France travel checklist: what to do before you go

The long-lead items are documents and long-distance transport. Check your passport expiry against the Schengen rule, confirm whether you need a visa, and price flights before school-holiday demand pushes fares up. If your trip includes a TGV leg — Paris to Avignon, Lyon, Bordeaux or Nice — seats open roughly three months ahead and the cheapest fares sell first.

This is also the moment to decide the shape of the trip. The pattern that works for a first visit is 4–5 nights in Paris plus one second base for 3–5 nights; trying to add a third region usually means a week spent in transit.

Lock the second base and the transport between bases. Train tickets for regional routes and any car hire for Provence, the Loire, Normandy or Corsica are cheaper and better-chosen a month out than a week out. If you want a specific museum slot in Paris, or a table at a well-known restaurant, this is when reservations open and fill.

Check the calendar for your dates. French public holidays, the July–August coastal peak and major events such as the Cannes film festival or the Monaco Grand Prix change prices and availability sharply.

Sort money and connectivity. Tell your bank you are travelling, check card foreign-transaction fees, and carry a small amount of euros for the first day. Service is included by law in French restaurants, so tipping is a round-up or 5–10% for good service rather than a US-style 20%.

Pack for the season and the region, not for a postcard. Paris in April can be 8 °C and wet; the Riviera in September is still beach weather; the Alps need layers year-round. Bring a type C or E adapter, and download offline maps and your tickets before you fly.

Carry your passport, visa or residence documents, insurance details and booking confirmations somewhere you can reach without unpacking. On arrival, buy or top up a transport card if you are staying in a city, and keep the receipt for any train ticket — you may need it at the gate or on board.

If you are driving, note that most autoroutes charge tolls (péage) and many city centres have low-emission zones; check your hire car is compliant before you enter one.

France is in the Schengen area, so entry rules are Schengen rules. US, UK, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and Irish passport holders can normally stay 90 days in any 180 without a visa, but the passport itself must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned exit date and issued within the last ten years. Confirm the current rule for your passport before booking — it changes, and airlines enforce it at check-in.

Carry proof of onward travel, accommodation and insurance; border officers can ask. If you hold a passport that needs a Schengen visa, apply through the French consulate in your country well before the three-month mark, since appointment slots in peak season are the bottleneck.

France uses the euro. Cards work almost everywhere, including contactless on the metro and in bakeries, but small markets, rural cafés and some taxis still prefer cash. Withdraw from a bank ATM rather than a currency-exchange kiosk, and decline the ATM's own conversion offer if you want your bank's rate.

Budget by trip length rather than by day: a 7-day trip and a 14-day trip differ mainly in accommodation and intercity transport, not in daily food. Service is included by law, so treat tipping as optional.

No vaccinations are required for entry to France from most countries, and routine vaccinations should simply be up to date. Check your own national travel-health advice for any current recommendations, and make sure your insurance covers medical treatment and repatriation — the European Health Insurance Card helps some travellers but is not a substitute for travel insurance.

Pharmacies are marked with a green cross and can advise on minor problems. For emergencies call 112, or 15 for an ambulance, 17 for police, 18 for fire, and 114 by text if you cannot speak.

Pack for the region you are actually visiting. Paris and the north need a rain layer most of the year; the south needs sun protection from May; the Alps and Corsica need layers and proper shoes. French dress is generally smart-casual, and a jacket helps in churches and smarter restaurants.

Bring a type C or E adapter, a refillable water bottle, and a small day bag for city days. If you plan to hike, ski or cycle, check the adventure itinerary for what that adds to the list.