10 Tips to Plan a France Trip That Doesn’t Feel Like Everyone Else’s
If you want your France trip to feel different (and not like a highlight reel of Instagram’s greatest hits) it starts with how you plan. These tips will hopefully help you experience more of the country’s personality without missing out on the essentials.
1. Skip Paris at the start
Paris is overwhelming when you arrive straight from a long flight. It’s crowded, expensive, and full of expectations.
Starting your trip in another city like Lyon or Bordeaux helps you settle into the rhythm of French life before hitting the capital later. Paris feels more striking after you’ve spent time in France’s quieter regions.
2. Fly into a smaller airport
While direct flights to Paris make sense for some situations, regional airports like Toulouse, Marseille, or Nice let you land closer to places that feel more local and less touristy.
You’ll avoid the Paris crowds and be in the middle of wine country, coastlines, or mountains within an hour of arrival.
3. Pick one region and dig deep
Covering too much ground kills the experience. Focus on one region and give it real time. The Dordogne, Jura, or Luberon offer enough to fill a week or two easily.
Rent a car locally if you can as some of the most rewarding spots are between train lines and don’t show up on typical itineraries.
4. Stay in an underrated town
Well-known bases like Avignon, Aix, or Annecy are great but often packed. Staying in smaller towns like Pézenas, Uzerche, or Foix gives you access to the same sights without the tourism fatigue.
They often have better markets, more personal guesthouses, and parking that doesn’t require strategy.
5. Use the regional TER trains
TGV lines are fast but bypass everything in between. Regional TER trains connect real towns where people live, places like Albi, Loches, or Saintes.
They’re affordable, uncrowded, and don’t require advance booking. You can decide on the day and just go.
6. Travel in the “shoulder” shoulder season
Everyone’s caught onto May and late September. April and early October are even quieter. Prices are lower, tourist sites are still open, and the weather is often good enough, especially in the south.
You’ll deal with fewer crowds and have more spontaneous options.
7. Book accommodations run by actual locals
Some rentals look charming online but are run by absentee hosts or agencies. Look for chambres d’hôtes or family-owned hotels that respond personally.
Booking sites like Gîtes de France or Sawday’s make it easier to find these. You’ll often get local tips that don’t show up in guides.
8. Visit sights that locals actually go to
Every region has its own activities – weekend markets, riverside walks, flea markets, family-run cafés… These are the places where you hear dialects, see how people live, and experience the country at human scale.
Ask at your lodging or town hall for weekly events and markets.
9. Plan at least one slow lunch
Most French people still take time for lunch. Set aside one afternoon to do the same. Find a small restaurant outside a tourist zone, order the daily menu, and don’t check the time. Beyond the food, it’s a chance to watch the day unfold around you.
10. Avoid the Top 10 lists when searching
Travel guides often repeat each other. Try searching in French or browsing local tourism office websites. You’ll find nature trails, food festivals, swimming holes, and ruins that don’t show up in English-language roundups.
These will lead you to places where you don’t feel like a tourist.