Top-10 Favorite French Cities (so far)

Bonjour, mes ami(e)s!

Not too long ago, I re-read a post from Anne’s Present Perfect blog about her top-ten favorite cities in France. Besides vicariously living through the beautiful descriptions and gorgeous photos of each destination she’s visited, I also happened to stumble upon the comment I wrote back when I first read it, along with her reply, which read, “I’d love to know your Top Ten as well!” I was then inspired to do so, but of course, life got in the way… Five-plus months later, I’m finally getting around to it– so Anne, this one’s for you!

I admit, I found picking my top-ten cities in France to be quite the challenge, since I’ve been to so many of them these past couple of years (80+, to be more exact). That said, what I’m going to do is mix and match big and small cities, as well as exclude Paris from this list (because really, that wouldn’t be fair to the rest of them). Similar to Anne, many of my favorite cities tend to be concentrated in the region where I’ve been based for these past two years, namely Normandy– of course, I’ll also include some from all over the rest of the country! C’est parti.

My Top-Ten Favorite French Cities (excluding Paris)

1. Le Havre.

Starting off this list is none other than Le Havre, a port city situated along the Upper Normandy coast. What makes this city distinctive from others in Normandy is that it had been heavily destroyed during WWII, later rebuilt with modern architecture. Many locals find the city today to be moche (“ugly”), but on the contrary, I find it quite nice. With its wide sidewalks, vast beaches, and big-city feel, Le Havre reminds me a lot of my hometown of Los Angeles. Granted, I didn’t live there, instead in a small, isolated town situated 45 minutes away, but making the trips over for the beach and city atmosphere helped me feel right at home during my first year working in France.

2. Étretat.

Due to its pristine, chalky cliffs, Étretat is a small town that’s considered an icon of the Normandy region. I’d heard about it before I moved to France to work, but never did I imagine that I would be blown away with its loveliness. Although not easy to access without a car (there’s the public bus, which departs from Le Havre and Fécamp), the trip is worth spending an afternoon soaking up the sun, enjoying an apéro, and hiking along the cliffs for views of the sea. I’ve been to Étretat both in warm and freezing weather, and it remains a beauty to see.

3. Caen

Pronounced “con,” Caen is the capital of Lower Normandy. It has a medieval feel to it, and it’s no wonder that it’s dedicated to the 11th-century Norman king William the Conqueror. While having a modern, city atmosphere, Caen also has preserved much of its historic monuments, including the stately Abbaye aux Hommes, château de Caen, and église Saint-Étienne-le-Vieux. Since living in Normandy, I’ve visited Caen twice, both during my first year. I enjoyed both visits, although my flatmates this past year weren’t so impressed with it. While it’s true that Caen is worth merely a day’s visit, I’ve found pleasure in its architecture and calm atmosphere, despite being the big city.

4. Strasbourg.

Shifting to the eastern side of France, the Alsatian city of Strasbourg holds plenty of beauty and charm to satisfy your weekend away. It’s especially known for holding one of the biggest Christmas markets in France and, having been there before, I can attest to the winter magic in town. Outside of the Christmas season, though, Strasbourg remains a worthwhile place to visit. La Petite France offers a quaint stroll for tourists to admire the half-timbered, Beauty and the Beast-style houses, along with the city’s 1000-year-old cathedral, one of the largest in France. I’d love to come back for the Christmas markets someday!

5. Lyon.

Spanning several arrondissements near and away from the Saône and Rhône rivers, Lyon is sprawling with dozens, if not hundreds, of gorgeous architecture, amazing restaurants, and sublime city views to keep you occupied each time. Place Bellecour, along with the Théàtre gallo-romain and la Fourvière, are hot-spots for many visitors (including myself) who tend to hang out within Vieux Lyon, but there’s much more to the city than just that: I’ll have to venture out further to check out some of the museums and fresques!

6. Dijon.

Perhaps one of the first things that come to mind about Dijon is its famous mustard: while it’s true that Dijon produces it, there’s so much more to this city in the rusty Burgundy region of France. The city center is fairly compact, so it’s not hard getting from one sight to the other. From the charming Place François Rude to the lush Jardin Darcy, Dijon has a good amount of things to see and do for a weekend out of town. It has an incredibly laid-back atmosphere, and its cuisine bourguignonne (famous for escargots, boeuf bourguignon, and Pinot noir wine) is the ideally-traditional French cuisine.

7. Bordeaux.

Famous for being the “wine capital of France,” Bordeaux also lives up to its reputation of being rich with history, as reflected in its prehistoric origins shown in the musée d’Aquitaine to the elegant, 18th-century architecture in places such as the Place de la Bourse, which is absolutely magical when lit up at night. True, you can enjoy wine in Bordeaux, but wine-tasting is more so out in the surrounding countryside: instead, its nightlife (being a notable university town) is absolutely hoppin’, especially when I was visiting: lots of friendly faces, great music, and plenty of food and wine to go around!

8. Pau.

Although a small city, Pau nevertheless has a certain character to it which makes it at least a stop-over between cities in southwest France. What makes Pau recognizable is its Boulevard des Pyrénées, a 3/4-kilometer stretch situated on an elevated part of the city which offers views of the Pyrenees mountains not too far away. There’s also the château de Pau, in which King Henry IV was born and is now a museum today. It’s worth a stroll for a couple of hours to take in the pretty views, along with the bright sun during the warmer months. Plus, it’s not too far from Spain, so you can enjoy more sun thereafter!

9. Toulouse.

Informally known as “la Ville Rose,” Toulouse gets its nickname for its distinctive, pink-colored bricks used for many of the buildings throughout the city. Just like Dijon, the city has a slower-paced, laid back atmosphere to it, with warm, sunny temperatures even in the winter. Toulouse is best-known for its Basilique Saint-Sernin, which is one of the largest Romanesque buildings in Europe; I admit, its architecture looks different from other basilicas I’ve seen before! While Toulouse is probably worth no more than a day’s visit, it’s home to one of the warmest, kindhearted locals I’ve ever met in France– they certainly break the stereotype of the “grumpy, aloof” French individual!

10. Marseille.

When I think of Marseille, my mind turns to the magnificently-blue Mediterranean sea, along with good weather and lots of bouillabaisse to boot. So far, Marseille has been the only southern city I’ve visited more than once, and really, I would choose to return again (and again) to see more! Love the Vieux Port at sunset, as well as the magnificent Notre-Dame de la Garde and quaint Le Panier district. The day trip-hike to the calanques are very much worthwhile as an escape from the city’s bustle. People are friendly, and overall, there’s a good vibe to the city– as long as you keep your wits about your surroundings, don’t let the reputation of “the dangerous city in France” get to you!

*bonus* Annecy.

I recently surprised myself by realizing that I, in fact, have been to the Grenoble region of France, thanks to Annecy. This quaint city offers great, historic streets to wander in Vieux Annecy, along with meditative views of its eponymous lake in front of the French Alps. It’s also not too far from Switzerland, thereby making it a popular place to pass through, along with being near winter resorts for that ultimate “winter wonderland” sentiment. Funny enough, I was actually placed in Annecy for what would’ve been my third-year assistantship in France (if I hadn’t gotten the lectrice offer), and I wonder how my experiences would’ve turned out– interesting how these things happen!

 

Let me know your favorite cities in France; it would be great to see some places you’ve enjoyed visiting!

 

— Rebecca