We tend to forget how beautiful France can be!

Between summits, mountains, ocean, lakes, waterfalls, thousands of landscapes are just as breathtaking as each other just waiting to be discovered.

I have selected the most beautiful, 30 places to put emergency on your list of getaways.

1 - The circus of Gavarnie >> In Gavarnie-Gèdre

© Pierre Meyer - OT Gavarnie-Gèdre

Within the Pyrenees-Mont Perdu site, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (as a natural and cultural site), Cirque de Gavarnie is a spectacular limestone amphitheater.

1500m high, this vertical wall has a circumference of 6.5 km. At its heart flows the 423 m high Waterfall, one of the highest waterfall in Europe!

2- The Valensole plateau >> In the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence

© Mike Slone via Flickr

On nearly 800km², the Plateau de Valensole is a large attic of trees and plants both Mediterranean and mountain: pine trees, olive trees, apple trees, oaks, almond trees, vineyards, and especially lavender!

3- Lake Sainte Croix >> In Moustiers Sainte-Marie

© Tourist Office of Moustiers Sainte-Marie

The third largest lake in France, the Sainte-Croix reservoir is almost 10 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide, offering pedal boat, sailing, boat, canoeing and swimming.

4- The organs of Ille sur Tet >> In the Eastern Pyrenees

© C. Levillain

Rock tracery, miniature canyons, giant fireplaces, lace ramparts: Ille-sur-Têt Organs, also known as "fairy chimneys", are ocher ridges that result from natural erosion.

Unique geological site in the Pyrenees and France, the Organs are more than two million years old!

5- Mount Needle >> In Chichilianne in Isère

© A.Gelin / Right © P. Paccard

A favorite place for mountaineers, Mount Aiguille, which reaches 2,087 meters high, is a "piece" of the adjoining cliff from which it has detached!

6- The Ocher de Rustrel >> In Rustrel in the Luberon

© Guillaume Bavaria via Flickr

Remains of the exploitation of the ocher quarries, Colorado Provençal de Rustrel and its orange-red hues offer indeed decorations worthy of the landscapes of the American State.

7 -The volcanoes of Auvergne >> In Auvergne

Chaîne des Puys and Massif du Sancy © Regional Tourist Development Committee of Auvergne, DAMASE-Joël

With its famous puy de Dôme (reaching 1465 m) and the puy de Sancy, the highest point of the Massif Central (1,886 m altitude), the chain of Puys and its more than 80 volcanoes is a candidate for the World Heritage of the UNESCO!

Summer and winter, this is the ideal place to practice outdoor activities: hiking, mountain biking, skiing, etc.

8 - The cascades of the Tufs >> In the Jura

© Ludo Rauscher via Flickr

At the origin of this site accessible by a hiking trail: the waters of the Cuisance infiltrate into caves and pierce a rock called tuf in multiple waterfalls!

9 - The Gorges du Tarn >> In Lozère

© jean-claude MARTINEZ via Flickr

It is the long work of erosion of the river Tarn that is at the origin of this beautiful canyon nearly 600m deep and more than 50km long, that are the Gorges du Tarn.

10 - Lake Allos >> In the Alpes de Haute-Provence

© BMR & MAM via Flickr

Europe's largest natural lake of altitude, the lake of Allos formed by the snowmelt, reaches nearly 50 meters deep, on some 54 hectares! It takes 3h of walking to reach it, from Val d'Allos.

11 - The gorges of the Ardèche >> In Ardèche

Left © Helmut Krackenberger

Classified as a "national nature reserve", the Ardèche gorges extend for 32 kilometers, between canyon, large cliffs and natural arch of 60m high (the Pont d'Arc), and shelter some thousand animal and vegetable species.

To go both by canoe, hike, or via the scenic route, between caves and viewpoints.

12 - The sea of ice >> In Chamonix

© Jeff via Flickr

With 5km long and 200m thick, the Mer de Glace is the largest glacier in France!

To discover on site: the ice grotto hand-cut each year and the Glaciorium, educational and fun center.

13 - The Marshes of Vigueirat >> In the Camargue

© Jacqueline Poggi via Flickr

On no less than 1200 hectares, the protected natural site of Marais du Vigueirat is the perfect place to observe no less than 2000 species of fauna and flora, including bulls, Camargue horses, and of course the famous flamingos !

14 - Lake Annecy >> In Annecy

© Christophe via Flickr

Also called the "blue lake" for its beautiful color, Lake Annecy, of glacial origin, was formed 18,000 years ago. It is fed by no less than 7 streams including an underwater source.

We discover it on foot or by bike on the 40 kilometers of its perimeter, on the water by boat, canoe, pedalo, or even Stand Up Paddle, even in the air, paragliding!

15 - The caves of Balme >> In Isère

© DR

Some 40 minutes from Lyon, the Caves of Balme include labyrinths, small basins, an underground lake, stalactites and stalagmites, and ... no less than 22 species of bats.

16 - Lake Chalain >> In the Jura

© Gerrit via Flickr

The biggest natural lake and surely the most beautiful of the Jura, the lake of Chalain stretching over more than 2km², seduced by its beaches (including a naturist), its water sports (but without engine for the respect for wildlife), and the practice of fishing.

17 - The cliffs of Etretat >> In Normandy

Left © moult1234 via Flickr

Source of inspiration of many painters, the cliffs of Etretat surprise and delight because of their verticality, their limestone whiteness and their beautiful pebble beaches.

It will be necessary to go on the spot to better discover the Ark, the Aiguille, the Manneporte, and the "hole with the man", rock formations which also make the fame of the cliffs of Etretat.

18 - The Cave of Osselle >> Near Besançon, between Jura and Doubs

© Etienne Valois via Flickr

Among the oldest known caves, the Cave of Osselle is visited for its impressive geological formations, but also for its historical importance: it was here that was discovered the first complete skeleton of cave bears, now exposed to the British Museum!

19 - La Dune du Pilat >> En Gironde

© Archigeek via Flickr

Framed about 3 km by the forest of the Landes de Gascogne and the sea of the Bassin d'Arcachon, the Dune of Pilat, is the highest in Europe. With a height of up to 117 meters, this is the perfect place for paragliding and sliding!

20 - Le lac du Salagou >> Dans l’Hérault

© francoise_lesage [back to the tree] 's via Flickr

Artificial lake created in the 60s, Lake Salagou is no less beautiful, surrounded by unusual red and black hills.
One can practice sailing, hiking and mountain biking among others.

21 - The troglodyte village >> In Vienne

© CAPC

Overlooking the Creuse, these troglodyte caves served as a refuge in the Middle Ages, and then housing for the weavers of the region until the 19th century. A story to discover on this site called Ethni'Cité.

22 - Lake Rousses >> In the Jura

© Jura Tourisme / Florian Spicher

At an altitude of 1,059 m, Lac des Rousses offers beach and nautical activities (non-motorized), picnic area and bike paths, petanque and pedestrian paths, all in respect of wildlife and of the flora of the site.

23 - Mont Saint-Michel >> In Normandy

© Eva TESSIER

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mont-Saint-Michel offers impressive tides from its bay.

The Mount which becomes an island in case of strong tide, is essential for its abbey, its restaurants, and especially its superb sight on the bay.

24 - The veil of the Bride >> In Champsaur & Valgaudemar, in the Hautes-Alpes

© Air Libre, Adele Lehoux and © Bertrand Bodin

In a large glacial cirque of the Ecrins National Park, close to the Dévoluy massif, you will discover the cascade of the Veil of the Bride; from which you can reach the beautiful Lake Lauzon in 1h30 easy walk, or the refuge of Vallonpierre and its lake.

25 - The Meander of Queuille >> In the Puy-de-Dôme

© Over Doz via Flickr

On se rend du côté du village de Queuille et de son point de vue appelé Paradis, pour admirer le Méandre de Queuille, une boucle naturellement formée par la rivière Sioule.

26 - The Courant d'Huchet >> In Aquitaine

© BizanceNCo via Flickr

In Moliets-et-Maa, the Courant d'Huchet meanders between sandy banks connecting the pond of Léon to the sea.

With an ever-changing morphology, this estuary is classified a Nature Reserve because of its fauna and flora, including its marsh and tropical vegetation, which is even worth the name of the Landes Amazon!

27 - The creeks of Cassis >> In the Bouches-du-Rhône

© Patrick Gaudin via Flickr

Large chain of cliffs of 4000 hectares plunging into the sea, 20km of hiking trails, many coves with clear water and beautiful blue: the creeks between Cassis and Marseille are a real paradise.

28 - The Arcachon basin >> In Gironde

© eutrophication & hypoxia via Flickr

Great Lake Landes, the basin of Arcachon which opens on the Atlantic Ocean is full of inland seas conducive to fishing, oyster production ... and walks aboard pinasses (typical boats).

29 - Lake Lispach >> In the Vosges

© OTL

With an area of 10 ha, located 900m above sea level in the Chajoux Valley in La Bresse, the Lispach lake of glacial origin is one of the most remarkable sites of the Massif des Vosges.

We discover it via a path lined with educational panels, to learn more about the fauna and flora of this lake bog.

30 - The waterfalls Hérisson - In the Jura

The torrent "Hedgehog" is at the origin of no less than 31 waterfalls called Cascades Hedgehog. Among these many jumps, the must-sees are the Girard jump (35m high), the Grand Saut (60m high) and the Fan (65m high).

From the Maison des Cascades, it will take a little less than 3 hours of round trip to discover them all.

Thanks for reading Steemians,