Here at Walletwyse we believe it's always worthwhile to consider the financial impact of taking the road less travelled. Evaluating value-driven alternatives to the mainstream option can cut costs while opening you up to new possibilities, whether you're considering cars, investment strategies or travel destinations.

For this Destination Wyse Award, we weighed location, cultural appeal and cost to select three French cities that offer the best bang for your buck, even if they don't take up the most space in your guidebook. Index scores are calculated relative to the same category in the capital, Paris. All price estimates are for two adults.