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french itinerary

10 Day France Itinerary

Posted on July 22, 2020July 21, 2020 by Mark Wolters

Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re talking about all of the amazing places to visit in France. Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world, but there’s a ton of other places to go in France. There are so many variations of France travel itineraries that it can be hard to narrow down. So today we’re sharing our favorite French destinations to help you plan 10 days in France.

Three Days in Paris

You will likely start your France itinerary in Paris, as it’s where most international flights arrive. We recommend spending three days in Paris, exploring the major sights of the City of Lights. A few of our favorite things to do in Paris include:

  • Visit the Louvre, but have a plan ahead of time for the items you want to see. Otherwise, this can take up a whole day of your trip!
  • See the famous Impressionist paintings at Musee d’Orsay.
  • Take a stroll down the Champs Elysee.
  • Visit the Arc de Triomphe. (Enter underground; don’t try to cross the roundabout!)
  • Visit the Eiffel Tower. If you are claustrophobic, don’t try going to the top, the elevators are packed! You can just as easily enjoy the tower from the park below; there’s even a playground for kids to run around in.
  • Explore other neighborhoods of Paris; Montmartre is one of our favorites and we usually stay there.
  • Take a boat tour of the River Seine; evening tours are really neat as you can see everything lit up.
  • Enjoy Parisian cuisine and wine. Don’t forget all of the sweet desserts, too! (Remember, taxes and service is already included in the menu price!)
french itinerary
There is so much to see in France, pick a region & fall in love.

Day Trips from Paris

You can stay in Paris and still enjoy some excellent day trips out of the city. Disneyland Paris and Versailles are two of the more popular day trips from Paris.

Three Days in Normandy

Normandy is a beautiful spot in Northern France, best known for the D-Day beaches. Americans especially will want to visit this important historic site from World War II. I recommend taking the train from Paris to one of the towns in Normandy, and renting a car from there to explore the countryside.

Rouen is a great home base in Normandy, as it’s a larger town with good public transportation connections. Bayeux is another good spot to stay in Normandy, as it has some great museums and easy access to the D-Day beaches.

silly tourists
Got to love a rain soaked visit to Versailles.

Some of the best things to see in Normandy include:

  • The D-Day Beaches: Omaha Beach, the American cemetery at Omaha, Utah Beach, and the Paratrooper Museum.
  • The Battle of Normandy Museum in Bayeux, as well as the Bayeux tapestry
  • Rouen and the cathedral that was painted by Monet several times
  • Sample the local apple cider and fresh seafood.
  • Visit Mont St. Michel, the famous abbey on an island and one of the most famous pilgrimage sites for over 1200 years.
  • If you are visiting France with kids, Normandy has some really great carnivals.

What to Eat in Normandy, France

Three Days in Loire Valley

From Normandy, either drive or take the train to the Loire Valley. This is the former playground of French royalty. The valley is dotted with dozens of ornate castles and estates. Amboise is a good home base for your stay in the Loire Valley. We recommend only seeing one or two chateaux per day. Otherwise, they all start to blend together.

In addition to visiting the chateaux of the Loire Valley, there are many cool things to do in the region.

  • It’s one of the best wine-making regions of France, so a wine-tasting tour is a great idea.
  • Duck is a local specialty, so make sure you try some while visiting
  • Tour the chateaux by bicycle or hot air balloon! There are specialty tours of all kinds in the Loire Valley

From here, it’s only about 90 minutes by train to get back to Paris for your flight home. If you have more time to spend in France, then we recommend heading south to Provence and/or the Cote d’Azur for a few more days.

  • Avignon, where the Papal Palaces were
  • Arles, with the Roman ruins
  • Nimes, with more Roman history
  • Visit the French Riviera beaches of Nice, Cannes or even Monte Carlo
kids in france
many years of visiting France

We love exploring all of the regions of France, including Paris. We have visited many times with our kids, and we look forward to visiting many more times in the future. Narrowing down a France itinerary to ten days is difficult, as there are just so many cool things to see in France.

Looking for more tips on travel in France? Check out these other blog posts:

  • What to Know Before You Visit France
  • The Best & Worst of Strasbourg, France
  • Five Things You’ll Love & Hate About Provence
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