France’s Best Kept Secrets: A Quick Guide

France’s most famous cities, Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, are magnificent, but they’re hardly secrets.  Their magic and attractions – the Eiffel Tower, gastronomic excellence and some of the best wine on the planet - are known and loved the world over.

But the world’s most visited country has considerably more magic up its sleeve and you don’t have to look far to find it.   This wonder often lies in smaller towns where centuries of history sit quietly behind scenic café terraces, delectable farmer’s markets and views that soften even the weariest traveller's heart.

These places are easy to miss, given the wealth France offers visitors, yet they offer exactly what travellers come to France for: exceptional food, rich heritage, and landscapes that are designed for long lunches and languid exploration.

This guide to France’s Best Kept Secrets is in keeping with my ‘Second Time In’series of posts.  In this case, it can be extended to ‘third/fourth/fifth time in France’ as you’ll never get round all of these unless it’s one epic roadtrip – I’m thoroughly jealous if that’s you!

Each of these can be easily reached from a nearby major city, making them ideal for a day trip or a relaxed overnight stay.  From Burgundy’s wine capital to medieval hilltop – no seriously, you’re in the clouds - villages and cathedral towns of surprisingly startling grandeur, these destinations prove that some of France’s most rewarding experiences don’t need the Emily in Paris cliches to be the most memorable stops of your trip. I've loosely ordered these from North to South.

One last thing - if you dislike wine, I'd suggest you look away now.

Arras – A Truly Grand Place

Getting there: High-speed trains connect Paris Gare du Nord to Arras in about 50 minutes and Lille in 25 minutes.  If you’re driving from the Eurotunnel port in Calais, Arras is about 75 minutes’ drive away.  

Arras surprises visitors with two of the most striking squares in northern France: the Grand’Place and Place des Héros.  Anyone who’s been to Brugge will instantly recognise the Flemish style.

Lined with 155 Flemish-Baroque townhouses rebuilt after World War I – you’re close to the sobering memories of the Somme here - their ornate gables create a theatrical backdrop for one of the region’s largest weekly markets, held on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

Beneath the streets lies another attraction: the Boves, a network of medieval chalk tunnels once used for storage and later by Allied troops during the First World War. Climb the Belfry of Arras, a UNESCO-listed tower rising 75 metres above the square, for a majestic view across the rooftops and surrounding Artois (of Stella fame) countryside.

Villefranche-sur-Saône – Gateway to Beaujolais

Getting there: Regional trains from Lyon to Villefranche-sur-Saône run frequently and take about 20–25 minutes.

On the other side of Lyon, Villefranche-sur-Saône is the unofficial capital of Beaujolais wine country. The town’s centrepiece is Rue Nationale, a long Renaissance street lined with warm golden-stone buildings typical of the region.

Local bouchons serve hearty dishes like coq au vin made with - obviously - Beaujolais red, while nearby vineyards produce the famous Gamay wines celebrated every November during the Beaujolais Nouveau festival (although it remains a wine that divides the crowd to put it kindly).

A short drive into the surrounding hills reveals picturesque villages and tasting rooms scattered across the Beaujolais crus.  Domaine du Barvy would be my recommendation albeit a car is needed to get there...or join one of multiple guided tours that introduce you to the wines of the region.

Beaune – Burgundy’s Wine Capital

Getting there: Direct trains run from Paris to Beaune in as little as about 2 hours; many routes connect via Dijon (20 minutes away). 

Beaune is Burgundy decanted into one charming town.  I visited last summer by chance after being told abruptly that my hotel room in Dijon would not be ready for at least another six hours…best delay I’ve ever encountered!

Encircled by medieval ramparts, Beaune’s cobbled streets lead to the flamboyant Hôtel-Dieu des Hospices de Beaune, the former hospital for the poor, founded in 1443 and justifiably famous for its colourful tiled roof. Come in golden hour for the most stunning light.

Asides from the architecure, wine - again - dominates everything here: cellars from historic négociants line the centre, while the Cité des Climats et Vins de Bourgogne explains the region’s meticulously classified vineyards. Lunch inevitably becomes a tasting tour…or just skip to the tasting straight away, I recommend Le Cellier de la Cabiote for a no-nonsense tasting with accesisble information and good interaction (to the extent of my schoolboy French anyway!)

Amboise – All Things Renaissance

Getting there: Direct trains run from Paris Montparnasse to Amboise in about 1 hour 45 minutes.  Tours is just 25 minutes away by train, and an equivalent time by car.

Few towns are as closely tied to the French Renaissance as Amboise. Dominating the Loire River is the Château Royal d’Amboise, once a residence of French kings and still one of the most dramatic castles in the Loire Valley…and trust me, that’s some stiff competition!

Just down the road lies the Clos Lucé, the final home of Leonardo da Vinci, who spent his last three years here under the patronage of King Francis I. The manor now displays models of his inventions and leads into gardens filled with working interpretations of his designs. Come on a summer evening for an immersive sound and light show and the chance to wander the grounds as the sun sets.

Between getting your history fix, stroll the riverside promenade and the lively old town streets filled with bars serving Loire Valley Chenin Blanc…my all time favourite wine.

Chambéry – To Market!

Getting there:  Chambéry lies about 30 minutes by train from Annecy and roughly 1 hour 20–45 minutes from Lyon.   Driving from Lyon takes about 1.5 hours.

Often overshadowed by nearby Annecy – which feels an unfair comparison, as most places would be -  Chambéry quietly delivers one of the most atmospheric old towns in the Alps.

Its tangled medieval lanes are filled with pastel façades and secret passageways known astraboules. At the centre stands the Château des Ducs de Savoie, once home to the rulers of Savoy, while the whimsical – and irresistibly photogenic - Fontaine des Éléphants commemorates a local explorer with four sculpted elephant trunks emerging from a column.  

Restaurants specialise in hearty Alpine cuisine, fondue, tartiflette (a rich cheese, bacon and potato gratin dish) and local wines from Savoie. Speaking of food – as I often do in France, the Saturday morning farmer’s market around Place Saint-Leger, is one of the best I’ve seen anywhere in France – you’ll be unsurprised to hear cheese, meats and wine are all excellent purchases.

Vienne – Roman France by the Rhône

Getting there: Frequent regional trains connect Lyon to Vienne in about 20 minutes and is a considerably better option than trying to drive given traffic and parking restrictions.

Just south of Lyon, Vienne is a small but perfectly formed archaeological surprise. The town preserves some of the best Roman remains in France, including the perfectly proportioned Temple of Augustus and Livia, which still dominates the main square after two millennia.

Nearby stands the equally remarkably intact Roman Theatre, which once held 13,000 spectators, still hosts summer concerts – well worth your time on a lazy, warm evening. Above it all rises the hilltop Pipet viewpoint – a short but steep 15 minute walk from the town centre - offering far-sighted views over the Rhône valley and the surrounding vineyards of the northern Rhône wine region.

Albi – A Ceiling Like No Other

Getting there: Trains (or driving) from Toulouse Matabiau to Albi Ville take an hour.

Albi’s skyline is dominated by the astonishing Sainte-Cécile Cathedral, a colossal brick structure that looks more like a fortress than a church.  I came to Albi reluctantly, looking for a day trip on our final day in France after rain decimated plans for an open air wander around Carcassone, 90 minutes away.

This entry is a slight cheat as Albi is a proud city in its own right but remains largely unknown by international visitors...when it (and the surrounding Tarn Valley) really should be!

Built after the Albigensian Crusade (a decidedly nasty genocide of the Cathars in southern France - par for the course in European Catholic history), it was intended to demonstrate the Church’s authority, hence the sheer scale and thick defensive walls.

Inside, the tone changes dramatically: ceilings explode with Renaissance frescoes – some of the finest in Europe - including an enormous, and pretty grisly, Last Judgment painting. Nothing left to the imagination here.

Nearby, the Palais de la Berbie houses the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, dedicated to the city’s most famous post-impressionist son. Wander the Tarn riverbanks and the red-brick streets of the episcopal quarter and the town feels frozen in another, more brutal, century.

Cordes-sur-Ciel – Take Me To The Clouds Above

Getting there: From Albi, the regional line 707 bus reaches Cordes-sur-Ciel in about 30 minutes.  Driving from Albi takes around 20 minutes

While you’re finished gawping at the cathedral ceiling in Albi, your next stop really should be

Cordes-sur-Ciel, an easy 30-minute bus ride or 20-minute drive. 

Literally translated as ‘ropes in the sky’, I challenge anyone not to feel there’s just a little bit of magic in this picture perfect town, somewhere between an artistic masterpiece and Disney opening credits.

The medieval village rises dramatically – and bloody steeply (a tourist train climbs in summer, outside of this you’re on your own!) -  above the Tarn valley, its stone ramparts and Gothic houses perched high on a ridge. On misty mornings the valley fog settles below the town, making it appear to float “in the sky”…hence the irresistible poetic name.

Climbing the steep cobbled streets reveals artisan workshops, sculpted façades from the 13th and 14th centuries, and breathtaking – in the very literal sense - views across vineyards and farmland.

The reward at the summit is simple: a panoramic terrace where the landscape unfolds for miles.  You’ve deserved that glass of Duras.

France’s Best Kept Secrets – The Final Word

Exploring France’s Best Kept Secrets reveals a different rhythm of travel - one where the best meal of your trip might come from a small-town bistro and where a half-day trip from a more illustrious destination ends becoming your new favourite destination.

Places like Beaune, Albi and Cordes-sur-Ciel show how much history and character exist beyond the country’s famous cities with their beauty hidden in their intimacy and that feeling that cries out in your best Bill Bryson impression - ‘why did nobody tell me about this?’ 

Best of all?  You’re never far from that next glass of local wine and the chance to live ‘la vie est belle’ lifestyle yourself.

Part 2 inevitably occuring when I finally travel down France's West Coast and into the interior.