France Travel Guide
France has been the world’s most popular tourist destinations for decades, with over 89 million visitors in 2017. France is one of the most geographically diverse countries in Europe with grand historical cities, gorgeous countryside with cute little villages, vineyards, lavender fields, hundreds of castles and châteaux, long Atlantic beaches, the rugged and historical coasts of Brittany and Normandy, the stunning and warm Mediterranean coast of the chic French Riviera / Cote d’Azur, and the highest mountains in Europe in the stunning French Alps.
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 France |
Top 5 Destinations in France |
 Paris |
 Strasbourg |
 Mont Saint Michel |
 Nice |
 Lyon |
Top 5 Nature Destinations |
 Mont Blanc |
 French Alps |
 Pyrénées |
 Côte d'Azur |
 Etretat |
Other Destinations |
Population Centres:
- Paris – the capital of France and one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
- Lyon – one of the most historical cities in France, and gastronomic capital of the world.
- Marseille – a port city founded by the Greeks in 600BC, watched over by an iconic basilica.
- Lille – characterized by 17th-century brick townhouses, cobbled streets and the Grand Place.
- Toulouse – known as The Pink City due to the terra-cotta bricks used in many buildings.
- Bordeaux – famous for its Gothic cathedral, the grand Place de la Bourse, and wine.
- Nice – the heart of the French Riviera, with a world-famous beach promenade.
- Strasbourg – a city with a beautiful historic centre, right on the German border.
- Rouen – the capital of Normandy, medieval half-timbered houses, dominated by its cathedral.
- Rennes – the capital of Brittany, known for its medieval centre and grand cathedral.
Other Destinations:
Annecy – known for its old town, with cobbled streets, winding canals, and pastel-colored houses.
Arles – once a provincial capital of ancient Rome, famous for the huge Arles Amphitheatre.
Avignon – a city on the Rhône River, famous for the massive Palais des Papes (Popes Palace).
Biarritz – a hillside city on the Loire River with its iconic bridge and cathedral.
Blois – a popular seaside resort town on the Basque Coast.
Bonifacio – a town on the southern tip of Corsica, known for its medieval clifftop citadel.
Caen – a port city in Normandy famous for a circa-1060 castle built by William the Conqueror.
Cannes – a resort town on the French Riviera, famed for its international film festival.
Carcassonne – a hilltop town in southern France famous for its medieval citadel.
Chamonix – resort town and base for exploring the French Alps.
Colmar – a town near the German border with cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses.
Dijon – the capital of Burgundy, one of the country’s principal wine-producing regions.
Disneyland Paris – the most visited theme park in all of Europe.
Etretat – known for striking rock formations carved out of its 70-90 meter high white cliffs.
Honfleur – a city on the Seine River, known for its picturesque port lined with old townhouses.
La Rochelle – a coastal city and a center for fishing and trade since the 12th century.
Lake Geneva – a lake on the northern side of the Alps, shared between France and Switzerland.
Lourdes – famous for the Sanctuaries Notre-Dame de Lourdes, a major Catholic pilgrimage site.
Menton – a town with a scenic old town, on the French Riviera on the border with Italy.
Metz – known for its cathedral, bridge, and its 13th century bridge castle; Germans’ Gate.
Mont Saint-Michel – a stunning island topped by the medieval Mont Saint-Michel monastery.
Montepiller – a city 10km from the Mediterranean, famous for the Saint Clément Aqueduct.
Nantes – located on the estuary of the Loire River, and former capital of Brittany.
Narbonne – 15km from the Mediterranean, famous for its huge unfinished 13th century cathedral.
Orleans – a historical city on the Loire River whose most famous daughter was Joan of Arc.
Pointe du Hoc & Omaha Beach – the landing area of Allied forces on D-Day during World War II.
Poitiers – a city with a picturesque historical centre and known for the famous Battle of Poitiers.
Pont du Gard – an ancient Roman aqueduct that crosses the Gardon River.
Reims – famous for its 13th century cathedral, and capital of the Champagne wine-growing region.
Rocamadour – a small clifftop village, known for the Cité Réligieuse complex.
Saint Malo – a historic city on the Brittany coast, its old town is surrounded by tall granite walls.
Saint Tropez – a coastal town on the French Riviera, famous for its beaches and nightlife.
Tours – a city with a delightful medieval center, with its iconic Gothic Saint-Gatien Cathedral.
Verdon Gorge – a river canyon with turquoise waters, great for kayaking, hiking, and rock-climbing.
Versailles – the world famous royal palace built by King Louis XIV.
Regions:
Champagne – perhaps the most famous wine region in the world.
Corsica – a unique island with a distinct culture and language, and birthplace of Napoleon.
French Alps – home to the highest mountain in Western Europe (Mont Blanc).
French Riviera / Côte d’Azur – A glamorous stretch of the Mediterranean coastline with beaches, seaside resorts, multi-million dollar cliff top villas, yachts, and a wild nightlife.
Loire Valley – one of the most beautiful river valleys in the world, known for its many hundreds of extravagant fortresses and châteaux, a part of the valley is inscribed as a UNESCO site.
Bicycling – imagine riding through the Loire Valley, admiring the châteaux, and drinking wine.
French cuisine – no visit to France is complete without trying a least a few French dishes/delights.
Hiking – both the Pyrénées and the Alps offer some incredible hiking opportunities.
Mountaineering – there are hundreds of stunning mountains just waiting to be climbed.
Skiing – the French Alps offer some of the best skiing in the world.
Skydiving – whether its over Paris or over the Alps, its sure to be amazing!!!
Swimming – France has many stunning beaches, a must for any summer visit.
Rockclimbing – both the Pyrénées and the Alps offer world class climbing.
Wine – France is perhaps the best country in the world for wine, be sure to try some!
National Parks |
France has ten national parks, seven of these are in mainland France, while the other three are in overseas regions, collectives, and territories.
Calanques – a stunning 20km stretch of rocky limestone cliffs and bays, rising from the beautiful turquoise waters of the Mediterranean.
Cévennes – this park is home to a UNESCO listed agro-pastoral Cultural Landscape.
Écrins – an impressive section of the French Alps with high peaks, glaciers, glacial valleys, alpine meadows, pastures, woodlands and lakes.
Mercantour – north of Nice, on the Italian border, this park comprises of seven valleys, 28 villages, more than 150 rural sites, petroglyphs from the late Neolithic and Bronze Ages, and over 600km of marked trails.
Port-Cros – a scenic island just off the south coast with much history.
Pyrénées – one of the largest and most beautiful mountain ranges in Europe, and natural border between France and Spain, offering some of the best hiking in Europe.
Vanoise – a mountainous section of the French Alps on the Italian border with hundreds of kilometers of hiking trails and a number of ski resorts.
UNESCO Sites |
Cultural (39)
Abbey Church of Saint-Savin sur Gartempe (1983)
Amiens Cathedral (1981)
Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments (1981)
Belfries of Belgium and France (1999,2005)
Bordeaux, Port of the Moon (2007)
Bourges Cathedral (1992)
Canal du Midi (1996)
Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Former Abbey of Saint-Rémi and Palace of Tau, Reims (1991)
Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars (2015)
Chartres Cathedral (1979)
Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay (1981)
Decorated Cave of Pont d’Arc, known as Grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc, Ardèche (2014)
Episcopal City of Albi (2010)
Fortifications of Vauban (2008)
From the Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains to the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, the Production of Open-pan Salt (1982,2009)
Historic Centre of Avignon: Papal Palace, Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge (1995)
Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne (1997)
Historic Site of Lyon (1998)
Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion (1999)
Le Havre, the City Rebuilt by Auguste Perret (2005)
Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay (1979)
Nord-Pas de Calais Mining Basin (2012)
Palace and Park of Fontainebleau (1981)
Palace and Park of Versailles (1979)
Paris, Banks of the Seine (1991)
Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d’Alliance in Nancy (1983)
Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct) (1985)
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps (2011)
Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley (1979)
Provins, Town of Medieval Fairs (2001)
Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the “Triumphal Arch” of Orange (1981)
Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France (1998)
Strasbourg, Grande-Île and Neustadt (1988,2017)
Taputapuatea (2017)
The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (2016)
The Causses and the Cévennes, Mediterranean agro-pastoral Cultural Landscape (2011)
The Climats, terroirs of Burgundy (2015)
The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes (2000)
Vézelay, Church and Hill (1979)
Natural (1)
Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve (1983)
Mixed (1)
Pyrénées – Mont Perdu (1997,1999)
Typical Costs |
Accommodation
Hostels: in Paris typically between €20-40, in the rest of France €15-30.
Hotels: you might find something a tiny bit cheaper but generally prices start at €50+.
Activity Costs
Eiffel Tower – €25
The Louvre – €17
Versailles – €20
Eat/Drink
Beer: €6-8
Coffee: €4.45
Sitdown Meal: €10-20+
Tipping:
Transportation
France is one of the most expensive countries in Europe to get around. Trains can cost more than €60 for just an hour long ride. Buses are much more affordable but still expensive in comparison to neighbouring countries.
Budget
Tight: €40
Relaxed: €60
Guidebooks |
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Useful Websites |