France Travel Guide

Bordeaux is France’s wine capital and a masterclass in 18th-century neoclassical architecture. A clean, pedestrian-friendly core, the grand Miroir d’Eau reflection pool, and quick TER trains to Saint-Emilion make it an effortless destination.

Strasbourg combines Franco-German heritage, half-timbered canals in Petite France, and a magnificent sandstone Gothic cathedral. It is France’s cycling capital and the gateway to the Alsace Wine Route.

The Pink City (La Ville Rose) earns its name from terracotta brick architecture. Toulouse is France’s aerospace capital and a major university town, keeping food prices and student nightlife affordable.

Just one hour from Paris and 35 minutes from Brussels by TGV, Lille blends Flemish brick gables, warm northern hospitality, and rich craft beer traditions at very affordable rates.

A former Loire shipbuilding port transformed into a creative arts hub, Nantes is famous for mechanical animals at Les Machines de l’Ile, Jules Verne heritage, and the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany.

A sunny Mediterranean university town with France’s largest pedestrianized center. Tram line 3 takes you directly to the beach at Carnon, while student bars around Place de la Comedie offer great drink specials.

Enclosed by 14th-century stone ramparts, Avignon served as the seat of the Catholic papacy in the 1300s. The massive Palais des Papes dominates the town, which is a prime hub for exploring Provence.

Known as the Venice of the Alps, Annecy sits on the northern tip of Lake Annecy, Europe’s cleanest lake. Pastel canals, flower-covered bridges, and alpine mountain peaks frame the historic center.

Colmar looks like a storybook illustration of Alsace, with timber-framed merchant houses painted in candy colors, quiet canals in Little Venice (La Petite Venise), and surrounding vineyard hills.

The historic capital of the Dukes of Burgundy features glazed tile roofs, mustard heritage, and grand private mansions. It is an affordable stopover on the Paris to Lyon TGV rail line.

The city of a thousand fountains and Paul Cezanne’s birthplace. Aix exudes provencal elegance along the plane-tree-shaded Cours Mirabeau, with daily food markets and warm golden stone facades.

Synonymous with luxury yachts, haute couture, and film royalty, Cannes is surprisingly easy to visit on a day trip from Nice for €7 return on the TER train without paying Riviera luxury rates.

The natural capital and prime transit base for visiting the Loire Valley chateaux. Frequent regional trains connect Tours to Chenonceau, Amboise, Blois, and Villandry.

Set in the shadow of Mont Blanc (Western Europe’s highest peak at 4,807 meters), Chamonix is an alpine world capital for hiking, mountaineering, and glacier scenery.

Famed for lavender fields, hilltop stone villages (Gordes, Roussillon), olive groves, and Roman ruins. By basing in Avignon or Arles, travelers can explore using regional rail and local bus lines.

The glittering Mediterranean coastline stretching from Menton on the Italian border past Monaco, Nice, Antibes, and Cannes. Dense coastal TER trains make exploring simple and cheap without a rental car.

Tucked between the Vosges mountains and the Rhine river, Alsace charms with medieval wine villages, castle ruins, and riesling vineyards. Strasbourg and Colmar provide excellent urban train bases.

France’s royal river valley is studded with over 300 chateaux, Renaissance gardens, and troglodyte cave cellars. The Loire a Velo cycling route provides 900 km of safe, well-marked paths.

Famous for Mont-Saint-Michel rising from tidal flats, dramatic chalk cliffs at Etretat, D-Day landing beaches, and apple cider orchards. Rouen and Bayeux serve as outstanding cultural bases.