Art Wine Guide interactive guide
France: regions, itineraries and travel without the stress
We choose a region to suit your pace, plan an itinerary without marathon journeys, arrange transfers and book restaurants.
· Photo: Nuno Alves, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Map
Where shall we go?
Select a region
Planning
Where to start
When to go
Seasons, weather, prices and crowds, month by month
Read 02Transport: train or car
What works best for your itinerary and pace
Read 03How to choose your base
Staying in one town versus moving every 2 days
Read 04Trip budget
Real prices for accommodation, food, transport and wine
Read 05Restaurants and menus
How to read menus, book and avoid overpaying
Read 06Travel mistakes
10 common mistakes that spoil a trip
ReadTravel logistics
5 rules to keep your trip to France from becoming a marathon
Travel planning that saves your holiday.
- 01
The single-base strategy
Choose one town for 3–4 days and take trips from there. Moving every day is stressful rather than relaxing.
- 02
Real journey times
Google Maps gets it wrong. Add 30% for traffic, parking and stops. 2 hours become 3.
- 03
Sundays and Mondays
Many restaurants are closed, as are museums. Plan activities for Tuesday through Saturday.
- 04
Book ahead
Good restaurants: 2–4 weeks ahead. Wineries: a week. Museums: the day before, online.
- 05
A bad-weather plan B
Rain is normal in France. Keep a museum, winery or covered market as a backup.
Rules and opening times may change: we check them for your dates.
Food and wine
Restaurants and wine etiquette
How to navigate the menu and avoid overpaying.
Read also
Useful pages
7-day France itinerary7 ready-made ideas for a first tripOpen 
2–3-day trips from ParisNormandy, Champagne, Loire ValleyOpen 
Transport in FranceTrains, car hire and transfersOpen 
Trip budgetReal prices for accommodation, food and transportOpen 
All tours in FranceWine, food and cultural toursOpen 
Transfers and driversAirport, intercity or full-day serviceOpen 
An itinerary for your dates
Would you like an itinerary for your dates?
We will choose a region, plan the journeys, book restaurants and wineries, and arrange transfers.
Department boundaries: © france-geojson (IGN data), Licence Ouverte. © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL; Les Plus Beaux Villages de France.