The 5 best lesser-known French destinations tourists hardly ever visit (2025)

From world-class ski resorts to the eternal city of love, if France has one thing, it’s certainly range.

But the world is no stranger to France’s beauty – as in 2023, an impressive 90,910,000 tourists visited, ranking it the most visited country that year.

And while other European countries, including Italy and Spain, crack down on overtourism, France is similarly struggling.

In October 2024, Rachida Dati, France’s culture minister, suggested placing a surcharge on tickets to popular attractions for non-EU nationals, including the Louvre, the Palace of Versailles, and the Musée d’Orsay.

In 2022, the Calanques National Park near Marseilles, which is known for its picturesque beauty, introduced a policy limiting visitor numbers to 400 per day at Sugiton Cove to allow the flora and fauna in the area to recover.

So, if you’re thinking of heading off to France this summer but want to dodge the crowds, Metro has rounded up some lesser-known destinations.

Aups

Down south in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, Aups is found right in the heart of the Verdon Natural Park.

With its picturesque streets, the most bustling times of the week to visit are undoubtedly Wednesday and Saturday, when the central square comes alive with stalls selling local fruit and vegetables, meats and cheeses, fabrics and clothes, and various trinkets.

One of Aups’ top selling points is its proximity to the Lac de Sainte-Croix. A completely manmade lake, it’s surrounded by several stunning villages – including Les Salles-sur-Verdon and Aiguines.

During the summer months, there’s also the opportunity to head up the Gorges du Verdon, which is complete with its steep cliffs and white-water rapids. This unique river canyon can be explored via kayak or pedalo, or even on foot with a good old hike.

Plus, Richard E Grant once owned a holiday home in Aups called ‘Le Pigeonnier’ – which he sold in 2023, having spent 30 glorious summers there.

Rabastens

Want something a little quieter than Toulouse? The nearby village of Rabastens is perpetually drenched in sunshine from June through to September, with temperatures often exceeding 30°C.

It’s less than 30 minutes from the city by train, so countless Toulousains have been known to flock to this ‘mini’ version.

The most famous attraction is the Notre Dame du Bourg, which was the first church in the region to be built in the Southern Gothic style.

It dates back to the Medieval period and is now a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There’s also plenty of quintessential French charm to be found by the river, where activities including kayaking, canoeing and paddle boarding are on offer.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to explore one of the ‘mini beaches’ for some downtime, too.

Eguisheim

Eguisheim is like something out of a fairytale and is completely centred around its castle.

Found in the depths of Grand Est in north-eastern France, it’s close to the border with Germany and Switzerland.

And if it feels like you’ve seen it before, it’s thought to have inspired the setting of the original Beauty and the Beast film.

Elsewhere, it’s notable for its tipples, considering that it’s found along the Alsace wine route, wherein visitors are guided along eight unique villages known for their wine production. Following this, there’s the opportunity to take part in wine tasting and a winery tour.

And of course, there are cobbled streets galore, lined with instantly Instagrammable houses painted with vibrant colours.

Chambéry

Nestled in southeast France, the Alpine city of Chambéryis an ideal location for skiiers during the winter. Come summer, the Lac du Bourget offers plenty of swimming and boating options, too.

It’s even been dubbed France’s ‘Italian town,’ as it was under Italian rule between the 13th and 16th centuries.

Along these lines, visitors will find colourful buildings, large piazza-style squares and vermouth, pasta and polenta in abundance.

One of the most famous attractions is the Fontaine Des Éléphants, a 17.6-metre-high fountain that was sculpted in 1838 in honour of Général de Boigne. To this day, the elephant’s trunks spout water out into the pool below – and is beloved by visitors.

Itching to visit? Jet2 announced earlier this month that it’s launching a brand-new flight from Newcastle to Chambéry, becoming the first airline to offer this route to travellers.

Bonelles

Wrapped around Paris is Île-de-France – which has often been described as ‘France’s version of the Home Counties.’

It’s made up of eight regions (or départements), and Yvelines has one of the country’s best-kept secrets: Bonelles.

When Metro’s own Jon Fellowes visited, he was expecting rolling hills, artisan food and world-class wine – but what he discovered exceeded his already-high expectations.

Staying at local hotel Le Barn, Jon sampled traditional French cuisine at the on-site restaurant and enjoyed countless walks amid the rolling hills and streams, as well as an Ayurvedic massage. Sign us up.

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