50+ Underrated Places in France Travelers Recommend
These cities and towns came up when travelers were asked which parts of France deserve more attention. None of them are secret, but they’re often skipped in favor of bigger names. If you’re planning a trip and want something real, quieter, or just different, here’s where people say to go.
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Angoulême
A hilltop city that looks out over the Charente River. Best known for its comic book murals, but the real draw is the atmosphere – calm, solid, and a little eccentric.
Biarritz
Has a reputation as a luxury beach town but it’s more mixed than that. Waves, old hotels, and locals who actually live there year-round.
Bayonne
Feels older and more grounded than nearby Biarritz. Narrow streets, Basque facades, and spicy food. Locals still speak Basque here, and it shows in the pride.
La Rochelle
White-stone port city with a compact center, arcaded streets, and sea air. People love how walkable and manageable it is for a seaside stay.
Niort
A low-profile place with a medieval castle right in the center. It sits on the edge of the Marais Poitevin and has a calm, unpolished feel.
Périgueux
Roman ruins, an onion-domed cathedral, and some of the best food markets in the Dordogne. Walkable and lived-in, not touristy.
Rochefort
A historic naval town that feels overlooked. Visitors praise the open-air shipbuilding sites and calm pace near the Charente River.
Occitanie
Albi
The red-brick cathedral is brutal and beautiful. The Toulouse-Lautrec museum and riverside setting give it depth beyond a quick stop.
Béziers
Often skipped for Montpellier, but it has Roman ruins, a canal bridge, and raw southern energy. It’s rough in parts, but real.
Cahors
The Pont Valentré is a draw, but the town itself – tight alleys, stone houses, and hearty food – makes it a solid base in the Lot.
Montignac
Best known for Lascaux, but people are surprised by how much they like staying here. It’s quiet, green, and feels like a proper Dordogne village.
Sète
A working port with canals and a steep hill that gives you a sea view without the crowds. Gritty edges, great seafood, and a strong local identity.
Toulouse
Bigger than people expect, and more relaxed. The Garonne, pink brick, and café culture. A good alternative to Paris or Lyon.
Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
Arles
Roman arenas and a dusty, open-feeling city layout. Travelers who don’t like how polished parts of Provence have become often end up here.
Bandol
A coastal town with excellent rosé and fewer yachts. Feels residential and calm, with real beaches and seaside promenades.
Frejus
Roman ruins mixed with postwar kitsch. Feels like two cities in one. Good for people interested in less-manicured coast towns.
Hyères
Pastel villas, palm trees, and access to the Îles d’Hyères. The old town climbs a hill and still has corners that feel untouched.
Roussillon
Famous for ochre cliffs but still not overrun. People go for the color and stay for the landscape walks and slower rhythm.
Sanary-sur-Mer
Charming harbor, local markets, and older residents who want nothing to do with glitz. It’s beautiful without being self-conscious.
Toulon
Overlooked because of its naval base, but the old town is full of narrow lanes, markets, and locals. The cable car to Mont Faron gives a full view of the bay.
Orange
The Roman theatre is intact and open. You can walk in without a guide, sit in the stone seats, and just imagine the noise.
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Clermont-Ferrand
Set against dormant volcanoes, with dark volcanic stone buildings and a serious university presence. Not touristy – and better for it.
Lyon
Still weirdly under-visited. Two rivers, Roman ruins, traboules, and real neighborhoods that don’t exist for tourists.
Mâcon
A river town in southern Burgundy. Soft hills, local wine, and a low-key vibe that makes it good for a night or two.
Pérouges
A tiny medieval village on a hill near Lyon. Fully preserved, still has residents, and doesn’t feel like a museum despite the crowds it should have.
Valence
On the Rhône, with mountains behind it and the south just beginning. The pace is slow, and the food is better than you’d expect for a place this size.
Vichy
Spa town architecture, broad parks, and a strange history. People come out curious and leave surprisingly fond of it.
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Belfort
Big lion statue aside, the town center is clean, bright, and colorful. Feels like a mix of Alsace and Jura but with fewer clichés.
Besançon
The river wraps around the center like a moat. The Vauban citadel overlooks it all. Quiet, studenty, and not overloaded with tourism.
Dijon
Burgundian food capital with an old center that’s still affordable. Half-timbered houses, hidden courtyards, and real city life.
Centre-Val de Loire
Amboise
Loire Valley town with both a château and Leonardo da Vinci’s house. Smaller and more personable than its neighbors.
Blois
The château is surreal, like four different castles in one. The town feels built on levels, and the views are always shifting.
Chartres
You come for the cathedral, but staying overnight is the trick. The town lights it up at night, and most tourists are gone by then.
Loches
Feels removed from the big Loire tourist circuit. A castle, a royal past, and a sleepy center you can actually explore without a map.
Orléans
Wide boulevards, a Joan of Arc obsession, and enough grit to feel real. People often use it as a transit stop but are glad when they don’t.
Tours
Students, wine, and timbered houses. It works well as a base, but people who stay longer say it grows on you fast.
Grand Est
Nancy
The Place Stanislas is a showpiece, but Nancy’s draw is in the Art Nouveau façades tucked into neighborhoods. Walk around and spot them.
Reims
Everyone visits the cathedral. Fewer stay long enough to realize it’s a fun, active city with excellent food and low-pretense champagne houses.
Troyes
Half-timbered houses in every direction. Still residential. You can get lost in the center without ever running into a gift shop.
Hauts-de-France
Amiens
The hortillonnages (floating gardens) are like nothing else in France. Add a towering cathedral and a quiet canal-side bar.
Arras
The main square feels Belgian. Vaulted arcades, strong beer, and WWI history that still runs deep.
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Fishing town with a walled upper city and a world-class aquarium. People expect bland but what they get is character.
Compiègne
Palace, forest, and First World War history. The town feels elegant and strangely quiet.
Lille
Young, lively, and fun. Most people arrive expecting a pass-through city and leave talking about how much they want to come back.
Montreuil-sur-Mer
Walled town with literary ties and good food. Small enough to walk across in 20 minutes, but with enough detail to hold your attention for a weekend.
Normandy
Caen
Mixes modern rebuilds with medieval leftovers. The castle is free to enter, and the WWII memorial is still one of the best in France.
Deauville
It looks pretentious in photos, but people say the off-season is the sweet spot. Wide beaches, big skies, and space to think.
Fougères
Very often mentioned. Massive stone fortress with grass growing in its cracks. Few visitors, no ticket lines, just old stones and quiet paths.
Granville
Clifftop views, Christian Dior’s childhood home, and the salty air of a working port. Way more interesting than it gets credit for.
Honfleur
Yes, the harbor is overpainted in travel guides. But people who explore the upper streets find a quieter, more human place.
Rouen
Tall churches, black-and-white timbered houses, and a sense of age that feels heavy and real. Joan of Arc’s ghost lives here.
Saint-Malo
The tide crashes right into the walls. It gets crowded, but the old town is well-kept and dramatic in bad weather.
Brittany
Vannes
Tidy walls, busy marina, and timbered houses in soft colors. Feels both old and lively. Travelers mention its manageable scale.
Pays de la Loire
Angers
A moat, a fortress, and a massive tapestry inside. The city is a university hub, which keeps it young and active.
Le Mans
Historic center is a surprise. Cobbled, quiet, and lined with lanterns at night. Most people only know the racetrack and miss this part entirely.
Saumur
White stone, equestrian schools, and wines you rarely see exported. Overlooks the Loire and feels like a peaceful midpoint.
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Cover photo: Wikipedro (CC BY-SA 4.0)