France rewards every trip length — a long weekend in Paris, two weeks covering the country's greatest highlights, or a focused week in Provence or the Riviera. This France itinerary guide gives you flexible, well-paced options for different trip lengths, combining the country's unmissable cities with the regions that give French travel its distinctive depth and variety.
One Week in France: Paris + One Region
One week is enough to experience Paris properly and add a meaningful foray into one other region. The Loire Valley and Provence are the best choices for a first-time visitor — both easily reached from Paris, with their own distinct character.
Days 1–4: Paris
Day 1: Arrive in Paris. Check into your hotel, then take a walk along the Seine from Notre-Dame to the Pont Neuf. Evening dinner in the Marais.
Day 2: Morning at the Eiffel Tower (pre-booked ticket essential). Walk through the Champ-de-Mars and across to Musée d'Orsay for the afternoon. Evening stroll through Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
Day 3: The Louvre (allocate a full morning at minimum). Afternoon: walk through the Tuileries Garden to Place de la Concorde, up the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe.
Day 4: Morning in Montmartre — Sacré-Cœur, Place du Tertre, the vineyard. Afternoon: explore the Canal Saint-Martin area.
Days 5–7: Loire Valley
Day 5: Take the TGV to Tours (1h from Paris). Rent a car or join a guided tour. Visit Château de Chambord in the afternoon — allow 2–3 hours for this extraordinary Renaissance palace.
Day 6: Château de Chenonceau in the morning (one of France's most beautiful), then drive west to the white wine appellation of Vouvray for a tasting. Lunch in Amboise, where Leonardo da Vinci spent his final years.
Day 7: Visit Château de Villandry for its remarkable Renaissance gardens, then take the train back to Paris (or onward to your next destination).
Two Weeks in France: The Grand Tour
With two weeks, you can cover France's greatest highlights from north to south, experiencing the diversity that makes this country so extraordinary.
Days 1–4: Paris
Follow the one-week Paris itinerary above, adding time for a day trip to Versailles (Day 4), exploring the Palace of Versailles and its gardens.
Days 5–6: Loire Valley
Follow the one-week Loire Valley itinerary, staying overnight in Amboise or Tours.
Days 7–8: Bordeaux
Day 7: Take the TGV from Tours to Bordeaux (2.5h). Afternoon: walk the UNESCO old town and the Garonne quays, visit La Cité du Vin.
Day 8: Full day in Saint-Émilion — morning tasting at the châteaux, afternoon exploring the medieval village and its underground church.
Days 9–11: Provence
Day 9: Drive or take the TGV to Avignon. Explore the Palais des Papes and the Pont d'Avignon. Drive to Gordes for the night.
Day 10: Morning: Roussillon (ochre village) and Abbey de Sénanque (lavender fields in season). Afternoon: Les Baux-de-Provence. Night in Aix-en-Provence.
Day 11: Morning in Aix-en-Provence — Cours Mirabeau and Cézanne's studio. Drive to Marseille (30 min). Afternoon: Vieux-Port, Le Panier neighborhood, and a bouillabaisse dinner.
Days 12–14: French Riviera
Day 12: Drive or train from Marseille along the coast to Nice (2.5h by train). Afternoon: Promenade des Anglais, Vieux-Nice, and Cours Saleya market.
Day 13: Day trip: morning in Èze village (dramatic hilltop views), afternoon in Monaco.
Day 14: Morning: Matisse Museum and Castle Hill viewpoint. Fly home from Nice Côte d'Azur Airport.
One Week in the South of France
For those who want to focus on Provence and the Riviera without the north:
- Day 1–2: Arrive Nice. Explore the city, beaches, and Matisse Museum
- Day 3: Èze and Monaco day trip
- Day 4: Drive west to Antibes and Cannes, stopping at the Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence
- Day 5: Avignon — Palais des Papes, Pont d'Avignon
- Day 6: Gordes, Roussillon, and the Luberon
- Day 7: Marseille and the Calanques before flying home
France Travel Tips
- France's high-speed TGV network connects major cities efficiently — Paris–Lyon is 2h, Paris–Marseille 3h15, Paris–Bordeaux 2h10
- Book train tickets early (up to 3 months in advance) for the best prices on TGV routes
- A rental car is useful for the Loire Valley châteaux, Provence villages, and Dordogne exploration
- Major attractions sell out during summer — book the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Versailles tickets weeks in advance
- French restaurants almost universally offer a fixed-price lunch menu (formule du midi) that is excellent value — typically 2 courses for €14–20