🇫🇷 Countries Quick facts & interesting facts

• Visa: Not required for EU citizens - you travel with an ID card or passport.

• Best time to visit: May-June & September-October - pleasant temperatures, fewer tourists.

• Currency: Euro (€) - easy & cashless payment possible almost everywhere.

• Time zone: Central European Time (CET)

• Safety: Generally safe - watch out for pickpockets in large cities, especially in Paris & Marseille.

Indulgence, history & lots of savoir-vivre

France is a way of life: a leisurely breakfast in the sun, a picnic with baguette & cheese, wine with a view of the lavender fields. From the Atlantic to the Alps to the Côte d'Azur - France offers adventure, pleasure and elegance all at the same time. Ideal for road trips, weekend breaks & slow travel.

France highlights: My personal favorites

Paris - city of love & culture

Louvre, Eiffel Tower & Montmartre - but the real Paris lies in the small cafés, gardens & side streets where life just happens.

Provence & lavender fields

From picturesque villages to purple-scented landscapes - Provence is all about color, coziness and French romance.

In Biarritz, Hossegor or Lacanau you will find wide beaches, laid-back vibes & perfect waves - France's wild side at its best.

Atlantic coast & surf resorts

My route suggestions for your trip to France

🗼 5 days Paris & surroundings: art, kitsch & real classics
Explore Paris with all its icons: Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame & Montmartre. Then: a day trip to Versailles or Giverny, where Monet's garden awaits. This route is perfect for first-time visitors - a classic with heart, croissants & lots of flair.

🚗 10 days in the south of France: lavender, lights & joie de vivre
Start in Marseille with a harbor feeling, travel on through Provence with stops in Aix-en-Provence, Avignon & Gordes. Enjoy lavender fields, vineyards & southern French cuisine. Finish off with a few relaxing days on the Côte d'Azur - perhaps with a detour to Nice or Èze.

🏔️ 2 weeks Alps & Lakes: Hiking, space & water
Start at Lake Geneva, then continue through the French Alps with stops in Annecy, Chamonix & the Vanoise National Park. Ideal for hiking enthusiasts - with glaciers, clear lakes & small mountain villages that are straight out of a picture book.

🚐 Extra tip: Atlantic coast road trip - from Bordeaux to Biarritz
Start with wine tasting in Bordeaux, drive past the Dune du Pilat to the wild coast. Stop in Arcachon for oysters, then surfing in Hossegor or sunsets in Biarritz. This route is ideal for vanlife, picnics and the sound of the sea.

Costs and budget

Approximately how much does a trip to France cost?

✈️ Travel & mobility
Easy to reach by train, car or plane. Domestic trains (TGV, TER) are fast but not cheap. Car rental ideal for rural regions - approx. 40-70 €/day.

🍷 Food, wine & accommodation
Bistros & crêperies offer good quality from €12-15 per menu. Delicatessen food is also available at markets. Accommodation: Hostels from €25, hotels from €60, charming vacation homes from €80.

🎟️ Entrance fees & activities
Museums & castles usually €10-20, many parks & nature spots free of charge. Tip: take advantage of youth discounts & museum passes.

💡 My tip: The French love it when you speak a few words: a friendly “Bonjour”, ‘Merci’ and “Excusez-moi” opens hearts - and sometimes even doors.

Personal tips

My best learnings for the road - straight from my adventures.

🥖 Market days instead of supermarket

Local weekly markets are an experience for all the senses - you can get the best baguette, cheese & olives directly from the producer.

🚲 Cycling through Paris or Bordeaux

Many cities offer free rental bikes - perfect for discovering parts of the city off the beaten track.

Whether in a lavender field, in a street café or on the riverbank - sometimes “doing nothing” is the best thing to do in France.

🍷 Let yourself drift - especially in the south

My favorite moments in pictures

From the golden light over the Seine to picnics under plane trees: France has shown me how beautiful the simple life can be. Here are my personal highlights - captured between sunsets, market stalls and morning cafés.