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Best natural wonders in France
best natural wonders in France

The 15 Best Natural Wonders in France

The 15 Best Natural Wonders in France, France's Most Beautiful Natural Sites, the Best Landscapes in France await you.

 

France offers a wide variety of landscapes to travellers who want to think outside the box. Stroll in Monet’s garden in Giverny or in the lavender fields of Valensole in Provence.

 

Book your flights and accommodation at the best price and your tours and activities in France and discover the best natural wonders in France.

 

Need more inspiration? Discover the Best Hidden Gems in France, Best Places to Visit in France, Best Beaches in France, Best Things to do in France, Best Castles in France as well as the Best Ski Resorts in France and Best Christmas Markets in France.

 


Best natural wonders in France - Verdon gorge copyright  Ivica Drusany - European Best Destinations
Copyright Ivica Drusany

1. Verdon Gorges

Var Region

2 hours from Marseille airport (2:10 from Nice airport), disconnect from everyday life and its stress. Discover the Best Nature Wonders in France and reconnect with nature by visiting the Gorges du Verdon.

 

The largest canyon in Europe offers incredible unsuspected, unforgettable landscapes.

 

You can experience the gorges du Verdon through water activities such as canyoning or simply hiking. More than 400 km of marked trails await you. 

 

How to get there: Book your flights to Marseille and your accommodation at the best price in the Var Region. 

 

Where to stay: "La Bastide du Calalou" located 30-minute drive from the Gorges du Verdon

 


Best natural wonders in France - Etretat Cliffs copyright 4Max  - European Best Destinations
Copyright 4Max

2. Etretat Cliffs

Etretat - Normandy

The cliffs of Etretat are one of the emblematic places of Normandy, in the same way as Mont Saint-Michel. Its large white chalk cliffs inspired painters such as Gustave Courbet and Claude Monet.

 

Let your mind get lost in the beauty of these natural landscapes, one of the Most Beautiful Natural Wonders in France. Relax, make the most of your stay in Normandy.

 

How to get there: Book your flights to Caen or Rouen (1 hour by car) as well as your tours and activities in France such as a full-day Etretat & Le Havre with cooking class

 

Where to stay: "Castel de la Terrasse" located 500 metres from the beach. 

 


Best natural wonders in France - King Aragon Stair Steps Bonifacio copyright  Samuel Borges Photography  - European Best Destinations
Copyright Samuel Borges Photography

3. King Aragon Stair Steps

Bonifacio - Corsica

In 1420 King Aragon’s troops dug these stairs in the rock of the cliff of Bonifacio.

 

From there, you will enjoy an incredible view of Sardinia. King Aragon’s purpose was more practical as the stairs were dug to access a freshwater well.

 

Book your flights and discover one of the Top Natural Wonders in France.

 

How to get there: Come live an unforgettable experience in the heart of Corsican nature and book your flights to Figari airport, located 20 minutes from Bonifacio, and your accommodation at the best price in Bonifacio.   

 

Where to stay:  "Best Western Hotel du Roy d’Aragon" is set in the old port in Bonifacio. 


Best nature wonders in France - The Mer de Glace Glacier Cave in Chamonix copyright Cristian Puscasu - European Best Destinations
Copyright Cristian Puscasu

4. Sea of Ice

Chamonix

Discover the whole history of glaciology. Climb aboard the pretty little red train of Chamonix that will take you 1000 metres higher to the site of "Montenvers-Mer de Glace", one of the Best Nature Wonders in France.

 

To dive into this icy sea you must prepare this expedition upstream and book your tickets or guided tour. This can be done on site from the Chamonix Tourist Office or online by booking your tours and activities in Chamonix.

 

How to get there: Book your flights to Geneva or Lyon and your accommodation at the best price in Chamonix and discover one of the most beautiful natural sites in France.

 

Where to stay: With its heated outdoor pool and gym, the hotel "Le refuge des Aiglons" is our favourite in Chamonix. 

 


Best nature wonders in France - Dune du pilat copyright  Shen max   - European Best Destinations
Copyright Shen Max

5. Dune du Pilat

Arcachon

With a height of 106 m and a length of 600 m, the Pilat Dune is the highest dune in Europe and one of the Best French Natural Wonders.

 

The largest dune in the world is still 5 times larger but the beauty of the Dune of Pilat is truly awesome. Size aside, its most impressive feature is its presence, right there amidst a beautiful forest of pine trees.

 

Go down at the foot of the dune and you will arrive on the basin of Arcachon, world famous for its oysters.

 

A few steps from the dune you can eat at the restaurant "La Coorniche" renovated by the French designer Philippe Starck. You can also book your room at the best price at the 5-star hotel "La Coorniche". 

 

We offer hundreds of accommodations at the best price in Arcachon. Make your choice and discover one of the best natural wonders of France.

 

How to get there: Book your flights to Bordeaux (50 min by car). 

 

Where to stay:  "La Coorniche" renovated by the French designer Philippe Starck.

 


Best hidden gems in Europe - Calanques de Piana COpyright  beboy - European Best Destinations
Copyright Beboy

6. Calanques de la Piana

Corsica

Located just 90 minutes by car from Ajaccio airport, Les Calanques de Piana is one of France's best natural wonders.

 

The French writer Guy de Maupassant wrote that the Calanques de Piana were one of the wonders of Corsica and even one of the wonders of France.

 

You can ramble in this incredible landscape and several trails have been created for hikers. The most popular as seen in the above photo, is the path "Towards the Castle", recognizable by the piles of stones left by hikers.

 

How to get there: Book your flights to Ajaccio airport (1h30 by car) and accommodation at the best price as well as your tours and activities in Corsica, such as a full-day guided hike tour. 

 

Where to stay: The hotel "Brise de Mer" located in Porto-Marine is a good starting point to discover these extraordinary landscapes. 

 


Best nature wonders in France - Orgue de Ille sur Tet copyright  Gennady Stetsenko  - European Best Destinations
Copyright Gennady Stetsenko

7. "Ille-sur-Têt Organs" 

Languedoc Roussillon

 Just 30 minutes from Perpignan airport in the South of France, the geological site of the "Ille-sur-Têt Organs" is one of the best natural wonders in France.

 

This fantastic show is the result of erosion by the wind over more than 4 million years. If you are sensitive to the fragile beauty of landscapes. 

 

How to get there: Book your flights to Perpignan and your accommodation at the best price in Languedoc-Roussillon. The geological site is open every day from 10h to 18h.

 

Where to stay:  "Mas St. Joseph" situated in an 18th century monastery in Ille-sur-Têt.

 


City - Monet's garden in Giverny copyright  Julneighbour  - European Best Destinations
Copyright Julneighbour

8. Monet's garden

Giverny - Normandy

Once in a while, the hand of man intervenes to create a magnificent landscape and sublime gardens. This is the case for the Giverny gardens, one of the Most Beautiful Natural Wonders in France.

 

Without a penny in his pocket, the painter Claude Monet had to leave Paris and moved in as a single tenant in this house located in Normandy. 

 

The property underwent major landscaping work including the creation of a pond and the building of three greenhouses. 

 

Come relax in this soothing and inspiring place just 1 hour’s drive from Paris and book your flights and accommodation at the best price and your tours and activities in France such as a "Half-day trip to Giverny from Paris".

 

How to get there: Book your flights to Paris (1h by car).

 

Where to stay:  "Le Jardin des Plumes" located in Giverny. Monet's house and gardens are only 500 m from the Hotel. 

 


Best nature wonders in France - Morgat ile vierge crozon copyright andre quinou - European Best Destinations
Copyright andre quinou

9. Virgin Island

Morgat - Crozon

Only 50 minutes from Quimper airport and just 1 hour from Lorient airport, one of the most beautiful natural treasure in France awaits you.

 

Elected among the most beautiful beaches of France but also of Europe, the beach of the virgin island in Crozon is a small paradise on earth.

 

This cove is sublime. It takes a good hour to walk to get there and the beach is not easy to find but you can count on hikers to direct you.

 

How to get there: Book your flights to Brest or Quimper airport and your accommodation at the best price in Crozon for a stay to discover one of the best natural wonders in France

 

Where to stay: "Cap Morgat chez Jean" is a beachfront property located in Crozon.

 


Best Nature wonders in France - Lake Blanc  copyright  Creative Travel Project - European Best Destinations
Copyright Creative Travel Project

10. White Lake - Aiguilles Rouges

Chamonix

An exceptional flora, natural viewpoints to observe the Mont-Blanc and its glaciers, welcome to the natural reserve of Aiguilles Rouges, one of the best natural wonders of France.

 

You can discover these landscapes throughout the year. Spring and summer are the best seasons to observe the flora and fauna. The Aiguilles rouges Nature Reserve is a 10-minute drive from Chamonix-Mont-Blanc city centre. 

 

How to get there:  The easiest way to get there is to book your flights to Geneva

(1 hour by car) or Lyon (2 hours by car). 

 

Where to stay: With its heated outdoor pool and gym, the hotel "Le refuge des Aiglons" is our favourite in Chamonix. 

 


Best Nature wonders in France - Roussillon Red Ochres Rock copyright  ermess- European Best Destinations
Copyright ermess

11. The Ocher

Roussillon - Provence

 

The old ochre quarries are an exceptional site, one of the best natural wonders in France.

 

This incredible natural landscape, sometimes carved by man, sometimes sculpted by the winds’ natural erosion, is absolutely fascinating.

 

This natural, non-toxic russet-red pigment is the perfect dye; it is used for wall coverings but also for cosmetics or in the manufacture of certain cheeses from Provence.

 

How to get there: Book your flights to Marseille (1h 20 min by car) and your accommodation at the best price in Provence and your tours and activities in Provence, such as a "Provence olive harvest".

 

Where to stay: "Hotel Château des Alpilles" welcomes you in a luxury setting. 

 


Best nature wonders in France - Parc Regional de Camargue copyright e Uhryn Larysa - European Best Destinations
Copyright Uhryn Larysa

12. Regional Natural Park of Camargue

Provence

 

Just a 50-minute drive from Marseille airport, the Regional Natural Park of Camargue is a haven of peace and one of the Most Stunning Natural Wonders in France.

 

It is a perfect place to observe migratory birds, flamingos and the unique landscapes of Camargue.

 

The Camargue is also known for its horses who live there in semi-freedom. "The Camargue" is also the name of a breed of small white horses that have become one of the symbols of the region.

 

Book your flights to Marseille and your accommodation at the best price in the Camargue and let yourself be enchanted by the beauty of its natural landscapes.

 

How to get there: Book your flights to Marseille (50 min by car).  

 

Where to stay:  To be pampered like a star, book your room at the hotel "Boutique Hotel des Remparts & Spa".

 


Best nature wonders in France - Salt flats of Aigues Mortes copyright pixelshop   - European Best Destinations
Copyright pixelshop

13. Salt Flats of Aigues Mortes

Montpellier

A mere 20 minutes from Montpellier airport, Aigues-Mortes is known worldwide for its salt marshes top-rated among the Best Natural Wonders in France.

 

Since ancient times, this small town in the south of France has been harvesting salt thanks to its salt marshes which enjoy a good exposure to the sun and a natural protection due to their geographical location.

 

Come and enjoy these beautiful pink landscapes and walk in the regional park of Camargue where you will encounter horses in semi-freedom and beautiful flamingos.

 

How to get there: Book your flights to Montpellier airport (20 min by car).   

 

Where to stay: To be pampered like a star, book your room at the hotel "Boutique Hotel des Remparts & Spa".

 


Best nature wonders in France - St Raphaël Golden Island Copyright  ZM_Photo - European Best Destinations
Copyright ZM_Photo

14. Massif of Esterel

Var

This imposing volcanic mountain massif is one of the most incredible natural sites in France.

 

The Massif de l'Esterel is located in the Var, a department known for the beauty of its landscapes and its beaches which have been elected as being among the Best Beaches in France.

 

The Var is also famous for its sunny and authentic destinations, such as Sainte-Maxime and Saint-Raphaël. 

 

How to get there: Book your flights to Nice (40 min by car) and your hotel at the best price in the region.  

 

Where to stay: "Tiara Miramar Beach Hotel & Spa".

 


Best nature wonders in France - Plateau de Valensole copyright  Francois Roux  - European Best Destinations
Copyright Francois Roux

15. Lavender fields 

Valensole Plateau - Alpes de Haute Provence

A mere 1 hour from Marseille airport, the lavender fields of the Valensole plateau, one of the Most Beautiful Natural Wonders in France, await you.

 

Valensole is known for its olive trees, truffles, almond trees and especially its lavender fields. When lavender is in bloom, the whole plateau of Valensole turns purple and the whole region smells of lavender.

 

Give yourself a moment of pure happiness by strolling among the lavender fields and feel stress leave your body. If you want to enjoy this beautiful landscape, book your flights and accommodation at the best price and discover one of the Best Natural Wonders in France.

 

How to get there:  Book your flights to Marseille (1h by car). 

 

Where to stay: "Les Terrasses de Valensole" featuring a seasonal outdoor pool and a terrace.  

 


 

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