The 18 countries to discover without leaving France

Go to the four corners of the world while staying in the hexagon with our list of 18 countries to discover to travel without leaving France!

By traveling around the world in search of fantastic landscapes, we quickly forget the topographical wealth of French territory. Forests, snowy mountains, coastline, canyons, France is a geographical and climatic crossroads. Do you want to stroll on beaches with turquoise water? Admire large panoramas at the top of a cliff or explore oriental monuments? Don't look any further.

This guide will take you to the whole of France to discover paradise. From Pas-de-Calais to ribbon , you will only need a handful of hours to visit these places at the crossroads of the continents. Here is our selection of the 16 countries to discover to travel without leaving France!

1. The Japan to Maulévrier

To 4h by car Paris , Parc Oriental de Maulévrier to Anjou will give you the impression of being in Japan. Founded in 1680 by Edouard François Colbert, this wonderful estate will make you travel without leaving France.

The site is labeled “Remarkable Garden”, the site is recognized as the largest park of Japanese inspiration in Europe. Drawing on its origins from the Edo period, it brings together several essential elements:

• A lake and its water circulation, considered as the "heart" of the garden;
• Two islands on the pond, called "Crane Island" and "Turtle Island";
• Perspectives to admire the garden in its entirety;
• A natural or mythical landscape composed of mountains and rocky coasts;
• A red bridge of Edo inspiration;
• Tropical vegetationsuch as ifs or bonsai.

2. Poland in Montrésor

The town of Montrésor houses in its lands a magnificent 11th century castle. First of all, a medieval fortress and a Renaissance lodge, he finally fell into the hands of Count Branicki, a great figure of Polish immigration. He settled there in 1849 and renovated part of the site.

Inside the castle you will discover the sumptuous Second Empire style decoration and the incredible art gallery of Count Branicki. 1,000 years of art and history are exposed and trace Poland’s history.

3. The Colorado at the edge of Rustrel

Within Regional Natural Park of the Luberon Take a ride to Rustrel's ochres. For cowboys in the soul, complete your Western fantasy without leaving France!

Nicknamed "Provencal Colorado", this exceptional site of the department of Vaucluse has looks Grand Canyon . Its warm-coloured landscapes contain many erosion-carved reliefs: cliffs, pitons, ravines, caves and waterfalls. You can explore them in the time of a hiking by taking the path of the ochres, a path of 30 min to 60 min .

Moreover, if you want to live this escape, it is also possible to visit the not less famous Trail of the Ocres to Roussillon .

4. The Cambodia at Ideal Palace of Horse Factor

After a strange dream, Ferdinand Cheval will dedicate 33 years of his life to build a dream palace alone in his vegetable garden.

Inspired by nature, fauna and fantastic, its uninhabitable palace gathers an incredible bestiary: octopus, birch, caiman... But we can also find mythical figures such as giants or fairies. The curves of the structure, mixed with the eastern architecture of the building, share similarities with the temples of Angkor Cambodia.

After completing this guide, you will now understand that you should not look very far to discover the wonders of the world!

5. L’England in Pas-de-Calais

Symbol of the English and French union, the castle of Hardelot is a rare pearl of the hexagon.

In the town of Condette in Pas-de-Calais, this windsor is the creation of Henry Guy, a British citizen. It builds the castle on medieval vestiges and chooses a neo-tudor architecture typical of British homes.

But the monument is experiencing a tourist boom thanks to the efforts of John Whitley, co-founder of the Hardelot station. Foyer du Centre Culturel de l’Entente Cordiale, il ouvre ses portes au public avec pour objectif de faire connaître l’histoire de l’immeuble et des relations franco-britanniques d’hier à aujourd’hui.

6. L’Ireland to Etretat

Meet at the end of France in the famous village of Étretat. This resort attracts almost a million tourists a year. What brings so many visitors are the vertiginous chalk cliffs that draw its coastline.

For the most perceptive, these stone giants could be compared to Cliffs of Moher Northern Ireland. The most visited natural site of the country, these masses of limestone and shale, whipped by the sea wind, shows us that the environment of the British islands is not so different than that of the Normandy .

7. The Canada in Vosges

In the heart of the commune of La Bresse in the department of Vosges, the magnificent Lac des Corbeaux recalls the beauty of the American north.

The altitude glacial lake is located at the foot of a ski resort of the same name. With its fir forests, peatlands and crystal water, you’ll feel like you’re standing in one of Canada’s boreal forests.

8. L’Italy en Corse

By staying in French territory, take the plane or ferry and head to Corsica. Once you arrive there, you will notice very quickly that the island’s heritage shares a style very similar to that of Italy.

And for cause, the island of Corsica has long been contested between the republic of Pisa , Genoa the Crown of Aragon and the kingdom of France. There are many colourful houses, also present on the Italian coast. The argument is also valid for Romanesque churches that populate both countries.

9. Texas Camargue

Seventh destination on our tour, the Camargue has everything from a tropical region. With her salins roses in Aigues-Mortes and its salt areas, it offers an almost extraterrestrial setting. It is also the deserts of Camargue that can recall the atmosphere of "hungry" of Texas.

By exchanging salt for sand, we find the arid environment, the cracked soils and the sun radiant from the Texan Desert of Chihuahua in French territory. But we also find manades in Camargue. These bull and horse farms are even further pushing the western atmosphere of the two destinations.

10. Thailand in Jura

One of the many wonders of the Jura can be found in the heart of the retreat of the Planches. Tufs cascade , powered by the river of Cuisance, makes us travel thanks to its tropical forest setting.

We get impressed by the runaway waterfalls on soft rocks, the branches of the surrounding ash imitating the lianas and the Dar basins at its feet. This beautiful natural show immediately reminds of the waterfalls of Erawan, Na Muang and Mae Ya in Thailand.

11. Russia to Nice

It might sound amazing, but Russia and it Côte d’Azur are closely linked. Following the Crimean War, Nice welcomed the fleets of the imperial family in the 1850s. A large Russian community has been formed in the city since that date.

And the monument that symbolizes most the alliance of the two countries is the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas. Classified as "Historical Monument", it is built because of the strong Russian Orthodox population in Nice. With its colorful domes, the building recalls the Moscow kremlin .

12. L’Australia at Lake Salagou

One of Australia’s flagship natural sites is the Outback and its wild bush. But for the sake of flying 19h, what would you say about an hour of flight only to discover Lake Salagou?

This water plan in the center of Herault is dotted with arid red rock hills. In echo of the famous Uluru Australian, the extraordinary palette of colours, from the red brick of the “ruffles” to the black shades of the basalt, perfectly blends the blues of the sky and the water of the lake.

13. L’Scotland in Lozère

Located in Cevennes National Park , the Château du Champ is a prestigious building with Scottish architecture!

Or at least, that’s what one might believe in the first sight. Only opened on Heritage Days, this former family property of the 13th century reminds the greatest Castles of Scotland such as Balmoral, Edinburgh or Inveraray .

14. Rome antique to Nimes

To travel without leaving France, you only have 3 hours of train to take to Nîmes. 21 m tall and composed of two levels of arcades, the arenas of Nimes could be confused with the Colosseum of Rome. And yet, this monument is located in the French territory.

Listed in UNESCO World Heritage , these are both a symbol of the Roman occupation in Gaul and a picturesque medieval quarter. The illusion is total, one would believe in Rome...

15. Polynesia in the Glénan Archipelago

With its soft microclimate, turquoise waters and colourful flora, the archipelago of Glénan paints a paradise setting worthy of French Polynesia.

Located on the water Brittany , in the Gulf of Gascogne, this commune will make you travel without leaving France. It brings together a very rich plant population. We can find mimosas, fig trees, eucalyptus or even palm trees. Only hic, the temperature of the water will certainly not be the same as in Polynesia.

16. The Vietnam to Evry

The same love story as Russia and Nice, Evry is the home of a very large Vietnamese community. Most faithful to Buddhism, the need to have access to a place of worship was growing. Thus, in 1996, the construction site of a pagoda began under the supervision of the venerable Thich Minh Tam .

This magnificent temple is both a place of practice and a centre for the formation of future monks. But it is especially for young Vietnamese born in France to learn the traditions and culture of their country of origin.

17. The Kenya in the Sigean reserve

On the Vermeille coast, Sigean's African reserve is a zoo that will make you travel without leaving France.

Indeed, animal park seeks to recreate the natural space of its animals. He leaves his occupants in semi-freedom. Its objective is to maintain behaviours close to those observed in their original environment. Between ponds, marshes, pine forests, plains and hills, the zoo circuit will take you to a Western safari to meet many animal species.

18. The Mexico to Aigues-Mortes

In normal times, one might think that Mexico is only composed of desert landscapes. But one of the wonders of Central America is in the peninsula Yucatán . Las Coloradas and its fishing village are home to a unique gem: the Rio Lagartos nature reserve. Over kilometres, magnificent pink lakes are used as a salt extraction site.

But we also find this exotic landscape in France! As previously mentioned, the Aigues-Mortes salins offer a similar show. On its areas of water coloured by halobacteria, you will see the herds of pink flamingos and the hills of salt.

After completing this guide, you will now understand that you should not look very far to discover the wonders of the world!