FRANCE TRAVEL GUIDE
France has it all! The romance of Paris, rolling countryside, fairytale towns and villages, beautiful coastal cities. No matter what you love you’re sure to find it in France and you’ll probably fall in love with the place whilst you’re there.
France General Information
France is a country in Western Europe and is the most visited country in the world. It is bordered by Belgium and Luxembourg in the north east, Germany, Italy and Switzerland in the east, Monaco, Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. It also shares maritime borders with the United Kingdom.
It is 551,695 km² which makes it 79% of the size of Texas and the third largest country in Europe after Russia and Ukraine.
FRANCE BLOG POSTS BY REGION
FRENCH RIVIERA
HOW TO GET TO FRANCE
France is extremly accessible however you choose to travel and boasts one of the best transport infrastructures in the world. Airlines fly all over the world, ferries are a great option and they have a great, reliable rail network connecting you to both different areas of the country and further afield to other areas of Europe.
By road
France has a major network of roads that links with other European countries. There are several coach companies BlaBlaBus, FlixBus and Eurolines that offer low cost travel into France from other European cities. These are comfy with reclining seats, plenty of leg room, toilets and even WiFi and power sockets onboard.
By rail
France has an extensive, centralised rail network with every major city having a network of services to its suburban areas. Major cities are linked by high speed TGV (Trains à Grande Vitesse) and smaller towns are connected by TER (Trains Express Régionaux)
There is the EuroStar which can take you from London and various other european destinations to Paris, Lille, Avignon, Lyon or Marseille. From there you can connect to the TGV or TER for an onward journey.
Voyages-sncf.com is the place to help you with all your train needs whilst in France. You can book all trains and rail passes through them.
By air
Frances main airport is, unsurprisingly, in it’s capital city of Paris. Paris actually has two airports - Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle (25 km north of the city) and Orly (14 km south) which are both linked to the centre by shuttle buses and the suburban rail service (RER). Several other cities also have an international airport: Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Strasbourg and Toulouse and these cities also have good air links with Paris. Many smaller cities and towns are served by airports that connect through the capital.
By boat
If you’re coming from the UK particularly a ferry could be a good option. The two countries are separated by just 18 nautical miles at the narrowest part of the Channel, between Dover and Calais. There are many routes between the south of England and the north of France with a range of crossing times as either a foot passenger or with your car.
THE BEST TIME TO VISIT FRANCE
The best time to visit France is in spring (April-May), summer (June-August), or autumn (September-October). Spring is pleasant across the country, with fewer crowds and temperatures ranging from 13°C to 20°C.
THE 10 BEST THINGS TO DO IN FRANCE
Paris
Marseille
Lyon
Loire Valley
Mont-St-Michel
Dordogne
Luberon
Strasbourg
Bordeaux
HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU NEED TO VISIT FRANCE
You could spend as little as a few days visiting the capital, Paris or months road tripping around the beautiful French countryside and coastal towns. The more time you have, the more of this country you get to experience. You could make Paris your base and day trip to nearby sights or road trip around the French Riviera. There’s a long list of towns and villages, historical sights, castles, beaches and vineyards that you can include in your France adventure.
WHAT TO EAT IN FRANCE
France has one of the most famous cuisines in the world and there are so many you should try whils in France.
Boeuf Bourguignon which is beef in red wine stew named after the wine used from the Burgundy region of France.
Tarte Tatin is the result of steaming apples under caramelised sugar with a flaky crust and the outcome is truly delicious
Crepes are an item you simply can’t visit France without having at least once. There are many fillings for this thin pancake from savory to sweet. My recommendation is the famous crêpes suzette which is when they caramelise sugar, orange juice and, for a flash of drama, flambee liqueur.
Crème brûlée is a delicious dessert with it’s sweet vanilla custard and crunchy caramelised sugar on top.
