11 Days in France - 7 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Cities & Nature on the French Riviera

Take a cooking class in Nice, learn about perfume in Provence, hit the beach in Saint-Tropez: this colorful trip plan along the sunshine-filled French Riviera has something for everyone.

The trip begins on the French Riviera. Spent the first night in Nice, where you'll shop in the local market, take a cooking class (and feast on the three-course meal you'll help to make), and go on a perfume tour on day two. You'll move on to Bellet for a wine tour, then visit the village of Saint Paul de Vence. Take a perfume workshop in Provence, then continue to Cannes and take a private sailing tour around the Lérins Islands. 

On day seven, you'll go for a hike on the Esterel Massif, taking in sunset views and enjoying aperitifs at the top. The following day, make the scenic drive from Cannes to Saint-Tropez. Go on a private boat tour of Îles d'Or—you'll have the chance to swim in the clear blue water, too—then return to Saint-Tropez. You'll spend the last full day of the trip on a scenic drive along the Mediterranean coast. Learn more

Itinerary #2: Discover Provence by Electric Bike

Explore the lavender fields of Provence on two wheels—motor included!—on this electric bike tour of one of France's most beautiful regions.

Get oriented in France at the start of the trip with an afternoon and evening in Paris. Transfer to Montelimar on day two, where you'll pick up an e-bike (and learn how to operate it). Over the next few days, make your way from Grignan to Vaucluse-la-Romaine to Mount Ventoux to Sault, where you'll take a break to enjoy the so-called Land of Lavender. Go for a walk on the Lavender Road, sample local sweets at the Boyer Nougat Factory, visit lavender distilleries, and pick up souvenirs at Provence Soap Works.

Continue pedaling to Roussillon and Fontaine de Vaucluse, famous for its powerful natural springs. You'll have a day to explore the town (and take a break from biking) before you continue on to visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site in medieval Avignon. Spend the last full day of the trip sightseeing in the medieval town and sipping coffee in outdoor cafés before it's time to catch a flight home. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Tour Basque Country - Bordeaux to Bilbao

On this itinerary, you'll savor the unique culinary and cultural pleasures of Basque Country on its French side, then cross the border to see the Spanish side of the region.

Arrive in Bordeaux and toast the first day of the trip with a glass of locally produced wine. You'll visit the local farmer's market before touring wineries in Medoc and beaches on the Bay of Arcachon, then spend day four cycling through the vineyards of Saint-Emilion. Move onto glamorous Biarritz, near the border of Spain. Then cycle along the wild coastline between Biarritz and Saint Jean de Luz. 

You'll tour a few traditional French Basque villages before crossing over into Spain. Once in Bilbao, take time to admire great works of art at the Guggenheim Bilbao. Side-trip to beautiful San Sebastián, considered a culinary capital of Spain, before returning to Bilbao to experience Spanish-style Basque nightlife. On the last full day of the trip, you'll explore the wine-growing region of La Rioja on a wine and olive oil tour. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Multi-Country Trek - Tour du Mont-Blanc 

Hike through the gorgeous alpine scenery of France, Italy, and Switzerland, sleeping in resort towns and mountain huts along the way, on this active adventure.

Welcome to the picturesque Chamonix Valley, where your journey begins in the resort town of Les Houches. Catch a ride from the Bellevue cable car station to the place where you'll start your hike to Bionnassay glacier. Continue onward to the village where you'll spend the night, Les Contamines Montjoie. The next day, you'll trek for six hours past Col de la Croix-du-Bonhomme, where you'll take in a sweeping panorama of Mont-Pourri before stopping for the evening in the hamlet of Les Chapieux. 

On the second part of the itinerary, hike through the alpine pastures of the Ville des Glaciers to Courmayeur, an Italian resort town celebrated for its gourmet dining scene. After a day to relax and take it easy, you'll overnight in Champex, then hike through the Swiss meadows of Bovines, a famous cheese-producing region. On the last full day of the trip, continue to the French border and catch the ski lift down to Le Tour, where you'll connect to Argentière. Spend one last night relaxing and dining on traditional Alpine cuisine in the Chamonix Valley. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Luxury, Art, & Food in France

Experience the good life, French-style, on this luxury tour of some of the country's top highlights, from masterpieces of art at the Louvre to a cooking class in Provence to a private boat cruise in Marseilles.

The trip begins in Paris. You'll see the City of Lights in style during a chauffeured tour in a vintage car, then sample pastries in Le Marais and spend an afternoon at the Louvre. Travel to Marseilles, where you'll take an art history-themed tour, a private boat cruise, and attend a photography workshop. The trip continues in charming Aix-en-Provence. You'll take a cooking class and visit UNESCO-honored Avignon and the hilltop villages of Provence before traveling onward to the French Riviera.

Spend the rest of the trip in and around Nice, making side trips to wineries and beaches. You'll shop for produce in the local market ahead of a private cooking class, then learn about the region's long-running perfume-making tradition on a dedicated tour. Feast on fresh seafood and sip local wines on your last night in France before catching a flight out from Nice. Learn more

Itinerary #6: Highlights of Eastern France

On this trip around eastern France, you'll sip champagne at Moët & Chandon, tour the villages of Alsace, sample Alpine cheeses in Annecy, and relax on the French Riviera.

Arrive in Paris and have a quick coffee and croissants before transferring to Reims for a champagne tasting. Sip more varietals on the Avenue of Champagne, then attend an olfactory workshop in Epernay on day two. Move onto Strasbourg, touring the French-German historic center. You'll explore the region's wine route in a VW Kombi the next day, then you'll catch the train to Colmar, where you'll cruise the canals on a riverboat.

On the second half of the trip, explore the picturesque villages of Alsace on a guided tour. Drive to Annecy and relax with wine and cheeses on the lakefront. You'll learn more about the process behind their production on a dedicated Alpine cheese and wine tour, stopping to visit four historic vineyards—Parc de Chartreuse, the Chaîne de l'Epine, the Parc des Bauges, and the Combe de Savoie. Continue to Geneva and board a flight to Nice. Take one last evening to relax on the French Riviera before the next day's flight home. Learn more

Itinerary #7: Luxury Getaway to Western France

Taste wines in the Loire Valley, tour D-Day sites in Normandy, and enjoy a private cruise on the Seine River on this luxury tour of western France.

Touch down in Paris. You'll tour Île de la Cité and the Eiffel Tower, then continue to Versailles on day three, returning to Paris later for a dinner cruise on the Seine River. Spend part of the next day in a French baking class. After learning how to make baguettes and pastries as Parisians do, you'll tour the opulent Opéra Garnier.

Transfer to historic Bayeux the next day. After a city tour, you'll visit D-Day sites in the region. Then make the trip to Mont-Saint-Michel, the famed "abbey on an island." You'll move on to the fortified town of Saint-Malo in a private car. The next day, you'll ride in the first-class compartment on the train from Brittany to the Loire Valley, where you'll spend the last few days of the trip relaxing and tasting locally produced wines. Get a taste for old-world luxury when you tour the Châteaus de Chambord and Chenonceau on the last full day of the trip. Learn more

More Great 11-Day France Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your France trip? Check out these other 11-day France itineraries, ranging from active, to cultural, to luxury, or family-friendly trips.

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