City: France
Top Things to do in France
What to do and see in France, France: The Best Lookouts
– in Europe (green & dark grey)
– in the European Union (green)
Restaurants in France
1. Cap d'Erquy
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 477 reviews
Reviewed By Kreeshmw
We were staying at Les Pins campsite nearby and decided to take a coastal walk as a family (12 and 9 year old) having heard that Brittany’s coastline needs to be seen to be believed! We were not disappointed! We asked about paths in Erquy tourist office and the staff were very helpful, recommending the Plages Sauvages trail in particular, advising us to stick to the names on the signs rather than the colours of the trails - on the maps the different trails are different colours, but on the signs they’re all yellow for some odd reason! The walk took us up on to the hilltop right next to the most stunning scenery of little harbours, an emerald seascape and incredible beaches as well as a hidden lake. The weather started to turn so we took a shortcut back (well sign posted and easily found) but we spent a good two hours exploring the beautiful landscape and scenery. There were some rocky bits, but I would say that the walk is easily doable for able bodied people. There are well signposted alternatives for wheelchair and buggy users. Highly recommended if you’re in this area.
2. Aiguille Rouge
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 495 reviews
Reviewed By eaalp
Impressive views . Challenging black run, enjoyed !!! Fantastic ski trip from 3200 mm till villaroger village 1200m.
3. Point Sublime - Mont Faron
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 380 reviews
Reviewed By PDJLD123 - Watford, United Kingdom
I struggled to find any good information on a demanding day hike from the cruise port up to Point Sublime at the top of Mont Faron. I did read that you must not follow Google maps as it leaves you at the end of dead end path looking up at a sheer rock face! So we kind of followed the road and the following notes give you a safe tarmac road based route with a reasonable amount of shade as you wind up the Western side of the mountain. Cars do pass but not in any large numbers. It will get you to the viewing point in about 2.5hrs. We then came down on the cable car (€5 one way) and walked the 35mins back to the cruise port. The whole round trip took us 5.5 hours including a coffee stop (€2 each) at the cafe next to the cable car. Leave the cruise ship, put the “Zenith Omega” into your maps app. I think it’s a conference centre. It’s doesn’t matter how you walk there as it will take you though a tunnel under the railway. Once on the other side of the railway with the Zenith Omega in front of you, turn left and walk to Boulevard Bianchi, which is the start of a steep climbing road that changes name to Boulevard Emile Jacquemin. At the junction with Chenin du Fort Rouge turn right and then it’s all up hill on a one way road (cars going up only) into Route du Faron until you reach the cable car (Telepherique du Mont Faron). Staying on the road, keep walking past this to the zoo and then past that towards the Point Sublime. You will see a path with a barrier and no entry sign (for cars) on the right which you walk along for about 15 mins. The sign says 25 mins which is not true. The viewing point at the cross gives a wide open view of the harbour, the town and the mountain. It’s impressive. Then walk back to the cable car, take it down to the edge of town and it’s a 35 min stroll back to your ship through the old town. Overall 12 miles or 19 km and about 24,500 steps. Enjoy.
4. Aiguille du Midi
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7,182 reviews
From Chamonix (1035m), fly over the forest to reach le Plan de l’Aiguille in 10 minutes (2317m). On your right, the Glacier des Bossons, in front of you the Mont-Blanc (4810m), on your left the Aiguille Verte, the Drus and the Aiguilles de Chamonix. Then take a second cable car which, in just 10 minutes takes you up to 3777m, over the seracs, the glacier des Pelerins and the hanging glaciers on the north face of the Aiguille du Midi. . From the top, a sightseeing panorama unique in the world. Experience a very high altitude.
Reviewed By Saif-UK - Worcester Park, United Kingdom
Amazing views ( must visit ) Lots of areas to visit Stepping in the glass box are amazing Staff are nice and friendly
5. Rocher de la Vierge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,973 reviews
Reviewed By NamrataMoorthy - Versailles, France
Gorgeous and stunning views of the coastline from this point. Must visit for some splendid photographic opportunities!
6. Castle Hill of Nice
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 9,638 reviews
Reviewed By sezzyloulou - Harlow, United Kingdom
Of all the places essential to see in Nice, this is one of them On the top of a hill overlooking the bay of Nice, originally built for military purposes Castle hill dominates the city, separating the eastern part - the port - and the western part - the old town Once at the top (you can climb up the stairs, or get in the free lift) it offers the most spectacular panoramic views of the bay, the ruins of an old cathedral, a view of the port, and has a lovely (though artificial) waterfall There are toilets and a small cafe too It is lovely to walk back down and visit the Jewish and catholic cemeteries, where you will find tombs of many aristocrats and famous people - apparently it costs 30k just to ‘reserve a plot’ with a substantial yearly upkeep fee
7. Pic Du Midi
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,301 reviews
Pic du Midi in the Hautes-Pyrénées. An exceptional destination in high mountain for the holidays and the weekends: families, tourist groups, school outings, events and seminars of companies. All year long, access for all by cable car from La Mongie, at feet of the Col du Tourmalet. At the summit the most beautiful panorama of the Pyrenees, a museum on the astronomy and the history of the Pic du Midi, a Planetarium, a traditional restaurant of altitude. Mountain bike downhill. Panoramic webcams and weather conditions live
Reviewed By 3six5sunset - Noordhoek, South Africa
We saw this crazy place on Tour de France footage, and so made the effort to get there. We absolutely loved it. Everything we were hoping it would be!
8. Fort du Mont Chaberton
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 58 reviews
Reviewed By dmdf - Bristol, United Kingdom
Allow a good 6 hrs to do this from Claviere. 14km with about 1400m of ascent. The trail is toughest in the middle third, between the Roucher Rouge ski lift and the col - steep, rocky and loose in places. Take plenty of water because in summer there's nowhere to refill beyond the Roucher Rouge ski lift, around 60-80 mins up from Claviere. The hike is amazing, especially above the col, with stunning views and lots of old military junk around - ruins of a cable lift, guard posts, barbed wire fields and some additional gun emplacements on the lower slopes. Look out for a section of mangled 25mm armour plate that perhaps was blown onto the slopes by an explosion during the 1941 destruction of the fort by French mortars. Once at the top, if you have a torch it's possible to explore the underground section of the fort but probably not that safe as its full of ice even in high summer and derelict. One of the gun turrets can be climbed via the fairly intact stairs inside. Btw the road down to Fenils is closed (I think damaged and impassable due to a rock fall).
9. Brevent Cable Car
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 994 reviews
ENJOY THE MOUNTAINS ! With its southern exposure, overlooking the Mont-Blanc Range, the Brévent is the ideal departure point for classic hikings and easy rambles to various mountain lakes (Lac du Brévent, Lac Cornu…)
Reviewed By Heslomonick - Birmingham, United Kingdom
We decided to go up the Brevent Cable car as it was another beautifully sunny day and we had a multi pass. We parked at the St Michael car park in Chamonix but then we had to hike up a very steep street in the blazing midday sun to get to the cable car station. And when we got there we found a perfectly good car park we could have used instead! Although I don’t know for sure whether there were any spaces when we arrived at 12pm. There were toilets at the cable car station, and some people were filling their water bottles from a tap. There was a little vendor selling coffee etc. There was also a cafe nearby. There were booths selling tickets (ie multi passes/single day passes et ) but the queues weren’t bad at all compared with Aguillie de midi. Probably about 10 minutes’ wait. The cable car went up the mountain very steeply and the boys (aged 5 and 7) loved it. There was virtually no queue despite it being such glorious weather (it was a Friday in August so maybe it is more busy on the weekends). It was hot inside the cable car though as it was such a warm day. There was just our family in the cable car although you could fit a few more people in if needed when it’s busy. When we got to the top the views, as usual when we go up cable cars in Chamonix, were spectacular and breathtaking. It was a good place to see paragliders as the paragliders jump off this part of the mountain and you can usually just see them as dots floating in the sky above Chamonix but up here on the mountain they were proper sized people zooming around in the air. It was great to watch. It was a bit cooler up the mountain but still roasting hot. We were just wearing shorts and t shirts with walking boots - other people seemed to have dressed for winter but had to peel all their layers off. We had a strange meal at the Comptoir snack bar where the children’s meals came with ice cream plus a ‘surprise’ according to the menu. But when I asked what the surprise was I was told that the ice cream was the surprise. This was indeed surprising as I had assumed from the menu that the ice cream was included for children anyway and they’d get a surprise as well. Fortunately my boys accepted the fact that the surprise was the ice cream they were already expecting. The whole menu was a bit confusing to be honest but I muddled through with the order somehow - you go inside to order and pay (they accepted credit cards) and then you get something which buzzed when your cooked food is ready so you go in to collect it from the serving counter. Then we had to go back later for the ice creams for the children - I showed my receipt to the man at the serving counter and he told me which ice creams I could pick out of the ice cream freezer. There were toilets at the cafe. Upstairs was a restaurant as opposed to a cafe. And nearby there was a bar which mostly sold drinks and sweet things. There’s also an odd looking diagonal lift which takes you a bit further up the mountain. I thought it was just for people wanting to go up to the restaurant there but in fact it just helps you get up a part of the hill and there’s another viewing platform and good places to see the paragliders jump off the mountain. Then we went up a different bigger cable car which takes up to 60 people in it and is manned. We had to show our multi pass again here. It was sort of more like going across from one mountain peak to another which was higher up rather than going straight up a mountainside. It was very hot in the cable car and standing room only. Again, there were amazing views but not that many railings and barriers so I had hard work trying to keep my 5 year old from peering over the edges whilst my husband took all his photos. Not my favourite bit of the day but it was very spectacular if you don’t mind precipitous edges. I think there may have been a bar/cafe here as well as the little outside vendor selling snacks - the tables and chairs were reserved for those customers. I didn’t see any toilets up at this point but there may have been some I didn’t see. Lots of people had climbing gear and when we went down in the cable car we could see them all climbing up and down the mountainside. Not my cup of tea but fun to see them. There was no queue at all for the cable car either at the top or the bottom. I think my husband wanted to hike down the mountain back to the car in Chamonix which would have been about 2 hours according to the sign, but I wasn’t sure how steep it would be for the children so I persuaded him we should get the cable car down so we could go swimming instead and cool down rather than hike in the blazing heat.
10. Tramway du Mont-Blanc
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 751 reviews
ENJOY NATURE ! Take this rack railway with an unique view of the Aiguilles de Chamonix and the Dômes de Miage to reach the Bellevue Plateau and discover some beautiful walks ideal for families. Take the train, up to Nid d’Aigle for a splendid view of the Bionnassay glacier.
Reviewed By SydneyTraveller2108
If you are staying in St Gervais taking the tram up to ski Les Houches is just a delightful experience. The cost is included in your ski pass. Highly recommended.
