Paris
France's capital of grand Haussmann boulevards, world-renowned art museums, neighborhood boulangeries, and candlelit Left Bank bistros along the Seine.
Guide de Voyage France · Start here for your first trip
Your first trip to France starts here
In-depth city guides, honest practical advice, sample itineraries and free planning tools, written with first-time visitors in mind (and still handy on your second or third trip). Everything links back to official sources so you can double-check the details that matter.
Where to go in France
All 17 destinations →Nice & the French Riviera
Sunlight-drenched Belle Époque seafront along the Baie des Anges, ochre-hued Vieux Nice markets, cliffside Eze, and effortless coastal TER trains.
Nice & the French Riviera
Sunlight-drenched Belle Époque seafront along the Baie des Anges, ochre-hued Vieux Nice markets, cliffside Eze, and effortless coastal TER trains.
Lyon
France's undisputed gastronomic capital at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers, famed for Renaissance traboules and traditional bouchons.
Bordeaux
UNESCO-listed 18th-century limestone avenues along the Garonne River, world-class wine estates, and the futuristic Cité du Vin.
Marseille & Calanques
France's oldest port city (founded 600 BC), blending Vieux-Port fishing boats, Mucem seafront architecture, and turquoise limestone Calanques fjords.
Strasbourg
Alsace's canal-ringed capital on the Grande Île, where a 142-meter pink-sandstone Gothic cathedral spire towers over half-timbered Petite France.
Mont-Saint-Michel & Normandy
Medieval Benedictine abbey rising from Europe's highest tidal bay alongside the Bayeux Tapestry, D-Day landing beaches, and Honfleur harbor.
Before you fly: essential guides
All guides →First-Time in France Checklist: 15 Steps Before You Fly
A chronological countdown from 90 days out to departure day covering Schengen passport validity, SNCF TGV booking windows, Louvre timed tickets, and Navigo setup.
France Visa, Schengen 90/180-Day Rule, EES & ETIAS Guide
Everything US, UK, Canadian, Australian, and global travelers need to know about Schengen short-stay rules, the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), and ETIAS.
SNCF TGV InOui, Ouigo, TER & Eurail France Pass Guide
How to ride France's 320 km/h high-speed rail network, choose between TGV InOui and low-cost Ouigo, and know which Paris terminal serves your city.
Paris Navigo Easy, Liberté+, Single €2.50 Fares & French City Transit
Mastering Paris's simplified 2025/2026 RATP fare system (€2.50 Métro/RER, €2.00 Bus/Tram) plus contactless tap-to-ride in Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, and Nice.
Paris CDG, Orly, Nice & Lyon Airport Transfers: Train vs. Taxi
Exact fares and travel times for CDG RER B, Orly Metro Line 14, RoissyBus, official G7 flat-rate Paris taxis, and Nice Tram Line 2.
SNCF Mandatory Luggage Tags, TGV Bag Limits & Consignes Automatiques
How SNCF's 2024/2026 luggage size rules, mandatory name tags, and station left-luggage lockers work across France.
Driving in France: Crit'Air Clean-Air Stickers, Autoroute Tolls & ZFE Zones
When to rent a car in Provence, Normandy, or the Dordogne—and how to avoid ZFE cameras, speed radar fines, and toll booth surprises.
Money in France: Euro (€), Contactless Cards ('Sans Contact') & Bank ATMs
Why Visa and Mastercard work for €1.50 baguettes, how to avoid DCC currency traps, and which French bank ATMs ('Distributeurs') are fee-free.
France Trip Cost & Daily Budget Breakdown in Euros (€)
Realistic 2026 prices in Euros (€) for hotels, TGV trains, bistro formules, museum passes, and daily spending across Paris and regional France.
Things to do by interest
All interests →History & UNESCO Landmarks
From Île de la Cité, Versailles, and the Loire Valley châteaux to Mont-Saint-Michel, Avignon's Papal Palace, and Roman Provence.
Food, Markets & Regional Cuisine
Where to experience French gastronomy — from Lyon's Les Halles Paul Bocuse and Nice's Cours Saleya to Bordeaux wine bars and Alsatian winstubs.
Nature, Coastlines & Scenic Trains
Car-free rail and cable-car journeys to Mont Blanc, Lake Annecy, the Calanques of Marseille, and the Côte d'Azur.
Art, Design & Museums
From the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, and Bourse de Commerce in Paris to Monet's Giverny, Matisse's Nice, and Mucem in Marseille.
Ready-made itineraries
All itineraries →7 Days in France: Paris, Lyon & the French Riviera: Day-by-Day SNCF TGV Route & Budget
The classic one-week high-speed rail line down the spine of France: 3 days in Paris, 2 days of bouchon dining in Lyon, and 2 sun-soaked days in Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer.
10 Days in France: Paris, Loire Valley, Provence & Côte d'Azur: Day-by-Day SNCF TGV Route & Budget
Ten days linking Paris's grand museums, Renaissance châteaux in the Loire Valley, Lyon's traboules, Papal Avignon and Luberon villages, and the French Riviera.
14 Days Grand Tour of France by TGV: Day-by-Day SNCF TGV Route & Budget
Our flagship two-week loop across France by high-speed rail: Paris, Versailles, Loire Valley, Lyon, Provence, Nice & the Côte d'Azur, Alsace (Strasbourg & Colmar), and Bordeaux.
8-Day Family-Friendly France: Paris, Loire Castles & Alsace: Day-by-Day SNCF TGV Route & Budget
Low-stress train hops with minimal hotel changes: Paris towers and boat cruises, Leonardo da Vinci's interactive inventions in Amboise, and storybook canals in Strasbourg and Colmar.
9-Day France on a Budget: Ouigo Trains, Bouillons & Markets: Day-by-Day SNCF TGV Route & Budget
How to experience Paris, Lyon, Avignon, and Nice for under €110/day using €19 Ouigo high-speed trains, historic Parisian Bouillons, boulangerie picnics, and free museum days.
14 free trip-planning tools
Interactive calculators and planners—see all 14 tools or browse our 34,742 France Communes Directory.
Trip budget calculator
Estimate a daily and total budget in Euros (€) and your home currency by travel style.
Rail Pass value helper
Add up the long-distance rides on your route and compare against the pass price.
Seasonal calendar
Month-by-month weather, blossoms, foliage, festivals and crowd periods.
Packing list generator
A printable checklist tailored to your season, trip length and activities.
Euro (€) currency converter
Convert Euros (€) to your currency at a rate you set, with typical France prices.
Which region suits me?
Six quick questions to find the part of France that matches your style.
Latest from the blog
All articles →How to Plan Your First Trip to France in 7 Clear Steps
How to pair Paris with 1 or 2 contrasting French regions by TGV without spending your holiday packing and unpacking.
Riding French High-Speed Trains: TGV InOui, Ouigo & Paris Station Transfers
What happens on departure day at a French Gare: the 20-minute platform rule ('Voie'), mandatory bag tags, and cross-Paris transfers.
10 Unforgettable Day Trips from Paris, Nice, Lyon & Bordeaux by Train
Car-free rail excursions under 90 minutes from France's top hub cities.
Cash vs. Card in France (2026): Contactless Tap Limits, Tipping & ATMs
Where contactless cards work in France and the few times you still want €5 and €10 notes in your pocket.
Where to Store Luggage in Paris & French Train Stations (2026)
Official SNCF Consignes Automatiques locations, hours, and prices at Paris terminals and regional hubs.
France Regional Food Bucket List: 18 Iconic Dishes & Where to Eat Them
What to order in every region of France—from Parisian Bouillons and Lyonnais Bouchons to Niçoise street food and Alsatian Winstubs.
How we write our guides
Practical first
We focus on the questions visitors actually face: which ticket to buy, how to get from the airport, what to do ordering a Formule du Midi or carafe d'eau at a bistro.
Sources you can check
Entry rules, rail passes and prices change. Each guide links to the official source (Atout France, SNCF Connect, RATP, and official regional tourism boards).
No invented reviews
We don't publish fake testimonials or made-up statistics. Prices are rough ranges meant to help you plan, not quotes.