France Art, Gardens & Parks, Historical + Religious Pictures

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From an afternoon picnic in the Luxembourg Gardens to a night at the opera, France’s romantic capital offers both simple pleasures and extravagant splurges.

Enjoy the spicy Spanish influence on the cuisine, visit a pilgrimage site and ski in the snowy Pyrénées mountains.

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

Take a cruise on this wide river, as it meanders between the leafy parks and historic bridges and buildings of the Pink City.

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.

One of the most eye-catching monuments in Lourdes is the basilica that sits above the grotto, part of a wider sanctuary of impressive churches.

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.

Take a cruise on this wide river, as it meanders between the leafy parks and historic bridges and buildings of the Pink City.

Enjoy the spicy Spanish influence on the cuisine, visit a pilgrimage site and ski in the snowy Pyrénées mountains.

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

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.

Explore this photogenic riverside square, which is bordered by two grand neoclassical palaces and features a spectacular fountain at its center.

The smaller basilica in the Sanctuary of Notre Dame de Lourdes is an artistic marvel, famed for its colorful mosaics and themed chapels.

Containing parts of Limousin history from Roman times to the present, this magnificent Gothic house of worship is an important part of the skyline of Limoges.

Study the intriguing pointed pillars on the river and relax on the grassy knoll of the park beside this iconic bridge. 

Find out why literary masters, such as Goethe and Victor Hugo, heaped praise on this remarkable, pink-hued cathedral.

Enjoy the spicy Spanish influence on the cuisine, visit a pilgrimage site and ski in the snowy Pyrénées mountains.

Explore this photogenic riverside square, which is bordered by two grand neoclassical palaces and features a spectacular fountain at its center.

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

Take a cruise on this wide river, as it meanders between the leafy parks and historic bridges and buildings of the Pink City.

Appreciate Mediterranean beaches, Alpine skiing, fine wines and cheeses, and some of the world’s most celebrated cities in this Western European country.