What’s hot and new in France in 2025

If France is on your agenda next year, you'll want to add these highlights to your notes.

Kerry Parnell

@KerryParnell

less than 2 min read

October 7, 2024 - 12:51PM

Escape

1/10

Notre Dame Cathedral re-opens

It’s been five long years since the devastating fire ripped through Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral on April 15, 2019 and closed the once-most-visited monument in France. But this December 7 and 8, the bells will be ringing for its grand re-opening, after an extensive renovation. There will be special ceremonies to mark the occasion and visitors will need to pre-book if planning on attending the opening services at the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s good news for anyone travelling to Paris next year, as the cathedral comes back onto the tourist itinerary. The only remaining areas to be completed are the forecourt and surrounds.

2/10

Paris’ grande dame hotels win best in the world

Paris is still aglow post-Olympics and the good news for visitors is the building boom which took place beforehand, means the city is in the best shape it’s been for years. It’s also become a world-leader in high-end hotels and its grande dames got some recognition recently, at the second The World’s 50 Best Hotels awards in London - beating neighbour London, which didn’t get any listings in the top 10. Uber-high-end property, Cheval Blanc (pictured above), was voted the fourth best hotel in the world and the 72-room hotel, on the Seine by the Pont-Neuf, was joined by Hotel de Crillon, which came in at 15th place and Le Bristol, which ranked 40th.

3/10

Le Bristol has a special birthday

Speaking of Le Bristol, in 2025, the Parisian institution celebrates its 100-year anniversary, with the launch of refurbished suites and a new menu at its triple-Michelin-starred restaurant, Epicure. The hotel, on the fashionable Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, opened in the 1920s and immediately became the place to be for the glamorous party set of the time, hosting the likes of Coco Chanel, Pablo Picasso and Elsa Schiaparelli. It has managed to be a central part of Parisian society ever since, so revered by locals, that it was awarded “palace-level” ranking by The French Ministry of Tourism.

4/10

Cartier opens a new exhibition space

The Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art in Paris is celebrating its 40th anniversary and has been running a series of special events this year. It culminates in the Foundation moving to a vast new space in 2025, in the historic Louvre des Antiquaires complex, on Rue de Rivoli, which will include an exhibition space as well as its permanent collection, plus artists’ ateliers, a cinema and a show venue.

5/10

Belmond launches an out of this world new train experience

Belmond’s Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is world-renowned for its luxury train journeys and departs from Paris to a variety of locations. However, in 2005, it elevates its offering to something literally out of this world, with the arrival of L’Observatoire Suite. This exclusive carriage-sized suite is dubbed “an artwork in motion” and is designed by pioneering artist JR. It comes with a bedroom, bathroom, tea room, library and lounge. You can take in the views from the windows and stargaze through the specially-designed skylight, at night. Prices start at an eye-watering £80,000 (approximately $155,000) a night.

6/10

New Bordeaux cruises set sail

If, as they say, travel is all about the journey, then make it a beautiful route. There are not many destinations more desirable than a river cruise through France’s famous wine regions. So, cheers to Avalon Waterways, who in March 2025, begin cruises on the Garonne and Dordogne rivers. They are launching a seven-night Bonjour Bordeaux: Chateaux, Wineries and Charming Villages cruise, which starts and ends in Bordeaux, going through Cadillac-sur-Garonne, Cussac Fort Médoc, Blaye, Bourg and Libourne. From $6,529 p/p, the cruise is currently on offer for $4,629 and can be bolted-on to other journeys to make a longer itinerary.

7/10

Cezanne celebration in Aix-en-Provence

In February this year, a team of restoration experts made an exciting discovery at the artist Paul Cezanne’s childhood home, when they uncovered a huge maritime scene on a wall. Previous murals found at his former home were removed and are in museums, but this one is going to be shown on-site, as part of Cezanne 2025, a celebration of the artist. The restoration of his home, Bastide of Jas de Bouffan, will be completed and the museum opened, showing the mural and special exhibitions featuring many pieces on loan from museums all over the world. You can also visit his atelier, where he worked.

8/10

The nation marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day

While France never forgets – VE Day is a national holiday there – 2025 will be a special celebration, as it’s 80 years since the end of World War II, on May 8, 1945. There will be commemorative events to mark the occasion, in towns and villages all over the country. For those interested in historical battlefield tours, Mat McLachlan has a number of D-Day and other tours across France and Belgium, including an eight-day D-Day river cruise departing June and September, from $6474 p/p.

9/10

New ways to fly to France open up

With Qantas introducing their non-stop route to Paris from Perth earlier this year, it’s never been easier to travel to France and in 2025, another connection emerges, with the re-introduction of Malaysia Airlines’ route from Kuala Lumpur to Paris, from March. The airline previously suspended the route, in 2016.

10/10

A new chateau opens in Champagne

While we generally don’t need any excuse to pop a cork in a bottle of Champagne, now there’s extra reason to celebrate, with the arrival of a new chateau in the famed wine region. The Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa in Champillon, is welcoming a sister hotel in early 2025. Château de la Commaraine in the famous village of Pommard, is a historic 12th century chateau and will have 37 rooms, two restaurants, a pool, spa and a winery on the estate.

Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/lifestyle/whats-hot-and-new-in-france-in-2025/image-gallery/b5ee8a2de898904ef4227ab94e97840c