France Travel Blog

Autumn is one of the best times to visit France. September still feels like summer in the south, October brings the grape harvest and golden vineyards, and November is the season for truffles, chestnuts, new wine and empty museums. The best places to visit in the fall are the wine regions (Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne and Alsace), the Loire Valley, Provence after the summer ...

Paris in winter is cold, often grey and dark by 5 pm, but it is also quieter, cheaper outside the holidays and full of atmosphere. December brings Christmas lights, markets and ice rinks; January brings the big winter sales and some of the lowest hotel rates of the year; and February is ideal for museums without the crowds. If you pack for cold rain and plan around indoor sig...

Bordeaux is surrounded by some of the most famous vineyards in the world, and the Atlantic coast is only an hour away. That makes the city a perfect base for day trips: medieval Saint-Émilion, the grand châteaux of the Médoc, the Dune du Pilat and the oysters of the Arcachon Bay, the sweet wines of Sauternes and the cognac houses of Cognac.

Quick answer: the easiest...

To order coffee in France, greet the server with “bonjour”, then ask for “un café, s’il vous plaît”. You will get a small espresso, because in France un café means espresso. If you want milk, ask for un café crème (espresso with steamed milk) or une noisette (espresso with a dash of milk). Coffee is cheapest standing at the bar, and you can sit at a...

Lyon sits at a crossroads between Burgundy, the Alps and the Rhône Valley, which makes it one of the best bases in France for day trips. Within an hour or two you can walk the cobbled lanes of a medieval village, swim in an Alpine lake, taste Beaujolais in the vineyards or explore Roman ruins.

Quick answer: the best day trips from Lyon are Pérouges ...