This summer the French capital is hosting the Olympic Games, and due to the large influx of tourists, travelers are advised to temporarily refrain from traveling to Paris. Find out more about the best cities in France for travel in 2024

France is one of the most popular tourist countries in the world, and most travelers head to Paris. However, the French capital often suffers from over-tourism, which leads to large crowds, queues, high prices, and fraud. 

In the summer of 2024, Paris will host the Summer Olympics, which will increase prices and security measures. Travelers are advised to postpone their trip to Paris and explore other parts of the country. France offers many amazing cities worth visiting. For those who want to avoid the crowded capital, we have created a list of cities in France that are definitely worth seeing with your own eyes.

Strasbourg

Strasbourg is considered the most Christmas city in the world, but it's also a great idea to visit in the summer. The center of Strasbourg is included in the UNESCO list and resembles an open-air museum. Walking through the narrow medieval streets with canals, you feel the atmosphere of the past - kings and knights. Be sure to visit Strasbourg Cathedral, which is as beautiful as Notre Dame in Paris. The cathedral, built in 1439, has retained its original appearance and attracts attention with its unique astronomical clock.

Grand Ile (Big Island) is another must-see location. Here, near the water, there are colored houses that look like fairy tales. Strasbourg is also a city of museums, where everyone will find something interesting, and ticket prices are affordable, and the queues are much shorter than in Parisian museums.

Walking the streets of Strasbourg is a special pleasure, especially during a gastronomic tour. Local pastry shops sell the most delicious cakes, bakeries offer special local cookies, and Alsatian wine is as intoxicating as first love. 

Lille

The city of students is located near Belgium and offers tourists to enjoy gourmet cuisine and luxurious architecture that is not inferior to Paris. Art lovers are advised to visit the Palais des Beaux-Arts, which houses masterpieces by Monet, Renoir, Rubens, and Rembrandt.

The city is also rich in museums: the Countess Hospital Museum, the Museum of Natural History, and the house of national hero Charles de Gaulle. Visit the stock exchange, the citadel, the Notre Dame de la Treu cathedral, and the botanical garden. Each of these locations adds its own unique feel to your stay in this wonderful city.

Toulouse

Summer is a great time to visit this city. The weather creates ideal conditions for walking through the amazing streets, where history and the future are intertwined in harmony.

Lovers of history and architecture are recommended to visit the Saint Cernin Basilica, Saint-Etienne Cathedral, Notre Dame de la Dorade, and the Palace of Assisi. Toulouse is also known as the country's center of astronautics and aviation.

For those interested in space, it is worth visiting the space town and the thematic exhibition hall, recognized as the best in Europe. You can also organize an excursion on the largest Airbus A380 airliner.

Montpellier

Most attractions are located in the historic center, which is separated from the rest of the city by a pedestrian zone. Here you can enjoy the classics: The Musée du Paint, the majestic Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe, and the picturesque Chateau de Flogger.

The other part of the city is full of dynamism and youthful mood. Fashion boutiques, nightclubs, stylish restaurants and modern entertainment have already opened here. One of the most interesting places is an oceanarium with 3D simulators, where you can watch sharks and other marine life, feeling as if you are at the bottom of the ocean or on a cargo ship breaking through high waves.

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Lyon

In the capital of Interpol, every corner of the city is filled with parts of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sights are at every turn. To have time to see the main attractions, you should plan a trip for 2-3 days.

The historic center hasn't changed much since the Renaissance, but other neighborhoods also have something to offer. For example, the bohemian Croix-Rousse neighborhood, where weaving workshops once operated. The Wall of Weavers fresco and a thematic museum remain here, and now it is a place with a fresh olive and cheese market, trendy wine bars, glamorous patisseries, and art galleries.

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Are you planning to travel or move abroad? An important component of a successful trip is a travel insurance policy, because it guarantees the provision of high-quality medical care in any corner of the world and is able to protect you from unnecessary expenses during the trip. You can buy insurance from verified agents on the Visit World portal.

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Products from Visit World for a comfortable trip:

Travel guide for 200 countries;

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