When you think of France, Paris will always come to mind as it is a world capital in art, fashion, food, literature, and culture but other places in the northeast of France definitely shouldn’t be overlooked when planning a trip – especially for those interested in war history and/or champagne.
In this region, you’ll find plenty of champagne vineyards along wine routes to explore, and with the food and wine industry comes countless festivals to celebrate these joys of life.
This is balanced with the appreciation that this region is also a place of remembrance with museums, monuments, battlefields, and cemeteries for WWI in this area called the Western Front.
A visit to the northeast area of France offers the chance to explore chic, elegant tows, marvel at stunning cliffs, remember the not-so-distant past and the tolls from war, and then relax with a fine glass of wine or champagne.
Whether you’re visiting for a weekend, a week … or longer, here are eight great places to visit in Northeast France to experience the best the region has to offer as recommended by fellow travel bloggers.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
8 GREAT PLACES TO VISIT IN NORTHEAST FRANCE
St Omer lies in Pays-de-Calais, in the northeast of France. You’ll see the city’s name written as Saint-Omer while travelling in France. It is named after the Bishop of Thérouanne, a holy man also known as Audomar, who helped bring Christianity to this part of Europe during the seventh century. His cenotaph is in the city’s Gothic-style cathedral.
MUST DO IN SAINT-OMER:
- The Motte: If you enjoy history take a walk to the motte, the manmade hill that was formerly the site of a castle. The building that stands there now hosts a jail that held prisoners during the French Revolution and during the German occupation of World War II. Vines, to make wine, were recently planted in the garden.
- Guided Tours for Douglas Bader: During the summer of 2018 the town’s visitor centre began running guided tours of locations associated with the Royal Air Force Spitfire pilot, Douglas Bader, who was shot down near St Omer during 1941. Bader escaped from the hospital where he was being treated for injuries and was subsequently recaptured. The dramatic events are featured in a movie called Reach for the Sky. That tour is held on Saturdays, the day on which a market is held in the centre of St Omer. Fresh fruit and vegetables, cheeses, and traditional saucisson sausages are among the products sold at stalls.
- Audomarois Marsh: The Audomarois marshes, on the edge of St Omer, can be toured in flat-bottom boats navigated by guides who explain the use of the land over centuries. Peat used to be cut from pools among fertile land that hosts farms and provides habitat for numerous species of birds.
Contribution and Photo from Stuart of Go Eat Do
Forget the crowds of Versailles and head to quiet Chantilly instead! The palace of Chantilly is located just a train ride away to the north of Paris. From Gare du Nord it is just 25 minutes on the TER and costs around 6 euros (2018).
Escape the city of Paris and breathe in the fresh country air of Chantilly. Surrounded by the vast Chantilly forest, the small town is famous for the Chantilly Racecourse and, more importantly, its gorgeous castle.
MUST DO IN CHANTILLY:
- Chateau de Chantilly Gardens: This castle is an incredible palace, full of lavish interiors, floating upon a lake, set within beautiful gardens. Explore the romantic English gardens, especially the Island of Love. This wonderfully named island used to host garden parties. The Princes of Conde, who lived at Chantilly would invite the gentry during the summer to enjoy the splendour of the island of love. Also make sure you stroll over to the sweet little hameau at Chantilly, full of quaint cottages, which became the inspiration for Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles.
- Chateau de Chantilly Interior: After exploring the gardens head inside the spectacular chateau. The interior of Chantilly is lovely. Arguably less impressive than that of Versailles, yet the main draw is that you may wonder at your own pace. There are no crowds to battle through and you may linger for as long as you desire. This also makes it much easier to get those Instagram-worthy photos.
- Picnic on the Lake: Finally admire the spectacular reflection of the exterior upon the deep blue lake. Chantilly is truly magnificent. Chateau de Chantilly is one of Paris’ best-kept secrets as it does not receive the hordes of tourists that Versailles does. Choose a sunny day, pack a picnic, hop on the train and head to one of France’s prettiest chateaux.
Contribution and Photo from Anna of My Travel Scrapbook
A must for all champagne fans, the idyllic Épernay region of France is the home of champagne and hosts many of the world’s great champagne houses. Lush green vineyards surround Épernay and champagne giants Moet and Chandon, Perrier and Mercier are all residents on its most famous street, Avenue de Champagne.
Over 200 million bottles of champagne sit ageing in the miles and miles of underground cellars at any given time. Visitors flock to Avenue de Champagne to indulge in world-class champagne tasting and to explore the champagne cellars on guided tours.
MUST DO IN ÉPERNAY:
- Dotto Tourist Train: The quirky little Dotto tourist train is perfect to sit back and learn about the history of Épernay while being transported around its main sights. We loved sampling our favourite champagnes in the beautiful surroundings of the champagne houses and walking through the cellars is fascinating. If you like to pair your champagne with chocolate then make sure to pay a visit to La Chocolaterie Thibaut for some delicious sweet treats.
- Hotel de Ville: The Hotel de Ville is another popular Épernay attraction. Surrounded by beautiful gardens designed by the Bülher brothers, the once-private residence was donated to Épernay in 1919. The Notre Dame church, with its beautiful artwork and stained glass windows, is also worth visiting.
- Explore the Surrounding Area: If you have the chance to explore the wider area of Épernay prepare to be wowed by the beautiful scenery. Our favourite moment was stumbling upon the quaint Church of Cuis which sits atop the sloping hillside vineyards and is picture-perfect.
Contribution and Photo from Elaine and Dave of Show Them the Globe
Every write-up about France has to start with Paris but only 45 minutes away by high-speed train, you’ll find Reims. Once the residence of French kings in waiting, the site of one of the most magnificent cathedrals in France, and even freed from English occupation by Jeanne d’Arc herself, Reims has some incredible history and beauty to share.
After the turn of the 20th century, Reims took heavy damage in World War I. This means that, alongside all of this Gothic architecture, you’ll find an incredible array of Art Deco and Art Nouveau architecture covering the city. And don’t even get us started on the champagne! We can’t wait to go back. Again.
MUST DO IN REIMS:
- Take a champagne tour: Every conceivable champagne house not only grows its grapes between Reims and next door Épernay, they also have wine houses where you can tour their UNESCO World Heritage chalk mine cellars and tase their legendary offerings. We opted for a Taittinger champagne tour and loved every second. Plus, we felt far more comfortable ordering a couple of coupes with lunch!
- Tour the Notre-Dame de Reims: This cathedral has twice as many sculptures adorning its ramparts than Paris’ Notre-Dame and has been the site of both martyrdoms and coronations. Plus, it has stained glass windows – modern and medieval – to absolutely die for.
- Enjoy walking through the Palace of Tau: Just next door to Notre Dame sits the Palace of Tau, where future kings of France would live while awaiting their coronation. Now it’s a museum jam-packed with weapons, treasures, tapestries, exhibitions, and more from all points in history up to modern-day.
Contribution and Photo from Luke and Meagan of Two Restless Homebodies
Reviews of Champagne Tour | Reviews of Notre-Dame de Reims | Reviews of Palace of Tau
Ribeauville is one of the most charming towns in all of France. It’s located near Colmar and makes a great day trip from there combined with Riquewihr. Ribeauville is a popular tourist and wine destination in the Alsace region, and you can get there easily by bus or car.
In the centre, you’ll find a long boulevard with small shops and artisans. It’s also one of the oldest medieval towns in the Alsace region and features the iconic architecture from that period. Even though it’s an old town, you can still enjoy modernity and various hotels in all budget ranges.
When you visit, make sure to go for a wine tasting and walk around the vineyards that have been here since medieval times.
MUST DO IN RIBEAUVILLE:
- Visit Biscuiterie Artisanale: At No 22 Grand ‘Rue in the central parts of Ribeauville, you can visit these exquisite artisan shops, where you can buy and try homemade nougat, gingerbreads, pretzel, kougelhopf, macaroons and jam. Everything here is top-notch quality and simply delicious.
- Cave de Ribeauville: France’s oldest winegrowers cooperative can be found here. It was founded back in 1895, and in this contemporary building, you can find a viniculture museum and of course some free tasting of the excellent wines from the Alsace region. If you like any specific type of wine, you can also bring some home for quite reasonable prices.
- Sentier Viticole des Grands Crus: This is a famous walking path that stretches across six communes, where you stroll through picturesque countryside environments and vineyards. Along the walk, you can make stops at the ancient castles of Ribeauville as well as the charming villages. It’s best enjoyed together with a guide who can explain all the different stops and make sure you get the correct information.
Contribution and Photo from Alex of Swedish Nomad
Reviews of Cave de Ribeauville | Reviews of Sentier Viticole des Grands Crus
Provins is one of the best day trips from Paris by train, located just 90 km north-east of Paris. The town is famous for its medieval downtown, with winding cobbled streets and beautiful timbered architecture.
During the Middle Ages, Provins was the capital of the Counts of Champagne, and its strategic position made this town one of the most important trading centres in Europe, especially for the wool industry. Thanks to this trading activity, Provins became a very prosperous town with its own coin. Les Médiévales de Provins, a colourful medieval fair celebrated during the first or second week of June, is a reminder of this glorious past and it is today one of the most important medieval festivals in France.
MUST DO IN PROVINS:
- Explore the Underground Town: Provins is also special for its underground town. Most of the historic houses downtown have a kind of underground cellar that was used for stocking and selling the wool during fair times. All these cellars were connected by underground galleries and today it is possible to visit part of this “labyrinth city” thanks to guided visits organized by the city council. If you are visiting Provins for the first time, don’t miss this unique site!
- Historical Sites and Museums: Apart from the underground town, you can visit other historical sites and museums, like the César Tower, la Grange aux Dîmes (typical stone house of the XII-XIII centuries) or the main church.
- Walk the Fortified Walls: You can also walk on the top of the fortified walls, and admire the beautiful views of the fields in Champagne.
Contribution and Photo from Elisa of World in Paris
Reviews of Underground Town | Reviews of César Tower | Reviews of Fortified Walls
Versailles is historically one of the most important cities in France. The town was built under King Louis XIV and became the de facto capital of the Kingdom of France from 1682 to 1789. Being the seat of the political power and royalism, it naturally became also the cradle of the French revolution. Versailles lost its status of being the royal town and with it three-quarters of its inhabitants.
Nowadays, Versailles is a perfect destination for a day trip from Paris for everyone that is interested in the remains of the former royal town. Versailles is just 17km away from Paris and can be reached by train within 20 minutes.
MUST DO IN VERSAILLES:
- Palace of Versailles and the Gardens: The Palace of Versailles was the principal residence of all French kings from 1682 and those kings were not famous for their modesty. The castle and its interior is a symbol of splendour – the amounts of gold and crystals are just breathtaking. After visiting the Castle, it’s best to take a long walk in the gardens. Many find them even more amazing than the castle itself. Make sure to visit the “Hameau de Marie Antoinette”. Her private property is a dreamy place located in the Versailles Gardens that stands in strong contrast to the extravagance of the castle.
- Rue Satory: This pedestrian cobbled stone road just next to the castle is a great place if you want to grab a bite. Apart from traditional French restaurants and brasseries, you have international options like Sushi, Lebanese or Italian food. Even if you’re not around for lunch or dinner time, the little streets around are worth visiting.
- Place de Marché: The marketplace of Versailles is a very nice place to visit, no matter if you are around on Market days (Tuesday, Friday and Sunday) or not. Because even if the open-air market is not happening, around the place itself are four little, covered market halls that are selling fresh products every day. The Place de Marché in Versailles is also a good place for eating out as it’s surrounded by many restaurants and cafés.
Contribution and Photo from Lena of Salut from Paris
Reviews of Palace of Versailles | Reviews of Place de Marché
Paris is the most popular city in France and one of the most famous cities in the world! It is easy to see why and there are so many wonderful things to do in the city!
Paris is easy to get to from many locations around the world and flights are more affordable than ever.
MUST DO IN PARIS:
- Climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe: Did you know that you can climb to the top of the arc de triumph? We didn’t either! You can climb lots of stairs to the top for one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower and Parisian skyline in the city!
- Visit the Louvre: The Louvre is a world-famous museum and it is totally worth the visit! Even if you have a short time, go early and buy your tickets ahead of time to avoid the lines. You will even get to see the Mona Lisa and other famous pieces of art.
- Walk Around the Eiffel Tower: This is the picture-perfect Parisian experience! If you don’t want to ride up the tower, that is okay! Walk around the bottom and around the outside for some of the coolest and most unique views in the city! Paris is one of the best cities in France you should totally visit!
Contribution and Photo from Victoria of Follow Me Away
Reviews of Arc de Triomphe | Reviews of the Louvre | Reviews of the Eiffel Tower
Looking for more information to plan your visit to France? You may find these articles helpful.
RESOURCES | PLAN YOUR TRIP TO FRANCE
To book flights, rental cars, accommodations, and activities for your trip, please check out our recommended travel providers, favourite apps and websites.
- For all things France, you can’t go wrong with Rick Steves! Check out his France travel guide, full episodes of his TV show, or download his app for excellent audio tours.
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