Visit France: The Complete Travel Guide for First-Timers
Planning to visit France? It is one of the most visited countries in the world, and it's easy to see why: Paris, the Riviera, lavender fields, vineyards, Alpine peaks and some of the best food anywhere, all linked by fast trains. This guide covers everything you need for a first trip: where to go, when to visit, how to get there and around, what it costs and the entry rules to know before you land.
France at a glance
Currency: euro (€). Cards and contactless payment are accepted almost everywhere.
Language: French. English is common in hotels and tourist areas.
Visa: not needed for US, UK, Canadian or Australian citizens for stays of up to 90 days (see entry rules below).
Plugs: type E and F, 230 V
Emergency number: 112
Time zone: UTC+1 in winter, UTC+2 in summer
Best months: May, June and September. See the best time to visit France.
Where to go in France: the regions to know
Paris
World-class museums, café life and the most famous skyline in Europe. Plan 3 to 4 days. Start with our Paris travel guide and our 3-day Paris itinerary.
French Riviera
Beaches, glamour and old towns from Nice to Monaco and Menton. At its best from May to September. See our French Riviera travel guide.
Provence
Lavender fields, hilltop villages and colourful markets. Base yourself in Aix-en-Provence or Avignon and rent a car. Read our Provence travel guide.
Normandy
Mont-Saint-Michel, the D-Day landing beaches and Monet's gardens at Giverny, all an easy trip from Paris.
Bordeaux
World-famous vineyards, the village of Saint-Émilion and an elegant riverside city about 2 hours from Paris by TGV.
Alsace
Half-timbered villages, a scenic wine route and Europe's most famous Christmas markets in Strasbourg and Colmar.
Also worth your time: the Loire Valley for fairy-tale châteaux, the French Alps for skiing and summer hiking, and Brittany for wild coastline, seafood and crêpes.
When to visit France
The best time to visit France is May, June and September: warm weather, long days and fewer crowds than in July and August. Summer is best for beaches, late June to mid-July for lavender, autumn for the wine harvest, and winter for skiing, Christmas markets and the lowest prices. Read our full month-by-month guide to the best time to visit France.
How to get to France
Most long-haul flights land at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), with more options at Paris Orly (ORY). If you are heading south, look at direct flights to Nice, Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse or Bordeaux: they can save you a long train transfer. An open-jaw ticket (flying into Paris and home from Nice, for example) often costs little more than a return and saves a full day of travel. Compare the most popular routes on our flight routes to France page and read our flight booking tips.
Getting around France
France has one of the best rail networks in the world, so you rarely need to fly within the country. High-speed TGV and low-cost OUIGO trains link Paris to the main cities in a few hours, and regional TER trains cover smaller towns. Book on SNCF Connect: fares are cheapest when booked a few weeks ahead.
When to rent a car: for Provence, Normandy, the Loire Valley and the Dordogne, where the best villages are hard to reach by train. Motorways (autoroutes) have tolls, and you will not need a car in Paris, Lyon or Nice, where public transport is excellent.
Typical high-speed train times from Paris
Lyon: about 2h · Bordeaux: about 2h05 · Strasbourg: about 1h50
Marseille: about 3h15 · Avignon: about 2h40 · Nice: about 5h40
Where to stay in France
Stay central: in France, location saves you more time and money than any hotel perk. In Paris, Le Marais and Saint-Germain are ideal for first-timers, while the 11th arrondissement offers better value. On the Riviera, Nice is the best base for day trips along the coast. In Provence, choose Aix-en-Provence or Avignon. Our France hotel guide covers the best areas city by city, and you can compare flights and hotels together on our booking page.
Planning your trip? Check flight times to France and compare hotel prices for your dates.
How much does a trip to France cost?
France can suit most budgets. These are rough daily costs per person for accommodation, food and local transport, excluding flights. Paris and the Riviera cost more than the rest of the country.
Budget: €80 to €120 a day
Hostels or simple hotels, bakery breakfasts, picnic lunches, lunch menus, public transport and free sights.
Mid-range: €150 to €250 a day
Comfortable 3-star hotels, a restaurant meal every day, museum entries and a few TGV journeys.
Comfort: €300+ a day
Four- and five-star hotels, tasting menus, first-class trains, private tours and wine tastings.
Entry rules: visas, EES and ETIAS
- Visa: citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and many other countries do not need a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area. Check your nationality on the official France-Visas site.
- Passport: it must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you leave the Schengen area and have been issued within the last 10 years.
- EES (Entry/Exit System): since 2026, non-EU travellers have their fingerprints and photo registered at the border on their first entry, instead of getting a passport stamp. Allow extra time at passport control.
- ETIAS: the EU's future online travel authorisation for visa-free visitors is not in operation yet, and no official start date has been confirmed. Only trust the official ETIAS website and ignore sites asking you to pay for an ETIAS today.
- Insurance: healthcare in France is excellent but not free for visitors. Read our travel insurance for France guide.
Money, tipping and local etiquette
- Cards: Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere, including contactless. American Express is less common. Carry a little cash for markets and small cafés.
- Tipping: service is included in restaurant prices by law. Rounding up or leaving 5 to 10% for great service is appreciated, never expected.
- Greetings: always say bonjour when you enter a shop or start a conversation. It makes a real difference.
- Opening hours: many shops close on Sundays outside big cities, and major museums close one day a week (the Louvre on Tuesdays, the Musée d'Orsay on Mondays).
- Safety: France is generally safe, but watch out for pickpockets in the metro and at busy sights. The emergency number is 112.
What to eat in France
Food is a reason to visit on its own. Have a croissant at the bakery, do lunch the French way with a formule or menu du jour (often the best-value meal of the day) and book dinner ahead at popular restaurants, which usually serve from around 7:30 pm. Every region has its classics, from Burgundy's boeuf bourguignon to the coq au vin you can recreate at home. Explore more in our French food and wine guides.
Sample France itineraries
Not sure how to split your time? These routes work well for a first trip and keep travel days short.
7 days: Paris and Normandy
4 days in Paris, then 3 days in Normandy for Giverny, the D-Day beaches and Mont-Saint-Michel. Rent a car for the Normandy part.
10 days: Paris and the South
4 days in Paris, TGV to Avignon for 3 days in Provence, then 3 days on the Riviera based in Nice. Fly home from Nice.
14 days: the grand tour
4 days in Paris, 2 in the Loire Valley, 2 in Bordeaux, 3 in Provence and 3 on the Riviera, mostly by train.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit France?
Not for short stays if you hold a US, UK, Canadian or Australian passport: you can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Other nationalities should check the France-Visas website. ETIAS, the EU's future travel authorisation, is not in operation yet.
Is France expensive to visit?
Paris and the Riviera are expensive, but the rest of France is good value. Lunch menus, bakeries, markets and early-booked trains keep costs down. Expect roughly €150 to €250 a day per person for a comfortable mid-range trip.
How many days do you need in France?
At least 7 days for Paris plus one region. With 10 to 14 days you can combine Paris with Provence and the Riviera, or with Normandy and the Loire Valley.
Is France safe for tourists?
Yes. France is a safe destination for most travellers. The main risk is petty theft, so keep valuables close in the metro, at train stations and around major sights.
Ready to visit France?
Book flights and hotels early for the best prices, especially from June to September.
Before you go, check our pre-trip checklist guides and the official tourism site France.fr.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Eiffel Tower by NonOmnisMoriar (CC BY-SA 3.0); Champ de Mars by Alexander Baranov (CC BY 2.0); Nice by Lspigon (public domain); Valensole by Espirat (CC BY-SA 4.0); Mont-Saint-Michel by Benh Lieu Song (CC BY 2.5); Saint-Émilion by DimiTalen (CC0); Strasbourg by Romynine (CC BY-SA 4.0); TGV by Rail.Photography (CC0).
