7 Unusual Things To Do in France

Grab a croissant, a chic coffee and relax. It’s time to talk about unusual things to do in France.

Unusual Things to Do in France

From the peeling paint of countryside farmhouses to the sweet sugar of macarons, the bright lights of dazzling Paris to the snow-powdered wooden chalets that speckle around the ski resorts, I’ll never grow bored of France.

But once you have planned your perfect weekend in Paris, how about discovering something more surprising?

Here are my suggestions for some of the best and most unusual things to do in France.

Unusually Hot: Head to the Village of the Scarlet Peppers

High in the Pyrenees, the tiny town of Espelette splashes bright brilliant red across its chalk white houses and  clean streets.

Piments, or red peppers, are the name of the game here in the Basque country but look out as well for cerise noir (black cherry) wine with a hint of – you guess it – pepper.

Visit the Ile d’Aix, Where Napoleon Spent His Last Night in France

The tiny, no cars Ile d’Aix near La Rochelle falls silent once the day trippers go home. Poppies flutter and bicycle paths criss cross around amid quirky museums full of passion and purpose. Napoleon himself spent his last night on French soil here, before being exiled to St Helena by the British.

Uncover the Secret Tunnels in Lyons

The buzzing city of Lyons already has plenty to recommend: great art, Roman ruins and gastronomy that’s high even by stickly French standards. But did you know that you can stay in a hotel that played a key role in the French Resistance? It’s called the Cour des Loges.

Explore the Old Town and marvel at the strange history Europe has seen over the last millennium or so.

Stand in the Workshop of the World’s Greatest Scientist

Marie Curie may not have been French, but she made her home here, setting up her lab in Paris and earning not one but two Nobel prizes (in two separate science subjects, a feat that’s yet to be repeated.) Learn more about her incredible life and contribution, not to mention the fashion trend for radioactive beauty cream, at the remarkable Curie Museum, Paris.

Visit the Other Moulin Rouge

Toulouse-Lautrec,  the artist responsible for most of those iconic Moulin Rouge posters, hailed from the Midi-Pyrenees.

Today, the UNESCO-recognised pink city of Albi holds the world’s largest collection of his work in the former bishop’s palace. The art is worth a visit all by itself and picturesque Albi is easy to fall in love with. Yet the final twist in the interest of this place?

The frolicking Can-Can dancers now hang in the same room that oversaw a religious genocide centuries ago.

Food for thought.

Head to a Flower Based Theme Park

One of the most enjoyable unusual things to do in France involves sailing to the South Americas, shivering along ice walls and wrestling with dinosaurs and a giant Venus flytrap.

The Terra Botanica theme park manages to combine floral education with a cracking day out.  Hop on a boat and ride til dawn through the tulips at this strangely fascinating place.

More Travel Ideas for France and Monaco

• The best places to sail in France
• What to do in Monaco in one day
• Your ideal Bordeaux in four days itinerary
• What you need to know about Parc Asterix near Paris
• Meribel vs Val Thorens: how to decide between these ski spots
• Read these 39 interesting facts about France
• How to say cheers in French
• The best souvenirs to bring home from France
• The best things to do in Bordeaux with kids
• What is France famous for?