France is the most visited country in Europe, being synonymous with the world-famous Eiffel tower. France has a close connection with many countries due to association with colonial days. The country has something to offer for everyone with its castles, architecture, wine yards, flower fields, beaches and many more attractions. Budget 2 weeks at a time to cover the major attractions, and plan atleast going back 2-3 time to soak in everything
Best time to visit
Spring and Autumn between Mar- May, Sep- Nov are best months to visit. The temperature will be pleasant with minimal rains and snow. The beaches are the best in summer, but hot and humid at the same time
Visa
Schengen visa is valid here
Currency- Euro
Cards are accepted at most places
Getting in and around
Paris is well connected to Netherlands, Germany, UK and most other west European cities. Smaller cities are walkable, with couple of attractions that might require a bus transfer. Paris is quite large, worth taking a day/3 day pass on public transport
Places to visit
The capital city of Paris, beaches of French Rivera at Nice- Cannes- Antibes region, the Calanques at Marseille, white cliffs of Etretat at Normandy, wine-yards and lavender fields at Provence are the most prominent places to visit in France
Paris
You need atleast 3 days to cover major highlights given the huge expanse, deep history and spread of attractions. If you are coming from London, definitely take the Eurostar train that can get you to Paris in 2.5 hours
Eiffel tower
I was not a big fan of towers until I visited the Eiffel tower. The way lifts operate in 3 step-storied structure amazed me. The shimmering nigh lights added to the grandeur and it became one of the most favorite places for me
Pre book lifts to the top to avoid large queues. The last level lift is a matter of luck since they randomly close for maintenance
Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysee: The iconic gate of the city with avenue leading to it
Seine cruise: More for the romantics who want to experience the city on river. There are many bridges with love locks on the way
Louvre museum: Home to the world famous painting Mona Lisa. If you are a museum buff, there is so much to see that even a full day is not enough. The Mona Lisa painting was quite small compared to what I had imagined. If not for the crowds, I might have easily missed it.
There are many more very good museums in the city including Musee de Orsay, Picasso museum
Notre Dame cathedral: It is open now after restoration from fire, another icon of the city
Sacre cour church: On a hilltop giving awesome views of the city
Versailles palace: One of the grandest places of Europe, about 30-45 minutes away from city centre, close to HEC Paris. Versailles Rive Gauche is the closest station to the palace. The palace gardens are quite extensive and you can easily spend half a day here. Golf carts are available within the premises if you are tired of walking. Avoid Mondays when the palace is closed
Etretat
A small town beside the English channel. The famous white cliffs have featured in paintings of Monet. The formations are a result of sea wave erosion.
Le Havre is the closest train station. Take a 45 minute bus ride from here to Etretat costing $2-3. Taxis are expensive at $70+
French Riviera: Nice – Cannes- Antibes region
Known for good beaches and the Cannes film festival that gets hosted annually. The beaches have clear waters with lovely vibes, although bit crowded
Monaco
The city, which is the entire country is 30 minutes from Nice. It has a nice beach, aquarium, grand prix circuit. The Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium is home to thousands of species of colorful fish and sea creatures
Marseille
Famous for rock formations along the coast called calanques (limestone mini fjords), 2-2.5 hours away from Nice. You can take bus #21 from Vieux port to reach Sugiton calanque. There is quite some walk to reach the beach below. The beaches are much more peaceful than the ones at Nice
Register here for free before visiting, starting 3 days prior to your visit- this is a new system to limit too many visitors. Check once before heading out during June- Sep as there are occasional closures due to risk of fire
Evian les Bains
Evian-les-Bains is a quick ride over Lake Geneva, worth a day trip if you are in Geneva. This is the origin of world famous Evian mineral water
How much does it cost
- Flights: $700 Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa/Swiss Air, KLM/Air France, Middle East carriers like Emirates, Etihad are typically the cheapest with best connections
- Accommodation: Hostels cost $20-30 per night and mid-range can be around $50-100
- Travelling around: Budget $15-25 per day for public transport
- Food: $20 for simple takeaways