France Castles & Palaces, Gardens & Parks + Peaceful Pictures

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Walk amid the blush-colored terracotta façades in la Ville Rose (the Pink City) and find busy marketplaces, live music venues and the mighty Canal du Midi.

Although it’s not the Auvergne region’s highest summit, this dormant lava dome is its most iconic. Join the thousands of hikers who visit every year.

Marvel at the wooden organ and work out the parables depicted in the stained glass in this blend of two separate religious buildings.

This serene mountain town has rustic charm and natural beauty and is the site of one of Europe’s most famous divine encounters.

Whether you’re catching a train or not, be sure to visit this “secular cathedral,” an early 20th-century icon that sits on a hill north of Old Town Limoges.

A local favorite, this extensive city park next to the biggest landmarks of Limoges contains a botanic garden and French-style lawns.

Relax in view of the fountain and examine rare species of trees in one of the so-called Remarkable Gardens of France.

A local favorite, this extensive city park next to the biggest landmarks of Limoges contains a botanic garden and French-style lawns.

A local favorite, this extensive city park next to the biggest landmarks of Limoges contains a botanic garden and French-style lawns.

Stand at a spectacular vantage point overlooking the town of Lourdes, then head inside a thousand-year-old fortress to learn about life in the Pyrenees. 

Marvel at the wooden organ and work out the parables depicted in the stained glass in this blend of two separate religious buildings.

One of the oldest museums in France, this institution is a fantastic place to see paintings, sculptures and architecture spanning centuries, back to the Middle Ages.

Encounter the fun and elegant features dotted around this large urban park and feed the ducks and swans in the pond.

Marvel at the wooden organ and work out the parables depicted in the stained glass in this blend of two separate religious buildings.

Relax in view of the fountain and examine rare species of trees in one of the so-called Remarkable Gardens of France.

One of the oldest museums in France, this institution is a fantastic place to see paintings, sculptures and architecture spanning centuries, back to the Middle Ages.

Enjoy the views of the countryside and tour the grand chambers and intriguing exhibits of this renovated castle from the Middle Ages.

Stand at a spectacular vantage point overlooking the town of Lourdes, then head inside a thousand-year-old fortress to learn about life in the Pyrenees. 

Enjoy the views of the countryside and tour the grand chambers and intriguing exhibits of this renovated castle from the Middle Ages.

Stand at a spectacular vantage point overlooking the town of Lourdes, then head inside a thousand-year-old fortress to learn about life in the Pyrenees. 

Enjoy the views of the countryside and tour the grand chambers and intriguing exhibits of this renovated castle from the Middle Ages.

Enjoy the views of the countryside and tour the grand chambers and intriguing exhibits of this renovated castle from the Middle Ages.

One of the oldest museums in France, this institution is a fantastic place to see paintings, sculptures and architecture spanning centuries, back to the Middle Ages.

Visit one of Clermont-Ferrand’s major squares. Come in the daytime to enjoy its cosmopolitan feel and take in the sights, including statues of French heroes.