Everything you need to plan a trip to France.
Itineraries, airports and trains, where to stay in Paris, trips beyond the city, and what it all costs. Every guide is free.
First trip? Start with the guides below, in order.
Provence, France
Provence, France
Start with these three guides
If you're starting from scratch, read these in order: how to plan the trip, when to go, and what it will cost. The rest of this page follows the same order.
How to Plan a Trip to France: Step-by-Step Guide
A practical, no-nonsense framework to plan your first trip to France, from choosing regions to booking in the right order without wasting time or money.
Best Time to Visit France: Month-by-Month Guide
When is the best time to visit France? May, June, and September balance 22°C days with lighter crowds. A month-by-month guide to weather, prices, and regions.
France Travel Budget: Real Costs for Food, Hotels, and Transport
A realistic breakdown of what a trip to France actually costs: €80-250+ per day for food, hotels, and transport, plus the hidden expenses most people underestimate.
What to book, in what order
Dates and budget before museum tickets, national transport before day trips.
- 1Pick your datesWeather, crowds, and prices by season.
- 2Decide the shape of the tripHow many days, Paris only or Paris plus one region, what to book first.
- 3Set a budgetDaily costs for hotels, food, and transport, plus the ones people forget.
- 4Choose how you'll get aroundTrains, flights, or a rental car, and when each one makes sense.
- 5Follow a routeStart from a one-week itinerary and trim it to fit your trip.
Paris only? After step 4, switch to a tight 3-day Paris route or the 5-day version with more room.
Paris essentials
Where to stay, how the metro and tickets work, and day-by-day itineraries that keep you in one part of the city at a time. Add Versailles if you want a big day trip.
Best Areas to Stay in Paris (By Budget and Travel Style)
Choosing where to stay in Paris can make or break your trip. Here’s how to pick the right neighborhood based on your budget, pace, and travel style.
How to Get Around Paris: Metro, Buses, and Tickets Explained
A practical guide to using Paris public transport without getting confused by tickets, zones, airport fares, or easy-to-miss validation rules.
Paris Itinerary: 3 Days Without Wasting Time
A tight, realistic 3-day Paris itinerary covering the major icons without backtracking, long queues, or tourist traps -- built for first-time visitors.
Paris Itinerary: 5 Days Done Right
A smart, well-paced 5-day Paris itinerary that balances iconic sights with slower moments, avoids common traps, and actually feels like a great trip.
Versailles Day Trip From Paris: The Complete Guide
Versailles is worth it from Paris, but only as a full day. How to handle RER C, timed tickets, crowds, and the 10-minute walk without turning it into a slog.
Bonjour !
bon-ZHOOR
the word that opens every door in France
L’addition, s’il vous plaît
the check, please
Parlez-vous anglais ?
do you speak English?
Free French phrasebook
Parlez-vous français ? You will, just enough.
The 100 phrases tourists actually use: greetings, restaurants, directions, numbers, and emergencies, with plain-English pronunciation. Free, emailed to you.
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100 real phrases across 7 situations · Phonetic pronunciation for every phrase · Print-friendly layout to keep in your bag or on your phone
See everything insideExplore France
A one-week itinerary, the best day trips from Paris, and guides to Normandy, the Loire Valley, Alsace, and the Riviera. Provence and Lyon are linked from those guides.
France Itinerary: 7 Days Across Paris and Beyond
A realistic 7-day France itinerary: start in Paris, add one strong second base, and skip the classic mistake of trying to see half the country.
Best Day Trips from Paris That Are Actually Worth It
The best day trips from Paris by train, all under 90 minutes each way, with honest advice on what's worth your time, what's overrated, and when to stay over.
Can You Really Do Normandy in a Day From Paris?
A day trip to Normandy from Paris sounds doable, but it’s a tradeoff. What you gain, what you miss, and how to do it right if you still go.
Loire Valley Without a Car: Châteaux by Train & Bike
Visiting Loire Valley without a car is doable. Best train base towns, châteaux within walking or cycling distance, and what you genuinely can’t reach.
How Many Nights in Strasbourg? A Quick Answer
How many nights to spend in Strasbourg: our recommendation by trip length (1 to 3 nights), plus exactly what to prioritize if you only have one night there.
Pick a South-of-France Base: Nice, the Riviera Coast, or Inland Provence
Nice or Provence? The Riviera and the inland South of France are completely different trips. Here’s how to pick the base that actually fits yours.
Logistics, money, and tickets
The practical details: airport transfers and trains, cards and cash, entry rules, and tickets for the big sights.
Getting around
Airport transfers, Eurostar, SNCF booking, and when a rental car wins.
- How to Get from CDG Airport to Paris (Train, Taxi, Uber Explained)14 min read
- Orly to Paris by Metro, Bus, or Taxi? The Best Route After You Land8 min read
- Beauvais Airport to Paris: 2026 Official Shuttle Price & Times8 min read
- London to Paris on Eurostar: What Differs From a CDG Flight15 min read
- How to Get Around France: Train, Car, Bus & When to Fly14 min read
- Book French TGV and OUIGO Without the SNCF Gotchas13 min read
- French Rental Cars in Plain English: Autoroutes, Crit’Air, Insurance15 min read
Money & trip admin
Costs, cards and tipping, phone data, entry rules, and health coverage.
- France Travel Budget: Real Costs for Food, Hotels, and Transport8 min read
- Cash, Cards, and Tipping in France: What Tourists Should Know Before They Pay6 min read
- eSIM or SIM Card for France? A Short-Trip Guide11 min read
- Do You Need a Visa for France? Entry Rules for Tourists6 min read
- Medical Bills and Travel Insurance in France: When Policies Actually Help12 min read
Tickets, crowds & safety
Timed tickets, which passes pay off, realistic pickpocket risk, and how reservations work.
- Eiffel Tower Ticket Prices 2026: The Complete Guide12 min read
- Paris Museum Tickets & Passes: Timed Entry Systems Explained14 min read
- How to Avoid Pickpockets in Paris: A Safety Guide11 min read
- What Time Do Restaurants Close in France — Hours & Dining Etiquette14 min read
Common questions
The questions we hear most often. Each one links to a full guide.
- Where should I stay in Paris?
- Neighborhoods compared by budget and travel style
- How long should my trip be?
- How to plan a first trip, step by step
- How do I get from CDG to Paris?
- Train, bus, and taxi options compared
- Should I take trains or rent a car?
- Trains, flights, and cars across France
- How much does France actually cost?
- Daily budgets and the costs people forget
- How do I get Eiffel Tower and museum tickets?
- When to book and where to buy official tickets
Search the full library
Neighborhoods, airports, passes, itinerary length, insurance, or a region name. All guides are free to read.