A rainy day on holiday is not a wasted day. Giant aquariums, science centres, interactive museums and caves, where the weather outside makes no difference, offer great indoor outings for the whole family.
This selection brings together large indoor sites that easily fill half a day or a full day: Nausicaá and Océanopolis on the coast, the Cité de l'espace in Toulouse, the Cité des sciences in Paris, as well as the Padirac chasm and the Carrières de Lumières.
Nausicaá, in Boulogne-sur-Mer, along the beach, is much more than an aquarium: it is the largest European site devoted to discovering and raising awareness of the protection of the marine world.
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"Océanopolis Brest": the ocean discovery park. Everything you need for an unforgettable day!
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The Grand Aquarium of Saint-Malo offers not only a real world tour of the planet's oceans and their species, but also lets you step into a Jules Verne novel.
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In the town centre, facing the Old Port, discover one of the largest private aquariums in Europe.
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Located in the Parc de la Villette, the Cité offers a complete overview of science and technology — communication, environment, health, astronomy, computing and more — through exhibitions, shows, models, talks and interactive games.
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At the Cité de l'espace, discover a fascinating world spread over more than 5 hectares and let yourself be carried into the heart of space, where humans dream of venturing.
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The Cité de l'automobile – National Museum – Schlumpf Collection in Mulhouse is the largest car museum in the world, with 500 vehicles including 464 cars from 98 makes, among them Fritz Schlumpf's famous collection, tracing the history of the European automobile from 1878 to the present day.
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The Cité du Train (also known as the French Railway Museum) is the largest railway museum in Europe.
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The museum's architecture is incredible! Made of glass, concrete and stainless steel, it rises like a headland at the tip of the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône.
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In the heart of the Alpilles, the monumental Carrières de Lumières host multimedia shows unique in the world. Each year a major new show is offered presenting the greatest names in art history.
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35,000 years ago, man invented the image. Discover the oldest cave paintings and engravings in the world, through dioramas, slide shows and the new video film, a production by the three discoverers.
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The Padirac chasm is a natural cavity 75 m deep that opens in the surface of the Causse de Gramat in the Lot, beneath which, at 103 m, flows an underground river.
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In the heart of the Vercors, explore this cave hidden in the lush nature of the Choranche cirque. The water of the underground lakes and rivers floods the crystalline whiteness of the concretions with emerald reflections.
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