Where To Go In France Based On Your Personality

With a completely different climate from its northern shores to its southern beaches, featuring mountain ranges and vast stretches of sand to dazzling cities and cultural hubs, France really has it all. Whatever kind of person or explorer you are, you’ll be able to find your perfect spot in France.

For adventurers: Ardèche

Ardèche is located in southeast France and its scenery is considered some of the most beautiful in the country. There are dense forests, undulating hills and dramatic gorges all on your doorstep, making it an adventurer’s dream location. Pont d’Arc is one of the most iconic settings in the Ardèche, spanning the Ardèche River. Kayaking and hiking are favourite activities around this specific spot, while you’ll also find prehistoric caves, such as Aven d’Orgnac, to explore.

For wine connoisseurs: Bordeaux

Bordeaux wine is some of the best in the world

For hikers: Balcony of the Côte d’Azur

France is a nation of hikers. This means there is no shortage whatsoever of fantastic hiking trails all across the country. A favourite is the GR51, or Balcony of the Côte d’Azur. Running from Menton to Marseille, this route combines everything hikers could ever want: views to die for, gorgeous villages to stop at for local dishes, and an almost year-round Mediterranean climate to match.

The GR51 hike is a favourite among hiking enthusiasts

For culinary kings: Lyon

Lyon has long held the highest culinary title in France along with Paris. Even though there are some up-and-coming competing cities, Lyon still holds the crown for its gastronomy. Its famed covered market, Les Halles de Lyon, is a must-visit, even if you just browse the regional and local ingredients. It goes without saying that you should also enjoy a meal or two at the unique bouchon – bistros and restaurants typical to Lyon, historically family-owned and serving hearty food made with recipes that have been passed down through generations.

Lyon is the place to go for unique foodie experiences

For culture vultures: Nantes

Nantes is like a city reborn. There has been a lot of effort made in the past 15 years to rejuvenate areas of the city centre, meaning it has become a genuinely exciting and relatively unknown culture hub to make a beeline for. There are fantastic museum and gallery spaces, but there is also the futuristic Machines de L’Île theme park – surely one of the most adventurous and creative projects to hit the scene in a while.

Nantes is becoming a significant culture hub

For wildlife and nature lovers: the Pyrenees

If you’re all about nature and live to explore the wild, then the mountain range of the Pyrenees is for you. It is a complete wonder for those wanting go off trail and explore nature at its best. Horses and sheep roam the undulating foothills and it’s so peaceful you’ll hear the sound of cow bells coming from miles away. Take a look at our top hiking trails in the Pyrenees to get you started.

For beach bums: Collioure

Collioure in the South of France is a real treat for travellers who love to be on the beach. This beautiful town has its own sandy patches, so you can mix cultural mornings with hours and hours next to the Mediterranean. Collioure is under an hour away from the Spanish border, so not only do you have incredible mountain views from its beaches, but the Catalan influence on local cuisine is a major holiday bonus. The best of everything!

For history buffs: Normandy

The whole of France is steeped in history. A good starting point – and a pretty big one at that – to immerse yourself in an area rich with history is Normandy, the D-Day landing beaches and cemeteries. In fact, the stretch of coastline of the D-Day Landings is once again vying for UNESCO World Heritage status, so strongly linked is it to the country and the world’s past and present. If you’re after a bigger town-base, stay in Caen, just 40 minutes by car from this historic site.

The remains of the dock at Omaha beach, one of the D-Day landing beaches

For romantics: Loire Valley

It would be easy to choose France’s dazzling capital for a pocket of France perfect for romantics, but in truth the Loire Valley clinches it. This is the area of France that served as an escape and oasis for French royalty, so it is easy to see how such magnificent castles came to punctuate the landscape. The Loire Valley has many attractions and gorgeous towns surrounding it, such as Saumur and Chinon that are both worth visiting.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.