France is one of the greatest countries in the world, and while there are certainly some debates to be had against that theory, we aren't so sure they hold up that well. The European nation is coming off the back of being crowned world champions in soccer last year, and while that's not exactly a leading indicator that they're a great country, we like the message behind such a title.

RELATED: 10 European Cities That Make You Feel Like You’re In America

As such, we've decided to run through 10 places across this nation that we believe represent it perfectly. There are hundreds more, but for the sake of time, we've attempted to narrow it down.

10 French Riviera

Anyone who is anyone has either been to the French Riviera, lives there, or owns a piece of property there. It’s one of those exclusive destinations, to the point where many people who struggle financially kind of forget it even exists.

We aren’t here to suggest that the existence of locations like this is a good thing, but as long as you can remove that element of it and purely enjoy the architecture and everything that comes with that, then they shouldn’t be all too much of a problem here.

9 French Fishing Villages

While it may not specifically be known in many casual circles for fishing, we really do feel like there are so many destinations, both in-land and on the coast, that make France so special in the world of fishing.

RELATED: 10 Small Towns In Europe That Should Be On Your Travel Bucket List

Sure, the specifics in terms of success may not be on the same level as other nations littered throughout the world, but they don’t even need to be. If you want a fun example of this then head on over to Barfleur, a tiny commune that we just absolutely love to look at.

8 Paris

It’s one of the biggest and best cities in the world and there’s really no point in trying to debate that. Paris is a cultural hub, fashion hub, food hub: you name it, Paris has it. It’s just gritty enough and alternative enough to be enjoyable, too, because we aren’t going to beat around the bush here, it can be a pretty unsafe environment if you aren’t careful.

RELATED: 10 Foods You Need To Try In France For The Ultimate Food Experience

But with all that being said, the beauty of this city can be summed up with one landmark and that is, of course, the remarkable Eiffel Tower.

7 Bordeaux

Pop open a glass of your finest red or white wine because this Port city lives for the stuff. The Gothic Cathedral is gorgeous and the museums are to die for, but beyond all of that, Bordeaux is just so much classier than many of the alternatives on display throughout the country.

It’s a little bit more laid back and relaxed than Paris, the locals aren’t quite so arrogant, and it’s more of an escape from everyday life. If you want to put a smile on your face, then we encourage you to head to Bordeaux.

6 French Alps

These mountain ranges are known as the French Alp which, to put it bluntly, are remarkable. While they share some borders with Switzerland and Italy, the French-specific regions really do allow you to have a proper appreciation for what it means to understand this great nation as a whole – as opposed to in parts.

RELATED: 10 Intriguing Questions We All Have About Canada

When we think of France from a stereotypical point of view, we think of it as being quite green, as well as a concrete jungle in the cities. However, this white landscape turns it into something so much more than that, and it’s hard not to love that side of things.

5 Lyon

In the realms of the global economic network, Lyon is considered to be a Beta city and that’s a really important phrase for people to understand. From pharmaceutical advancements to the banking side of things to the astonishing history of cinema that can be found in the city, Lyon is just the best.

RELATED: 10 Things Every American Does Wrong When Visiting France (And What To Do Instead)

It’s more of an underdog when you think about great French cities in comparison to the likes of Bordeaux and Paris, but that doesn’t make it any less special. With a population of over half a million, though, it’s pretty hard to ignore them.

4 Mont-Saint-Michel

Fancy going somewhere that makes you feel like you’re on the edge of the planet? Sure, there’s the whole ‘zombie apocalypse’ aspect of this that makes it a fun fantasy destination to attend, but it really is so much more than that.

The Mont-Saint-Michel is such an old island that there are way too many accounts of its history to run through, and we’re positive in saying that none of you have the time to listen to it. Just know that as far as French landmarks go, this one is on another level.

3 Tour de France Locations

The Tour de France stretches throughout the entire country, with a stream of different phases and destinations being stopped off at along the way. It’s the premier form of cycling entertainment outside of the Summer Olympics, in our humble opinion, and that brings an interesting combination of fanbases with it.

Some people want to watch the cycling greats try and capture the yellow jersey, whereas others are more interested in looking out at the magnificent sites and basking in the glory of the French culture. It’s a fun tradition, and we hope it continues.

2 Versailles

The Palace of Versailles is known as the primary royal residence of France from 1682 all the way through until 1789, which is also known as the French Revolution in many circles. While it may not be all too far away from the city of Paris, we tend to believe that it is entirely different in roughly a million and one different ways.

RELATED: 10 Fantastic Things Everyone Loves About France

It’s rare that you look out at a destination and think “this is perfect” but Versailles, from head to toe, gives off that impression from arrival to departure.

1 Provence Countryside

While Provence is somewhat best known for the aforementioned French Riviera, we’d like to take you more so into the in-lands for a second. The diverse landscapes to the magnificent vineyards (and we mean magnificent) give it its own identity, with forests and lavender fields as far as the eye can see.

It’s a bit more secluded and less hectic than many of its neighboring attractions, and that’s okay. We all need time to unwind and take a step back every once in a while, and that’s what we’ve got here.

NEXT: 10 Intriguing Questions We All Have About Canada