France Travel Guide: Best Things To Do in France 2026 4K

In this Best Places to Visit in France travel guide, we're going to show you all around. From medieval abbeys in Normandy, the towering peaks of the Alps, the wine country in the interior, the charming villages across the countryside, the beautiful French Riviera along the Mediterranean, and everything in between. France is located in the heart of Europe and it's the most visited country in the world. With over 100 million visitors in 2025, first up we're in the French Riviera, commonly known as Côte d'Azur. The Riviera stretches along France's Mediterranean coast, including famous destinations like Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Saint-Tropez, Menton, and many more, all the way towards the country of Monaco. The French Riviera isn't just about glamour and turquoise water. It also has lots of history for you to understand, dating back to the medieval times. From my experience, the best time to visit is going to be around April, May, June, and then September, October, just because the weather's a lot more mild and not as many tourists, meaning better prices for accommodation. And if you're serious about exploring the French Riviera, then I recommend basing yourself out of Nice and then taking trains up and down. You can go to Cannes, you can also go to Monaco on these trains. That's the great thing about France. There's trains that take you everywhere and the French Riviera has trains, although they're a bit slower, but then when you get into those villages and towns along the coast, you can also rent bikes and ride up and down the coastline, and that's my favorite thing to do on a beautiful day in the spring, fall, sometimes in the summer if it's early enough. And now we're headed up to Paris, which is the capital of France and one of the world's most iconic cities, attracting millions of visitors every single year. As you know, it is one of the most visited cities in the world. It's known for its romantic ambiance, famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Arc de Triomphe, Sacre-Coeur Cathedral, and its many museums. In France though, you start the day with a croissant and some coffee. Assuming you're going to spend two weeks exploring around France, I suggest three nights in Paris. Paris does have a modern public transportation system, so you can easily get around on the underground subway system. Just outside of the city is the Palace of Versailles, which is a must-see if you've never been to Paris before because it's just so amazing to come all the way out here, explore around the palace, and see the gardens. But some of the best things you'll do in Paris are going to be eating the local food, whether it be French onion soup, croissants, or some delicious French dish that you've never heard of. The best way to try something new is to ask the server what they would recommend. That's what I always suggest. One of those unique dishes is called escargot. It's baked snails covered in butter and garlic. But you'll enjoy your trip to Paris. Now we're headed just outside of Paris a few hours. This is Mont-Saint-Michel. This is actually in Normandy. It's actually one of the most iconic landmarks in all of Europe. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site located along a rocky tidal island just off the coast of the mainland. So during the day, the tides come up and it's surrounded by water. And then when the tides recede, it is crowned a medieval abbey dating back 1,000 years. The island is famous for having some of Europe's highest tides. Visitors can wander through the narrow cobblestone streets lined with historic buildings and climb to the hilltop of the abbey. Now we're headed towards the south of France again. This is Provence, which is one of the most beautiful regions. Famous for its rolling lavender fields, picturesque hilltop villages, vineyards, Mediterranean charm. It's just located above French Riviera. Provence has inspired artists like Vincent van Gogh. Because of its golden light, colorful landscapes, and timeless scenery, the best time to visit is during the spring or autumn seasons. The breathtaking landscape and the charming towns like Saint-Remy-des-Provences really make this area stand out. I would say one to two nights would be perfect. And now here we are in the Loire Valley. This enchanting region is known for its magnificent castles, peaceful countrysides, vineyards, historic towns, the river itself that winds through the valley. This area is often called the Garden of France. The region is also home to hundreds of chateaus, medieval towns, and an excellent area for people who enjoy cycling and trying local wines, such as Savion Blanc. Explore this region for more of a relaxed type French experience, without all the crowds and tourism. And now here we are in Annessi, France. Located just at the base of the French Alps, often called the Venice of the Alps, thanks to the crystal clear canals, colorful old towns, stunning mountain scenery, set alongside the shore of Lake Annessi, one of the cleanest lakes in all of Europe, the city is famous for its turquoise water, flower-lined streets, and postcard views. You can go for a walk through the charming medieval old town, explore the hilltop Chateau d'Annessi, or relax along the lakefront promenade. The French Alps are amazing. Now we're going to go down a little bit lower, and we're in Strasbourg, another beautiful town located along the riverside, located in Alsace. Famous for having a French and German blend of culture, it reflects centuries of shared history along the border, the city's beautifully preserved historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its half-timbered houses, cobblestone streets, and scenic canals. And beyond being a historically rich place, Strasbourg is also one of Europe's most important political centers, serving as the seat of the European Parliament, with several other important European institutions being located here. I also want to say, if you plan to ride the train in France, several of the stations have storage lockers, so you can store your luggage for three or four hours and walk around and go on to the next place. Now here we are at Verdun Gorge, often called the Grand Canyon of Europe, it is one of France's most spectacular natural wonders. It's basically carved by the Verdun River over millions of years through the gorge, stretching about 25 kilometers at 16 miles, towering limestone cliffs. Visitors can hike along the scenic trail of the canyon rim, or drive the famous Route des Cretes. Now we're going back up north again, we're in Normandy, along the Alabaster Coast. Though it's got towering white chalk cliffs overlooking the English Channel, extending about 130 kilometers, that's 80 miles. The coast is home to some of France's most dramatic seaside scenery, and the coastline is said to have inspired Claude Monet. The famous destination here is called Etretat. Along with beautiful landscapes, there's also a diverse wildlife, including seabird colonies that nest along the cliffs, making it one of the favorite destinations for bird watchers and photographers. If you plan to visit this part of France, you'd be better off getting a rental car than trying to ride the train or public transportation because it's just not, because this is a more sparsely populated area and there's not much connectivity. I would say one or two nights in Normandy would be great. Now what do you say we go up and get some fresh air in the high altitude? This region here is known as the French Alps. The French Alps are part of Europe's most spectacular mountain range known as the Alps, which extend through Italy, Switzerland, and into Austria. But the French Alps side is home to Mont Blanc, which is Western Europe's highest peak at 4,805 meters, that's 15,765 feet. The region is renowned for its towering snow-capped mountains, crystal clear alpine lakes, charming villages, and year-round outdoor adventures. It doesn't matter if you're here in the winter when it's snowing, or if you're here during the summer when it's just absolutely heavenly up here. Chamonix is actually one of the world-class skiing destinations of Europe, just because it's so high up here. So if you're looking for a winter wonderland, some place to spend Christmas or New Year's, this could answer all of your winter wonderland dreams. You can explore the villages up here in the French Alps, as well as try fondue and other local cheeses. Here we are now out in the Mediterranean. This is Corsica, which is a Mediterranean island belonging to France, located between French mainland and Italy, known as the Island of Beauty. Corsica is famous for its rugged mountains, crystal clear turquoise waters, dramatic coastlines, charming hilltop villages. Despite being relatively small, the island offers incredible variety in landscapes, from the white sand beaches and hidden coves, to dense forests and towering peaks. Also an interesting fact, it was the island and birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, who was born in the capital city. You can arrive here by plane, or you can take a ferry from someplace like Nice in the French Riviera. Also, just south of here is another beautiful island called Sardinia, which is a favorite with people looking for crystal clear water as well. And staying in the south of France, we're in the Gorge du Tarn, which is actually another river canyon carved over millions of years by the Tarn River. They have towering limestone cliffs here, and it stretches about 50 kilometers or 30 miles. The Gorge features dramatic rock walls rising hundreds of meters above these emerald green waters, creating one of the country's most breathtaking natural landscapes. People come here and kayak, canoe, and paddle around. It's also got nice hiking trails overlooking the canyon. You can drive a rental car around the winding roads. So as you can see, there's more to France than just the lavender fields, the French Alps. Another area that's worth considering looking at would be the Pyrenees Mountains, which aren't too far away from here, although we're not specifically talking about them in this video. And then you have Bordeaux. Now this is interesting because it's on the Atlantic Ocean side, located in the heart of the country's world-famous wine region, along the Garonne River in the southwestern part of the country. The historic city center is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and features one of Europe's largest collections of preserved historical buildings. With its rich history, world-class wines, outstanding cuisine, beautiful riverside setting being close to the Atlantic Ocean as well, Bordeaux is widely regarded as one of France's most sophisticated and rewarding destinations. So it's a bit different than what you would experience in other parts of France being over here towards the Atlantic. Exploring around the area of Bordeaux for about two to three days could really be nice if you're into wine, and more of a sophisticated type experience. Now we're up here in the north. This is Saint-Malo, which is a historic walled city in France's Brittany coast, renowned for its maritime history, fortified Old Town, and dramatic Atlantic scenery. Once home to the legendary French privateers, it became France's wealthiest and most powerful ports during the 17th and 18th century. This is where the sailors used to protect French interests. So you're going to have lots of history along the Brittany coast. It's right next to Normandy, so you can easily do Normandy and Brittany. Now if you're planning to visit France, like I said, 10 to 14 days is really the best amount. There's other places like Marseille, Montpellier, and I even touched on going up into the Pyrenees Mountains, which is a different experience than what you're going to get in the Alps. But both mountain ranges are great. You're really going to love your adventure to France. Hopefully you can see the south of France and the French Riviera, go out to Corsica, enjoy Paris for a couple days. Try to get around, you know, don't just stay in one area. And if you enjoyed this one, you can also watch our Nice, France best things to do. Click right here.