France is a great country for going all-in. And I say that as someone from it was but one stop on my early backpacking trips to Europe, circa the mid-aughts. For many years, all I knew of “France” was what I could see with a few days in (and around) Paris.
As I’ve ever middle age, to be sure, I’ve gone the other way. I still spend time in other European countries, of course, but I rarely visit more than a couple of them on the same trip. And France, more than perhaps anywhere else on the continent, reward travelers more the longer they stay.
In particular, if you can spend at least one month in France, the trip you take will be downright transcendental. Think I’m exaggerating? Continue reading to see why I’m not.
You Can See a Lot With a Month in France—But Not “Everywhere”
I won’t diminish your prospective commitment: A month in France is a long time. The country’s surprisingly large size notwithstanding, the reality is that even at a moderate pace, you can cover a lot of ground in four weeks. You can see every major region of France if you want to; if you don’t, you’ll still be able to get very familiar with all the places you to do visit. To put a finer point on it, a month-long trip to France is a serious travel achievement. No minced words from me!
On the other hand, France’s size is surprising; even if you travel at a superhuman pace, you simply can’t go everywhere. Plus, there are the underlying realities, from how hot France is during the summer (which is, of course, the most popular time to visit), to the realities of the rail network’s reliability (and, sometimes, lack thereof), to the fact that some destinations are better in different times of years than others. You literally can’t do summer on the Côte d’Azur and skiing in the French Alps on the same trip!
How to Organize Your Month in France
Bookend your trip with stints in Paris
One of my favorite parts about longer trips to France? I don’t need to choose whether to being or end the trip in Paris. I can start with a few days in the capital (I find fast-paced sightseeing a great way to bat jet lag) and end with a more relaxing, contemplative time. There are few better places to reflect on a wonderful trip than in a sidewalk café in Le Marais or simply a bench overlooking Notre-Dame.
TIP: If you’ve got a month in France, you also don’t need to be as picky or choosy about day trips. For example, you can afford to spend a day both at the palace of Versailles, as well as one exploring the châteaux of the Loire Valley.
Visit Brittany, Normandy, Bordeaux and Biarritz
Likewise, with a 1 month France itinerary to play with, you don’t need to be shy about devoting time to France’s underrated west. This means visiting both Brittany and Normandy in the northwest, for example. Likewise, when (not if) you head southward to Bordeaux, you can enjoy a full battery of excursions: Wineries (obviously), but also the entire coast, from La Rochelle all the way down to Biarritz.
Use Lyon as a base for Burgundy and the French Alps
Lyon, like Bordeaux, is much more valuable as a base for exploring than as an end-all, be-all destination—I’ve said this many different ways in countless other posts. However, given that you have a month in France if you’re reading this, you can full leverage Lyon’s location. Spend one day heading up into Burgundy, both the cobbled streets of Dijon and the wineries just west of Beaune. You can then dedicate another day to the Alps, whether you prefer strolling along the lake in Annecy, or riding a cable car up above Chamonix to view Mont Blanc.
Make sure not to miss Marseille
It might seem strange to dedicate an entire section of my France 1 month itinerary to Marseille—which, for better or for worse, is one of France’s worst-reputed cities. But I bring up because if time is not an issue (and if you have a full month, it’s not), there’s no reason not to spend at least a couple of days in Marseille. Explore the city center, from the picturesque Old Port to bohemian Le Panier. Or, make an excursion to the pristine beaches of Les Calanques.
Give Provence and the Côte d’Azur the time they deserve
Provence is a huge region, the fact that Marseille is technically a part of it notwithstanding. It stretches from the cities of Arles and Avignon in the west to Verdon Gorge (which itself is absolutely massive) in the east. I guess devoting at least a few days to Provence alone, if you have a month in France. In the same vein, you can afford to do an extensive trip along the Côte d’Azur—spend three nights in Nice, with your second day spent going west to Saint-Tropez, Antibes and Cannes, and your third heading east to Èze, Menton and finally Monaco, ideally in that order.
NOTE: Obviously, lavender is not the only reason to visit Provence. But if you can be here around July 1, then trust me: It is absolutely worth the hype!
Other Places You Can Visit With a Month in France
I’ve covered more of France’s top destinations so far, but the reality is that there are just so many more—and you may or may not have time to see all of them, even if you have a month to play with. For example, the island of Corsica feels in many ways like an entirely separate country—some people do it as a separate trip, and not simply as an epilogue to their main one. Likewise, many people visit Dijon and Beaune on a trip to Burgundy, only to wish they’d also go to Colmar.
Then, of course, there are the truly off-the-beaten-path places to contend with, which don’t even necessarily require 1 month in France. In the country’s southwest, for example, there are large cities like Toulouse and Montpellier, and more niche destinations like Perpignan and the Pyrenees. Alternatively, many people head northward from Paris to the Benelux countries and don’t even think to stop in underrated Lille, except perhaps to visit the Hollywood-famous Dunkirk.
Other FAQ About Spending a Month in France
How much does it cost to spend a month in France?
I usually use a baseline of €200 per person, per day for a “comfortable” trip to France. With this in mind, and not including the cost of international flights to and from Paris, you can expect to spend around €6,000 per person for a month in France, keeping in mind that thrifty travelers can spend less, and that there basically is no limit to what you can spend on the high end.
What can I see with a month in France?
You can see most (but not all) of France with a month in the country. I usually like to go counter-clockwise. After starting in Paris, head northwestward to Brittany and Normandy, south to Bordeaux and the Basque Country, eastward to Lyon and the French Alps and finally southward to Provence and the Côte d’Azur, keeping in mind that there are many detours possible even within this frame.
Is a month in France too long?
A month in France is not inherently too long, assuming you have a balanced itinerary. For example, you want to move at a pace that works with your stamina and the type of travel you like. If you tend to be a “slow travel” aficionado and yet plan a month in France that sees you moving hotels every night or two, you’ll probably depart CDG wishing you’d left days or even weeks sooner.
The Bottom Line
The bad news? Even if you have one month in France, you can’t necessary explore “everywhere” in the country during this time. The good news? You can cover a lot of ground—and you can experience France in a way that profoundly transcends the typical vacation. Some travelers will go as many places as they can, from Brittany and Normandy in the northwest to Nice and Marseille in the far south. Others will anchor deep into one region, whether that entails going off the beaten path in the French Basque Country, or entering a lavender dream amid the rolling hills of Provence. The best way to make the most of your fabulous French month? Commissioning a custom France itinerary, bien sûr!
