Swap the guesswork for joie de vivre with these Francophile-approved routes across France.
France is a country that contains multitudes, with a lot more to it than berets and baguettes. A melting pot of world-class art, history, food and diverse scenery, there’s always something to fulfil your travel needs.
No matter how long I spend in France, it never feels like enough, but if it’s your first time visiting, I’d suggest spending a minimum of 10 days exploring so you can experience more than the frenetic pace and unparalleled beauty of Paris.
These 10-, 14-, and 21-day itineraries will help you make the most of your time in this vibrant European country.
When is the best time to go to France?
Experience a festive Christmas in Paris. (Credit: Unsplash/Francesco La Corte)
I may be biased but I’d argue there’s no bad time to visit France, but the shoulder seasons (March to May and September to November) are the most pleasant, with fewer visitors than summer and pleasant temperatures. The summer months are becoming increasingly warm, with frequent heatwaves that make many of the top spots uncomfortable to visit, as many buildings aren’t equipped to deal with the heat. Winter days are chilly and short, so I’d recommend only visiting during this period if you’re planning on heading to the snowy Alps or to experience Christmas in Paris.
10 Days in France: Paris, Loire Valley, Marseille
Hôtel Le Grand Mazarin blends classic French and Wes Anderson style. (Credit: Vincent Leroux)
The historic Château de Chenonceau by the River Cher in the Loire Valley. (Credit: Unsplash/Shaun Rainer)
Ten days will give you a solid first taste of France’s drawcards, from city to country to coast. Start your adventure with four nights in Paris, basing yourself at the colourful Hôtel Le Grand Mazarin in the trendy Le Marais neighbourhood. This allows for enough time to cover iconic landmarks and activities such as the Louvre, Notre Dame, Montmartre, Eiffel Tower, Musée de l’Orangerie and a Seine cruise, as well as sample classic French fare at eateries like Le Bon Georges and La Renommée.
Take the high-speed TGV train to Tours in the Loire Valley. (Credit: Pexels/Rohit Verma)
From the City of Lights, take the high-speed TGV train to Tours in the Loire Valley (approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes) for two nights, basing yourself at the centrally located Les Trésorières. This is my favourite area of France as it’s peppered with palatial castles and world-class wine regions, and embraces a relaxed pace of life. Hire a car or take day trip tours to visit incredible châteaux and wineries such as Chateau de Chambord, Château de Chenonceau and d’Azay-le-Rideau, and viticultural areas like Vouvray.
Spend the last three nights of your sojourn in the South of France in Marseille, taking a direct flight from Tours (1 hour and 15 minutes) and staying at the modern Les Bords de Mer. France’s oldest city has an edgy-meets-Mediterranean feel to it, where days are spent wandering the historic Old Port and charming coast, and eating at brilliant French eateries like L’Oursin and Oh Faon !
14 Days in France: Paris, Loire Valley, Marseille, Nice
Meander along the palm-fringed Promenade des Anglais. (Credit: Pexels/Huy Phan)
With four extra days, you can either dive deeper and spend extra time in each city on the 10-day route so you don’t feel stretched thin, or you can add Nice to your itinerary (highly recommended) to experience the elegance of the French Riviera.
Take the train (2.5 hours) and base yourself at the Mediterranean Sea-facing Anantara Plaza Nice. The UNESCO World Heritage site features a mix of Belle Époque splendour and laid-back seaside ambience, dotted with high-end beach clubs and lively street markets. Spend your time meandering along the palm-fringed Promenade des Anglais and through the cobblestone alleys of Old Town and relaxing on the pebble beaches. Make sure to try the city’s most famous dish, bouillabaisse, an aromatic and rich fish and shellfish stew.
21 Days in France: Paris, Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice
Château Margaux is a world-famous wine estate located in Margaux-Cantenac. (Credit: Pixabay/
ColinB)
The elegant Mondrian Bordeaux Les Carmes in Chartrons district. (Credit: Gaëlle Le Boulicaut)
Three weeks is the sweet spot for a thorough look at how incredible this country is. Stick with the full Paris, Loire Valley, Marseilles, Nice route from the 14-day itinerary, but make the most of each destination by adding an extra day so you can add Bordeaux to the mix.
The historic wine-producing region is a 2-hour train ride from Paris. I recommend bedding down at one of my favourite hotels, the Mondrian Bordeaux Les Carmes, housed within a former 19th-century wine cellar. Even if you’re not a wine sipper, the beauty of this city is well worth seeing with streets that are lined with 18th-century neoclassical buildings and to indulge in canelé, a small, traditional French pastry with a caramelised crust and a custard-like interior. If you are a wine enthusiast, head for Chartrons, the historic wine-merchant district and spend your days touring wineries such as Château Margaux, Château Pétrus and Château Ausone.
Direct flights from Bordeaux to Marseille take approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
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Have even more time?
Fall in love with the purple lavender fields in Provence. (Credit: Pexels/AXP Photography)
Marvel at the medieval commune of Mont-Saint-Michel. (Credit: Pexels/Gérard PITOIS)
See the stone houses situated by the Saussois Cliffs in Burgundy. (Credit: Pixabay/baccus7)
The historic Pont de l'Université crossing the Rhône River in Lyon, France. (Credit: Pixabay/Cetiat)
If time is on your side, or you’re a repeat visitor to France, the below cities/regions are well worth exploring next.
Provence: Blanketed in its iconic purple lavender fields, this quaint region sits just above Marseilles and features preserved Roman architecture and a laid-back Mediterranean sensibility.
Normandy: The historic region in north-western France is home to the tidal island and medieval commune of Mont-Saint-Michel, and World War II D-Day beaches.
Burgundy: A wine-producing region in east-central France with medieval architecture.
Lyon: A must-visit for foodies in east-central France, it’s widely considered the country’s culinary capital.
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Rachael Thompson is a freelance travel journalist, editor and hotel addict based in the UK. She was formerly International Traveller's Evergreen Editor and was responsible for the foundational content ahead of its website relaunch, as well as managing and growing the brand’s destination guides. With a background in design and travel media, Rachael is dedicated to creating content that is as much informational as it is beautiful. She began her career at Belle magazine, before taking up editorial roles at Homes to Love and Bed Threads. Next on her travel wish list is Malta.
Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.
The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.
1. Easy access to good food
Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.
One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.
In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.
In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.
Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.
At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.
While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.
It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.
2. Better sleep options
Sleep deeply with Novotel.
There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.
For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.
The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.
3. More ways to move
Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)
Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.
At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.
Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.
4. Better connections
Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.
One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.
Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.
A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.
Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.
All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.
