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France,planned for Americans.

Paris and every region of France, explained in miles, dollars and plain English. More than 50 in-depth guides, checked against official sources in October 2026.

First trip to France D-Day beaches Wine country Christmas markets Paris neighborhoods Build my trip

ET TOUTE LA FRANCEPARIS

Photos: Notre-Dame and the Île de la Cité at dusk: Benh LIEU SONG, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mont-Saint-Michel at sunrise: Lynx1211, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lavender near Valensole: Einaz80, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Èze and Cap Ferrat: Tobi 87, CC BY-SA 3.0

Before you book

Nine things every American should know

The planning timeline →
Check your passport datesIt must be valid at least three months past the day you leave the Schengen area, and issued within the last 10 years.Entry rules
New biometric border checksThe EU's Entry/Exit System records your fingerprints and photo the first time you enter. Allow extra time on arrival.What happens at passport control
90 days in any 180The limit covers the whole Schengen area, not each country. Spain and Italy count against the same clock.How to count your days
Know your card's PINTap-to-pay works almost everywhere, but gas pumps, tolls and ticket machines may ask for a PIN. Always pay in euros.Money and cards
Tipping is smallService is included in French prices. Round up or leave a few euros for good service; nobody expects 20%.Tipping, explained
Say “Bonjour” firstGreet the person every time you walk into a shop, café or taxi. It changes how you're treated.Culture and etiquette
Bring a plug adapterFrance uses 230-volt Type C and E sockets. Phones and laptops need only an adapter; some hair tools need more.Phones, plugs and apps
Book the big sights aheadThe Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Sainte-Chapelle and Versailles sell timed tickets, and most museums close one day a week.Paris sights
Sundays and strikesMany shops close on Sundays, and train or airport strikes happen. Check before travel days.Closures and strikes

Ready-made routes

Pick a ticket, then make it yours

Each route opens in the trip builder, where you can change the length, season and interests.

4DAYS

Paris, first time

DAYS 1–3 Islands, Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Montmartre
DAY 4 Versailles

Open in trip builder → 7DAYS

Paris and the D-Day beaches

DAYS 1–4 Paris and Versailles
DAYS 5–6 Bayeux and Omaha Beach
DAY 7 Mont-Saint-Michel

Open in trip builder → 10DAYS

Champagne, Alsace and Burgundy

DAYS 1–4 Paris
DAY 5 Reims and Épernay
DAYS 6–8 Strasbourg and Colmar
DAYS 9–10 Beaune

Open in trip builder → 14DAYS

Paris to the Riviera

DAYS 1–5 Paris and Versailles
DAYS 6–7 Lyon
DAYS 8–10 Provence
DAYS 11–14 Nice and Monaco

Open in trip builder →

Beyond Paris

Every region has its poster

Seventeen regional guides, from the Channel coast to Corsica, each with how long to stay, where to base yourself and whether you'll need a car.

14 · 27 · 50 · 61 · 76NORMANDIENormandyD-Day beaches, the American Cemetery, Mont-Saint-Michel, Honfleur and Étretat, with tours, trains and itineraries. 18 · 28 · 36 · 37 · 41 · 45 · 44 · 49VAL DE LOIRELoire ValleyChambord, Chenonceau, Villandry and more: château prices, itineraries, bike and car-free options, Loire wines. 04 · 13 · 84PROVENCEProvenceAvignon, Arles, Luberon villages, lavender fields, Marseille and the Calanques. 06 · 83 · MONACOCÔTE D'AZURRiviera & MonacoNice, Monaco, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, perched villages, beaches and the coastal train.

All regions: Brittany Champagne Alsace Hauts-de-France Burgundy Lyon The Alps Bordeaux Dordogne Basque Country Carcassonne Corsica Overseas France See them all →

The list

25 experiences worth crossing an ocean for

From the obvious to the ones Americans tend to miss. Each links to the guide with timing, tickets and costs.

  1. The Eiffel Tower above spring blossoms in Paris01Watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle on the hour after darkParis · free from the Trocadéro
  2. Looking out over Paris through the great clock of the Musée d'Orsay02Spend a morning with Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh at the Musée d'OrsayParis · book a timed ticket
  3. The wide sands of Omaha Beach in Normandy03Stand on Omaha Beach, then visit the Normandy American CemeteryNormandy · plan a full day
  4. Mont-Saint-Michel lit up after sunset04Stay overnight at Mont-Saint-Michel and walk it after the crowds leaveNormandy · check the tide tables
  5. The Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles05Walk the Hall of Mirrors and the gardens of VersaillesDay trip from Paris · closed Mondays
  6. The Loire seen from the Loire à Vélo bike route06Cycle between Loire Valley châteauxLoire Valley · April to October
  7. Old reference bottles stored in the chalk cellars of Champagne Pommery07Go underground on a Champagne cellar tour in Reims or ÉpernayChampagne · 45 minutes from Paris by TGV
  8. The illuminated entrance to the Strasbourg Christmas market08Drink mulled wine at Strasbourg's Christmas marketAlsace · late November to December
  9. The cozy interior of a traditional Lyon bouchon09Eat a long lunch in a Lyon bouchonLyon · reserve ahead
  10. The Aiguille du Midi cable car climbing above Chamonix10Ride the cable car up the Aiguille du Midi to face Mont BlancChamonix · go on a clear morning
  11. A lavender field near Valensole in bloom11See the lavender fields of the Valensole plateau in bloomProvence · late June to mid-July
  12. The pebble beach of the Calanque d'En-Vau12Hike to a turquoise calanque outside MarseilleProvence · summer reservations needed
  13. The church of the medieval village of Èze13Follow the corniche roads from Nice to Èze and MonacoRiviera · bus, train or car
  14. Grand cru vineyards of the Côte de Nuits near Vosne-Romanée14Taste grand cru wine in the villages around BeauneBurgundy · book tastings ahead
  15. The Atlantic and Cap Ferret seen from the Dune du Pilat15Climb the Dune du Pilat, Europe's tallest sand duneAtlantic coast · free
  16. The château and vineyards of Lafite Rothschild in the Médoc16Visit a Bordeaux château, then explore medieval Saint-ÉmilionBordeaux · appointments required
  17. The Dordogne valley seen from Domme17See Ice Age cave art at Lascaux IVDordogne · timed tickets
  18. Canoes on the Dordogne river at Limeuil18Canoe the Dordogne River past clifftop castlesDordogne · May to September
  19. Surfers on the main beach of Biarritz below the Hôtel du Palais19Surf, or just watch the surfers, in BiarritzBasque Country · lessons for beginners
  20. The walled Cité of Carcassonne at the blue hour20Walk the double ramparts of Carcassonne at duskOccitanie · free to enter the Cité
  21. The Pont du Gard aqueduct over the Gardon river21Cross the 2,000-year-old Pont du Gard aqueductNear Avignon and Nîmes
  22. The limestone calanques of Fazio and Paraguano near Bonifacio22Sail into the cliff harbor of BonifacioCorsica · May to October
  23. Lafayette's grave in Picpus Cemetery, with the American flag23Find Lafayette's grave, where an American flag always fliesParis · Picpus Cemetery
  24. The tree-lined banks of the Seine near Pont Neuf24Picnic on the Seine with market cheese, a baguette and a bottleParis · any warm evening
  25. A street concert in Paris on the Fête de la Musique25Join the free concerts of the Fête de la Musique on June 21Everywhere in France

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: 01 Jorge Royan, CC BY-SA 3.0 · 02 Roman Eisele, CC BY-SA 4.0 · 03 Jebulon, CC0 · 04 Benh LIEU SONG, CC BY 2.5 · 05 Myrabella, CC BY-SA 3.0 · 06 Sylenius, CC BY-SA 3.0 · 07 Tomas er, CC BY-SA 4.0 · 08 Claude Truong-Ngoc, CC BY-SA 3.0 · 09 Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 4.0 · 10 Leon petrosyan, CC BY-SA 4.0 · 11 Einaz80, CC BY-SA 4.0 · 12 kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0 · 13 Cayambe, CC BY-SA 3.0 · 14 Pierre André Leclercq, CC BY-SA 4.0 · 15 Jörg Braukmann, CC BY-SA 4.0 · 16 PA, CC BY-SA 4.0 · 17 Jebulon, CC0 · 18 Jebulon, CC0 · 19 Daniel Villafruela, CC BY-SA 3.0 · 20 Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 · 21 Benh LIEU SONG, CC BY-SA 3.0 · 22 Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY 3.0 · 23 Delatude, CC BY-SA 4.0 · 24 Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0 · 25 Syced, CC0

Free tools

Plan it, price it, pack it

Trip builderA day-by-day route by train from your dates and interests Budget calculatorLodging, food, trains and flights, in dollars and euros ConvertersEuros, °F and °C, shoe sizes, gas prices, time zones Packing checklistEverything an American needs, ticked off as you go Phrasebook246 phrases with pronunciation you can listen to

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