France is close enough for a long weekend and big enough to keep coming back: Paris, Provence, the Riviera and the wine regions.
France is the country most British travellers think they already know, which is exactly why a well-planned trip surprises. The difference is in the detail: a Provençal farmhouse with a table under the plane trees, a Saint-Émilion estate that opens its cellars privately, a Paris hotel on a quiet street in the Marais rather than a busy boulevard.
Most trips combine Paris with one region. The fast train makes Provence a comfortable day of travel, and Nice has direct flights home for the Riviera. In winter the Alps take over, with chalets in Courchevel, Méribel and Val d'Isère, and Chamonix for serious mountains.
The honest caveat is high summer in the south. The Riviera in late July and August is crowded, the coast road jams and prices peak. June and September bring the same sea and warmth with far more space.
The experiences we plan most often, with the months they are at their best.
The Luberon is the Provence of stone villages and market days. Gordes, Ménerbes and Lourmarin are each worth a slow morning, and the lavender around the Abbaye de Sénanque and the Valensole plateau flowers from late June into July. Go to the Sunday market in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue early, before the car parks fill.
Between Nice and Monaco, the part of the coast to see is the capes and the hill villages above them. Walk the coastal path around Cap Ferrat, visit the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild gardens, and climb to Èze for the view. Inland, Saint-Paul-de-Vence has the Fondation Maeght. Visit in June or September to avoid the summer traffic.
Paris is best taken slowly, one quarter a day. Spend a morning in the Marais and the Place des Vosges, an afternoon at the Musée d'Orsay, and an evening walking the Seine to Île Saint-Louis. We book tables at neighbourhood bistros as well as the famous addresses. Spring and early autumn are mild and good for walking.
Bordeaux is a city of honey-coloured stone and a base for the vineyards. Spend a day on the Left Bank in the Médoc, then cross to Saint-Émilion, a medieval village carved into limestone with its monolithic church underground. Private visits give time with the winemaker. September and October are harvest time.
An easy fast-train ride from Paris, the Loire has the densest collection of châteaux in France. Chenonceau spans the river Cher on its arches, Chambord is vast and Villandry has formal kitchen gardens. Cycling between them on quiet riverside paths suits families well. Stay in a small château hotel rather than a town.
The Three Valleys around Courchevel and Méribel form one of the largest linked ski areas in the world, and a catered chalet there is the classic family ski week. Chamonix is for the mountain itself: the cable car to the Aiguille du Midi and the off-piste Vallée Blanche with a guide. The season runs from December to April.
In Paris, the Left Bank and the Marais suit walkers, and the Golden Triangle suits those who want the grand hotels. In Provence, a farmhouse with a pool between two villages gives you both quiet and markets. On the Riviera, Cap Ferrat and Cap d'Antibes are calmer than Nice or Cannes.
We match each trip in France to hotels, lodges and villas chosen for the way you travel. Tell us what matters and a specialist will suggest two or three that fit.
Ask for hotel suggestionsFrance works all year because it has two seasons of its own. From December to April the Alps are the draw, and Paris is at its most atmospheric in the cold.
From May to October the south comes into its own. June and September are the months we recommend for Provence and the Riviera: warm, long and clear, without the crowds and heat of the school holidays.
A week that starts with Paris, takes the fast train south to a farmhouse in the Luberon and finishes on Cap Ferrat, flying home from Nice. 7 nights.
Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris and a hotel in the Marais. A day for the Musée d'Orsay and an evening walk along the Seine.
Fast train to Avignon and a drive to a farmhouse near Gordes. Market mornings, village lunches and a wine tasting in the Côtes du Ventoux.
Drive east to the Riviera. Walk the cape path, visit the Villa Ephrussi gardens and take the corniche road up to Èze.
A last swim and a short transfer to Nice airport, about 2 hours direct to Heathrow.
Practical notes checked against their sources. For entry and safety, the FCDO advice for France (opens in a new tab) is always the authority.
Nice is about 2 hours direct from Heathrow, and other French cities have direct London flights too. For Paris and the north, Eurostar from St Pancras is often easier than flying.
UK passport holders can visit France without a visa for short stays, and new Schengen border checks are being introduced. Read the FCDO entry requirements for France (opens in a new tab) before you travel.
Read the FCDO entry requirements for France (opens in a new tab)
Check the TravelHealthPro page for France (opens in a new tab) and the FCDO health page before travel. The southern sun is strong in summer, and high-altitude days in the Alps call for sun cream and time to adjust.
France uses the euro and credit cards are accepted in most shops, hotels and restaurants. Keep a few euros in coins for markets and village cafés.
Surcharge-free roaming in the EU is no longer guaranteed for UK customers, so check your provider's charges before you go. Wi-Fi is standard in hotels and on many trains.
Almost all restaurant prices include service (service compris). For a particularly good meal, leaving a little extra or your small change is customary, never required.
For Paris, the Loire and Champagne, the train is simpler: city centre to city centre, no airport queues. For Provence you can take Eurostar to Paris and change to a fast train south, which makes a pleasant day. For the Riviera, flying to Nice is quicker.
Usually from late June to late July, depending on altitude and the year. The Valensole plateau tends to flower a little earlier than the higher fields around Sault. Harvesting starts in July, so the last week of June and the first half of July are the safest bet.
For a gentle city break, yes. Nice, Menton and Monaco are mild and quiet, the light is clear and the museums are uncrowded. Many beach clubs and some hotels close, so it suits walking, galleries and long lunches rather than a beach holiday.
Yes, very. The large linked areas mean there is terrain for every level, and catered chalets take care of meals and childcare. School holiday weeks fill early and cost more, so book the February half term a year ahead if you can.
Tell us a little and a specialist will reply with ideas, dates that work and a price. Best months: May, June and September.
Italy rewards choosing one region well: lemon terraces at Amalfi, Tuscan hill towns, lake villas and the lagoon light of Venice.
Switzerland is the Alps made easy: car-free mountain villages, lakes you can swim in and trains that climb to the glaciers.
Spain pairs Moorish Andalucía and the food of San Sebastián with Mallorca coves, all within three hours of London.
