FRANCE
HOW TO PLAN YOUR TRIP TO FRANCE: DISCOVER THE REGIONS OF FRANCE
THE ULTIMATE TRAVEL GUIDE
Plan Your Trip to France: Regions Guide
France is a country rich in history, culture, and breathtaking landscapes. Each region offers unique attractions, culinary delights, and a glimpse into the local way of life. Whether you’re planning your trip to France to explore vibrant cities, serene countryside, or stunning coastlines, this guide will help you navigate through the diverse regions and what they have to offer.
As you plan your trip to France, each region offers its own unique charm, attractions, and experiences. From the urban elegance of Île-de-France to the picturesque landscapes of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, exploring these regions allows you to immerse yourself in the diverse culture and heritage of France. Whether you’re interested in history, gastronomy, outdoor activities, or simply relaxing by the beach, France has something for everyone. With this guide, you're equipped to plan your trip to France and create unforgettable memories in its enchanting regions.
France's 13 Regions
Plan Your Trip to France: Île-de-France
Location: Situated in north-central France, Île-de-France is the most populous region, encompassing the capital, Paris, and its surrounding suburbs. As the economic and cultural heart of the country, it blends historic grandeur with modern innovation.
Region Highlights: Île-de-France is synonymous with world-famous landmarks such as the majestic Eiffel Tower offering panoramic views, the unparalleled Louvre Museum housing masterpieces like the Mona Lisa, and the opulent Palace of Versailles with its lavish gardens and Hall of Mirrors. Beyond these icons, wander through artistic neighborhoods like Montmartre with its Sacré-Cœur basilica, stroll along the Seine River, or discover vibrant districts like Le Marais. The region excels in gastronomy, from Michelin-starred restaurants to classic brasseries serving escargot and crème brûlée, alongside high-fashion shopping on the Champs-Élysées and cutting-edge contemporary art scenes. Disneyland Paris adds family-friendly magic, while nearby Fontainebleau offers rock climbing and historic château explorations in forested settings.
Plan Your Trip to France: Auvergne Rhône-Alpes
Location: Located in the southeastern part of France, this expansive region stretches from the towering Alps to the rolling hills of the Massif Central, combining dramatic mountains with vibrant urban centers.
Region Highlights: Auvergne Rhône-Alpes is a paradise for nature lovers and food enthusiasts alike. The majestic French Alps provide world-class skiing in resorts like Chamonix and Courchevel, summer hiking trails with stunning vistas of Mont Blanc, and adventure sports like paragliding. Culinary capital Lyon boasts renowned bouchons serving hearty dishes and is home to legendary chef Paul Bocuse's influence. Explore volcanic landscapes in Auvergne with dormant craters and hot springs, historic Clermont-Ferrand with its black lava stone cathedral, or picturesque Annecy with its turquoise lake often called the "Venice of the Alps." The region also features Roman ruins, medieval villages, exceptional cheese production like Saint-Nectaire, and prestigious wine areas around Beaujolais.
Plan Your Trip to France: Brittany
Location: Brittany is located in the northwest of France, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean.
Region Highlights: Brittany captivates with its dramatic rugged coastline featuring pink granite rocks, emerald waters, and windswept cliffs along the Côte de Granit Rose and wild Cap Fréhel. Medieval towns like Dinan and Vitré preserve half-timbered houses and ramparts, while Saint-Malo's fortified old city offers pirate history and seaside walks. Celtic heritage thrives through festivals, bagpipes, and Breton language signs. Seafood reigns supreme—savor fresh oysters in Cancale, crepes, galettes, and kouign-amann pastries. Iconic Mont Saint-Michel rises dramatically on the border, and inland forests like Brocéliande evoke Arthurian legends with megaliths and standing stones scattered across the landscape, making it a mystical destination for history and nature lovers.
Plan Your Trip to France: Bourgogne – Franche-Comté
Location: This region lies in east-central France, known for its picturesque vineyards and rolling hills.
Region Highlights: Bourgogne-Franche-Comté is a wine lover's dream, producing legendary Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Burgundy’s Côte d’Or vineyards, with iconic routes like the Route des Grands Crus offering cellar tours and tastings in villages like Beaune, home to the colorful Hospices de Beaune. Dijon’s mustard heritage pairs with historic architecture and owl-trail city walks. Franche-Comté adds rugged Jura mountains, cascading waterfalls like Hérisson, and Comté cheese production in fortified villages. Medieval abbeys, Renaissance châteaux, and UNESCO-listed sites abound, while outdoor activities include cycling through vineyards, hiking in regional parks, and exploring Arc-et-Senans’ royal saltworks, blending gastronomy, history, and serene countryside beautifully.
Plan Your Trip to France: Centre-Val de Loire
Location: Located in central France, this region is known as the "Garden of France" due to its lush landscapes.
Region Highlights: Centre-Val de Loire is the epitome of Renaissance elegance with over 300 fairy-tale châteaux along the Loire River. Highlights include massive Château de Chambord with its double-helix staircase, romantic Chenonceau spanning the Cher River, and manicured gardens at Villandry. Leonardo da Vinci spent his final years at Clos Lucé in Amboise. Vineyards produce crisp Sancerre and Touraine wines, while historic towns like Tours and Orléans feature cathedrals and Joan of Arc connections. Cycle the Loire à Vélo paths, enjoy hot-air balloon rides over châteaux, savor goat cheeses, and explore troglodyte caves—perfect for history buffs seeking royal splendor amid blooming valleys and gentle rivers.
Plan Your Trip to France: Corsica
Location: Corsica is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea, southeast of the French mainland.
Region Highlights: Corsica, the "Island of Beauty," boasts crystalline turquoise waters lapping white-sand beaches like Palombaggia and Santa Giulia, dramatic red Calanques de Piana cliffs, and rugged GR20 hiking trail across maquis-scented mountains. Charming hilltop villages such as Sartène preserve ancient traditions, while citadels in Bonifacio perch precariously over limestone cliffs. Napoleon's birthplace Ajaccio offers museums and vibrant markets. Unique Corsican polyphony music, chestnut-based cuisine, brocciu cheese, and charcuterie reflect a distinct French-Italian heritage. Inland natural parks hide freshwater pools and waterfalls, making it ideal for adventurers seeking unspoiled Mediterranean wilderness with rich history and relaxed coastal vibes.
Plan Your Trip to France: Grand Est
Location: Located in northeastern France, the Grand Est region borders Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany.
Region Highlights: Grand Est blends French flair with Germanic influences along the Alsace Wine Route lined with half-timbered villages like Colmar's "Little Venice" and Riquewihr. Strasbourg's soaring cathedral and European Parliament contrast with Reims' Champagne houses offering underground cellar tours and tastings of bubbly. Medieval Troyes preserves colorful timber framing, while Verdun and Alsace battlefields provide poignant WWI/WWII history. Vosges mountains offer hiking and ballooning, Metz shines with contemporary art, and Nancy's Place Stanislas is a UNESCO masterpiece of 18th-century architecture. Seasonal Christmas markets, tarte flambée, and Riesling wines create festive atmospheres in this culturally rich border region.
Plan Your Trip to France: Hauts-de-France
Location: Located in northern France, this region borders Belgium and the English Channel.
Region Highlights: Hauts-de-France surprises with diverse appeal: Lille's grand Flemish architecture, vibrant brasseries, and bustling markets contrast the windswept Opal Coast's dramatic chalk cliffs at Cap Blanc-Nez and vast beaches. Amiens boasts one of Europe's largest Gothic cathedrals with intricate carvings, while Chantilly offers a princely château, horse museum, and exquisite gardens. WWI sites like Vimy Ridge and Somme battlefields provide moving remembrance trails. Dunkirk's beaches evoke WWII history, Arras features baroque squares, and Laon crowns a hill with a medieval cathedral. Craft beer, maroilles cheese, and welcoming northern hospitality complete this underrated region's mix of culture, coast, and history.
Plan Your Trip to France: Normandy
Location: Situated in northwestern France, Normandy is bordered by the English Channel.
Region Highlights: Normandy weaves poignant history with stunning natural beauty. D-Day landing beaches, museums, and cemeteries in Caen and Bayeux (home to the famous Tapestry depicting 1066 conquest) commemorate WWII sacrifices. Dramatic white cliffs at Étretat inspired Impressionist painters like Monet, whose Giverny gardens burst with water lilies. Mont Saint-Michel's abbey crowns a tidal island dramatically. Honfleur's picturesque harbor charmed artists, while Rouen's medieval streets recall Joan of Arc. Camembert cheese, cider routes, Calvados brandy, and seafood like oysters define cuisine amid half-timbered villages and rolling green pastures dotted with cows in this evocative coastal region.
Plan Your Trip to France: Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Location: Located in the southwest, Nouvelle-Aquitaine is the largest region in France.
Region Highlights: Nouvelle-Aquitaine spans prestigious Bordeaux wine estates offering grand cru tastings amid neoclassical châteaux, Atlantic surfing beaches in Biarritz and Hossegor, and Europe's tallest sand dune at Pilat. Prehistoric Lascaux caves and medieval Sarlat enchant in Dordogne's truffle-rich Périgord, while Cognac distilleries and Pineau des Charentes define spirits. Basque culture thrives in Bayonne with festivals and pintxos, Poitiers showcases Romanesque art, and Limoges is famed for porcelain. Vast pine forests, oyster farming in Arcachon Bay, and futuristic Cité du Vin museum in Bordeaux blend epicurean delights, outdoor adventures, and heritage across this vast, varied southwestern paradise.
Plan Your Trip to France: Occitanie
Location: Located in southern France, Occitanie is bordered by Spain and the Mediterranean Sea.
Region Highlights: Occitanie dazzles with medieval fortified Carcassonne, vibrant Toulouse's "Pink City" brick architecture and aerospace museums, and Pont du Gard's impressive Roman aqueduct. Cathar castles perch on Pyrenees foothills, Albi's red-brick cathedral houses Toulouse-Lautrec art, and Montpellier blends historic charm with modern energy. Mediterranean beaches stretch from Collioure's colorful harbor to Camargue's white horses and flamingos in salty marshes. Robust cuisine features cassoulet, Roquefort cheese, Armagnac brandy, and Languedoc wines. Hiking in Cévennes National Park, canal cruising on Canal du Midi, and festivals celebrating Occitan culture create a sunny, historic southern French mosaic.
Plan Your Trip to France: Pays de la Loire
Location: Located in western France, this region is known for its beautiful rivers and coastlines.
Region Highlights: Pays de la Loire charms with Atlantic beaches at Les Sables-d'Olonne, historic Nantes featuring the Château des Ducs de Bretagne and imaginative Machines de l'Île mechanical creatures. Angers' imposing medieval castle houses the Apocalypse Tapestry, while Saumur excels in equestrian shows and sparkling wines. The Loire Valley's eastern châteaux like Azay-le-Rideau reflect in rivers, and Puy du Fou historical theme park delivers spectacular shows. Mussel farming in Baie de l'Aumance, salt marshes at Guérande, and Anjou wines define cuisine. Cycling along the Loire, boat trips, and vineyard visits offer relaxed exploration amid gentle rivers and verdant landscapes.
Plan Your Trip to France: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Location: Located in the southeastern corner of France, this region stretches from the Alps to the Mediterranean coast.
Region Highlights: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur epitomizes the French Riviera glamour with Nice's Promenade des Anglais, Cannes' film festival legacy, Monaco's luxury, and Saint-Tropez's yacht-filled harbors. Inland Provence bursts with lavender fields around Gordes and Sénanque Abbey, ochre cliffs in Roussillon, and Roman arenas in Arles and Orange. Avignon's Palais des Papes hosted medieval popes, while Aix-en-Provence charms with Cézanne trails and fountains. Verdon Gorges offer turquoise canoeing, Camargue wild horses roam wetlands, and Marseille's vibrant port serves bouillabaisse. Perfumeries in Grasse, hilltop villages, and rosé wines complete this sun-drenched paradise of art, nature, and sophistication.
Disclaimer: Information reflects popular attractions and travel trends as of January 2026. Always verify current conditions, opening hours, and entry requirements before traveling.
Regions of France Travel Guides
