France in 13 Days: 3 Recommended 13-day Itineraries to France
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France 13-day itinerary options
Discover three hand-picked 13-day France itinerary suggestions below.
Itinerary #1: Iconic French Highlights
| Overview | Activity | Overnight | |
| Day 1 | Land in Paris and hop on a Seine River cruise | Paris | |
| Day 2 | Embark on a sightseeing tour of Paris | City sightseeing | Paris |
| Day 3 | Travel to Beune, then Lyon and go on a city tour | City sightseeing | Lyon |
| Day 4 | Visit Aix-en-Provence, drive through Monaco and along the French Riviera | Exploration | Mandelieu |
| Day 5 | Take the full day to explore the French Riviera at your leisure | Exploration | Mandelieu |
| Day 6 | Head to Arles, then photograph the Pont du Gard and arrive in Avignon | Exploration | Avignon |
| Day 7 | Uncover Carcassonne’s magical architecture, then continue to Lourdes | City sightseeing | Lourdes |
| Day 8 | Spend time in coastal Biarritz, then cruise through Les Landes to Bordeaux | Exploration | Bordeaux |
| Day 9 | Journey to Saint-Emilion with wine-tasting at local winery, then arrive in Tours | Wine tasting | Tours |
| Day 10 | Take a day trip to Château de Chenonceau, Amboise and Château de Chambord | Exploration | Tours |
| Day 11 | Leave Tours for Mont Saint-Michel, then visit the D-Day beaches and stay overnight in Deauville | Exploration | Deauville |
| Day 12 | Depart Deauville for Honfleur, then explore Rouen and then head to Paris | Exploration | Paris |
| Day 13 | End the expedition in the Paris |
Is it your first time traveling to France? Then this itinerary, covering all of the country’s most iconic cities, towns, villages and monuments, is for you. Begin in Paris, scoping its legendary landmarks, like the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre. Then, lap up all the gastronomic food in Lyon, all the elegance of the French Riviera and all of the lavender fields of Aix-en-Provence. Then there is the wild coast of Biarritz—a surfer’s paradise, the wine of Bordeaux, the chateaux of the Loire Valley, the magic of Mont Saint Michel and all of Arles, a city known for its impressive collection of Roman monuments. See all 13-day France vacation packages.
Itinerary #2: Cycle Adventure in Loire Valley
| Overview | Activity | Overnight | |
| Day 1 | Kickstart things in Orléans | Orléans | |
| Day 2 | Cycle to Beaugency | Biking | Beaugency |
| Day 3 | On your way to Blois, pass by Château de Chambord | Biking | Blois |
| Day 4 | Peddle to Château de Chaumont, then the Royal Château of Amboise | Biking | Amboise |
| Day 5 | Bike through vineyards in Montlouis to Tours and enjoy wine tastings in between | Biking | Tours |
| Day 6 | Discover the Petrified Caves in Savonnières, sightsee the Château de Villandry, pass through Sache before finally arriving in Azay le Rideau | Biking | Azay le Rideau |
| Day 7 | See the Château de Langeais and Château d'Ussé and spend the night in Chinon | Biking | Chinon |
| Day 8 | Continue traveling via bicycle to the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud | Biking | Saumur |
| Day 9 | Pass the Cunault church and Saint-Maur Abbey. From St-Mathurin-sur-Loire, follow the Loire. Cross the Authion River via ferry and arrive in Angers | Biking | Angers |
| Day 10 | Traverse through Anjou’s vineyards via the riverbanks of the Loire Valley, and pass through Montjean onto Mauges-sur-Loire | Biking | Mauges-sur-Loire |
| Day 11 | Cycle to Champtoceaux, Les Folies Siffait gardens and arrive in Nantes | Biking | Nantes |
| Day 12 | Catch a boat from Nantes then follow the Loire à vélo route on bike, and stay overnight in St Brevin | Biking | St Brevin |
| Day 13 | Say your farewells in St. Brevin, where the adventure ends |
Put the pedal to the metal during these 13 days in France, a tour centered around the Loire Valley and its 1,006-kilometer-long Loire river—the longest in France. Using bikes as your main transport mode opens the way to a real hands-on experience. Follow river pathways, passing former swamplands and marshes, via gardens, through vineyards, ceramic towns and finally ending by the sea. Catch some boats and ferries while cycling, visiting abbeys, castles, like the “Sleeping Beauty” in Ussé and lakeside villages, such as Savonnières. Chinon has fabulous wine, Anjou is famed for its juicy fruit and don’t miss the seafood in Nantes. See all France holidays.
Itinerary #3: Châteaux, Food and Wine
| Overview | Activity | Overnight | |
| Day 1 | Say bonjour to Paris, then head to Giverny, Rouen, Arromanches and overnight in Caen | Exploration | Caen |
| Day 2 | Explore Mont Saint-Michel, Saint Malo, Dinan and Rennes | Exploration | Rennes |
| Day 3 | Leave Rennes for Angers then head via the Loire Valley to Tours. Spend the night in Amboise | Exploration | Amboise |
| Day 4 | Walk to the Château du Clos Lucé, then tour Château de Chenonceau and Château de Chambord, before stopping in Limoges | Chateaux exploration | Limoges |
| Day 5 | Check out the Lascaux IV International Centre for Cave Art, then Sarlat, then the Château de Beynac, ending in Rocamadour | City sightseeing | Rocamadour |
| Day 6 | Go on a boat ride through the Padirac Chasm cave, pass through Saint Emilion and arrive in Bordeaux | Outdoor exploration | Bordeaux |
| Day 7 | Discover Bordeaux and visit its Cité du Vin wine museum, enjoy wine tastings and veer through the Pyrenees to Lourdes | Wine tasting | Lourdes |
| Day 8 | Travel to Carcassonne for lunch, then pass through Narbonne and arrive in Marseille | Exploration | Marseille |
| Day 9 | Sightsee Arles, then visit the Carrières de Lumières, then Lyon and take the cable car up Notre Dame de Fourvière | Sightseeing | Lyon |
| Day 10 | Spend the day around the towns of Tournus and Beaune, then land in Dijon | Exploration | Dijon |
| Day 11 | From Dijon, stop over and walk through Besançon, Colmar, Riquewihr and Ribeauville, and sleep in Strasbourg | Exploration | Strasbourg |
| Day 12 | Enjoy sightseeing Strasbourg, stop in Épernay, then journey to Paris | Sightseeing | Paris |
| Day 13 | Blow double air kisses and say goodbye in France’s capital |
Bursting at the seams with so many things to do, from workshops to wine-tastings, places to discover, from German-influenced towns like Colmar to the Loire Valley, and world-famous landmarks to learn about, these 13 days in France will be busy. Some days, you will visit up to five new destinations. Walk in the footsteps of master artists in Giverny, discover a handful of some of France’s most exquisite châteaux and compare different architectural styles, from Gothic masterpieces in Dinan to the colorful half-timbered houses in Riquewihr. The ocean calls in Narbonne and Marseille and venture as far as the Swiss border. Plus, if you consider yourself a foodie, you’re going to fall in love with the delicacies and dining experiences in between it all, becoming better acquainted with the cuisine of each varying region.
Contact our local travel experts to create a bespoke tour for France.
Planning a 13-day itinerary to France?
Paris, Lyon, Nice, Bordeaux, Marseille and more—no matter which part of the country is pulling on your heart strings, you’re in for a delicious treat if you are planning to spend 13 days in France. Opt to travel by car, join a cycling tour or a cruise, or use the train system (including high-speed ones) to get from A to B during a 13-day France itinerary plan. You can also book one of our pre-packaged group trips to France, eliminating the worries of transport, accommodation and entrance tickets. Or connect with our travel experts for a France customized trip.
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