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The Atlas Obscura Guide To France

681 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in France

Updated October 22, 2024

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Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Aix En Provence
  2. Amiens
  3. Angles Sur L'anglin
  4. Angoulême
  5. Arles
  6. Arras
  7. Aubagne
  8. Auvers Sur Oise
  9. Bailleau Armenonville
  10. Bayeux
  11. Beaucaire
  12. Blois
  13. Bonifacio
  14. Bordeaux
  15. Boulogne Billancourt
  16. Chamonix
  17. Chartres
  18. Colmar
  19. Cricqueville En Bessin
  20. Dijon
  21. Douai
  22. Fleury Devant Douaumont
  23. Fréjus
  24. Grenoble
  25. Honfleur
  26. La Boulaye
  27. La Rochelle
  28. Lille
  29. Lyon
  30. Marseille
  31. Montpellier
  32. Nantes
  33. Nice
  34. Paris
  35. Reims
  36. Rennes Le Château
  37. Rouen
  38. Saint Bernard
  39. Saint Denis
  40. Sainte Geneviève Des Bois
  41. Sainte Mère église
  42. Saint Germain En Laye
  43. Saint Jean Cap Ferrat
  44. Saint Malo
  45. Saint Ouen
  46. Strasbourg
  47. Théoule Sur Mer
  48. Toulouse
  49. Villefranche Sur Mer

Unusual Attractions in France

See All 681 Things To Do in France

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in France

See all 35 Places to Eat in France
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Explore France

Architecture 100
Art 66
Sacred Spaces 65
Architectural Oddities 64
Museums 62
Churches 50
Military 44
Statues 41

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Recent France Activity

Stories About France

Swaths of toxic land the size of Paris still cover much of France.

You Can Still Die From World War I Dangers in France's Red Zones

The Great War never ended in some old battlegrounds.
by Frank Jacobs
"Allow me to address to you / With my deepest tenderness / This beautiful fish, fresh and discreet / To which I have confided my secret," says this April Fish card in French.

Why April Fools Day in France Involves Fish Pranks

It's a long and fishy history.
by Amelia Parenteau
Véronique and Anaëlle Fontanel hold their Hello Kitty set of fèves.

The Weird, Wonderful World of Collecting French Cake Figurines

Porcelain or plastic, Harry Potter or copulating couple, fèves come in all shapes and sizes.
by Emily Monaco
There’s a gruesome twist to these St. Nicholas Day celebrations.

Beware the Christmas Cannibal of France

How a whip-wielding butcher became St. Nick's sidekick.
by Anna Richards
All Illustrations by Molly Magnell

The Extremely Enchanting, Totally Perplexing, Possibly Never-Ending Quest for the Golden Owl

For 30 years, this labyrinthine treasure hunt has had thousands of players cracking codes and digging up the French countryside. After a sudden death and bitter disputes, will the prize ever be found?
by Phil Hoad
All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: Sing Along

by Alex Bellos
A vintage nougat-selling truck from Chabert & Guillot.

How Summer Road-Trippers Put a Southern French Sweet on the Map

Montélimar nougat rose to fame thanks to vacationers' traffic jams.
by Emily Monaco
Nearly 40 feet tall, the Dragon of Calais enchants tourists and locals alike—but it takes an entourage to keep it in fire-spitting shape.

How to Maintain Your Dragon

A massive, winged beast prowls Calais—thanks to a dedicated team of operators and "veterinarians."
by Claire Naylor

Lists Featuring France

Gustave Eiffel's Secret Apartment
Exterior of the museum.
Diving suit by the Carmagnolle brothers from 1882

The 11 Best Places to Visit Near the Eiffel Tower for Curious Travelers

11

Including Gustave Eiffel's Secret Apartment , Musée du quai Branly (Quai Branly Museum), and Jules Lavirotte's 29 Avenue Rapp

Madaba Mosaic Map
The gallery of maps, showing the ceiling
Great Polish Map of Scotland

13 Marvelous Maps That Go Way Beyond Paper

Charting the world's most intriguing out-of-the-box cartography.

13

Including Madaba Mosaic Map, Gallery of Maps - Galleria delle Carte Geografiche, and Mapparium Globe

(Flickr/andreakw)
The bathroom
Some of the decorations include broken crockery that have been priced back together

11 Homes Transformed Into Amazing Mosaics

If you own your property, why not bedazzle it?

11

Including Wyckoff Street Mosaic, La Maison Picassiette, and House of Mirrors

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