Plan Your Trip

You ll find your own remote, undiscovered and underrated places as you travel around, but here is my selection to start you off.

France travel is rewarding, but there are many key steps to planning and enjoying a trip to France. Use this step-by-step travel planner, which covers deciding where and when to go to France, where to stay, what to do, French culture, getting around France and more to assist you in France travel planning.

Weather in France can be crucial to planning a France vacation. Get detailed weather data on major French cities to help you plan your trip. For instance, find out whether Paris really is so rainy, or if Nice is so sunny, or just how much snow to expect in the Alps. Find out which months are rainiest in various cities, and what the average temperatures are throughout France. Here are details about weather and climate in France.

When entering France, there is a limit on items tourists can bring into the country without paying a duty. Here are some tips on customs regulations in France.

Betting to France by Ferry from the U.K.

A Guide to the Beaches of France. Where will you choose to go? The French Atlantic coast? Normandy? Brittany? Or perhaps the Mediterranean, the most popular beach destination in Europe? Check the suggestions here to choose where to swim, sail, surf or just chill out.

Guide to Reims, capital of Champagne. Reims makes a wonderful day or overnight trip from Paris. Discover what to see, where to stay, the best places to dine and where to try Champagne in this guide to Reims.

The western part of the Mediterranean runs from the Pyrenees near the Spanish border to the charming Islands off Hyeres just ear Saint Tropez. Follow our guide to find the best beaches on this gorgeous stretch which offers long sandy beaches and charming headlands.

The Palace Hotels, a category created in 2011, is a group of nine hotels that are considered the very best in France. There are six in Paris, two in Courchevel, one in Biarritz and one in Cap Ferrat. Here is a short guide to all of the top French Palace Hotels.

It is no easy task planning a trip to France. Even so, it's all worth it. But save yourself a lot of headache and stress by learning all the basics first with this free online e-course.

There are some great places to shop for bargains in France. Try the major outlet and discount malls dotted all round France and factory shops from manufacturers like Limoges porcelain. The brocante fairs that fill the towns and villages of France in the summer make good hunting grounds for bargains in household items, vintage clothes, while the...

If you want a short trip outside Paris, try any of these suggestions. You can go for a day trip, or stay overnight for easy sightseeing outside the capital. Perhaps combine some of them into an overnight or longer stay.

A Visitor's Guide to Marseille in the south of France. France's oldest city has everything from Roman remains to contemporary architecture. Check out this guide to France's second city which is much more than a tourist resort.

A Guide to the best beaches in Normandy, from the Cotentin Peninsula to the great cliffs of Falaise and beautiful Etretat plage. From the beaches which saw the Normandy D-Day landings to the smart beaches at Trouville-sur-Mer.

Visit France in January and you’ll find half the country celebrating the ski season in the glorious, snow-covered Alps and the other half it seems, enjoying the semi-annual sales.

Provence-Alpes-Cotes d’Azur – a visitor’s guide to the south of France

You're planning your first trip to France, and it's something you've dreamed of for years. But there are several rookie France travel mistakes that could make your visit less enjoyable, or even downright unpleasant. Hey, you don't have to look like a rookie. Here are some tips about mistakes to avoid on your first vacation in France.

The key to planning a great French trip is a great French travel book. It not only can help you establish an itinerary, but you can also decide on lodging, dining and attractions for while you are there. I never travel without a couple in my bag to help me decide what to do. Here are the most indispensable travel guides.

Before you go to France, find out all the basics about customs requirements, the culture, weather, currency and more. Also, get tips on when to go and where to go in France.

Many people think France is just too expensive, but that isn't always true. There are tricks and tactics to make France travel fit within a budget and be affordable. Here are secrets to budget France travel.

Unlike in America, cafes and restaurants in Paris and the rest of France directly include a 15 percent service charge in your check. This is required by French law as tips are assessed for taxation purposes. Here is a question and answer article on tipping at restaurants, in taxis, at hotels and more.

French cafes serve some of the world's best coffee, but each of us has our own preferences and a language barrier could prevent you from ordeering the right coffee on the menu. If you can't have caffeine, this could be even more crucial. Find out how to order coffee in France, be it a cafe au lait or espresso.

Using a toilet may sound like the simplest of tasks, but if you aren't used to France's plumbing it can be daunting. Find out what various forms the johns take here, how to flush, how much it will cost you and other secrets to using the restroom.

f you are planning a visit to France (or elsewhere in Europe), odds are you are encountering many references to the metric system. While there are sites that convert around, many just convert one measurement on a page. Here is a handy Metric Conversion Calculator, which allows you to convert common measurements includes inches and millimeters, yards and meters, and miles and kilometers.

Whether you are planning a trip to France, considering relocating there or simply want to imagine being there, there are numerous wonderful magazines devoted to France and francophiles, as well as great travel magazines that often have lots of France-related articles. Here are the best of the travel, France and francophile magazines.

Find the answer to the France Travel FAQ, "Do you have to know French to visit France?"

Winter is the least popular season for tourism in France, but there are many wonderful reasons to visit France in winter. You can escape the typical madness of the tourist season crowds, save yourself lots of euros, and take your pick between cool winter sports and mild Mediterranean destinations.