Things to Do in France
There are so many things to do in France: museums, galleries, tourist attractions, festivals, sporting events, wine tasting, cooking classes, outdoor activities; it’s virtually impossible to say you’ve “seen France” in only one trip. Which is fine! There is plenty of France to go around, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. But unless you have about a year of vacation time stored up, you’re going to need to narrow down your choices. Here are some of our France Travel Guide links to the most popular and interesting things to do in France.
Cheer from the roadside for the riders of the Tour de France, held every July – check out the best Tour de France spectator tips, or get in on the action with a Tour de France vacation that features cycling along the same routes!
Plan your itinerary to hit the top cathedrals in France, some of the most beautiful in the world. The Cathedral of Rouen is a favorite of those fresh from seeing Monet’s paintings of it in Paris.
Spend a day in the walled city of Carcassonne, or at surreal Mont Saint Michel, one of the most spectacular sights in all of France.
If you’re the outdoorsy type, France offers canoeing on the Dordogne River, skiing in the Alps and paragliding in Annecy. If you are not that adventurous but still want to spend time outdoors, let someone else do all the physical work – consider a barge tour vacation through France’s famed canals.
The foodies and oenophiles among you might want to take a French wine tasting vacation, visit the Cointreau distillery, shop in food markets around France, stock up at the Dijon International Gastronomy Fair or stick around for the nationwide Beaujolais Nouveau Festival in November.
If you’re looking for things to do in France in the summer, check out our ideas for a summertime road trip through France – or catch as many summer music festivals in France as you can!
More interested in getting the feel for a particular city or region? Check out our tips on:
- Things to do in Normandy
- Things to do in Lyon
- Things to do in Provence (including visiting these eight enchanting Provencal villages)
- Things to do in Nice