France Travel

Rocamadour is one of France’s most extraordinary pilgrimage destinations, suspended between earth and sky in the Dordogne Valley. Its history stretches back to the early Middle Ages, when the hermit Amadour chose this cliff as a place of devotion. By the 12th century, Rocamadour had become a critical stop on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, attracting kings, nobles, and ordinary pilgrims alike.

Lourdes, a small town nestled in the Pyrenees foothills of southwestern France, is renowned not for its size or grandeur but for its extraordinary spiritual significance. As one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world, Lourdes draws nearly six million visitors annually. Pilgrims arrive seeking healing, peace, or simply to follow the path of a humble peasant girl whose visions forever transformed the religious landscape of modern France.

Welcome to the Monolithic Church of Saint-Emilion, one of the most astonishing architectural and spiritual marvels in France and a highlight within the UNESCO World Heritage village of Saint-Emilion near Bordeaux. This remarkable subterranean church is carved entirely from a single limestone cliff, which makes it a unique masterpiece in European religious heritage.

Saint-Émilion is an enchanting medieval village situated in the heart of the Bordeaux wine region, a place where limestone houses, narrow cobblestone lanes, and terraced vineyards form a picture-perfect landscape. The story of this village begins with Émilion, a monk from Brittany who arrived in the area during the eighth century. Seeking solitude, he lived as a hermit inside a natural cave carved into the limestone cliffs. His piety attracted followers who settled around him, forming a community that eventually evolved into a spiritual center. After his death, pilgrims visited the site to honor his memory, and the settlement eventually became known as Saint-Émilion in tribute to the monk who shaped its early life.

There’s something magical about crossing continents by car, witnessing Europe gradually give way to Africa, with every turn of the wheel revealing a new landscape, language, culture, or cuisine. Our epic 7000 km adventure began from the Netherlands and first took us south to the rolling vineyards of Saint-Émilion and Bordeaux in France. From there, we drove deep into Spain, soaking in the sun-kissed charm of Seville before crossing into Morocco to explore the blue alleys of Chefchaouen, the artistic vibes of Asilah, the coastal cityscapes of Tangier and Tétouan, and the tranquil seaside towns of M’diq and Martil. On our journey back, we passed through Gibraltar, where Europe and Africa almost touch, then re-entered France for a spiritual pause in Lourdes and Rocamadour before heading back home to the Netherlands.

Tucked along the windswept coast of Normandy in northern France, Étretat is a small seaside town famous for its dramatic white chalk cliffs and natural rock arches sculpted by the sea. Once a quiet fishing village, Étretat blossomed in the 19th century as a fashionable beach resort, attracting writers, artists, and Parisian elites. Its raw beauty, combined with the serenity of the sea and sky, has inspired generations. Étretat was immortalized by the French Impressionist painter Claude Monet through innumerable paintings of the town’s striking cliffs. Today, Étretat stands as a jewel of Normandy - a place where cliffs meet canvas, and history lives in the landscape.

With an age-old tradition dating back to the 14th century, France is one of those countries in Europe, where celebrating Christmas with zest and fervor is deeply rooted within its national culture. And since the concept of the world's first ever Christmas Tree originated from here, France has as much right to the title of ‘The Home of Christmas’ as the North Pole. Owing to the diverse geography running from the French Alps to the Mediterranean, France follows different Christmas customs in different regions. But there is one thing in common - the Christmas Markets!

The lavender fields in Provence are among the most well-known in the world. Every year between mid-June and mid-August, when the Provence lavender fields begin to take on their distinctive purple tint, and the countryside gets inundated by their sight and scent, it reminds us that even when life is about to come to a standstill at the whim of the sun's powerful rays, the earth can still ripen, that there can be joy amidst misery. And that, my friends, is not a sight to be missed! Today I’m going to take you along with me on a ride across the best lavender fields of Provence. Let the journey begin!

With the sky-kissing wrought-iron Eiffel Tower, the monumental Arc de Triomphe guarding the opulent avenue des Champs-Élysées, the iconic Notre Dame cathedral, lamplit bridges across the Seine, and the wicker-chair-lined terraces of art nouveau cafes, Paris is a beacon of art, architecture, and fashion on the face of our planet. Lutece, Paname, Pentruche, City of Lights, City of Love - known by different names to different people, it has witnessed the creations of masters like Renoir, Rodin, Picasso, Monet, Manet, Dali, and Van Gogh and has housed treasures since antiquity. Today I’m going to take you along with me on a ride across the 13 best places to visit in Paris that can be done over the weekend. Let the journey begin!