This 12th century, partially destroyed, abbey has had several owners and was seized during the French Revolution.

This historic stone gate tower is now just a lonely relic in the middle of a swamp.

Explore an eerie, abandoned medieval citadel.

This fascinating abbey is considered the oldest monastery in the region.

A gothic church dedicated to the love of wine.

This small island, a byproduct of 19th-century canal construction, is now home to a charming Japanese garden.

A fortified palace in the shape of a ship on the Thiou river.

A fortress on this island housed the mysterious prisoner known as the "Man in the Iron Mask" for more than a decade.

The first modern cemetery of Lyon is complete with more than 200 chapels and monuments.

The man who introduced reinforced concrete to the world demonstrated its genius by using it to build his own house.

The precise origins of this pink sandstone temple are unknown.

This church sits upon a peaceful hill and a long, turbulent history.

This mosque was based on Sub-Saharan Islamic architecture and created for the Senegalese Tirailleurs.

The castle where the Marquis de Sade lived out his darkest fantasies.

The ruins stand as a somber reminder of France’s worst civil catastrophe of the 20th century.

A Christian retreat founded to welcome refugees fleeing from the Nazis during World War II.

Immortalized by artists, this church incorporates a medieval lighthouse into its shoreside structure.

A quarry cum sculpture park where the works of art are chiseled into the very walls.

This Algerian sweet shop serves confections in an eye-popping array of hues.

A beautiful lighthouse with as many steps as days in the year, as many windows as weeks, and as many levels as months.

An abandoned nightclub has become a vibrant work of art.

This castle-fortress is a living example of the transition from medieval defenses to modern fortifications.

Offal and flawless onion soup are on the menu at this restaurant that once catered to the workers of Les Halles.

The ruins of an abandoned cemetery are among the last remnants of the old village of La Boulaye before a wealthy landowner had it relocated.