JoeBenSimo's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Falaise, France

Château de Falaise

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

Porte de Paris

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

Haut-Kœnigsbourg Castle

The castle was reconstructed to fit Kaiser Wilhelm II's romanticized vision of the Middle Ages.
Delme, France

Gue(ho)st House

This building’s ghostly exterior reflects its former lives as a prison, school, and funeral home.
Tarascon, France

Tarasque

Sculpture of a legendary French dragon.
Paris, France

Le Stryge

This demon atop the Notre-Dame de Paris looks utterly bored.
Carnoët, France

Vallée des Saints (Valley of the Saints)

A remote hilltop covered in giant monoliths haunts the Brittany countryside.
Lyon, France

The Flower Tree

A colorful piece of contemporary art cheerfully clashes with Lyon's historical architecture.
Saint-Georges-d'Oléron, France

Fort Boyard

Fighting the British and making game shows for over 150 years.
Colleville-sur-Mer, France

Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial

A memorial to the nearly 10,000 American soldiers laid to rest on the beaches of Normandy during WWII.
Bonnieux, France

Pont Julien

From carts to cars, this leftover Roman bridge in France has managed to survive for centuries.
Coussac-Bonneval, France

Château de Bonneval and The Devils Tower

Legend has it this 11th-century castle was paid a visit from the devil.
Vascœuil, France

Dali's Statue of Liberty

To the famous surrealist artist, liberty required two torches held high.
Saint-Bonnet-le-Château, France

Collégiale de Saint-Bonnet-Le-Château

Natural mummies hidden in the crypt of a medieval French church.
Saint-Étienne, France

Maison sans Escalier (The House Without Stairs)

An architectural oddity of six stories, accessed by graceful ramps.
Couëron, France

House in the Loire

The sunken structure looks like the victim of a catastrophic flood.
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.
Huelgoat, France

Trembling Rock

If they push on just the right spot, even the weakest person can move this titanic boulder.
Bar-le-Duc, France

Transi de René de Chalon

Statue of a decomposing prince that once held his heart in its hand.
Ablain-Saint-Nazaire, France

Ruined Church of Ablain-Saint-Nazaire

The 16th-century church was kept in its ruined state as a reminder of the casualties of World War I.
Haute-Isle, France

Troglodyte Church

The Church of the Annunciation was carved into the face of a cliff, just like the rest of the town of Haute-Isle.
Besançon, France

Astronomical Clock of Besançon

One of the world's most complex timepieces.
Albi, France

Albi Cathedral

A medieval church with largest and oldest collection of Renaissance frescoes in France.