Artsy Traveler

Six Favorite Regions in France

Last updated on April 19th, 2022 at 05:04 pm

I’ve traveled in almost every region of France and each has much to offer. But if I had to narrow down my choices to just six regions that I recommend to artsy-inclined travelers, I’d choose Normandy, Brittany, Loire, Dordogne (part of Aquitaine), Provence/Côte d’Azur, and of course Paris.

This post presents an overview of my six favorite regions with links to more detailed posts. If you want to really explore these regions, consider renting a car. My post on Driving in Europe gives you some pointers gleaned from our three decades of experience exploring Europe by car.

Normandy

Rolling fields, picture-perfect villages, and searing World War II history make Normandy an awesome destination.

We lived for two months at an artist-in-residence place a few years ago. When we weren’t being artists in residence, we spent several happy days exploring this under-touristed area.

Recommended must-sees include the World War II beaches, the charming towns of Honfleur (Satie Museum) and Bayeux (Bayeux tapestry), Mont St. Michel, and the far-off-the-beaten track region of the Perche.

Consider visiting Normandy on a guided tour from Paris. Tours include the Normandy D-Day Beaches and the Abbaye du Mont Saint-Michel.

For more details about what to see and do in Normandy, see Top Normandy Sights for Art & History Lovers. I also include Honfleur on the Normandy coast in my post on 17 Awesome Places in France You Might Not Know.

Brittany

Gregg and I adore Brittany. We just do! Every time we visit France, we say We really ought to spend more time in Brittany.

I recommend visiting Brittany in the summer when the weather is pleasantly warm rather than torrid like it is farther south. Beautiful sandy beaches vie for your attention with craggy coves and spectacular rock formations.

Visit beautiful Saint-Malo, hear snippets of the Breton language that is still spoken in the far west, and search out prehistoric stone circles.

In addition to being physically gorgeous, Brittany is also home to France’s most concentrated collection of Celtic and prehistoric sites. Standing stones abound in this history-steeped region. Check out my post on Prehistory Sites in Europe that includes several places in Brittany.

Consider at least a week’s stay or better still, three or four days on the north coast around Trégastel and three or four days on the south coast near Carnac.

The Loire Valley

Châteaux are exceedingly thick on the ground in the Loire Valley thanks to the Loire Atlantique region being the playground for the kings of France until kings rather suddenly went out of fashion.

Spend a week here to tour not only the big (and crowded) blockbuster châteaux like Chambord and Chenonceau, but also the more intimate, even quirky ones like Villandry and Azay-Le-Rideau.

In addition to châteaux-hopping, consider an extended stay in the Loire Valley because, let’s face it, the region is drop-dead gorgeous. Rent a bike or go on a walking tour to immerse yourself in the fairy tale landscape. Also, the food in the Loire is exceptional (and that’s saying something!).

If your time is limited, consider a day trip from Paris to tour at least a few of the châteaux.

The Dordogne Valley

The Dordogne is an excellent choice for two reasons: prehistoric caves and amazing food. Don’t miss the cave art sites scattered throughout the region including the super-famous (and justifiably so) Caves of Lascaux. I talk about them in more depth (ha, ha!) in my post on Prehistory Sites in Europe.

If you have a hankering for gorgeous scenery mixed with compelling prehistory sightseeing followed by long, slow dinners where duck often plays a role, then meander down to the Dordogne.

Provence

I dare you to say Provence without sighing!

Ah, Provence! See?

Like Tuscany, Provence has earned its reputation as one of Europe’s most beautiful regions. Settle in for a good long visit to discover why so many artists made their homes here (Picasso, van Gogh, Renoir, Cezanne, Lèger, Matisse, and I’m sure I’m forgetting a bunch).

I think it has a lot to do with the light. Every time Gregg and I visit Provence, Gregg is inspired by the unique way in which light floods a landscape of sharp contrasts—soft greens and lavenders, hard whites and ochers, startling blues.

Provence is big enough to deserve a two-week stay, or at least a week divided in two. I suggest enjoying the Luberon region for a week and then driving down to the Riviera to hang with the beautiful people (and see a ton of art).

In recent years, the Luberon has become rather “chichi”, as in scores of well-heeled people driving nice cars and living in lavender-coated villas, but the food is still wonderful, the weather warm, and the landscape stunning.

Provence is home to the Fondation Maeght, one of my favorite small art museums in Europe. Read about it in my post on Top Ten Modern Art Museums in Europe. My post on Six Single-Artist Museums in Europe also includes two single-artist museums in France–the Fondation Vasarely and the Musée National Fernand Léger in Biot.

Paris

If you’re planning your first visit to France, Paris will likely be on your itinerary. It’s a must-see city in Europe if you are in any way artsy inclined.

Paris is home to dozens of art museums and galleries in addition to the big-ticket sights like the Eiffel Tower (go early or late to avoid the crowds), the Arc de Triomphe, and the Champs-Élysées.

To truly appreciate Paris, rent an apartment and settle in for the long haul. For the entire month of March one year, Gregg and I stayed in an apartment in Montparnasse. We spent our mornings painting (him) and writing (me) before setting out almost every afternoon to explore the artsy delights of Paris.

We never ran out of things to see then or on subsequent trips. In fact, a stopover in Paris has been on our itinerary for almost all of our dozen-plus trips to Europe. Here are four posts related to Paris.

And here are some suggestions for things to see, skip-the-line tickets, and tours in Paris.

What Regions of France are Your Favorites?

Do you have a favorite region of France that I’ve left out? Please let us know and if you have any