See our France Map for a much larger map with cities and attractions marked.
France
France is a western European country with a long history and rich religious culture. From prehistoric cave paintings and stone circles and Roman temple ruins to medieval cathedrals and synagogues, the cities and countrysides of France are full of religious sites of incomparable beauty and historical significance.
Nearly 200 cathedrals still stand in France, most of which were built in the 12th and 13th centuries. Cistercian abbeys dot the countryside, and near the border with Spain is the most popular Catholic shrine in the world: the sacred grotto at Lourdes.
France Country Guide
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Featured Destinations in France (List All Destinations) Conques Nestled high in the hills of southwest France, the picturesque little village of Conques is home to a magnificent Romanesque church and a golden medieval shrine.  Poitiers This unique Romanesque-Byzantine church of the 11th and 12th centuries has one of the finest Romanesque faces in France, covered in a jumble of carvings of saints and biblical scenes.  Autun Dating from the early 12th century with later Gothic additions, the Cathédrale St-Lazare is a pilgrimage church (for relics of Lazarus) famed for its splendid sculptures by the Romanesque sculptor Gislebertus. |
France City Guides ArlesThe ancient city of Arles is home to first-rate museums, ancient Roman sites, Romanesque churches, excellent restaurants, and summer festivals.  AutunFounded by Emperor Augustus, the Burgundian town of Autun is home to a Roman temple, a magnificent Romanesque cathedral and important museums.  AvignonA cosmopolitan city in southern France with about 90,000 inhabitants, Avignon is best known for being the Franco Vaticano (French Vatican), the temporary home of the Popes in the 14th century.  CaenCaen ("kehn") is a city of about 117,000 people in the Lower Normandy region of France. In the mid-11th century, Caen became the favorite residence of William the Conquerer and Queen Matilda, and the beautiful twin abbeys they founded still remain.  Clermont-FerrandHome to a Christian community since the 4th century, Clermont-Ferrand has lost some of its medieval charm in the pursuit of industry (Clermont is the home of Michelin tires), but it is still worth stopping by for its soaring Gothic cathedral with medieval stained glass and a beautiful Romanesque church.  ColmarThe third-largest town in Alsace, picturesque Colmar is best known for its colorful half-timbered houses of the 16th and 17th centuries. It is also home to a fine Gothic church and religious art museum.  Le PuyLe Puy has been a religious center since ancient times, thanks to its mystical landscape of volcanic pinnacles. Since the Middle Ages, Le Puy has been a major place of pilgrimage (Charlemagne visited twice) as well as a starting point for the Camino de Santiago.  LourdesLocated in southwest France, Lourdes is the largest Catholic pilgrimage destination in France and one of the most popular Catholic shrines in the world.  LyonJust two hours from Paris on the TGV, Lyon is rich with religious and historical sites. It was first an important Roman capital, then a major Christian center. Today, Lyon is world-renowned for its history, architecture, culture and cuisine.  NarbonneNarbonne was the first Roman colony outside of Italy, and it later became a Visigoth capital and home to an important medieval Jewish school. Today, Narbonne is a small southwestern city and a popular tourist destination with many sights of religious interest.  ParisAlthough France is now one of the least religious countries in the West, Paris has played a key role in Roman, Christian and Jewish history and this heritage lives on in the cathedrals, monuments and artifacts these more devout times left behind.  PoitiersPoitiers (pop. 85,000) has played a central role in French history. First settled by the Romans, it was inhabited by early Christian saints and is home to the oldest surviving church in France (from 360 AD).  RouenRouen is an ancient city of 100,000 people that mixes fabulous Gothic architecture, charming half-timbered houses, and contemporary bustle like no other in France. Rouen was a Roman capital and the second largest medieval city in France.  ToulousePerhaps best known today for its central role in the European aerospace industry, Toulouse is also full of religious and historical treasures. The Basilica of St. Sernin is one of the finest Romanesque churches in France, St. Thomas Aquinas is buried in the Eglise des Jacobins, and the Musée de Raymond and Musée des Augustins overflow with Roman and medieval art.  ToursThe religious importance of Tours centers on the popular figure of St. Martin, Bishop of Tours from 371 to 397, whose relics were the focus of medieval pilgrimages.  VézelayVézelay is best known for the Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene, one of Europe's largest and best-preserved Romanesque churches. |
