rue Mathieu-Lalanne, opposite the Museum fine arts). The Central Hotel (15 rue Leon-Daran) is located close to the center. Comfortable two-star rooms with bathrooms are offered by Postillon (10 Cours Camou, behind place Verdun), built around a courtyard.