16 days in France Itinerary

France has been the world's most popular tourist destination for decades, and geographically, it is one of the most diverse countries in Europe. Its cities are holiday hot spots and contain some of the greatest treasures in Europe, its countryside is prosperous and well tended, and it boasts dozens of major tourist attractions, like Paris, the French Riviera, the Atlantic beaches, the winter sport resorts of the French Alps, as well as the castles of the Loire Valley, Brittany, and Normandy. The country is renowned for its gastronomy, particularly wines and cheeses, as well as its history, culture, and fashion industry.

You'll find that the French people are very polite and may react coldly to you if you forget this. You might be surprised as you're greeted by other customers and the proprieter when you walk into a restaurant or a shop. Be sure to take your sightseeing off the beaten path in France. Besides the famous Eiffel Tower and the chic resorts of the Côte d'Azur (French Riviera) you'll find many places to visit in the form of museums filled with fine art, crafts, and archaeological relics, wonderful medieval villages and castles, diverse national parks, and local shopping direct from artisans themselves.

Whether you're touring the Christmas Markets or going skiing during winter, viewing the springtime influx of color in Provence, sunbathing on the Mediterranean coast in the summer, or watching the fall foliage against the backdrop of the châteaux in the Loire Valley, you're sure to find just the right place to be. Spring is a time when the tourist attractions are just starting to expand their hours, but it may still be cold in the mountainous regions and the north. Summer is the busiest time in France with the longest hours for many museums and attractions, but it's often when you will experience the most crowds. Winter in France is filled with winter carnivals, Christmas Markets, and of course, skiing. Fall is a time to celebrate the release of Beaujolais nouveau wine in November, as well as experience Nuit Blanche, a day in October when major attractions, museums, galleries, parks, and swimming pools remain open all night.

Île-de-France offers a wealth of treasures from its Parisian urban culture and natural frontiers to its romantic river walks along artistic landscapes that continue to inspire painters. The heartland of the country is like a miniature version of France as a whole, offering a sample of everything you've come to expect in the country: charming villages, museums, cathedrals, châteaux, parks, forests, river lands, and world-class shopping and restaurants, of course. Many locals still refer to the region as Région Parisienne or RP, because it's the most populated and affluent metropolitan area of the country. Although this region is small, it has borne witness to great historical battles, canvasses painted by old masters, and centuries of royalty, as evidenced by its wealth of attractions. Your vacation in the economic, religious, and political hub of France brings you up close and personal with diverse historical monuments, the pink turrets of Disney's castle, and the three surrounding rivers: the Seine, the Marne and the Oise.