Fodor's Essential France
For over 80 years, Fodor's Travel has been a trusted resource offering expert travel...
France is a gastronomic wonderland, an artistic mecca, and a historical pop-up book. Vineyards blanket the wine regions, cathedrals crown the cities, and sandy beaches fringe the coastline. With all these riches, you may start plotting your next visit before you even return home.
The celebrated city of lights, Paris is one of the must-see cities of Europe for good reason. The tourist attractions alone provide days upon days of entertainment. It’s true, you may wait in line to ascend the Eiffel Tower, but you’ll be surrounded by beguiling views of Champs de Mars and the stately ambiance of the Palais de Chaillot. Once you get to the top, the city of Paris is yours for drinking in.
The museums in Paris are numerous and famed throughout the world, including the Louvre and the M...
Read MoreFrance is a gastronomic wonderland, an artistic mecca, and a historical pop-up book. Vineyards blanket the wine regions, cathedrals crown the cities, and sandy beaches fringe the coastline. With all these riches, you may start plotting your next visit before you even return home.
The celebrated city of lights, Paris is one of the must-see cities of Europe for good reason. The tourist attractions alone provide days upon days of entertainment. It’s true, you may wait in line to ascend the Eiffel Tower, but you’ll be surrounded by beguiling views of Champs de Mars and the stately ambiance of the Palais de Chaillot. Once you get to the top, the city of Paris is yours for drinking in.
The museums in Paris are numerous and famed throughout the world, including the Louvre and the Musee d’Orsay. After a trip to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa, unwind with a cafe in the enchanting Jardin de Tuileries. The Orsay sits not too far from the banks of the Seine, along which you can pick up a book at the scattered bouquiniste stalls along the river, journey via the Bateau Mouche to Notre Dame Cathedral, and grab a pain au chocolat (or two) in the lively Latin Quarter, humming with colorful markets and student life. From there, should the spirit move you, why not swing by the Sorbonne and take in the Pantheon? Or the Luxembourg Gardens, or the Paris Zoo, or the spooky catacombs, or a high-end shopping spree in the Marais—the possibilities are plentiful.
The 20 arrondisements of Paris each embody a unique sensibility. From the rolling hills of Montmartre topped by the magnificent Sacre Coeur, to the posh Ile Saint Louis lingering in between the right and left bank, the glamour of the Champs Elysees to the quieter, residential spots, hidden beauty is everywhere to discover.
Travel a few hours south of the capital on the high-speed rail to Lyon, the beating heart of French gastronomy. Lyon is the gateway to the Alpine region, and you’ll find it’s both a buzzing metropolis and a charming village stopped in time. After picking up a few souvenirs in the bustling Place Bellecour, ascend the heights of the city with a quick funicular ride for another one of France’s indelible views.
Sample Lyon’s namesake bouchons, corner bistros featuring French-style comfort food. After a day touring breathtaking churches, hip neighborhood like La Croix-Rousse, and wandering the picturesque streets of Vieux Lyon, have a Kir Royale and relax.
While Lyon is great for tasting classic French cuisine and seeing city sights, just a few hours away are snow-capped villages that will take your breath away. If you’re looking for a quaint ski town, France is an ideal destination: escape to a city surrounded by resort options like Grenoble or wake up practically in the powder in Chamonix. Other Alpine retreats to write home about include Annecy, a postcard town with picture-book vistas. While these escapes shimmer in the snow, the spirit of outdoor adventure thrives all year round with plenty of hiking, biking, paddle boating for adventurers of any level.
And then there’s the South of France. These words conjure a timeless myth of easy luxury and captivating beauty. But this region isn’t purely for the glitz and glam of the jetset scene. Provence possesses a wild, natural beauty, and a landscape sprinkled with soaring cypress trees and imbued with a light so special, it drew painters like Van Gogh and Gaugin to reap inspiration. The cuisine of the South is typically less cheese-heavy and more Mediterranean (fear not, there is still plenty of cheese and bread to be found in the regions’ sumptuous open air markets). Olive oil and ratatouille are two Provençal trademarks, as are calissons, small almond candies that are the official sweet of the region’s largest city, Aix-en-Provence.
Travel farther south and behold the incomparable blue of the Mediterranean Sea. When some people think of France, these are the sights that leap to mind: languidly strolling along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, past the Hotel Negresco; gazing upon the impossibly ritzy cars lining the streets leading to the casino in Monte Carlo and the exclusive beach clubs of St. Tropez. Yes, vacationing in the South of France can come with a hefty price tag, but it can also be done on a budget. Savor the socca in the sprawling Place Massena in Nice, pick up some of France’s most delicious gelato at Fenocchio, and sample fresh seafood from Vieux Port in Marseille. Also be sure to take advantage of the less-expensive regional train line offering views that will remain with you for a lifetime.
While the France’s eastern coast might be iconic, the homey, charming southwestern coast has plenty to offer. Southwestern France, closer to Spain and Basque Country, provides plenty of locales that aren’t quite as busy as the tourist hubs. Warm up with a bowl of cassoulet in Toulouse, the “Pink City” (La Ville Rose). Not far from the canals of the Garonne are Biarritz and Bordeaux, sun-soaked cities that bring a sophisticated panache to the region.
In the north, many treasures abound. History buffs flock to the beaches of Normandy, and Brittany is known for its distinctive regional cuisine—it’s where crepes got their start. Castles and chateaux are treasures that inspired fairy tales over the years. In the Loire Valley, the Chateau d’Usse is supposedly Sleeping Beauty’s castle, while the Alsatian town of Colmar is the rumored real-life setting of Beauty and the Beast.
The regions of France are a diverse patchwork. Stay in chic Paris, visit the bucolic countryside, ski in the Alps, kayak in the Calanques, the list goes on and on.
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Top Destinations
Top Destinations
Paris
Provence
The French Riviera
Nice and the Eastern Cote d'Azur
Aix, Marseille, and the Central Coast
The Vaucluse
Lyon and the Alps
Toulouse and the Languedoc
Brittany
The Alpilles, Arles, and the Camargue
Normandy
Side Trips from Paris
The Loire Valley
Burgundy
Alsace-Lorraine
The Western Cote d'Azur
Corsica
The Dordogne
Lyon
The Basque Country, Gascony, and Hautes-Pyrenees
Bordeaux and the Wine Country
Champagne Country
Toulouse
Bordeaux
Dijon
Strasbourg
Ajaccio
Nancy
Nantes
Versailles
Rouen
Grenoble
Biarritz
Montpellier
Rennes
Reims
Colmar
Bastia
St-Malo
Beaune
Tours
Albi
Perpignan
Annecy
Bonifacio
Orleans
Caen
Calvi
Troyes
Quimper
Carcassonne
Chartres
Amboise
Deauville-Trouville
St-Émilion
Pau
Sarlat-la-Canéda
Corte
Nuits-St-Georges
Les Andelys
Conflans-Sainte-Honorine
Blaye
Les Eyzies-de-Tayac
Viviers
Dinard
Saumur
Prades
Mont-St-Michel
Lille
Lourdes
Honfleur
Collioure
Vienne
Belle-Ile-en-Mer
Rocamadour
Périgueux
Cahors
Chamonix–Mont-Blanc
Cherbourg
Giverny
St-Jean-de-Luz
Vézelay
Amiens
Béziers
Fecamp
Cadillac
Blois
Bergerac
Autun
Obernai
Pont-Aven
Bourg sur Gironde
Fontainebleau
Narbonne
Bayeux
Chantilly
St-Germain-en-Laye
Chinon
Bayonne
Angers
Méribel
The D-Day Beaches
Beauvais
Épernay
Val Thorens
Valence
Sare
Rambouillet
Ribeauville
Dinan
Étretat
Chambord
La Baule
Megève
Cordes-sur-Ciel
Céret
Pauillac
Cancale
Cluny
St-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Chablis
Sens
Vannes
Eugénie-les-Bains
Beynac-et-Cazenac
Fontevraud-l'Abbaye
Auxerre
Bourg-en-Bresse
Porticcio
Senlis
Le Havre
Courchevel
Compiegne
Porto Vecchio
Laon
Carnac
Sélestat
Vitre
Concarneau
Saulieu
Châlons-en-Champagne
Soissons
Tournon-Sur-Rhone
Beaujolais Wine Route
Val d'Isère
Lascaux
Disneyland Paris
Monpazier
Auvers-sur-Oise
St-Cirq-Lapopie
Azay-le-Rideau
Gavarnie
Barbizon
Ainhoa
Cheverny
Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte
Trébeurden
Lorient
Douarnenez
Margaux
Riquewihr
Épinal
Brantôme
Chaumont-sur-Loire
Clos de Vougeot
Arromanches-les-Bains
St-Lo
Granville
Chambéry
Vernet-les-Bains
Maintenon
Usse-Rigny
Monbazillac
Villandry
Chenonceaux
Domme
Cauterets
Meung-sur-Loire
L'Isle-Adam
Montlouis-sur-Loire
Pierrefonds
Montbard
Combourg
Courances
Andlau
Domremy-la-Pucelle
Ste-Mère Église
Sache
L'Épine
Pérouges
Vernon
Paimpol
Hautefort
Pas de Roland
Pigna
La Roque-Gageac
Cliousclat
Pontoise
Thoiry
Rueil-Malmaison
Dampierre
Salses
Port-Grimaud
Haut-Koenigsbourg
Tanlay
Dambach-la-Ville
Ancy-le-Franc
Château-Thierry
Barr
Auray
Biron
Ste-Anne-la-Palud
Vaucouleurs
Château de Sully
Villars-les-Dombes
Langeais
Meaux
Chateau de Chenonceaux
L'Ile Rousse
Dreux
Rochecorbon
Erbalunga
Centuri
Filitosa
Lama
La Porta
Sauveterre-de-Bearn
La Scala di Santa Regina
Houdan
Bourg-St-Maurice
Privas
Nonza
Albertville
Vaux-le-Vicomte
Murato
Grande Chartreuse
Annonay
Abbaye de Fontenay
Porto and Calanches di Piana (Calanques de Piana)
Ars-sur-Formans
Beaugency
Quenza
Hauterives
Provins
L'Arbresle
Calenzana
Montelimar
Poissy
Marly-le-Roi
Corps
Maisons-Laffitte
Asco and Haut-Asco
San Martino di Lota
Aleria
Sartene
Moret-sur-Loing
Ermenonville
Évian-les-Bains
Breteuil
Thonon-les-Bains
Serrieres
Marmoutier
Saverne
Piedicroce
Mont-Ste-Odile
Ste-Lucie-de-Tallano
Montfort-L'Amaury
Ota
St-Florent
Medan
Cateri
Patrimonio
Morosaglia
Aix-les-Bains
Paris
Lyon
Toulouse
Bordeaux
Dijon
Ajaccio
Strasbourg
Nancy
Versailles
Nantes
Rouen
Grenoble
Biarritz
Montpellier
Rennes
Reims
Colmar
Bastia
St-Malo
Beaune
Perpignan
Albi
Tours
Bonifacio
Orleans
Annecy
Caen
Calvi
Troyes
Quimper
Chartres
Carcassonne
Pau
Sarlat-la-Canéda
Deauville-Trouville
Amboise
Corte
St-Émilion
Nuits-St-Georges
Les Andelys
Conflans-Sainte-Honorine
Blaye
Les Eyzies-de-Tayac
Saumur
Prades
Dinard
Mont-St-Michel
Viviers
Honfleur
Lille
Lourdes
Chamonix–Mont-Blanc
Giverny
Rocamadour
Cherbourg
Collioure
Vienne
Périgueux
St-Jean-de-Luz
Cahors
Amiens
Vézelay
Pont-Aven
Fecamp
Cadillac
Autun
Blois
Obernai
Bergerac
Béziers
St-Germain-en-Laye
Bayonne
Narbonne
Chinon
Bayeux
Fontainebleau
Méribel
Angers
Chantilly
Bourg sur Gironde
Étretat
Cordes-sur-Ciel
Céret
Megève
Beauvais
Dinan
Cancale
Valence
Ribeauville
La Baule
Sancerre
Épernay
Chambord
Val Thorens
Rambouillet
Sare
Pauillac
Bourg-en-Bresse
Chablis
Cluny
Vannes
Sens
Eugénie-les-Bains
Fontevraud-l'Abbaye
Laon
Beynac-et-Cazenac
Porticcio
Porto Vecchio
St-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Auxerre
Compiegne
Courchevel
Senlis
Le Havre
Ainhoa
Gavarnie
Barbizon
Monpazier
St-Cirq-Lapopie
Lascaux
Concarneau
Tournon-Sur-Rhone
Azay-le-Rideau
Saulieu
Soissons
Châlons-en-Champagne
Vitre
Carnac
Val d'Isère
Sélestat
Beaujolais Wine Route
Auvers-sur-Oise
Lorient
Arromanches-les-Bains
Cheverny
Chaumont-sur-Loire
Clos de Vougeot
Trébeurden
Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte
Douarnenez
Riquewihr
Brantôme
Margaux
Tain-l'Hermitage
Épinal
Chambéry
Granville
Vernet-les-Bains
Suresnes
Maintenon
St-Lo
Monbazillac
Domme
Chenonceaux
Usse-Rigny
Villandry
Pérouges
Courances
Pigna
Andlau
Hautefort
Ste-Mère Église
Paimpol
Montbard
L'Isle-Adam
Combourg
Domremy-la-Pucelle
Sache
Montlouis-sur-Loire
Cliousclat
Vernon
La Roque-Gageac
Cauterets
Pontoise
Pierrefonds
Pas de Roland
L'Épine
Meung-sur-Loire
Rueil-Malmaison
Dampierre
Salses
Port-Grimaud
Dambach-la-Ville
Haut-Koenigsbourg
Vaucouleurs
Thoiry
Ancy-le-Franc
Ste-Anne-la-Palud
Tanlay
Villars-les-Dombes
Biron
Château-Thierry
Langeais
Auray
Barr
Piedicroce
Montfort-L'Amaury
Beaugency
Calenzana
Ste-Lucie-de-Tallano
Erbalunga
Meaux
Albertville
Porto and Calanches di Piana (Calanques de Piana)
Privas
Quenza
Sauveterre-de-Bearn
San Martino di Lota
Sartene
Moret-sur-Loing
Aix-les-Bains
Provins
L'Arbresle
St-Florent
Ars-sur-Formans
Patrimonio
Filitosa
Ota
Centuri
Serrieres
Cateri
Dreux
Asco and Haut-Asco
Hauterives
Aleria
Nonza
Murato
Rochecorbon
Medan
Maisons-Laffitte
Breteuil
Poissy
Marly-le-Roi
Abbaye de Fontenay
Morosaglia
Annonay
Thonon-les-Bains
L'Ile Rousse
La Scala di Santa Regina
Saverne
Houdan
Marmoutier
La Porta
Bourg-St-Maurice
Mont-Ste-Odile
Grande Chartreuse
Évian-les-Bains
Vaux-le-Vicomte
Lama
Montelimar
Ermenonville
Corps
Provence
The French Riviera
Nice and the Eastern Cote d'Azur
Aix, Marseille, and the Central Coast
The Vaucluse
Lyon and the Alps
Toulouse and the Languedoc
Brittany
The Alpilles, Arles, and the Camargue
Normandy
Side Trips from Paris
The Loire Valley
Burgundy
Alsace-Lorraine
The Western Cote d'Azur
Corsica
The Dordogne
The Basque Country, Gascony, and Hautes-Pyrenees
Bordeaux and the Wine Country
Champagne Country
The D-Day Beaches
Route Napoleon
The Ardeche Valley
All Destinations
Expand All Collapse All
Lyon and the Alps
- Aix-les-Bains
- Albertville
- Annecy
- Annonay
- Ars-sur-Formans
- Beaujolais Wine Route
- Bourg-en-Bresse
- Bourg-St-Maurice
- Chambéry
- Chamonix–Mont-Blanc
- Cliousclat
- Corps
- Courchevel
- Évian-les-Bains
- Grande Chartreuse
- Grenoble
- Hauterives
- L'Arbresle
- Lyon
- Megève
- Méribel
- Montelimar
- Pérouges
- Privas
- Serrieres
- Tain-l'Hermitage
- The Ardeche Valley
- Thonon-les-Bains
- Tournon-Sur-Rhone
- Val d'Isère
- Valence
- Val Thorens
- Vienne
- Villars-les-Dombes
- Viviers
Side Trips from Paris
- Auvers-sur-Oise
- Barbizon
- Breteuil
- Chantilly
- Chartres
- Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte
- Compiegne
- Conflans-Sainte-Honorine
- Courances
- Dampierre
- Disneyland Paris
- Dreux
- Ermenonville
- Fontainebleau
- Giverny
- Houdan
- L'Isle-Adam
- Maintenon
- Maisons-Laffitte
- Marly-le-Roi
- Meaux
- Medan
- Montfort-L'Amaury
- Moret-sur-Loing
- Pierrefonds
- Poissy
- Pontoise
- Provins
- Rambouillet
- Rueil-Malmaison
- Senlis
- St-Germain-en-Laye
- Suresnes
- Thoiry
- Vaux-le-Vicomte
- Vernon
- Versailles
Corsica
- Ajaccio
- Aleria
- Asco and Haut-Asco
- Bastia
- Bonifacio
- Calenzana
- Calvi
- Cateri
- Centuri
- Corte
- Erbalunga
- Filitosa
- Lama
- La Porta
- La Scala di Santa Regina
- L'Ile Rousse
- Morosaglia
- Murato
- Nonza
- Ota
- Patrimonio
- Piedicroce
- Pigna
- Porticcio
- Porto and Calanches di Piana (Calanques de Piana)
- Porto Vecchio
- Quenza
- San Martino di Lota
- Sartene
- Ste-Lucie-de-Tallano
- St-Florent
Top Experiences
Top Experiences
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