3 French Cities Win Cruise Fan Hearts (and Cruise Critic awards)

This year, three French cities—Arles, Avignon, and Villefranche-sur-mer—made the top 10 list of favorite cruise destinations worldwide. Cruise Critic organizes awards based on member reviews each year. Considering this award comes from an online community visited by over 6 million cruise fans worldwide, it’s a win we’re excited to share with you.

We’ll always have Paris (bien sûr), but spending time in these smaller French towns can lend a more immersive cultural experience in a shorter period of time. Outside of the busy capital, you have a better chance of rubbing elbows with the locals in a slower-paced ambiance, in a more accessibly sized city. We’re not surprised to learn that two of the three picks are stops on river cruises—after all, traveling France’s waterways is an extraordinary way to see the country.

Here’s a taste of what’s to love about the three towns in France that garnered top ratings from cruise members.