12 Days in France - 7 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Cities & Nature on the French Riviera

On this grand tour of the French Riviera, you'll learn to prepare a three-course meal in Nice, taste wines in Provence, and have a sunset picnic on a mountaintop.

Start the trip in Nice, where you'll shop in the local market to buy produce for a cooking class—and enjoy the three-course meal you'll help to make—then go on a perfume tour. Continue to Bellet for a wine tour, then visit the village of Saint Paul de Vence. Next up is a day trip to glamorous Monaco, Monte Carlo, and Eze. After another perfume workshop, this time in Provence, you'll continue to Cannes and board a boat for a private sailing tour around the Lérins Islands. 

Go on a hike to take in sunset views and enjoy aperitifs at the top of the Esterel Massif. Enjoy the scenic drive from Cannes to Saint-Tropez, then go on a private boat tour of the Îles d'Or, surrounded by clear blue water. Head back to Saint-Tropez and rest before you 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

Zoom through the lavender fields and vineyards of one of France's most famous regions on this electric bike adventure around Provence.

Kick off the trip with an afternoon and evening in Paris. Move onto Montelimar on day two, where you'll pick up an e-bike (and learn how to operate it). Over the next few days, you'll pedal from Grignan to Vaucluse-la-Romaine to Mount Ventoux to Sault, where you'll take a break to go for a walk on the Lavender Road, taste local sweets at the Boyer Nougat Factory, visit lavender distilleries, and pick up fragrant souvenirs at Provence Soap Works.

Continue pedaling to Roussillon, which sits in the middle of one of Europe's biggest ochre deposits. You'll have a free day to explore the town and check out the Conservatory of Ochre and Applied Pigments, housed in an old ochre processing factory. Next, ride to Fontaine de Vaucluse, famous for its natural springs, then medieval Avignon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spend the last full day of the trip sightseeing in the old town and sipping coffee or locally produced wine in outdoor cafés. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Western France Road Trip

From the beaches of Normandy to the wineries of Bordeaux to the glamour of Paris, this road trip around western France has something for everyone. 

An iconic experience in Paris marks the start of this memorable adventure: on your first evening in France, you'll go on an after-dark Eiffel Tower tour and have the chance to see the City of Light from above. The next day, go on a pastry tour of Le Marais and visit the Louvre; you'll explore Île de la Cité and descend into the Paris Catacombs the following day before leaving the city.

Move onto the countryside, visiting castles and wineries around Tours—once the capital of the Kingdom of France—as well as Chambord and the Château de Chenonceau, the second-most visited chateau in France. Return to Tours for a relaxed meal with wine pairings. You'll follow the steps of Leonardo da Vinci on the next day's themed tour, then drive to Bordeaux to visit local wineries and taste world-famous Arcachon oysters in Saint-Émilion. Relax in Bordeaux for the last few days of the trip, visiting the local market, going on a bike tour, and drinking plenty of local wine, of course. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Luxury, Art & Food in France

Live it up in France's most popular destinations on this luxurious itinerary that includes private boat rides, wine tastings, cooking classes, and chauffeured rides through Paris in a vintage automobile.

Start the journey in Paris. Experience the City of Lights in style on a chauffeured tour in a vintage car; the next day, you'll go on a pastry tour of Le Marais and spend an afternoon viewing art at the Louvre. Move on to Marseilles, where you'll take an art history-themed tour and board a boat for a private cruise before attending a photography workshop. Use your new skills to seek out perfect photo ops as the trip takes you to charming Aix-en-Provence. On the agenda are a cooking class and visits to the UNESCO-honored Avignon and the hilltop villages of Provence.

Continue onward to the French Riviera. You'll base yourself in Nice for the rest of the trip, making side trips to wineries and beaches during the day and returning to the city to enjoy fresh seafood and nightlife after dark. Shop for produce in the local market and take a private cooking class, then learn about the region's perfume-making tradition on a dedicated tour. On the last full day of the trip, you'll take a private tour of Monaco, Monte Carlo, and Eze, then return to Nice to catch a flight out the next day. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Highlights of Eastern France

Whether you're interested in sipping Moët & Chandon in the place where it's made, lying on the beach in Nice, sampling Parisian pastries in Le Marais, or village-hopping in charming Alsace, this trip plan has it all.

Touch down in Paris and board a boat to take a cruise along the Seine, soaking up the romance of the City of Lights as the sun goes down. You'll wander around Le Marais the next day, stopping to sip coffee and sample buttery pastries and visit the Louvre in the afternoon. Then it's time to leave the city and move on to Reims and a visit to the famed champagne houses along the Avenue of Champagne. Sharpen your senses during an olfactory workshop in Epernay, then go to Strasbourg and see the region's wine route in a VW Kombi.

Catch the train to Colmar, where you'll cruise the canals on a riverboat, then discover the picturesque villages of Alsace on a guided tour. Relax with wine and cheese on the lakefront in Annecy, then take a dedicated Alpine cheese and wine tour. You'll stop to visit four historic vineyards before continuing to Geneva. Board a quick flight to Nice, and take the evening to relax on the French Riviera before the next day's flight home. Learn more

Itinerary #6: Tour du Mont Blanc Self-Guided Trek

Hike through the Chamonix Valley, taking breaks in picturesque resort towns, on this outdoorsy adventure in the Alps.

Start in Geneva, transferring to the Chamonix Valley. Start in the resort town of Les Houches, then ride the Bellevue cable car station to a trailhead where you'll start your hike to Bionnassay glacier. Descend to Les Contamines Montjoie, the village where you'll spend the night. Hike for six hours the next day, past Col de la Croix-du-Bonhomme, where you'll see a sweeping panorama of Mont-Pourri, and stop for the evening in the hamlet of Les Chapieux. 

Hike through the alpine pastures and farms of the Ville des Glaciers to Courmayeur, an Italian resort town. Camp at Rifugio Bonatti, then hike along the Grand Col Ferret Pass to La Fouly. Trek through the Swiss meadows of Bovines, a famous cheese-producing region in the Alps. Continue to the French border at Col de Balme and catch the ski lift down to Le Tour, where you'll connect to Argentière. Hike to Cheserys Lakes and Lac Blanc before riding the gondola down to the valley floor before making your way back to Chamonix. Learn more

Itinerary #7: Luxury Getaway to Western France

Whether your idea of luxury is learning how to bake a Parisian-style baguette, wandering around medieval towns with a knowledgeable local guide, or tasting wines with a view of the vineyards, this high-end trip plan has you covered.

Start the trip in Paris, touring Île de la Cité and the Eiffel Tower. Continue to Versailles on day three, returning to Paris later for a dinner cruise on the Seine River. You'll 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. With a local guide, you'll explore two towns, medieval Dinan and the old fishing port of Dinard. 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 12-Day France Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your France trip? Check out these other 12-day France itineraries, ranging from active, to cultural, to luxury, or family-friendly trips.

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