My Favourite Photos of France to Inspire Your Next Adventure

ByAlex Tiffany Posted on

I love France.

My grandparents lived in the southwest of France, on the edge of the Dordogne. When I was a child, I’d go there several times a year, and I have many special memories of the place.

Today, I still visit France every year. It genuinely feels like a second home to me.

There’s a lot to love about France. The culture, the history, the food, the wine, the landscapes, the castles, the picture-perfect little towns. Being there just makes me happy.

Paris is an inspiring and beautiful city, full of timeless elegance and style. But there’s so much more to France than its capital.

The south of France is my favourite region.

The bastides (medieval fortified towns), vineyards, chateaux, sleepy villages, and sunflower fields of Aquitaine exude a quiet tranquillity. The kind that makes you want to pause and take it all in slowly, with all your senses.

Provence, with its lavender fields and golden stone towns, feels like stepping into a painting.

Then there’s the rugged beauty of Brittany and Normandy, where dramatic cliffs and sites like Mont-Saint-Michel take your breath away.

And that’s all without even mentioning the French Alps, offering some of the most spectacular hiking, skiing, and mountain scenery in Europe, if not the world.

I wish I’d started taking photos of France earlier. Still, I hope the images below inspire you to explore this endlessly enchanting country.

Whether it’s your first visit or your fiftieth, France always has something new and wonderful to discover.

Need help planning your next trip? Hire me as your Personal Travel Planner!

A medieval stone archway in a French village, looking out toward a street decorated with vibrant flags, with shops and buildings visible in the distance.

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A charming stone house in Provence with a red-tiled roof surrounded by lush greenery. A white patio umbrella is set up outside, and the view stretches out to rolling hills and mountains under a blue sky with scattered clouds.
A calm river with turquoise water flowing between tall, rugged cliffs covered in trees. Small boats with people leisurely float along, surrounded by the grandeur of steep, rocky mountains.
A spacious, rustic hall with exposed wooden beams on the ceiling. The stone walls are lined with black-and-white photographs, and two visitors walk towards the far end of the room, giving the space a contemplative feel.
A cobblestone street in the Provencal village of Tourtour, framed by an archway made of stone. A woman with a pink bag is walking toward sunlit stone houses adorned with ivy, creating a peaceful, timeless atmosphere.
The grand stone abbey in Caen with towering spires and arched windows stands prominently against a partly cloudy sky. The foreground features a neatly manicured garden and pathway leading toward the building.
A picturesque view of a historic stone church in Caen with Gothic arches, surrounded by trees and a small road where a red bus and a car are passing by. The structure shows a mix of intact and partially ruined sections, standing under a bright blue sky.
A quaint stone cottage in the south of France with pastel blue shutters, nestled in a small garden. The scene is bathed in sunlight, with lavender plants and green vines climbing the walls, creating a cozy and peaceful setting.
A road sign in the countryside with arrows pointing toward "Castillonnès" and "Villeréal," both marked as bastides (fortified towns). The sign stands amidst fields of greenery under a bright blue sky.
A popular outdoor dining area with people seated at tables covered in red and white checkered tablecloths. The scene is set in a historic town square, with a traditional market structure and old stone buildings in the background.
The charming Villereal town square featuring stone buildings with wooden beams and flower boxes. A small café sits under the archways, and a sunny blue sky adds to the inviting atmosphere of the quiet town.
A quiet street in a French village with charming, weathered buildings, flower pots on windowsills, and a single cat walking across the road on a sunny day.
A village square with stone buildings, arched walkways, and yellow and blue bunting strung overhead, creating a festive atmosphere under a bright blue sky.
A picturesque square with a clock tower and stone arches, surrounded by leafy trees and a café with an awning that reads "La Grappe De Raisin."
A café scene in a charming French village with customers seated at small tables under the arches of a historic building, with decorative flags and stone architecture.
A medieval castle perched on a hill, with stone houses below, and a clear blue sky overhead. The village below blends seamlessly with the castle's ancient stonework.
A woman in a flowing orange dress walks towards the entrance of a medieval stone castle, with towering walls and a blue sky overhead.
A stone bridge leading to the fortified walls of a medieval castle, with rugged stonework and a wooden handrail along the pathway.
A view of a tall stone castle tower against a bright blue sky, with ancient stone walls and wildflowers growing at the base.
A panoramic view from the top of a castle ruin, looking out over green forests and rolling hills, with a section of the castle's round towers and walls in the foreground.
A picturesque view of a stone church nestled in a valley surrounded by lush green forests, with a small stone wall and medieval architecture visible.
A charming stone house with a weathered exterior sits along a narrow cobblestone path, surrounded by vibrant greenery under a clear blue sky.
A lively town street with banners hanging above, where people stroll past historic stone buildings and an old church tower, basking in bright, sunny weather.
An open square in the medieval town of Monpazier with an arched stone market building, dotted with tourists exploring its cobbled pathways under a bright blue sky.
A quaint town square featuring arched buildings with wooden shutters, framed by trees and a towering old church with a red-tiled roof.
A traditional outdoor market with stands selling fresh produce like tomatoes and zucchinis, and people browsing under the shaded stalls in a sunny French town.
A colorful display of fresh red tomatoes, bell peppers, and zucchinis neatly arranged in crates at a local farmers' market.
A vibrant town market scene in Villereal, France with multiple stalls displaying a variety of goods, and people shopping in the foreground, set against historic half-timbered buildings.
A rural road sign pointing to nearby villages such as Lacapelle Biron and Château de Bonaguil, against a stone wall and trees under a clear blue sky.
A peaceful medieval street lined with timber-framed houses, where tourists browse outdoor shops, under a vibrant flag hanging above the road.
The grand Château de Monbazillac with multiple conical towers, framed by rows of grapevines and stone walls leading to its entrance, with two people admiring the view under a blue sky with scattered clouds.
A view of the château through a modern window inside a wine shop, showcasing several bottles of wine on display while the château and its surroundings are visible in the distance.
A lively street scene in a historic French town, with outdoor cafés and people walking under colorful bunting, surrounded by timber-framed buildings and shops.
A scenic, winding road cutting through a vast, grassy valley in the French Alps, surrounded by towering mountains under a clear blue sky with streaks of clouds.
A marina with sailboats docked in the harbor, overlooked by a large, historic fortress perched on a rocky cliff, with the blue sky and sea adding to the peaceful atmosphere.
A closer view of the fortress and surrounding buildings clinging to the steep cliffs above the marina, with sailboats in the harbor below and a vibrant blue sky overhead.
A panoramic view of a vast alpine landscape with rolling hills and winding roads stretching across green valleys, framed by tall mountain peaks in the distance.

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Essential Travel Resources


🛏️ Book cheap hotels
I always use Booking.com to find the best hotel deals. Vrbo is great for short-term apartments.

🚗 Find cheap rental cars
Check both Discover Cars and Rentalcars.com to find cheap rental cars.

🌍 Book the best tours
Viator and GetYourGuide have a huge selection of tours in virtually every destination worldwide.

✈️ Find cheap flights
I use a combination of Skyscanner and Google Flights to find cheap flights.

📱 eSIMs
Airalo is my favourite travel eSIM provider – I’ve used it in over 10 countries and really rate it. So much easier than buying physical SIM cards when you travel!

🚑 Do I need travel insurance?
YES! Never travel without adequate travel insurance. It’s just not worth the risk.

• SafetyWing – if you’re a digital nomad like me, SafetyWing is super flexible and affordable. You can sign up for as little or as long as you want, and activate and deactivate it whenever you need to. I’ve made several claims in the last few years and thoroughly recommend this company.

• World Nomads – for adventurous travellers, covers 200+ activities that many other insurers won’t, such as skydiving, heli-skiing, rock climbing, rafting, scuba diving, cliff jumping, and kiteboarding (not available for residents of every country – check here).

💻 Do I need a VPN?
YES! Always use a VPN when using public WiFi (in airports, cafes, hotels, stations, etc.). This helps protect your personal information and also bypasses internet censorship and restrictions in certain countries. I use NordVPN and highly recommend it.
Alex Tiffany

Alex is a former lawyer and an expert in off-the-beaten-path travel. Originally from the UK, Alex has explored over 70 countries independently, from hitchhiking in East Africa and Central Asia to road-tripping across Europe and the USA. He loves hiking, camping, and discovering lesser-known destinations.

Alex's writing and photography have been featured in many leading travel publications. He's passionate about sharing his travel expertise with others and encouraging people to step out of their comfort zones and travel more adventurously.

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