All France

The Atlas Obscura Guide To France

772 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in France

Updated September 23, 2026
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Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Aix En Provence
  2. Amiens
  3. Angles Sur L'anglin
  4. Angoulême
  5. Arles
  6. Arras
  7. Aubagne
  8. Auvers Sur Oise
  9. Bailleau Armenonville
  10. Bayeux
  11. Beaucaire
  12. Blois
  13. Bonifacio
  14. Bordeaux
  15. Boulogne Billancourt
  16. Chamonix
  17. Chartres
  18. Colmar
  19. Cricqueville En Bessin
  20. Dijon
  21. Douai
  22. Èze
  23. Fleury Devant Douaumont
  24. Fréjus
  25. Grenoble
  26. Honfleur
  27. La Boulaye
  28. La Chapelle Au Mans
  29. Lanrivain
  30. La Rochelle
  31. Lille
  32. Lyon
  33. Marseille
  34. Metz
  35. Montpellier
  36. Moulins
  37. Nantes
  38. Nice
  39. Paris
  40. Reims
  41. Rennes Le Château
  42. Rouen
  43. Saint Bernard
  44. Saint Denis
  45. Sainte Geneviève Des Bois
  46. Sainte Mère église
  47. Saintes Maries De La Mer
  48. Saint Germain En Laye
  49. Saint Jean Cap Ferrat
  50. Saint Malo
  51. Saint Ouen
  52. Saint Rémy De Provence
  53. Saumur
  54. Strasbourg
  55. Théoule Sur Mer
  56. Thiers
  57. Toulouse
  58. Villefranche Sur Mer

Unusual Attractions in France

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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in France

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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore France

Architecture 109
Architectural Oddities 71
Art 69
Museums 68
Sacred Spaces 66
Churches 58
Military 47
Statues 45

France Leaderboard

Recent France Activity

Stories About France

Projection onto Le Mans’ Gallo-Roman wall

A Ritual I Almost Let Slip: La Nuit des Chimères in Le Mans

A family ritual of mine, forgotten and found again, every summer night in Le Mans, where centuries-old carved figures come back to life in light and color.
by Auriane Rezé-Duclos, Community Contributor
Wortley built the wooden backpack she used while retracing Alexandra David-Néel’s journey from a chair she found on the street in London.

How Elise Wortley Climbed Mont Blanc in 1830s Women’s Attire

Donning heavy wool skirts and hobnail boots, this intrepid explorer retraces the steps of legendary women adventurers.
by The Podcast Team, Atlas Obscura
The rocky Revere Beach coast in Revere, Massachusetts, just outside Boston.

Which Places With Bad Raps Are Actually Worth Visiting?

Our podcast listeners defend their favorite places with bad reputations, ranging from laundromats to ... Sacramento, California?
by The Podcast Team, Atlas Obscura
A raseteur makes an acrobatic leap to dodge a bull at the arena in Aigues-Vives.

A Friendlier Form of Bullfighting in the 'Wild West' of France

Straddling sport and spectacle, the <em>course camarguaise</em> puts humans and animals on equal footing.
by Alexis Steinman, Atlas Obscura
Jeannette Beranger with a Poitou donkey, her favorite heritage breed.

What Makes Heritage Livestock So Important? AO Wants to Know.

Jeannette Beranger is on a mission to save America’s rarest farm animals from extinction.
by Andrew Coletti, Atlas Obscura
Winds from the surrounding plateaus create an ideal environment for curing ham.

The Controversial Hams That Helped a French Cathedral Save Its Organ

A bell tower in the Saint-Pierre cathedral hides a meaty secret.
by Emily Monaco, Atlas Obscura
Swaths of toxic land the size of Paris still cover much of France.

You Can Still Die From World War I Dangers in France's Red Zones

The Great War never ended in some old battlegrounds.
by Frank Jacobs, Atlas Obscura
“Allow me to address to you / With my deepest tenderness / This beautiful fish, fresh and discreet / To which I have confided my secret,” says this April Fish card in French.

Why April Fools Day in France Involves Fish Pranks

It's a long and fishy history.
by Amelia Parenteau, Atlas Obscura

Lists Featuring France

Gustave Eiffel&#8217;s Secret Apartment
Exterior of the museum.
Av.Rapp - Immeuble Lavirotte
Diving suit by the Carmagnolle brothers from 1882

The 11 Best Places to Visit Near the Eiffel Tower for Curious Travelers

11

Including Gustave Eiffel's Secret Apartment , Musée du quai Branly (Quai Branly Museum), and Jules Lavirotte’s 29 Avenue Rapp

Madaba Mosaic Map
The gallery of maps, showing the ceiling
Great Polish Map of Scotland

13 Marvelous Maps That Go Way Beyond Paper

Charting the world's most intriguing out-of-the-box cartography.

13

Including Madaba Mosaic Map, Gallery of Maps - Galleria delle Carte Geografiche, and Mapparium Globe

(Flickr/andreakw)
The bathroom
Some of the decorations include broken crockery that have been priced back together

11 Homes Transformed Into Amazing Mosaics

If you own your property, why not bedazzle it?

11

Including Wyckoff Street Mosaic, La Maison Picassiette, and House of Mirrors

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
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