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The Atlas Obscura Guide To France

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

Updated July 5, 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. Aubagne
  7. Auvers Sur Oise
  8. Bailleau Armenonville
  9. Bayeux
  10. Blois
  11. Bordeaux
  12. Boulogne Billancourt
  13. Chamonix
  14. Chartres
  15. Colmar
  16. Cricqueville En Bessin
  17. Douai
  18. Fleury Devant Douaumont
  19. Fréjus
  20. Grenoble
  21. Honfleur
  22. Lille
  23. Lyon
  24. Marseille
  25. Montpellier
  26. Nantes
  27. Nice
  28. Paris
  29. Reims
  30. Rennes Le Château
  31. Rouen
  32. Saint Bernard
  33. Saint Denis
  34. Sainte Geneviève Des Bois
  35. Sainte Mère église
  36. Saint Germain En Laye
  37. Saint Jean Cap Ferrat
  38. Saint Malo
  39. Saint Ouen
  40. Strasbourg
  41. Théoule Sur Mer
  42. Villefranche Sur Mer

Unusual Attractions in France

See All 666 Things To Do in France

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in France

See all 10 Places to Eat in France
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Explore France

Architecture 98
Art 66
Sacred Spaces 65
Architectural Oddities 62
Museums 62
Churches 50
Military 44
Ruins 38

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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, Big Think
"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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