Places worth the detour in France
France has 4,018 places worth going out of your way for on Detourmap, across 16 kinds — the biggest group is castles, palaces & forts (1,296). The best known is Eiffel Tower. 3,465 of them are hidden gems most guides skip. Every place below has a photo and a Wikipedia article — click any of them to fly the map there.
Castles, palaces & forts in France 1,296
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Palace of Versailles
Castles & palaces · 17th century · Iconic
Palace in Versailles, France and location of the Museum of the History of France
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Château de Montsoreau
Castles & palaces · 10th century · Iconic
Castle in the Loire valley France and location of château de montsoreau-museum of contemporary art
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Tuileries Palace
Castles & palaces · 16th century · Renowned
Royal and imperial palace in Paris which stood on the right bank of the River Seine
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Château de Chambord
Castles & palaces · 16th century · Renowned
Castle in Chambord, Centre-Val de Loire, France
Churches, temples, monasteries & shrines in France 788
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Notre-Dame de Chartres
Sacred sites · 12th century · Renowned
Medieval Roman Rite Catholic cathedral
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Panthéon
Sacred sites · 18th century · Renowned
Mausoleum in Paris for the most distinguished French people
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Basilica of Saint-Denis
Sacred sites · 12th century · Renowned
Basilica located in Seine-Saint-Denis, in France
Parks, canyons & rock formations in France 524
Museums & galleries in France 318
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Louvre Museum
Museums & galleries · 18th century · Iconic
Art and archeology museum in Paris, France
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Centre Georges Pompidou
Museums & galleries · 20th century · Renowned
National cultural center of contemporary art in Paris, France
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Château de Montsoreau-Museum of Contemporary Art
Museums & galleries · 21st century · Renowned
Museum of Contemporary art in France
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Musée des Arts et Métiers
Museums & galleries · 18th century · Renowned
Science and technology museum located in Paris, France
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Petit Palais
Museums & galleries · 20th century · Renowned
Building housing the Museum of Fine Arts of the City of Paris
Parks, gardens & arboretums in France 269
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bois de Boulogne
Parks & gardens · 19th century · Renowned
Large public park the western edge of Paris, France
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Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
Parks & gardens · 18th century · Renowned
Natural history museum in Paris, France
Monuments & statues in France 202
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Venus de Milo
Monuments & statues · 2nd century BC · Renowned
Ancient Greek marble statue of a woman
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Winged Victory of Samothrace
Monuments & statues · 2nd century BC · Renowned
Statue from Samothrace, Greece in the Louvre, Paris, France
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Grande Arche
Monuments & statues · 20th century · Renowned
Monument and building in Paris's La Défense
Ancient & archaeological sites in France 169
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Louvre Pyramid
Ancient & megalithic · 20th century · Renowned
Glass and metal pyramid in the main courtyard of the Louvre Palace
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Roman Theatre of Orange
Ancient & megalithic · 1st century BC · Notable
Ancient Roman theatre in Orange, France
Theme parks, zoos & aquariums in France 113
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Disneyland Paris
Fun & leisure · 20th century · Renowned
Theme park resort in France, partially owned by The Walt Disney Company
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Saint-Michel-de-Chaillol
Fun & leisure · Renowned
French commune in Hautes-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Bridges & aqueducts in France 90
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Pont du Gard
Great structures · 1st century · Renowned
Ancient Roman aqueduct bridge that crosses the Gardon River in Vers-Pont-du-Gard, France
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Pont Alexandre III
Great structures · 19th century · Renowned
Bridge that spans the Seine in Paris, France
Towers & lighthouses in France 66
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Eiffel Tower
Towers & lighthouses · 19th century · Iconic
Tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France
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Moulin de la Galette
Towers & lighthouses · 17th century · Notable
Cabaret in 18th arrondissement of Paris, France
Caves & caverns in France 62
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Lascaux
Caves & caverns · Renowned
Cave in southwestern France famous for its Paleolithic cave paintings
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Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley
Caves & caverns · Notable
UNESCO World Heritage Site of prehistoric decorated caves in the Vézère Valley, France
Catacombs, shipwrecks & cemeteries in France 61
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Montparnasse Cemetery
Macabre & curious · 19th century · Renowned
Cemetery in the Montparnasse quarter of Paris, France
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Montmartre Cemetery
Macabre & curious · 19th century · Renowned
Cemetery located in Paris, in France
Volcanoes, geysers & hot springs in France 26
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Piton de la Fournaise
Volcanic & geothermal · Notable
Volcano on the French oversea department La Réunion
Beaches & coves in France 14
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Omaha Beach
Beaches & coves · Renowned
1944 one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France
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Utah Beach
Beaches & coves · Notable
1944 code name for the right flank of the Allied landing beaches in Normandy
