1. Mont Saint MIchel in Normandy, France

One of the coolest parts of our trip didn't include many "outfit photos" per se, but I wanted to share it nonetheless. If you're considering traveling to France, these are some off the beaten path places we highly recommend! First up is probably the most well-known of the three - Mont Saint Michel (all the photos above). A monastery and historical site, it is an absolutely spectacular site to behold. You can spot it miles before you get there, standing out in stark contrast against the countryside that surrounds it. And after paying an admission fee you can spend an entire day roaming around inside.

2. Montfort-sur-Meu, France

Next up is a little town that's near and dear to my heart - Montfort-sur-Meu (photos above). This is where we stayed with my family for three nights. With a population of about 5,000 it reminded me a lot of the village in the new Beauty and the Beast movie (adorable!). We visited the farmer's market on Saturday morning, attended mass on Sunday, and shared lots of meals and family time!

3. Rennes, France

Only two hours by train from Paris, with a population of about 200,000, Rennes is a wonderful place to get a taste of France without the hustle and bustle of a big city. There was so much to see - churches, government buildings, public parks with so (!) many beautiful flowers in bloom, the fish market and great restaurants and shopping. We spent an afternoon, but I'd love to go back and stay a couple days to really soak it in. (I think I even like it even better than Paris!) 

Two other places we didn't visit this time, but make great day trips from Paris are Versailles and Monet's home in Giverny. What other spots do you recommend in France? We'd love to add more to our list!

All photos © joshuacjohnson