France travel guide

Eiffel Tower

Paris

Book summit tickets online in advance

Louvre Museum

Paris

Timed entry — book ahead

Palace of Versailles

Île-de-France

Closed Mondays

Mont-Saint-Michel

Normandy

Abbey on a tidal island

Loire Valley châteaux

Centre-Val de Loire

Chambord, Chenonceau

French Riviera

Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur

Nice, Cannes, Monaco day trip

Chamonix & Mont Blanc

Alps

Aiguille du Midi cable car

Provence lavender fields

Valensole

Bloom late June – July

Paris

Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre-Dame, Montmartre

Guides in Paris →

Nice

Capital of the French Riviera

Guides in Nice →

Lyon

France’s gastronomy capital

Guides in Lyon →

Marseille

Mediterranean port and the Calanques

Guides in Marseille →

Bordeaux

Wine region and elegant riverside centre

Guides in Bordeaux →

Strasbourg

Half-timbered houses and famous Christmas markets

Guides in Strasbourg →

✈️ Paris — Charles de Gaulle (CDG)

• RER B train to central Paris (Gare du Nord, Châtelet)
• Roissybus to Opéra
• Official taxis charge a flat fixed fare to central Paris — use the official rank only

✈️ Paris — Orly (ORY)

• Metro Line 14 directly to central Paris
• Official taxis with a flat fixed fare

✈️ Nice (NCE)

• Tram Line 2 to the city centre

🚆 Getting around

• TGV high-speed trains (SNCF Connect app); book early for the best prices
• Ouigo is the low-cost TGV option
• Paris Metro and RER; buy tickets in the RATP or Bonjour RATP app
• Rent a car for Provence, the Loire and the countryside

🙏 Culture & etiquette

• Always say “Bonjour” when entering a shop or starting a conversation — skipping it is considered rude
• Use “vous” (formal you) with strangers
• Lunch is roughly 12–2pm; many restaurants close between services
• Many small shops close on Sundays

📍 Places, scams & seasons

• Pickpockets around the Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Cœur, Louvre and on Metro line 1
• Ignore the “petition”, “gold ring” and “friendship bracelet” scams
• Check for strikes (grèves) that can disrupt trains and flights

⚖️ Laws & restrictions

• Full-face coverings are banned in public places
• Carry your passport or ID; police can ask for it
• Don’t buy from illegal street sellers (buyers can be fined)

💬 Words & topics to avoid

• Start in French even if just “Bonjour, parlez-vous anglais ?”
• Avoid loud phone calls and being loud in restaurants
• Don’t assume all French speakers are French (Belgian, Swiss, Canadian…)

Paris

Le Marais (central, charming), Saint-Germain (classic), Montmartre (budget, views)

Rooms are small — check bed size

Nice

Old Town or near Promenade des Anglais

Provence

Aix-en-Provence or Avignon

Great base for day trips

Budget idea

Hostels and 2-star hotels near Metro stations

Rue Montorgueil & Marché des Enfants Rouges

Paris

Bakeries, cheese and market food

Bouchons of Vieux Lyon

Lyon

Traditional Lyonnais cooking

Cours Saleya market

Nice

Socca and Provençal produce

Vieux-Port

Marseille

Bouillabaisse fish stew

Croissant & baguette

Daily bakery staples

Coq au vin & bœuf bourguignon

Classic slow-cooked dishes

Crêpes & galettes

Sweet and savoury (Brittany)

Cheese

1,000+ varieties — Comté, Brie, Roquefort

Ratatouille

Provençal vegetable stew

Macarons & pastries

Ladurée, Pierre Hermé and neighbourhood pâtisseries

Nice Carnival

February

Nice

Cannes Film Festival

May

Cannes

Fête de la Musique

21 June

Nationwide

Bastille Day

14 July

Nationwide (Paris parade and fireworks)

Festival d’Avignon

July

Avignon

Fête des Lumières

Early December

Lyon

Christmas markets

Late November – December

Strasbourg, Colmar

📱 SIM & eSIM

• Main networks: Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom, Free
• EU SIMs roam free in France; others can buy a prepaid SIM (ID needed) or eSIM

📶 Coverage & Wi-Fi

• Good 4G/5G in cities; patchy in mountains and rural areas
• Free Wi-Fi in many cafes, museums and Paris parks

🔌 Power plugs

230V, 50Hz — plug types C and E