Musée Rodin

Paris rewards visitors who venture beyond the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame. The Musée d'Orsay houses one of the world's finest Impressionist collections, while the Centre Pompidou showcases contemporary art in its distinctive inside-out building. Below ground, the Catacombs wind through tunnels lined with the remains of six million Parisians. Sainte-Chapelle preserves 15 towering windows of 13th-century stained glass that fill the Gothic chapel with colored light. Markets like Marché d'Aligre bring together fresh produce, vintage furniture, and antiques under one roof. The city's neighborhoods and waterways offer equally rewarding discoveries. Le Marais combines medieval architecture with boutiques, galleries, and restaurants in its narrow streets. The Coulée Verte René-Dumont transforms an abandoned railway viaduct into an elevated garden path. Along the Canal Saint-Martin, tree-lined banks invite afternoon walks and waterside gatherings. Père Lachaise Cemetery serves as both a park and the burial ground for writers, artists, and musicians. The Musée Rodin displays sculptures in an 18th-century mansion surrounded by gardens, while the Musée Jacquemart-André presents European masterworks in an elegant private residence. Rue Crémieux's pastel-painted facades create one of the city's most photographed corners.

The Versailles region and its surroundings feature a notable collection of historic sites, museums, and landscaped areas that showcase centuries of French history. Beyond the famous chateau, visitors can explore sites like the Queen's Hameau in the Versailles park, a rustic retreat of Marie Antoinette, or the Château de Malmaison, which preserves furnishings and decor from the First Empire. The Napoléon III Apartments at the Louvre demonstrate the splendor of the Second Empire, while the Domaine de Marly-le-Roi reflects the grandeur of Louis XIV's reign. Local museums host diverse collections, from Rodin's sculptures displayed in his former private residence to Maurice Denis's symbolist works at the Saint-Germain-en-Laye Priory. The Gustave Moreau Museum holds over 1,300 paintings and 5,000 drawings in the artist's former home. Gardens are also a major draw: Sceaux Park stretches over a mile with 17th-century geometric pathways, while Albert Kahn Gardens offer a journey through Japanese, French, and English landscape styles. These sites allow visitors to explore French cultural history through architecture, decorative arts, and garden art.

France has a notable horticultural heritage expressed through gardens of various styles spread across the country. This collection includes historical creations like the Renaissance gardens of Villandry, urban parks such as the Parc de la Tête d'Or in Lyon with its 290 acres and four tropical greenhouses, as well as mountain gardens like the Jardin Alpin in Chamonix. Visitors also discover specialized sites, including the Val-de-Marne Rose Garden with 3,300 rose varieties organized by historical periods. These spaces exhibit considerable botanical diversity, from the Mediterranean collections at Domaine du Rayol on the Côte d'Azur to tropical plants at the Serres d'Auteuil in Paris. Some gardens like the Jardin des Plantes in Nantes host more than 10,000 species from different climates, while others focus on specific collections like magnolias and hydrangeas at the Gaston Allard Arboretum in Angers. These sites combine scientific interest, botanical conservation, and the pleasure of strolling, offering visitors the chance to explore the plant richness of the entire world within carefully arranged settings.

Halloween becomes an annual major event across France. Theme parks like Disneyland Paris, Parc Astérix, and Futuroscope create special environments with seasonal decorations, themed shows, and attractions suitable for all ages. Families can enjoy special menus in restaurants and meet costumed characters that animate the walkways. Cultural heritage sites also participate by organizing night visits. The Paris Catacombs reveal their underground history through guided tours after dark. The Château de Combourg welcomes visitors to its medieval halls with historical stories, while the Citadel of Bitche transforms its military galleries into theatrical settings. Museums also join the festivities: the Rodin Museum highlights its Gates of Hell with sound and visual effects. Natural sites like the Balme Caves host thematic exhibitions, and even the Thoiry Zoo invites visitors to observe animals during specially arranged evening events.