Country guide · France
Best places to visit in France
5 destinations compared, so you can choose where to spend your time.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first trip to France, start with Nice: Pebble beaches, Old Town markets and a rail gateway to the Riviera. For beaches, look at Nice and Marseille. Lyon is the least expensive of the destinations in this guide.
Key facts
- Destinations in this guide
- 5
- Best months overall
- May–June and September–October
- Start with
- Nice
- Least expensive here
- Lyon
5 places to visit in France
Best: May–June and September–October · 5 days
Nice
Pebble beaches, Old Town markets and a rail gateway to the Riviera
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Best: April–June and September–October · 4 days
Paris
World-class museums, café terraces and walkable riverside quarters
Best: May–June and September–October · 4 days
Bordeaux
18th-century stone quays, wine bars and the gateway to Saint-Émilion
Best: April–June and September–October · 3 days
Lyon
France's food capital of bouchons, Renaissance lanes and two rivers
Best: May–June and September–October · 4 days
Marseille
France's oldest port city, with bouillabaisse, island forts and the Calanques
Compare the destinations
| Destination | Known for | Best time | Ideal stay | Mid-range per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nice | Promenade des Anglais and Vieux Nice | May–June and September–October | 5 days | $180–$320 |
| Paris | Eiffel Tower and Louvre | April–June and September–October | 4 days | $200–$350 |
| Bordeaux | Wine and Place de la Bourse | May–June and September–October | 4 days | $170–$280 |
| Lyon | Gastronomy and Bouchons | April–June and September–October | 3 days | $150–$250 |
| Marseille | Vieux-Port and Calanques | May–June and September–October | 4 days | $160–$260 |
When to visit France
Across these destinations the most reliable months are May–June and September–October. Timing still varies by place: Nice is best in May–June and September–October; Paris is best in April–June and September–October; Bordeaux is best in May–June and September–October.
Signature dishes across France
| Destination | Try first | Also try |
|---|---|---|
| Nice | Socca | Salade niçoise and Pan bagnat |
| Paris | Croissant and pain au chocolat | Baguette tradition and Steak frites |
| Bordeaux | Canelé | Entrecôte à la bordelaise and Arcachon oysters |
| Lyon | Pike quenelles | Sausage in brioche and Lyonnaise salad |
| Marseille | Bouillabaisse | Panisse and Chichi frégi |
Events through the year in France
| Month | Events |
|---|---|
| January | Nice: Prom' Classic — 10 km road race on the Promenade (usually early January); Paris: Winter sales — citywide shop discounts (usually from early January) |
| February | Nice: Nice Carnival — parades and flower battles on Place Masséna and the Promenade (usually mid-February to early March); Paris: Salon International de l'Agriculture — farm and food fair (usually late February) |
| March | Nice: Paris–Nice cycling race finishes around Nice (usually mid-March); Paris: Paris Fashion Week (women's ready-to-wear, usually late February to early March) |
| April | Paris: Paris Marathon (usually early April); Bordeaux: En primeur week — trade tastings of the latest vintage, mostly for professionals (usually early April) |
| May | Nice: Cannes Film Festival (usually mid-May); Paris: Nuit Européenne des Musées — free late museum openings (usually mid-May) |
| June | Nice: Fête de la Musique — free concerts across the city (21 June); Paris: Fête de la Musique — free street concerts citywide (21 June) |
| July | Nice: Nice Jazz Festival (usually mid-to-late July); Paris: Bastille Day parade and fireworks (14 July) |
| August | Nice: Cannes fireworks festival — pyrotechnic displays over the bay of Cannes (usually July–August); Paris: Paris Plages continues (usually until mid/late August) |
| September | Nice: European Heritage Days — free entry to normally closed buildings (usually third weekend); Paris: European Heritage Days — free entry to normally closed buildings (usually third weekend) |
| October | Paris: Nuit Blanche — all-night contemporary art event (usually early October); Bordeaux: Grape harvest in the surrounding vineyards (usually September to early October) |
| November | Nice: Nice–Cannes Marathon along the coast (usually early November); Paris: Christmas lights switched on along the Champs-Élysées (usually late November) |
| December | Nice: Christmas village and ice rink on Place Masséna (usually December); Paris: Christmas markets at the Tuileries and other squares (usually late November to early January) |
How far apart they are
| From | To | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Nice | Paris | 685 km |
| Nice | Bordeaux | 636 km |
| Nice | Lyon | 298 km |
| Nice | Marseille | 159 km |
| Paris | Bordeaux | 499 km |
| Paris | Lyon | 391 km |
| Paris | Marseille | 660 km |
| Bordeaux | Lyon | 436 km |
| Bordeaux | Marseille | 505 km |
| Lyon | Marseille | 278 km |
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I go on my first trip to France?
Nice: Nice is the largest city on the French Riviera, curving around the Baie des Anges behind the 7-kilometre Promenade des Anglais. Its Italianate old town, Vieux Nice, packs baroque churches, the Cours Saleya market and…
+When is the best time to visit France?
Generally May–June and September–October, though it varies by region.