Paris has the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre-Dame (still under reconstruction after the 2019 fire), the Arc de Triomphe, Sacré-Cœur. It's all here, and it's all touristy, and it's still worth seeing. Wander through Montmartre (the artsy hilltop neighborhood), explore Le Marais (historic Jewish quarter with trendy shops and cafés), walk along the Seine, sit in a café and people-watch. The Louvre is massive and exhausting (go see the Mona Lisa and a few other highlights, then leave). The Musée d'Orsay has Impressionist art in a beautiful old train station. Versailles (just outside Paris) is over-the-top royal excess and worth the trip.

Paris is expensive and crowded, especially in summer. But it's also beautiful, walkable, and packed with things to see. The metro makes getting around easy.

The French Riviera (Côte d'Azur) is beaches, blue water, and wealth on display. Nice is the main city with a long pebble beach, a charming old town, and proximity to Monaco and Cannes. Cannes is fancy and film-festival famous. Monaco is a tiny city-state filled with yachts, casinos, and Formula 1 glamour. It's expensive, crowded in summer, and beautiful.

Provence in southern France is lavender fields (best in June-July), hilltop villages, Roman ruins, and a slower pace of life. Towns like Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, and Arles are beautiful and less touristy than Paris or the Riviera. The food here is incredible. Ratatouille, bouillabaisse, fresh bread, local wine.

The Loire Valley is castle country. Over 300 châteaux (castles) scattered across the countryside. Chambord and Chenonceau are the most famous. It's best explored by car or bike. Beautiful, peaceful, and very French.

Normandy in northern France has D-Day beaches (Omaha Beach, Utah Beach), war museums, and cemeteries. It's sobering and powerful. Mont Saint-Michel is a medieval abbey on a tidal island that looks like something out of a fairy tale. It's one of the most visited sites in France and worth the crowds.

The Alps in eastern France (Chamonix, Annecy) are stunning. Skiing in winter, hiking in summer, and mountain towns with views of Mont Blanc (the highest peak in the Alps). Chamonix is expensive but breathtaking.

Lyon in central France is the food capital of France (yes, better than Paris, according to many French people). Bouchons (traditional Lyonnais restaurants) serve rich, hearty food. It's less touristy than Paris and worth a stop.

The food in France is as good as advertised. Croissants, baguettes, cheese, wine, escargot (snails), coq au vin, duck confit, crème brûlée. Every region has its own specialties. Bread and cheese from a local market can be a perfect meal. Wine is cheap and good everywhere. A bottle of decent wine costs $5-10 at a supermarket.

The people have a reputation for being rude, especially in Paris. It's not entirely fair. French people value politeness and effort. Say "Bonjour" when you enter a shop. Try to speak a little French, even if it's terrible. They'll appreciate it and often switch to English. Outside Paris, people are friendlier and more relaxed.

Getting around is easy. France has one of the best train systems in Europe. The TGV (high-speed train) connects Paris to Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, and other major cities in a few hours. Regional trains go everywhere else. Buses (like BlaBlaBus and FlixBus) are cheaper but slower. If you want to explore the countryside (Loire Valley, Provence), rent a car.

France is expensive, especially Paris and the Riviera. Hostels in Paris run $25-40/night. A meal at a restaurant is $15-25. A baguette sandwich from a bakery is $5. Wine is cheap.
When to go: Spring (April-May) and fall (September-October) are ideal. The weather is mild, crowds are smaller, and prices are lower. Summer (June-August) is warm and lively but packed with tourists. Winter (November-March) is cold and gray in the north, mild in the south. Christmas markets and skiing in the Alps make winter worth considering.

France has something for everyone. It's expensive, but it's also one of the most visited countries in the world for a reason.