France travel guide: when to go, where to go and how to plan it together

November 8, 2026 · 9 min read

France is the most visited country in the world, and it still has room to get lost in. You can spend a week in Paris and see only the surface, then take a fast train and be among Lyon's food halls, Provence's lavender fields or the high peaks above Chamonix. Every region has its own food, its own wine and its own accent, and the French take all three seriously.

It rewards a slower trip than most people plan. Two or three bases, a good train network and long lunches will show you more than ticking off eight cities. This guide covers when to go, where to go, a ten-day route, and what changes when you're planning it with friends.

Capital: Paris
Currency: Euro (€)
Languages: French
Plugs: Type C and E, 230 V
Driving: On the right
Time zone: UTC+1, UTC+2 in summer (mainland France)
Best time to go: April to June and September to October
Daily budget: About US$150–280 a person a day, mid-range, 2026

When to go

Spring (April to June) is the best all-round season. Paris is green and the cafés spill onto the pavements, Provence is warm without being hot, and the Loire's gardens are at their best. May and June have several public holidays that make long weekends, when trains and roads fill.

Summer (July and August) is hot in the south and busy everywhere on the coast. Lavender in Provence flowers from about late June into July. The Riviera and the Atlantic beaches are crowded and expensive. In August many French people are on holiday too: Paris empties a little, and some small family-run shops and restaurants close for a week or two. The Alps are at their best for hiking from July.

Autumn (September and October) is a favourite. The sea is still warm in the south, the grape harvest is under way in Burgundy, Bordeaux and Alsace, and prices drop once the school holidays end. It's the best season for wine regions.

Winter (November to March) is grey and cold in the north and mild on the Mediterranean coast. Paris is quiet and good for museums, and Christmas markets in Alsace are among the best in Europe. The Alps and Pyrenees are ski country from December to the spring.

Transport strikes happen in France, usually announced a few days ahead. Check the news for the days you travel, and keep a little slack in the plan on days when you have a flight to catch.

Where to go

Paris

Two thousand years of history on both banks of the Seine: the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, Notre-Dame on its island, Montmartre's hill, the Marais and the covered passages. The big sights are famous for a reason, but the best days are walks between them with a stop for coffee. Four days is a comfortable first visit. Book popular museums and the Eiffel Tower for timed entry in advance. For a day-by-day plan, see the 4-day Paris itinerary.

Normandy and Mont-Saint-Michel

A couple of hours west of Paris by train, the coast has the D-Day beaches and their museums and memorials, the half-timbered port of Honfleur and the cliffs at Étretat. Mont-Saint-Michel, the abbey on its tidal island, is best at the start or the end of the day when the tour buses are gone. Two or three days, easiest with a car.

The Loire Valley

A river lined with châteaux, from the fairy-tale towers of Chambord to the gardens of Villandry. Tours and Amboise make good bases, and you can cycle between some of the sites. Two days.

Lyon

France's food capital has traditional bouchons serving hearty local dishes, a Renaissance old town on a hill, and covered passages called traboules between its streets. It's about two hours from Paris by fast train and is the natural stop before Provence or the Alps. Two days.

Provence

Hill villages, lavender fields, Roman ruins in Arles and Nîmes, the papal palace in Avignon and weekly markets in every town. Base yourself in a village or small city and drive between them; trains and buses serve the larger towns only. Three or four days.

Nice and the Riviera

The Mediterranean coast has a pebbled promenade in Nice, hilltop Èze, the old port of Antibes, and Cannes and Saint-Tropez for people-watching. A local train runs along the coast and makes it easy without a car. Three days, and stay in Nice rather than the more expensive towns.

Bordeaux and the Atlantic coast

A handsome city of pale stone on the Garonne, surrounded by the world's most famous vineyards, with Saint-Émilion's medieval village nearby. Beyond it, the Dune du Pilat and the beaches of the Atlantic. About two hours from Paris by fast train. Two or three days.

Chamonix and the Alps

Under Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps, Chamonix has cable cars, glacier views and some of the best hiking in Europe in summer and skiing in winter. Annecy, with its lake and canals, is a gentler base. Allow three days, more for walking.

A 10-day itinerary

Days 1–4: Paris. Arrive and spend the first day walking along the river. Give one day to the museums, one to Montmartre and the Marais, and keep a day free for Versailles or just wandering.

Days 5–6: Lyon. About two hours by fast train from Paris. Eat well, walk the old town and climb the hill to the basilica for the view.

Days 7–8: Provence. Take the train south to Avignon, which is a little over an hour from Lyon, and rent a car for two days of villages, markets and Roman sites. Return the car in Avignon.

Days 9–10: Nice. A few hours by train, with a view of the sea for the last part. Walk the promenade, take the local train to Èze or Antibes, and fly home from Nice.

With more time, add the Loire or Normandy between Paris and Lyon, or Bordeaux as a long weekend of its own. For other countries that combine well, see two weeks in Europe, or the neighbouring Spain travel guide and Italy travel guide.

Getting around

Trains are the best way to cross France. The high-speed TGV network links Paris with most big cities in two to four hours, and regional TER trains cover the rest. Book the TGV ahead, as fares rise toward the travel date and the best seats go. The train travel in Europe guide explains how to book and what to expect at the station.

Cars are worth it in Provence, the Loire, Normandy, Brittany and the wine regions, where villages are far apart and the best stops are off the rail lines. Motorways (autoroutes) are fast and charge tolls, often by card at the booth. Don't drive in Paris, Lyon or Nice: parking is hard and the streets are busy. Read renting a car abroad before you collect.

Cities have metros, trams and buses, with Paris's metro the densest. Tickets and passes work on a card or a phone. Taxis and ride-hailing apps are available in the big cities.

Flights between French cities are rarely worth it when a fast train does the same journey from centre to centre.

Money and costs

Cards, including contactless, are accepted nearly everywhere, even for small amounts. Carry a little cash for markets, bakeries in villages and public toilets. ATMs at banks give the best rates.

Service is included in restaurant prices by law, so tipping is optional. Rounding up or leaving a few coins for good service is normal. Tap water in a jug, une carafe d'eau, is free and no one will mind you asking for it.

Food is a good place to spend. A set lunch menu (menu du jour) is often much cheaper than dinner in the same place, and a bakery or market makes a good picnic. Paris hotels, anything on the Riviera in July and August, and ski resorts in school holidays cost the most. Outside the big cities, France is cheaper than people expect.

Rough daily costs a person, in 2026:

Budget: about US$80–130, with hostels or simple rooms, bakery lunches and regional trains.
Mid-range: about US$150–280, with comfortable hotels, restaurant dinners and some paid sights.
Comfortable: US$350 and up, with boutique hotels, long dinners and a rental car.

Planning France as a group

France is easy to do together, but a few choices need making early.

Where to sleep. Paris rooms are small, and a hotel room for three or four is often a squeeze. An apartment in the city, or a house in Provence, Normandy or the Dordogne, usually works better for a group and costs less per person. Read where to stay with a group before you pick between a hotel and a rental.

Tables. The kitchen at many French restaurants closes between lunch and dinner, and the best small places have few tables. For six or more, book ahead and say how many you are. The guide to booking restaurants for a big group helps.

Bookings with fixed times. Museums, the Eiffel Tower, château visits and wine tastings often have timed entry. Put each confirmation in one shared place so everyone knows where to be and when.

Who drives. If you rent a car for the countryside, decide who does the driving and who pays for fuel and tolls. An automatic costs more than a manual in France, and it's worth reserving early if you need one.

Before you go

Entry rules: check the official government site of France and your own government's travel advice before you book. France is in the Schengen area, so the rules depend on your passport.
Travel insurance that covers medical costs, cancellations and your belongings.
Connectivity: an eSIM is the easiest option, and visitors from the EU can usually use their home plan. Wifi is common in hotels and cafés.
A plug adapter for Type C or E if you're coming from outside continental Europe. Check that your devices take 230 V.
Health: no special vaccines are usually needed; ask a travel clinic if unsure. Sunscreen matters in the south in summer.
Customs: say bonjour when you enter a shop, café or office, and au revoir when you leave. It's the single most useful habit, and people are noticeably warmer. Restaurants serve lunch from about noon to 2 pm and dinner from about 7:30 pm.

What to pack

Comfortable walking shoes are the one thing you can't skimp on: Paris is a city you cover on foot, on cobbles and metro stairs. Bring layers, since weather in the north changes quickly and evenings cool down even in summer.

For summer in the south, light clothes, a hat, sunglasses and a swimsuit. For spring and autumn, a light waterproof and a scarf. For winter, a warm coat, gloves and a hat in Paris and the Alps. Pack something a little smarter for dinner, as the French dress up a little for restaurants. A tote bag for the market, and a small day bag with a zip for crowded metros, will both earn their space.