10 Historical Spots in France That Take You Back in Time (and aren’t in Paris)

If you’re planning a French vacation and you want to soak up history beyond Paris, you’re in for a treat. There are lots of fabulous historical spots in France. This country is packed with places that don’t just tell a story; they are the story. From medieval cities and Roman masterpieces to grand châteaux where kings shaped the course of history, you’re in for a treat.

You can walk through the ancient streets in walled cities, cross a Roman aqueduct that’s stood for nearly 2,000 years, or explore the coastal strongholds where privateers once ruled the waves. Stand where Joan of Arc faced her fate and visit the oldest Roman road in Europe.

These aren’t just places to check off your bucket list; they’re places to experience. Whether you love ancient ruins, grand palaces, or medieval streets that look straight out of a history book, these ten spots should be on your French vacation must-visit list.

Carcassonne

Carcassonne is the kind of place that stops you in your tracks. Its towering medieval walls, stretching nearly three kilometers, look like something straight out of a history book. As you walk through the massive gates, you’re stepping into a fortress that’s been standing for centuries. The cobbled streets wind past timbered houses, little cafés, and hidden courtyards, while the turrets and ramparts offer sweeping views over the Aude River and the rolling countryside beyond. It’s the largest preserved medieval fortress in Europe, and it feels every bit as grand as you’d expect.

Once a Roman outpost, it became a key stronghold during the Middle Ages, caught in the chaos of sieges and power struggles. It played a major role in the Albigensian Crusades when the Catholic Church waged war against the Cathars, a religious sect that had taken hold in the region. 

Over time, Carcassonne fell into disrepair until architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc restored it in the 19th century, returning it to its former glory. Today, you can walk along the very walls that medieval soldiers once patrolled, standing where battles were fought and history was made.

And then there’s the legend of Dame Carcas. When Charlemagne’s army laid siege to the city, the people inside were starving. To trick the attackers, Dame Carcas, widow of the city’s ruler, fed the last of the grain to a pig and threw it over the walls. Seeing the well-fed animal, Charlemagne assumed the city still had plenty of food and abandoned the siege. As the bells rang in victory, people said, “Carcas sonne!” Carcas rings, and that’s how the city got its name. Whether fact or folklore, it’s just one more reason Carcassonne feels like a place where the past is still very much alive.

La Rochelle

La Rochelle is a town with the kind of history you can feel when you arrive. I’ve been many times as it’s only a 90-minute drive from me in the next department, the Charente Maritime. Sitting on the Atlantic coast, its old port is guarded by two imposing medieval towers that have stood watch over the city for centuries. Boats bob in the harbor, where merchants once set sail for the New World, and just beyond the city walls, the Atlantic stretches out to the horizon. It’s a place where history isn’t locked away in museums; it’s everywhere you look.

La Rochelle has been a rebel city for much of its past. It was a Huguenot stronghold in the 16th and 17th centuries, resisting Catholic rule and defying the French crown. That defiance led to the infamous Siege of La Rochelle in 1627, when King Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu blockaded the city for over a year, starving the population into submission. It was a turning point in French history, crushing Protestant power in the region. But La Rochelle bounced back, becoming one of France’s busiest ports, sending explorers and traders to Canada, the Caribbean, and beyond.

The town has long been tied to one of history’s greatest mysteries, the disappearance of the Knights Templar. In the early 14th century, the city was one of their key strongholds, home to a major fleet and a rumored treasure hoard. When King Philip IV ordered the arrest of the Templars in 1307, many of them vanished, and so did their legendary wealth. Some believe they set sail from La Rochelle under cover of darkness, escaping just before the crackdown. 

There are many theories about where they went — Portugal, Scotland, or even further afield. What is certain is that by the time Cardinal Richelieu’s forces laid siege to the city in 1627, the Templars were long gone, their fate still unknown. 

Brantôme

Brantôme is the kind of place that feels like it belongs in a storybook. Set along the Dronne River in the Dordogne, it’s called the “Venice of Périgord,” thanks to its picturesque waterways and arched stone bridges. The town is beautiful, but the real star is the Benedictine abbey, which sits dramatically against a limestone cliff. 

The abbey’s history stretches back over a thousand years, with origins dating to the eighth century when Charlemagne founded it. Over the centuries, it grew into a major religious center, surviving Viking raids, wars, and periods of decline. But what makes it truly unique is what’s behind it: the troglodyte caves carved into the cliffs. 

Monks once lived in these rock-hewn dwellings, seeking solitude and prayer in the cool, damp darkness. Today, you can step inside and see the eerie sculptures that remain, including the Grotte du Jugement Dernier (Cave of the Last Judgment), a massive relief depicting scenes of heaven and hell. I’ve been there, and let me tell you, creepy doesn’t begin to cover it.

One of the abbey’s most fascinating stories is linked to Charlemagne. Legend has it that he gifted relics of Saint Sicaire, one of the supposed Holy Innocents, to the monastery, turning it into a pilgrimage site.

Whether or not the relics are real, they helped establish Brantôme as an important spiritual destination in medieval France. Now, you can wander through the abbey’s cloisters, explore the mysterious caves, and walk along the riverbanks where monks once sought peace and reflection. It’s worth going as it’s stunningly beautiful. I took over a hundred photos as I didn’t want to miss anything.

Narbonne

Narbonne might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of Roman history, but this southern French city was once a major hub of the ancient world. Founded in 118 BC as Narbo Martius, it was Rome’s first colony in Gaul and a key stop along the Via Domitia, the road that connected Italy to Spain. 

Today, you can still see a piece of that very road in the middle of the city. A section of the Via Domitia lies exposed in the main square, worn smooth by centuries of travelers, from Roman soldiers to medieval merchants. Standing there, looking at the grooves left by ancient cartwheels, it’s easy to picture Narbonne as the bustling Roman trade center it once was.

The city’s Roman past doesn’t stop at the road. The Horreum, an underground warehouse from the first century BC, is another hidden gem. This network of tunnels once stored goods for the Roman marketplace above, and walking through its dimly lit corridors gives you a real sense of the scale of trade and wealth that flowed through Narbonne. 

The Donjon Gilles Aycelin, built between 1295 and 1306, dominates the city’s skyline. It was constructed by Archbishop Gilles Aycelin and was designed to showcase the church’s power as much as to defend against attacks. Climbing its 42-meter-high tower is worth the effort. My legs ached, but the sweeping views over Narbonne, stretching from the Corbières hills to the Mediterranean, were breathtaking. 

Mont Saint Michel

Rising out of the tidal flats of Normandy, this medieval abbey and village look like something straight out of a fantasy novel. As you approach, the silhouette of the island shifts with the light, sometimes wrapped in mist, other times glowing golden in the sun. The winding streets, ancient stone buildings, and towering spires all lead up to the abbey at the top, where breathtaking views stretch out over the bay. It’s one of the most photographed places in France, but no picture can quite capture the magic of seeing it in person.

The island has been a place of worship and pilgrimage for over a thousand years. According to legend, the Archangel Michael appeared to Saint Aubert, the Bishop of Avranches, in 708 and told him to build a sanctuary on the rocky outcrop. Over centuries, it grew into a fortified abbey, surviving wars, sieges, and the powerful tides that continue to shape the landscape today.

During the Hundred Years’ War, it was one of the few places in northern France that the English never managed to capture. The abbey itself is a masterpiece of medieval architecture, with soaring gothic arches, grand halls, and an eerie crypt that feels frozen in time.

The tides here are some of the most extreme in the world, rushing in and out faster than a galloping horse, a phenomenon that has both protected and isolated the island for centuries. In medieval times, pilgrims had to carefully time their crossings to avoid getting stranded. Even today, if you time it right, you can witness the island completely cut off from the mainland as the sea surrounds it. 

Rouen

Rouen is a city that knows how to put on a show, whether it’s through its half-timbered medieval streets, its towering cathedral, or its legendary food scene. With over 650 restaurants, it’s a place where eating is as much an experience as sightseeing. From cozy bistros serving Norman classics to Michelin-starred fine dining, there’s no shortage of places to indulge. 

Rouen’s food culture is so deeply rooted in tradition that UNESCO officially recognized it as a City of Gastronomy in 2021. Walk through the lively markets, and you’ll find everything from fresh seafood to camembert and cider straight from the Normandy countryside.

History is everywhere in Rouen, and that includes at the dinner table. This is the city where Julia Child had the meal that changed her life—a buttery sole meunière at La Couronne, France’s oldest inn, dating back to 1345. That first bite set her on the path to becoming America’s most famous French chef. But Rouen’s culinary history goes back much further. 

Of course, Rouen isn’t just about food. It’s where Joan of Arc was tried and burned at the stake in 1431, and you can stand in the very square where it happened. The city’s stunning cathedral, famously painted by Monet, dominates the skyline, while its winding medieval streets invite you to get lost in time. Whether you come for the history, the food, or both, Rouen is a city that leaves an impression.

Saint-Malo

Saint-Malo captures the imagination immediately with its walled city, winding cobblestone streets, and maritime history. Sitting on the Brittany coast, this fortified town has been a haven for sailors, pirates, and traders for centuries. Walking through its ancient gates, you’re greeted by a maze of narrow lanes lined with stone buildings, leading you to bustling markets and inviting cafés. 

Saint-Malo’s resilient spirit is evident in its history. During World War II, the city endured heavy bombardment, leaving much of it in ruins. However, the indomitable locals meticulously rebuilt their town, stone by stone.

Today, the ramparts offer panoramic views of the emerald coast, and the tides dramatically transform the landscape, revealing hidden pathways to nearby islets. Tales of privateers and maritime exploits echo through the rocks.

The allure of Saint-Malo reached a global audience through Anthony Doerr’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel All the Light We Cannot See. The story follows Marie-Laure, a blind French girl, and Werner, a German soldier whose paths converge in the besieged city during the war. Doerr’s vivid descriptions bring Saint-Malo to life, capturing its labyrinthine streets and the palpable tension of wartime. The novel’s success led to a Netflix miniseries adaptation, filmed on location.

Fontainebleau

Sitting on the edge of a vast forest, Fontainebleau has long been a retreat for kings, artists, and writers. The cobbled streets are lined with cafés, boutiques, and historic buildings that have hosted everyone from Napoleon to painters of the Barbizon School. 

Then, of course, there’s the Château de Fontainebleau. Bigger than Versailles and just as grand, this palace has been home to French royalty for over 800 years. Every ruler from François I to Napoleon left their mark, expanding the château into a sprawling masterpiece of Renaissance and classical architecture. 

Napoleon adored Fontainebleau, calling it “the true home of kings,” and carried out extensive renovations. But it also played a pivotal role in the life of Joséphine Bonaparte and was the setting for the most painful chapter of her story—her divorce from Napoleon in 1809. Unable to give him an heir, she was cast aside, marking the end of their marriage.

Pont du Gard

Built by the Romans in the first century AD, this 2000 year old towering aqueduct once carried water over 50 kilometers to the city of Nîmes. Standing beneath its three massive tiers of arches, it’s impossible not to be impressed by the sheer scale and precision of its construction. No mortar holds it together, just perfectly cut stones placed with such skill that the structure has survived floods, wars, and centuries of change. 

Beyond its impressive structure, this site has a deep historical significance. The Romans built it as part of the Aqua Augusta aqueduct, an essential system supplying Nîmes with fresh water. At its peak, the aqueduct delivered 8.8 million gallons of water daily, supplying the city’s baths, fountains, and homes. 

When the Roman Empire fell, the aqueduct eventually stopped working, but the bridge itself remained, repurposed over the centuries as a toll road and later as a protected monument. In 1985, UNESCO recognized it as a World Heritage Site, securing its place as one of France’s most important Roman landmarks.

A little-known fact? The Pont du Gard was once the site of extravagant royal picnics. In the 17th century, Louis XIV and his court stopped here to admire the bridge and feast in its shadow during their travels.

Fontevraud

I have wanted to go to Fontevraud Abbey in the Loire Valley for a long time. I am a huge Eleanor of Aquitaine fan, and this was where she spent her final days. I took my mom with me as she’s a history fan, too, and we spent an amazing day discovering the Abbey and listening to the stories its walls had to tell us.

Eleanor’s effigy isn’t the only one that lies there. Her son Richard the Lionheart, her second husband Henry II of England, and Isabella of Angoulême are all buried alongside her. Walking through the grand halls and cloisters, you can’t help but feel the weight of history. 

Eleanor of Aquitaine spent decades wielding political power across France and England, first as the wife of King Louis VII of France, then as the Queen of England alongside Henry II. She chose to retire at Fontevraud. But retirement didn’t mean fading into obscurity. Even in her later years, Eleanor remained a force, negotiating alliances, securing Richard’s throne, and traveling across Europe well into her seventies. When she died in 1204, she was laid to rest beside Henry and Richard, marking the end of an extraordinary life that defied the expectations of medieval queens.

Despite its royal connections, Fontevraud was not just a burial site but also a prison. After the French Revolution, the abbey was repurposed into one of France’s toughest penitentiaries, housing thousands of inmates in harsh conditions. During World War II, it took on a darker role. Prisoners, including members of the Resistance, were executed within its walls. The abbey that once sheltered queens and monks became a place of suffering and death. It remained a prison until 1963 when it was finally restored and transformed into the historical site you can visit today.

Fontevraud is a place of contradictions, spiritual sanctuary, royal necropolis, and brutal prison. But that’s what makes it so compelling. Whether you come for the history, the stunning Romanesque architecture, or simply to stand in the presence of Eleanor of Aquitaine as I did, Fontevraud is a place that stays with you long after you leave.