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Cimetière du Père Lachaise
The world’s most visited cemetery, Père Lachaise, opened in 1804. Its 70,000 ornate, even ostentatious, tombs of the rich and/or famous form a verdant, 44-hectare sculpture garden. The most visited are those of 1960s rock star Jim Morrison (division 6) and Oscar Wilde (division 89)
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Aquarium La Rochelle
La Rochelles number-one tourist attraction is this state-of-the-art family-friendly aquarium. A visit begins by descending in a clunky old submarine to the ocean floor, where, serenaded by the sound of crashing waves and classical music, you step out to be greeted by the pouting fi
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Panthéon
Overlooking the city from its Left Bank perch, the Panthéons stately neoclassical dome stands out as one of the most recognizable icons in the Parisian skyline. Originally a church and now a mausoleum, it has served since 1791 as the resting place of some of France’s greatest think
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Les Machines de lÎle de Nantes
The quirkiest sight in Nantes has to be Les Machines de lÎle de Nantes. Inside this fantasy world its perfectly possible to prance around like a maharajah on the back of a 45-tonne mechanical elephant with a secret lounge inside its belly, or voyage on a boat through dangerous ocea
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Vieux Port
Ships have docked for more than 26 centuries at the city’s birthplace, the colourful Old Port. The main commercial docks were transferred to the Joliette area north of here in the 1840s, but the old port remains a thriving harbour for fishing boats, pleasure yachts and tourists. Gu
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Citadel
Jutting out above the Tavignano and Restonica Rivers, and the cobbled alleyways of the Haute Ville , the citadel’s oldest part is the château – known as the Nid d’Aigle, meaning ‘Eagle’s Nest’ – built in 1419. The 19th-century barracks now house the tourist office and the Museu di
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Abbaye de Fontevraud
Until its closure in 1793 this huge 12th-century complex was one of the largest ecclesiastical centres in Europe. The extensive grounds include a chapter room with murals of the Passion of Christ by Thomas Pot. And keep a look out for the multi-chimneyed, rocket-shaped kitchen , bu
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Parc Naturel Interrégional du Marais Poitevin
Parc Naturel Interrégional du Marais Poitevin is a tranquil bird-filled wetland dubbed the Venise Verte (Green Venice) due to the duckweed that turns its maze of waterways emerald green each spring and summer. Covering some 800 sq km of wet and drained marsh, the marshlands are int
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Parc Animalier des Pyrénées
Thirteen kilometres south of Lourdes, off the D821 near Argelès-Gazost, this fantastic animal park is home to many animals which were once common sights across the Pyrenees. The animals live on special ‘islands’ designed to mirror their natural habitat: marmots, chamoix and ibex in
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Pont du Gard
Southern France has some fine Roman sites, but nothing can top the Unesco World Heritage Site–listed Pont du Gard, 21km northeast of Nîmes. This fabulous three-tiered aqueduct was once part of a 50km-long system of water channels, built around 19 BC to transport water from Uzès to
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Cabanon Le Corbusier
The only building French architect Le Corbusier (1887–1965) ever built for himself is this rather simple – but very clever – beach hut on Cap Martin. The cabanon , a small beach hut that he completed in 1952, became his main holiday home until his death. The hut can be visited on e
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Arc de Triomphe
If anything rivals the Eiffel Tower as the symbol of Paris, it’s this magnificent 1836 monument to Napoléon’s 1805 victory at Austerlitz, which he commissioned the following year. The intricately sculpted triumphal arch stands sentinel in the centre of the Étoile (‘star’) roundabou
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Les Arènes
Nîmes’ twin-tiered amphitheatre is the best preserved in France. Built around 100 BC, the arena would have seated 24,000 spectators and staged gladiatorial contests and public executions, and it still provides an impressive venue for gigs, events and summer bullfights. An audioguid
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Château Royal de Blois
Intended more as an architectural showpiece (look at that ornately carved facade!) than a military stronghold, Blois’ chateau bears the creative mark of several successive French kings. It makes an excellent introduction to the châteaux of the Loire Valley, with elements of Gothic
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Les Catacombes
Paris’ most macabre sight is its underground tunnels lined with skulls and bones. In 1785 it was decided to rectify the hygiene problems of Paris’ overflowing cemeteries by exhuming the bones and storing them in disused quarry tunnels and the Catacombes were created in 1810.After d
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Musée des Beaux Arts
The city’s wonderful art museum is inside the beautifully restored 18th-century bishops’ palace. Come either to explore the exquisite building or the excellent collections of Limoges porcelain and enamel, fine paintings from 14th-century Italian masterpieces to Renoir, and displays
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Musée Fabre
Founded in 1825 by the painter François-Xavier Fabre, and totally renovated to the tune of €61 million between 2002 and 2007, this landmark museum houses one of France’s richest collections of European art.The galleries are split into three main sections: Old Masters, Modern Moveme
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Parc National des Calanques
Marseille abuts the spectacular Parc National des Calanques, a 20km stretch of high, rocky promontories rising from the turquoise Mediterranean. The cliffs are interrupted by small idyllic beaches, some impossible to reach without a kayak. The Marseillais come in droves to soak up
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Citadelle de Besançon
Dominating the city from its perch 120 vertical metres above the old town, the 17th-century Citadelle de Besancon – designed by Vauban for Louis XIV – commands sweeping views of the city and the serpentine River Doubs. Along with 11 other Vauban works, it was recognised as a Unesco
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Musée d’Art Moderne
It’s worth a brief stop in St Étienne to visit the exceptional collection of 20th-century and contemporary paintings, sculptures and photographs at the Musée d’Art Moderne, the country’s second largest after Paris’ Centre Pompidou. Tram 4 (direction Hôpital Nord) links it with the
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