Destination guides
Explore France, city by city
Written by our Paris planning team: what each place is actually like, when to go, how to get around, and every tour, château and restaurant we book there.
Paris
The capital of light — museums, boulevards and palace gardens
Paris is the natural start to a French holiday. In a single weekend you can walk the Louvre, climb Montmartre, cruise the Seine and dine in a Michelin-starred bistro; with a little more time, Versailles, Giverny and Disneyland Paris are easy day trips. We use it as a hub for art, fashion, gastronomy and the first chapter of a longer France itinerary.
Provence
Lavender, hilltop villages and slow lunches in the sun
Provence is the France of postcards: sunflower and lavender fields, stone villages perched on hills, cicadas in the afternoon, rosé on long tables and the light that made the Impressionists stay. It works as a relaxed rural base, a gastronomy tour or the road-trip link between the Alps and the Riviera.
French Riviera
Nice, Cannes, Monaco and the blue Mediterranean coast
The Côte d'Azur mixes old-world glamour with beach ease. Nice has the art, Antibes has the old town and yacht harbour, Cannes has the film-festival buzz, Monaco has the casino and Grand Prix, and the villages inland — Èze, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Grasse — offer a quieter counterbalance. It is the best place in France for a coastal base with day trips by boat and mountain.
Loire Valley
Renaissance châteaux, river gardens and royal history
The Loire Valley is France's castle country. Chambord, Chenonceau, Amboise, Villandry and Azay-le-Rideau sit along a gentle river between vineyards and forests, making it one of the most civilised road trips in Europe. It is perfect for families, history lovers and anyone who wants gardens, wine and slow-paced towns in one itinerary.
Normandy
Cliffs, D-Day beaches, Mont Saint-Michel and cider country
Normandy is a region of dramatic coastlines, green pastures and layered history. The D-Day landing beaches, the Bayeux Tapestry and the American Cemetery draw visitors from across the world, while Mont Saint-Michel rising from the tidal flats is one of France's great sights. Add Camembert, cider, Calvados and half-timbered harbours, and it is an ideal long-weekend destination from Paris or the UK.
Bordeaux
Grand cru vineyards, oyster coast and 18th-century stone
Bordeaux is a city of elegant stone, world-class wine and a fast-improving food scene. The UNESCO-listed centre is walkable and beautiful, while the surrounding vineyards — Saint-Émilion, Pauillac, Sauternes, Margaux — are among the most famous on earth. Add the Atlantic coast, oyster farms and the Dune du Pilat, and it becomes a complete gastronomic and coastal getaway.
Lyon
Gastronomy, Roman ruins and the gateway to the Alps
Lyon is France's food capital and one of its most underrated cities. The Renaissance old town, Roman theatres and traboule passageways sit at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône, while the surrounding region offers Beaujolais vineyards, Annecy's lake, and the first slopes of the Alps. It is a superb base for food lovers and for anyone heading south to Provence or east to the mountains.
French Alps
Chamonix, Mont Blanc, ski resorts and summer hiking
The French Alps are a year-round playground. In winter, Chamonix, Courchevel, Méribel, Val d'Isère and Les Arcs offer some of the world's best skiing. In summer, the same peaks become a network of hiking, cycling and climbing routes, with turquoise lakes, alpine meadows and clear air. It is the perfect counterpoint to a city or vineyard trip.
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