Most South African travellers do Paris and assume they've done France. They have not. Paris is one extraordinary city; the country around it is something else entirely, and arguably more rewarding for a second-time visitor.
Here's how a deeper France tour works through Europamundo, and why it consistently delivers.
The route
Paris → Loire Valley (Chambord, Chenonceau) → Bordeaux → Carcassonne → Provence (Avignon, Aix, Marseille) → Nice and the Riviera → Monaco → back to Paris via Lyon. 12 to 15 days. Coach plus one or two TGV legs for distance.
Paris in the front
The standard 2 to 3 days in Paris cover the Louvre, Notre-Dame area, Montmartre, an evening Seine cruise, and the Eiffel Tower at night. If you've been to Paris before, you can use these days to do specific things you missed, the Musée d'Orsay, the Marais, the Catacombs.
The Loire Valley
Two châteaux days. Chambord (the biggest, designed possibly with Leonardo da Vinci's input), Chenonceau (the bridge château, the prettiest), Amboise. The wine tastings in the Loire are gentler than Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blancs, Chenin Blancs. Worth the day's investment.
Bordeaux: the wine capital
Bordeaux is a complete city tour in itself plus an afternoon at a winery. The Cité du Vin (wine museum) is excellent. Bordeaux as a city has been transformed in the last 15 years, it's cleaner and more walkable than most European capitals.
Carcassonne
The medieval walled city, intact, perched on a hill in the south. You'll spend half a day inside the walls, restaurants, cobbled streets, the citadel. Don't miss the Cassoulet (slow-cooked bean stew) at lunch.
Provence and the Riviera
Avignon's Pope's Palace. Aix-en-Provence's cafe culture. The lavender fields (June-July only). The Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct. Then the Mediterranean, Nice's Promenade des Anglais, Cannes, the perfumeries at Grasse, Monaco's casino and royal palace. The Côte d'Azur portion is genuinely glamorous and the most expensive on-ground spending of the tour.
Lyon: the food finale
Lyon is France's official gastronomic capital. The bouchons (traditional Lyonnais bistros) serve the heaviest, richest food on the tour, coq au vin, quenelles, tarte aux pralines. Worth scheduling your largest lunch of the trip here.
What it costs from SA
- Land tour pp sharing: R38,000 to R55,000 (France is expensive but not at Scandinavia levels)
- Flights JHB/CPT to Paris via Doha, Dubai, or direct on Air France: R13,000 to R18,000
- Schengen visa: R2,200 per adult
- On-ground spend: R25,000 to R35,000 (Riviera days bring this up)
- All-in couple: R155,000 to R215,000
Flights from SA
Air France runs a direct Johannesburg-Paris route (about 11 hours), which is the easiest way to fly. From Cape Town you'll connect via Joburg or via the Gulf (Emirates or Qatar). Plan to land mid-morning Paris time and resist the urge to nap, push through to a 21:00 bedtime to beat the jetlag.
When to go
May-June for Provence (lavender opens late June through July). September-October for the wine harvest. April for Paris and the Loire. Avoid July-August on the Riviera unless you love crowds.
What to pack
French style runs slightly more formal than other European countries. Pack at least one smart outfit each, you'll feel underdressed otherwise at a Lyon bouchon dinner. Wine tour days call for breathable shirts. The Riviera calls for sunglasses and a swimsuit.
For the bigger picture, see our 14-day Italy itinerary for comparison. For families, the best tours for kids 8 to 14 includes a France-focused option. Browse France tours.
