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Cheese stall, Lyon

Things to do in France

Cheese stall, Lyon
France provides visitors with a wealth of engaging activities, and our specialists have carefully chosen things to do that will uncover the secrets behind French culture. You can tour Paris in a vintage car, take a class in French cooking with a local chef or fly over the Loire in a hot air balloon.

Along the way, we aim to give you a deeper understanding of the country's world-class museums, medieval villages and Renaissance palaces, throw light on Roman ruins and the D-Day landings, and get you closer to French gastronomy with visits to cheese farms, vineyards and food markets.
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Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±¼Ç¼ Country Specialist Samantha

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Ideas for experiencing France

Experiences you have as you travel often hold the longest memories. As part of their research trips, our specialists seek out authentic ways to get to know France, and the best local guides. These activities reflect some of their best-loved experiences.

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  • Pearls of Alsace
    Eguisheim, France

    Pearls of Alsace

    Strasbourg

    Pearls of Alsace

    Get to know Alsace on this full-day private tour. You’ll thoroughly explore the region, which is known for its distinctive French-Germanic character. Experience the half-timbered houses of Colmar, small medieval villages, a winding wine route, and a turreted castle on a hill.

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  • Paris’s islands on the Seine tour: Notre-Dame Cathedral & Sainte-Chapelle
    Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris

    Paris’s islands on the Seine tour: Notre-Dame Cathedral & Sainte-Chapelle

    Paris

    Paris’s islands on the Seine tour: Notre-Dame Cathedral & Sainte-Chapelle

    Explore the very heart of medieval Paris on this guided tour, which takes you to the Gothic glories of Notre-Dame Cathedral and Sainte-Chapelle, and to a quiet residential island in the River Seine.

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  • Prehistory tour with Lascaux IV and Rouffignac caves
    Lascaux IV prehistoric cave, Dordogne, France © Dan Courtice

    Prehistory tour with Lascaux IV and Rouffignac caves

    Dordogne

    Prehistory tour with Lascaux IV and Rouffignac caves

    Discover the prehistoric cave art of the Vézère Valley in the Dordogne on a full-day tour that takes in Lascaux, Rouffignac and the National Museum of Prehistory with a private guide to bring the region’s history and significance to life.

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  • Best of the Right Bank: Arc de Triomphe to the Marais
    Eiffel Tower, Paris

    Best of the Right Bank: Arc de Triomphe to the Marais

    Paris

    Best of the Right Bank: Arc de Triomphe to the Marais

    For an overview of the Paris landscape and its main sights, this fast-paced tour offers an introduction to the city's history and geography taking in the Eiffel Tower and Champs-Élysées as well as Notre-Dame, the Sacré-Coeur and the fashionable Marais.

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  • Touring Monaco, Monte Carlo and Èze
    Monte Carlo, Monaco

    Touring Monaco, Monte Carlo and Èze

    Monaco and Monte Carlo

    Touring Monaco, Monte Carlo and Èze

    Explore the rambling streets of Monaco on a guided tour that introduces you to the history of the tiny principality and its ruling family before taking you to the hilltop village of Èze to wander its winding, cobbled streets.

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  • Lavender fields at Abbey de Sénanque, Les Bories and Gordes village
    Gordes, Provence

    Lavender fields at Abbey de Sénanque, Les Bories and Gordes village

    Provence

    Lavender fields at Abbey de Sénanque, Les Bories and Gordes village

    Discover the beauties of Provence on this half-day tour of its quintessential sights. Visit a medieval hilltop village, a rustic monastery surrounded by fields of lavender and a collection of traditional stone bories, dwellings of a typical Provençal style.

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  • Private boat tour of Lac d'Annecy with apéritif
    Lac d'Annecy, France

    Private boat tour of Lac d'Annecy with apéritif

    Annecy

    Private boat tour of Lac d'Annecy with apéritif

    Cruise along the scenic shores of Lac d’Annecy on a private boat on this evening cruise. Visit a smuggler’s cave and admire the turquoise waters then sip an apéritif as you watch the sun set behind Annecy.

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  • Brussels and the Battle of Waterloo
    Place des Martyrs, Brussels

    Brussels and the Battle of Waterloo

    Lille

    Brussels and the Battle of Waterloo

    Follow in the footsteps of some of Europe’s greatest generals on this private tour. You’ll have all day to explore the battlefield at Waterloo, Hougoumont, and Belgium’s capital, hearing about Napoleon’s great defeat at the hands of Blücher and Wellington.

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  • Gourmet walking tour of Strasbourg
    Quaint timbered houses of Petite France in Strasbourg

    Gourmet walking tour of Strasbourg

    Strasbourg

    Gourmet walking tour of Strasbourg

    French and German influences combine in Alsace to create a distinctive cuisine. This privately guided walking tour through Strasbourg gives you a good introduction to the region’s traditional dishes, including sauerkraut, white asparagus, effervescent local wines, and spiced breads.

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  • Palais des Papes and Avignon walking tour
    Palais des Papes, Avignon

    Palais des Papes and Avignon walking tour

    Provence

    Palais des Papes and Avignon walking tour

    Discover the secrets behind the Palais des Papes in medieval Avignon, learn about the regal life of the pontiffs and the political turmoil of their era on a guided walking tour of the old town's meandering cobbled streets.

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  • Cap Ferret private boat tour and oyster tasting
    Traditional oyster boat, Cap Ferret, France

    Cap Ferret private boat tour and oyster tasting

    Bordeaux

    Cap Ferret private boat tour and oyster tasting

    Explore the French oyster capital on the Bassin d’Arcachon, a lagoon-like inlet west of Bordeaux, on a private half-day tour. See the massive Dune du Pyla (Europe’s tallest), dine on fresh oysters and visit the traditional fishing villages of Cap Ferret.

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  • Champagne discovery tour: vineyards, cellars & tastings
    Champagne, France

    Champagne discovery tour: vineyards, cellars & tastings

    Paris

    Champagne discovery tour: vineyards, cellars & tastings

    Learn about the secrets, traditions and strict rules behind the production of Champagne on a guided tour that offers the opportunity to meet local producers, visit vineyards and historic chalk pits, and sample some of these renowned sparkling wines.

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  • Annecy walking tour
    Pont des Amours, Annecy

    Annecy walking tour

    Annecy

    Annecy walking tour

    A medieval city built around a hilltop castle and riddled with canals, Annecy is best explored on foot. On this walking tour, your private guide will reveal the history behind the rickety old buildings, fortifications and characterful cobbled lanes.

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  • Geneva walking tour
    Geneva, Switzerland

    Geneva walking tour

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    Geneva walking tour

    A short hop from France lies the historic city of Geneva on the edge of its namesake lake. On this private guided walking tour, you’ll hear about Geneva’s international significance and its importance during the Protestant Reformation as you take in its old town on foot.

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  • Château de Versailles private tour
    Interior, Château de Versailles

    Château de Versailles private tour

    Paris

    Château de Versailles private tour

    Explore the vast and extravagant palace of Louis XIV, the ‘Sun King’, on the outskirts of Paris. This lavish chateau is surrounded by seemingly endless formal gardens, while inside, no expense was spared in decorating its opulent rooms.

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  • Dordogne troglodyte villages and chateaux
    Château Castelnaud, Dordogne, France

    Dordogne troglodyte villages and chateaux

    Dordogne

    Dordogne troglodyte villages and chateaux

    Explore the history of the Dordogne on this full-day tour which takes in the fortified town of Domme, Château de Castelnaud and Château de Beynac, as well as the troglodyte village of La Roque-Gageac and a leisurely cruise to see the region from a different perspective.

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  • Beaujolais and Mâconnais wine regions
    Beaujolais grapes, France

    Beaujolais and Mâconnais wine regions

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    Beaujolais and Mâconnais wine regions

    This full-day tour gives you the chance to explore the Beaujolais and Mâconnais wine regions. With your private driver-guide, visit the Côte Dorée and sample gamay wines before enjoying an indulgent lunch. In the afternoon, sample white Burgundies in Mâconnais.

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  • Champagne by e-bike
    Champagne cellars

    Champagne by e-bike

    Reims

    Champagne by e-bike

    Spend the day exploring the history and vine-covered landscapes of France’s Champagne region by e-bike with a guide. You’ll stop at the village of Hautvillers, known as the birthplace of Champagne, visit two Champagne houses for tastings and enjoy a Champagne lunch in Épernay.

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  • Macaron making class
    Macaron making class, Paris

    Macaron making class

    Paris

    Macaron making class

    Learn to make the classic French delicacy of macarons on a half-day course hosted by a professional chef. In a small group you're taught how to craft these much-loved treats with traditional techniques and classic fillings.

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  • Private boat tour of the Riviera coastline from Saint-Tropez
    Boat, the French Riviera

    Private boat tour of the Riviera coastline from Saint-Tropez

    Saint-Tropez

    Private boat tour of the Riviera coastline from Saint-Tropez

    Explore the coastline of the French Riviera aboard a private boat, admiring the rugged shores, mansions and quaint fishing villages of the region before stopping for a swim and a champagne toast in the setting sun.

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  • Châteaux de Chaumont-sur-Loire, Chenonceau and Cheverny
    Château de Chenonceau, Loire Valley /©ImagesdeMarc

    Châteaux de Chaumont-sur-Loire, Chenonceau and Cheverny

    The Loire Valley

    Châteaux de Chaumont-sur-Loire, Chenonceau and Cheverny

    Explore three of the most impressive and dramatic of the Loire Valley chateaux on this full-day tour that takes in the romantic and politically charged Château de Chenonceau, fairy-tale Chaumont-sur-Loire, and the family-owned hunting lodge at Château de Cheverny.

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  • Roman & medieval heritage tour: Arles, Uzès & Pont du Gard
    Arles, Provence

    Roman & medieval heritage tour: Arles, Uzès & Pont du Gard

    Arles

    Roman & medieval heritage tour: Arles, Uzès & Pont du Gard

    This full-day tour offers a comprehensive overview of Provence's charms taking in bucolic countryside, the arena and amphitheater at Arles, the medieval hilltop village of Uzès and the Roman aqueduct, the Pont du Gard.

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  • The Louvre and Musée d'Orsay
    The Louvre, Paris

    The Louvre and Musée d'Orsay

    Paris

    The Louvre and Musée d'Orsay

    Learn about the history of the former royal palace of the Louvre before enjoying a guided tour of the museum's vast collection of art. Then cross the river to the Musée d'Orsay to browse Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterworks by Renoir, Gauguin and Van Gogh.

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  • Colmar walking tour
    Colorful half-timbered houses in Alsace

    Colmar walking tour

    Colmar

    Colmar walking tour

    Discover the history and architecture of Colmar, widely regarded as the capital of the wine region and one of the prettiest towns in Alsace. You’ll wander through cobblestone lanes and past half-timbered houses to discover the town’s long and complicated history.

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  • The Battle of the Somme
    Hooge Crater WWI cemetery, Ypres

    The Battle of the Somme

    Arras

    The Battle of the Somme

    This comprehensive tour of the Battle of the Somme provides a thorough introduction to World War I and trench warfare. With a private driver-guide, you’ll spend the day visiting landscapes littered with memorials and marred by trenches and craters.

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  • Mountains and glacier tour with cable car ascent
    Cable car to the summit of Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix

    Mountains and glacier tour with cable car ascent

    Chamonix

    Mountains and glacier tour with cable car ascent

    The alpine scenery of Chamonix is unveiled on this tour of the mountains and glaciers with a local guide. You’ll take in the views from the summit of the Aiguille du Midi and visit the ice cave in the Mer de Glace, France’s largest glacier.

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  • Claude Monet's house and gardens at Giverny
    Gardens at Giverny, Normandy

    Claude Monet's house and gardens at Giverny

    Paris

    Claude Monet's house and gardens at Giverny

    Monet's house and beloved gardens at Giverny, just north of Paris, offer a delightful insight into the Impressionist painter and his works. See his studio and home and wander through the gardens that so inspired his opus.

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  • Honfleur walking tour
    Honfleur, Normandy

    Honfleur walking tour

    Honfleur

    Honfleur walking tour

    Explore the historical heart of Honfleur on a guided walking tour that brings you through the winding, narrow streets of the old town to see half-timbered houses, old salt warehouses and a remarkable wooden church inspired by the Vikings.

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  • Médoc wine tour
    Harvested grapes, France

    Médoc wine tour

    Bordeaux

    Médoc wine tour

    Home to some of the world’s most celebrated wines, the Médoc is littered with chateaux, prestigious wine estates and handsome villages. Explore its treasures on a full-day tour that introduces you to its history and heritage, as well as some of its finest wines.

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  • Burgundy, the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits
    Burgundy grapes, France

    Burgundy, the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits

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    Burgundy, the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits

    Explore the Côte d’Or region of Burgundy on this private, full-day tour. Your driver-guide will take you through the storied vineyards and prestigious appellations of the region, with pauses for tastings, lunch and a chance to explore an 11th-century wine cellar.

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  • Hiking near Mont Blanc with picnic lunch
    Chamonix hiking trail, France

    Hiking near Mont Blanc with picnic lunch

    Chamonix

    Hiking near Mont Blanc with picnic lunch

    Get out onto the trails and into the mountains around Chamonix on a full-day privately guided hike. You’ll ascend into the high meadows for panoramic views of Mont Blanc and the surrounding peaks, and return via another route passing a quiet mountain lake.

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  • Gourmet walking tour of Lyon and Les Halles covered market
    Brioche aux pralines, Lyon

    Gourmet walking tour of Lyon and Les Halles covered market

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    Gourmet walking tour of Lyon and Les Halles covered market

    Discover why Lyon is known as the culinary capital of France on this private tour of its bakeries, markets, restaurants and delis. Learn about its renowned chefs past and present and sample some local delicacies such as praline brioche and coussin de Lyon.

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  • British and Canadian landing sites at Sword and Juno sectors
    Juno Beach Center

    British and Canadian landing sites at Sword and Juno sectors

    Normandy

    British and Canadian landing sites at Sword and Juno sectors

    Explore the British and Canadian D-Day landing sites at Sword and Juno beaches on the Normandy coast. Visit war memorials, museums and cemeteries, as well as the chateaux used as tactical headquarters for both sides in the conflict.

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  • American D-Day landing sites at Utah and Omaha sectors
    American Cemetery, Normandy

    American D-Day landing sites at Utah and Omaha sectors

    Bayeux

    American D-Day landing sites at Utah and Omaha sectors

    Visit the poignant beaches of the D-Day landings on this full-day guided tour to Utah and Omaha Beaches, the American landing points in this brutal but pivotal battle. You also get a chance to visit the American Cemetery nearby.

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  • Loire Valley wine tour
    Vineyard, Loire Valley

    Loire Valley wine tour

    The Loire Valley

    Loire Valley wine tour

    Explore the Loire Valley wine region on a full-day tour that takes in two historic vineyards and a wine merchant's cellars. See the vines, learn about local grapes and vintages, and enjoy guided tastings.

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  • Dunkirk and Operation Dynamo
    Sunset with exposed shipwreck Crested Eagle from World War II

    Dunkirk and Operation Dynamo

    Arras

    Dunkirk and Operation Dynamo

    Visit the small port city of Dunkirk to learn about Operation Dynamo, the audacious evacuation plan that saved the bulk of British forces during the darkest days of World War II, using a fleet of civilian vessels.

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  • Aligre market tour with wine and cheese tasting
    Market, Paris

    Aligre market tour with wine and cheese tasting

    Paris

    Aligre market tour with wine and cheese tasting

    Explore a Paris food market like a local, chatting to the stallholders, learning about Parisian shopping habits and food provenance, and choosing fine cheeses for a paired wine-and-cheese tasting at the end of your tour.

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  • Champagne discovery
    Champagne grapes on the vine

    Champagne discovery

    Reims

    Champagne discovery

    Explore France’s Champagne region with a private driver-guide. You’ll visit two wineries for tours and tastings, including a larger, well-known winery and a family-run boutique option. You’ll also visit historic Hautvillers, birthplace of Champagne, and pause for lunch paired with bubbly at a Champagne house.

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  • Mont Saint-Michel and seaside lunch
    Mont Saint-Michel, Normandy

    Mont Saint-Michel and seaside lunch

    Mont Saint-Michel

    Mont Saint-Michel and seaside lunch

    Discover the medieval monastery and village set on a rocky outcrop in the sea. Tour the Romanesque and Gothic buildings with a guide before enjoying lunch overlooking the sea in a nearby town.

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