France welcomes more tourists than most countries in the world, and this should not come as a surprise. People dream of visiting the Eiffel Tower, never-ending baguettes, delicious croissants, colourful macarons, and many more things. You will find stunning beaches, art museums, snow-capped Alps including Europes’s tallest peak. If France isn't on your bucket list, it should be.
5 Hidden Gems In France
1. Annecy
Annecy is one of the most beautiful and calm places in France, it is a town located in southeastern France. This is where Lake Annecy feeds into the Thiou River, and it is also known for its Vieille Ville a.k.a. old w, with cobbled streets, winding canals and pastel-coloured houses.
It is actually easy to get to Annecy! You can get there by flying to Annecy Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc airport, which is about 7km away from the town. You can easily find trains from most major cities in France, and you can book a train trough Omio, which is my favourite to use whenever I am in Europe. You can also take a bus depending on where you are in France and if you are comfortable in doing so.
The best time to visit Annecy would be between June and September, this is where you will enjoy the best weather, but be aware that it will be crowded during that time since it is high season. If you want to avoid the crowd, then you can visit in May and October, the weather would still be nice but it will be cheaper that way and way less crowded.
Annecy is a small place, so you don’t have to worry about moving around, since you can enjoy walking. You can also cycle around to explore if you like that, or even use and electrical-scooter.
Annecy is not that big, so when you visit you want to stay near the historical centre so keep that in mind when looking for accommodations. You don’t have to worry about your budget, because you will be able to find an accommodation that would suit your budget.
2. Gorges Du Verdon
Gorges Du Verdon is one of the most beautiful canyons in the world, and one of the most mesmerising natural places in Europe. It is located in the centre of Provence and close to the French Riviera. You can simply jump in a kayak or use a paddle boat in this turquoise water. You can look at the enormous cliffs while in the water, and take in all the beauty. There are remote beaches that you can enjoy, and you can even climb up the rocky gorge.
Fun fact about Gorges Du Verdon is that it is a natural phenomenon, and it actually used to be underwater 250 million years ago! As the glaciers have melted and the plates have moved, Gorges Du Verdon have naturally formed. Another fact is that it is the biggest gorge in Europe.
Be aware that it is not easy to get there using public transport, your best option would be to either hire a car or rent a car and drive there yourself. If you don’t want to rent a car, you can find a guided tour through GetYourGuide, which would be the best option. If you want to rent a car, you can definitely use Discover Cars!
The best time to visit Gorges Du Verdon would be during the summer time, because you can then enjoy the water and cool off from the summer heat. But be aware that it would be crowded during that time, so you should probably head there as early as you can to enjoy it to the fullest while avoiding the crowd.
You don’t need to worry of course about moving around Gorges Du Verdon, you would be walking, hiking, and swimming.
You don’t need accommodation in Gorges Du Verdon because all you need is a day to spend there, so a day trip from the French Riviera is ideal. However, if you want to stay overnight in this beautiful place to enjoy the hiking trail and see other villages, then you can. You can find accommodations in the nearby village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie.
3. Étretat
Étretat is a picturesque seaside town in France, which has thrived for a longtime on its fishing trade and kelp was commonly harvested and burned on the beach for its iodine. Later on, the town saw an increase in its visitors and it became a popular resort.
Getting to Étretat is not that easy, since there are no direct trains to get there.Le Havre's famous port town before transferring to a nearby bus route that takes under an hour. You can also go on a day trip from Paris and you can book a guided tour through GetYourGuide, which would be the best option. If you want to rent a car, you can definitely use Discover Cars!
Étretat has great weather all-year-round, but the best time to visit Étretat would be between April and October, but be aware that it would be crowded since it is high season. If you want to avoid the crowd, then you can visit during Spring & Autumn.
You can use a bike to move around Étretat, bike rentals are available in Fécamp, Étretat and Les Loges. You can also enjoy walking around the town.
You can find and stay in an apartment when in Étretat, and it can look over the beach, and that way you will have an amazing view to look at.
4. Menton
Menton has an Italian vibe to it since it is really close to Italy, so yes you would be in France, but you would also feel like you’re in Italy. With its dreamy beaches and palm trees, you can enjoy a 2-days trip there.
You can easily reach Menton from both France and Italy. You can get to Nice’s international airport, and then it would be about a 30 minutes drive from the there. If you are already exploring France, then you can go there by car if you are renting one, and if not, you can find a train to get there from Paris, which would take about 6 and a half hours, which I know is long, so instead you can take a train from Marseille which would take 3 and a half hours.
There is no best time to visit Menton since it has great weather all-year-long! With it’s unique climate, it is sunny all the time and there are also there are mild temperatures during every season. If you want to save money and travel during the off season while also avoiding the crowds, then your best option would be to visit during Spring or Autumn, and you don’t have to worry because it will still be warm enough to enjoy the water.
Menton is really small so you don’t have to worry about moving around, so you can enjoy and explore on foot. If you feel like you need to explore other nearby destinations, then you can use the railway stations available in Menton. Fun fact, you can walk to Italy from Menton, because it is that close to the borders! Or you can even take a 9 minutes train ride to Ventimiglia right across the borders.
You will be able to find good hotels in Menton so you don’t need to worry about accommodations. Try to stay close to the beach and/or the old town since this is where you will be spending most of your time.
What To Do Before Travelling To France
🪪 Get Your Visa
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Book your flights seamlessly with WayAway. Compare prices, find the best deals, and jet off to France with ease! — Get 10% off WayAway Plus membership with this code → TP-385219.
→ Go to WayAway
📱 Buy A Travel SIM-Card
Stay connected easily with Airalo SIM-card. Activate one before your trip and enjoy hassle-free communication during your time in France!
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🔒 Choose Insurance
Ensure peace of mind during your trip to France by having comprehensive coverage against any unforeseen circumstances.
→ Go to VisitorsCoverage
How To Get To France
France’s biggest airports are Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, Nice, and Lyon Saint Exupéry. So you will not struggle to find flights to France. You can use WayAway to find cheap flights. You can also reach France by train or buses from most cities in Europe, and I like to use Omio whenever I am travelling in Europe to find either trains or buses.
How To Move Around France
The airports in France are connected to a train station, so you will be able to move from the airports easily. When moving around each city you can get the metro or the tram, you can buy tickets from any metro station or from a tram stop, you will find ticket machines at each stop. Also be aware that you need to validate your ticket once you get on your mode of transport of choice, this is important to not forget.
You can book trains and buses through Omio to move from one city to the other, which as I mentioned before is my favourite app to use whenever I am travelling in Europe, and I have used it multiple times when I was in France.
Best Time To Visit France
France’s weather varies depending on the region, when you look at the south of France, sunshine is around 300 days of the year, but then you go to other regions, you will find your normal 4 seasons. So, the best time to visit France in general would be in Spring & Autumn, because you would be avoiding both the extreme weather as well as the crowd, and it will be low season, so it will be cheaper then.
Accommodations In France
You will be able to find accommodations in France that would suit your budget whether you are on a budget or you’re looking for something luxurious.
You can book your accommodation through Booking.com, which is the one I use the most, or if you wan to stay in a hostel you can book through HostelWorld. You can also use Agoda, Trivago, or Vrbo to book your accommodations. I know most people have a favourite website or app to use, so just choose what you prefer best.