Travel guide · Updated October 2026
The Best Countries to Visit from France
The best countries to visit from Paris and other French airports, from 2-hour city breaks to once-in-a-lifetime trips. For each one: flight time, the best months to go, budget and what you need to enter.
Why these 8
How we picked the best countries to visit from France
Living in France puts you in one of the best-connected places in the world. Paris-CDG, Orly, Lyon, Nice, Marseille and Toulouse all have direct flights to dozens of countries, and some destinations are even reachable by high-speed train. To make this list of the best countries to visit, each destination had to pass three tests: it is easy to reach from France, it offers something you can't get at home, and it gives real value for the travel time.
Want a wider, worldwide list? Read our guide to the world's best places to visit in 2027. Prefer to stay closer to home? Browse our Paris travel guides and our France trip planning guide. Or explore France itself: start with our complete France travel guide, check the best time to visit the south of France, see the best things to do in Nice or plan a visit to the D-Day beaches in Normandy.
Short break
Under 2h30 by plane
Portugal, Spain, Italy, Croatia. Perfect for a long weekend or a week off.
Sun & sea
Beaches and islands
Greece, Croatia, Morocco. Warm water from May to October.
Big trip
Once-in-a-lifetime
Iceland, Japan. Worth planning 3 to 6 months ahead.
01 · Portugal
Portugal: easy sun and great value
Portugal is the easiest win on this list. Lisbon is about 2h30 from Paris, the food is excellent and cheap by French standards, and the light is famous for a reason. Spend three days in Lisbon's hilly neighbourhoods with a day trip to Sintra, then head north to Porto and the Douro Valley, or south to the cliffs and beaches of the Algarve. Plan your route with the official Visit Portugal site.
Flight from Paris: about 2h30 to Lisbon, 2h to Porto
Best time: March to June, September to October
Budget: € (great value)
Entry for French citizens: national ID card or passport
02 · Spain
Spain: culture, food and late nights
Spain works for almost any kind of trip. Choose Andalusia for Seville's Plaza de España, Granada's Alhambra and whitewashed villages; San Sebastián for pintxos and surf beaches; or Barcelona for Gaudí and the Mediterranean. You can even skip the plane: high-speed trains link Paris, Lyon and Marseille to Barcelona. Find regional ideas on the official Spain tourism site.
Flight from Paris: about 1h45 to Barcelona, 2h to Madrid
By train: Paris to Barcelona in about 6h40
Best time: April to June, September to October (Andalusia is very hot in July and August)
Budget: € to €€
Entry for French citizens: national ID card or passport
03 · Italy
Italy: the classic that never disappoints
Italy packs more art, history and great food per kilometre than almost anywhere. First trip? Pair Rome with Florence and a few days in the Tuscan countryside. Want the sea? The Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre are at their best in late spring, before the summer crowds. For hiking, the Dolomites are spectacular from late June to September. Get inspired on the official Italia.it site.
Flight from Paris: about 1h30 to Milan, 2h05 to Rome, 2h15 to Naples
Best time: April to June, September to October
Budget: €€
Entry for French citizens: national ID card or passport
04 · Greece
Greece: islands, ruins and long summer evenings
Greece is the go-to for an island summer. Start in Athens for the Acropolis and the Plaka, then take a ferry to the Cyclades: Santorini for the views, Naxos or Paros for beaches and a slower pace. Crete is big enough for a full week on its own. Go in May, June or September for a warm sea and far fewer crowds than in August. Check island guides on the official Visit Greece site.
Flight from Paris: about 3h15 to Athens, with direct summer flights to many islands
Best time: May to June, September to October
Budget: €€ (the famous islands cost more)
Entry for French citizens: national ID card or passport
Already know where you're going? Compare flight schedules from French airports, then lock in your hotel.
05 · Croatia
Croatia: stone old towns and clear Adriatic water
Croatia pairs walled medieval towns with some of the clearest water in Europe. Base yourself in Dubrovnik or Split, hop between islands like Hvar, Brač and Vis, and save a day for the waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes or Krka National Park. Croatia uses the euro and is in the Schengen area, so there's no currency exchange and no passport control when you fly in from France. See the official Croatia tourism site for island ferries and parks.
Flight from Paris: about 2h15 to Split or Dubrovnik (more direct flights in summer)
Best time: May to June, September
Budget: €€
Entry for French citizens: national ID card or passport
06 · Morocco
Morocco: a different world, 3 hours away
No destination this close feels this different. Get lost in the souks and riads of Marrakech, explore the medina of Fes, one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world, photograph the blue streets of Chefchaouen, then spend a night under the stars in the Sahara near Merzouga. French is widely spoken, which makes getting around much easier. Plan your itinerary with the official Visit Morocco site.
Flight from Paris: about 3h to Marrakech or Fes
Best time: March to May, October to November
Budget: € (currency: Moroccan dirham)
Entry for French citizens: valid passport, no visa needed for tourist stays up to 90 days
07 · Iceland
Iceland: raw nature and northern lights
Iceland is pure landscape: waterfalls like Skógafoss, black-sand beaches, glaciers and geothermal lagoons. Rent a car and drive the Golden Circle and the South Coast in four or five days. Go in summer for the midnight sun and open mountain roads, or between September and March for a chance to see the northern lights. It's an expensive country, so book your accommodation early. Road conditions and itineraries are on the official Visit Iceland site.
Flight from Paris: about 3h20 to Reykjavík (Keflavík)
Best time: June to August for road trips, September to March for northern lights
Budget: €€€ (currency: Icelandic króna)
Entry for French citizens: national ID card or passport
08 · Japan
Japan: the long-haul trip worth every hour
If you fly long-haul once, make it Japan. Tokyo's energy, Kyoto's temples and the torii gates of Fushimi Inari, Osaka's street food and the views of Mount Fuji from Hakone make two weeks go fast. Trains are fast, clean and on time, so you can see a lot without a car. Cherry blossom season in spring and the autumn colours are the peak periods, so book early. Start planning on the official Japan National Tourism site.
Flight from Paris: about 14h direct to Tokyo
Best time: March to May, October to November
Budget: €€€ (mostly the flight)
Entry for French citizens: valid passport, no visa needed for tourist stays up to 90 days
Close to home
Countries near France you can visit by train or car
France borders eight countries: Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Spain and Andorra, and the UK is just across the Channel. Many are only a few hours away by fast train, so you can add one to a France trip without flying.
- Belgium: Brussels is about 1 hour 25 minutes from Paris by high-speed train, easy even as a day trip.
- Luxembourg: about 2 hours 10 minutes from Paris Gare de l'Est by TGV.
- Germany: Frankfurt is about 4 hours from Paris by direct high-speed train, and Strasbourg sits right on the German border.
- Switzerland: Geneva is about 3 hours 10 minutes from Paris by TGV Lyria, and about 45 minutes from Annecy.
- Italy: from Nice, regional trains reach Ventimiglia in about an hour, passing through Menton on the way.
- Monaco: about 20 minutes by train from Nice; see our Monaco day trip from Nice.
- Spain: Barcelona is about 6 hours 30 minutes from Paris by direct TGV, or a short drive from Perpignan.
- Andorra: no train, but buses from Toulouse take about 3 hours.
- United Kingdom: London is about 2 hours 20 minutes from Paris by Eurostar.
Which countries border France? Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Spain and Andorra.
What is the easiest country to visit from Paris? Belgium. Brussels is under 1 hour 30 minutes by train, so it even works as a day trip. From the South of France, Monaco and the Italian Riviera are the easiest.
Before you book
3 quick checks before you travel
- Entry rules and safety advice. Check your destination on France Diplomatie (Conseils aux voyageurs). Rules can change, so look again a few days before you leave.
- Health cover. Going to an EU country or Iceland? Order your free European Health Insurance Card (CEAM) on ameli.fr. For Morocco and Japan, take out travel insurance that covers medical costs.
- Book early for school holidays. Flights and hotels on popular routes get expensive fast in July, August and the French school holidays. Aim for 2 to 3 months ahead, and compare options on our booking page.
Found your next destination?
Compare flight schedules from Paris and other French airports, then lock in a hotel at the best price.
Not sure how to get there? See our popular travel routes.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Dubrovnik panorama by Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 3.0); Lisbon by Jakub Hałun (CC BY 4.0); Seville by kallerna (CC BY-SA 4.0); Positano by Bernard Gagnon (CC BY 4.0); Oia, Santorini by Anna Tsolidou (CC BY-SA 4.0); Dubrovnik old town by kallerna (CC BY-SA 4.0); Chefchaouen by Fbrandao.1963 (CC BY-SA 4.0); Skógafoss by Jakub Hałun (CC BY 4.0); Fushimi Inari by Basile Morin (CC BY-SA 4.0).