Which cities are located in France. French city of Pau (region of Aquitaine)

The list of beautiful and interesting cities in France is endless, because every corner of it deserves to visit it and discover a new facet of this amazing country... We present you with an overview of the main French cities with photos that will help you fall in love with this country.

Paris

The capital, soul and heart of France, its economic and cultural center, which many still call the most beautiful and romantic city in the world.

Someone will say that Paris is no longer the same, but this does not prevent him from falling in love with quivering persons with an open heart.

Orleans

City on the Loire, 1.5 hours from Paris. Orleans is associated with the name of Jeanne Dark, who was called the Maid of Orleans, but a French heroine was born in the village of Domrémie in Lorraine, near Nancy, was executed in Rouen, and she liberated Orleans during the Hundred Years War.

Modern Orleans is important industrial city, rich in gastronomic traditions and has many interesting sights, including cathedrals and town halls in the Gothic and Renaissance style.

Nancy

Nancy is located in the east of France, 100 km from the border with Germany. Nancy is the former capital of the Duchy of Lorraine, rich in authentic gastronomic traditions and architectural attractions.

The spacious and dazzling Stanislavovskaya Square, built in the middle of the 18th century - a monument World heritage UNESCO.

Lille

A city in the north of France, located less than half an hour from the border with Belgium. Once upon a time he was major center textile industry, and today it is an important student city and one of the cultural capitals.

In Lille you can visit the Museum of Fine Arts, Natural History, Charles de Gaulle House Museum.

Rouen

The heart of Normandy, majestic and dazzling, attracting tourists from all over the world. The architecture of Rouen, which captures different periods of the rich and complex history of the city, has become a natural setting for many of the French films that were filmed here.

The main attraction of the city is the Rouen Cathedral, which is a magnificent example of the combination of different features of Norman Gothic.

Reims

You will reach Reims in 45 minutes from the Gare du Paris West. The city is very rich in attractions historical significance, four of them are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Chief among them is the majestic Reims Cathedral, which is often confused in photographs with Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Strasbourg

Strasbourg is called the most German city in France: today it stretches along the left bank of the Rhine, which coincides with the border with Germany. Strasbourg is the bearer of two national cultures at the same time; the European Parliament and the Council of Europe sit here.

The historic center is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lyon

The gastronomic capital of France with countless restaurants, cultural sites and a beautiful old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lyon is easily accessible from Paris: just 2 hours by train and you are there.

Dijon

The capital of Burgundy, home to the world famous Dijon mustard, a city with strong industrial traditions that do not interfere with its soulfulness and authenticity.

The streets of Dijon will give tourists views of atmospheric half-timbered houses and gothic cathedrals, cute old chapels.

Bordeaux

The name of this city is inextricably linked with the wine, which has made the region famous as one of the main wine-growing regions in France. In addition, Bordeaux is a large sea ​​port and a city with rich opportunities for cultural enrichment for any traveler.

There is an incredible number of interesting museums and exhibition centers that shape the spirit and face of the city, combining modernity and tradition.

Rennes

Capital and The largest city Brittany, characterized by an inhospitable climate typical of all settlements in the vicinity North Atlantic... In 1720, a fire broke out in Rennes, which almost completely destroyed the medieval buildings of the city, so its architectural face is distinguished by its relative youth compared to others.

In the center of Rennes, half-timbered houses await tourists, and lovers of noble antiquity will love its architectural classicism.

Nantes

Nantes is located 50 km from the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Loire - the birthplace of Jules Verne and French crepes. Nantes is considered a city with a willful and detached character, unlike its neighbors in Brittany or other French cities.

It may seem unremarkable at first glance, but Nantes is worth penetrating into its depth, which it will reveal to the curious tourist, enchanting him with its gastronomy, medieval architecture, museums and galleries.

Toulouse

The capital of Occitania, the fourth most populous city in France, the "pink city", the center of space flights - all this is about Toulouse, multifaceted, multinational, ancient and modern.

To discover dazzling Toulouse, you won't have enough weekend in this city, rich in architectural beauty, cultural attractions, museums and restaurants.

Avignon

The name of Avignon is strongly associated with the annual theater festival, which takes place here in the summer. It is perfect for those who love to discover history through ancient architecture.

The main attraction of Avignon is the monumental Palais des Papes, recognized as the largest Gothic palace in Europe and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Marseilles

Marseille is perhaps the most controversial proud of France. On the one hand, it is bright, noisy, temperamental and in places very beautiful. On the other hand, it is unsafe due to the huge number of migrants who come here from North Africa.

And yet, if your trip to France includes a tour of Provence, it would be an unforgivable mistake not to travel to Marseille. This is the largest port not only of France, but of the entire Mediterranean, which keeps the ruins of antiquity, invites you to its parks and gardens, interesting museums and cathedrals.

Nice

Nice is one of the main resort towns on the coast Mediterranean Sea, the center of the French Riviera, which was chosen by the European elite several decades ago.

Do not miss the opportunity to stroll along the picturesque streets of Nice with its bright houses with flowers on cozy balconies.

Cannes

Cannes is a small city and not particularly rich in attractions, so many ignore it, not finding it interesting. But for all this, it is impossible to imagine the cultural face of France without Cannes, because it is here that the most famous, largest and glamorous film festival in the world is held.

The Cannes Festival has shaped the image of the city that tourists who come here want to get to know to stroll along the Croisette and take a photo against the backdrop of the Palais des Festivals.

Montpellier

The capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon region, Montpellier is landlocked, being 10 km away, but certainly. This city is worth a trip after leaving the Cote d'Azur.

Montpellier is one of the largest cities french south... Here is the oldest botanical garden in the country, the Fabre Museum, and every year the city invites you to a major wine fair.

Aix-en-Provence

Aix-en-Provence is located 40 minutes north of Marseille and is one of the most beautiful and atmospheric cities in the French south.

Typical of Provence, in places it will remind you of Nice, but with less elegance and more soulfulness.

Carcassonne

Carcassonne is a French city with Mediterranean climate and a medieval face.

The old town of Carcassonne is located on a hill and is surrounded by a fortress with 52 towers, which is included in the UNESCO list.

All cities and resorts in France for travel. List of the most famous regions, regions, cities and resorts of France: population, codes, distances, best descriptions and reviews of tourists.

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Cities, resorts and regions of France on the map and alphabetically

Yes, France starts with Paris - but it doesn't end there. As soon as the curious traveler gets out of the city, all the treasures of the Ile-de-France region will be at his disposal: this is the predecessor of Versailles, the graceful Vaux-le-Vicomte, as if descended from the pages of Dumas' novels, and the Renaissance Château de Fontainebleau surrounded by the famous forest, and, finally , the brilliant Versailles itself, which everyone who has heard at least something about France knows about.

Ile-de-France is famous not only for history and architecture: many shopping centers located not in Paris itself, but nearby - therefore, shopping in this region can be both exciting and profitable at the same time. There is no shortage of entertainment for the family either - the only Disneyland in Europe will not leave indifferent either children or adults.

To the north of Paris is Disneyland's direct competitor, Parc Asterix. The French themselves prefer to have fun there, while foreigners crowd at Disneyland.

To the west of the Ile-de-France, in the waters of the Loire, there are world-famous castles: Amboise and Blois, without which the history of France is inconceivable, Chenonceau, for which Diana de Poitiers fought with Catherine de Medici, ancient Orleans and gloomy Chinon, whose fates are closely intertwined with the fate of Jeanne d "Arcs, the impeccable Jousset, who became the prototype for the castle of the" Sleeping Beauty. "And the small but strikingly beautiful Clos-Luce, where he lived last years Leonardo da Vinci.

Farther west, where the shores of France are washed by the highest tides in Europe, Mount Saint-Michel rises with the monastery of the same name - a true wonder of the world, a witness of centuries-old asceticism and man's struggle with harsh nature embodied in stone. To the north of the mountain up to Calais stretches Normandy with its famous fields, cows and apple orchards - as well as the Rouen Cathedral, widely known from Monet's paintings, the Bayeux tapestry, in the drawings telling about the conquest of England by William the Conqueror, and the young, but already very famous museum dedicated to the landing of the Allies in 1944

South of Mont-Saint-Michel lies Brittany, shrouded in fog, with its Celtic roots, mystical legends and secret dreams of independence. The ancient Broceliande forest, glorified in the ballads about King Arthur, rows of Neolithic menhirs and rocky secluded bays have long attracted poets and romantics from all over the world, and the comfortable beaches of Quibron and balneological resorts - those who want to relax comfortably and at the same time improve their health.

The southern borders of Brittany are guarded by ancient Nantes - once the capital of the Duchy of Brittany, and now the region of the Pays de la Loire. The powerful castle remained in memory of the times of Anne of Breton, the delicate lattices of balconies and plane tree alleys remind of Paris, but the trademark “Nantes mixture” of salty air, the cry of seagulls and the seething port is not to be confused with anything. It is still the same as in the days of Jules Verne, a local native and a great patriot of the city.

Farther south, the Gulf of Aquitaine curved in a wide arc. This land has always had a special fate: even in antiquity, the locals differed in blood and culture from the neighboring Celts, in the early Middle Ages the country was conquered by the Goths, then the Arabs walked across Aquitaine until they were defeated here, in the Battle of Poitiers. V Hundred Years War this land belonged to England: there is still something elusively English in Bordeaux, the favorite city of Victor Hugo and one of the most beautiful cities in France.

Traces of English influence have survived in Perigord, formerly part of Aquitaine. It is called "the land of a thousand castles", and this is not an exaggeration - in fact, there are 1001 of them! In addition to the castles, the region is interesting for the picturesque valley of the Dordogne River, medieval towns Bergerac, Sarlat-la-Caneda and the Cro-Magnon cave with cave paintings.

The northern part of historical Aquitaine, the Poitou region, is known to everyone who has ever looked at "Fort Boyard" - the abode of Elder Fora is located there. As well as the no less famous fortress La Rochelle is the "heroine" of the novel by Alexandre Dumas. A little further from the ocean there are two amusement park world-class: "Puy du Fou", mainly dedicated to French history, and "Futuroscope" - the place where the present and the future are intertwined.

South Aquitaine is aristocratic Biarritz, once the favorite resort of the royal family, and now favored by surfers, his eternal rival Arcachon with luxurious beaches, thalassotherapy centers and famous oysters, red-white-green flags of the Basques on the streets of the free-loving Bayonne - “ southern capital»French corsairs.

Between the Pyrenees and the Massif Central lies the ancient Languedoc with the largest fortress in Europe - Carcassonne, medieval Albi with a unique cathedral of pink stone and Toulouse - the world "Capital of violets".

Further east is Provence with its capital Marseille - this is the land of lavender fields, Roman amphitheaters and aqueducts, as well as luxury hotels and beaches

French city of Pau (region of Aquitaine)

The French city of Pau is a town and commune located in the south-west of France, the administrative center of the Pyrenees-Atlantique department of the Aquitaine region.

Originating in the form of a modest village at the intersection of Gave de Pau (Gave - "valley"), where people flocked to the mountains and from the mountains, Pau (Pau) in 1464 turned into the capital of the ancient Viscountry of Béarn, and in 1512 - French part of the Kingdom of Navarre.

In 1567, his monarch Heinrich d'Albret married the sister of the King of France, Margaret of Navarre, a friend and patroness of artists and intellectuals, who herself became the author of the famous collection of short stories Heptameron, written in imitation of G. Boccaccio. She made the city a center for arts and independent thinking.

Their daughter was Jeanne d'Albret - an ardent Protestant, whose religious zeal insulted her own subjects, and also incurred the wrath of the King of France, Catholic Charles X, which caused Béarn to be drawn into the Religious Wars. In order to stop them (if only for a while), we had to wait for the ascent to the French throne in 1589 by the son of Jeanne Henry IV.

As a skilled politician, he renounced his faith to facilitate this transition, wittily remarking that “ Paris Worth Mass, ”and then appeased the regional pride of his Bearn subjects by declaring that he was giving France to Bearn, not Bearn to France. He did not include Béarn in the French state; this was done after his death by his son and heir Louis XIII in 1620. As the most famous of Poe's sons, Heinrich has earned himself a colorful reputation to match.

He was baptized in the traditional Béarnaise fashion using the local Juraneon wine - and the baby's lips were anointed with garlic. As an adult, he earned the nickname "old red tape" for his lovemaking exploits. He also gave France one of its most famous culinary recipes - chicken stuffed and boiled with vegetables (poule au pot): according to rumors, he once said that he wanted everyone in his domain to be rich enough to allow himself such boiled chicken at least once a week.

What you least expect to find in Pau is his connection with the British, which began with the arrival of Wellington and his troops in the city of Wellington following the defeat of Marshal Sole at Orthez in 1814. The British, tempted, at the instigation of the Scottish physician Alexander Taylor, by the local climate and healing properties of these places, flocked to Po throughout the 19th century, bringing with them their cultural preferences: fox hunting, horse racing, polo, croquet, cricket, golf ( in 1860, the first 18-hole course in continental Europe appeared here; it is also the first in the world where women were admitted), cafes and pastry shops and parks.

When the railway was built here in 1866, the French also reached out to Po: artists and writers like Victor Hugo, Stendhal and Lamartine, as well as representatives of the secular society. The first rugby club in France opened here in 1902, after which the sport spread throughout the southwest. In the 1950s, a natural gas field was discovered in neighboring Laka, and there were new jobs and ancillary factories - as well as a powerful source of pollution based on sulfur dioxide: today, emissions are reduced thanks to filtration, but still remain significant.

In addition to the above, in 1972 the respected the university: Thanks to its approximately 8,000 students, the vibrant city is always full of young people. The French city of Pau (Aquitaine region) is located near many small picturesque villages in northwest Bearn, as is the GR-65 hiking trail - a 60-kilometer trail leads to the border with Spain.

Arrival, information about the city and accommodation in Po

The airport of Pau, north of the city, is small compared to its neighbors at Tarbes-Lourdes and Biarritz so don't count on international flights - only a few flights go to Paris. The city is located on the A-64 autoroute Pyreneene and on the main railroad from east to west, with stops at Bayonne and Biarritz in the west and Lourdes, Tarbes and Toulouse in the east, as well as in Bordeaux and in Paris.

The train station is located south of the center, by the river: SNCF buses leave from here, and private buses from various terminals on the outskirts - from rue Gachet near Place Clemenceau. Buses head south to the Vallee d`Ossau and Oloron-Ste-Marie, entering the Aspa Valley en route.

A free funicular will take you from railway station on Boulevard Pyrenees(boulevard des Pyrenees), opposite Royal Square(place Royale), at the far end of which there is a travel agency. For information on hiking and climbing expeditions, try your local CAF (Climbing Club of France; Club Alpin Francais; 5 rue Rene Fournets) or the Librairie des Pyrenees (14 rue St-Louis), which has a wide variety of books on mountains. In the center is the CyberSeventys internet cafe (7 rue Gambetta).

If you want a welcoming, clean, quiet and inexpensive hotel, check out the Hotel le Matisse (17 rue Mathieu-Lalanne, opposite the Museum fine arts). Close to the center is the Central Hotel (15 rue Leon-Daran). Postillon (10 Cours Camou, behind place Verdun) offers comfortable two-star rooms with bathrooms, built around a patio.

10 most touristic cities in France

France is the most visited country in the world - this fact is known to many. But which cities in France attract the most tourists?

1. In the first place, of course, is the capital of France -

And this is natural. Paris is the most famous and most Big city France, the capital of the state. There are many things to see and visit in the city:,, Buttes Chaumont, Montmartre,,, etc. (Tour Eiffel, Louvre, Buttes Chaumont, Montmartre, Musée d'Orsay, Sacré-Cœur, Notre-Dame). Tourists dream of being photographed against the backdrop of the world famous symbols of Paris.

1. Lourdes and Lyon

- one of the oldest cities in France and the former capital of Roman Gaul. The city is rich in historical, cultural and architectural monuments: Opera, Roman Theater Fourvière, Croix-Rousse quarter, Fourvière Basilica (l ' Opéra, les Théâtres Romains de Fourvière, le Quartier de la Croix-Rousse, la basilique de Fourvière).

As for Lourdes, numerous Catholics come to the city where Bernadette Soubirous saw the Virgin Mary. In this place, diseases are cured.

1. Toulouse

Toulouse, the pink city, attracts tourists with its Cité d'Espace, the Saint-Sernin Basilica, the Museum of Local Lore and the Capitol ( Cité de l'Espace, de la Basilique saint-sernin, Muséum d'Histoire naturelle,Capitole).

- the capital. Earlier (yes, perhaps, and now) - favorite place recreation of aristocrats from all over Europe. The city has many objects of culture, art and history, and, most importantly, there is a sea and.

1. La Rochelle

A charming city with an old sea ​​fortress... The largest aquarium in Europe is located here. Architecture lovers will find many buildings in the classical and Renaissance style.

— small city located on the banks of the English Channel, surrounded by green parks and offers boat trips.

1. Carcassonne

The medieval city of Carcassonne is very interesting for lovers of history, fortresses and castles, as well as wine.

1. Strasbourg

Strasbourg is the capital of the region. Museums, festivals, theaters, opera, incomparable half-timbered houses attract crowds of tourists. And they are also famous all over the world. They say they are the most beautiful in Europe.

On Mount Saint-Michel is the abbey of the same name: magnificent views, medieval architecture... it's the same .

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10th place - Lille

• Population: 231 491
• Region: Nord-Pas-de-Calais
• Square: 34.83 km 2

Lille is the capital of the historical region of French Flanders, the center of the northern region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais, a city with a Flemish accent on the very border with Belgium. For centuries, the reason for the existence of Lille has been the textile industry, which has fallen into disrepair with the advent of synthetic fabrics on the market. However, the steel northern character of the city did not surrender under the onslaught of modern times (it was not for nothing that the iron general de Gaulle was born here): today Lille is one of the cultural capitals of France, an important commercial and trade hub, the center of French students and just an amazingly beautiful and stately city, besides unanimously recognized as the most hospitable to visitors.

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9th place - Bordeaux

• Population: 243 626
• Region: Aquitaine
• Square: 68 km 2

Bordeau is the capital of the Gironde department and the entire region of Aquitaine, "little Paris", "Sleeping Beauty" and "port of the moon" at the same time, according to the romantic epithets of the French. Bordeaux is famous for its long and rich history with an English bias, and as a result - a variety of attractions, excellent botanical gardens, a cozy atmosphere of universal equality and, of course, a "fun ingredient" - the famous Bordeaux wines, recognized as some of the best in the world.

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8th place - Montpellier

• Population: 272 084
• Region: Languedoc - Roussillon - South - Pyrenees
• Square: 56.88 km 2

M onpellier is one of the largest settlements in the south of France, the eighth largest in the entire country, the administrative center of the Languedoc-Roussillon region and the Hérault department. The city is known for its cultural life and annually hosts many festivals (only nationwide - six). However, its main decoration is considered to be the compact and architecturally homogeneous Old Town, full of medieval charm and eternally seething nightlife, besides, it is almost completely closed for transport.

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7th place - Strasbourg

• Population: 275 718
• Region: Grand Est
• Square: 78.26 km 2

S trasbourg is a city in eastern France, the capital of Alsace, a region that borders Germany. Strasbourg was founded by the Romans, who set up a military camp here during the German campaign in 14-16. Argentorat was the name of the settlement at that time. Strasbourg today is a real international fusion: here you can easily hear German speech and refresh yourself with beer and pretzels in a seemingly canonical French brasserie. Even the name of the city itself sounds quite German, and if you are not geographically savvy, Strasbourg may well be attributed to a series of other German "Burgs".

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6th place - Nantes

• Population: 292 718
• Region: Loire lands
• Square: 65.19 km 2

H ant is one of the largest cities in France. Nantes is administrative center the Loire-Atlantique department and the Loire-Pays region. The city is located at the mouth of the Loire, the longest river in the country, not far from where it flows into Atlantic Ocean... Famous French people such as the writer Jules Verne and the comedian Louis de Funes were born in Nantes. The city has preserved several outstanding architectural monuments, and in 2013 Nantes was named the green capital of Europe.

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5th place - Nice

• Population: 342 295
• Region:
• Square: 71.92 km 2

N Itzza is a Mediterranean city and port in the south of France, one of the main resorts of the Cote d'Azur (or French Riviera). Today Nice is the fifth most important city in France. It has its own airport, the passenger traffic of which is in second place after Paris. The mild climate (Mediterranean with moderately warm winters and dry, warm and sunny summers), as well as the fact that Nice is easily accessible, as well as the reputation of a favorite vacation spot for the aristocracy of past centuries, make this city one of the leading resorts in the world.

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4th place - Toulouse

• Population: 458 298
• Region: Pyrenees-South
• Square: 118.3 km 2

T uluza is the fourth most populous city in France and the largest cultural, scientific and industrial center. At the same time, Toulouse with its beautiful historic center is one of the most striking and distinctive cities in the country. Here, Spanish, Basque, Aquitaine, Languedoc, Provencal and French traditions are mixed in equal proportions. Over the past 20 years, Toulouse has become the main aviation and space flight center in France. More than 35 thousand local residents(out of 400,000) work in the space industry, and Airbus is considered the largest employer in the entire region.

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3rd place - Lyon

• Population: 500 715
• Region: Auvergne - Rhone - Alps
• Square: 47.87 km 2

Lyons is one of the largest and most beautiful cities in France. His ancient history and magnificent monuments of culture and architecture, as well as the proximity of the Alps, attracts a large number of tourists, both from Europe and from other places of our planet. In ancient times, Lyon was called Lugdun - Crow Mountain. The documented date for the founding of Lyons is 43 BC. e., and its founder is considered to be the Roman senator Lucius Planck. He brought a Roman detachment into the Gaul settlement of Lugdunum in order to expand it and create a Roman outpost in its place.

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2nd place - Marseille

• Population: 855 393
• Region: Provence - Alpes - French Riviera
• Square: 240.62 km 2

Marcel is the standard of the Mediterranean port city, as we are used to imagining them from adventure books and films. The largest commercial port in the country, a major industrial center and the second most populous city in France; one of the oldest cities in Europe, Marseille is a focal point of overwhelming scents, fresh breezes and romance.

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1st place - Paris

• Population: 2 291 621
• Region: Ile de France
• Square: 105.4 km 2

Paris is the capital of France, the largest city in terms of population in this country. Located on the banks of the Seine River in the northern part of the country, in the Ile-de-France region. Paris is the main economic and cultural center France, as well as an important political center of Europe. The headquarters of UNESCO and the International Chamber of Commerce are located here.

Paris grew up on the site of the settlement of Lutetia, founded by the Celtic tribe of the Parisians in the 3rd century BC. NS. The settlement was located on the safe island of Cité, surrounded by the waters of the Seine River. At the beginning of the II century BC. NS. Lutetia was surrounded by a fortress wall. The basis of the economy of the Celtic settlement was trade: the Seine connected the Mediterranean with the British Isles.