Things to see and do - France in 2024

Practical information : Sightseeing France

Timetable

In France, stores generally open from 9:30 or 10 am to 7 or 7:30 pm. Food stores in large cities sometimes stay open until 8:00 pm or even 9:00 pm. Tourist areas such as the Champs-Elysées have adopted night-time hours. In about twenty international tourist zones, some stores open on Sundays. The same applies to brand villages. Many museums close on Mondays. Saturday afternoons in shops and Sundays in parks and gardens are the busiest

To be booked

For the prestigious exhibitions programmed by the major museums, such as the Musée d'Orsay or the Grand Palais, reservations are strongly recommended, and sometimes essential, well in advance.

Budget & Tips

Many museums are free on the first Sunday of the month. Passes for one day, two days or a week on urban public transport are available. Outside the high tourist seasons, prices drop, especially for accommodation in tourist sites. They are at their highest on the French Riviera in summer.

Main events

Two tourist seasons can be distinguished in France, summer with seaside tourism or hiking in the mountains, winter with skiing. Outside of the summer, major exhibitions or artistic creations scheduled during the cultural season are also tourist attractions. Among the French particularities: the music festival on June 21 and the July 14 ball which animates cities and villages. Locally, we can mention the Festival of Lights in Lyon in December, the Christmas market in Strasbourg, the Nice Carnival in February, the Cannes Festival in May, the Tour de France cycling race in July...

Guided tours

The tourist offices offer guided tours by their guides and a list of guides who master different languages for guided heritage tours, thematic tours, hikes, by appointment for individuals. In Paris, you can board a tourist bus for guided tours through the city or a bateau-mouche for a discovery of Paris by the water. The same is true in several cities crossed by a river, such as Lyon or Toulouse.

Smokers

Smoking is prohibited in all public places, museums, restaurants, hotels, public transport.

Tourist traps

Beware of pickpockets and pickpockets in the most touristy places, especially in Paris, on public transportation or in front of crowded sites. Also, if you are asked for directions, a coin, to read a text, or any other service, stay alert.

What's very local

Gallantry is a characteristic attitude of the French, even if it is being lost, it is still a standard. Elegance and romanticism too. Giving flowers to the lady of the house, arriving a few minutes late to an invitation to eat at home are among the rules of good manners, as is thanking after having honored an invitation.

Things to see and do France

MONTORMEL MEMORIAL - COUDEHARD

NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM

MERVILLE BATTERY

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL

LE FORT CASSO

THE ANTIQUE THEATER

THABOR PARK

CENTRE INTERNATIONAL DE L'ART PARIÉTAL - LASCAUX 4

NOTRE-DAME DE FOURVIÈRE BASILICA

TIP OF THE RAZ - BEG AR RAZ

MUSÉE DU LOUVRE

THE EIFFEL TOWER

ROYAL CASTLE OF AMBOISE

PONT DU GARD

BASILICA OF THE SACRÉ-CŒUR DE MONTMARTRE

NOTRE-DAME-DE-LA-GARDE BASILICA

NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL

NOTRE-DAME DE PARIS CATHEDRAL

LA CITÉ MÉDIÉVALE DE CARCASSONNE

ROYAL CASTLE OF BLOIS

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