# 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; in Alsace, Strasbourg Cathedral with its 142-metre tower and astronomical clock, and Colmar with the canals of Little Venice. 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. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france ## Cities - [Paris](https://yesgo.io/france/paris.md): 45 places with the YesGo score - [Nice](https://yesgo.io/france/nice.md): 13 places with the YesGo score - [Marseille](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille.md): 12 places with the YesGo score - [Lyon](https://yesgo.io/france/lyon.md): 8 places with the YesGo score ## Top places across the country - [Notre-Dame de Paris](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/notre-dame-de-paris.md), Paris: YesGo score 74/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free; optional timed booking. Notre-Dame de Paris is a Gothic cathedral on the Île de la Cité in the middle of the Seine, a symbol of Paris and one of the finest… - [Promenade des Anglais](https://yesgo.io/france/nice/promenade-des-anglais.md), Nice: YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 15 min · Free. The Promenade des Anglais is Nice's main street and a symbol of the Riviera: a broad boulevard about 7 kilometres long along the Baie des… - [Notre-Dame de la Garde](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/notre-dame-de-la-garde.md), Marseille: YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free. Notre-Dame de la Garde is the basilica on Marseille's highest point, a 149-metre rock above the Old Port, and the city's emblem and most… - [Fourvière Basilica](https://yesgo.io/france/lyon/fourviere-basilica.md), Lyon: YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free. The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière is a gleaming white church with four towers on Fourvière hill, Lyon's great landmark. It was built… - [Eiffel Tower](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/eiffel-tower.md), Paris: YesGo score 65/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h 30 min · Timed ticket, lift or stairs. The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris and France, a 330-metre iron tower on the Champ de Mars by the Seine. Gustave Eiffel's company… - [Villefranche-sur-Mer](https://yesgo.io/france/nice/villefranche-sur-mer.md), Nice: YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free. Villefranche-sur-Mer is a small resort town on one of the loveliest bays of the Riviera, just east of Nice. The colourful houses of its… - [Château d'If](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/chateau-d-if.md), Marseille: YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Castle ticket + boat. The Château d'If is a 16th-century stone fortress on a tiny island three and a half kilometres from Marseille's Old Port. It was built to… - [Lugdunum](https://yesgo.io/france/lyon/lugdunum.md), Lyon: YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Theatres free; museum ticket. Lugdunum is the Roman city that grew into Lyon. Founded in 43 BC on Fourvière hill, it became capital of a vast Gallic province and the… - [The Louvre](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/louvre.md), Paris: YesGo score 62/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h 30 min · Timed ticket, online. The Louvre is France's great art museum and one of the most visited in the world, in a former royal palace on the Right Bank of the Seine… - [Èze](https://yesgo.io/france/nice/eze.md), Nice: YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free. Èze is a medieval village on a rock 427 metres above the sea between Nice and Monaco, one of the most picturesque spots on the Riviera… - [Marseille Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/marseille-cathedral.md), Marseille: YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free. Marseille Cathedral, La Major, is a vast striped church with domes on the seafront, between the old Le Panier quarter and the port of La… - [Place Bellecour](https://yesgo.io/france/lyon/place-bellecour.md), Lyon: YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free. Place Bellecour is Lyon's main square, in the middle of the Presqu'île peninsula between the Saône and Rhône. At 312 by 200 metres it's… - [Arc de Triomphe](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/arc-de-triomphe.md), Paris: YesGo score 62/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Roof on a ticket. The Arc de Triomphe is one of the great sights of Paris, at the western end of the Champs-Élysées on Place Charles de Gaulle, where twelve… - [Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat](https://yesgo.io/france/nice/saint-jean-cap-ferrat.md), Nice: YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free. Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is a green peninsula on the Riviera between Villefranche-sur-Mer and Beaulieu-sur-Mer, one of the most expensive… - [Old Port](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/vieux-port.md), Marseille: YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free. The Old Port is the heart of Marseille: the harbour where Greeks landed 2,600 years ago and founded the city. Today it's a vast pedestrian… - [Saint-Jean Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/france/lyon/lyon-cathedral.md), Lyon: YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free. Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral is Lyon's cathedral, on Place Saint-Jean in Vieux-Lyon at the foot of Fourvière hill. It took nearly three… - [Sacré-Cœur Basilica](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/sacre-coeur.md), Paris: YesGo score 62/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Basilica free. The Sacré-Cœur is a gleaming white basilica at the top of Montmartre and the second most popular sight in Paris after the Eiffel Tower. It… - [Vieux-Nice](https://yesgo.io/france/nice/vieux-nice.md), Nice: YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free. Vieux-Nice is the city's historic centre between the seafront and Castle Hill. It's a maze of narrow lanes, tall red and yellow ochre… - [Aix-en-Provence](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/aix-en-provence.md), Marseille: YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 5 h · Free. Aix-en-Provence is an elegant university city 30 kilometres north of Marseille, the former capital of Provence and birthplace of the… - [Vieux-Lyon](https://yesgo.io/france/lyon/vieux-lyon.md), Lyon: YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free. Vieux-Lyon is one of Europe's largest Renaissance districts, a narrow strip between the Saône and Fourvière hill. Its 15th- and… - [Champs-Élysées](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/champs-elysees.md), Paris: YesGo score 61/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Free. The Champs-Élysées is Paris's grand avenue, 1.9 km long and 70 metres wide, running from Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe… - [Beaulieu-sur-Mer](https://yesgo.io/france/nice/beaulieu-sur-mer.md), Nice: YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free. Beaulieu-sur-Mer is a small resort between Nice and Monaco, 10 minutes by train from Nice. Its name means 'beautiful place by the sea': it… - [Cosquer Cave](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/cosquer-mediterranee.md), Marseille: YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Timed ticket. Cosquer Cave is a cave of Stone Age art in the Calanques whose entrance lies 37 metres under the sea. The diver Henri Cosquer found it in… - [Parc de la Tête d'Or](https://yesgo.io/france/lyon/parc-de-la-tete-dor.md), Lyon: YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free. The Parc de la Tête d'Or is Lyon's largest city park, 117 hectares of green by the Rhône. It has a lake with boats and the Swan Island, a… ## 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. ## Trip essentials - Entry: Schengen rules; ETIAS for visa-free visitors when it starts - 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 - Greetings: Say 'bonjour' entering shops and cafés - Time zone: CET (UTC+1), CEST (UTC+2) in summer ## Key facts - **≈ 50** — UNESCO World Heritage Sites (source: UNESCO World Heritage List) - **13** — regions in mainland France (source: Wikipedia, Regions of France) - **1981** — the first TGV high-speed train ran (source: Wikipedia, TGV) - **Euro** — the national currency since 2002 (source: Banque de France) ## Where 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. | City | Why go | Days | | --- | --- | --- | | [Paris](https://yesgo.io/france/paris) | Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Montmartre | 4–5 | | [Nice](https://yesgo.io/france/nice) | Promenade des Anglais, Èze, Cap Ferrat | 3–4 | | [Lyon](https://yesgo.io/france/lyon) | Vieux-Lyon, Fourvière, bouchons | 2 | | [Marseille](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille) | Old Port, Château d'If, Calanques | 2–3 | | Bordeaux | Riverside quays, wine, Saint-Émilion | 2 | | Strasbourg | Cathedral, Petite France, Christmas market | 1–2 | ## 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. - **January in Paris**: day ≈ 8°C, night ≈ 3°C, rainy days: 10. Cool, ski season in the Alps. - **February in Paris**: day ≈ 9°C, night ≈ 3°C, rainy days: 9. Fresh, Nice Carnival. - **March in Paris**: day ≈ 13°C, night ≈ 5°C, rainy days: 10. Spring, first flowers. - **April in Paris**: day ≈ 16°C, night ≈ 7°C, rainy days: 9. Gardens and chestnuts in bloom. - **May in Paris** (best time): day ≈ 20°C, night ≈ 11°C, rainy days: 9. A great month to travel. - **June in Paris** (best time): day ≈ 23°C, night ≈ 14°C, rainy days: 8. Warm, beach season begins in the south. - **July in Paris**: day ≈ 25°C, night ≈ 16°C, rainy days: 7. Hot, lavender in Provence. - **August in Paris**: day ≈ 25°C, night ≈ 16°C, rainy days: 7. Holidays, busy coast. - **September in Paris** (best time): day ≈ 21°C, night ≈ 12°C, rainy days: 8. Late summer, grape harvest. - **October in Paris** (best time): day ≈ 16°C, night ≈ 9°C, rainy days: 9. Golden autumn, wine festivals. - **November in Paris**: day ≈ 11°C, night ≈ 6°C, rainy days: 10. Cool and rainy. - **December in Paris**: day ≈ 8°C, night ≈ 4°C, rainy days: 10. 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. ## Questions ### 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 - 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 Facts checked: 12.11.2026 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.