Best Places to Visit in France From the UK

France has recently dropped all its Covid restrictions for visitors, and you can return to the UK without the hassle of a PCR test or the dreaded passenger locator form. Win-win! Here’s our guide to taking the strain out of travelling to France, and some top places worth visiting once you get there.

So first off, don’t be fooled that it’s all about Paris – this is a huge country to traverse, which means it isn’t short of scenic spots, and even though it has a super-efficient train network linking cities, just think of all those spontaneous experiences you can have when your master of your own adventure in a car. With your own wheels, you can stop where you like, when you like – whether it’s for a picnic by a lake in a national park, or a roadside degustation.

And even if cities and amenities in France are spread far and wide, there’s not a corner of the country that doesn’t worship food, drink and socialising, so you’ll never be far from a decent glass of wine, great grub and friendly locals, whatever direction you set off in.

Let’s look at France as a square. Take the Eurotunnel and you’ll arrive near Calais, in the top right-hand corner. Why the tunnel, you may ask. Well, for starters, it’s incredibly quick, just over half an hour each way. It’s never affected by the weather – the same of which can’t be said for the ferries. And it’s reasonably priced: from £79 one way, or from £100 for a day/overnight return.

If you want to take your pet, that’s pretty straightforward too (and costs from an additional £22). It’s also by far the best option, as they only take assistance or guide dogs on the train, and your beloved pet would have to stay in the hold on a ferry crossing.

Do bear in mind that since January 2021 pet passports are no longer valid and you’ll need to get an Animal Health Certificate from your vet, which can cost anything up to £250 and needs to be done within 10 days of departure. Check all pet advice on the UK Government website.

From here, let’s divide the country into four destinations – the north coast, on the English Channel/La Manche; the west coast, on the Atlantic; the south coast, on the Med; and the Alps to the east. If you’re taking the autoroutes, it’s not cheap but it’s by far the quickest way to get around France, and you can get a handy Liber-t tag from Emovis that allows you to speed through the toll gates with ease. History buffs, take note – turn right when you come out of the Channel Tunnel and follow the Côte d’Opale heading towards Dieppe, where you’ll be steeped in Second World War history.

If you’re going due south to the Med, you’ll want to avoid Paris at all costs – it’s really not the place to drive around if you’re unfamiliar, and if you are going to Paris, then that’s one reason we’d suggest taking the train. To reach the Med, it’s about 700mi (1,100km) give or take, so to avoid Paris you can take the same autoroute as you would to the Alps, just keep going past Lyon.

This option rolls past Reims, Dijon and Lyon on the autoroute (A26, A31, A6 and A7); it’s an eight-hour journey – a long drive but get an early Eurotunnel and you can do it in a day. About halfway to Cannes, a great stop-off is Langres, the birthplace of Denis Diderot, a philosopher and religious sceptic who in the 1700s edited France’s first encyclopedia. If you decide to break your journey here and spend the night, there’s an excellent option at the Chambres du Chapitre. It’s an upmarket chambres d’hôte with only three rooms, right in the heart of the city within a cobblestone walk to the cathedral.

Alternatively you might prefer to do as the locals do and stop for lunch at the Brasserie La Foy, looking out on the Place Diderot and a statue of the great man. You can’t go wrong with any French bistro and this one does a mean bavette steak frites, washed down with a petit picher of house burgundy.

Take the western option (A16, A28, A11) and you can meander along the mighty Loire river and visit the famous chateaux; the river now has a bike path along almost its entire length, all the way to Nantes. Break up your journey with a night at Domaine de la Tortinière in the heart of Loire country, or head straight to Nantes for a night; the capital of the Vendée has had a makeover in recent years and is a huge cultural destination, famous for its mechanical animals, offering rides for kids. Alternatively, you can head to Brittany and Josselin, with its medieval centre, is one of the region’s prettiest spots.

If you’re going to Chamonix (A26, A39 and A40), then peel off at Lyon and drive via Geneva and the delightful lakeside town of Annécy. If you’re heading to the Trois Vallées, take the A43 via Chambéry.

The resort of Serre Chevalier, now presenting itself as the eco ski option, is a popular destination (A26, A39, A43 and A48 via Grenoble) among the French. What makes it particularly attractive is the four towns along the valley – Le Monêtier-Les-Bains, Villeneuve La Salle, Chantemerle and Briançon – operate year-round, and the domaine skiable is a whopping 250km. Monêtier, as the name suggests, is home to natural hot springs, and the Grands Bains municipal spa, 200m from the main chairlifts, is the place to come after a hard slog on the slopes. A stay in the Grand Hotel and Spa Nuxe, a hop and a ski-boot skip from the main gondola in Chantemerle, also gives you lots of options off the slopes.

If you’re planning on a short weekender, there are many delightful spots to stop off along the Côte d’Opale: Wimereux, Wissant, Boulogne, where the kids will enjoy Nausicaa, the biggest aquarium in Europe, and even Quiberville. If you’re spending time in Boulogne, make your overnight stay at the charming La Matelote, where you can enjoy Michelin-star dining. Boulogne also has beautiful beaches and plenty of excellent shops where you can stock up on French goodies.

For your farewell lunch, you won’t get any better seafood – or views – than at La Sirène; the menu fixe costs €33, and you need to book in advance, especially if you want a window seat.

Bon voyage!