https://francestarter.com/ Plan your first trip to France with confidence en-us Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://francestarter.com/destinations/paris/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/paris/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT France's capital of grand Haussmann boulevards, world-renowned art museums, neighborhood boulangeries, and candlelit Left Bank bistros along the Seine. https://francestarter.com/destinations/nice/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/nice/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Ochre-hued Baroque lanes of Vieux Nice, the Cours Saleya flower and socca market, Castle Hill viewpoints, and the sunlit Promenade des Anglais. https://francestarter.com/destinations/nice-french-riviera/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/nice-french-riviera/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Sunlight-drenched Belle Époque seafront along the Baie des Anges paired with cliffside Eze, Antibes, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and coastal TER trains. https://francestarter.com/destinations/lyon/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/lyon/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT France's undisputed gastronomic capital at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers, famed for Renaissance traboules and traditional bouchons. https://francestarter.com/destinations/bordeaux/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/bordeaux/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT UNESCO-listed 18th-century limestone avenues along the Garonne River, world-class wine estates, and the futuristic Cité du Vin. https://francestarter.com/destinations/marseille/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/marseille/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT France's oldest port city (founded 600 BC), blending Vieux-Port fishing boats, Mucem seafront architecture, and turquoise limestone Calanques fjords. https://francestarter.com/destinations/strasbourg/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/strasbourg/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Alsace's canal-ringed capital on the Grande Île, where a 142-meter pink-sandstone Gothic cathedral spire towers over half-timbered Petite France. https://francestarter.com/destinations/mont-saint-michel/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/mont-saint-michel/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Medieval Benedictine abbey rising from Europe's highest tidal bay alongside the Bayeux Tapestry, D-Day landing beaches, and Honfleur harbor. https://francestarter.com/destinations/chamonix/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/chamonix/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT High-alpine valley at the foot of 4,808-meter Mont-Blanc, home to the Aiguille du Midi cable car, Mer de Glace glacier train, and Savoyard chalets. https://francestarter.com/destinations/provence/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/provence/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Fountain-lined Cours Mirabeau in Aix, Avignon's colossal Papal Palace, hilltop Luberon stone villages, and violet lavender plateaus. https://francestarter.com/destinations/loire-valley/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/loire-valley/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT The 'Garden of France,' where white-tuffeau Renaissance royal châteaux span rivers and forests alongside Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc vineyards. https://francestarter.com/destinations/annecy/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/annecy/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT The 'Venice of the Alps,' where pastel arcaded lanes and flower-bedecked canals empty into Europe's purest turquoise alpine lake. https://francestarter.com/destinations/colmar/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/colmar/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Storybook Alsatian town of pastel half-timbered houses along the Petite Venise canal, the Unterlinden Museum's Isenheim Altarpiece, and vineyard villages. https://francestarter.com/destinations/provence-avignon-aix/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/provence-avignon-aix/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Base yourself between Avignon's Gothic Palais des Papes and Aix-en-Provence's Cours Mirabeau for Luberon hilltop villages, Roman Pont du Gard, and rosé vineyards. https://francestarter.com/destinations/strasbourg-colmar/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/strasbourg-colmar/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Combine Strasbourg's UNESCO Grande Île and Petite France canals with Colmar's Little Venice and the Alsace Wine Route villages by 30-minute TER train. https://francestarter.com/destinations/normandy/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/normandy/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Chalk cliffs of Étretat, half-timbered Rouen and Honfleur, the 11th-century Bayeux Tapestry, Omaha Beach memorials, and Mont-Saint-Michel Bay. https://francestarter.com/destinations/chamonix-annecy/ https://francestarter.com/destinations/chamonix-annecy/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Pair Lake Annecy's flower-lined canals and turquoise waters with Chamonix's 3,842 m Aiguille du Midi cable car and Mer de Glace glacier. https://francestarter.com/guides/first-time-in-france-checklist/ https://francestarter.com/guides/first-time-in-france-checklist/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT A chronological countdown from 90 days out to departure day covering Schengen passport validity, SNCF TGV booking windows, Louvre timed tickets, and Navigo setup. https://francestarter.com/guides/visa-and-entry-requirements/ https://francestarter.com/guides/visa-and-entry-requirements/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Everything US, UK, Canadian, Australian, and global travelers need to know about Schengen short-stay rules, the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), and ETIAS. https://francestarter.com/guides/rail-passes-and-tgv-trains/ https://francestarter.com/guides/rail-passes-and-tgv-trains/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT 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. https://francestarter.com/guides/city-transit-cards-and-passes/ https://francestarter.com/guides/city-transit-cards-and-passes/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT 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. https://francestarter.com/guides/airport-transfers/ https://francestarter.com/guides/airport-transfers/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT 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. https://francestarter.com/guides/luggage-and-station-lockers/ https://francestarter.com/guides/luggage-and-station-lockers/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT How SNCF's 2024/2026 luggage size rules, mandatory name tags, and station left-luggage lockers work across France. https://francestarter.com/guides/driving-and-car-rental/ https://francestarter.com/guides/driving-and-car-rental/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT When to rent a car in Provence, Normandy, or the Dordogne—and how to avoid ZFE cameras, speed radar fines, and toll booth surprises. https://francestarter.com/guides/money-cash-and-cards/ https://francestarter.com/guides/money-cash-and-cards/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Why Visa and Mastercard work for €1.50 baguettes, how to avoid DCC currency traps, and which French bank ATMs ('Distributeurs') are fee-free. https://francestarter.com/guides/trip-budget-and-costs/ https://francestarter.com/guides/trip-budget-and-costs/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Realistic 2026 prices in Euros (€) for hotels, TGV trains, bistro formules, museum passes, and daily spending across Paris and regional France. https://francestarter.com/guides/tax-free-shopping/ https://francestarter.com/guides/tax-free-shopping/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Step-by-step instructions for non-EU residents to qualify for France's €100.01 Détaxe threshold and scan PABLO barcodes at CDG, Orly, Nice, or Eurostar. https://francestarter.com/guides/esim-pocket-wifi-and-sim/ https://francestarter.com/guides/esim-pocket-wifi-and-sim/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Comparing French network coverage (Orange, Bouygues, SFR, Free) for SNCFConnect, Google Maps, and translation apps. https://francestarter.com/guides/accommodation-types/ https://francestarter.com/guides/accommodation-types/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Understanding French hotel star ratings (Atout France 1–5★ & Palace), room sizes, rural B&Bs, and tourist tax ('Taxe de Séjour'). https://francestarter.com/guides/food-and-dining-guide/ https://francestarter.com/guides/food-and-dining-guide/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Decoding Bistro vs. Brasserie vs. Bouillon, the 'Formule du Midi', 'Carafe d'Eau', steak doneness, and the 1993 Baguette de Tradition law. https://francestarter.com/guides/dietary-restrictions-vegetarian-allergies/ https://francestarter.com/guides/dietary-restrictions-vegetarian-allergies/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT How to navigate butter-rich French kitchens safely using EU 14-Allergen charts, Noglu/Copains gluten-free bakeries, and our French Show-Cards. https://francestarter.com/guides/etiquette-and-customs/ https://francestarter.com/guides/etiquette-and-customs/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Why 'Bonjour' is the golden key to France, how sidewalk café terraces divide coffee vs. dining tables, and market shopping rules. https://francestarter.com/guides/best-time-to-visit/ https://francestarter.com/guides/best-time-to-visit/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Why May–June and September–October are France's golden shoulder seasons, plus Provence lavender dates (mid-June to mid-July) and August 'congés'. https://francestarter.com/guides/packing-list-guide/ https://francestarter.com/guides/packing-list-guide/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT What to pack for Parisian bistros, Gothic cathedrals, TGV luggage racks, and changing Atlantic/Mediterranean weather. https://francestarter.com/guides/safety-and-emergencies/ https://francestarter.com/guides/safety-and-emergencies/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT How to stay alert on RER B and Metro Line 1, avoid petition/bracelet scams, use French green-cross pharmacies, and call 112 or SOS Médecins. https://francestarter.com/guides/traveling-with-kids/ https://francestarter.com/guides/traveling-with-kids/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Family perks across France: free national museums under age 18, SNCF TGV nurseries and family fares, and Luxembourg Gardens sailboats. https://francestarter.com/guides/accessible-travel/ https://francestarter.com/guides/accessible-travel/ Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT Wheelchair and reduced-mobility guide to Paris buses,Metro Line 14, SNCF Accès Plus ramp assistance, and priority museum entry.