r/FranceTravel

I went online at 3pm PST (12am Paris time) to get tickets for July 20th (exactly 60 days out) and the site just circled for half an hour loading the calendar. I then had to leave to come home (yeah, was absolutely using the last of my work day to try & get them lol) So at 4:33 when got home I tried again I got through - sadly no summit tickets left 😢. Did get 2nd floor tickets via lift (only ones available) at 11pm. There were only tickets for 10:30 or 11 pm left. So now my son & I habe changed our plan for the day & are happily looking forward to the night time view of Paris. But holy crap!!! I didn’t think essentially everything would be sold out in an hour & a half. We had really wanted to do the summit, but ce la vie.

Now we're going to the Arc de Triomphe at 7pm get a daylight/sunset view of the city before heading over to the Tower. Instead of the morning view from the tower & evening from the Arc.

I've stressed a lot while making plans to travel, from booking flights, hotels, tickets for trains/events/sites and building the itinerary. What I've learned. My family doesn't care.

I don't mean that they don't care about the effort, but they don't care about the specifics. We had a plan, I could not execute said plan, my kid (16) did not care. He was so chill about needing to change it. Was just like "okay, so, (insert shrug) we'll go at night & get to see all the lights. And 2nd floor is still a good view. What's the issue?" And right there I took a breath and realized this trip doesn't need to be perfect. We just need to find the joy in exploring the country together.

Edited as I realized I didn't actually follow the rules of the sub by asking a question. I was just trying to empathize with others in this mad scramble of ticket pre-booking and were perhaps losing a little of themselves in the chaos.

So on to a question that would help me out? Suggestions of things to do in the morning & afternoon. Thinking more low-key, less structured. Parks?, Fairs?, Shopping? We are staying near Gare de Lyon so anything along the route.

I have read that you need to book train tix in advance for long haul trips from like Paris to Lyon or Bordeaux, but what about shorter/day trips? Example From Bordeaux to Perigeaux or Bordeaux to Tours? Can I just book the week before? Traveling mid June- July. Thx

Hi there! My girlfriend (late 20s) and I are coming in July from Geneva and staying a few days in Annecy then trying to decide whether to spend the next few days in Chamonix or Megeve before going back to Geneva. Our initial instinct was Megeve bc we're not avid hikers or anything and we're looking for a more relaxing / food centric / stroll around town experience rather than a super active hiking / nature experience (though nature and scenery is still important to us, and open to easy shorter hikes). But also heard that Chamonix has more to do and is more connected to everything via public transport so if we did Annecy -> Chamonix -> Geneva we wouldn't even really need a car (which we'd get if we went to Megeve since Annecy -> Megeve seems annoying otherwise). Anyone have any thoughts on which is better during the summer? Thanks!

My wife and I are taking our first trip to France mid-September of this year and looking for any feedback or advice on itinerary and things to know along the way.  We’re taking an approximately10-day trip and flying roundtrip from USA to Paris.  My rough itinerary concept is:

First 3 nights in Paris

Train to Lyon, and spend 3 nights there

Car or train to Marseilles, and spend 2 nights there

Train to Paris to spend last night there before morning flight back to USA

Of course, we wish we could spend more time in any one of these places.  We want to see Paris (of course), some views of the Alps, some views of the Mediterranean and thought this could be a way to do all of that.   I’ve always been fascinated by Marseilles in that it’s such a melting pot of culture!

We like to think of ourselves as adventurous travelers and tend to seek out more “bohemian” neighborhoods to explore.  We like art, music, and restaurants where locals like to eat.   We prefer to stay in Airbnb-type rentals as opposed to hotels, to get a feel for what it’s like to live in a place. 

Any thoughts on the itinerary in general? 

Any suggestions on neighborhoods we should focus on for rentals?  How about any secret / favorite spots in those neighborhoods?

Thanks so much!

What kind of clothing should I pack for a trip to Nice and the surrounding areas? We'll be staying in Nice, but traveling to Monaco and possibly Cannes and the Cote d'Azur. I'm looking at bringing resort wear-but is it often rainy, cool, sunny, warm, etc.? We'll be there for about a week.

Also, any non-miss things to do? We'll be attending the Grand Prix, but otherwise don't have a packed itinerary!

Merci beaucoup!

Hi, I am planning a trip to France for mid-July and have booked the following places (3 kids, including a baby with 2y).

5 nights at Larmor-Plage, then 5 nights at Brest, 5 nights at Saint Brieuc and 4 nights at Granville or Caen.

I am a bit uncertain the last 4 nights, whether I take Granville or Caen. The idea is to take very easy, visit beaches but really slow tourism.

Is there any spot from this plan that you would recommend something different?

Thanks a lot!

Visiting Lyon in France with my wife and 1 year old for 2.5 days. Would basing ourselves in Place Bellecour or right next to Hotel De Ville De Lyon be better? Both places check the boxes, but it seems there are more boulangeries, and restaurant options near De ville. Is one location safer, nicer or better than the other?

Looking to take it slow, enjoy the old town, the fourviere, bouchons and all the great food. Hoping to visit the French Resistance Museum, the Parc de la Tete, the Sunday morning market on the Saone, and Les Halles, if we have time. If anyone has any good restaurant recommendations particularly with kids, we won’t be doing any fine dining or Michelins this trip. If there is anyone on my to do list that isn’t worth it, I’d love to know.

Greetings! Looking for hotel recommendations for our trip to the Côte d’Azur in late September.

What are your most favorite properties? So far, I have looked into the Royal Antibes which seems great, but looking for additional feedback. It seems most people recommend staying in Nice or Antibes, but we are open to other places. We plan to do day trips to Saint-Tropez, Monaco, etc.

We are a late 30’s couple. We enjoy going to the beach, nice restaurants, and just walking around enjoying the architecture and sights. We are not partiers.

Priorities:
•on or close to a beach
•in a location that is walkable to restaurants, shops, and other sights

Budget: up to $300 usd nightly.

Thank you 🙏

Hi, good afternoon

I'm planning visiting the south of France (specifically the regions of Occitania and Aquitaine this summer with two friends (all of 20 years old), so I wanted to ask for advice.

We want to travel as cheap as possible, but with some considerations, like avoiding Airbnb and tourist flats in general (for ethical reasons), and tourist traps.

So, summing up, what advice would be useful for us?

Thank you

Hello! I am looking to ride the big Gorges due Verdon Loop that includes La Palud, Trigance, and Aiguines. My question is: does anyone have any recommendations regarding whether to do this clockwise or counter-clockwise? The post below details the experience of riding it CW, but my cycling guidebook suggests CCW. I am curious if anyone in the group has done this ride before and might be able to offer some insights/recommendations? My main objective is to enjoy the views of the gorge as I ride.

Hi All! I will be visiting Paris in the month of July.

I don’t have a car but I am looking for suggestions to get the most out of my 3 days while I am there!

It’ll be mostly to explore the city, architecture food etc!

Thank you :)

We're planning a family vacation to France. Landing either in Toulouse or Marseille, and departing from Paris.

Any suggestions for a car rental:

- we're 5 adults + 1 infant, (we're carrying our own car seat)

- we're considering one of the 9 seaters, so that there is ample space for luggage after folding 1 row of seats

So far I've seen options from Alamo - but trust pilot doesn't have good reviews. ​​​

Edit 1: I seem to have Alamo, Enterprise and National as options so far. Any suggestions?

My husband and I will be in Avignon for one night late June 2026 before a week with my family in La Ciotat... obviously with only having one night I want to make sure we have a delicious dinner. Doesn't have to be extravagant but good food and wine is a must! Thanks in advance for recs!

I’ll be in the Normandy area in mid June and am wondering if anyone has insight into the weather and what would be a responsible layering setup. Is it windy/rainy? I looked up the average temp and it’s not cold, especially compared to where I live. I will be onebagging so trying to bring exactly what I need, in the lightest form possible (from what I have here).

I was thinking of bringing a very thin light Chrome windbreaker and layering that with a Ketl sun hoodie for warmth if needed. Does that sound reasonable? Do I need a raincoat? Trying not to go overkill.

Thank you!

I tried to register with multiple dummy numbers but they seem to have a way to block them.
Now I’m out of ideas. I don’t know anyone that has a European number nor am I planning on getting one.

I also don’t want a physical card. It wouldn’t be convenient and I’ll probably lose it or spend the majority of my time checking if I lost it.

Is there any other way to register for an account? Or a way to get around this?

Anyone else get annoyed by how overcomplicated currency converter apps became while traveling?
I was in airports/trains across multiple countries recently and noticed most FX apps now feel packed with ads, accounts, subscriptions, popups, or way too many features when all I wanted was:
• quick conversion
• offline-friendly feel
• fast swapping between currencies
• simple UI while moving around
Curious what people here actually use while traveling in the France/EU?
Do you stick with your bank app, Google, iPhone calculator, Revolut, or a dedicated converter app?