France Travel Guide

France is the most visited country on earth and still exceeds expectations. Paris is the headline, but the depth is in the regions: Burgundy for wine and quiet medieval villages, Provence for lavender and light, the Atlantic coast for oysters in Arcachon and surf in the Basque Country, the Alps for skiing that rivals Switzerland, Alsace for a Franco-German culture that doesn't fully belong to either country. It's big enough to feel like five different destinations, and consistent enough about food, markets and sitting somewhere pleasant for two hours that it still hangs together. April through June and September through October are the practical travel windows. August is when France goes on holiday and the crowds follow.

Updated · On BootsnAll since 1999 · History

Overview and Things to Consider

France is Western Europe's largest country by land area, with 13 metropolitan regions distinct enough to plan separately. Paris is the obvious entry point and a destination in its own right, but treat France as Paris plus a day trip to Versailles and you miss most of the country. The TGV puts Lyon 2 hours from Paris, Marseille 3 hours and Bordeaux 2 hours, so a different France is an afternoon away.

Part of why France is so visited is its range. History and architecture in the Loire Valley, Alsace and Normandy. The outdoors in the Pyrenees, the Alps and the Massif Central. Coast and beach culture in Brittany, the Atlantic southwest and the Côte d'Azur. Food and wine in Burgundy, the Rhône Valley, Bordeaux and Champagne. Urban culture in Paris, Lyon and Marseille. It rewards first-timers doing the classics and repeat visitors who finally rent a car and disappear into the countryside.

Getting There and Around

Paris has three major airports: Charles de Gaulle (CDG, the main international hub), Orly (ORY, for domestic and some European routes), and Beauvais (BVA, budget carriers). CDG is 25km from central Paris - the RER B train gets you to Gare du Nord in about 35 minutes for €14 (2026). Eurostar runs from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord in 2.5 hours. France's SNCF rail network is comprehensive and the TGV is the right way to move between major cities.

Within France, train versus car depends on where you're going. The TGV serves major cities well. Rural Provence, the Loire Valley, Burgundy wine country, Alsace's Route des Vins and the Atlantic coast are all much better with a rental car. Paris is better without one - the metro is fast and comprehensive, and Navigo passes cover unlimited travel within the zones you need.

What's Changed Since 2016

Paris before and after the 2024 Olympics is a real distinction. Ahead of the games the city spent heavily on infrastructure, cycling networks (the vélo-routes now cover the Seine banks and several major arteries) and public space. The Seine swimming program, which made sections of the river swimmable for the first time in over a century, launched successfully and is now a permanent part of Paris summers. The city is more livable and walkable than it was a decade ago.

Tourism is back at pre-pandemic levels and higher in some regions. The Normandy beaches and Mont-Saint-Michel are still overcrowded in summer. Provence, particularly the Lavender Route around Valensole, has had to bring in crowd management at its most photographed sites. The Dordogne and Périgord have grown popular with British and American travelers looking for French countryside that isn't the Riviera. Meanwhile, Marseille - France's second city - has shed its unwarranted rough reputation and built a food and cultural scene worth a detour.

Ideas to Consider for Your Visit

Lyon is France's second food city, with less tourist pressure than Paris and cooking at a comparable level. The bouchon - small, loud, owner-operated, serving Lyonnais dishes like quenelles de brochet, tablier de sapeur and tête de veau - is specific to Lyon and worth the trip on its own. Take the TGV from Paris (2 hours), walk between Vieux Lyon and the Presqu'île, and eat twice a day at places with handwritten menus.

Alsace, in France's northeast corner on the German border, has a culture, architecture and wine that don't fit neatly into French or German categories. The Route des Vins runs 170km through medieval wine villages - Riquewihr, Kaysersberg, Eguisheim - that look designed for a Christmas card. Strasbourg, the regional capital, has an extraordinary Gothic cathedral and a historic quarter (La Petite France) worth a full day.

Almost every French town has a weekly market where local producers sell directly - cheese, charcuterie, bread, vegetables, wine. It's one of the most underrated parts of daily life here. In Provence, the markets in Apt, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Aix-en-Provence are among the best. In the Basque Country, Bayonne and Saint-Jean-de-Luz sell Bayonne ham, the local answer to jamón, and excellent cider. Plan around market days and you'll eat and drink better all over France.

Realities to Be Aware Of

France spans an enormous range of costs. Paris mid-range daily budget: €130-200 per person (hotel, two restaurant meals, transit, one museum). The provinces are much cheaper - a good hotel in Burgundy runs €80-130, and restaurant meals outside Paris cost less and deliver more. The Côte d'Azur in summer is nearly as expensive as Paris. Camping is a real option: the campsite infrastructure is excellent, and many campsites are in beautiful locations.

August is when France goes on holiday - millions of French people travel simultaneously, many businesses in cities close, and coastal and countryside destinations are overwhelmed. This is not the month to discover rural France peacefully. July is better than August but still busy. April-June and September-October are consistently the better travel windows.

If France Is Part of a Longer Trip

France borders Spain (the Basque Country crossing is seamless), Italy (via the Riviera or the Alps), Switzerland, and Germany. A night train runs from Paris to the Spanish border with a local connection on to Barcelona, the Paris-Milan route via the Alps is visually spectacular, and the Eurostar connects London and Paris in 2.5 hours. France is the hub for most Western Europe circuit itineraries.

Yearly Things to Consider

France's regional climate variation is significant - the north (Paris, Normandy, Brittany) is maritime and changeable; the south (Provence, Languedoc, Côte d'Azur) is Mediterranean and dry; the east (Alsace) is continental with cold winters and warm summers; the mountains (Alps, Pyrenees, Massif Central) follow alpine patterns. What follows is approximate for the north/centre of the country.

France Climate by Month

MonthTempRainfallSeasonNotes
January43°F (6°C)2.1 inLowParis quiet; ski season in Alps; lowest prices
February45°F (7°C)1.7 inLowCarnival in Nice; good skiing; Paris less crowded
March50°F (10°C)2.0 inShoulderSpring arrives; markets opening; gardens beginning
April57°F (14°C)2.5 inShoulderExcellent; long days; Easter crowds at some sites
May64°F (18°C)2.8 inHighOne of the best months; warm without summer heat
June70°F (21°C)2.4 inHighPeak season begins; Provence lavender not yet peak
July75°F (24°C)2.2 inHighPeak; lavender season; Bastille Day (July 14); Tour de France
August75°F (24°C)2.4 inHighBusiest month; cities quieter but coasts overwhelmed
September68°F (20°C)2.4 inShoulderOne of the best months; harvest season; wine country excellent
October57°F (14°C)2.8 inShoulderFoliage; quieter; Burgundy harvest; excellent value
November48°F (9°C)2.5 inLowQuiet; low prices; Beaujolais Nouveau (third Thursday)
December43°F (6°C)2.3 inShoulderChristmas markets (Alsace best in Europe); Paris festive

Ideas for Itineraries

3 Days in France

Three days is Paris - specifically, one neighborhood per day rather than a sightseeing marathon. Le Marais and the Île de la Cité on day one (Sainte-Chapelle over Notre-Dame for the stained glass, the Jewish quarter, the Place des Vosges). Montmartre and Canal Saint-Martin on day two - the cemetery is better than Sacré-Coeur. A serious food day on day three: market in the morning, brasserie lunch, afternoon in a museum, dinner somewhere with a written wine list.

5 Days in France

Two extra days for a regional escape from Paris. Lyon by TGV (two hours) for two nights covers bouchon dining, Vieux Lyon, and the Traboules (hidden passageways). Or the Loire Valley by train for the châteaux circuit. Or Champagne country - Reims is 45 minutes from Paris by TGV and has the finest Gothic cathedral in France plus Champagne house cellar tours.

1 Week in France

A week lets you go deep on one region. Paris for three nights, then the TGV south to Lyon or Marseille and a rental car into Provence, Burgundy or the Rhône Valley. The Provence circuit - Avignon, Les Baux, the Luberon villages of Gordes and Roussillon, lavender fields in season - works well from a 4-night base with day drives. Or take the Burgundy wine route between Dijon and Beaune, staying in village chambres d'hôtes.

2 Weeks or More in France

Two weeks is France done properly - Paris, one major region in depth, and a second region. Or pick a single region and go deep: two weeks in the southwest (Bordeaux wine country, the Dordogne, Basque Country, Pyrenees) covers enough distinct terrain to feel like several trips. France is set up for extended stays. Rural gîtes (self-catering cottages) rent by the week, and daily life - markets, bakeries, cheese, wine - rewards slowing down.

Best Time to Visit
April–June or September–October
Budget Range
all

From the BootsnAll archive

67 stories and articles about France, 2000 to 2019

Show all 67

Cities in France

Annecy

Bordeaux

Chamonix

Lyon

Marseilles

Nice

Paris

Toulouse

France Travel FAQ

Yes. The reputation is earned. The key is timing (spring and autumn over July-August) and approach (neighborhoods over monument-ticking). The museums, food, architecture and street life are in a category of their own. The post-2024 Olympics work on cycling infrastructure and the Seine made the city measurably more pleasant. Budget for it properly and it delivers.

No, but basic French gets you a long way and French people respond noticeably better to any attempt than to opening in English. Bonjour before anything, merci frequently, and excusez-moi for excuse me - these three phrases alone change the quality of interactions. In Paris and major tourist areas, English is widely spoken. In rural France, less so, though smartphones have made translation easy enough.

It's contested. Lyon claims the title of France's food capital and has a serious case - the bouchon tradition, the produce from the surrounding region, and the number of serious restaurants per capita. Burgundy and the Rhône Valley for wine and food together. The Basque Country for its own cuisine (piperade, pintxos, Bayonne ham, fresh fish). Provence for the Mediterranean simplicity of tapenade, bouillabaisse and aioli. In practice, French regional cooking is exceptional almost everywhere you stop.

TGV for city-to-city (Paris-Lyon 2 hours, Paris-Marseille 3 hours, Paris-Bordeaux 2 hours). Rental car for regions. Metro in Paris. The SNCF app is functional for booking trains; book TGV tickets ahead for the best prices. For Brittany, Normandy, and rural areas, the combination of a regional train to the nearest hub city and a rental car from there works well.

Peak lavender bloom in the Valensole plateau and surrounding areas runs from late June through late July. The exact timing varies by elevation and year - higher altitude fields bloom later. The fields are harvested from mid-July, so the window for purple fields before harvest is roughly July 1-20 most years. The Sault plateau (higher elevation) blooms later and is less crowded than Valensole. Check current bloom reports from local tourism offices the week before you go.

Update history (27)▸

  1. · Rewrite

    Edited for readability and the BootsnAll voice: generic phrasing cut in 15 passages, no facts changed

  2. · Fact-check

    Fact-checked against current sources: 2 corrections

    • The guide gives the RER B airport fare as €12. Since the 2025 fare reform it has been a single airport ticket: €13 in 2025 and €14 from January 2026. (source)
    • The guide says a Paris-Barcelona overnight train runs again. No direct one does. The Trenhotel ended in 2013, and the only overnight option now is a French sleeper to the Spanish border plus a local train. (source)

  3. · Rewrite

    Updated for modern frameworks, with content updates and changes

  4. · Update

    Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees

  5. · Update

    Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees

  6. · Update

    Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees

  7. · Update

    Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees

  8. · Update

    Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees

  9. · Update

    Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees: all content and prices updated August 2013

  10. · Contributors

    5 member blog posts from 2 bloggers

    • 2013: 5 posts from 2 travelers on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)

  11. · Contributors

    1 article, by Sara Whitestone, plus 12 member blog posts from 4 bloggers

    • September 2012: On Their Own Turf: How My Students Became My Teachers in France - Sara Whitestone (article) (source)
    • 2012: 12 posts from 4 travelers on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)

  12. · Update

    Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees

  13. · Contributors

    1 article, by David Stewart White, plus 11 member blog posts from 2 bloggers

    • March 2011: 11 World War II Sights to Visit in England and France - David Stewart White (article) (source)
    • 2011: 11 posts from 2 travelers on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)

  14. · Update

    Annual update by Adam Seper, including traveler dispatches and AirTreks returnees

  15. · Contributors

    29 member blog posts from 10 bloggers

    • 2010: 29 posts from 10 travelers on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)

  16. · Contributors

    3 articles, by John Guzdek, Christopher Allen and Rea Frey, plus 106 member blog posts from 21 bloggers

    • January 2009: Coach Trips: Testing the Stereotypes - Paris, France - John Guzdek (article) (source)
    • August 2009: Wine Tasting in Alsace, France - Christopher Allen (article) (source)
    • September 2009: Home is Where You Find It - Paris, France - Rea Frey (article) (source)
    • 2009: 106 posts from 21 travelers on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)

  17. · Archive

    Travel guide on BootsnAll, at a new address

    Archived copy of /Europe-France

  18. · Contributors

    4 articles, by Norman Goldman, Laura B. Foy, Chris Card Fuller and John M. Edwards, plus 60 member blog posts from 22 bloggers

    • August 2008: An Artist’s Paradise - La Loire France - Norman Goldman (article) (source)
    • August 2008: Europe’s Castles: Find Your Own Camelot, Part 1 - France and … - Laura B. Foy (article) (source)
    • August 2008: Into The Woods - Montrésor, Touraine Region, France - Chris Card Fuller (article) (source)
    • December 2008: A Not So Gay Ho-Hum Christmas in Paree - Paris, France, Europe - John M. Edwards (article) (source)
    • 2008: 60 posts from 22 travelers on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)

  19. · Contributors

    1 article, by A. Rob Conde, plus 137 member blog posts from 41 bloggers

    • August 2007: Pilgrimage Route to Santiago de Compostela - France, Spain, Europe - A. Rob Conde (article) (source)
    • 2007: 137 posts from 41 travelers on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)

  20. · Contributors

    144 member blog posts from 47 bloggers

    • 2006: 144 posts from 47 travelers on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)

  21. · Contributors

    2 articles, by Kyle MacDonald and Suzanne Scala, plus 67 member blog posts from 18 bloggers

    • March 2005: My Uncle The Agent - South of Bordeaux, France - Kyle MacDonald (article) (source)
    • July 2005: Budget Travel in France - France - Suzanne Scala (article) (source)
    • 2005: 67 posts from 18 travelers on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)

  22. · Contributors

    1 Insider dispatch, by Chris Card Fuller, plus 8 member blog posts from 2 bloggers

    • May 2004: Paris: Spring 2004 - Paris, France - Chris Card Fuller (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
    • 2004: 8 posts from 2 travelers on BootsnAll Travel Blogs (source)

  23. · Contributors

    6 Insider dispatches, 2 stories, by Chris Card Fuller and Bid and Renée

    • January 2002: Paris Top Ten - Paris, France - Chris Card Fuller (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
    • March 2002: Americans Visiting Paris: What to Expect - Paris, France - Chris Card Fuller (story) (source)
    • May 2002: All Dressed Up: Looking for Someplace to Glow in the City of Lights - Paris, France - Chris Card Fuller (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
    • May 2002: Using the Paris Metro - Paris, France - Chris Card Fuller (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
    • June 2002: Inexpensive Hotels in Paris - Paris, France - Chris Card Fuller (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
    • June 2002: Musee Carnavalet: "Coup de Coeur!" - Paris, France - Chris Card Fuller (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
    • June 2002: The Paris You've Never Seen - Paris, France - Chris Card Fuller (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
    • August 2002: Chasing the Sun #4: France & Monaco - Bid and Renée (story) (source)

  24. · Contributors

    5 Insider dispatches, 3 articles, by Jean-Michel Engels, Chris Card Fuller, Clayton Trapp and 2 others

    • June 2001: Montpellier, France - Jean-Michel Engels (Insider dispatch) (source)
    • July 2001: Eating Out in Paris: Cafe d'Enfer - France - Chris Card Fuller (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
    • July 2001: Montparnasse - Alive and Kicking - Paris, France - Chris Card Fuller (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
    • July 2001: Trans-Atlantic Travelogue #12 - Olivet, France - Clayton Trapp (article) (source)
    • July 2001: Trans-Atlantic Travelogue #13 - Olivet, France - Clayton Trapp (article) (source)
    • October 2001: Living Long Term in Paris - Paris, France - Chirs Card Fuller (article) (source)
    • October 2001: The French Kiss - Paris, France - Luisa Ryan (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
    • December 2001: Cognac Country with a Twist - Jarnac, France Travel Guide - Luisa Ryan (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)

  25. · Contributors

    1 Insider dispatch, 10 articles, by Marie-Claire Hatfield, Tiffany & Kimberley, Kimberley, Carolyn Kourofsky and Tiffany

    • January 2000: Les Trois Mousquetaires go to France, Italy and maybe a few other places #1 (article) (source)
    • June 2000: Les Trois Mousquetaires go to France, Italy and maybe a few other places #10 - Marie-Claire Hatfield, Tiffany & Kimberley (article) (source)
    • June 2000: Les Trois Mousquetaires go to France, Italy and maybe a few other places #12 - Marie-Claire Hatfield, Tiffany & Kimberley (article) (source)
    • June 2000: Les Trois Mousquetaires go to France, Italy and maybe a few other places #14 - Kimberley (article) (source)
    • June 2000: Les Trois Mousquetaires go to France, Italy and maybe a few other places #2 - Marie-Claire Hatfield, Tiffany & Kimberley (article) (source)
    • June 2000: Les Trois Mousquetaires go to France, Italy and maybe a few other places #4 - Marie-Claire Hatfield, Tiffany & Kimberley (article) (source)
    • June 2000: Les Trois Mousquetaires go to France, Italy and maybe a few other places #5 - Marie-Claire Hatfield, Tiffany & Kimberley (article) (source)
    • June 2000: Les Trois Mousquetaires go to France, Italy and maybe a few other places #9 - Marie-Claire Hatfield, Tiffany & Kimberley (article) (source)
    • July 2000: Four Favorite Paris Experiences - Cheaper and Better - France - Carolyn Kourofsky (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)
    • July 2000: Les Trois Mousquetaires go to France, Italy and maybe a few other places #7 - Marie-Claire Hatfield, Tiffany & Kimberley (article) (source)
    • September 2000: Les Trois Mousquetaires go to France, Italy and maybe a few other places #13 - Tiffany (article) (source)

  26. · Contributors

    1 Insider dispatch, by Vivianne Ward

    • April 1999: April 1999 - Paris, France - Vivianne Ward (Insider dispatch, archived copy) (source)

  27. · Contributors

    Chris Heidrich, BootsnAll co-founder, has contributed to this guide since 1999, including dispatches from BootsnAll and AirTreks travelers