Guide to France
France Facts & Info
France is the largest country in Europe and the most visited country in the world with nearly 90 million people a year. It’s easy to see why. Great food, amazing wine, and of course it’s capital, Paris: the city of light, the city of love, and the fashion capital of the world.
Guide to France: The Louvre
The largest art museum in the world is located in Paris France. That would be The Louvre Museum. It would take months to look at everything The Louvre has to see. Located at The Louvre is one of the most famous paintings in the world, The Mona Lisa. Even the grounds of this museum are beautiful.
France is also home to many inventions. From the hot air balloon to kilts (not Scotland) to camouflage, as well as motion pictures, the photograph, and even a make-shift camera phone in 1997. A whole 10 years before the Apple iphone!
Guide to France: What you need to know
Currency: The Euro
Language: French, but a lot of people do speak English in the tourist spots
Population: Nearly 68 million
Voltage: France’s voltage is 230V
Food: France is known for it’s baguettes, cheese, and snails.
Borders: France shares borders with 8 other countries: Andorra, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, and Switzerland
Wine: Many wines are named for regions in France: Burgundy, Bordeaux, Provence, and Champagne
It’s always a good time to visit France! Seriously. Okay, maybe not during that one time of year in the summer when it’s packed with crowds and there’s a once-in-a-lifetime heatwave. That seems to happen every single summer. But other than that, go. Whether you’re visiting Paris or you want to visit another area of France, anytime of the year is good.
The most popular airport in France is it’s International Airport right outside of Paris, Charles de Gaulle International Airport. There are smaller airports located throughout the country as well so if you plan on visiting somewhere else, you can catch a flight onward. If you’re coming from England, you could take a ferry or the Chunnel. From other countries in Europe, you have the option of taking a train, the Eurail.
Visiting France won’t be cheap but it also won’t set you back too much. Like most places, your flight and hotel will cost the most. You have a lot of options for food so you can spend less in this area. If you plan on seeing the major sites such as the Eiffel Tower, expect to pay a lot for that. It will cost about $20 to climb the Eiffel Tower. Yes, climb. There is an elevator but it only goes to the 2nd level. You have to climb the rest of the way. Of course viewing the Eiffel Tower from afar is free.
In Paris, take the subway. Paris has an excellent subway system. You also have the option of taking taxis to get around. The subway will be faster and cheaper. To get to places outside of Paris, you can take a train or rent a car.
Staying near the tourist areas will always be more expensive. However, there are so many things to see in Paris throughout the whole city that it might not be an option. Unless of course you’re staying out of the city and then you’ll have to pay a lot to get to the city to see everything. There are hotels in all price ranges, hostals, and AirBnb’s. I have links on my Travel Resources page to find hotels around the world.
Of course everything depends on what you plan on seeing. I would say a minimum of 1 week in Paris. Longer if you plan on visiting sites away from Paris. You’ll need travel days so don’t forget to work those into your itinerary.
Guide to France: Bucket List Ideas
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France Travel Guides
