The villages of the country, picturesque in their provincial glory, are ‘’quaint’’essentially, the heart and soul of France. All the raving about French food is actually all true. Be it their delightful sauces, their filling pastries, their crumbling bread, their lip-smacking cheese, or their effervescent champagne, all of France’s richness is distilled in its cuisine. Infact, coffee is so authentically Parisian that coffee houses over the world are termed café, which is French for the beverage. In addition, art thrived in Paris, especially the romantic style of Impressionism. Cities on the Riviera boast the most legendary curatorial efforts. The Louvre, is another celebration of the most iconic sculptures and paintings, from the time of The Renaissance.
The French skyline is also dotted by the tall minarets of palatial castles and ornate palaces. Case in point, the majestic Palace of Versailles. We invite you to taste the splendour of this exotic country on a decadent dessert platter, and toast a sweet Rose as you sit at a potted balcony, smoking a cigarette, in a pair of bespoke Dior trousers, rejoicing at the idyllic rendezvous of the boundless emerald plains with the clear azure skies. The tourist places in France will give you an experience to be cherished forever.
1. Take a Seine River Cruise: One of the top things to do in Paris is to take a cruise on the Seine River. Choose from a variety of options available and delight in seeing all the top sights of Paris such as the Notre-Dame Cathedral, Place de la Concorde, the Musée D'Orsay, the Louvre, etc. from the water.
You can opt for a daytime cruise with brunch or lunch and get the day view of the beautiful city. If you want to appreciate the illuminated city of light, go for a dinner cruise which comes with onboard cabaret shows.
Location: Start from Pont de l'Alma near the Eiffel Tower, Paris
Checkout & Book Now: Seine River Hop-On Hop-Off Cruise, Paris
2. Ski in the French Alps: Appreciate the spectacular beauty of the Alpine scenery while indulging in a skiing experience. Visit the legendary Chamonix-Mont Blanc and enjoy skiing on its wide range of slopes. You can also go to Val d'Isère, known for its expansive 300-kilometers ski terrain.
If you want to go for a skiing experience in the world's largest ski area with 600 kilometers of ski runs, then you should visit Les Trois Vallées. Other areas known for offering an excellent skiing experience includes the resorts found in Portes du Soleil ski domain.
Location: South Eastern France
3. Ride a Bike around Bordeaux: Rent a bike and plan your self-guided route to explore the beauty of Bordeaux. Feel delighted as you ride along one of the popular routes and pass vine covered rolling hills, quaint villages and magnificent palaces. Take the Roger Lapébie bike path in the Entre-deux-Mer region and run along the Canal de Deux Mers and enjoy the tranquil atmosphere. Or ride 50 kms from Bordeaux to reach Saint-Émilion, a picturesque medieval village.
Take a look at its historic monasteries and churches which have included the town in the UNESCO list. If you are looking for a shorter ride, you can take a 6 km ride to Pessac to admire Le Corbusier architecture, or take a 29-kilometer route to Margaux, a village famous for its gastronomy.
Location: Bordeaux
4. Surf The Waves in Biarritz: Those with a love for surfing will find Biarritz in the French Basque Country to be a surfing haven. Indulge in this enjoyable activity where you ride the waves with splashes of water hitting your body along with the cool sea breeze. Whether you are an experienced surfer or have just begun to enjoy the activity, be sure that you will enjoy this experience.
Location: Biarritz.
5. Fly On a Hot-Air Balloon: Indulge in a magical experience of flying over some of the beautiful castles of the Loire Valley. You may opt for this beautiful experience during at dawn where you can enjoy the view of the castles with the sun rising in the backdrop.
you may opt to go for this experience at dusk and enjoy the view of the setting sun behind the magnificent Renaissance châteaux De La Loire, and it's beautiful grounds. Enjoy a glass of champagne as you glide through the sky in this floating vessel.
Location: Pays de la Loire, Central France
6. Climb Up the Eiffel Tower: A top thing to do in France is to climb up the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris. The tower has 3 levels which you can climb on to get a view of the Paris skyline. You will get the best from the top level which will offer you the panoramic view of the city of Paris.
The view becomes even more beautiful if you visit at dusk and take a look at the city with the sun setting in the backdrop. While there, you may opt for having a meal at the famous Le Jules Verne Restaurant on the second floor.
Location: Champ de Mars, 5 Av. Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France
Checkout & Book: Eiffel Tower Top Floor Tickets
7. Enjoy a Hiking Trip: If you enjoy hiking, you may opt for a hiking trip at Auvergne, a land with 450 dormant mountains. The Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Natural Park is the largest French regional natural park, with unique landscapes and both short and long hiking trails to suit all levels.
While on this hiking trip, you will enjoy passing by beautiful heritage places that have been built with volcanic rocks. The Park is also known for its remarkable biodiversity which you will get a glimpse of during your hike.
Location: Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Natural Park, Auvergne, France
8. Take a Catamaran Tour: You can go on a catamaran tour at the National Park Calanques of Marseille – Cassis, in southern France. The Park is known for its spectacular landscapes which are rich in flora and fauna. The Park includes a vast marine area of the Mediterranean Sea with coastal ranges of creeks, few islands, and one of the richest submarine canyons in the world. Opt for a catamaran tour and explore this naturally beautiful park from the water.
Location: The National Park Calanques of Marseille, Cassis, France
9. Embark on a Food Tour: Discover the secrets of French cuisine by embarking on a food tour at the gastronomic capital of France, Lyon. Lyon is a city which has more restaurants than people where food is given a treatment of another level and served to people.
Feel delighted as you hop from one restaurant or bistros to another and taste mouth watering delicacies and feel curious to learn more about its ingredients and method of cooking.
Location: Lyon, France
Click Here To Book: Paris Montmartre Food Tasting Tour
10. Join a Champagne Tour: Go on a champagne tour along the important champagne houses of the famous Champagne Avenue, located at Epernay, in the region of Grand Est, which is known to be the capital of Champagne.
Admire the beautiful city with its 19th century private mansions as you pass them while moving from one champagne house to another. Learn about the history and production of the champagne wine at each house and indulge in the same sample tasting.
Location: Epernay, France
Vacationing in France may prove to be expensive. While meals and drinks are not so expensive, accommodation and transportation may prove to be expensive. A 14-day long trip for two people may cost you around €6,000 in addition to your flight cost.
Summer is the best season to visit France. The summer months of June to August are pleasantly sunny and warm, with occasional showers cooling off the heat of summer. Whether you want to explore major historical places, castles, museums or natural landscapes, this enjoyable weather will make your vacation even more delightful. Moreover, as days are longer during this time of the year, you will have more hours of daylight to squeeze in more tourist spots in your itinerary.
Paris is the most visited city in France. The city has several world-famous attractions, from the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre and Disneyland. The city also has other attractions on offer for its guests, such as monuments, world-class museums etc. The city lies at the hub of France's national and international communications networks and is the most accessible of French cities.
France is a safe country for tourists to visit and has been ranked 66 out of 163 countries. Crimes involving tourists are very rare. However, you should still be careful regarding petty thefts.
You will be able to cover a major part of the attractions of France in two weeks. An ideal itinerary would be as follows:
A trip to France for two people for 2 weeks would cost around €5178. This comes to €186 per person per day on an average with €33 on meals for one day, €242 on accommodation for a couple, and €24 on local transportation. Adding to this would be the flight fare to reach France.
If you are going to France for 10 days to a two-week vacation, you should take around €6,000 with you for taking care of the accommodation, meals, transportation from one city to another, and the sightseeing cost for two people. Moreover, you will also be able to indulge in some shopping with this money.
Here are the best day and night tour packages you can book with Thrillophilia: