Plan the perfect visit to France – season by season

Jun 4, 2026 - 08:03

Saint Remy de Provence: Plan the perfect visit to France – season by season — *Saint Remy de Provence © Marianne Furnes*

Plan the perfect visit to France – season by season and experience the perfect sojourn with advice from the crème de la crème of French destination experts at French Side Travel who organise bespoke, unique and original tours of France.

Spring in France

Visit in spring for blooming landscapes, fewer crowds and ideal temperatures. Gardens and chateaux, food and wine tours, cultural city discoveries and countryside drives are popular at this time of the year, but there are less well-known places that are also truly wonderful in spring. Maybe get off the beaten track in Burgundy – take a private wine tasting with a driver so you can simply relax and enjoy it. Take a cooking class and create something utterly delicious. Visit tiny villages that are so pretty they look like a fairy tale has come to life. And enjoy a canal boat experience.

If the city is more your thing, Lyon is a top spring visit, the most amazing gastronomy tours will reveal the city’s culinary soul, and there are so many superb restaurants (we have a little black book of favourites!) in the ‘French capital of gastronomy.’ And we highly recommend a wine excursion in neighbouring Beaujolais.

If wine is your passion, then Bordeaux and Saint-Emilion will pop your cork! Vineyard tours as the wildflower bloom, private tastings, gorgeous little villages and cycling through the vineyards.

This is a sensory season of quiet joy when the sunlight is soft, vines begin to bloom, the landscapes are lush and green, and blossom bursts into colour.

Summer in France

The South of France is a firm favourite in the sunny season! And we totally get it – lavender fields, sun-drenched villages that inspired Van Gogh and Cezanne, hilltop villages in Provence, Saint-Tropez, Cannes and Monaco – there’s so much to fall in love with here.

But there’s so much more to southern France – Corsica, birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, is one of the hidden gems that will steal your heart. With private boat tours to hidden coves and secret beaches, sunset sailing experiences that are like a dream come true, wine tastings (paired with Corsican Brocciu and fagatellu, dark dried sausage), the most exquisite seaside villages, hiking with a private guide in the mountains through fragrant scrubland, and discovering costal beauties like the Lavezzi archipelago whose raw authentic Mediterranean islands are like something out of a movie, Corsica, nicknamed ‘the beautiful island’ is a land of secrets and beauty that fills your heart with joy.

The Basque country is another area that’s not so well-known, but for culture, a glorious coastline and gastronomy – it’s an ideal place to visit. Throughout the summer the region hosts lively ferias, festivals that are famous for their vibrant spirit with parades, live music, dancing and communal gatherings – authentic immersive experiences that are truly memorable. In elegant Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz, the Atlantic crashes dramatically against the shore. Private food tours introduce you to pintxos small, artful bites bursting with flavour and to the local specialities. Add surf lessons or coastal hikes, and you have a region that blends energy with tradition, where the Basque identity is proudly preserved.

Most people know the French Alps for skiing – but summer in the Alps is a revelation. Meadows bloom, lakes shimmer, and Mont Blanc stands majestic. Guided scenic hikes with private guides reveal hidden trails. Cycling around Lake Annecy, or a relaxing boat tour offers postcard-perfect views. Wellness and luxury mountain retreats here are exceptional – fresh mountain air, spa treatments, and a slower pace that restores body and mind.

The magic of a French summer is its contrast, elegance, sunshine and unmistakable joie de vivre.

Autumn in France

As summer fades, the vineyards turn golden after the vendanges – the harvesting of grapes – and it’s a time of celebration. Crowds thin out and the weather is mellow. This is the perfect time to enjoy the culture and gastronomy of France with wine harvest experiences, private market tours and cooking classes, cultural and history tours and road tours with your camera to capture the scenic delights and vibrant colours.

Provence and Normandy are always popular in the fall, and we also love the Loire Valley – it’s the perfect time to experience the chateaux with a private guide and even to meet the owners to get a rare, personal insight to these majestic dwellings. Take a hot air balloon and see the castles appear as if by magic as the morning mist clears or at sunrise when the white stone of the buildings turns golden, and you toast their presence with champagne.

Champagne is also wonderful in the fall – with private tastings of the famous fizz, and private lunches at renowned houses and boutique producers. Enjoy unique discovery experiences such as visiting a cooperage, where barrels are crafted, revealing the artistry behind every bottle.

Bordeaux is also an ideal fall destination with wine harvest experiences, Saint-Emilion’s cobbled streets and vineyards glow in the autumn light; enjoy private vineyard picnics, and magnificent gastronomy experiences in Bordeaux city.

Fall in France is a time to taste the season, slow down and connect with the culture, history and gastronomy.

Winter in France

Reims in winter — *Reims, Champagne in winter*

Winter in France is a season of festive, cosy, gastronomic treats! Christmas lights and markets, Michelin and fine dining experiences, and private museum tours. Champagne is popular for champagne tasting and cellar visits, the gentle pop of celebration. And for those seeking winter sunshine, the French Riviera is a must.

Alsace is also a great place to visit at this time of the year – and if you love the razzmatazz of Christmas this is the place to be. Discover Strasbourg the ‘Capital of Christmas’ with its beautiful decorations and lantern-lit streets, and Christmas markets where the aroma of mulled wine fills the air, plus historic Colmar and fairy tale pretty villages with a private guide who will reveal the traditions behind the twinkling facades – there’s nowhere else like it. Wine tasting in cozy wineries, scenic countryside and culinary delights await.

The Loire Valley is perfect for castle stays, private chateau tours, gastronomic experiences and cooking classes. And many of the chateaux dress up for the season – arty party at its very best.

Provence offers truffle hunting, wine and olive oil tasting, having quaint little villages almost to yourself, discovering wonderful little markets and the local gastronomy.

When is the best time to visit Paris?

Paris is the ultimate year-round destination. Take a private Seine cruise at dusk and feel like you’ve stepped into a painting—bridges illuminated, a glass of chilled Champagne – it really is magical. And then there are after-hours museum visits. Imagine standing before a masterpiece at the Louvre or Musée d’Orsay in near silence – just you and centuries of art. Take a croissant making class, a private morning market visit with a chef, a private cooking class adapted to the season. Enjoy a behind the scenes tour of the Eiffel Tower and drink champagne at the top! Stay in a 5 star palace, and unwind at a spa. Take a private trip to Monet’s house and garden in Giverny or the Palace of Versailles. Enjoy exclusive access to the Paris’s iconic sites including the salon of a chocolatier where Marie Antoinette used to shop. There is no limit to the pleasures of Paris.