France is a country for lovers and dreamers β a country that offers diverse sights from modern cities to medieval towns, from alpine villages to the beautiful countryside covered in rolling vineyards, and from Mediterranean beaches to mountains.
France is one of those countries that is loved by many and is one of the most visited countries in the world.
We are currently planning our two weeks in France, including a road trip itinerary. As we are planning on hiring a car, we are designing a best of France itinerary that you can easily explore by road.
Tip: Did you know that we have made a travel journal for kids, so that you don't have bored kids on the back seats? Check out more about the book here.
We are travelling to France with baby in tow, so it's also important to us to slow down the holiday, so we can soak in the culture and atmosphere!
How to find cheap flights to France
Cheap flights to France can be hard to come by!
If you do some research, there are a few tricks of the trade that can make it easier to score your ideal flight. Here is some advice:
- Try to book your plane tickets to France three to six weeks prior to your departure.
- Be flexible about when you arrive and depart. A few days' difference could save you hundreds of dollars!
- Direct flights are more expensive. If you have some time, investigate the tickets that include layovers.
- Use incognito mode or private browsing when you book your flights. Search engines can track your activity and will often raise prices if they see you conducting multiple searches for the destination.
- Compare the prices of a round-trip flight in comparison to two one-way flights.
Best of France Itinerary
Our two weeks in France itinerary will take you around to some of the best places to see in France.
You can explore regions of Normandy or Le Mans, or head south to Nice. And then make your way back up to Paris with stops in the fairy-tale towns of Annecy and Colmar.
Paris | 3 Nights
We all know that Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world. And we all know that there are lots of things to see and do in Paris: architectural marvels such as the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, museums, palaces, and cruises on the Seine.
But mostly it is important to have some time to just simply enjoy the food and culture in one of the many cafes that line the little alleys of Paris.
Mont-Saint-Michel | 1 Night
Image via Flickr by Nicolas Raymond
Leave Paris nice and early and head to Honfleur, where you can enjoy lunch. Explore this gorgeous town before making your way to Mont-Saint-Michel.
Ideally, you'll want to reach the island commune's Abbey a few hours before sunset so you'll have time to explore before settling into your accommodation for the night.
Amboise | 2 Nights
The next morning, head for the chΓ’teaux country in the Loire Valley. On your first day, enjoy a tour through Chambord, before exploring your base town, Amboise, for the night.
On day two, head out on a day trip to tour Chenonceau, Chambord, or Chaumont (or all three if you don't need time later in Amboise).
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Nice | 3 Nights
Catch an early-morning flight to Nice. You can choose to slow down as you enjoy this beautiful coastal city, or if you prefer, why not head out on a day trip to Marseilles or Monaco?
Annecy | 2 Nights
If you wish to save time, we recommend you catch a domestic flight from Nice to Geneva, Switzerland and hire a car for the 40-minute drive to Annecy.
Annecy is an alpine town in southeastern France. The Old Town (Vieille Ville) is just like a colorful fairytale town, decorated with sweet pastel-colored houses, canals, and old-school cobbled streets.
Enjoy your time here by exploring the canals, the lake, and the famous love bridge at the Pont des Amours.
Colmar | 2 Nights
Colmar is an adorable little town near the border with Germany. Not only do we recommend you enjoy a laid-back pace of exploration in this little town, but we also suggest you head out and explore these beautiful villages in Alsace.
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Paris | 1 Nights
At the end of your France trip, you will return to Paris, where you can relax on the last day of your vacation before returning back home.
Additional Recommendations for an Extended Trip:
- Visit the nicest villages near Perpignan
- Explore the beautiful mountain scenery of Mont Blanc
- See the walled city ofΒ Carcassonne
- See the lavender in bloom by including a trip to Provence as part of your itinerary.
Wondering what to pack for your trip?
Travel Notes and Beyond has a brilliant post to help you learn more about European fashion, together with a guide on what you should pack for your trip.
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How to get around France
1.Β Car Rental
If you follow our driving through France itinerary, you will end up covering a lot of kilometres in the space of three weeks. It will be important to hire a vehicle that's comfortable plus has plenty of space for your luggage.
The best car rental company in Europe is Auto Europe.Β Auto EuropeΒ is a car rental booking service that quickly compares car rental prices across all the major brands like Hertz, Avis, and Europcar.Β Click to see prices for car rentals.
You will need to hire a car for:
- 4 Days as you travel from Paris to Amboise
- 4 Days as you travel from Annecy back to Paris
2.Β Domestic Flights
We have also decided to break up the days of driving with two domestic flights. Fortunately, you can easily find cheap France flights, and these two flights wonβt set you back by much at all!
We personally book our flights on Cheapo Air, we find that they are often the cheapest (even in comparison to Skyscanner).Β Click to check on prices for your flights.
You will require tickets from:
- Nantes to Nice
- Nice to Annecy
Once you have your tickets and car hire sorted, all you need to do is to print out the France trip itinerary and book some accommodations, and your trip of a lifetime is ready to go! I canβt wait to explore France in two weeks and to visit these incredible destinations on our list.–
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Over to you:
- Would you like to go on a road trip through France?
- Do you have any tips and recommendations for our two-week France itinerary?
Disclaimer: This post has been written in collaboration with GoEuro.
FeatureΒ Image via Flickr by Nicola since 1972
Click the button and get your copy of the βA Travel Journal for Kidsβ on Amazon now:
27 Comments
Punita Malhotra
June 16, 2017 at 2:19 pmFrance is so diverse and so vast, that no amount of time ever feels enough. Your itinerary has a lot of lovely places covered. Colmar and Annecy are really picturesque.
Jolene Ejmont
June 16, 2017 at 5:57 pmGreat to hear Punita π I know that I could spend so much longer there, but we are leaving our two eldest kids behind and I can only survive that long without them haha π
SuneΓ©
June 16, 2017 at 2:58 pmIf at all possible, see if you can squeeze Carcasonne, Mont Blanc and Monaco (not technically France) in there too.
Jolene Ejmont
June 16, 2017 at 5:58 pmThanks for the recommendations! Monaco is a possibility, depending on how we go with Avie. I think we had Carcasonne on the list, might have a look at it again π
Victoria
June 17, 2017 at 11:52 amWow!! I love France and it is the best country! This is such a great post, the tips, the photography etc! And the cheap flights is the great tips.
Jolene Ejmont
June 23, 2017 at 11:58 amThanks Victoria, glad you loved the post! π
Zoe
June 18, 2017 at 1:08 amGreat places on the itinerary!
Jolene Ejmont
June 23, 2017 at 11:58 amThanks Zoe!
Maggie
June 22, 2017 at 7:15 pmWhat a wonderful itinerary! I live only a short train ride away from France and I still haven’t been to the beautiful country! This will definitely give me some tips for when I finally go!
Jolene Ejmont
June 23, 2017 at 12:04 pmOh gosh Maggie! It is time to get on that train and go visit it! Although I am probably the same with Australia, I keep travelling internationally instead of exploring locally π
Alyson
June 22, 2017 at 8:03 pmAnnecy and Colmar are jumping out at me! We’ll be in France in a few weeks, crossing Europe by car. I’ll see if we can squeeze one or both of those in, cheers!
Jolene Ejmont
June 23, 2017 at 12:05 pmYour trip sounds fun Alyson! I really want to see more of Europe, just so tricky with my two school aged kids! We are planning on a bigger trip next year to see Poland and maybe touch on Germany as well π
Laura Lynch
June 23, 2017 at 12:10 amWe’ve been visiting France a lot this year. There are many things to do there. So I can see how a road trip for 2 weeks would be a great way to combine all of these places and see a lot. It would be really fun, I think.
Jolene Ejmont
June 23, 2017 at 12:09 pmI am really looking forward to France, probably mostly because we have been traveling to a lot of Asian countries, so a bit of European architecture will be a nice change!
Indrani
June 23, 2017 at 1:07 amThat is an impressive itinerary for 2 weeks in France. I wish I was so organised. I did see most of these during my 2 weeks trip there but there are some misses too. Thanks for those tips on how to book cheap flights.
Jolene Ejmont
June 23, 2017 at 12:10 pmThanks Indrani! I do enjoy planning out my trips! Glad you found the tips useful π
Cate | Int'l Desserts Blog
June 23, 2017 at 10:53 amGreat itinerary! I used to hop over to Comar for the day when I lived in Freiburg, Germany. It’s such a cute little town! My husband and I drove from Germany to Arles, Nice, and Chamonix several years ago and we loved having a car. The countryside is so beautiful. Enjoy your trip!
Jolene Ejmont
June 23, 2017 at 12:11 pmThanks Cate! I can’t wait to see Colmar and Annecey, they are sooooooo pretty! I’m really looking forward to driving around there too!
Jennifer Sikora
June 24, 2017 at 1:30 amFrance is somewhere I have always wanted to visit. Thanks for this great itenerary.
Jolene Ejmont
June 28, 2017 at 9:20 amGlad you love the look of the itinerary Jennifer π
Peter Korchnak
June 25, 2017 at 6:44 amVive la France, one of the best countries for travelers. It’s got everything. Is two weeks enough?
Jolene Ejmont
June 27, 2017 at 6:35 pmWe have managed to extend it to 3 weeks, but still not enough! We are leave our two eldest kids behind though, so 3 weeks is all this mummy can manage without my kids next to my side π
Tripti
July 2, 2017 at 3:47 pmGreat Itinerary that will help me plan my upcoming trip to France. Thanks for sharing!
Jolene Ejmont
July 3, 2017 at 12:47 pmYou are welcome! Exciting that you are heading to France as well π
Lisa Huish
May 5, 2018 at 1:55 amHello, my friend & I are traveling to France in June & are keen to copy your itinerary. Curious where you stayed during you trip, Airbnb or hostels? Any tips would be very welcomed!
Jolene Ejmont
May 22, 2018 at 1:16 pmHi Lisa, we mostly used AirBnB as we had our toddler with us. We found that the AirBnB’s were so much cheaper than hotels! Have fun planning your trip π
drachen mare
January 17, 2019 at 6:50 amNice website. Your post really helped me a lot. I am planning to visit France in april. There are many things to visit there. Thanks for this