History in France

Discover 38 places to experience unusual history in France.

Napoleon’s Hat at Le Procope

The French leader's hat sits in a glass case at the oldest restaurant in Paris.

Fontaine du Soleil (The Sun Fountain)

This saucy statue once caused outrage among locals.

Le Timgad

Travel back in time at a Moroccan-inspired restaurant that was the height of glamor in the 1970s.

Bessans, France

Mont Cenis

From Carthage's Hannibal to riders of the Tour de France, many have crossed this scenic route through the Alps.

The Portail Abattoirs marking the entry to the horse market

Les Abattoirs de Vaugirard

The site of slaughterhouses that once satisfied Parisians' taste for horse meat is now home to a park and book market.

Domrémy-la-Pucelle, France

Birthplace of Joan of Arc

The woman who helped save 15th-century France was born in this humble home.

Statue of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Laffrey, France

Lieu de Rencontre (Field of the Encounter)

On the shores of Lake Laffrey, a monument commemorating one of Napoleon Bonaparte's most compelling victories.

La Dame de Trévières

Trévières, France

La Dame de Trévières

Inaugurated in 1921, this is one of many statues in France dedicated to the people who died during World War I for their country.

Main gates

Natzwiller, France

Natzweiler-Struthof

Today this former Nazi concentration camp stands as a poignant memorial to the victims of fascism, and a warning from history.

Hotel Lutetia

Hotel Lutetia

A glamorous hotel that once accommodated French resistance fighters and concentration camp survivors.

Beaucaire, France

Mas des Tourelles

A winery built on the site of a Gallo-Roman estate uses historical tools to recreate ancient vintages.

Loyasse Cemetery

Loyasse Cemetery

The first modern cemetery of Lyon is complete with more than 200 chapels and monuments.

Execution Site of Jacques de Molay

The approximate spot where the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar was put to death.

The Canadian National Vimy Ridge Memorial.

Givenchy-en-Gohelle, France

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

A monument to the thousands of Canadian soldiers who died capturing the French ridge during World War I.

The inscription on Philibert Aspairt's grave.

Grave of Philibert Aspairt

The tombstone of an unfortunate explorer who disappeared in the Paris Catacombs.

The magnificent Falaise Castle.

Falaise, France

Château de Falaise

The birthplace of the ferocious William the Conqueror, this castle is awash in medieval history.