France Trips & Tours

International flights

Paris is one of the easiest cities in Europe to reach from the US. Non-stops run from more than a dozen airports, Boston and New York to Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Denver, LA, San Francisco and Seattle amongst them, at around seven and a half hours from the East Coast and closer to eleven from the West. Nearly all of them fly overnight, so you land at Charles de Gaulle somewhere around breakfast (a shower and a coffee will fix most of it). Book as far ahead as you comfortably can, because fares climb steeply from about three months out. If the south is where you're headed, look at the seasonal non-stops into Nice from New York and Newark in high summer. Skipping a European connection with your luggage is worth a small premium. Just ask and we'll take a look with you.

Trains, once you've landed

Here's the bit most first-timers miss: Charles de Gaulle has its own TGV station, upstairs from Terminal 2. You can step off a red-eye and be in Bordeaux, Avignon or Lyon by lunchtime without setting foot in Paris.

One useful correction, too. The Interrail Pass you've probably read about is for European residents. Yours is the Eurail Pass: same trains, different paperwork, available at every age with reduced fares for under-27s and seniors, and children under 12 travelling free with an adult. It earns its keep if you're stitching together four or five cities. For a simple two-stop trip, advance point-to-point tickets bought a couple of months early usually come in cheaper. Either way, reserve your TGV seats. A pass buys you the journey, not the seat, and the Paris-Nice run sells out.

Self-drive

Your home driving licence is valid in France for visits under ninety days, so no special permit is legally required. We'd still carry an International Driving Permit (about twenty dollars from AAA, sorted in an afternoon) because rental desks and the occasional gendarme like the French translation.

Speak to your own doctor or a travel clinic around six weeks before you fly, since what's recommended depends on your country of origin, your itinerary and what you've already had. The CDC website is a sound starting point. No vaccinations are required to enter France, and for a city-and-countryside trip you're unlikely to need anything beyond your routine jabs being up to date. Ask about tick-borne encephalitis only if you're planning serious hiking in the forests of Alsace or the eastern Alps, where ticks are a genuine (if small) risk between spring and autumn.

Tap water is safe to drink everywhere in France, including from the cast-iron Wallace fountains dotted around Paris. If a tap or fountain is signed eau non potable, that's the one to skip. Restaurants will bring you a jug of tap water free of charge if you ask for une carafe d'eau, which saves you a few euros on every meal and a small mountain of plastic over a fortnight.

Safety

France is a safe country to travel in, and violent crime against visitors is rare. Pickpocketing, though, is a real and organised business in the big cities. Keep a hand on your bag on the Paris metro (line 1 and the RER B from the airport are favourite hunting grounds), at Gare du Nord, and in the crush outside Sacré-Coeur, the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. The usual street routines run in the tourist hubs too: friendship bracelets pressed onto your wrist on the Montmartre steps, a "found" gold ring offered along the Seine, a clipboard petition that turns into a crowd around your pockets, and the shell game that nobody has ever won. Walk on, politely and without stopping.

On arrival, use the official taxi rank at Charles de Gaulle or Orly, where the flat fare into Paris is posted on a sign. Anyone approaching you inside the terminal offering a lift is not offering you that price.

Communication

France's country code is +33. Dialling a French number from overseas, drop the leading zero: 01 45 67 89 01 becomes +33 1 45 67 89 01.

Calling home from France, dial 00, then the country code, area code and number, so 00 1 [area code] [number] for the US. From a mobile, the + symbol does the same job: +1 [area code] [number]. Coverage is good across the country and thin in the odd Alpine valley, and a prepaid eSIM bought before you leave costs a fraction of most US roaming plans.

One number worth saving before you go: 112 reaches emergency services anywhere in France, in English, free from any phone. Hopefully you'll never use it.

Most European countries use the Euro, the only ones that don’t are Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Sweden. We recommend international mobile banking with either Revolut, Monzo or Wise which lets you spend money around the world with low exchange rates and no transaction fees. The apps categorise your transactions helping you budget giving you instant notifications to your mobile which helps you keep track of your spending and quickly detects any unauthorized or fraudulent transactions. Gratuities are not compulsory or expected; rather it is a reward for excellent service. If you are pleased with the service you receive, you are more than welcome to tip the staff. Tipping is usually done at the end of your stay. For porters it is customary to tip €1 per bag (or the local equivalent). You may tip the staff individually, give the tip to the manager or host to distribute, or do both. Restaurants on average expect a 10% to 15% if it is not included in the bill. When it comes to drivers and tour guides, it all depends on the experience, average is 10% or more.

It is a condition of booking that you carry the correct comprehensive travel and medical insurance to cover yourself, as well as any dependents/travelling companions for the duration of your trip. This insurance should include cover in respect of, but not limited to, the following eventualities: Compulsory Insurance: • Emergency evacuation expenses • Medical expenses • Repatriation expenses Recommended Insurance: • Cancellation or curtailment of trip • Damage/theft/loss of personal luggage, money and goods

Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES)

Since April 2026, every non-EU passport holder entering the Schengen area is logged on the Entry/Exit System, the digital border record that replaced the old passport stamp. Your first arrival takes a few extra minutes.

Anyone 12 or over has their passport scanned, gives fingerprints, has a photo taken and answers a few simple questions about the trip. Under-12s are photographed only. It's free, there's nothing to arrange in advance, and your record then stands for three years, so later trips move faster. EU, EEA and Swiss passport holders are exempt, as are airside connections where you never clear border control.

One thing worth knowing: you're registered by the first Schengen country you land in, not your final destination. Connect through Amsterdam en route to Nice and you'll do it there.

Allow an extra hour on that first landing. After that, you're waved through.

• Passport • Layers - long and short sleeve tops and trousers • Day and evening outfits • A warm fleece, jumper or cardigan • A lightweight waterproof jacket • Comfortable shoes • Flip-flops • Swimming costumes • Underwear and socks • Nightwear • A hat or cap • Sunglasses • Sunscreen – a must! • Water bottle • Toiletries – most hotels will provide shampoo, shower gel and soap • Plug adaptors and charging equipment • Books or a fully loaded Kindle / iPad for siesta time • Small first aid kit - cough medicine, rehydration sachets, plasters, vitamins, aspirin and paracetamol, and anything else you use on a regular basis. Electricity European plugs and outlets are varied. The most common outlets in Europe include Type C, E, F, and G. These outlets are typically used with devices that have a voltage of 220-240V. To ensure you don’t get stuck in a country without a reliable way to charge your phone or laptop, we recommend bringing a universal power adapter that will work in all European countries, except for Italy which has three associated plug types - C, F and L. L is the plug type which has three round pins and operates on a 230V supply voltage. Luggage Please check with your airlines for the specific luggage restrictions relevant to your flight schedule. Many international airlines have a baggage allowance of 20kgs or more per person. The carry-on bag must be of such dimensions and weight as set by the airlines. If soft bag has a shoulder strap, take it off before checking luggage in.