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France Tours & Trips

From delicious cuisine and wonderful wines to châteaux and ski resorts, it's no surprise that France entices people of all ages. Take a adventure to the strikingly beautiful island of Mont-Saint-Michel, challenge yourself with a hike around glorious Mont Blanc , escape to the beautiful beaches of the French Riviera in Nice, or follow in the footsteps of artists in Provence . Visit the vineyards of the Loire Valley on a river cruise , and of course check out the romantic Paris, City of Light. A tour of France is a must for all travelers.

250+ France tour packages with 2,492 reviews

• Coach / Bus
• Sightseeing

French Dream ( 6 days )

• Hiking & Trekking
• Mountain Hikes

Mont Blanc Highlights

Wonderful guided hikes, all different and amazing views. Tourradar really surpassed all my expectations. From a wonderful hotel - stayed at Richemond Hotel, in the centre of town to the amazing prepared lunches and restaurant dinners to our wonderful and knowledgeable guide Nichole. Thank you Nicole for your energy, patience, calmness, and expertise both up and down each mountain adventure. You made our trip a wonderful

• River Cruise

Paris to Normandy 2024

Excellent! Wonderful, efficient employees. Great tour director. Friendly waiters and desk workers. Best food ever!

Cycle Provence

• In-depth Cultural
• Christmas & New Year

Paris and Versailles

Alex from Eskapas created a fantastic itinerary for me. All upgrades and customization was excellent. although a solo traveler, I never felt alone A smooth experience and can't wait to go on the next one. Highly recommending.

French Ring ( 11 days )

The Treasures of France including Normandy (8 Days)

We had a wonderful time! Tim Smith made the experience so enjoyable. I would book a trip with him again.

• €100 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Looking for tours beyond just France?

Explore tours with itineraries going through multiple countries, including France.

Normandy, Brittany & The Loire Valley (Classic, 8 Days)

We love insight. Laura and every insight guide we have had have been exceptional. This trip great. Bouvet ladubay wine's amazing. St Michel amazing..paris amazing.

Best of France Tour

Outstanding week in Normandy and Bretagne regions.We have always wanted to visit D-Day beaches and nothing was like our day long trip to Normandy. France is beautiful country. Our 10 year old daughter enjoyed the tour as much as my wife and I did. Phillippe, our guide, could not have been more patient with us and kinder. He took extra time to show us little unknown places that were important. We will certainly travel with Eskapas again and I would highly recommend them to anyone!

Paris to Normandy 80th Anniversary of D-Day WWII Remembrance & History Cruise

France Family Journey: From Paris to Normandy and Beyond

The tour was interesting, fun, and just the right balance of group and independent activities. The tour guides were knowledgeable, helpful, and very organized!

Paris Explorer (8 Days)

We enjoyed our time in Paris. Johnathan was an exceptional tour guide. His thoughtful approach to Normandy was wonderful. The hotel was not up to Marriott standards. Room was dusty and thoughtlessly cleaned. The location was good and the bus was in great shape.

Paris, Normandy and the Loire

I traveled with my Dad and we both liked our tour! Every stop on our itinerary was perfectly timed, even if we felt a bit rushed at times, in hindsight extra time wouldn’t have been that beneficial and less time wouldn’t have been enough.

Paris & Normandy Highlights National Geographic Journeys

We loved the itinerary and the extra sites we visited, also. Our CEO Alexiane did well. We would have like to hear more history of the places we saw. Alexiane took care to provide for the needs of individuals on our tour. That was especially helpful for me. Our bus driver, Frederick, was excellent and caring, too.

The Must-see Sights of the Seine Valley (port-to-port cruise)

I was kept informed & on promptly basis. A very professional approach by your staff

What people love about France Tours

It was a very comfortable and enjoyable cruise. The service staff were very friendly and attentive. The fellow passengers were very friendly and sociable which makes the whole cruise line one big happy family.

It was a really good experience. This is my second trip with Eskapas. The first one was a small group tour fully escorted in Italy and it was wonderful. This trip is independent and you are joining at the meeting point to daily group ours. If you have send of orientation, it may be difficult so I recommend yo to take a taxi to reach out to the meeting points. Usually it costs 15-20Euro. The company upgraded our hotel to New Hotel Le Voltaire 4* ,, located in 11th Arrondissement, close to Bastille. It is a correct one, decent breakfast. Don't miss Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise which is close proximity.

France Destinations

• Southern France (359)
• Northern France (316)
• Provence (117)
• Normandy (87)
• Aquitaine & Midi Pyrenees (87)
• Alsace & Lorraine (63)
• Bordeaux & Dordogne (55)
• Loire Valley (46)
• Pays de la Loire (46)
• Burgundy (34)
• Ile de France (28)
• French Riviera (22)
• Champagne (11)
• France Castle (7)
• Brittany (5)
• Rhone (286)

Travel Styles

• Small Group (119)
• Budget (53)
• Luxury (144)
• Singles and Solo (524)
• For Couples (426)
• Young Adults (5)
• Seniors (474)
• Group (837)
• Fully Guided (722)
• Family (599)
• Explorer (569)
• River Cruise (549)
• Personalized (158)
• Self-Guided (140)
• Bicycle (133)
• Private (124)
• In-depth Cultural (118)
• Partially Guided (98)
• Coach / Bus (55)
• Active (49)
• Hiking & Trekking (44)
• Food & Culinary (26)
• Motorcycle Ride (21)
• 3 Day Tours (17)
• 7 Day Tours (221)
• 10 Day Tours (259)
• 2 Week Tours (56)
• 3 Week Tours (52)
• 4 Week Tours (5)
• Spring 2024 (270)
• Summer 2024 (391)
• Fall / Autumn 2024 (404)
• Winter 2024 / 2025 (106)
• Spring 2025 (226)
• Summer 2025 (191)
• Fall / Autumn 2025 (204)
• Winter 2025 / 2026 (52)
• April 2024 (108)
• May 2024 (295)
• June 2024 (344)
• July 2024 (305)
• August 2024 (335)
• September 2024 (344)
• October 2024 (318)
• November 2024 (117)
• December 2024 (74)
• January 2025 (60)
• February 2025 (57)
• March 2025 (99)
• April 2025 (158)
• May 2025 (159)
• June 2025 (163)
• July 2025 (173)
• August 2025 (162)
• September 2025 (161)
• October 2025 (154)
• November 2025 (49)

France Tours starting in

• Starting in Paris (177)
• Starting in Lyon (55)
• Starting in Strasbourg (46)
• Starting in Arles (41)
• Starting in Bordeaux (38)
• Starting in Nice (23)
• Starting in Avignon (22)
• Starting in London (14)
• Starting in Marseille (11)
• Starting in Chalon sur Saone (9)
• France Travel Guide | All You Need to Know
• Best 10 Day France Itineraries 2024/2025 (with Reviews)
• Best 7 Day France Itineraries 2024/2025 (with Reviews)

France Tours & Vacations

There’s a reason France is the most visited country in the world. Actually, there are several.

The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. The Pyrenees and Chamonix. Escargot and ratatouille. Champagne and croissants and berets and baguettes. Napoleon and Simone de Beauvoir and the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Jazz bars and vineyards and lavender fields as far as the eye can see. ‘Un petit peu’ of this, ‘un petit peu’ of that. A balmy evening on the French Riviera, a morning frost on the fields of the Somme. French flags flying after the FIFA World Cup. Guillotines falling after the French Revolution. Chanel and Chandon and Versailles and Vuitton. Forget the museums; this country is a work of art.

Our France trips

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France tour reviews

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Cycle the Loire Valley

Cycle Provence

Mont Blanc Highlights

Hike the Tour du Mont Blanc

France or Italy? Which European country should you travel to?

Where to celebrate Pride in Europe 2023

5 of the best walks in Europe – The Great Walks of Europe

How to pull off the perfect Paris picnic

How to do the French Riviera on a budget

8 unusual adventures you didn’t know you could have in Paris

Why cycling the French Alps is what bucket lists are made for

Our ultimate guide to island hopping in Italy

France at a glance

Capital city.

Paris (population approximately 2.1 million)

Approximately 67 million

(GMT+01:00) Brussels, Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris

CALLING CODE

Electricity.

Type C (European 2-pin) Type E (French 2-pin, female earth)

Learn more about France

Culture and customs.

What makes the French so, well, French? Is it the food? The wine? How about the art, the philosophy, the history, or the fierce passion often caricatured as arrogance? Whatever it is, it’s seduced Francophiles around the world for countless years and there’s no sign of it slowing down.

The French are lovers of life. They celebrate the ‘joie de vivre’, or joy of living, in every aspect of their day. Conversation should be meaningful; food should be rich and sumptuous; music should move you; art should change you.

Sure, there are the stereotypes of the French being rude, but you could be forgiven for your reluctance to speak English when you’re the most-visited country in the world. There are, after all, only so many times one can give directions to the Eiffel Tower. But sit down for dinner at a French person’s house and you’ll discover the opposite. France is a very liberal country and every topic is up for debate – dinner is just an entrée for the conversation.

Much of France’s reputation rests on romanticized images of Paris. Sitting at a cafe on the Ile-St-Louis with a piping-hot croissant and cafe au lait, for example, or watching sunset from the steps of Sacre Coeur. But travel through France and you’ll find an incredibly diverse and multicultural country that changes so much between regions, from Marseille’s cultural melting pot to Biarritz’s surfers to the hardy mountain folk of the Pyrenees and Alps. 

Every region and valley, every coastline and ridgeline and three-hour line for the Louvre, will offer up something different. But remember, there’s one thing that doesn’t change no matter where you go: the unwavering belief that there’s nothing better than being French.

History and government

After the conquest of the Gauls and the fall of Rome, the area we know as France was dominated by a tribe known as the Franks. They were headed up by a brutal man named Charlemagne, whose mission was to convert all of   Europe  to Christianity. After Charlemagne’s death his empire was split into three, with West Francia corresponding to the modern territory of France.

The Hundred Years’ War

West Francia, which was really a patchwork of territories run by the dukes, had institutional power more or less centralized in the 12th century. As time went on the tension between France and England grew until the outbreak of the Hundred Years’ War, which actually lasted 116 years. Though France’s population was decimated during this period, thanks to both war and plague, it was also a formative time for the country’s national identity.

One of the key figures to come out of this long period of fighting was Joan of Arc, who is still a national hero in France. She was born in 1412, just after the Battle of Agincourt, during which the French were dominated by the English. As a young girl she heard the voices and saw visions of multiple saints, all of whom told her to go fight for Charles, the rightful king of France. At the age of 16 she traveled to his court to convince him of her mission and somehow did exactly that. She turned the tide of the war and in doing so was captured by the English and sentenced to death as a witch. Her ashes were scattered in the River Seine, but her story was never forgotten.

The French Revolution

Bad harvests, taxation, abject poverty and an unrestrained aristocracy sowed the seeds of the French Revolution in the 18th century. The Renaissance began in   Italy   and spread across Europe, ushering in the Age of Enlightenment, which spread the ideas of individual liberty, tolerance and the separation of church and state. In France, King Louis XVI had inherited a country in dire trouble but was still living it up at the Palace of Versailles. The peasants revolted and stormed the Bastille Prison – hence the national celebration of Bastille Day – and King Louis, along with Marie Antoinette, his queen, were captured and executed by guillotine. A decade of chaos ensued.

It was Napoleon, a military general, that took control of France following the revolution and established the Napoleonic Code, which has become the foundation for the development of most modern democracies. He embarked on military campaigns throughout Europe and was eventually defeated and exiled by the combined forces of   Russia   and Prussia, a northern state that would rise to power as a united Germany during the 19th and 20th centuries.

The World Wars

The 20th century was a horrific time for France with   Germany   invading the country twice. France suffered huge casualties during both WWI and WW2, and by 1945 it was on its knees. Further conflicts followed in colonial territories across Africa and Asia, which led to an influx of migration to France. In Europe, governments were dealing with the fallout from WWII and making agreements to avoid another conflict, from which the European Union was born.

France is now a leading power both in Europe and globally after a huge post-war effort to rebuild the country. It has the third-largest economy in the EU and is one of the most modern countries in the world, continuing to value liberty, fraternity and equality. Recent years have seen issues arise with the Islamic extremism and the European refugee crisis, but the country continues to grow and remains a thriving destination for tourism.

Eating and drinking

The gastronomic pleasures of France are world-renowned, so travellers won’t be worried about going hungry. There’s something to suit every budget here, from Michelin-star restaurants to market stalls and everything in between, and it’s not just frog legs and snails that are on the menu.

There’s simply no better buy than a fresh, crusty baguette. Buy one for less than a euro from the nearest bakery and take it down to the nearest park or river. Apply butter liberally, fill with whatever you like and bite into France – c’est magnifique!

Pastries, cakes and tarts

French chefs set the global quality benchmark for pastries so there’s no feeling guilty when you sample the croissants, eclairs, crepes, macaroons and whatever else you can get your hands on. Find them at your local patisserie and don’t forget to say merci (or mercy, depending on how many you eat).

If you’re going to indulge in a little wine, there’s no better place than France. It is, after all, home to some of the most famous wine regions in the world: Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Loire, Provence, Champagne. Whether you’re at the cellar door or on the restaurant floor (please, drink responsibly), there’s tasty tipple with your name on it.

When in France, right? From soft cheeses like brie and camembert to a hard, sharp Beaufort, it’s all on offer in France’s bountiful cheese shops and markets.

Beef Bourguignon

This beefy stew originates in Burgundy and is an example of a peasant dish now considered high-end cuisine. It’s prepared with beef braised in red wine and broth, flavoured with garlic, onions and mushrooms, and it’s absolutely perfect on a winter’s evening.

Geography and environment

Bordered by Spain,   Andorra , Luxembourg, Monaco, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Belgium, France’s geography is as varied as its neighbors.  

In the south, the Pyrenees form a natural border with a   Spain . This mountain range rises over 11,100 feet (3400 meters) and stretches from the west coast to the east. It’s a hiker’s paradise in summer, with thousands of miles of hiking trails, and a haven for snow sports in the winter thanks to a huge number of ski resorts.

To the south-east, France borders the Mediterranean Sea all the way up to the Italian border. A large stretch of this area is what’s known as the French Riviera, which has long been a popular tourist destination thanks to its warm weather, calm water and golden beaches.

Continue north along the Italian border and you’ll reach the French Alps, France’s other predominant mountain range. The Alps are home to Mont Blanc – France’s highest point – and form another natural border, this time with both Italy and Switzerland.

France’s central region is mostly rolling hills and fields, perfect for farming and producing wine. There are two main rivers, the Loire and the Rhone, with the Rhone running south from   Switzerland   through to the Mediterranean and the Loire running north and west to the Atlantic.

The west coast is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and sees a cooler climate than the east. The large Atlantic swells have brought surfers to the area for years with several international surfing competitions being held throughout the year.

Northern France, which is bordered by   Belgium , Luxembourg and Germany, remains relatively flat with grasslands, fields, forests and, of course, the capital of Paris. These northern areas suffered most during the wars, both because of their proximity to Germany and the landscape itself. This is where trench warfare was first employed, only possible because of the huge swathes of flat land.

Chanel. Louis Vuitton. Dior. Lacroix. Hermes. You want luxury? You got it. Paris has long been considered the fashion capital of the world and if that’s your bag, well, you’ll need some room in your bag after a stroll down the famous Champs-Elysees. France isn’t all high fashion though. Yes, the French are notoriously fashionable, but there’s plenty of shopping to be done for those that aren’t quite ready to step out on the catwalk.

Remember, it's a good idea to check with your local customs officials to ensure that you are able to bring certain items back into your home country. The United States and Canada generally have strict customs laws.

And you thought Paris was just about fashion? It also happens to be the fragrance capital of the world. There’s no better place to pick up a sensational scent than in one of the city’s many perfumeries, some of which have been trading for more than a century. It’s the perfect gift – or a subtle suggestion – for your friends and family back home.

Flea Markets

Parisian flea markets are a top spot to pick up a vintage bargain. From jewelry and purses to paintings and old-school electronics, you’re bound to find something unique or, at the very least, enjoy trying. Make Porte de Vanves and Porte de Saint-Ouen in Paris your first stops.

Village Markets

Regional French markets just ooze with charm and can be found all over the country. Peruse fresh produce, home-made jams, pickled vegetables, rich cheeses and summer flowers, or just soak up the provincial atmosphere and try your hand at having a chat with one of the locals.

France has been at the forefront of winemaking forever and there are plenty of high quality wines to be found at very decent prices. Just remember that French wines are named for their geographic origin rather than the grape. Take a Burgundy, for example: if it’s red it’s pinot noir, if it’s white it’s chardonnay. Do some research and reap the rewards.

Events and festivals

There are festivals happening all over France throughout the year. Whether you’re in the city or a small town, you can expect a lot of food, some phenomenal wine and plenty of music.

Bastille Day

The French national day is celebrated on July 14 and commemorates the storming of the Bastille Prison during the French Revolution. It’s celebrated all over the country, but Paris is the place to be, with the city hosting parades, fireworks and the famous Firemen’s Balls, where the main station in each Parisian district throws open its doors for a huge ball lasting until 4 am. It’s a tradition that’s been happening for over 100 years.

Avignon Festival

Performers and art lovers from around the world descend on Avignon for this three-week celebration of performance art. Dance, theatre, comedy and musical performances feature on the bill, with everything from open-air classical concerts and sweeping operatic epics to spoken word poetry.

Tour de France

This is the world’s most iconic cycling competition. It happens over three weeks and was first held in 1903. Things are a little more high-tech now – back then the cyclists didn’t have support vehicles, and they carried baguettes, wine and cheese for sustenance. They also had some phenomenal moustaches.

Nice Jazz Fest

The Nice Jazz Festival dates back to 1948 and is one of the oldest jazz festivals in   Europe . The first ever headliner was Louis Armstrong and there has been a glut of phenomenal musicians perform since including Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald and Erykah Badu.

Roland Garros

Also known as the French Open, Roland Garros is one of tennis’s grand slams and the premier clay-court competition in the world. The biggest tennis stars in the world converge on the courts to slug it out but Rafael Nadal will forever be the king.

Similar destinations

Thinking about a trip to France but still browsing other destinations? Check out tours to neighboring locations:

• Switzerland

Or maybe you need help comparing countries? Check out our blog:

• France or Italy?

Further reading

For inspiring stories to prepare you for your France adventure, check out these books:

• The Three Musketeers   – Alexandre Dumas
• Chocolat   – Joanne Harris
• The Hunchback of Notre-Dame   ­– Victor Hugo
• Dangerous Liaisons   – Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
• Suite Francaise   – Irene Nemirovsky
• A Year in Provence   – Peter Mayle
• How to be Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style and Bad Habits   – Caroline de Maigret, Anne Berest, Sophie Mas, Audrey Diwan
• The House in France: A Memoir   – Gully Wells
• Marie Antoinette: The Journey –   Antonia Fraser
• Les Miserables   – Victor Hugo
• Me Talk Pretty One Day   – David Sedaris

France travel FAQs

Do i need a covid-19 vaccine to join an intrepid trip.

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travelers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

When is the best time to visit France?

The best time to visit France depends on where you are planning to travel to.

The best time to visit Paris, in terms of sunshine and weather, is early summer and early autumn as the late summer can get quite hot. That said, the winter months are a dark albeit beautiful time to visit, like many European cities. The same applies for most of inland France.

If you’re heading to the east coast and the Mediterranean Sea, the best months are July and August as the sea breeze tends to keep the coast a little cooler than inland. There will, however, be more tourists than in the early summer or spring and autumn.

The mountains are best for skiing in February and March as the days are longer than in December and January, while the late spring, summer and early autumn are perfect for hiking.

The Atlantic areas of Brittany and Normandy are best experienced from June through August as they can get quite wet and cold outside of summer.

Is it safe to visit France?

Yes, it is still safe to visit France, though parts of the country have been affected by various issues of late.

Over the past 5–10 years France has been targeted by extremist groups. These attacks have received widespread global coverage and while they are shocking and saddening, they are also very infrequent. France is at no more risk of extremist violence than any other Western country, but travelers should exercise caution nevertheless and keep up-to-date with local news sources.

Much has also been made of the Yellow Vests Movement, which has spread around the country. These protests began in 2018 after an increase in fuel taxes and have morphed into a movement demanding economic reform and the resignation of President Emmanuel Macron. Though the protests have turned violent on several occasions, particularly in Paris, they are also easily avoided. The protests occur on Saturdays and the streets are shut down by police – travelers should check local news sources and avoid any trouble areas on Saturdays.

Do I need a visa to travel to France?

France is a member of the Schengen Convention, which means that if you travel to an EU member country or countries, like France, for a total of less than 90 days, a visa is not required. Citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US, the UK and other member countries of the EU and Schengen area are included under this arrangement.

Visas are the responsibility of the individual traveler. Entry requirements can change at any time, so it's important that you check for the latest information. Please visit the relevant consular website of the country or countries you’re visiting for detailed and up-to-date visa information specific to your country of origin. Check the Essential Trip Information section of your tour itinerary for more information.

Is tipping customary in France?

Most restaurants in France will include a service fee within the bill; however, tipping extra (while not absolutely necessary) is customary and will be appreciated by wait staff. Usually rounding up the bill or leaving spare change is sufficient. Feel free to tip more if the service has been exemplary or if you’re feeling generous.

What is the internet access like in France?

The internet access is great in France. All cities and major towns should have internet cafes and wi-fi hotspots, while most of the country aside from very remote areas will have phone reception should you wish to use your mobile/cell phone.

Can I use my cell phone while in France?

Travelers can use their phones throughout France, though remote and isolated areas in the Pyrenees or Alps may have limited service.

You’re able to purchase a local SIM on arriving in France, which will generally be cheaper than using international roaming. If you do wish to use international roaming, ensure it’s activated before leaving your home country and ask your provider what charges apply. Data use can be particularly expensive while overseas.

What are the toilets like in France?

Flushable, Western-style toilets are the standard across France.

What will it cost for a...?

France’s unit of currency is the euro. Prices here are approximate and shown in US dollars for ease of comparison.

• Metro ride = USD 1.5–2
• A pint of beer/glass of wine = USD 6
• Simple lunch at a cafe = USD 12-15
• Baguette sandwich = USD 5

Can I drink the water in France?

Drinking water from taps is considered safe in France unless otherwise marked. For environmental reasons, try to avoid buying bottle water and fill a reusable water bottle or canteen with filtered water instead.

Are credit cards widely accepted in France?

Major credit cards are widely accepted across France. Some smaller cafes and shops may not accept credit cards, especially in more rural areas, so be sure to carry enough cash to cover small purchases.

What is ATM access like in France?

ATMs are common across France in both cities and towns so there shouldn't be a problem finding one.

What is the weather like in France?

France’s weather varies depending where you are.

Paris tends to be quite cool with temperatures averaging 59–77°F (15–25°C) even in the height of summer. The winter average is 36–45°F (2–7°C), though it’s worth keeping in mind that the city can experience more extreme heat in the summer or snow in the winter.

The French Riviera, including Nice, has a sunnier climate and averages 68–81°F (20–27°C) in the summer and 41–55°F (5–13°C) in winter. This area is quite sheltered compared to the rest of the south-east coast, which will much hotter and dryer in the summer.

The mountainous regions, like Chamonix in the Alps, will vary depending on altitude. Chamonix experiences an average temperature of 48–75°F (9–24°C) in the summertime and 19–37°F (-7–3°C) in the winter. The summer also sees afternoon thunderstorms and more precipitation than other times of year.

The climate on the Atlantic coast tends to be quite cool and wet, with rain and wind all year round, particularly around the English Channel. Bordeaux, which is much further south, enjoys a warmer climate though it’s prone to both the cold Atlantic fronts as well as cold winds from the north-east. Its average temperature in summer is 61–81°F (16–27°C), while winter averages 37–50°F (3–10°C).

What public holidays are celebrated in France?

1 January   – New Year’s Day

March/April   – Easter Monday

May   – Labor Day

8 May   – Victory Day 1945

May   – Ascension Day

14 July   – Bastille Day

August   – Assumption of Mary

1 November   – All Saints’ Day

11 November   – Armistice Day

25 December   – Christmas Day

For a current list of public holidays in France, including the movable dates noted above, go to: 

timeanddate.com/holidays

Is France safe for LGBTQIA+ travelers?

France is a safe destination for LGBTQIA+ travelers and has always been celebrated for its liberal attitudes towards sexuality. Paris was the first European capital to vote in an openly gay mayor in 2001 and France was the first country in the world, back in 1791, to decriminalize same-sex sexual acts between consenting adults. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2013 and attitudes towards LGBTQIA+ identifying people are generally positive across the country.

Paris has had a thriving queer scene for years which revolves around Le Marais, a district just north of Notre-Dame, though the city is so open that it can be difficult to pin down its epicenter. Active queer scenes can be found in most major cities across the country including Bordeaux and Lyon.

For more detailed and up-to-date advice, we recommend visiting  Equaldex  or  ILGA  before you travel.

If you are traveling solo on an Intrepid group tour, you will share accommodation with a passenger of the same gender as per your passport information. If you don’t identify with the gender assigned on your passport, please let us know at time of booking and we’ll arrange the rooming configuration accordingly. A single supplement is available on some tours for travelers who do not wish to share a room.

Is France accessible for travelers with disabilities?

Intrepid is committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. That’s why we do our best to help as many people see the world as possible, regardless of any physical or mental limitations they might have. We’re always happy to talk to travelers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them towards the most suitable itinerary for their needs and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.

France is a relatively accessible destination for travelers with disabilities, particularly for those visiting Paris. All buses and trams in the Paris metro area are equipped for wheelchairs and most, though not all, metro stations have been equipped to make traveling with a disability as hassle-free as possible. The city’s official visitor website has a section dedicated to   visiting Paris with a disability   in both French and English.

Elsewhere, as in much of Europe, travelers may find that the older city buildings and infrastructure in smaller towns may present them with some difficulty, depending on their disability. If you do live with a visual, hearing or other impairment, let your booking agent or group leader know early on so they’re aware and suitable arrangements can be made.

As a general rule, knowing some common words in the local language, carrying a written itinerary with you and taking to the streets in a group, rather than solo, can help make your travel experience the best it can be.

What to wear in France

France is a very liberal country and travelers should not feel compelled to dress particularly conservatively unless visiting a religious site. After all, Paris is the fashion capital of the world – go hard or go home. That being said, Intrepid encourages all travelers to respect the locals in the places we visit. If they wouldn’t wear something, we don’t suggest that you do. 

Remember that the weather in the mountains can change extremely quickly, even in summer, so your best bet is dress in layers. If you do plan on visiting the Alps or Pyrenees, be sure to take a raincoat, sturdy walking shoes and a wind breaker or warm jacket.

Do I need to purchase travel insurance before traveling?

Absolutely. All passengers traveling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

How do I stay safe and healthy while traveling?

From Australia?

Go to: Smart Traveller

From Canada?

Go to:  Canada Travel Information

From the UK?

Go to:  UK Foreign Travel Advice

From New Zealand?

Go to:  Safe Travel

From the US?

Go to:  US Department of State

The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.

Does my trip support The Intrepid Foundation?

Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partners, Eden Reforestation Projects and World Bicycle Relief. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

Eden Reforestation Projects

Eden Reforestation Projects are helping to mitigate climate change by restoring forests worldwide; they also hire locally and create job opportunities within vulnerable communities. Donations from our trips support restoration across planting sites in 10 countries around the globe. Find out more or make a donation World Bicycle Relief

World Bicycle Relief provides people in low-income communities with bicycles to mobilize school kids, health workers, and farmers in far-out areas – giving them access to vital education, healthcare, and income. Donations help provide Buffalo Bicycles – specifically designed to withstand the rugged terrain and harsh environment of rural regions – to those who need them most. Find out more or make a donation

• Europe Tours
• France Tours

France Tours and Trips 2024/2025

As a country of art, style, and culinary delights, France has consistently been on the list of the most visited countries in the world. People from all around the world visit France in their millions every year. Our French romantic holidays allow you to enjoy all the beauty and charm with your partner. If you prefer exclusive wine tasting, expensive cruises, and a five-star touring experience, then our France luxury tours are for you. For a more affordable holiday, you can check out our France budget tours . And if you want to explore the country at your own pace, our France private tours offer plenty of options. Our France-guided tours are a great option if you want to learn about the history of French cities and landmarks like the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame. No matter how you choose to spend your French vacation, you can be sure that there is a tour available to help you discover the country's unparalleled beauty and candor.

• France Travel Guide
• Things to Do in France
• Best Time to Visit France

+300 Trips in France with 701 Reviews

• Starts Avignon, France
• Ends Chapelle Saint Gabriel, France

In Van Gogh's Footsteps

• Best price guaranteed
• No booking fees
• Tour Type Private Tour
• Activities Walking tours & Trekking and Hiking
• Accommodation Hotel
• Transport Train, Bus & Taxi
• Age Range 18-99 yrs
• Operated in English
• May 01 10+ seats left
• May 02 10+ seats left
• View More Jan 1, 2019 Jan 2, 2019 Jan 3, 2019

• Starts Paris, France
• Ends Paris, France

Jewels of France including Normandy

• Tour Type Group Tour
• Activities City sightseeing & Cultural, religious and historic sites City sightseeing , Cultural, religious and historic sites , Beach , Art and architecture & Farm and plantation visits 'data-more-tripid='21274'>+3 more
• Transport Coach
• Age Range 5-99 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 1,575
• Special Deal (10%): - US$ 158
• Total Price from: US$ 1,417
• May 25 Only 7 seats left
• Sep 21 10+ seats left

• Starts Menton, France
• Ends Menton, France

Walks & Gardens of the French Riviera

• Tour Type Small Group Tour
• Activities Trekking and Hiking
• Accommodation Hotel, Villa & Resort
• Transport Train, Bus & Ferry
• Age Range 16-95 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 2,623
• Special Deal (15%): - US$ 388
• Total Price from: US$ 2,235
• Jun 01 Only 8 seats left
• Jun 15 Only 8 seats left

• Starts Nice, France
• Ends Nice, France

Getaway in the French Riviera

• Free cancellation
• Trip customizable
• Activities Food tours & Countryside and village visits Food tours , Countryside and village visits & City sightseeing 'data-more-tripid='38021'>+1 more
• Transport Private Vehicle & Minibus
• Age Range 1-99 yrs

• Starts Chamonix, France
• Ends Chamonix, France

Mont Blanc Highlights

• Activities Trekking and Hiking & Adventure
• Accommodation Resort
• Transport Train, Private Vehicle & Bus
• Brochure Price: US$ 2,773
• Special Deal (15%): - US$ 418
• Total Price from: US$ 2,355
• May 18 Only 8 seats left
• May 25 Only 8 seats left

The Treasures of France including Normandy

• Activities City sightseeing & Cultural, religious and historic sites City sightseeing , Cultural, religious and historic sites , Wine tasting tours , Beach & Art and architecture 'data-more-tripid='20958'>+3 more
• Brochure Price: US$ 2,933
• Special Deal (11%): - US$ 312
• Total Price from: US$ 2,621
• May 11 Only 8 seats left
• May 18 Only 5 seats left

• Starts Les Bossons, France
• Ends Les Bossons, France

Tour du Mont Blanc Camping Trek

• Activities Trekking and Hiking & Walking tours Trekking and Hiking , Walking tours & Adventure 'data-more-tripid='7930'>+1 more
• Accommodation Camping, Resort, Hotel & Tent
• Transport Bus, Private Vehicle & Train
• Brochure Price: US$ 3,298
• Special Deal (10%): - US$ 328
• Total Price from: US$ 2,970
• Jun 15 Only 4 seats left
• Jun 22 Only 3 seats left

Paris & Normandy Highlights

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Sightseeing Tours Cultural, religious and historic sites , Sightseeing Tours & War sites 'data-more-tripid='6173'>+1 more
• Transport Private Vehicle, Bus & Train
• Age Range 12-95 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 3,399
• Special Deal (15%): - US$ 510
• Total Price from: US$ 2,889
• May 05 Only 7 seats left
• May 12 Only 2 seats left

Short Break in Paris (port-to-port cruise)

• Tour Type Cruise Tour
• Activities Cruise
• Accommodation Ship Cabin
• Transport Cruise Ship & Coach
• Age Range 18-79 yrs
• Jul 14 10+ seats left
• Oct 29 10+ seats left

• Starts Bocognano, France
• Ends Bocognano, France

Mountains & Villages of Corsica

• Accommodation Hotel & Camping
• Transport Train & Bus
• Brochure Price: US$ 1,873
• Special Deal (5%): - US$ 88
• Total Price from: US$ 1,785
• May 19 Only 2 seats left
• May 26 Only 4 seats left

Paris And Versailles

• Activities Explorer
• Accommodation Hotel & Yacht Cabin
• Transport Yacht, Boat, Coach, Private Vehicle & Bus
• Age Range 6-80 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 1,820
• Special Deal (6%): - US$ 109
• Total Price from: US$ 1,711
• May 05 10+ seats left
• May 06 10+ seats left

Extraordinary Paris (port-to-port cruise)

• Dec 04 10+ seats left

Tour du Mont Blanc Hotel Trek

• Activities Trekking and Hiking & Walking tours Trekking and Hiking , Walking tours & Adventure 'data-more-tripid='7935'>+1 more
• Accommodation Hotel, Camping & Resort
• Transport Private Vehicle & Bus
• Brochure Price: US$ 5,173
• Special Deal (10%): - US$ 508
• Total Price from: US$ 4,665
• Jun 22 Only 4 seats left

• Ends Provence, France

Cycle Provence

• Activities Bicycle tours & Adventure
• Transport Bus
• Age Range 14-99 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 2,965
• Special Deal (15%): - US$ 445
• Total Price from: US$ 2,520
• May 25 Only 10 seats left
• Jun 08 Only 8 seats left

Traveling to France? Chat with a local travel specialist in France who can help organize your trip.

France Tour Reviews

France - tour highlights and travel tips.

There are all kinds of markers for your holiday in France. A wine region, a river, an attraction, a cathedral, an outdoor adventure, urban wonders, just about anything could end up being the highlight of your itinerary. With most cities offering a peek into traditional Europe and all places boasting of fascinating natural beauty, it doesn’t get any better either. Irrespective of where your interests lie, a trip to France always includes arts and architecture. After all, some of the most famous museums, ancient Roman temples, renaissance-era wonders, artworks and landmarks can be found in the country. Considering that its star attraction, the Eiffel Tower, attracts more than 7 million visitors each year, you can understand why trips to this country are always memorable.

Travel Highlights

• Take in the view from the top of the Eiffel Tower
• Eat some escargots
• Watch the sunrise from steps in front of the Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre
• Listen to the ringing bells at Notre Dame Cathedral
• Do a wine tasting tour in Burgundy and Bordeaux but areas like Champagne, Rhone Valley and Loire are equally spectacular.
• Try the mouth watering seafood of Britany and Michelin-stars of Provence to the black truffles of Dordogne
• Try the distinct cheeses of Burgundy
• Take a cruise down the Seine
• Visit the floating monastery of Mont Saint-Michel
• Stroll through the gardens of the Palace of Versailles

Travel Tips

• While many French people speak English, they prefer to speak French. The locals really appreciate when tourists make an effort to learn some basic words and phrases.
• Most French cities, including Paris , can be seen entirely by foot. Pack decent walking shoes and save money on public transit.
• The French are very polite and expect good manners. Avoid antisocial behaviour like shouting and chewing gum.
• Unless it’s on your bucket list, skip the Mona Lisa. While the Louvre is well worth a visit (and is free on the first Sunday of each month), this painting can be difficult to see as it is surprisingly small and often surrounded by big crowds snapping photos.
• Beware pickpockets and sneaky tricks to get your money. Don’t allow a street vendor to help you “try on” a bracelet, and do not pick up “gold” rings you find on the ground - these are common tricks.

France has seasonal weather so please do check up on best time to visit France before planning your tour. And if you’re still hunting for more things to do and places to explore in France, do check out our France Travel Guide for more information.

Popular Tour Types in France

• France luxury tours: Splurge on one of our France luxury tours for an unforgettable holiday experience. Stay in a five-star hotel and enjoy the sightseeing as private chauffeurs whisk you around Paris's monuments in style and without having to wait in long lines. Visit ancient villages and walk in the footsteps of great artists like Monet and Van Gogh. While at it, enjoy the best wines from the vineyards of Bordeaux and scrumptious French cuisine.
• France private tours: Visit the Louvre, Palais Royal, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower on our private France tours . Then, visit Carcassonne's archeological museums and enjoy some exclusive wine tasting in Beaune. These tours are designed so that you can experience the magic of France at your own pace.
• France guided tours: Join other tourists from around the world while you discover France's hidden beauty. You will see the magnificent Chateau de Chenonceau and the picturesque Port of Honfleur, as well as soak up some rays on Omaha's landing beaches on our France-guided tours . These trips are the best way to learn about French heritage and culture from an expert guide.
• France budget tours: Our budget-friendly tours are the ideal choice for you if you are on a strict travel budget. On a cheap boat cruise, savor all the romance of Paris. As your tour guide regales you with the history of the landmarks, visit the fabled Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame cathedral. Once there, you can see where some of the most well-known artists in the world find their inspiration. Our budget tours to France unquestionably offer the best value for your money.
• France group tours:  On our group tours to France , you will explore some of the country's most stunning locations with like-minded travelers. Observe the ancient menhir while hiking through Corsica's mountains. Enjoy a day at the Mediterranean's sandy beaches and take in some of the best scenery France has to offer.
• France customized tours:  Our France customized tours allow you to choose the destinations and activities that tickle your fancy. Revel in the charm of Provence, where you can sip fine wine and enjoy mouthwatering French cuisine in a serene environment. Perhaps you are better off hiking the numerous trails in Corsica, where you can enjoy picturesque views of mountains. Whatever you want, our local tour guides can help you arrange it through our customized tours.

Acitivity-based France tours

• Adventure tours: If you are seeking outdoor excitement, our thrill-packed France adventure tours are the perfect option for you. Cycle along as you savor the lavender fragrance in the fields of Provence. Hike the challenging trails in Corsica, conquer the peaks of towering mountains, and take off-the-beaten paths to discover the hidden treasures of Dordogne.
• City sightseeing tours:  Our France city sightseeing tours allow you to do all the touristy activities that make a Paris trip memorable and much more. Enjoy all the highlights in Paris, including the Hall of Mirrors and the world-famous gardens in the majestic palace of Versailles. Then head to Nice and Cannes to marvel at the picturesque scenery and immaculately blue waters. Do not forget to make a stop in Marseille and experience true French culture and cuisine.
• Bicycle tours:  With our selection of France bicycle tours , you can take advantage of one of the world's best cycling destinations. These tours enable you to explore the best of modern France, from the lavender fields of Provence to the historical sites in the Dordogne valleys and villages to the mountain trails in Corsica.
• Cruise tours:  France is blessed with countless water bodies, and a cruise tour to France with top-class cabin accommodations is one of the best ways to explore the country’s highlights. Marvel at the picturesque ports in Seine valley and get awed by the fairytale-like landscape on the Moselle. You will also cruise through Provencal Rhone and the Camargue while stopping to travel in jeeps through the wild Camargue and experience the Avignon and the private apartments of Papal Palace.
• Honeymoon tours:  France is the country of romance for good reasons, and you can rest assured that you will thoroughly enjoy your honeymoon here. Our France honeymoon packages take you to the most romantic destinations in the country, with boat cruises through the romantic Rhine valley, cycling through the lavender fields of Provence, and enjoying fine dining and wine-tasting in the villages of Bordeaux.

Popular durations for France trip

France— Top destinations to visit

• Lose yourself in the beauty of Paris : Paris is known as the city of love, but that is not to say it is for lovers only. Whether you are alone or with a partner, you are guaranteed to enjoy every minute spent exploring the magnificent sounds and sights of this city. Visit the iconic tourist locations like the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Eiffel Tower, then stop at the Louvre Museum to see Leonardo da Vinci's famous Mona Lisa and other priceless French Impressionist pieces. Next, board a quick train from Paris to the Palace of Versailles to admire the splendor of the palace, its luxuriant gardens, bubbling fountains, and the stunning Hall of Mirrors.
• Cycle through the lavender fields in Provence: Provence represents the calm side of France, and the colorful village manages to feel untouched by the hustle and bustle of modern civilization. The lavender fields fill the air with a pleasant fragrance. Its dreamy landscape has inspired numerous famous paintings by renowned artists. A visit to Provence should take you to the medieval town of Saint-Paul-de Vence as well as Gordes, where you will enjoy spending time at resorts and basking in the Mediterranean sun. Also, do not forget to stop at the Palais de Papes in Avignon and the Roman Theater in Orange.
• Taste some delectable wine in Bordeaux: Take a trip to  Bordeaux , where you are treated to grandiose castles, vine-covered hills, blue rivers, and scenic tree-shaded trails. Visitors can enjoy the calm beauty of this city on cycling and group hiking tours. Bordeaux is also famous for being the top-wine producing city in France. Its exclusive wine-tasting experiences and delicious local cuisine are to die for. While there, take some time to stop at Saint-Emilion, a little village around Bordeaux that houses some renowned churches and monasteries.
• Take in the beautiful scenery in Strasbourg:  The elaborate cathedral, picturesque canals, and winding cobblestone streets of Strasbourg draw tourists looking for a getaway from big cities. On the Alsatian wine route, you can indulge in some delicious wine while learning more about the region's renowned culinary specialties. You can also take boat tours through Breisach on the calm waters of Strasbourg, taking in the gothic architecture and picture-perfect scenery along the way. Many visitors also fall in love with the half-timbered houses in the tiny Venice of Colmar. You must also see Eguisheim, arguably France's most stunning village, while touring Strasbourg .
• Walk in the shadow of Mont Blanc in Chamonix :  The magnificent mountain village of Chamonix promises an alpine ambiance, where you will revel in the chance to walk in the shadow of Mont Blanc, Europe’s highest mountain. The hiking routes offer peerless scenery, and there are a variety of small, friendly local hotels that give the feel of a home away from home. If you are feeling adventurous, you can take the cable car ascent to the Montenvers cog railway or Aiguille du Midi. And if the weather permits, there is nothing better than skiing in the pure snow of the Alpine mountains.

Peak season and low season of France

• France in May
• France in June
• France in July
• France in April
• France in October
• France in November

Popular France trip travel guide

If you are planning a trip to France , you will want to know about the best time to visit France as we check out all the available France tours. You may also wish to learn more about the top things to do in France . Once you are sure about some of the activities you wish to experience in France, along with the destinations you want to visit, you may want to consider how many days to stay in France. We generally recommend staying at least 7 days in France , but recommend 10 days in France or more, to get the most out of the trip to France.

Next, we recommend you start thinking about the money you can allocate to the trip to know whether you should be looking for a budget tour, luxury tour, or perhaps or completely customized tour to France . If you are in doubt, check out all our France tours at the top of this page.

France is an amazing country to visit, and there may be other key factors that you wish to consider before traveling there. Please check our " France travel guide " which will give you a lot of relevant information about traveling to France.

Tours in France - Questions and Answers

France is a year-round destination. However, the best time to visit France for most travelers is either from April through to June or from October to November. Highlights across the country see less footfall – and therefore shorter queues – during these periods compared to the high summer season between July and September. Temperatures are also more suitable for exploration and hiking during these months, averaging 16°C to 23°C. The winter season, lasting from December to March, is the coldest and the wettest period of the year, although this is the best time to undertake a skiing trip in the Alps or Pyrenees. Find more information here .

France is not the cheapest of European destinations to visit. A combination of high accommodation costs and an amazing range of attractions means budgets often get stretched. Traveling outside of the summer will give a better value for money. Paris is by far the most expensive city in the country. By comparison, food is relatively cheap in neighborhood cafes and restaurants, so you certainly do not have to go hungry! Expect to spend somewhere in the region of USD 210 per person, per day on both food and accommodation.

Travel insurance is an absolute must and needs to include a medical cover that can otherwise top hundreds of thousands of dollars in case of an accident.

The variety of things to do in France , from city sightseeing to riviera stays and vineyard visits, means that we recommend a vacation lasting at least ten days. This is a good amount of time to crisscross the country and tick off highlights without having to dash from place to place. However, if you can only spend one week in France , it is better to limit your trip to a region such as Normandy in the north or  Alsace on the western bank of the River Rhine. If you have more questions, read our travel guide on how many days to spend in France .

There is a stereotypical view of the French as people who refuse to speak English. However, most people in towns and cities – and particularly the younger generation – speak good levels of English. Despite this, it is always better to start your conversation with a few words in French and allow the other person to switch to English on hearing your accent. A phrasebook of the French language is therefore a useful addition to your packing list, and using it will massively enhance your understanding of the country and its culture.

France has an excellent transport infrastructure. High speed trains dart through a network centred around Paris and reach all destinations of significance within the country and outside, including the United Kingdom and Belgium via the Channel Tunnel. The downside is that you must pre-book tickets, and once seats are sold out there is no way of boarding a service. Driving through French roads is a much more relaxed affair than in other European countries since most drivers are considerate. The exception to this rule is Paris, where traffic jams are notorious and parking is often impossible to find. Destinations like Corisca, on the other hand, can be reached via regular ferries from Marseilles and Toulon.

It is considered very impolite to start speaking to anyone providing a service – such as a hotel receptionist, waiter or a shop assistant – without greeting them first. Bonjour (hello) is sufficient. If you are traveling with a group of people, you should greet each person individually on arriving and before departing. Table manners are particularly important, and you should take your time when eating and drinking. Being overly loud or brash is also a no-no. Drunkenness is not tolerated.

A lunchtime meal at an inexpensive restaurant will cost around USD 16 per person excluding alcohol. House wines can be purchased for just a couple of dollars per glass, while a draught beer can be had for around USD 6 per bottle. A three-course evening meal at a mid-range restaurant will set you back by around USD 28 per person, with prices about a third higher in Paris and around popular spots such as restaurants in the main square of Nice.

In addition to visiting France’s world-famous sites, visitors can take advantage of an excellent range of signposted footpaths to discover the country, be it while going on a cross-country hiking trip through the long-distance GR7 or enjoying a gentle stroll in the French countryside. Another popular activity to indulge in during your stay in France is skiing. Along with popular destinations like Val d'Isère and Chamonix, Perpignan, located close to the Pyrenees, is also a great place to tackle snowy slopes on skis or snowboards. Along with all this, cuisine is also an important aspect of any tours to France. Make sure that you try local dishes – accompanied by the superb wines from nearby vineyards – wherever you visit in the country.

• France budget tours
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Popular Destinations

• Avignon Tours
• Chamonix Tours
• Corsica Tours
• Dordogne Tours
• Mont Blanc Tours
• Paris Tours
• Provence Tours
• Southern France Tours
• Strasbourg Tours
• The Way of St. James Tours

Popular Activities

• Adventure tours
• Art and architecture tours
• Bicycle tours
• City sightseeing tours
• Cruise tours
• Cultural, religious and historic sites tours
• Explorer tours
• Honeymoon tours
• River cruise tours
• Sightseeing Tours
• Trekking and Hiking tours
• Walking tours
• Wine tasting tours

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France Magnifique

About this tour.

From the royal Palace of Versailles to the enchanting streets of Paris, grab a baguette and rendezvous with the best of France. Explore the former royal court and gardens in Versailles. Stroll past the magnificent, colorful flora in Monet’s Garden in Giverny. Delight in a 2-night stay in a stunning, renovated château in the UNESCO World Heritage Loire Valley. Enjoy a visit of the famous Chenonceau Castle. Sip wine during a tour of a winery and its impressive underground caves. Glide along the Seine as you take in the highlights in Paris. Savor the views and rich cuisine during dinner at the Eiffel Tower. Bask in the robust history, culture and romance of these celebrated cities and charming towns.

Your Tour Includes

• 5 Handpicked Accommodations
• 2 Choice on Tour Options

Included Highlights

• Versailles Palace & Gardens
• D-Day Landing Sites

Your Tour at a Glance

10 Breakfasts

Travel Style

Customize your tour.

Optional Excursions

Starting at $180.00

Activity Level

• Level This Tour

For specific details about this tour's activity level and other info to know before you book your trip, click here.

Extension Style

Travel styles, highlights and inclusions.

Must-See Inclusions:

Be mesmerized by the ever-changing colors of Monet’s Garden in Giverny.

• Ponder history at Normandy's Memorial Peace Museum and Omaha Beach Cemetery.

Explore Chenonceau Castle, the Renaissance country residence of the French Royals.

Cultural Experiences:

Visit the private apartments of King Louis the Great in the Royal Palace of Versailles.

• Enjoy 2 nights at your 15th-century castle accommodations at the Château de Beauvois.

Admire famous landmarks while cruising along the River Seine in Paris.

Culinary Inclusions:

Savor local flavors during dinner at a traditional French restaurant.

Delight in a tour and tasting at a local winery.

Enjoy an exclusive dinner at the Eiffel Tower, featuring delicious cuisine and breathtaking views.

• Omaha Beach
• American Cemetery
• Le Mont St. Michel
• Loire Valley
• Winery Tour
• 2-Night Château Stay
• Chenonceau Castle
• Choice on Tour: Paris City Tour by Bus or Montmartre by Metro Walking Tour
• Seine River Cruise
• Eiffel Tower Dinner

Book with Confidence

* With Insurance Purchased

• *No Hassle Refunds
• Traveling Well Safety
• No booking fee, *no change fees
• Top Rated Travel Protection

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Getting Prepared

Know before you go, travel tips, enhance your tour, upgrade your room.

Hotel Upgrade

• Choice On Tour

Pre and Post Night Stay

Unique Experience

Cultural Experiences

Room Upgrade

Hotel-hotel oceania.

Choose to upgrade your room at the Hotel Oceania in Saint Malo, France to a Deluxe Sea View room for two nights of the tour. From your hotel room balcony, you’ll be able to look out over the rolling waves of the Saint Malo beach, set right on the English Channel.

*Total for all passengers

Enhance Your Trip

• Tour Extensions

Hotel-Le Louis Versailles Chateau McGallery

Hotel-Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile

Join us for a spectacular evening in one of Paris’s most beloved institutions, the famous Paradis Latin. Situated in a building associated with Napoleon and rebuilt by Gustav Eiffel himself, the Paradis has been running here since 1889. Enjoy a sumptuous dinner with wine, then bring on the champagne and let the show commence!

Ponder history at Normandy's Memorial Peace Museum and Omaha Beach Cemetery.

Enjoy 2 nights at your 15th-century castle accommodations at the Château de Beauvois.

Accommodations

Arrive earlier.

Pre Night: Le Louis Versailles Chateau - MGallery From $175 per night

Le Louis Versailles Chateau - MGallery

Le best western hotel moderne, hotel oceania, chateau de beauvois, hyatt regency paris etoile.

Nights 9-10

Stay Longer

Post Night: Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile From $200 per night

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France Tours & Travel Packages 2024/2025

Our 1,415 most popular france trips. compare tour itineraries from 195 tour companies. 2,376 reviews. 4.6/5 avg rating., popular france tours.

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France Bike & River Cruise: Lyon to Nice

• Admire the magnificent vistas of France’s most renowned wine regions by river and by bicycle.
• Enjoy the best of both worlds: an all-inclusive river ship cruise and VBT Bicycling Vacation.
• Ride among the lush, fertile vineyards of Burgundy and Provence, pausing at your leisure for wine tastings and tours.
• Learn the history of the magnificent Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct and UNESCO World Heritage site’s museum, and savor a delicious picnic lunch.
• Walk the cobbled and historic streets of Lyon and Avignon as a local guide brings them alive with history and lore.

Walks & Gardens of the French Riviera

• Stay in the heart of the Côte d’Azur
• Enjoy coastal paths and mountain trails
• Discover beautiful gardens and picturesque mountain villages

Paris to Rome: Picnics & Pizza

• Explore historic cities and their galleries and museums
• Sample regional flavours
• Visit three countries in seven days
• Take in the scenery from the swiss alps

France: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Les Baux & Avignon

• Delve into the imagination of artist Vincent van Gogh on a private guided tour.
• Roll through pastoral landscapes of olive groves, vineyards, farms, and villages, set against the lofty Alpilles.
• Stride across the Pont du Gard, the magnificent, UNESCO-cited Roman aqueduct.
• Join a local guide on a tour of Avignon, the “City of the Popes.”

Dordogne Valleys and Villages Cycling

• Discover dramatic scenery
• Visit historic, prehistoric and UNESCO sites
• Stay in excellent hotels with pools

Cycling on the wine roads of Provence

• The wine-making villages of Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Châteauneuf du Pape
• Cycling along country roads surrounded by vineyards at the foot of the Mont Ventoux
• The perched villages of Venasque and Crillon le Brave
• 1 dinner included
• 1 half day wine tour in Chateauneuf du pape with a wine specialist

All France , expedition cruises, self guided adventures and vacation packages. Find the best guided and expert planned vacation and holiday packages. Read more about France

Small Group France Tours

Discover Europe by Rail

• Paris exploration
• See the eiffel tower
• Visit montmartre & climb the dome at the sacre coeur
• Visit amsterdam’s red light district & bar crawl
• Underground amsterdam tour

Cycling in France - Canals and Castles of the Midi

• Cycling adventure along France's historic Canal du Midi and the picturesque countryside
• Explore Toulouse, Narbonne, Carcassonne's walled fortress
• Visit vibrant local markets, and try delectable French cuisine along the way

France Family Journey: From Paris to Normandy and Beyond

• Experience the magic of medieval cities
• Delight in a visit to a sustainable cider farm with an included tasting
• Learn about the history of world war ii and d-day
• Explore the château de chenonceau and its winding hedge maze

Tour du Mont Blanc Hotel Trek

• Stay in a variety of small, friendly hotels and pensions
• Walk in the shadow of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in western Europe
• Enjoy the spectacular scenery of this world-famous route
• Three rest days to explore the alpine towns of Courmayeur, Les Contamines and Chamonix.

Hike the Tour du Mont Blanc

• The Tour du Mont Blanc is undoubtedly on of Europe’s most iconic and beautiful long-distance treks. Enjoy a week of hiking to the backdrop of snow-capped peaks, lakes, glaciers and mountain pastures.
• Comfortable and clean hotels & lodges are included each night, offering hearty meals and truly magnificent views of the surrounding mountains.
• Take a load off – literally! Your luggage will be transferred between your accommodation each day, meaning you’ll only have to carry a day pack, and your luggage will be waiting at your hotel.
• Filling breakfasts, picnic lunches and hearty dinners are included on each walking day – fuelling up for your explorations couldn’t be easier (or more delicious!).
• With an experienced and highly qualified International Mountain Leader by your side every step of the way, you can rest assured that you’re in safe hands.

Best France Tours by Duration

Tours, Cruises & Private Trips

Best France Tours by Price

Top France Attractions & Experiences

Top France Experiences

• Enjoying a glass of wine on a Rhone River cruise while watching the French countryside glide by
• Swimming in the Riviera
• Trekking through the Pyrenees to the Spanish border for incredible mountain views  
• Visiting the beaches of Normandy , stormed by Allied troops in World War II 
• Biking through Bordeaux or Burgundy and stopping to taste the vintages at a centuries old winery
• Exploring the quaint region of Provence

France Tours & Travel Guide

France Attractions & Landmarks Guide

France is one of the most visited countries in the world. And that’s no surprise -- when you have Paris, the Riviera, Provence, Burgundy, the Loire Valley, Normandy, the Pyrenees, the Seine, the Rhone, and some of the world’s best food and wine, you’re going to draw crowds. Whether you tour France by river cruise, culinary tour, or bike tour you’re sure to agree: Viva La France!

A  tour of Paris , of course, is on most everyone’s France tour itinerary, with sights like the Louvre (so huge it could easily take a month to cover beyond the Mona Lisa), Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, the Latin Quarter, the Marais, and the Seine with its Bateaux Mouches boats and dozens of bridges offering a walkway or river ride through the center of it all. 

Popular France River Cruises

Cruise travel continues to be on the rise for all budgets and one of the top trends is river cruising, particularly for baby boomers. Seniors, and even millennials are also stepping aboard in larger numbers but no matter the budget, a big attraction of river cruising is its intimacy.

Ocean liners can tower in size and accommodate thousands of passengers. River cruise ships on the other hand are designed to navigate narrow waterways, locks and low bridges which gives passengers a quite different experience. You can delight in exploring from the decks of a sleek ship joined by only about 100-150 other passengers.

If you are thinking of exploring France by river , it’s helpful to know the regions and cities of France that can be accessed by a river cruise vessel. This will help you decide the best French river cruise for you.

There are four major rivers in France with the Seine , Rhone and Garonne/Dordogne rivers being the most popular for river cruises. The Loire is the longest river and starts high in the southeastern mountains. It flows north, then west into the Atlantic. 

Seine - sourced from the mountains of southeastern France and flows to the northwest. From the capital city of light and love to the World War II beachheads including Omaha Beach, Paris to Normandy is a popular Seine river cruise , with some tour operators including excursions to London. River cruising in Northern France may also take you along the Seine’s eastern tributary, the Marne, where you can savor brie from a master cheesemaker in the heart of the Brie region. 

Rhone - sourced from the Alps of Switzerland , directly east of France. The Rhone “kisses” its northern tributary, the Saone , at the city of Lyon, the second largest urban area of France, a part of which is a registered UNESCO World Heritage site. There are both Northbound and Southbound Rhone river cruises ; a southbound cruise will take you straight south through the Rhone Valley, known for the intensely fragrant lavender fields of Provence, olive groves that produce some of the highest quality olive oil on earth and of course, the vineyards. Most notable is the Burgundy region, one of the classic French wine regions. The river meets the Mediterranean Sea near Marseilles, northwest of the French Riviera. Marseilles is the largest port and second largest city in France. 

The Rhine river , from its source in Switzerland, makes its way north not only through France but also, Germany, Austria , Liechtenstein and the Netherlands . Rhine and Rhone river cruises allow you to see the sites of France, Germany and beyond. Use Stride’s search tools to help you zero in on the trip that speaks to you!

Garonne/Dordogne rivers and Gironde estuary - sourced from the Spanish pyrenees that lie on the border between Spain and France, a Garonne river cruise will take you north into France then west towards Bordeaux, yet another famed wine region and Unesco World Heritage site. Bordeaux is second to Paris for its plethora of preserved historic buildings. Just after Bordeaux, the Garonne flows into the Dordogne river, forming the Gironde estuary before it empties into the Atlantic. France river cruises in this region are newer to the European river cruise offerings and perhaps not yet as popular as cruising the Seine and Rhone. Some focus only on the city of Bordeaux and the surrounding communes of Cadillac, Pauillac and Libourne while others include regions beyond.  

Top Regions in France

The extraordinary diversity of mainland France can be better appreciated with some knowledge of its geography, all of it packed into an area just under the size of two states of Colorado.

France is bordered not only by the Atlantic on its western coast but also the Ligurian and Meditteranean Seas on its southeastern coast. It boasts eight mountain ranges. The Alps and Pyrennes are the most impressive in size with Mont Blanc in the Alps rising over 15,000 feet above sea level, the 11th highest in the world. 

France has a number of overseas departments and regions, most of which are relics from its colonial empire but the mainland and Meditteranean island of Corsica are divided into 13 regions, each with its own wonder.

Use Stride’s filter features to choose everything from traveler’s age preference to travel theme. Below are the regions and their highlights, listed by cardinal direction which will help you to more easily visualize and book your French tour . 

1. Northern France 

Normandy - Just east of Paris. Discover the historic D-Day landing beaches and the majestic cliffs of the Alabaster Coast that inspired so many of the French Impressionist painters. See the water lily ponds of Claude Monet’s famous painting come to life in the village of Giverny, where he lived from 1833 to 1926. You can also visit the gardens on his property. There are over a thousand sites and attractions listed on the Normandy tourism site, making it one of the top regions to visit in France. Normandy Tours  »

Ile de France - The city of Paris makes this another top region in France. Be awestruck by the Eiffel tower and encaptivated by the art at the world’s largest art museum, the Louvre. Less than 20 miles from Paris, visit the Chateau Versailles, Disneyland and Euro Disney.  Paris tours with or without other stops in France and beyond will help you get started. 

Hauts de France - The Opal coast, so named for its opalescent light sits on the English channel. Visit the floating gardens and gothic cathedral of Amiens or Lille, the old capital of the Flemish region. 

2. Southern France

Provence-Alpes-Cote d’ Azur - One of the top regions in France for tourists whether for the beaches and resorts of the French Riviera, including Monaco, Nice and Cannes, the lavender fields of Provence or the gothic and renaissance buildings of Avignon.

For outdoors enthusiasts, Calanques National Park is a top destination in Southern France, greeting visitors with inlets of turquoise waters bordered by steep walls of rock.  

Corsica - The French military leader and emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, came from Corsica. The island is located about 145miles from the southern coast. Many of the tours to Corsica include hiking. 

Occitanie - Explore Toulouse, the pink city, known for the variety of bricks used in its buildings. In Nimes you’ll find the best preserved Roman amphitheater in the world and in Cathar County, the fortified city of Carcassonne  with its imposing wall further fortified by 52 towers. 

3. Central France

Centre-Val-De-Loire - A top region of France known for its vineyards and chateaux (castles), homes to French kings of the Renaissance. The area is seen by many, many tourists from their bikes.  

Loire Valley Tours

4. Eastern France

Grand Est - Includes the regions of Alsace-Champagne-Ardennes-Lorainne. Tours to Alsace often take you to the bordering countries of Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium and Switzerland .

You may have guessed that visits to the tasting cellars of the champagne vineyards will be on your itinerary and perhaps the Route des Vins - the Alsace wine road. In its capital, Strasbourg, you’ll find the oldest Christmas market in Europe and for those inclined to military history, the Grand Est has plenty to tell from both World Wars. There are also several forests and parks to explore. 

Auvergne-Rhone Alpes - Glide down the slopes of world class ski resorts like Chamonix and Val D’Isere. See Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe and aptly called the “roof of Europe.” Auvergne, one of the largest protected natural reserves in Europe has more than 100 hot springs and nearly as many volcanoes.

Activities for both the summer or winter visitor may leave you with a shortage of energy but easily replenished by a visit to the spa and then perhaps some sustenance in the form of cheese, both of which the area is also known for. Tours to the French Alps  »

Bourgogne-Franche Comté - A top region in France known for its Burgundy vineyards, river tourism, medieval and renaissance castles. Dijon, one of the best preserved town centres in France is in the Burgundy region.

In France Comte which borders Switzerland the Jura Mountains and Vosges massif create a beautiful landscape varying in elevation and filled with lakes and forests. And if you haven’t tried Comte cheese, now’s the time. It’s one of the most highly produced in France. Tours to Burgundy  »

5. Western France

Bretagne -  Brittany is known for its Celtic history among other things. The Bretons, who speak Breton, not French, are a Celtic ethnic group native to the area. The names given to different areas of the coast speak to its diversity: Jade, Emerald, Wild and Pink Granite. A land of myths, legends, moorland and medieval towns. Tours to Brittany often include Paris, Normandy and the Loire Valley.

Pays de la Loire - South of Brittany is the western Loire. It, too, has its castles and vineyards although not as well known as the central Loire valley. You’ll find more of the dramatic Atlantic coastline, a masterpiece of religious architecture and the largest monastic site in Europe: the Abbey of Fontevraud. The second most visited theme park in France after Disneyland Paris is also in the western Loire, Puy Du Fou. 

Nouvelle Aquitaine - Located south of Pays de la Loire, Nouvelle Aquitaine was the first spa region in France. Dax is the most well known - since Roman times - but is just one of a whopping 30 spa towns. Not a spa-goer? Stay and enjoy fine sandy beaches and Bordeaux wine paired with food from one of the many Michelin starred restaurants. 

Food & Wine in France

France is not only the birthplace of the Michelin hotel and restaurant reference guide, now more than a century old, but its cuisine of “intangible cultural heritage” was designated a UNESCO cultural object in 2010. Accordingly, French cuisine - including its cheese and wine - is a source of great national pride. Indeed, the French way of life is inseparable from its gastronomy.

The Michelin guide publishes annual guides for hotels and restaurants in many countries these days but in France when the guide is published each year it sparks such a media frenzy that it has been compared to that of the Academy Awards. The loss or gain of a star can have significant consequences and as such, a chef can fall or rise from his or her celebrity level status in just one day. 

Quiche, bouillabaisse, cassoulets, souffles, coq a vin, crepes and creme brulee are some of the traditional French foods with which you are probably familiar. Generally known for its heavy sauces, meat-centric dishes and decadent desserts, one of the secrets to staying relatively trim is that the French eat for pleasure - and they don’t eat that way every day.

Whether over lingering lunches, 3 hour dinners or even longer sojourns to the cafe they’ve generally walked to, travel writer and author Rick Steves claims that the French have a legislated 35 hour work week and a self imposed 36 hour eat week. 

The physical diversity of France lends itself to a tremendously diverse production of cheese. There are 41 traditional regional cheeses designated AOP or “ Appellation d'Origine Protégée” meaning that they cannot be produced, processed or developed outside of the region from which they came due to the recognized expertise and terroir.

The designation protects against fraud and is a guarantee of quality. Other varieties number up to 400 by some estimates, although with sub varieties included, the number jumps to 1000. Cheese maps show the unique varieties produced in each region. But alas, what is food in France without its wine? Top culinary and wine tours in France  »

France disputes the title of largest producer with Italy and Spain but if ranked by area planted in vines, did you know that title belongs to China, then Spain? There are over 400 AOPs (AOPs replace the earlier AOC designations). Other classification systems are not as strict as those of the AOP; for example, IGPs (Indication Géographique Protégée). 

Rather than get lost in the complexity of the classification system, just start tasting! Generally, you’ll find lighter wines in the north and fuller bodied wines in the south where it is sunnier.

Below are the top wine regions in France and their main varietals, in order of highest to lowest acreage of vines. “ Sante!” ( To Your Health) 

Languedoc-Roussillon Main Varietals: White Wines: Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne Red Wines: Grenache, Syrah, Carignane, Cinsaut Bordeaux Main Varietals: White Wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Muscadelle Red Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec

Rhône Valley Main Varietals: White Wines: Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier Red Wines: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre

Loire ValleyMain Varietals: White Wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Melon de Bourgogne Red Wines: Cabernet Franc, Cot (Malbec) Burgundy Main Varietals: White Wines: Chardonnay Red Wines: Pinot Noir, Gamay (in Beaujolais) Champagne Main Varietals: White Wines: Chardonnay Red Wines: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier Alsace Main Varietals: White Wines: Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc Red Wines: Pinot Noir

Cycling Tour Packages in France

There’s something about using your legs to propel you over terrain, especially terrain as beautiful as that of France. Cycling tours in France range from easy to extreme with the majority of them being moderate.

On the extreme end, hop in your saddle to tackle easier climbs at the start of your Pyrenees trip but find your legs pumping hard over Col du Tourmaletm,  one of the most popular mountain passes in the Tour de France at just under 7,000’.

But have no fear, there are more moderate Cols to climb on Tour de France cycling tours or for an easier ride, cycle the backroads of Provence . For moderate riding, cycle the Loire Valley and there’s even a number of self-guided cycling tours in France .

The Riviera and Provence

A visit to France may include a  tour along the Mediterranean Sea . The glamorous and sometimes ostentatious French Riviera beach resorts include Cannes (site of the film festival), Nice (the largest city), Cap Ferrat, and St. Tropez.

The Riviera is just part of sunny Provence in southeastern France, which is tucked between the Rhone River , Italy , the Alps and the Mediterranean. It’s a land where sea air, mountain gorges, vineyards, medieval villages, Roman ruins, olive groves and lavender fields combine to create a sensuous medley of sights, scents and tastes.

The light in Provence is so striking that painters such as Van Gogh, Cezanne, Matisse, and Picasso were all drawn here, immortalizing the landscapes, architecture, and people.

Provence is home as well to France’s second largest city and major port, Marseilles, which displays North African influences and is known for bouillabaisse, the local fish stew. All this has helped make Provence France’s number one tourist destination beyond Paris.

France Reviews & Ratings

This was another delightful walking trip with a good group. The leader Jessica was born locally and is passionate about the history of her region, so that we now ...

Walking French riverra

Excellent guide, Sandrine. Exodus must retain her!! Routes, excellent variety, interest and length. Good hotel. Below average breakfast. I had a very good room, b...

Walking the French Riviera

Stunning scenery. Walks a little slow as we stopped a lot to look at the flora but sufficiently challenging. Views and visiting Eze which was optional at lunch stop...

Walking The French Riviera 2017

Perfect break away - good capable leader - perfect hotel and wonderful location in Menton. We had a good week and walked to some super places. We enjoyed great ...

Wonderful hiking trip, great guide Stephanie

The trip was great, really nice group of people ands very knowledgable guide with a great sense of humour. The location was beautiful and the hikes very satisfyi...

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Our French River cruises and land-based France tours transport you to a European destination that lives life to the fullest with the cultural panache that defines all things Français... explore colorful Provence, the Loire Valley, ancient abbeys, cobblestoned villages, Bordeaux, Côte du Rhône wine regions, Paris and more.

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Welcome to France

Magnifique... a word that sums up the many cultural delights and panache of France... exploring Paris, the "City of Light" in the evening when it truly comes to life... the poignant memorials at Omaha Beach... a traditional picnic lunch in Gordes, dining as the locals do...and an infusion of ancient abbeys, Loire chateaux, and cobblestone villages that nourish your soul.

Land journeys, from parisian bistros and provençal farms to normandy beaches and loire valley châteaux, treasures await along the yellow roads in france..

Sip wines at private French vineyards with vintners who share secrets of the terroir... try locally produced cider and Calvados on Normandy farms... toast life in Paris, where brasseries, cathedrals and art-filled museums nourish your soul... and so much more. Join us in France on land journeys along the Yellow Roads to Paris, Provence, Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley.

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The rivers of France evoke a sense of place around every bend... join us along the Rhône, the Saône and the Seine...

The River Seine bridges images of life past and present in the iconic Parisian sites that line its banks; as it meanders from city to coast, it impresses with scenery immortalized by Monet, van Gogh and their contemporaries. Inland from the Saône in the north all the way south to Provence, the Rhône drinks in timeless landscapes ripe with secrets of the terroir. This and more awaits aboard Tauck's river cruises along the Rhône, Saône and Seine rivers in France.

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A quarter-century later, our first small ship cruise still sails the Mediterranean to or from the French Riviera...

Beginning or ending in Nice, our "Treasures of the Mediterranean" – Tauck's very first small ship cruise, still sailing a quarter-century later – takes you to explore Provence, Monte-Carlo, Elba, Corsica, Italy's Amalfi Coast, Sicily and Malta.

Tauck Bridges Family Travel

From scavenger hunts in the louvre to a bicycle tour of versailles's gardens, family fun awaits in france....

Stroll into a painting by Claude Monet at Giverny... get hands-on experience with World War II equipment on Normandy's D-Day beaches... walk along the Pont du Gard... meet French cowboys on a ranch in la Camargue, where you'll dig into an authentic Provençal meal... and so much more on our Tauck Bridges trips and river cruises in France – including "Castles & Kings: London to Paris;" "Bon Voyage! France Family River Cruise;" and "Family Fun Along the Seine: Paris to Normandy."

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A Cultural Exploration of France

From Paris, the most romantic city in the world to the importance of gastronomy and fine wine, the delights of France are experienced on many levels, whether it be by land journey, river cruise or small ship.  In Provence... Lyon... Normandy... and along the Seine as you drink in the history, culture, architecture and much more.

Normandy, brittany, paris & the loire valley, savoring france: paris, lyon & provence, cruising the seine, plus paris & london, traveling with tauck, never settle for ordinary.

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The best of France unlocked for you

Experience France differently. Enjoy one-of-a-kind experiences and uncover local secrets when our friends across the country open their doors to you. Here’s just a sample of the rich experiences you can expect.

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"I like to take my guests behind the curtains of my country, sharing family stories from what my Grand Dad recalled of Dunkirk, my Parents of 1968 students uprising to what my children experience at school today. It's a bit like inviting my group to the sunday family lunch table, and of course, there will also be some food recipe talking, because it is in our blood!"

Chantal, Travel Director

Visit the wine capital of Bordeaux

While the city of Bordeaux offers a high-class collection of wines, it is also well-known for its decadent food. We visit local restaurants that highlight Bordeaux’s fresh local produce, from wild oysters and mushrooms to juicy raspberries and freshly plucked figs. Absorb the best of Bordeaux with a wine-tasting tour and a visit to the gothic Cathédrale St-André.

Be amazed by Mont St. Michel on the Normandy coast

Early in the 8th century, a soaring church was built on the island of Mont St. Michel found along France’s Normandy Coast. With monasteries and fortifications added during medieval times, Mont St. Michel is a highlight of our tour to France.

Enjoy Moulin Rouge Cabaret show in Paris

Founded in 1889, Moulin Rouge is known as the birthplace of modern can-can dancing. Easily recognizable by the red windmill that adorns its roof, you will uncover the layers of romance and bohemia in the city of Paris during a night out at Moulin Rouge.

Visit France’s famous perfume house, Fragonard Parfumerie

The perfume house of Fragonard Parfumerie is located in Grasse, a striking town on the French Riviera applauded as the perfume capital of the world. Take a free guided tour of the facilities, learn about perfume production and purchase enchanting fragrances to take home and cherish long after your tour to France.

Visit the magnificent Palace of Versailles

Once the main home of King Louis XIV, the Palace of Versailles is a celebration of lavish French design. With its manicured gardens taking forty years to complete and a grand hall offering 357 mirrors to take in, you could spend a whole day revelling in this important piece of French royal history.

Our top 5 things to do in France

From a lavish French palace to the rolling grape vines of Bordeaux. Trafalgar ticks off all the best things to do in France, allowing time to immerse in the decadence of this incredible country.

Many visitors travel to the Louvre to glimpse the alluring Mona Lisa. But Leonardo Da Vinci’s artwork is just one page in the story of this opulent museum. Here you will uncover many precious artefacts, including the classical Greek statue Venus de Milo, Egyptian mummies and paintings from King Louis XIV’s personal collection.

Musée d'Orsay

Built inside a railway station as glamourous as a palace, Musée d'Orsay inspires awe with its enchanting art collection. Admire impressionist art, modern sculptures, furniture and photography spread across four levels. Finish with a rest by the enormous clock windows, taking in the views of the Paris streets below.

Centre Pompidou

Constructed to resemble a building turned inside out, this museum's exterior is as experimental as the art it houses. Soak up performances by entertainers in the building’s front piazza before discovering a panoramic view of Parisian landmarks from the top floor. You’ll want to savour every moment of our visit to Centre Pompidou.

Best museums in France

As the birthplace of some of the world’s most famous artists, it isn’t surprising that France has an impressive list of museums to uncover. From the Mona Lisa to the Musée d'Orsay, our trips soak up the authentic artistic culture of France.

Baked Camembert

First made in France, camembert is a creamy cheese with a rind exterior produced from cow’s milk. The unique baking process creates a cheese that is best appreciated with fresh, crusty bread. A perfect accompaniment to a good bottle of French red wine.

One of France’s most famous recipes, Coq au Vin features wine-braised chicken served alongside ingredients like mushrooms and bacon. Across the country you will try many regional versions of this comforting dish, which translates fittingly to “rooster/cock with wine”.

French cuisine celebrates both savory and sweet ingredients, not just in the form of croissants. Find true street-food joy in the popular dessert of crêpes, with strawberries, Nutella, bananas and lemon curd just some of the toppings loved by locals and travelers alike. Or, try the national specialty crêpes Suzette with orange zest and caramelised butter.

Best food in France

Food is an integral part of French culture, with leisurely two-hour lunch breaks considered a normal part of everyday life. With Trafalgar, you'll sample the country’s culinary highlights for a deeper understanding of how life and food connect here.

What to pack for France

Comfortable shoes

While France is one of the fashion capitals of the world, style comes secondary to comfort when choosing shoes for your visit. With days of exploring paired with cobblestone streets, practical walking shoes will trump elegant high-heeled styles.

French/English phrasebook

The French take great pride in their language. Pack a French phrasebook and you will find yourself connecting better with local culture, even if you start with a few broken words before swapping to English.

Weather-appropriate clothing

Packing items like a waterproof jacket, umbrella and scarf will see you prepared for unexpected weather changes. With many micro-climates found across the country of France, geographic temperature changes are a certainty.

Mini binoculars

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Travel tips for france trips.

While it's a relatively temperate country, France's weather ranges significantly from region to region. Many consider the best times to travel to France to be spring and fall, when temperatures are more moderate. In Paris for example, spring and fall temperatures are in the 50s, 60s, and 70s F, perfect for walking around sites like the Tuileries, Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, and Versailles. The comfortable weather paired with smaller crowds, more relaxed locals, and seasonal festivals and flavors make these in-between seasons particularly lovely times for a trip to France.

In the warmer summer months, parks, picnics, farmers markets, and outdoor festivals are especially lively. In winter, the weather gets colder and wetter (though there's not much snow in major cities like Paris), but there's still lots to do! You'll find festive holiday decorations, great museums, and more.

France is a diverse country, from the historic beaches in Normandy and Brittany on the northern coast, to the foodie-favored wine regions of Champagne and Burgundy, to the lavish châteaux of the Loire Valley. Plus, as you travel east, the influence of Switzerland and Germany can be felt in the food, architecture, and history in Alsace.

When picking which of our France guided tours is right for you, let your interests help drive your destination selection.

• Want to experience art, romance, and culture? Paris should be on your itinerary, so you can take in the icons like Notre-Dame, the Eiffel Tower, Luxembourg Gardens, and more.
• If you’re a foodie who counts food and wine as a top traveling priority, check out our guided tours that visit Burgundy, Lyon, or Bordeaux.
• History buffs, your must-visits include Normandy and Paris.
• For those who love to be outdoors soaking in the scenery, be sure to check out Provence in the south, where medieval towns and artistic cities are sandwiched between the mountains of the Alps and the sea breeze of the Mediterranean.

In France, eating is an art form. Meals are meant to savored—shared among friends, enjoyed with local wines, and made up of fresh, seasonal ingredients. While the cuisine ranges throughout the country, you’ll always find a focus on local, in-season ingredients. Here are a couple of things to know when sitting down for a meal during your trip to France.

• Breakfast, called le petit déjeuner, is generally light, like a croissant or bread with jam and coffee.
• Lunch, or le déjeuner, was traditionally a two-hour, several-course affair where people took time to relax and unwind with friends. In today’s society, something quicker and more casual—like soup, salad, or sandwiches at a cafe—is very commonplace.
• Dinner, or le diner, is served around eight or later and can be made up of several courses. Typically, it starts with the appetizer, or l ’entrée , followed by the main course, or l e plat principal , followed by a cheese course and dessert. And remember, be sure to ask for your check when you're done—it's considered rude for wait staff to bring it to your table unrequested. Bon appétit!

The French are famous for their style, so deciding what to pack for a trip to France requires some consideration. Our escorted tours to France incorporate a fair amount of walking as local guides take you around their hometowns, so comfortable walking shoes are a must.

For the building blocks of your France vacation wardrobe, pack easy-to-layer pieces that can be mixed and matched in various ways—neutrals or a cohesive color palette helps a lot! Add in a versatile scarf—perfect for staying warm on flights and afternoon walks, as well as adding a pop of color to simple outfits. Beyond that, we’d recommend your camera, a notebook to jot down any fun facts or book recommendations your Tour Director might share, and a sense of adventure. Once you book one of our France guided tours, you can find a packing list for that specific trip in our easy Tour Companion App.

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What To Do in Tours, France (Guide + Map)

• December 26, 2023

Located just an hour away by train from Paris, Tours is often used as a base for visiting the chateaux of Loire Valley. It is one of the largest cities in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France, well connected by public transport to the most famous castles in the area. Indeed, from here, you can easily reach the historic palaces of Chenonceau, Chambord, Blois and Amboise.

Once the capital of France, today Tours is a lively city boasting a beautiful historic centre with half-timbered houses and gourmet bistros. A perfect stop on your way through the Loire Valley!

What to do in Tours, France in one day

Thanks to its central location and excellent public transport connections to the nearby towns, Tours is a great base to discover the chateaux of Loire. This is one of the main cities I’d recommend you to base yourself in, especially if you’re travelling by train.

Besides being an excellent base for touring the historic chateaux, Tours itself is worth at least half a day of exploring. Take a walk along the narrow cobbled streets while admiring the half-timbered houses, the impressive Saint-Gatien Cathedral and the Renaissance Hotel Gouïn.

Follow my itinerary to discover the best things to do in Tours, France for one day. You’ll also find what are the most famous chateaux to visit near the city and some restaurant recommendations.

At the end of the blog post, you can find a map of this itinerary (with all attractions and restaurants’ websites).

What to do in Tours in one day

Breakfast at l’atelier du talemelier.

• Visit Basilique Saint-Martin de Tours

Tour de l’Horloge and Tour de Charlemagne

• Have a cup of coffee at Place Plumereau
• Admire Hôtel Goüin

Lunch at Les Gens Heureux

• Visit Saint-Gatien Cathedral

Hôtel de Ville de Tours

• Admire the art at Musée des Beaux-Arts
• Take a walk in the Botanical Garden
• Visit the quirky Musée de Compagnonnage

09:00 AM – 10:00 AM Start your one day in Tours with breakfast at L’Atelier du Talemelier or Kat’s Coffee . L’Atelier du Talemelier is a great bakery which offers quality pastries and sandwiches. However, if you prefer to enjoy some delicious cakes with your coffee, head to Kat’s Coffee.

Basilique Saint-Martin de Tours

10:00 AM – 10:25 AM Basilique Saint-Martin de Tours (Basilica of St. Martin) is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, the third bishop of Tours. It was built over the traditional burial site of the saint in the 5th century AD. During the centuries, the small basilica was replaced several times with larger structures.

The basilica in a Neo-byzantine style that you see today dates from the 19th century. However, you can still see some of the remains of the older Romanesque edifice – the western clock tower and Tour de Charlemagne (Charlemagne Tower). They are located just a few steps away from the current church.

Inside the crypt, you’ll find the tomb of Saint Martin.

10:30 AM – 10:45 AM Tour de l’Horloge (Clock Tower) and Tour de Charlemagne are the only remnants of the impressive structure of the 11th-century Romanesque Basilica of Saint Martin.

Tour de Charlemagne was built on the site of the tomb of Luitgard, the last wife of Charlemagne. The king was so greatly affected by her death in 800, that he decided that Luitgard would be buried in the Basilica of Saint Martin. In the 19th century, the Charlemagne Tower was converted into a water tower.

Although, it’s not possible to visit the towers, take a few moments and admire their structure. Just imagine the grandeur of the 11th-century Romanesque basilica, of which these towers were part!

Place Plumereau

10:50 AM – 11:05 AM Place Plumereau is the heart of the historic centre of Tours. It is a lively square with bars and restaurants, framed by charming 15th-century half-timbered houses. A popular place to sit and watch the world go by!

The square is named in honour of Charles Plumereau, a municipal councillor of Tours, who bequeathed 3000 francs to the city.

Hôtel Goüin

11:15 AM – 11:30 AM This Renaissance palace served as a private mansion of a family of silk merchants in the 15th century. The façade with its beautiful arches is a real masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance. So don’t miss to take a quick look and admire the exterior!

Hôtel Goüin is named after a family of Breton bankers who purchased the building in 1738. And don’t be fooled by the word hotel, this is not an actual hotel, but a museum for temporary art exhibitions.

12:00 PM – 02:00 PM For lunch head to Les Gens Heureux . This typical French restaurant offers a small selection of interesting dishes with a unique combination of flavours.

Saint-Gatien Cathedral

02:00 PM – 02:30 PM Tours Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Gatien) is dedicated to the first bishop of Tours – Saint Gatianus. Built between 1170 and 1547, it reflects the development of the Gothic style of architecture. Some of the cathedral’s highlights include the spectacular 13th-14th century stained glass windows and an Italian-style organ.

The cathedral houses the tombs of the children of Anne de Bretagne and Charles VII. Also, you’ll find a chapel dedicated to Joan of Arc. She had met with Charles VII here in Tours, an important meeting which became a turning point in the Hundred Years’ War.

02:45 PM – 03:00 PM The last stop of this Tours itinerary is the town hall, Hôtel de Ville de Tours. Take your time and enjoy its magnificent Renaissance Revival façade.

The town hall was built between 1896 and 1904 by the famous architect Victor Laloux. It is the same architect who designed the Orsay museum in Paris!

Dinner at La Maison des Halles

Finish your one day in Tours with dinner at La Maison des Halles . The wine list here is great and the menu is excellent (don’t miss the desserts – the best I’ve had during a week in France).

More ideas for your one day in Tours, France

Museum of fine arts.

The Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des Beaux-Arts) is housed in the former bishop’s palace. The museum owns a remarkable collection of Italian Primitives from the 14th-15th centuries. Among them are two renaissance paintings by Andrea Mantegna, considered masterpieces. You’ll also find many artworks by Delacroix, Degas, Monet, Rembrandt, Rubens and Rodin.

Don’t miss the staggering cedar tree at the museum entrance, which is over 200 years old!

Castle of Tours

Close to the cathedral, you’ll find the Castle of Tours (Château de Tours). Built in the 11th century, this small chateau served as a residence of the Carolingian dynasty. Today, it houses contemporary exhibitions of paintings and photographs .

Church of Saint Julien

The Church of Saint Julien (Église Saint-Julien de Tours) is a part of a former Benedictine abbey founded in the 6th century. Most of the church is in Romanesque style and dates back to the 13th century.

Tours Botanical Garden

Founded in 1843, the Botanical Garden (Jardin Botanique de Tours) is the oldest city park. It’s a lovely area with lots of wildlife and thematic gardens – greenhouses, orchards, medical gardens, arboretums and many others. There is also a petting zoo with farm animals like donkeys, sheep, rabbits and poultry!

Musée de Compagnonnage

Musée de Compagnonnage occupies the dormitory at the former Abbey of Saint-Julien. This quirky museum is dedicated to the city’s trade guilds. The exhibition represents various objects related to metalwork, tailoring, culinary, shoemaking and woodcarving.

Where to stay in Tours, France

If you intend to use Tours as a base to explore the Loire castles, take a look at my recommendations below on where to stay. You’ll find most of the historic attractions and restaurants in the area between the Loire River and the Central Railway station. So, I’d advise you to look for accommodations in this area, because you’ll be within walking distance of everything.

Perfectly located in the heart of Tours, just a short walk from everything. Also, the hotel features a good bistro-style restaurant and a wellness centre with Spa, hammam and heated indoor pool. Why book – a short walk from the Old Town and Tours train station, heated indoor pool, private parking

Les Trésorières is an excellent choice for an upscale stay in Tours. Central quiet location and bright spacious room. A great wellness area, featuring a hammam, sauna and an indoor pool. Why book – at walking distance to the Old Town and Tours train station, indoor pool, parking nearby

Getting around in Tours, France

Find here a detailed map of this Tours walking itinerary.

The Old Town of Tours is very compact and you can easily explore it by walking in less than an hour.

How to get to Tours, France

Tours is well connected to other major cities in France by train. For example, it’s less than a 2 hours journey from Paris Gare Montparnasse. Tours station (Gare de Tours) is the city’s main railway station. It’s located just a short walk from the Old Town.

Check timetables and book train tickets online at SNCF official website .

Tours is divided into three different types of zones – red, orange and blue. The first two are limited to 3 hours of parking, while the blue one – to 5 hours. However, parking in the Old Town is free on Sundays and Monday – Saturday (between 12 PM – 2 PM and 6:30 PM – 9 AM).

If you’re arriving by car I’d recommend booking a hotel with parking or using any of the paid car parks in the city centre (see a list of all car parks here ).

Day trips from Tours, France

Loire valley chateaux.

The central location of Tours makes it a great base to explore the chateaux of Loire Valley. You’ll find a few of the most popular castles just a short train ride away. For more information, take a look at my guide on how to visit the Loire Valley .

Here are the most famous chateaux you can visit near Tours:

• Château de Chenonceau – known as Château des Dames, it’s the most beautiful Renaissance castle of Loire Valley
• Château de Chambord – this royal residence is one of the largest chateaux in France
• Château de Blois – home to 7 kings and 10 queens of France between the 13th and 17th centuries
• Château d’Amboise – the place where Leonardo Da Vinci spent his last years and where he is buried
• Château de Chaumont – a fairytale 10th-century castle, once home to Catherine de Medici and Diane de Poitiers
• Château de Villandry – is known for its beautiful French Gardens, which consist of several terraces of renaissance gardens

Blois is one of the most charming towns in the Loire Valley. The city is known for its royal chateau and the Cathedral of Saint-Louis, a Gothic masterpiece. For more information, take a look at my travel guide on how to spend one day in Blois .

How to get to Blois Take a train from Gare de Tours to Gare de Blois – Chambord (40min journey). From there, it’s a 10min walk to the Old Town and the chateau.

Located just a short train ride away, Angers is a great option for a day trip from Tours. The city is famous for its castle, the ancient seat of the Plantagenet dynasty and the Apocalypse tapestry, the largest medieval tapestry in the world. Find out more in my travel guide to the best things to do in Angers .

How to get to Angers Take a train from Gare de Tours to Gare d’Angers Saint-Laud (50min journey). From the central train station, it’s about a 10min walk to the city centre.

How many days in Tours, France

Is one day in tours enough.

The city of Tours can be easily visited in less than a day. In fact, most of the people come not for sightseeing but to use the city as a base to explore the nearby castles. Still, there is plenty to see, so dedicate at least half a day to this charming town.

Best time to visit Tours, France

If you intend to visit Tours as a part of your Loire Valley trip, do it in the months of May, June or September. Crowds are fewer and the weather is not hot, but nice and warm.

Faqs about visiting Tours, France

Tours is one of the largest cities in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France. It is worth visiting not only for the impressive Saint-Gatien Cathedral and the Renaissance Hotel Gouïn, but also for the picturesque half-timbered houses. Thanks to its central location, the city is an excellent base to explore the castles of the Loire Valley.

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About the author

Thank you for the blog which covers Tours in depth. We are travelling On Nov 07th to Blois to see three castles and unfortunately all public transport stops on Nov 05th. We don’t have car. Apart from Taxi any other alternate solution ?

Many Thanks -Yoga

Unfortunately, there is no other option, but a taxi. However, there are still a lot of castles, which are are reachable by train – Château de Chenonceau, Château de Blois, Château de Chaumont, Château d’Amboise, Château d’Angers, Château de Langeais, Château de Saumur, Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, Château de Loches, Château de Chinon and Château de Meung-sur-Loire.

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Home » Travel Guides » France » 15 Best Things to Do in Tours (France)

15 Best Things to Do in Tours (France)

It’s no mystery that Tours is a favourite base for people discovering the Loire Valley’s exalted châteaux.

Villandry, Chenonceau and Amboise are moments by car, and with the help of the Loire à Vélo network you can visit them on two wheels with ease.

But you may find that if you delve a little more into Tours’ history and attractions, it could be difficult to leave the city at all.

In the centre are timber houses and renaissance mansions on car-free streets, and museums that draw you into the city’s medieval past.

There are vineyards welcoming inquisitive oenophiles in the countryside and both the waters and banks of the Loire invite you to go wherever your sense of curiosity leads.

Lets explore the best things to do in Tours :

1. Tours Cathedral

Even by the glacial speed of construction in the middle ages, Tours Cathedral took a long time to be completed.

Building began in 1170 and wouldn’t be finished until 1547, but this means we’re met with a perfect summary of the evolution of gothic art.

The ensemble of original 13th-century stained glass windows in the ambulatory chapels and above the choir is one of the finest in France, and seems to generate its own light.

The cathedral has information panels giving you the meaning behind each image.

The marble renaissance tombs of King Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany’s children are also moving, as both died in infancy.

2. Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours

The riches from Cardinal Richelieu’s 17th-century campaign against the Huguenots and the art seized from abbeys during the Revolution all ended up at Tours’ stellar museum of fine art.

Because of their religious source there’s a good body of Italian gothic primitives from the 14th and 15th centuries, while the two renaissance paintings by Andrea Mentegna are regarded as masterpieces.

You’ve got over a thousand artworks to get through, with sculpture by Rodin, Flemish and Dutch painting by Rembrandt and Rubens, and Impressionism by Monet and Degas.

3. Tours Botanical Garden

The city’s municipal garden has a bit of a troublesome setting, between the Loire and Cher, which made it susceptible to flooding in the past, with two devastating inundations in the mid-19th century that filled the greenhouses with two metres of water.

Even after being hit by bombs in the Second World War there isn’t the slightest hint of a troubled past at these serene gardens.

On your walk you may notice some trees you haven’t seen before, like the Chinese empress tree, ginkgo biloba and the endangered dawn redwood.

The animal park is from 1863 and has farm animals for kids to bond with, as well as more exotic species like wallabies.

4. Le Vieux Tours

Like all the best historic city centres the historic buildings on the pedestrian streets around Place Plumereau aren’t sterile museum pieces but vibrant cornerstones of local life, used as shops, restaurants and bars.

Place de Plumereau is at the nerve centre of one of the largest conservation areas in Europe, with renaissance mansions boasting sculpted reliefs or cantilevered timber houses, going strong for hundreds of years.

If you’re OK with everybody knowing you’re a tourist, jump aboard the little train that departs every hour from Place Plumereau in summer.

5. Musée du Compagnonnage

In the 16th-century Dormitory at the former Abbey of Saint-Julien is a museum devoted to a French workers’ movement that dates back to medieval times.

Roughly, the Compagnons du Tour de France is like a guild of journeymen that preserves historic trades and educates young people about them as part of an apprenticeship.

To complete the apprenticeship and become a “companion” a craftsman had to create a masterpiece for whatever discipline he worked in.

And these dumbfounding creations are presented at the museum, in all kinds of different disciplines, like metalwork, tailoring, shoemaking and woodcarving.

6. Hôtel Goüin

What may be the most beautiful of Tours’ many old building has just come through a long restoration and is open to the public once more.

Hôtel Goüin is an early-renaissance palace on Rue du Commerce, with a balustraded porch and the sort of loggia in which you might expect to see Juliet calling for Romeo.

During the restoration they unearthed fragments of an older building from the 1100s, with four arches and a well, which are on show.

You might just want to stop for a photo of that magnificent facade, but there’s an archaeological museum inside with artefacts from Roman times up to the 1800s.

7. Halles de Tours

Billed as the “Belly of Tours” (ventre de Tours), the city’s indoor market may not be France’s largest, but it’s a gastronome’s idea of heaven.

You may even want to bring your camera or have your phone at the ready, because the cheese, charcuterie, seafood and in-season fruit and vegetable counters are presented with real flair.

If you’re stuck for gift ideas then markets like this tick the box as they’re stocked with all the best from the region.

At Tours that entails wine from the Loire Valley and luxury chocolate.

The city is one of France’s chocolate capitals, and every years holds the Salon du Chocolat de Tours at the Centre de Congrès Vinci.

Come for lunch too: The oyster bar shucks your oyster as you go.

8. Jardin des Prébendes d’Oé

During the French Second Empire from the mid-1800s English-style parks like this one popped up in provincial cities across France.

This was a spot for urban families to take promenades, kids to play and for the city to put on outdoor concerts at the park’s gazebo.

There’s less of the formality of French parterres, as paths weave through tulip flowerbeds and  copses of lime, plane, cedar, chestnut and lofty redwood trees.

So if you could do with a moment of repose take a wander by the pond and pause for a tea or coffee at the kiosk.

On warmer days you could load up on cheese and charcuterie at the market and have the perfect French picnic.

9. Église Saint-Julien de Tours

The predecessors of this  12th-century abbey were wrecked by the Normans in the 9th century and then in a war between the feudal houses of Blois and Anjou in the 10th century.

But miraculously the building that followed has survived everything from the French Revolution to the Second World War.

It was part of a long-gone abbey, and the garden next to the church is where the cloister used to be, while the Musée de Compagnonnage occupies the old dormitory.

10. “Toue” River Cruises

Commercial craft floated along the Loire and Cher since antiquity, hauling people, wine, silk, lumber, salt and all sorts of other cargo up and down these rivers.

Because the waterways can get very shallow they used flat-bottomed sailboats called “toues”, and you can too! Toues can carry between 12 and 30 passengers for hour-long trips, or even romantic dinner cruises in the evening.

Their skippers know these waters and banks like the backs of their hands: And with the deck as your balcony, they’ll shed light on the Tours’ river trade, its many colourful characters and perils.

11. Loire à Vélo

If you had to picture some quintessentially French holiday activities, a bike ride next to the Loire with a backdrop of gentle vine-striped hills and châteaux must be one of the first that comes to mind.

About 150km of the of the Loire à Vélo cycle trail’s totalling 800km are in the Touraine region.

The route is clearly-marked, easy -going because it never leaves the riverside and convenient as there are dozens of hire stations along the way.

You could give yourself set destinations like Amboise or Villandry, which are both reachable in about an hour.

Or make more of an adventure of it by going further afield and spending the night at the inns on the route that are happy to accommodate cyclists.

12. Guinguette sur Loire

On the left bank of the Loire, just by Pont Wilson, is where Tours’ “Guinguette” takes place from May to September.

It isn’t officially summer in Tours until this outdoor café by the river is bustling every evening with locals and tourists at the bar terrace, taking part in dance lessons, enjoying concerts or watching movies at the outdoor cinema.

Tours is a student city so the atmosphere is always warm and energetic.

The location is wonderful, under willow trees and string lights, with the river rolling past.

And every year there Guinguette has something new on the schedule.

13. Wine and Gastronmic Visits

If you’re a wine-lover you’ve come to the right place.

There’s an absurd amount of AOCs nearby: A dozen within an hour, and five bordering the city.

The diversity will make your head spin more than the wine itself, with the reds of Touraine-Chenonceau, the whites of Touraine Sauvignon and rosés made in Touraine noble joué.

When it comes to precious foodstuffs there’s a saffron market in Preuilly-sur-Claise and a seasonal truffle market at Marigny-Marmande.

The local cheese, Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine is known to all for its cylindrical shape and the straw that pierces it through the centre.

To know more, pay a visit to the dairy at Les Passerelles or the child-friendly goat farm, Cabri au Lait, which makes Sainte-Maure but also has a petting zoo for the little guys and girls.

14. Château de Villandry

It would be criminal to visit Tours and not call in at one of the abundant château in the region.

Tours is touted as a gateway for these sensational pieces of French royal or noble heritage.

You can reach Villandry in 20 minutes, and it’s one of the finest.

The gardens are the showstopper at this château.

They were restored at the turn of the century by the Spanish doctor Joachim Carvallo.

He conceived several terraces of renaissance gardens, all with precisely trimmed boxwood hedges in joyous geometric configurations.

There’s a water garden, labyrinth, sun garden, ornamental garden with high hedges, but the most astounding is the formal medieval kitchen garden, all in neat plots.

15. Château d’Amboise

The home of Francis I and most of the French royalty in the 16th century is a 20-minute car or train ride to the east.

The château had its heyday in the renaissance period after Charles VIII turned it from a fortress into the Loire valley’s first Italian-style palace in the late-1400s.

In 1516 Francis I invited Leonardo da Vinci to live and work in Amboise, and the polymath’s home at Clos Lucé was actually connected to the Château d’Amboise by underground passageways that you can discover today by prior arrangement.

Da Vinci died here in 1519 and is buried at the Chapel of Saint-Hubert at the Château.

The gardens are embellished with spherical topiaries and the views from this spur above the Loire are divine.

15 Best Things to Do in Tours (France):

• Tours Cathedral
• Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours
• Tours Botanical Garden
• Le Vieux Tours
• Musée du Compagnonnage
• Hôtel Goüin
• Halles de Tours
• Jardin des Prébendes d'Oé
• Église Saint-Julien de Tours
• "Toue" River Cruises
• Loire à Vélo
• Guinguette sur Loire
• Wine and Gastronmic Visits
• Château de Villandry
• Château d'Amboise

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Private tours, free refunds & rescheduling, customizable itineraries, france's finest private tour specialists.

For over twenty years, we have been designing and delivering the finest custom tours of  France. 

We differ from other tour providers in that we are not satisfied with ‘off the shelf’ tours. Instead, we think  you deserve to make the optimum use of your vacation time , so simply let us know when and where you will arrive in France, how long you would like the tour to last, and what type of things you are interested in seeing, and our specialist tour advisers will create  a unique custom tour itinerary for you , tailored exactly to your requirements and completely complimentary with no obligation to purchase the tour.

Just let us know and we will build it all into your tour.

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We understand that the relationship and connection you enjoy with your private guide is what can truly elevate the experience from being fun and interesting into something magical and worth treasuring forever. 

That is why all of our guides have been selected for their vast knowledge, engaging personalities, and storytelling ability to make the history, myths, and legends of the France come to life for you as you walk the ground where the events took place. Whether it is culture, food, art, wine or history, or even driver-guided tours, we will ensure that you have just the right guide for the occasion.

Our local guides all speak impeccable English and if other languages are required simply let us know.

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Salut from France! I’m Debbie, founder of Luxury France Tours.

Having developed into a Francophile on a trip to the French Alps many years ago while still in school, I moved to France after a career traveling the world led to me meeting my (now) French Husband in Johannesburg. I created Luxury France Tours as a way of sharing my love of France & igniting this passion in others.

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What makes our private tours of France so special?

We take care of all your requirements and make sure that when you are on tour with your guide, your time is spent doing the things you have always dreamed of, rather than waiting around in larger group tours, huddled shoulder to shoulder with strangers straining to hear what the guide is saying. ​

As officially certified private tour providers with over 20 years of experience, reserving your private tour with us can provide many benefits that you will not see from other providers:

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We will provide a totally complimentary custom tour itinerary for you, purpose-built by our specialist tour advisors. Any and all alterations included.

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Visit Tours, the gateway city of the Loire Valley

Home › Discover › Tours and the finest cities in Touraine › Visit Tours, the gateway city of the Loire Valley

Beautiful, vibrant and lively, Tours is a pretty stopping point during a couple of days in the middle of the Loire Valley Chateaux . Tour its historic quarters with their half-timbered houses, the bustling Place Plumereau and Saint-Gatien Cathedral, as well as the new Olivier Debré Contemporary Art Centre.

On sunny days, the star of Tours is the River Loire! The now famous ‘Tours-sur-Loire’ guinguette  and the Tours beach extend the city limits to the banks of the river. Numerous activities are offered.

Tours is packed with gourmet bistros featuring fresh, locally sourced produce on their menus. You should taste the nougat of Tours , the potted rillettes of Tours, the saffron , or the "poires tapées" (dried pears). Genuinely unique!

Tours – A tale of two cities

In a perfect location, Tours is the great capital of the Loire Valley, a Unesco world heritage site, but it is far more than just a gateway to the Loire Chateaux. Indeed, Tours delights in being charming and doesn’t think twice about playing a double game in order to do so.

Visit Tours and its architecture full of history

First of all, there is its historical heritage. The birthplace of  Balzac   (more than fifty books to read) is proud of its old quarters , which take visitors on a wonderful journey back in time in France. Explore the narrow cobbled streets,  half-timbered french houses and the stone façade of the monumental  Saint-Gatien Cathedral , which give the city a charming medieval air.

The architecture of the Fine Arts Museum , the Hotel Gouïn  (Renaissance architecture),  Tours castle , the ‘la Psalette’ cloister and the Saint Martin Basilica (near the “tour Charlemagne” and the “tour de l’horloge”) is of great interest! You will enjoy those monuments through a illuminated walking experience , and of course with a guided tour proposed by the tourist office.

Tours - Saint-Gatien Cathedral

Château de Tours - Illuminated walking experience

Tours, a beautiful city in France

In addition to the built heritage, large green spaces perfectly enhance the french city. Designed in the 19th century and classified as a remarkable garden, the Prebendes d’Oe garden is a perfect example, as is the botanic garden and the Gloriette park . Attached to the latter, the practice of La Gloriette Golf may allow you to make your first swing!

You have a few days ahead of you?   Renting a bike , you will cycle from Tours to :

• the St Cosme priory (4km / 14 min),
• the Montbazon fortress (15km / 56 min),
• Vouvray wineries ( Château Gaudrelle , Vigneau-Chevreau …).
• the gardens of Villandry (19km / 1h03),
• the Valmer gardens (19km / 1h06).

The gardens of Villandry castle. France

It is also very pleasant to go shopping, to have a look at the exhibitions at the new  Olivier Debré Contemporary Creation Centre and at the Arts district , to relax at the summer ‘guinguette’, situated along the banks of the Loire River from which you can see the traditional boats (belonging to the Boutavant association ). You may also like to go on board for a fifty minute cruise on the river !

Tours - Boutavant boat on the River Loire

Visit Tours - Olivier Debré Contemporary Creation Centre

For night owls , a stopover in Tours also gives them an opportunity to treat themselves to a show, an evening in one of the many bars and cafés in the Old Town or a front seat at the free sound and light show  projected onto the Fine Art Museum façade every evening in the summer.

Some more pictures of Tours:

The Plumereau square

The Art Deco American Memorial

The Monster of Xavier Veilhan

The Jean Jaurès Square, with the Tours City Hall.

Visit Tours in video

Tours is the ideal place to spend a night as it is situated close to the main Loire Valley chateaux, along the Loire by bike trail , along the GR3 pedestrian route and on the way to Santiago de Compostela !

Practical: Tours Val de Loire Tourist Office

Book tickets, guided tour, day trip, activities for groups: www.tours-tourisme.fr/en +033 (0)2 47 70 37 37

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7 Best France Tours to Take in 2024

From paris to provence, these tours get you behind the scenes in france..

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There’s no bad time to visit France, one of the most visited countries in Europe. And while you could plan out a France vacation on your own, small group tours are a hassle-free way to travel to France without all the tedious pre-trip work. Many of the best France tours focus on one region or topic so you can truly see the various cultures and lifestyles of the different parts of the country.

2024’s Best Small Group Guided Tours in France

If you’re looking for small group tours of France, consider one of these immersive France tours on which you can do everything from taking in the highlight of Paris (including the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe) to paying your respects at Normandy Beach. And since transportation, hotels, local guides, activities, and in many cases food and wine are taken care of by your tour guides, you can truly focus on soaking up the French experience. Here are the France guided tours I most highly recommend for 2024.

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1. Wonderful France Tour

This nine-day small group guided tour of France is called Wonderful France , and that’s a perfect way to describe a France tour that travels to eight cities across the country, including Paris, St. Tropez, and Monaco. The tour from Trafalgar has a good mix of culinary delights like wine tastings and dining on regional cuisine while also allowing you to spend time exploring on your own. History buffs will particularly enjoy the activities on day seven, a trip to the Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge that’s been standing since the 1st century.

• Length: 9 days
• Starting price: $3,350
• Average group size: 40 to 45 people
• More tours: 10 Best Trafalgar Tours to Take in 2024

2. The Best of Northern France: Paris and Normandy Tour

Road scholar.

With a focus on education, the Best of Northern France: Paris and Normandy tour from Road Scholar take you from the City of Light to charming small towns in the Normandy region of France. For many, the highlight of the trip is the day spent at the D-Day Landing Beaches and the Normandy American Cemetery.

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Other highlights include mornings spent at Versailles and Montmartre and a visit to Monet’s Garden in Giverny. The final day will be spent in the cute village of Honfleur, which is known for its all-wooden church and signature dish of moules-frites , or mussels with fries.

• Starting price: $2,649
• Average group size: 13 to 24 people

3. Human History: Northern Spain and Southwest France Tour

National geographic expeditions.

The Northern Spain and Southwest France tour from National Geographic goes to Spain and France, but a solid half of the trip is spent in France, so it’s worth looking into if you’re in the market for tours of France. This tour is dedicated to telling the stories of human history through archeological sites and caves, some of which date back 40,000 years.

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During the Spain and France tour, you’ll explore catacombs in Saint-Émilion, see the Rouffignac Cave, or “cave of a hundred mammoths” in Vezere Valley, and see children’s footprints in clay from over 12,000 years ago in Pech Merle. National Geographic experts accompany the group to each site and offer expert insights into each destination.

• Length: 10 days
• Starting price: $8,795
• Average group size: 25 people

4. Cycle the Loire Valley Tour

Intrepid travel.

If you’re looking for an active trip through some of the most picturesque countryside of France, you’ll probably enjoy Intrepid’s Cycle the Loire Valley cycling tour of the French countryside. During the weeklong trip, you’ll bike along the Loire River and stop along the way at some of the stunning chateaus, including one that’s now a museum showcasing Leonardo da Vinci’s life and designs.

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Wine lovers will especially love the stops at vineyards along the way on this France tour of the Loire, where the specialty is aged Chenin blanc wines. Note that you should be in relatively good health to participate, since you will be biking upwards of 37 miles a day.

• Length: 7 days
• Starting price: $2,250
• Average group size: 1 to 15 people

5. Provence Self-Guided Walking Tour

Butterfield & robinson.

Popular tour company Butterfield & Robinson is known for its walking and biking trips, including this self-guided walking tour of the Provence region of France. During the almost-weeklong trip, you’ll be able to tour medieval villages, stroll past lavender fields, and of course, try some impeccable wine along the way, all at your own pace and unencumbered by a group.

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Each day, you’ll walk anywhere from four to ten miles. While traveling through the region, you’ll stay at local hotels and be provided with baggage transportation, detailed maps and route suggestions, transportation as needed along the route, and a private walking tour in St. Remy.

• Length: 6 days
• Starting price: $5,195
• Average group size: 2 people (price is based on double occupancy)

6. A Week In the French Riviera, Provence, and Paris Tour

Start your journey on the French Riviera on the A Week In… French tour from Tauck before moving north to Provence and then on to Paris. The eight-day trip will have you exploring the ritzy town of Monte Carlo and strolling through the village of St-Rémy-de-Provence, where Van Gogh painted iconic pieces like Starry Night.

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When you reach Paris, you’ll enjoy a meal at the floating Ducasse Sur Seine restaurant, made famous by chef Alain Ducasse. Of course, no trip to Paris is complete without a visit to the Louvre, which with Tauck includes a guided early morning visit (which means fewer crowds and better views of the masterpieces).

• Length: 8 days
• Starting price: $5,990
• Average group size: 33 to 44 people

7. Spotlight on the French Riviera Tour

Explore the South of France on Collette’s Spotlight on the French Riviera tour, where you’ll be able to see everything from the principality of Monaco to the lavish lifestyle of Cannes. Each night of the tour you’ll return to Nice, which will act as your home base for the trip, allowing you to completely unpack and get comfortable at one hotel. Along the way, you’ll take a train ride into Monte Carlo, explore the Nice flower market, and tour the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

• Starting price: $1,699
• Average group size: 14 to 24 people

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Wandering Baboon

15 Best Things to Do in Tours (France)

The attractive city centre streets of Tours have led to this city in Western France being given a series of celebratory nicknames, from Little Paris for its culture, to the Garden of France for its parklands.

Situated on the River Loire as it makes its way towards the Atlantic Ocean, the city boasts a historic centre that is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Once the capital of France, Tours is simply awash with wonders old and new, from important museums to the botanical garden. The surrounding countryside is also filled with vineyards that have been producing renowned wines for decades.

Here are the best things to do in Tours.

1. Tours Cathedral

With a fine riverside location, the current Cathedral of Saint-Gatien was begun in 1170. However, the two intricately-decorated towers on its main façade date from only the fifteenth century. They incorporate some of the city’s original Roman-era walls in their form.

The several centuries of building work means the cathedral shifts in style from Romanesque to Renaissance, via the Gothic architecture often associated with such structures.

Its interior is decorated with a series of stained-glass windows, including a spectacular symmetrical window behind the organ, which is itself a masterpiece of artistry at least 500 years old.

2. The Old City

Typified by the medieval timber-framed buildings of Place Plumereau, the Old City of Tours has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its historic importance.

Its cobbled streets are filled with atmosphere, and dotted with all manner of independent cafes and boutique stores, mixing souvenirs with local foodstuffs.

The smell of freshly-baked bread, ripening cheeses, and spice blends hits its peak in the covered market of Place des Halles, where you can find rillette confit-like meats, local wines, and tasty traditional nougats.

Elsewhere, the winding and narrow streets are perfect for a little urban exploration, leading to stunning historic structures amid the sounds of the gently-flowing river.

3. Museum of Fine Arts

The Musée des Beaux-Arts is located close to the cathedral in the former bishop’s palace. Its collection has expanded to some 12,000 works of art, with around one thousand on public display at any one time.

Its ground floor is dedicated to local art from the 1400s and 1500s, while other rooms are hung with paintings by Delacroix, Degas, and Monet among many other famous names.

The museum is surrounded by well-tended gardens, which include a large Lebanon cedar said to have been planted by Napoleon Bonaparte. A niche also contains the taxidermy remains of an elephant that escaped the Barnum and Bailey circus when it visited Tours in 1902.

Website: http://www.mba.tours.fr/

4. Tours Castle

Also close to the cathedral, on the south bank of the Loire, is Tours Castle, the Château de Tours.

Built from the eleventh century onwards, the castle was a royal residence, and home to the Carolingian dynasty.

Taking the form of a rectangular mansion attached to the much older, round form of the Tower of Guise, its many notable occasions includes the marriage of King Louis XI to Charlotte of Savoy in 1436, which led his father to send an army to try and stop him.

It now hosts temporary exhibitions throughout the year, with a focus on contemporary art and photography.

Website: https://chateau.tours.fr/

5. Botanical Garden

Spread over five hectares, Tours botanical garden, or jardin botanique, is the oldest of the city’s parklands, founded in 1843 by public subscription.

It began life as a medical garden for the nearby hospital, housing several thousand plants thought to have medicinal properties within the garden, greenhouses, and orchard.

The greenhouses and an orangery survive to this day, alongside attractions including a pool planted with water lilies to the north of the garden, and a small petting zoo.

Website: https://www.tours.fr/services-infos-pratiques/585-jardin-botanique.htm

6. Hôtel Goüin

Important enough to have previously appeared on a French postage stamp, the Hôtel Goüin is a hôtel particulier mansion built in the 1400s by a family who made their fortune in the silk trade.

It takes its name from the banking family that purchased the property in 1738, and is now occupied by the collection of the Goüin Museum.

A delight inside and out, its exterior has beautiful carvings above the windows and on the various projecting surfaces, while the interior displays objects from the region’s prehistory right up to the 1700s.

Website: http://www.hotelgouin.fr/

7. Touraine vineyards

Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, this time for its landscape of rolling vines and hill-top castles, the Loire Valley is home to world-famous vineyards.

The Touraine sub-division centred on Tours produces millions of litres every year, with white, red, and rosé wines that meet pretty much every taste.

Among them is Domaine Nicholas Paget, operated by a family has been in the wine trade for five generations.

This vineyard offers visitors a huge range of options for exploring, from tours of their underground cellars to bicycle routes around the grounds, in addition to picnics and more traditional tasting sessions.

The vineyard is 35 kilometres southwest of central Tours.

Website: https://domainepaget.fr/

8. Pont Wilson

Crossing the Loire in the centre of Tours, the Pont Wilson, or Wilson Bridge, was named after US President Woodrow Wilson. He received the honour after providing American troops to support French and British forces during the First World War.

Often decked out with flags gently fluttering in the wind, it is the city’s oldest river crossing, first dating to the 1760s.

Pont Wilson is just one of the many bridges, both ancient and modern, that now cross the Loire at various points along its journey to the ocean.

Of the 40 or so that exist today, each and every one has contributed to the history and look of this stunning region.

9. Basilica of Saint Martin

Constructed over the traditional burial site of the saint, this basilica was first established in 471 AD.

Replaced several times since, the current structure dates from 1886, with the rebuilding of religious structures destroyed during the French Revolution almost a hundred years earlier. It was only rededicated in 1925.

The church was constructed in a Neo-byzantine style, distinguishing it from Tours cathedral. Its Charlemagne Tower is one of the main survivors of the former structure, alongside the clock tower.

Devotees can find the re-established tomb of Saint Martin in the crypt, whose walls are covered with votive prayers.

Website: https://www.basiliquesaintmartin.fr/

10. Château de Plessis-lèz-Tours

The remaining portion of Plessis-lèz-Tours Castle in La Riche represents a much larger U-shaped structure also pulled down during the French Revolution, this time because of its association with French royalty and the ancien régime.

A favourite residence of Louis XI, it also witnessed a meeting between France’s Henry III and IV a hundred years later.

The small red-brick building with limestone detailing that can be visited today includes the room in which Louis XI died, carved wood dated to the 1400s, and cramped metal cages that were once used to hold prisoners.

La Riche is on the western outskirts of modern-day Tours, close to the botanical garden.

11. Cruise down river

Enjoy incredible views of the town from the waters of the Loire, slipping under bridges and past the city’s most important sites, including the castle and cathedral.

The most authentic tours take place on traditional wooden-built flat-bottomed boats known as Toue that are able to slip across even the shallowest parts of the Loire.

With seating for around 10-30, even on the busiest of summer days these cruises are a tranquil way to explore Tours further without wearing out your feet.

12. Musée de Compagnonnage

This museum hosts a vast collection of pieces related to France’s Guilds – the stone masons, leather workers, carpenters, and roofers that has made the country what it is today.

Its display cases show off everything from shoes to scale models of cathedrals, all housed within a dramatic chateau with sweeping rooflines pierced with stonework chimneys.

Certainly worth the short journey to the countryside around the town of Blois in the Loire Valley, you can reach the museum’s home of Château de Chambord in roughly an hour.

Website: https://www.museecompagnonnage.fr/

13. Town Hall

Equally decorative is Tours Town Hall, or Hôtel de Ville. In many ways its structure is typically French, with its columned frontage dotted with statuary reminding many of train stations and palaces that can be found throughout the country.

Officially, it boasts a Louis XIII style, rich in rococo detail. Inside, the Town Hall is just as fine, with grand staircases leading to rooms that are undeniably luxurious. Here you’ll find huge fireplaces, and stucco work that spans its walls and ceilings.

14. Cloître de la Psalette

The setting for the story Le Curé de Tours by Balzac, who was born in Tours, these cloisters date from the fifteenth century.

Connected with the cathedral, the cloister takes its name from the religious psalms that were heard entering its doorways from the music school next door.

It once contained one of the most important libraries in France, and while this has now been distributed to other centres across the country, its historic architecture remains, and has been legally protected since 1889.

Website: http://www.cloitre-de-la-psalette.fr/

15. Grand Theatre

The city’s premier performance space, the Grand Theatre is the base for both the Opéra de Tours opera company and the region’s official symphony orchestra.

Constructed in 1872 in the Second Empire style, it took its influence from the Opéra Garnier in Paris. It is situated in the Old Town and has seating capable of receiving an audience of 900.

However, even if there are no shows scheduled while you’re in town, you can still take pleasure in admiring its front from one of the cafes nearby.

Website: http://www.operadetours.fr/

15 Best Things to Do in Tours (France):

• Tours Cathedral
• The Old City
• Museum of Fine Arts
• Tours Castle
• Botanical Garden
• Hôtel Goüin
• Touraine vineyards
• Pont Wilson
• Basilica of Saint Martin
• Château de Plessis-lèz-Tours
• Cruise down river
• Musée de Compagnonnage
• Cloître de la Psalette
• Grand Theatre

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9 Great Paris Tours To Take in 2024 and Why

Sean Finelli Last Updated: February 21, 2024

Paris is one of the world’s most visited destinations due to the combination of great food, interesting culture, and many attractions to visit. That said, which attractions in Paris require a tour? This article details the top tours in Paris that you should definitely consider on your next trip to the city of light .

Pro Tip: It’s easier to organize your trip when you have all your resources in one place. Create a browser folder and bookmark this post along with our dedicated guide to Paris to help you plan your trip. Also, see our best Paris tours and how to visit Paris in a weekend .

Should You Take a Tour in Paris?

The best palace of versailles tours, the best lourve tours, the best eiffel tower tours, the best tours of the paris catacombs, the best parisian cusine food tours, the best day tours from paris, where to stay in paris.

Without a doubt, Paris is one of the best cities to take a tour. Yes, Paris is already a more expensive trip than some cities, but is it really worth skipping out on the chance to really understand the rich history of this famed city?

That’s what a local guide is here for. They’ll make sure you get to know the little tidbits about Parisians’ original feelings about the Eiffel Tower and so much more. You’ll leave Paris with a new appreciation that is sure to make you want to come back again and again.

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if Paris tours are worth it .

A top day trip from Paris is certainly the Palace of Versailles , which is so astonishing that it will be easy to forget what century you’re in. As you stroll between rooms and chambers that redefine the meaning of “home,” you will even find that the toilets are opulent. Kings and queens lived here, and your guide will tell you about all their amazing stories right where they took place. There’s a reason Versailles has captured the attention of millions of visitors. Don’t miss your chance to see the almost indescribable Hall of Mirrors that’s adorned with gold, paintings, and chandeliers.

1. Ultimate Palace of Versailles Tour from Paris

Looking for an easy way to see the best of Versailles? Versailles is a popular day trip from Paris, but planning ahead to get tickets and transportation organized makes things so much easier! That’s why you’ll love our half-day small group tour with a local guide who’ll make sure you hop on the right train to Versailles, exit at the ideal stop, and skip the long lines at the palace. You’ll see the palace, gardens, and Trianon Estate more quickly and maximize your trip to Versailles from Paris. See the tour itinerary, price, and description.

2 . Versailles Gardens Tour from Paris with Skip the Line Palace Access

Should opulent palaces not be your thing, why not explore the gardens of Versaille with your expert guide instead? With a small group, you’ll take a guided tour to learn the fascinating history of the gardens before skipping the long lines at the Palace of Versailles to enjoy its splendor at your leisure. An essential Paris experience! See the tour itinerary, price, and description.

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if a tour of Versailles is worth it .

The Louvre houses the greatest museum collection on Earth. It spans over 60,000 meters and boasts 380,000 works of art. You may find yourself overwhelmed with the sheer mass of visitors—15,000 people a day clamor to see the Mona Lisa alone. But there’s so much to see before you even reach her!

1. Secrets of the Louvre Museum Tour with Mona Lisa

In this 3-hour tour, you’ll skip the line to find out more about the mystery behind Mona Lisa’s smile, discover other great works of art, and get up close and personal with the French crown jewels. With expert insights and stories that’ll bring the art to life, there’s no better way to see this unmissable museum!

See the tour itinerary, price, and description.

2. Louvre at Closing Time Tour with Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo

Want to skip the line and see the Louvre with fewer crowds? In this 2-hour Louvre tour at closing time, see the Louvre’s most iconic artwork, including the Mona Lisa , Winged Victory of Samothrace , Coronation of Napoleon , Venus di Milo , and more, with an engaging guide. It’s a great way to experience the museum in a short amount of time with the added benefit of fewer people getting in the way.

3. Private Louvre Tour with Expert Guide

In our Private Louvre Tour , get skip-the-line tickets and 3 hours with a local art-loving tour guide who can tailor your visit to your preferences. Want more time with Greek statues? No problem. Our professional guides are true experts who bring the Louvre collections to life. You’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the Mona Lisa , Venus de Milo , and more. These Louvre tours allow you to see the world’s largest museum with an expert guide at your disposal.

4. Semi-Private Louvre Tour with the Mona Lisa

So, you want to tour the Louvre, but you don’t want a big group? No problem! This is the ideal tour for getting an almost-private experience at a great price since your group size maxes out at just six people! You’ll have a more exclusive experience following your art historian guide through the treasures of the Louvre as you ask questions, hear stories, and watch as the evolution of millennia of art unfolds before your eyes.

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if a tour of the Louvre is worth it .

“We protest against the erection of this useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower” was actually written in reaction to France’s most iconic monument in 1894. People were actually outraged by how ugly it was. Today, this 1,063-foot iron lattice tower still stands and attracts 7,000,000 visitors each year.

The long lines can be intimidating, and a visit is considered an all-day event. However, with our wide range of privileged access tours, Seine cruises, and family tours, we are sure to have something that fits your needs. There are two types of tourists! Those who stand in line and those who don’t. Which do you want to be?

1. Privileged Access Eiffel Tour at Night Tour with River Seine Cruise

Our Privileged Access Eiffel Tower Night Tour is a romantic evening without the lines. The tour starts at dusk with a boat ride on the Seine.

As the sun descends, the Eiffel Tower lights up and sparkles. Enjoy this magnificent sight with a glass of champagne and then climb the tower and witness amazing views of the city lit up at night.

2. Eiffel Tower Climbing Tour with Summit Access

Looking for a budget-friendly tour of the Eiffel Tower summit that’s ideal for active people? This guided climb of France’s most famous landmark gives you the chance to live that dream. You’ll climb the 674 steps to the tower’s second floor as your local guide tells you the story of its remarkable construction and troubled early history before taking the elevator to the summit for a well-earned rest and a truly remarkable view of Paris. Enjoy!

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if a tour of the Eiffel Tower is worth it .

The Catacombs are a labyrinth that can only be seen a few months of the year, which is why lines to get in can be up to 5 hours long. Although the Catacombs are hundreds of miles long, only one mile is open to the public. Tickets sell out months in advance, but our tours come with skip-the-line access and privileged access to a number of chambers usually closed to the public.

1. Paris Catacombs Tour with Secret Rooms & Privileged Access

Why are skeletons stacked up in intricate designs below Paris? Where did these skeletons come from? Why are there 6,000,000 of them? Discover one of the great mysteries of Paris without spending long hours waiting outside on a Paris Catacombs tour . 

With one of our passionate guides, explore underground Paris and learn the macabre details of these 200-year-old ossuaries. They will explain the incredible history, artwork, and unique architecture for a memorable experience of Paris’ Catacombs. See the tour itinerary, price, and description.

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if a tour of the Paris Catacombs is worth it .

If you’re looking for amazing food, Paris is one of the best places to visit. There are more Michelin restaurants in this city than in any other city on Earth, and a local food tour is a fantastic way to experience Paris’ local food scene.

1. Le Marais Local Food Tour (Incredible Deal!)

Le Marais is the nerve center of gastronomical delights, which is why our Le Marais food tour is one of our most popular experiences. It’s also one of the only food tours in Paris to include oysters and a sit-down dinner! Enjoy a walking tour of the melting pot that is Le Marais, Normandy oysters and champagne, and falafel street food in the Jewish Quarter.

2. Chef Led Food Tour of Paris’ Montmartre District

Craving a genuine French culinary experience but don’t have the connections to call in a favor? That’s why we’ve joined forces with Chef PJ and his team of gastronomic experts, so you can join them in tasting Montmartre’s finest delicacies, indulge in a three-course feast with a wine pairing, and learn about iconic sites like the Moulin Rouge and the “I Love You” wall along the way

Not ready to book a tour? Check out our  Paris Guide for more resources.

The Best Private Tours of Musée d’Orsay

When people think of Paris, they tend to think of the Louvre and Eiffel Tower, and for good reason. Both attractions are epic! That said, the Musée d’Orsay would be the number one museum in almost any other city on Earth if it wasn’t in Paris.

1. Private Musée d’Orsay Tour with Skip-the-Line Tickets

While taking a private tour of any museum is a luxury, a private tour of Musée d’Orsay is even more amazing. Why? The museum doesn’t get the same crowds as the Louvre, and the paintings demand an explanation. They are all very beautiful and recognizable, but Impressionism is best explained through a lens into the artist’s life—something that a local tour guide does best in an intimate experience like a private tour. See the tour itinerary, price, and description.

Not ready to book a tour? Find out how to visit the Musée d’Orsay .

1. Castles and Wine Tastings in the Loire Valley Day Trip

One of my favorite things to do in Europe is explore the countryside. This is because the architecture is amazing, and the agriculture is heavily focused on wine, which together makes for a beautiful experience. I also love having countryside lunches. They tend to be hearty, warm, and full of wine!

The Loire Valley is famous for castles and amazing dry white wines.

Our day trip to the Loire Valley not only explores an amazing castle but also includes a stop at a vineyard for a wine tasting. It will make for an incredible memory you will hold dear for the rest of your days!

2. Pay Tribute To D-Day at Normandy Beach

From “Saving Private Ryan” to stories from our ancestors, Normandy is famous for the great sacrifices of brave men in the face of tyranny. Today, you can visit different beaches from Omaha to Pointe du Hoc to pay respects. The beaches of Normandy, where World War II was viciously fought, have been kept as it was, down to bullet holes, craters, and cannon shells.

Our Normandy day trip of D-Day landing beaches visits Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, Pointe du Hoc, and even a Cider brewery—the region’s specialty. This day trip is most definitely long—14 hours in total—but if you have an extra day and are passionate about WWII, it’s well worth the time.

3. Explore the Champagne Region on a Day Trip

Should you be looking for a day trip to remember—and you’re a fan of champagne—then a trip to the Champagne region is a must. The French countryside is waiting to take you on a culinary journey from wine cellars to champagne houses and a tasty spot for lunch.

This tour includes stops in the cities of Reims and Épernay, where you can see the famous Reims cathedral and explore Dom Perignon’s final resting place in the Benedictine monastery in Épernay. Your day in the countryside will be unforgettable.

With a city as magnificent as Paris, it can be hard to find the perfect hotel at the perfect price. Explore the best hotels and places to stay in these incredible neighborhoods in Paris.

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About Sean Finelli

Sean is a co-founder and owner of The Tour Guy and its subsidiary The Roman Guy. He studied finance and statistics, but that is his "Dr. Jekyll" side! His "Mr. Hyde" is in love with travel, art, history, and culture. Sean has read libraries of historical text and believes that all internet content should come from books. A practice he follows!

Reader Interactions

Comments (6).

October 5, 2019

Paris is Paris is Paris, no other city can compare .

Paris is Paris is Paris, no other city can compare .I love Paris,love France but dislike the French…..And Iwas born and raise there………….

October 20, 2022

Is it worth it to get a tour guide, though?

November 8, 2022

We might be biased, but it really is. You can either wander these amazing locations or monuments and not really know what’s so significant (or that you just passed the first painting by a world-famous painter), or you can learn so many incredible details and stories about these places and art. Tour guides truly do elevate your experience and make it more memorable.

November 30, 2022

Hello Brie, yeah, that makes sense. I also hate getting lost 😀 I have been looking around on your tours, and it seems that they are not customizable? Something like this https://gowithguide.com/france/paris

December 28, 2022

Our private tours can be customized within the museum or locations it already includes. So for instance, if you want more time in the Greek sculptures than in a room of impressionism, just let your guide know.

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A Virtual Rendezvous with French Castles

Inspiration

Loire Valley Paris Cultural Heritage Nature and Outdoor Activities Villages and Countryside

Reading time: 0 min Published on 4 January 2023, updated on 16 April 2024

France is home to innumerable castles that are also a testament to the lives of its powerful and well-known occupants. We’ve shortlisted 5 emblematic châteaux that wait to tell you their stories through captivating virtual tours. Join us as we make our way from the outskirts of Paris to Castle Country Loire Valley for a fascinating encounter with French royalty.

Château De Vaux-Le-Vicomte: An Inspiration for Versailles

At approximately 50 kms from Paris, this castle with its lavish décor, unparalleled views and magnificent frescos, is considered to be a masterpiece of the French Baroque. In 1656, Nicolas Fouquet, King Louis XIV’s superintendent of the finances and the owner of the castle, bought together three notable artists to transform the structure. After the completion of the work, Fouquet invited the King and the royal entourage to an extravagant soirée. However, Fouquet’s intention to flatter the king backfired, as the King stormed out of the castle with a lot of resentment and jealousy. Three weeks later, Fouquet was arrested and imprisoned for life on the charges of embezzlement of state money. The king later sent the team of the same artists to design and build a much larger project, the Palace of Versailles.

Château De Fontainebleau: A Temporary Residence for the Pope

With its angelic embellishments, lofty courtyards and towering apartments, the castle is a reflection of 800 years of successive French rulers. In 1804, Napoleon chose Fontainebleau for his meeting with Pope Pius VII, who had attended Napoleon’s coronation. He had opulently refurbished the castle and decorated a suite of rooms for the Pope. A few years later, the emperor planned a massive invasion of Russia, to mark his final conquest of Europe. During this time, from 1812 to 1814, Napoleon moved the Pope to Fontainebleau and encouraged him to make a public appearance, to assure the public of his support and good health, which the pontiff humbly declined. During his stay at Fontainebleau, the pope ate sparingly and led a monastic life.

Château De Chenonceau: A Tribute to the Power of Women

Built over the river Cher, with its five-arch bridge reflected in the languid waters, the Castle of Chenonceau is the most recognisable structure in France. It is often described as a ‘Ladies’ Château’, as throughout its history, many powerful women have influenced its destiny. One such among them was Diane de Poitier, mistress of King Henry II, who was offered the chateau as a gift and by 1555 became the legal owner. She built the arcaded bridge from the palace to the opposite side of the river and added extensive gardens. However, upon King Henry II’s death, his widow Catherine De Medici forced Diane de Poitier to exchange the castle for Château of Chaumont. As the regent of France, Catherine De Medici completed the gallery on the bridge and added a series of gardens, allowing her to hold lavish parties and entertain the French nobility.

Château De Villandry: A Renaissance Glory Restored

With tinkling fountains, cascading flowers and ornamental vines, the Castle of Villandry is home to a lacework of the finest gardens in France. However, back in 1754, when Marquis Michel-Ange of Castellane acquired the castle, he made significant changes to the interior of the castle, inevitably endangering its renaissance appeal. In the course of many decades, the castle changed hands and the estate underwent transformations. In 1906, Joachim Carvallo, a young Spanish doctor, and his wife Ann Coleman purchased the castle and put their energies and fortune to restore it to its former glory. They removed the walls and the windows added by the Marquis and redesigned the gardens back to the original French Renaissance.

Château de Chambord: A Hunting Lodge for the Kings

Nestled in the largest walled and enclosed park of Europe, lies a unique and singular castle which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance compositions. In 1515, inspired and enamoured by the marvels of Italian architecture, François I built a new hunting lodge in France. It is suggested that Leonardo Da Vinci influenced the design of the renowned double helix staircase and many other features of the castle. In spite of the elaborate plans, the king barely stayed here for seven weeks in his lifetime. The colossal rooms, open windows and high ceiling made heating impossible, consequently the castle was impractical to live in. Furthermore, the estate was not surrounded by a single village, thus hunting games was the only food source for the royal staff. Nevertheless, the successors of François I continued to use the château for hunting.

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Best things to do in the city of Tours, France

Nestled in Loire Valley along the riverside shores of Loire, Tours is the first main city you’ll probably stop in while visiting Loire Valley from Paris . Not only dynamic and captivatingly historic, Tours is also an imperative stopover on your Route of Loire Valley Castle .

Table of Contents

Some of the team member at Winalist’s are actually from the Loire Valley and created this amazing guide to help you discover the city and its surroundings in. You will also find our tips on the best Loire Valley wineries to visit.

Best things to do & see in Tours, France

We recommend you to spend around a half-day in Tours before driving to another destination in the Valley. Find out about the Top places to visit in Tours now!

The historic city center of Tours

One of the most captivating things to do in Tours is exploring its historic city center, which will instantly transport you to a different era. The cobblestone streets and Tudor-style architecture evoke an almost mesmerizing atmosphere that encourages further exploration through every winding corner.

Idea for a walk: In the evening, the city of Tours showcases all its riches by offering ” Light Trails “ by illuminating the city’s emblematic monuments. All you have to do is criss-cross the “Vieux-Tours” or “Balzac” route to enjoy this open-air spectacle.

Saint-Gatien Cathedral

One of the most impressive things to do in Tours is this special ampitheater. Built on the remains of the Gallo-Roman city Caesarodunum , the Saint-Gatien cathedral is right in the center of the city. Bringing together the pious, lovers of art, architecture or history, this building is a clever mix of Gothic construction and Renaissance style, testimony to its evolution through the ages.

Walk along the banks of the Loire river

As you probably know, Tours is crossed by the Loire River. It is therefore natural that we advise walkers and hikers to tread the urban path starting from rue André Malraux.

For about 3 miles (1h30), you can follow the banks of the Loire and discover Ile Aucard as well as Ile Simon which offers a beautiful view of the Pont Wilson for a photo break.

The botanical garden

Next on our list of things to do in Tours is its Botanical garden. Since 1843, the botanical garden has been an essential place for a walk. There is a space dedicated to plant collections, a playground for children and even an animal park.

What to do near Tours, France?

Discover this incredible region of white and rosé wines! Experience the beauty of local cellars, engage with passionate winegrowers and collect unforgettable memories while indulging in a variety of flavors.

Visit the amazing Loire Valley Castles

The Loire Valley is home to some of the most magnificent castles in France, and those near Tours are not to be missed. One of the top castles to visit is Château de Chenonceau , known for its stunning architecture and beautiful gardens that are reflected in the waters of the River Cher. Another must-see is Château de Chambord (above), a Renaissance masterpiece with its iconic double-helix staircase. Château de Villandry is also worth a visit for its elaborate gardens, while Château d’Amboise offers breathtaking views of the Loire River. These castles near Tours showcase the rich history and architectural beauty of the Loire Valley, making them a must-see for any visitor to the region.

Meet Loire Valley wine growers

Great way to immerse yourself in the rich history and culture of French winemaking, discovering Loire Valley wineries is a must-do while in the region. Known for its picturesque vineyards, historic chateaux, and diverse wine production, making it an ideal destination for wine enthusiasts. From sharing a meal with a winegrower to walking in the vineyards or exploring some antics troglodytes cellars (old chalk cellars), import our interactive map to your cell phone and book your next wine experience on Winalist!

Take a Loire Valley Vineyard Day Trip

Discover the treasures of the Loire Valley comfortably seated in a 9-seater mini-bus with the Val de Loire Travel agency.

During a full day, you will be taken to several villages around Tours to discover the troglodytes, the know-how and the wines of the region . The wine tour will end with a visit to one of the most beautiful private castles in the region, located in the middle of the forest of Chinon.

The expedition will include several tastings of fine wines and a delightful meal, all meticulously planned by the organizers. At day’s end, you’ll be brought back to your launching point in Tours’ city center.

What is Tours, France known for?

The main attractions of Tours, France are the Saint-Gatien Cathedral, the Museum of Fine Arts, the botanical garden and Vieux-Tours with its half-timbered houses.

Is tours a city in France?

Yes, tours is a city located in France, in the Loire Valley. It is known for its beautiful architecture, charming streets, and rich history. Tours is a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from around the world to explore its many attractions and cultural sites. So, to clarify, tours is a city in France.

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Paris Olympics: See the venues of the Summer Games

This summer's Olympics will unfold in more than 30 venues throughout Paris and other cities throughout France. This story is best viewed on mobile in the NBC News app .

by Chet Hill, Jiachuan Wu and Nigel Chiwaya

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The Olympics will transform Paris, with dozens of competitions and events expected to draw huge crowds to one of the world’s most iconic cities. Take a tour of some of the Games’ more noteworthy venues.

The River Seine, which flows through the heart of Paris, will be a central location throughout the Games.

The Seine will be the site of the opening ceremony on July 26, when 10,000 athletes aboard more than 160 boats will parade on the water in front of crowds of up to 300,000. In the following weeks, swimming, triathlon, 3-on-3 basketball, skateboarding and gymnastics competitions will also be held at venues along the river.

Beach volleyball will be played at a temporary stadium, currently under construction, in the Champ de Mars near the Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower Stadium will offer a spectacular view of one of Paris’ most iconic landmarks.

Judo and wrestling competitions will take place at a temporary arena in the Champ de Mars.

The arena will be dismantled after the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Olympic village lies along the Seine’s northern bank and will house more than 20,000 athletes during the Olympics and Paralympic Games combined.

The village is located about a mile away from Stade de France, which will serve as the main Olympic stadium and host major events such as rugby, shot put and track and field.

The Roland Garros Stadium, built in 1928 in western Paris, is traditionally the home of the annual French Open tennis tournament.

During the Paris Olympics, the Roland Garros will host tennis, boxing, wheelchair tennis and sitting volleyball competitions.

The Olympics are not limited to Paris, as events will take place in other French cities, too. Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes and Nice will host soccer games. Sailing competitions will take place at the Marseille marina, and Villeneuve-d’Ascq in northern France will host basketball and handball competitions.

The farthest event of the Games will take place almost 10,000 miles away, in the French Polynesian island of Tahiti.

Teahupo’o, which is home to some of the biggest waves on the planet, will host surfing competitions.

Visual Credits

3D satellite imagery via Google Earth. Photo rendered images: Seine riverbank, Eiffel Tower Stadium: Paris 2024. Champ de Mars Arena: Paris 2024 /Rmngp/Wilmotte&Associes. Stade de France: Paris2024 / Stade de France © - Macary Zublena et Regembal Costantini - Architectes © ADAGP - Paris. Roland-Garros: Paris 2024 /Cédric Lecocq / FFT. Tahiti: Manea Fabisch/Tahiti Tourisme.

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Take a Tour of the Chic Paris Apartment with Views of the Eiffel Tower on Food Network’s Next Baking Master: Paris

In the new Food Network series, premiering May 6, U.S. bakers travel to France to compete for the title of Next Baking Master

American cooks are saying bonjour to France in Food Network’s latest competition series, Next Baking Master: Paris .

Hosts Stephanie Boswell and Ludo Lefebvre are bringing 10 bakers to the City of Lights to learn, taste and bake French pastries. PEOPLE has an exclusive look at the first episode, which premieres on May 6. In it, the bakers tour the stunning Parisian apartment they will stay in after full days of croissants and macaroons.

The 10 competitors eagerly hop out of their cars to see the apartment. After pushing through grand entryway doors, they trudge up a beautiful, winding staircase — giving each other words of encouragement to make it upstairs with their large luggage.

“I’m sweating,” one contestant says. Another chef replies, “I think it’ll all be worth it.”

As soon as they open the doors, they learn it was in fact, worth it. The group awes at the sunlight-filled apartment with colorful artwork on the walls, wooden pillars in the living rooms and marble fireplaces.

“We are chic here,” says Paige, a chef from Brooklyn.

Food Network

The views may be even more stunning than the interior. Everyone takes turns admiring their unobstructed view of the Eiffel Tower, which can be seen from their living room windows and from the balconies.

The contestants take a lackadaisical approach to choosing their specific rooms because they are all equally beautiful. Two chefs look out of the window to see a grandiose French street.

“Are you kidding me? I’m literally red,” says one chef, blushing from excitement.

For some contestants, being in France and competing on Next Baking Master: Paris is a massive milestone.

“This is kind of a dream for me, you know, being in Paris,” says Robert, a baker from Philadelphia. “You know, I grew up in a rough neighborhood in Philly and poor. It's so easy to be inspired here.”

To celebrate their abode and the start of the competition, the cast pops a bottle of champagne and clink their drinks for a “cheers” to Next Baking Master.

“May the sweetest one win,” one chef adds.

Every week, the 10 bakers will visit iconic pastry shops, like Ladurée, and be mentored by famous French chefs. Weekly baking challenges will send the lowest scoring chef back to America until a winner is crowned and given a full suite of kitchen appliances and baking equipment valued at $25,000.

Next Baking Master: Paris premieres May 6 at 9 p.m. ET on Food Network.

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