13. Marseille
The Mediterranean city of Marseille is the second largest metropolis in France, and the largest commercial port in the country. Its list of historical and cultural sites include the basilica Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde, the Musée des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Méditerranée, Fort Saint-Nicolas, Fort Saint-Jean and the Castle of If, of Count of Monte Cristo fame. Marseille has pleasant pedestrian zones and quaint shopping areas, including an exotic French-African quarter. While some dismiss it as a busy, bustling port town, the city was named the European Capital of Culture last year.