France
Europe’s most-visited destination, blending Paris, the Riviera, vineyards, and world-famous cultural treasures.
Deals from £334ppBest Deal of France
Overview
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Travel Guide
France is the world's most-visited country, drawing around 100 million international travellers a year, and one of Europe's most rounded holiday destinations just over an hour from the UK. Bordered by Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain, France pairs world-class cities with Mediterranean beaches, Alpine ski resorts and Atlantic coastlines. From the iconic Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum in Paris to the glamorous French Riviera resorts of Nice, Cannes and Saint-Tropez, the country offers extraordinary diversity. Visitors can explore the Loire Valley châteaux, taste champagne in Reims, ski at Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, or relax on the beaches of Biarritz and Corsica. With Provence's lavender fields, Bordeaux's vineyards and Brittany's wild coastline adding regional character, France is ideal for family holidays, couples holidays, ski holidays, city breaks and summer holidays. Johnson Holidays offers ATOL-protected France holidays and French package holidays from multiple UK airports.
✨ Why Visit France
- The world's most-visited country — France draws around 100 million international visitors a year, with Paris alone hosting 30 million annually.
- 53 UNESCO World Heritage Sites — including the historic centres of Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon and Avignon, the Loire Valley, Mont-Saint-Michel and the Palace of Versailles.
- Europe's leading luxury coast — the French Riviera (Nice, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Monaco) holds the densest concentration of five-star hotels and Michelin restaurants on the Mediterranean.
- The world's leading wine country — Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne and the Rhône valleys produce many of the most prestigious bottles on Earth.
- Europe's deepest ski-resort inventory — Chamonix, Val d'Isère, Méribel, Courchevel and Tignes anchor the Trois Vallées (the world's largest ski area at 600km of pistes).
- Direct UK flights and Eurostar access — easyJet, Jet2, British Airways, Ryanair and Air France from over 25 UK airports, plus Eurostar London-to-Paris in 2hr 16min.
? What Makes France Special
Unlike Italy or Spain, France pairs a wider range of distinct holiday products in a single country — Paris city break, French Riviera beach holiday, Loire châteaux culture tour, Champagne and Bordeaux wine breaks, Alpine skiing and Corsican island escapes. Unlike the UK, France delivers a guaranteed Mediterranean summer (Nice averages 28°C in July), four-hour Alpine ski transfers from Geneva (the French Alps hold Europe's largest ski areas) and the cheapest channel-tunnel-and-Eurostar transfer of any continental country. And unlike anywhere else in Europe, France pairs 53 UNESCO sites with the world's most prestigious wine regions, three Michelin-three-star clusters (Paris, Lyon and the Riviera) and the densest concentration of historic châteaux, palaces and gothic cathedrals on the planet. The combination of cultural depth, regional diversity and direct UK access makes France Europe's most rounded year-round destination.
? Key Areas to Explore
- Paris (Île-de-France) — The capital and world's most-visited city, with the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre-Dame, Versailles and Champs-Élysées.
- French Riviera (Côte d'Azur) — The Mediterranean coast from Saint-Tropez through Cannes and Nice to Monaco, with luxury hotels, beach clubs and the Cannes Film Festival.
- Provence — The lavender-and-olive-grove south, with Avignon (Papal Palace), Aix-en-Provence (Cézanne's home) and the Gorges du Verdon canyon.
- Loire Valley — The 280km UNESCO-listed valley of 300+ Renaissance châteaux, with Chambord, Chenonceau and Villandry the headline three.
- French Alps — Europe's leading ski region, with Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Val d'Isère, Méribel, Courchevel, Tignes and the Trois Vallées circuit.
- Bordeaux & South-West — The UNESCO old town and world's most prestigious wine region, with Saint-Émilion, Médoc and the Atlantic coast at Biarritz and Arcachon.
- Brittany & Normandy — The wild north-west Atlantic coast, with Mont-Saint-Michel, the D-Day beaches, Saint-Malo and the half-timbered town of Rouen.
- Champagne (Reims & Épernay) — The protected AOC region holding 300 champagne houses, 45 minutes by TGV from Paris.
- Corsica — The Mediterranean island of Napoleon's birth, with Ajaccio, the Calanques de Piana cliffs and the GR20 trekking route.
- Disneyland Paris — Europe's most-visited theme park, 32km east of central Paris in Marne-la-Vallée.
A 643,000 km² country that pairs world-leading cities with Mediterranean beaches, Alpine ski resorts, UNESCO châteaux and the world's most prestigious wine regions — broken down by category below.
?️ Nature & Outdoor Activities
- Climb the Aiguille du Midi cable car to 3,842m at Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
- Hike the GR20 across Corsica (Europe's toughest long-distance trek)
- Cycle the Loire à Vélo route through the Loire Valley châteaux
- Kayak the Gorges du Verdon (Europe's deepest canyon, Provence)
- Surf the Atlantic at Biarritz (host of the WSL Surf League events)
?️ Beaches
- Promenade des Anglais (Nice) — Côte d'Azur's headline pebble beach
- Plage de Pampelonne (Saint-Tropez) — 5km beach with the Club 55 beach club
- Plage de la Grande Côte (Royan, Atlantic coast) — 25km of golden sand
- Plage Notre-Dame (Île de Porquerolles) — Caribbean-clear Mediterranean island bay
- Plage de Palombaggia (Corsica) — pine-fringed turquoise sand south of Porto-Vecchio
?️ Food & Drink
- Order coq au vin at Bistrot Paul Bert (Paris 11th arrondissement)
- Try bouillabaisse (Marseille fish stew) at Le Miramar in Marseille's Vieux-Port
- Sample crêpes and galettes at Crêperie Ar Vag in Saint-Malo (Brittany)
- Order ratatouille and tapenade at La Petite Maison de Nicole in Nice
- Wine flight at Château Margaux (Médoc) — first-growth Bordeaux tasting €150pp
? Nightlife & Entertainment
- Moulin Rouge cabaret in Pigalle (Paris, since 1889)
- Casino de Monte-Carlo in Monaco (the original Belle Époque casino, 1863)
- Cannes Film Festival evening events (mid-May)
- Live jazz at Caveau de la Huchette (Paris Latin Quarter, since 1949)
- Beach-club nightlife at VIP Room (Saint-Tropez)
? Instagram-Worthy Spots
- The Eiffel Tower from the Trocadéro at golden hour
- Mont-Saint-Michel tidal abbey at low tide (Normandy)
- The lavender fields of the Valensole Plateau in late June to early August (Provence)
- The cliff-side village of Èze on the Côte d'Azur at sunset
- The Aiguille du Midi "Step into the Void" glass platform (Chamonix)
Best Value Deals
? All-Inclusive Holidays
France's all-inclusive market is small — the country runs almost entirely on B&B city stays, half-board hotels and self-catering villa rentals rather than mass-market AI. Club Med leads the AI inventory with five French Alps ski resorts (Val Thorens, Tignes, Les Arcs Panorama, La Plagne and Alpe d'Huez) plus Club Med Cap Skirring and Club Med Opio in Provence. Pierre & Vacances and Belambra Clubs add the family-club self-catering and half-board options. Shoulder-season weeks with UK flights typically open from £349pp in May or October, climbing to £999pp at peak August or February half-term ski weeks.
???? Family Holidays
France is one of Europe's leading family-holiday destinations. Disneyland Paris (Marne-la-Vallée, 32km east of central Paris) is Europe's most-visited theme park, with two parks and 50+ rides. The Atlantic coast at La Rochelle, Royan and Vendée holds vast family-aimed campsite-and-resort inventory, while the French Riviera offers calmer family beaches at Cagnes-sur-Mer and Antibes. The French Alps deliver Europe's strongest family ski-resort scene at Avoriaz, Les Gets and La Plagne. Disneyland Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel, Hôtel Cheyenne and the Davy Crockett Ranch lead the family-park inventory.
? Luxury Holidays
France holds Europe's deepest five-star hotel inventory. The Paris Palace category alone includes Hôtel Ritz Paris, Hôtel de Crillon, The Peninsula Paris, Mandarin Oriental Paris, Hôtel George V, Le Bristol Paris and Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris. The French Riviera adds Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc (Antibes, since 1870), Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo (Monaco), Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat (a Four Seasons property), Cheval Blanc St-Tropez and Hôtel Martinez (Cannes). In the Alps, Six Senses Crans-Montana (Swiss-French border), Les Airelles Courchevel and Cheval Blanc Courchevel anchor the ski-luxury inventory. Bordeaux's InterContinental Bordeaux Le Grand Hôtel is the headline UNESCO old-town five-star.
⏰ Last-Minute Deals
France's vast tourism volume means late-availability stock is consistently strong outside the August peak and the February half-term ski weeks. The strongest discounts surface in mid-January, March-April and mid-September to late October — discounts of 20–30% inside three weeks of departure are realistic on Pierre & Vacances, Belambra Clubs and Club Med shoulder-season ski packages. Unlike Mediterranean destinations, France works year-round — winter skiing, spring city breaks (Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon), summer Riviera beaches and autumn wine tourism keep inventory open through the calendar.
Why book with us:
? Low deposits from £49pp
? Flexible payment plans with balance due 6 weeks before travel
?️ ATOL Protected — your money and flights are safeguarded
✅ Free amendment window on selected packages
? UK-based customer support, 8am–11pm every day
? Best Time to Visit France
France runs four distinct seasons across its varied regions. June to early September is the peak French Riviera, Atlantic-coast and Corsican beach window, with daytime highs of 25–30°C and sea temperatures of 22–25°C on the Mediterranean. April to June and September to October are the value-strong shoulder months for Paris, the Loire Valley and the wine regions, with 15–22°C and lower hotel rates. December to early April is the Alpine ski season, with peak snow late January to mid-March (Chamonix, Val d'Isère, Courchevel). November to March is also the Paris and Bordeaux city-break window at 5–14°C, with Christmas markets in Strasbourg and Colmar from late November to 26 December.
? Where to Stay
- Families: Disneyland Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel (Paris), Pierre & Vacances Center Parcs Domaine du Bois aux Daims (Vienne), Club Med Opio (Provence)
- Couples: Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc (Antibes), Cheval Blanc St-Tropez, Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat (Four Seasons)
- Luxury travellers: Hôtel Ritz Paris, Hôtel de Crillon, Four Seasons George V Paris, Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, Les Airelles Courchevel
- Skiers & winter-sport travellers: Cheval Blanc Courchevel, Les Airelles Courchevel, Hôtel Mont-Blanc (Chamonix), Club Med Val Thorens
- City-break first-timers & culture lovers: Hôtel Ritz Paris, Hôtel de Crillon, InterContinental Bordeaux Le Grand Hôtel, Hôtel Carlton Lyon
? Getting Around
France's TGV high-speed rail network is one of the world's best — Paris to Marseille in 3hr 5min (from €40), Paris to Bordeaux in 2hr 5min, Paris to Lyon in 2 hours, Paris to Nice in 5hr 30min. The Eurostar runs London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord in 2hr 16min (from £39 single, booked ahead). Within Paris, the metro network covers 14 lines for €2.15 single or €30 weekly pass. Hertz, Sixt and Europcar rent cars from CDG, ORY and all major airports from €30 a day. France's motorway network is mostly tolled — Paris to Nice costs around €100 in tolls. For the French Alps, package transfers from Geneva (GVA) to the main ski resorts run 60–120 minutes for €40–80pp.
? Travel Tips
- France runs Central European Time — one hour ahead of the UK year-round.
- The currency is the Euro (€).
- France's standard VAT (TVA) is 20%, included in displayed prices; reduced 10% on hotel accommodation and most restaurants.
- Plug type is European Type E (French two-pin with earth) at 230V — bring a universal European adapter.
- Tap water is safe and excellent quality across France — no need to buy bottled.
- A couvert (cover charge) is not standard in France, unlike Italy, but tipping 5–10% is appreciated for good service (service is included by law, but extra is welcome).
- The Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris is often the most relaxed way to travel — book ahead for the cheapest fares.
- Restaurants in France typically open from 12pm to 2.30pm for lunch and 7.30pm to 10.30pm for dinner — kitchens close strictly between services.
- The Paris Museum Pass (€70 for 4 days) covers 50+ sites including the Louvre, Versailles and the Arc de Triomphe — best value for art-and-history first-timers.
- Disneyland Paris peak days are weekends, French school holidays and Christmas week — visit Tuesday-to-Thursday for the shortest queues.
- The French Alps ski resorts run UK weekly Saturday-to-Saturday packages — Geneva (GVA), Lyon (LYS) and Chambéry (CMF) are the main gateway airports.
- Booking Louvre, Versailles and Eiffel Tower tickets 2–3 weeks ahead via the official websites saves significant queueing time.
- France's regional cuisine varies dramatically — try cassoulet in Toulouse, choucroute in Strasbourg, bouillabaisse in Marseille and crêpes in Brittany.
Map Of France
Top Experiences
Visit the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum
Experience Paris’s iconic landmarks, breathtaking city views, and world-famous art collections in one unforgettable day.
Drive the Côte d’Azur from Nice to Monaco
Discover glamorous Riviera scenery, picturesque villages, stunning coastlines, and the elegance of Monaco.
Day at Disneyland Paris
Enjoy thrilling rides, magical attractions, beloved characters, and unforgettable family fun at Europe’s top theme park.
Tour the Loire Valley Châteaux
Explore magnificent castles, Renaissance architecture, beautiful gardens, and France’s most enchanting historic landscapes.
Champagne Tasting in Reims and Épernay
Sample world-famous Champagne while touring prestigious cellars in France’s celebrated wine-producing region.
Hike or Ski Mont Blanc and Chamonix
Experience spectacular Alpine scenery, outdoor adventures, mountain trails, glaciers, and world-class skiing year-round.
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