Things to do in France: best places to visit
France's headline sights: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre with the Mona Lisa, Notre-Dame and the Sainte-Chapelle, the Arc de Triomphe, Montmartre and the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, with Versailles, Fontainebleau, Disneyland Paris and Monet's Giverny close by; on the Riviera, the Promenade des Anglais and Vieux-Nice, the Matisse and Chagall museums, clifftop Èze, Cap Ferrat, Antibes and Menton; in Provence, Marseille's Old Port, Notre-Dame de la Garde, the Château d'If, the Calanques coves, Cassis and Aix-en-Provence; in Lyon, Fourvière Basilica, Renaissance Vieux-Lyon with its traboules and the Roman theatres, with Roman Vienne and medieval Pérouges nearby. Paris's airports, Charles de Gaulle and Orly, link to the centre in under 40 minutes by RER B and metro line 14; from Nice, Marseille and Lyon airports a tram or shuttle takes 25–30 minutes.
Sights in France
78 places in 4 cities
City itineraries in France
France travel guide
What to know before you go: cities and where to go, entry rules, money, high-speed trains, coast and resorts, and weather by season.
France on your own: the essentials
- Entry
- Schengen rules; ETIAS for visa-free visitors when it starts
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Money
- Euro; contactless almost everywhere
- First visit
- Paris, then the Riviera or the Loire
- Between cities
- TGV trains: Paris — Lyon ≈ 2 h
- Best time
- April–June and September–October
- Beaches
- Riviera swimming season June–September
- Meal times
- Lunch 12:00–14:00, dinner from 19:30
- City tax
- Charged per person per night by your hotel
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Greetings
- Say 'bonjour' entering shops and cafés
- Time zone
- CET (UTC+1), CEST (UTC+2) in summer
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
Sourcei
UNESCO World Heritage ListSourcei
Wikipedia, Regions of FranceSourcei
Wikipedia, TGVSourcei
Banque de FranceWhere to go in France
Most first visits to France start in Paris: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre-Dame and Montmartre, with Versailles, Fontainebleau and Monet's gardens at Giverny close by. From there travellers head south to Nice on the Riviera, or to Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux or Strasbourg. TGV high-speed trains link the cities.
Entry rules and money in France
France is in the Schengen Area: check whether you need a visa or, once it starts, an ETIAS travel authorisation before you go. The currency is the euro, and contactless payment works almost everywhere, from the metro to museums. Entry rules change, so check them for your passport before travelling.
- Cards — contactless is accepted nearly everywhere, including small cafés.
- Set menus — many bistros offer a good-value two- or three-course lunch on weekdays.
- Tipping — service is included; leave small change for good service.
- Tax free — visitors from outside the EU can reclaim part of the VAT on purchases.
- ATMs — widely available; your bank may charge foreign fees.
Getting around France: trains and driving
The easiest way between big French cities is the TGV and Ouigo high-speed trains (SNCF): from Paris they run to Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Strasbourg and Nice. Tickets are cheaper booked early. For Provence villages, the Loire Valley and Normandy, a car or a guided tour is more convenient.
- Paris — Lyon — ≈ 2 h by TGV.
- Paris — Bordeaux — ≈ 2 h; Paris — Strasbourg — ≈ 2 h.
- Paris — Marseille — ≈ 3 h 20 min.
- Paris — Nice — ≈ 5.5–6 h by train or ≈ 1.5 h by air.
- Paris — London — ≈ 2 h 20 min on the Eurostar through the Channel Tunnel.
France's coast and beach resorts
France has the Mediterranean to the south and the Atlantic and the English Channel to the west and north. The warmest and best-known coast is the Riviera, from Cannes to Nice and Monaco, with swimming from June to September. The Atlantic has long beaches and surf, while Normandy and Brittany have cooler water but dramatic cliffs and tides.
- The Riviera — Nice, Cannes, Antibes, with Monaco nearby.
- Provence and Marseille — the calanques, coves among white cliffs.
- The Atlantic — Biarritz and Arcachon with the Dune du Pilat.
- Normandy — the chalk cliffs of Étretat and Mont-Saint-Michel.
- Brittany — pink granite, lighthouses and oysters.
- Corsica — mountains and clear water, ferries from Nice and Marseille.
France weather by season
Weather in France varies by region: Paris and the north are temperate with frequent light rain, the south has hot, dry Mediterranean summers, and the Alps get snow and a ski season in winter. The best time for cities is April–June and September–October; for the coast, June to September. Below is the climate of Paris as a guide.
°CiLong-term averages, °C: day and night air, sea water near the shore, rain — rainy days a month. Any given year can be warmer or cooler. Tap a month for details below. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 8° | 9° | 13° | 16° | 20° | 23° | 25° | 25° | 21° | 16° | 11° | 8° |
| Night | 3° | 3° | 5° | 7° | 11° | 14° | 16° | 16° | 12° | 9° | 6° | 4° |
| Rain | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
Warm — 20 °C and above by dayBest time to go: May–June and September–October
- day ≈ 8°
- night ≈ 3°
- rain 10 days
Cool, ski season in the Alps.
- day ≈ 9°
- night ≈ 3°
- rain 9 days
Fresh, Nice Carnival.
- day ≈ 13°
- night ≈ 5°
- rain 10 days
Spring, first flowers.
- day ≈ 16°
- night ≈ 7°
- rain 9 days
Gardens and chestnuts in bloom.
- day ≈ 20°
- night ≈ 11°
- rain 9 days
A great month to travel.
- day ≈ 23°
- night ≈ 14°
- rain 8 days
Warm, beach season begins in the south.
- day ≈ 25°
- night ≈ 16°
- rain 7 days
Hot, lavender in Provence.
- day ≈ 25°
- night ≈ 16°
- rain 7 days
Holidays, busy coast.
- day ≈ 21°
- night ≈ 12°
- rain 8 days
Late summer, grape harvest.
- day ≈ 16°
- night ≈ 9°
- rain 9 days
Golden autumn, wine festivals.
- day ≈ 11°
- night ≈ 6°
- rain 10 days
Cool and rainy.
- day ≈ 8°
- night ≈ 4°
- rain 10 days
Christmas markets in Alsace.
The Riviera is warmer than Paris: around 28 °C by day in summer, with the sea reaching 24–25 °C.
France with kids
France is easy with children: Paris has Disneyland, the science city at the Parc de la Villette and gardens with carousels and toy boats; the south has gently shelving beaches; Normandy and the Loire have fairy-tale castles. Children are welcome in cafés, and national museums are usually free for under-18s.
- Disneyland Paris — two theme parks, by RER train from the centre.
- Parc Astérix — a French theme park north of Paris.
- Museums — entry to national museums is usually free for under-18s.
- Loire châteaux — Chambord, Chenonceau and more, easiest by car.
Tips and etiquette in France
In France it's customary to say 'bonjour' when entering a shop or café and 'au revoir' on leaving. Lunch is from 12 to 2 pm and dinner from 7:30 pm; many kitchens close in between. Many museums close on Monday or Tuesday, and cathedrals ask for modest dress. Hotels charge a city tax per night.
- Greetings — 'bonjour' on entering, 'au revoir' on leaving.
- Museums — check the closing day: Monday or Tuesday.
- Tickets — book the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Versailles ahead.
- Pickpockets — on the metro and at the main sights.
Tips
- Book TGV tickets early for lower fares.
- Reserve time slots for the Louvre, Versailles and the Eiffel Tower.
- A set-menu bistro lunch is better value than dinner.
FAQ
Do I need a visa for France?
France follows Schengen rules; check visa or ETIAS requirements for your passport before travelling.
Which French cities should I see first?
Paris, then Nice and the Riviera, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux or Strasbourg.
How many days do you need in France?
4–5 days for Paris; 8–10 days with the Riviera or the Loire.
Which seas border France?
The Mediterranean to the south, the Atlantic and the English Channel to the west and north.
When is beach season in France?
On the Riviera and in Provence, from June to September.
What currency does France use?
The euro; contactless cards are accepted almost everywhere.
What's the weather like in France in May?
About 20 °C by day in Paris and 22 °C on the Riviera; the sea is still cool.
How do you get around France?
By TGV and Ouigo high-speed trains between cities; by car for villages and châteaux.
Is France expensive?
Paris and the Riviera are pricey; set-menu lunches, trains booked early and free museum days help keep costs down.
Where should I go in France with kids?
Paris with Disneyland and the science city, the Riviera or the Loire châteaux.
Sources and fact-check
- UNESCO World Heritage List — sites in France
- Wikipedia: France; Regions of France; climate of Paris (1991–2020 normals)
- SNCF — TGV high-speed timetables
- French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs — entry rules