When it comes to ancient architecture, France is one such country that would undoubtedly top the list. The rich history of France is shown to us utilizing the many architectural styles that fill their cities and rural towns. We can admire the French for many things – their cuisine, their fashion, their wine, their art, their artists and a vast number of major art movements – but let us not forget their flamboyant architecture. Throughout history, French architecture played a few seminal roles, giving birth to some of the most famous architectural styles and presenting itself as a role model for the rest of the world. The world-famous Jean Nouvel and Dominique Perrault are the beauty of France. The buildings and monuments built during ancient times don’t fail to stun tourists who come to France. One can marvel every time they visit these places.

House of the Facteur Cheval is one of the most unusual monuments of France, something one would not expect to come across while travelling the country of cobbled stone streets and timber facades. It is an example of naïve architecture explored by a man with no architectural knowledge which has served as an inspiration for my artists for centuries. Wandering around the aptly named PalaisIdéal (Fairytale Palace), you see a Hindu temple guarded by giant statues of Vercingetorix, Jules Cesar, and Archimedes on the east side, a medieval castle juxtaposing a mosque and a swiss chalet on the west side, and multiple references to antediluvian times and the Bible.

Baccarat is a small beautiful town near Strasbourg which is known for its crystal manufacturing. The glasswork company in Baccarat employs the best glass-makers, cutters, and blowers who are recognized globally. Glass and crystal work from here are exported all over the world and the buildings decorated with glass in Baccarat are worth a visit while travelling in France. The Church of St. Remy which belongs to the 20th century is one magnificent example of the stained glass windows, made in wood and concrete with 20,000 pieces of crystal by the talented artists of Baccarat.

Philharmonie de Paris is one of the most expensive concert halls in the country designed and then disowned by architect Jean Nouvel. It is an extraordinary structure and a very contemporary take on concert halls which establishes a sense of harmony with the Parc de la Villette and the Paris ring road. This building is a beautiful composition of subtle reflections through its paved patterns on the façade. Its architect, Jean Nouvel, had won the project through his competition proposal.

Cathedral Rouen is a stunning example of traditional Gothic architecture in Rouen, Normandy, France. This church presents a beautiful testimony of the evolution of Gothic art and was constructed over four centuries with the recent addition of a cast-iron spire in the nineteenth century. This church has even served as an inspiration to artists like Monet who has painted it over time and seasons. You will feel ecstatic by the minute articulations and scriptures constructed to demonstrate an entire era.

Montmartre is a small charming hilltop district near the Sacre Coeur, Paris which was formerly also known as the “Artist’s village” as it has been inhabited by many masters of art like Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, etc. Even today when you visit it, you might be overwhelmed by the creative spirit embodied in the neighbourhood and get inspired by the exhibited art of Dali, come across some vineyards and old railway junctions, making your visit feel like no less than a movie. The district also offers visits to cemeteries and important monuments of French history.

Palais Garnier, the Opera House in Paris was a design by Charles Garnier, constructed over many years rising above all the construction challenges to be the first theatre to test the phonogram and the theatrophone. The execution of the opera on the chosen site came with a huge challenge of draining the water table, an underground lake was contained by building the cisterns and pumping out water for seven months. Palais Garnier Opera House is constructed in all its glory with several types of marbles, gold, mosaics and, profusions of various statues and paintings which gives the users an unforgettable experience!

Colmar is the city you are looking for when you want to experience the joy of looking at beautiful, colourful houses on the streets while boating in a canal, giving an ecstatic experience of cities like Strasbourg and Venice at the same time, but calmer and serene. Colmar is the Alsace region’s wine capital and is known for hosting international Christmas festivals annually. The district of Colmar will serve you with houses built in the traditional French style with hipped roofs and tied facades, with some amazing riverside eateries and bakeries to drop by while exploring the city. Arles is another small city in France known for its Roman roots and inspiring painting of Van Gogh. One of the biggest attractions in Arles is the oval arena, the ancient amphitheatre modelled from the Roman Coliseum. The structure is still a big part of the city’s cultural life and events and is carefully designed keeping in mind the pace of spectators going in and out while planning the stairways. Apart from the amphitheatre, you might also love to pay a visit to the Van Gogh heritage exhibited in the city, incredible churches, monasteries and parks.

Carcassonne is a charming French town within the restored walls is known as La Cité, and the entire area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The castle itself, along with its ramparts, is a French National Monument. You could spend hours just strolling the museum areas, but the narrow, winding streets of the rest of La Cité are also full of charming cafes, galleries and shops. Outside the walls, there are lots of gorgeous sights to see as well: The Canal du Midi, a set of waterways built in the 1600s to connect the Atlantic and Mediterranean (and another UNESCO World Heritage Site), runs right through town, and its banks are ideal for a nice stroll, or you can take a day cruise on a riverboat. Very near those ruins, you’ll also find Grotte de Limousis, an extensive system of caves where you can see claw marks from Paleolithic bears and an impressive “chandelier” made of aragonite crystals, along with stalactite columns and an underground lake.

Foundation Le Corbusier known as the father of modern architecture, this Swiss-French architect has some of his most extraordinary projects housed in France including his own residential apartment Atelier de le Corbusier where he lived for over thirty years with his wife. You can find the implementation of modern architecture at its best here which is also reflected in his project of a weekend home for the Savoye family in Poissy, a little away from Paris, popularly known as Villa Savoye. If you are taking a tour of his buildings, you might want to also drop by the Convent of Sainte Marie de la Tourette, Éveux, Lyon, and Unitéd’Habitation of Nantes-Reze, Nantes.

Half-timbered houses were built in France from the late 15th century to the early 19th century. These are more than three hundred years of tradition, so this is a significant chapter of French architectural history. These houses cannot be found in every corner of France. Like any other traditional building, it was built where the right materials could be easily found. These houses were common throughout the north-eastern part. Nowadays, these traditional houses are part of the touristic charm of regions like Burgundy, Champagne, Normandy, and Alsace. Many of the new owners of these houses have decided to restore or paint the wooden structure, and of course, give a new appearance to the inner and outer walls. This makes them more attractive to the modern tourist, without disrespecting the legacy of traditional buildings. Some half-timbered houses are also for sale, so others can start a new life in north-east France, in a comfortable, simple and rustic house that takes them away from the city. For some, these are perfect retirement homes. For others, a romantic refuge for a weekend getaway. No matter their reasons, they all feel the same respect and fascination for this example of French architectural history.

The Catacombs of Paris is an ancient ossuary that stretches about twenty meters below the surface of the city. Since its establishment in the 18th century, it is probably one of the most curiosity-generating places one can find in Paris, France. It is a completely different experience of exploring the city, walking for about an hour with the remains of hundreds and millions of Parisians. It borrows its name ‘Catacombs’ from the ancient Roman catacombs which have fascinated the world since their discovery. Several bones and skulls are piled in a wall along the path in an organized fashion which gives you chills while thinking about the uncountable lives and stories housed in this cave.

France is a pool of opportunities for the creative profession offering innumerable precedents of art, history, fashion, architecture, housing some of the most iconic buildings which have marked their significance not just in France, but all over the world. France serves a beautiful amalgamation of massive hip roofs with post-modern standouts adding up to the skyline with some of the best croissants and pastries in all of Europe! Apart from the most popular tourist destinations of France, the boulevards of Paris and beautiful gothic cathedrals, you might want to visit some of these not so popular yet breath-taking places to get a taste of real France.

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