France

Why France

There are countries that you think you know before you even go there. France is one of them: the Eiffel Tower, the croissants, the Côte d'Azur. But this familiarity is an illusion. France is a country-continent, one of the few in Europe where you can go from one culture to another in a few hours, from one landscape to its opposite: from the cliffs beaten by the Atlantic to the creeks bathed in Mediterranean light, from the vineyards of Burgundy to the snow-capped peaks of Mont Blanc, from the Gothic streets of Strasbourg to the purple lavender of the Luberon.

What strikes the traveller who takes the time to get off the beaten track is the intensity of the terroirs. Each region has its own cuisine, wines, accent, and festivals. Lyon claims to be the gastronomic capital of the world and proves it at every table. Alsace has been celebrating its Christmas markets since the fifteenth century. Brittany has a lively Celtic identity, with its fest-noz and buckwheat pancakes. Provence smells of lavender and thyme all summer long. France is eaten as much as it is visited.

For foreign visitors, France offers an exceptional travel environment: dense transport infrastructure (TGV, motorways, regional airports), accommodation of all ranges, UNESCO heritage among the densest in the world (42 listed sites), high security. The only real challenge is to choose: you can't see everything, and this is perhaps the best news: you will have to come back.

When to go

Metropolitan France has four very marked seasons in Paris, which serve as a climatic reference, but regional variations are considerable.

Paris and the north of France: Spring (April-June) is the ideal season. Temperatures slowly climb from 15 to 25°C, the gardens are in bloom, and the queues remain manageable. Autumn (September-October) offers almost identical conditions with an incomparable golden light. Summer (July-August) is hot and festive but saturated; winter (November-March) is grey and cool, but allows you to visit the museums without crowds.

The Côte d'Azur and Provenceenjoy 300 days of sunshine a year. Spring is delicious from March. In July, the lavender of the Valensole plateau is at the peak of its flowering. The period September-October is ideal: warm sea, tourists gone, low light on the olive trees.

The Alpsare available in two seasons: winter (December-March) for skiing under Mont Blanc, summer (June-September) for hiking in a grandiose setting.

Alsaceis beautiful in all seasons, but the autumn harvest (October) and Christmas markets (late November-December) make it particularly festive.

How much does it cost

France is not the cheapest country in Europe, but it offers a very high quality-experience ratio. In Paris, count €20-30 for a lunch in a bistro, €150-250 for a night in a 3-star hotel in high season. In the provinces, prices drop significantly: accommodation €80-130, meals €12-18.

For a 10-day tour in France, the total budget (accommodation, meals, domestic transport, tickets) varies between €1,500 and €2,500 per person depending on the level of comfort chosen. Tours organized by French tour operators start at around €900-1,200 for a week in an accompanied formula, excluding flights.

Travellers on a tight budget can rely on the network of youth hostels (HI), markets, picnics of local producers (cheeses, charcuterie, regional wines) and rail by booking early. On the other hand, France offers palaces, starred restaurants and castles in hotels as nowhere else in the world.

Where to go

The richness of France lies in the accumulation of distinct regions, each worth a trip in itself. The cities below are the natural anchor points of a tour, accessible by TGV from Paris.

Parisremains the essential entry point for most international visitors. Plan at least 3 nights to go past the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre and touch what really makes the city: a café on the terrace in the Marais, the booksellers on the quays, a night walk on the bridges.

La Provence(Avignon, Luberon, Alpilles) distills a light and scents that Cézanne and Van Gogh did not invent: they are very real. The Côte d'Azur (Nice, Monaco, Antibes) adds the turquoise sea and the quiet luxury of the seaside towns.

Lyonis the gastronomic and geographical pivot between Paris and the Mediterranean. Two days are enough to fall under the spell of the bouchons and the Vieux-Lyon.

Bordeauxshines on its vineyards without ever being reduced by them: the city itself, renovated and revitalized, has become a destination in its own right.

Alsace(Strasbourg, wine route) is a change of scenery without a plane, between Rhineland architecture, German-French gastronomy and hilly landscapes dotted with castles.

Brittany(Saint-Malo, Mont-Saint-Michel) offers the breath of the Atlantic, a strong cultural identity and iodine that has no equivalent.

Annecy and the Alpsgive access to the mountain in its best form: crystal clear lake, majestic peaks, villages of character.

Our itineraries

Three ways to explore France, from the iconic circuit to the themed route of flavors.

In pictures

Practical advice

Formalities

Nationals of the European Union travel with only their national identity card, without a visa or passport required. Nationals of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and about sixty other nationalities can enter without a visa for stays of up to 90 days. Since the end of 2025, the EES system has been digitally recording the entries and exits of third-country nationals (no impact on the traveler experience). From the end of 2026, non-EU/EEA visa-exempt travelers will need to obtain an ETIAS authorization online before departure (€20, valid for 3 years). Other nationalities contact the French consulate at least 6 weeks before departure for a Schengen visa.

No vaccination is mandatory. The up-to-date DTP is recommended. No risk of malaria or yellow fever in metropolitan France.

Getting around

The TGV is the king of transport in France: Paris-Lyon in 2 hours, Paris-Marseille in 3 hours, Paris-Bordeaux in 2 hours 10 minutes. Online booking (SNCF Connect, Trainline) is mandatory and prices are better taken in advance. In the city, public transport is efficient. Paris has a dense metro, supplemented by the RER and buses. In Nice, Lyon, Bordeaux and Strasbourg, modern trams cover most of the tourist districts.

The car is useful, even necessary, for rural areas: vineyards, Provençal villages, the Breton coast. Driving is on the right. The motorway network is excellent but there is a charge (frequent tolls).

Culture and uses

The French social code is based on a few simple rituals. The "hello" when entering a shop or restaurant is a fundamental courtesy: not saying it is perceived as rudeness, even involuntary. Meals are a serious moment: you don't eat while walking, the service lasts, the conversations drag on. Lunch (12pm-2pm) remains a complete meal in most regions.

The national museums are closed on Tuesdays (Louvre, Orsay, Centre Pompidou). Most offer a night time slot in the evening on Fridays. Admission is free for those under 18 years of age throughout the EU, and for every first Sunday of the month in the national museums.

Tipping is not an obligation in France: the service is included in the bill (legal notice). Rounding up or leaving €1-2 at the coffee is appreciated, nothing more is expected.

Frequently asked questions