It seems like a lifetime ago that the world was flocking to la belle France to feast on its monumental gastronomy, landscapes and unmatched cultural savoir faire. However, with a vaccine on the horizon and travel cautiously inching its way back onto the table, now is the time to start planning that first trip.
As a country consistently ranked as the most visited tourist destination on earth, France has not been sitting idle during the COVID-19 shutdown. New destination museums, grassroots dining, and wildly exciting outdoor adventures in 2021 promise much-needed joie de vivre in spades.
Note: during COVID-19 there are restrictions on travel. Check the latest guidance before departure and always follow local health advice.
Admire Unseen Art in Paris
Swooning over timeless masterpieces in the Louvre, Impressionist icons at the Musée d’Orsay, and the world’s most famous kiss at the Musée Rodin are art classics in Paris. Early this year, the capital welcomes a new jewel to its crown: Collection Pinault Paris – Bourse de Commerce. The gallery showcases the private contemporary art collection of art collector and French billionaire François Pinault inside the historic grain market and stock exchange. The belvédère (viewing platform), with aerial views of the circular building and glass cupola roof (1810–12), splendidly restored by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, promises to be a highlight. Moreover, dining in its restaurant, La Halle aux Grains by former triple-starred French chef Michel Bras, will be a culinary experience worth savoring.
Go Ice-Floating in the Alps
The call of the French wild has never been so strong – and mountain resorts in the French Alps have ramped up their off-piste repertoire to ensure everyone gets a slice of intoxicating outdoor action. In Val Cenis, on the remote southern fringes of the Parc National de la Vanoise, ice-floating is the modish new way of refueling on the valley’s brazen overdose of peace, solitude, and natural beauty. Don a toasty warm floating wetsuit, hurl yourself in a glacial alpine lake, and drift on your back in weightless wonder. A wood-fired hot tub and sauna on the lake shore, laced with snow-dusted pine trees, complete the forest experience. Snow enthusiasts seeking adrenaline-pumping thrills can also try their hand at ice diving, air-boarding, and wing-jumping with Sensations Vanoise.
Other ways to enjoy winter excitement in 2021 include ziplining at speeds up to 62 mph (100 km/h) in Serre Chevalier and Valmorel; challenging family and friends in La Plagne to an escape-room experience on skis; or biking through snow on electric fat bikes.
Dive into Marseille’s Big Blue
With its cult beach-volley court on golden sand and easy proximity from the Vieux Port, Plage des Catalans is the cinematic hotspot in downtown Marseille for chilling, people-watching and exploring a groundbreaking new underwater museum. Freely accessible to swimmers, snorkelers, and deep-sea divers, the ecological Musée Subaquatique de Marseille exhibits sunken sculptures that evoke the beauty and fragility of their aquatic environment. The eye-catching collection by French artists – including monumental monkeys, a polar bear, free diver, and the Greek god of the sea Poseidon – stands 5m deep on the seabed. Statues are sculpted from pH-neutral concrete to ensure that aquatic flora and fauna thrive.
Additionally, Marseille’s hottest seaside hotel, the retro-styled Tuba Club, is the perfect place to stay. The former 1960s diving club was famously frequented by French free-diving idol Jacques Mayol, the focus of Luc Besson’s classic French film The Big Blue (Le Grand Bleu; 1988).
Taste the Best French Cuisine at Trendy Food Halls
Food and drink – sinfully gooey cheese, tangy saucisson spiked with pistachio and black truffle, artisan gin infused with hot red Espelette peppers – is reason alone to visit France. Moreover, chefs are working closer than ever with artisan producers to elevate taste and quality to new heights, creating a new generation of food halls that serve as culinary havens. Think of them as a modern spin on the morning market, where locals traditionally gather to enjoy produce so fresh that earth still clings to the roots, shop, and linger with friends over Sunday-morning oysters and wine.
In Paris, La Felicità at Station F and a galaxy of Michelin-starred chefs at Beaupassage kickstarted this trend. In Bordeaux, food lovers are drawn to Les Halles de Bacalan in a waterfront hangar opposite La Cité du Vin, and Halle Boca, set in former abattoirs. Gastronomic Lyon plays an ace with Food Traboule, an innovative blend of 16th-century architecture and modern French cuisine in UNESCO-treasured Vieux Lyon. Additionally, Food Society is set to become the largest food hall in Europe, encompassing 5000 sq m of pop-up food counters when it opens in Montparnasse, Paris.
Explore Normandy’s Belle Époque with Marcel Proust
Marcel Proust won the prestigious Prix Goncourt literary prize in 1919, and to belatedly mark the centenary, a museum celebrating the life and times of the French novelist will open this April in Cabourg, the elegant beach resort where he spent his holidays. A visit to Villa du Temps Retrouvé in Cabourg, located midway between Caen and Deauville on the Côte Fleurie in Normandy, will allow you to enjoy the retro vibes and glamour of the French seaside from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, alongside learning about the man who penned parts of the world’s longest novel here. Plan your visit in conjunction with Cabourg’s summer music festival, Cabourg, Mon Amour, held on sandy Plage de Cap Cabourg from June 25–27, 2021.
Get Off-Grid and Sleep in a Breton Lighthouse
With its wild, rugged coastline stretching 1530 miles (2470 km) past emerald coves, mystical megaliths, authentic fishing villages, and a host of romantic offshore islands, Brittany offers a multitude of peaceful spots to unwind. Lighthouse stays are an on-trend way to experience tranquility away from the hustle and bustle. Out at sea on Île Vierge, a small island off the coast of Plougerneau in Finistère, a pair of lighthouses twinkle against the night sky. The taller one, built from granite in 1902, is the world’s tallest stone lighthouse at 82.5 meters, while its older sister – an 1845 vintage – will open as a 10-bed hostel this summer. For those seeking a bed with a 360° view in a glass lighthouse lantern, the Phare de Kerbel in southern Brittany is another excellent choice.
