How to Choose Your France Itinerary
France rewards depth over speed. For a short trip, stay in Paris. For a week, add one other region. For ten days, you can add the Loire and Lyon without rushing. Train times between regions are long, so every move costs roughly half a day.
3 Days in Paris
- Day 1: walk along the Seine, see Notre-Dame from outside and have dinner in Le Marais.
- Day 2: the Louvre with a timed ticket in the morning, then the Eiffel Tower area and Trocadéro, ideally with an evening view.
- Day 3: Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur, then Sainte-Chapelle or the Musée d’Orsay.
5 Days: Paris and Versailles
- Days 1 to 3: follow the Paris plan above.
- Day 4: Versailles, with a timed ticket and an early arrival. Return to Paris in the afternoon.
- Day 5: a slower day: a market, the Latin Quarter or a food tour before you leave.
7 Days: Paris, Versailles and the Riviera
- Days 1 to 4: Paris with a Versailles day trip.
- Day 5: travel to Nice by TGV, which takes about six hours, or fly. Spend the evening on the Promenade des Anglais.
- Day 6: Nice’s old town and market, then a short train to Èze or Monaco.
- Day 7: depart from Nice and leave a comfortable buffer before your flight.
10 Days: Paris, the Loire, Lyon and Nice
- Days 1 to 3: Paris.
- Day 4: Versailles, then a free evening in Paris.
- Days 5 and 6: the Loire Valley, based in Amboise or Tours, visiting Chambord and Chenonceau.
- Day 7: travel to Lyon, returning via Paris and continuing by TGV. Allow most of the day.
- Day 8: Vieux Lyon, the covered food market and dinner at a traditional bouchon.
- Day 9: travel to Nice by train or a short flight, and enjoy the seafront at sunset.
- Day 10: depart from Nice.
Winter and Summer Variations
- Winter (December to March): swap Nice for the Alps (Chamonix or Annecy) if you want snow, or stay longer in Paris for Christmas markets and quiet museums.
- Summer: add Provence and the Riviera, but book hotels and trains early and expect crowds and heat.
Practical Tips
- Check train times when you book, because routes between regions often connect through Paris.
- Book TGV tickets early. Advance fares can be far cheaper than same-day tickets.
- Check the strike calendar before important connections.
- Book timed tickets for the Louvre, Versailles and the Eiffel Tower.
Next Steps
Check the best time to visit France, then book flights and hotels. See the best places to visit in France for more ideas, or read the full France travel guide.