10-Day France Itinerary (Places, Plans, and Possibilities)

So much France awaits to explore within a short tour. How to organize the plan? With only ten days to explore, you can see more than enough of France’s breathtaking landscapes. Here, we bring you a 10-day France itinerary to help you make the most of your Europe trip.

Nevertheless, considering the nation’s size and each tourist has unique interests, planning might be rather difficult.

Let this article help you choose the most idyllic way to spend your ten days in France by giving you the top vacation ideas. These are the top things to do in France in ten days, whether you want to go on an adventure in the south or visit the castles while sipping champagne.

10-Day France Itinerary

If you have ten days to visit France, you can start with Paris, making a loop that includes Normandy and the Loire Valley.

French travelers mostly land at two main airports:

• Charles de Gaulle
• Orly Airport (ORY)

We have planned the itinerary utilizing all your times accurately so that you can enjoy the maximum of the tour, keeping the schedule versatile. Following this tour plan, you can experience magnificent landmarks, enrich your knowledge, explore the ancient history of France, and make memorable moments by doing exciting outdoor activities like hiking, trekking, and skiing.

Whether you are introverted, bookish, or don’t like socialism much, or you’re extrovert, friendly, and always full of fun, this trip plan will surely suit you.

2 Days Paris Itinerary 

No matter where you go in Paris, you’ll find museums, monuments, cultural events, markets, surprise nightlife, or vibrant neighborhoods to suit your taste. How much of your first day in France’s capital you can accomplish depends on when your flight lands. Even if you get there in the middle of the day, you probably won’t have much time to see the sights after you reach the center and drop off your bags at the hotel.

However, these are the places you must visit in Paris-

Eiffel Tower

As a first stop on your vacation, we suggest seeing the Eiffel Tower, the most iconic symbol of Paris. The Trocadéro metro stop is ideal for taking in the grandeur of the Champs de Mars gardens and the wrought iron lattice tower. From there, you can see the tower in all its glory.

Musée du Louvre

With an annual visitor count of over 10 million, the gigantic Louvre Museum is the most popular destination in the arrondissement, sometimes known as “Royal Paris”, and the most visited museum in the world.

There is a plethora of art in the Louvre, such as mummies from Egypt’s spectacular collection, paintings from Europe’s Middle Ages of the nineteenth century, and rooms upon rooms of stunning tape stairs, furniture, and decorative artifacts.

Versailles palace

One of the world’s biggest palaces, Versailles has over 700 rooms. The dazzling Hall of Mirrors, ornately furnished chambers, and valuable paintings visit Versailles Palace an amazing experience. The palace is famous for the royal inhabitants who lived there, from Marie Antoinette to King Louis XlV.

Seine River

This river divides Paris into two regions- the north and the south. There are a lot of ways to take in the Seine. Stroll along the riverbank and take in the picturesque bridges. Stop by the riverside booksellers, les bouquinistes, on each side of the Seine. Beginning in Place de la Bastille and ending at the Eiffel Tower, the Parc Rives de Seine is a riverbank promenade open solely to pedestrians.

Latin Quarter

Lose yourself in the Latin Quarter’s allure for a taste of Paris’s past. Sartre, Hemingway, and Camus were regulars at the brasseries across Boulevard Saint Germain in the 1920s. The Pantheon is a great place to see the graves of French intellectuals and heroes, and the Cluny Museum has beautiful and enduring tapestries, such as Lady and the Unicorn.

Besides these places, you can also visit places among the following- 

• Montmartre and Sacré Coeur
• Musée d’Orsay
• Arc de Triomphe
• Pompidou Center
• Luxembourg Garden
• Rodin Museum
• Monet’s Garden At Giverny

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3 Days Road Trip To Normandy And Loire 

If you plan a road trip across France, you must include the Loire Valley and Normandy. This simple itinerary covers some of the top attractions in France and is perfect for first-time tourists.

Normandy

It is a delight to drive across Normandy. Cute little towns await you as you weave through woods and farms. Even though most visitors go to Normandy to see the D-Day beaches and Mont Saint Michel, they should take a detour to Brittany.

From Paris to Normandy, you will need 2 hours and 56 minutes by road. You will reach there early and start exploring around.

Mont Saint-Michel

This island monastery has been a source of inspiration for pilgrims for over a thousand years. This is still the case for visitors today as if it were a mirage, Mont St. Michel hovers on the horizon, one of the most important Christian pilgrimages.

D-Day Beaches, Le Presbytere

From Utah Beach in the west to Sword Beach in the east, along the 54 miles of Atlantic coast north of Bayeux, you can find countless monuments, WWII museums, battle remains, and cemeteries that pay homage to valor of the British, Canadian, and American armies accomplished the greatest military operation in D-Day history. This can be a great experience for you to experience pride in history.

Bayeux

Six miles away from D-Day beaches, Bayeux was the first city freed after the invasion and the only city in the area not devastated throughout the war. It is another historical place you should visit in Normandy.

The picturesque town center and magnificent cathedral, especially when lit up at night, make Bayeux a worthwhile visit regardless of whether or not you are interested in the world-famous medieval tapestry or the D-Day beaches.

2 Days in Loire Valley

After driving for 2 hours and 36 minutes, you will reach Loire Valley, 320 km away from Normandy.

Chateaux

The Loire Valley is famous for its chateaux, a symbol of the region since the French aristocracy used it as a haven from the political backstabbing in Paris. And later as a place to enjoy a lot of culture.

Their magnificent work, along with that of their virtuous followers, is on display for everyone to visit, maintained in a manner that maybe no other nation can even go so far as to rebuild, as seen at the stronghold of Chinon.

The following is a selection of the most popular and often visited chateaux in the Loire Valley:

• Villandry
• Chenonceau
• Chambord
• Azay-le-Rideau
• Amboise
• Usse
• Blois
• Cheverny

There is a little bit of everything to see among more than three hundred castles in the Loire Valley. From the Chenonceau bridge over the Cher to the Chambord with its ridiculous size, the Azay-le Rideau that seems to float on the Indre, the Amboise alongside its Leonardo da Vinci interaction and Cande, the site of Edward Prince of Wales’s marriage to Wallis Simpson, and many more with lovely gardens like Chaumont-sur-Loire and Villandry, there is truly something for everyone among these magnificent structures.

Each visitor seeks something unique, and with so many options, they will surely find what they’re searching for. Although we do have our favorites, you can visit any of your preferences.

1 Day In Nice Out Of Paris 

Now let’s have a tour of the south of France. Nice. You will find six ways to travel to Nice from Loire- car, plane, or train. However, the fastest way to start from Loire to Nice is to take a flight, which would take 4 hours and 20 minutes. And by road, it would take 8 hours and 57 minutes.

So, if you start early from the Loire by air, you can visit some of the memorable places in this fifth-largest city in France.

Place Masséna

Place Masséna is the city center and a must-see in Nice. You’ll likely walk past it several times. You can easily stroll to it from almost any place in the city thanks to its location between the coastline to the south, the retail area Avenue Jean Médecin protruding to the north, and the surrounding Albert I gardens and the freshly planted Promenade du Paillon.

The mesmerizing tilework, magnificent fountain, and seven towering sculptures that light up at night provide spectacular backgrounds at this place. Recent visitors have praised this place as an ideal spot to take photographs.

Old Town (Vieille Ville)

Pedestrianized Vieille Ville, also known as Old Town, is a vibrant section of the neighborhood loved by residents and tourists for its charming small alleyways lined with shops.

Also, you will find several great places to eat and buy, providing traditional French cuisine and the vegetable, fruit, and flower market on Cours Saleya.

Nice Beaches

The beach in Nice is a major attraction for vacationers. It is characterized by the French Riviera’s heat, the Mediterranean’s waves, and the famous blue chairs.

However, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, the public beaches are separated from around fourteen private (and expensive) beaches.

If you want to use a private beach with chairs and umbrellas, you should be prepared to pay a few euros. There is no way to bring your food or drink to private beaches; instead, you’ll have to spend a pretty penny at the nearby eateries for refreshments. Towels cost 10 euros (about $10.50), and lounge chairs cost 20 euros (about $21).

Also, if you want to visit the fish market, visit Villefranche-sur-Mer. And, if you love modern art, visit the Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art in Nice.

4 Days Trip To Riviera, Provence, and Burgundy

After spending one day and one night in Nice, let’s prepare to set off for the French Riviera, about 59 kilometers away from Nice. With all its boast and more, the French Riviera lives up to its reputation. Amazing places abound in the global center of luxury travel, setting the bar exceptionally high for picture-perfect vacations; nonetheless, you may be pleasantly surprised by how welcoming the inhabitants are.

Some of the best places to travel on the French Riviera are as follows-

Grasse

Not far from the lively shore, the city of perfumes on the French Riviera was once a hub for leather tanneries. Someone considered selling scented gloves here at some point in the seventeenth century. There are now thirty perfume companies in this picturesque town characterized by a mix of ancient and Gothic styles and extensive lavender fields.

Èze

Perched perilously on a rocky outcrop, this picture-perfect village is best to explore on foot along the Nietzsche trail (named after the German philosopher who once resided here). The town’s narrow lanes and stocky stone homes add to the charm. Hiking up this trail from the village to the mountaintop is challenging, but seeing the medieval castle from Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic film- To Catch a Thief is worth it.

Villefranche-sur-Mer

The ochre buildings of Villefranche-sur-Mer look out over one of the most picturesque bays in the world, set against a background of wooded cliffs and blue waters. The stunning town of Villefranche has been the setting for numerous films, like “Never Say Never Again”.

Also, you can visit the artistic architecture at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, glitzy visitor magnet Saint-Tropez, and Cannes.

French Riviera to Provence 

A rental vehicle isn’t required to explore the French Riviera, but it’s a requirement for Provence. While trains and buses may take you to certain destinations (as on some excursions here), you will miss out on many charming little villages without a car. It’s 98 km away from the French Riviera.

Aix-en-Provence is just 30 minutes away by car, the starting point for your journey into Provence. Take a break from shopping and have lunch here as you explore the city. A walk down Cours Mirabeau is definitely in line.

Mont Ventoux 

The Giant of Provence, Mont Ventoux, is one location we think you shouldn’t miss. The massive Mont Ventoux dominates this region of Provence. Every few years, the Tour de France includes the iconic Mont Ventoux, well-known among cyclists.

Pont du Gard, Les Baux, St. Remy 

Do you love history? Then, visit the two-thousand-year-old Roman aqueduct- Pont du Gard. The Pont de Gard will stun you. It seems like it could last another two thousand years with no problem.

The medieval hilltop village of Les Baux offers breathtaking views of Provence. Go shopping, stroll the cobblestone streets, and investigate the crumbling castle.

Traveling north from Les Baux to Saint-Remy-de-Provence is a short but breathtaking ordeal. Nostradamus and Van Gogh were born in Saint-Remy, where the artist severed his ear. Go for a short stroll around town.

Provence To Burgundy 

In around 5 hours and 43 minutes, you may go from Provence to Burgundy by rail through Aix En Provence Tgv, Gare Aix TGV, Beaune, and Gare SNCF. Another option is the daily BlaBlaCar Bus service between Provence and Dijon.

Burgundy embodies the essence of the French countryside in its purest form. French for “the green heart of France,” this eastern region is known as Bourgogne and is a tapestry of verdant canals, fields, and vineyards.

It boasts everything a traveler could want: world-class cuisine and wine, an abundance of appealing hilltop villages, and more than enough cultural attractions to satisfy any culture vulture.

Interact as a flâneur in Dijon

The gothic and Renaissance buildings- the landscapes of Dijon, the provincial capital, make it an ideal destination for strolls.  Its small, walkable center, lively streets, and varied architecture make it one of France’s most desirable cities to explore.

Live A Local Life In Beaune 

This little town is just as lovely as its name implies. Wine is the raison d’être here and the natural source of its wonderfully infectious joie de vivre, given that it is the unofficial hub of the excellent Côte d’Or area. You can take guided tours of the vineyards by vehicle or bike, and the food is local and fresh from the farm.

And don’t miss having dinner with wine in a Renaissance chateau. Taste different wines from the unique Middle Ages to the amazing present day from the most prestigious region of Wine in Burgundy.

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Let’s Get It Started! 

So, this was your 10-day France Itinerary. You can place the schedule at your convenience. For example, we have started our itinerary from Paris.

However, if you don’t want to start from there this time, you can travel through Nice Cote d’Azur Airport (NCE) and start with Nice, followed by Riviera, Provence, and Burgundy. And, again, you can set your route from Burgundy to Normandy and Loire.

You only need to calculate the region’s distance and convenient transport options. And you are set to go.