larissasmith's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Lille, France

Porte de Paris

This triumphal arch celebrating the Sun King's conquest of Lille is a masterpiece of military architecture.
Lille, France

Vieille Bourse Book Market

Tables of secondhand books fill the inner courtyard of this 17th-century stock exchange.
Bayeux, France

Bayeux Tapestry

This enormous "cloth of the conquest" depicts the Norman invasion of England in mind-blowing detail.
Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg Cathedral's Antique Graffiti

Visitors dating back to the 1600s carved their marks in the stones of the iconic tower.
Saint-Evroult-Notre-Dame-du-Bois, France

Ruins of Abbey of Saint-Evroul

This 1,400-year-old abbey was once a powerhouse for music and intellectualism known across Normandy.
Vézelay, France

La Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine

This church sits upon a peaceful hill and a long, turbulent history.
Paris, France

Lines of Cremains at Père Lachaise Cemetery

Stripes of human ashes cover a back lawn in the most sought-after burial grounds in Paris.
Chartres, France

Chartres Cathedral Crypt

The largest crypt ever constructed in France was built in the 11th century on an ancient Druid sacred site.
Machecoul, France

Château de Machecoul

The ruins of a medieval castle linked to the murderous French lord that inspired the famous legend of Bluebeard.
Alliat, France

Niaux Cave Paintings

Trek into the depths of the cave where 17,000-year-old paintings exist alongside 400-year-old graffiti.
Souzay-Champigny, France

Parcours Troglodytique

Ivy-covered Medieval tunnels cut through this charming town in France's Loire Valley.
Paris, France

Statue of Death of the University of Medicine

Statue of death tucked in the University of Medicine courtyard.
Les Baux-de-Provence, France

Carrières de Lumières

Walk through living pictures and music in the Cathedral of Images.
Oppède, France

The Ruins of Oppede-le-Vieux

These medieval ruins have survived since the 12th century, even providing shelter from the Nazis.
Coussac-Bonneval, France

Château de Bonneval and The Devils Tower

Legend has it this 11th-century castle was paid a visit from the devil.
Saint-Bonnet-le-Château, France

Collégiale de Saint-Bonnet-Le-Château

Natural mummies hidden in the crypt of a medieval French church.
Versailles, France

The Osmothèque

Perfume museum and library.
Etsaut, France

Chemin de la Mâture

This narrow path was cut right into a French mountainside to feed the country's early naval expansion.
Nice, France

La Crypte Archéologique de Nice

The construction of a tram line unveiled hidden remnants of the old medieval city.
Arles, France

Arles Amphitheatre

This ancient theater was once the home of fierce gladiatorial battles.
Vernon, France

The Old Mill of Vernon

A quaint medieval millhouse hovers surprisingly above the waters of the Seine.
Asque, France

Gourgue d'Asque

A French valley with forests so lush it was nicknamed "the Small Amazonia of the Pyrenees."
Arles, France

Arles's Cryptoporticous

A unique underground structure dating back to the 1st century BC.
Besançon, France

Astronomical Clock of Besançon

One of the world's most complex timepieces.