France’s most beautiful riverside walks

France is full of canal-cut cities, rivers that wind through towns and dense tributaries that lead to the countryside. For those in search of languid walks by the water, we’ve selected some of France’s favourite riverside towns.*

Mâcon, Bourgogne

Nestled in Burgundy’s southernmost wine region, Mâcon is a historic town built along the Saône river. A tributary of the Rhône, the Saône is very much the backbone of the city, meaning a walk here is something of a must. Cross the stone Saint Laurent bridge or catch a glimpse of it from a distance at nighttime, when its viaducts are lit up as solitary beacons in the city. The river is known for its fishing culture, and while it’s unlikely you’ll be able to walk far enough to get to where the action happens, you’ll easily find the day’s catch on every menu in Mâcon. Ma Table en Ville is a good place to sample the local cuisine, and Aux Deux Buis is nearby and close to the river.

Beaugency, Centre-Val de Loire

A network of stone streets and crooked buildings located on the Loire river, Beaugency is a quiet medieval retreat, primed for those weekends dedicated to rural escapes. Tucked away in the province that conjured up tarte tatin, days here are best spent skipping over the flower-lined canals that cut through the city, past the clock tower and 11th-century keep, before you eventually wander onto the banks of the Loire. An old stone bridge rises mightily above the water (said to be oldest and longest stretch of the Loire’s middle section), but walk up the river rather than across it, down the tree-lined avenue and its stone cottages, and peace and quiet will be yours. After a suitably long walk, the heated swimming pool at L’écu de Bretagne is a excellent choice.

Vichy, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Located on the banks of the Allier river, Vichy has built up a reputation as a health retreat and spa town, attracting a flock of glittery residents to its streets, but a walk along the river is as equally rejuvenating. The town is dotted with landscaped gardens and leafy parks, head down to its regal promenades, fringed with leafy green chestnut trees on one side and the lazy Allier river on the other. Vichy’s architecture has been designed to intermingle with the environment rather than overshadow it, one of the reasons that when you walk along the promenade, you’ll find tiny, suspended jetties clinging carefully to its sides – perfect outposts to take in the views at sundown. The town has a large pedestrianised zone, so have a wander through on your way to the thermal baths, conveniently close to Maison Decoret, where you can take a cooking class in the hotel restaurant.

Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Bordeaux has a distinct elan and polish to it, and no place captures this better than a riverside perspective. Straddling the Garonne river, Bordeaux is shaped by the water, and its best sights can be viewed from the river. The glinting, curvaceous architecture of La Cité du Vin – Bordeaux’s premier wine museum built in the form of a wine decanter – is a spectacular view from any point, but when the light catches it at sunset and its reflection spills across onto the water, it’s hard to not feel a bit impressed. Further along the river, the grandeur continues; Place de la Bourse and the Miroir d’Eau are equally impressive, the latter being the world’s largest water mirror. A shimmering pool of sky, meander past on your riverside stroll and revel in this city shaped and defined by the water. End your walk at Le charmant quai bourgeois, housed in a 17th-century building by the riverside.

Saumur, Pays de la Loire

Radiant in white, Saumur is another scenic stop along the Loire river. Built out of tuffeau stone (a soft limestone), it’s a small town with a palatial feel – white stone buildings line the riverfront, while the grand keep that is Chateau de Saumur looms overhead. Walk down the river for views of this, and it’s hard to picture the town as anything but a city of kings. Historically, cave dwellings dotted the cliffs either side of the river, which are worth a visit, though you’ll need another means of transport than simply by foot. Cross Saumur’s main bridge, Pont Cessart, over to the island for wilderness, beaches and the town’s best panoramas. When it’s time to call it a day, indulge in world-renowned local wines at Le Pot de Lapin, and end the night at Le Patio & Spa and its river views.

**These destinations were picked based on endorsements for ‘river walks’ in France, according to global travellers.