As of 2026, France’s UNESCO World Heritage includes 56 listed sites: 47 cultural, seven natural and two mixed. This diversity offers different ways to approach a trip: you can focus on architecture and historic cities, explore landscapes or take an interest in regional food culture.
Heritage between cities and traditions
Cultural World Heritage sites include Mont-Saint-Michel, Versailles, the banks of the Seine in Paris, the Pont du Gard, the Loire Valley and the fortified historic city of Carcassonne. These examples show different facets of cultural heritage, from historic cityscapes and riverbanks to renowned landmarks.
A cultural journey through France also extends beyond UNESCO sites. Castles, Gothic cathedrals, Roman remains, distinctive villages, museums and contemporary art centres are all part of it. Medieval towns such as Saint-Malo, Dinan, Provins, Carcassonne, Sarlat-la-Canéda and Riquewihr offer further starting points for exploration.
UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage includes traditions and skills such as the Breton fest-noz, the gastronomic meal of the French, baguette-making, glassmaking, perfumery in Grasse and Alençon lace-making. These examples draw attention not only to places, but also to inherited practices and craftsmanship.
Landscapes and natural heritage
France’s landscapes include the Alps and Pyrenees, the volcanoes of Auvergne, cliffs in Brittany and Normandy, and the lagoons of the Camargue. Forests in the Morvan, Vosges and Jura lie alongside wetlands such as the Brenne, the Brière and the Golfe du Morbihan. The country offers a wide range of landscape types, each with its own nature experiences.
France’s natural and mixed UNESCO heritage includes the Calanques of Porto and the Scandola Nature Reserve, the Chaîne des Puys, Réunion’s volcanic landscapes, the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Martinique’s volcanoes and forests, and Pyrénées–Mont Perdu. Calanques National Park is Europe’s only national park that is simultaneously terrestrial, marine and peri-urban; its landscapes include coastal calanques and a diverse Mediterranean underwater world.
As of August 2026, France has 11 national parks and 59 regional nature parks. They combine biodiversity protection with hiking, cycling and wildlife watching. Protected natural areas in national parks also provide space for activities such as swimming, diving, paragliding and winter sports. Mountain refuges in French national parks serve hikers and travellers on longer routes as places to stay overnight or stop along the way.
Food culture with regional character
The gastronomic meal of the French has been on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2010. Its ceremonial sequence includes at least four courses, from aperitif to digestif. Those wishing to explore French food culture can also find inspiration at markets and in covered market halls, wine bars, neighbourhood bistros and artisan food stalls.
Regional specialities also bring France’s culinary diversity to life, including coq au vin from Burgundy, cassoulet from the southwest and bouillabaisse from the Mediterranean region. Together with the traditions mentioned above, they show how food can be explored both as an inherited ritual and through specific dishes.
Discover France on the go
International train connections provide access to France from nearly 40 destinations in 15 European countries. Within the country, ten EuroVelo routes cross France and connect its major regions with the rest of Europe. There are also more than 20,000 kilometres of cycle routes and greenways.
Water also shapes tourism opportunities: France has 8,500 kilometres of navigable waterways, including 6,700 kilometres managed by Voies navigables de France. They provide a basis for canal and river tourism. For culture enthusiasts, offers such as free museum admission on the first Sunday of the month and the Nuit des musées programme are among the initiatives through which French museums support visitor access.
When choosing a hotel, you can start by considering what you want your trip to focus on: heritage, landscapes or food culture. This lets you tailor your search to your own interests.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Aquitaine, Auvergne, Brittany, Burgundy, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Alsace, Franche-Comté, Corsica, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Midi-Pyrénées, Normandy, Paris, Pays de la Loire, Picardy, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Rhone Savoyen, Île-de-France, Saint Pierre.
