France is large by European standards and varied enough for many separate trips: Paris and its museums, châteaux along the Loire, the beaches and hill villages of the south, ski resorts in the Alps, and a long Atlantic coast. Fast trains link most of it to the capital, food is a reason to travel in its own right, and the weather runs from mild and showery in the north-west to hot, dry Mediterranean summers in the south.
France for visitors
Almost every first trip includes Paris. Beyond the famous sights, it is a city to walk: along the Seine, through the old neighbourhoods of the Marais and Montmartre, and from café to market. Versailles, Giverny and the cathedral at Chartres are easy day trips.
The north and west
Normandy, a couple of hours west of Paris, has Mont-Saint-Michel, the D-Day landing beaches and apple orchards. Next to it, Brittany has a rugged coastline, granite fishing villages and a Celtic heritage of its own. The Loire Valley, south-west of Paris, is lined with royal châteaux and vineyards and is good cycling country. Further south, the Atlantic coast runs past Bordeaux, its wine country and long sandy beaches to Biarritz and the Basque Country near the Spanish border. Inland, the Dordogne is known for its river valleys, castles and prehistoric cave art.
The south
Provence has market towns, Roman remains in Arles and Nîmes, the papal palace in Avignon and lavender fields on the plateaus. The Riviera, or Côte d'Azur, runs from around Toulon past Saint-Tropez, Cannes and Nice to the Italian border, with Monaco in between. Further west, the Languedoc has the walled city of Carcassonne and a quieter coast. Corsica, a mountainous island in the Mediterranean, is reached by ferry or plane.
The east and the mountains
Lyon is often called the capital of French cooking. Burgundy and Champagne are wine regions within easy reach of Paris, and Alsace, on the German border, has half-timbered villages and Strasbourg's cathedral. The French Alps, around Chamonix and Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps, are the main area for skiing in winter and hiking in summer; the Pyrenees, along the Spanish border, are quieter.
Getting around
The high-speed TGV network runs from Paris to Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Lille, Strasbourg and beyond, often faster than flying once you count the journey to the airport. Trains are best booked ahead for the busy periods. For the countryside, Provence's villages or the Dordogne, a car is much more practical; motorways are excellent but many charge tolls.
Time in France
Metropolitan France has one time zone, Europe/Paris, and is on UTC+1 right now. In winter it keeps Central European Time (UTC+1), and in summer Central European Summer Time (UTC+2). As across the European Union, clocks go forward one hour on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October ([1]). The next change forward is on 28 March 2027, and the next change back on 31 October 2027.
France's overseas departments and territories, from the Caribbean to the Pacific, use many other offsets; our post on why France has the most time zones lists them all.
France has not always been on Central European Time. It kept Paris Mean Time until 1911, then switched to Greenwich time, and moved to Central European Time in 1940, during the Second World War. Summer time was reintroduced in 1976 ([2]).
Because France lies well west of the meridian its time zone is based on, the sun rises and sets late. In Paris the sun sets at about 21:57 in late June, while in late December it doesn't rise until 08:41. Right now Paris is 1 hour ahead of London, 6 hours ahead of New York and 8 hours behind Tokyo. The one-hour gap with the UK holds all year, because both change their clocks on the same dates.
Climate and weather
France has several climates. The north and west, including Paris, Normandy and Brittany, have a temperate oceanic climate: mild winters, warm summers and rain spread through the year, with Brittany among the windiest and most showery regions. The east, towards Alsace and Burgundy, is more continental, with colder winters and hotter summers. The south, from Provence to the Riviera, Languedoc and Corsica, has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry, sunny summers and mild winters, when most of the rain falls. The Alps and the Pyrenees have mountain climates, with reliable snow at altitude in winter.
In Paris, average highs range from 8°C in January to 26°C in July. The city gets about 634 mm of rain a year, spread fairly evenly; the wettest month in Paris is May. Summer is the sunniest season, with about 222 hours of sunshine in July. The Paris guide has the full month-by-month table.
The south is warmer and much sunnier than Paris, but it has its own hazards. The mistral, a cold, dry northerly wind, can blow for days down the Rhône valley and across Provence, especially in winter and spring. Autumn can bring short bursts of very heavy rain to the Mediterranean coast. Heatwaves have become more frequent across the whole country in summer, and many older buildings have no air-conditioning; our guide to extreme heat has tips.
Best time to visit France
For cities, the Loire and most touring, late spring and early autumn are the most comfortable times: May, June and September bring long, mild days and fewer crowds than midsummer. Spring is good for gardens and Provence before the heat; September is harvest time in the vineyards.
July and August are the high season on the coast, especially the Riviera and the Atlantic beaches, and in the mountains for hiking. Much of France takes its holidays in August: Paris becomes quieter, some smaller restaurants and shops close, and roads and trains to the south are at their busiest, especially at weekends. The lavender in Provence flowers in early summer.
Winter is the ski season in the Alps and the Pyrenees, with resorts busiest during the school holidays around Christmas and in February. Paris in winter is cold and grey but quieter, and Alsace's Christmas markets draw visitors in December.
Practical facts
- Capital: Paris.
- Population: about 66 million (UN World Population Prospects 2024, 2023 estimate).
- Currency: euro (EUR). Cards and contactless payment are widely accepted; carry a little cash for markets, bakeries and small cafés in the countryside.
- Language: French. English is spoken in hotels and the main tourist areas, less so in the countryside. A greeting matters: say bonjour when you enter a shop, café or bakery, and merci, au revoir when you leave.
- Calling code: +33.
- Tipping: service is included in restaurant bills, so tipping is optional; leaving a little extra for good service is appreciated but not expected.
- Driving: on the right.
- Emergency number: 112, the single European emergency number, works throughout France ([3]).
Plan your trip with hoyoopin
- Paris city guide: the weather month by month, heatwaves and summer storms, what to pack, and why the city's clock runs ahead of the sun.
- World Clock: French time next to your own.
- Weather: live conditions and the forecast for Nice, Lyon, Bordeaux, Chamonix or anywhere else in France.
- Europe: time zones and key facts for every country on the continent.
- Further reading: France has the most time zones, counting its overseas territories.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is France in?
Metropolitan France uses Central European Time (UTC+1) in winter and Central European Summer Time (UTC+2) in summer, with the IANA identifier Europe/Paris. Right now it is on UTC+1.
When do the clocks change in France?
They go forward one hour on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October. The next changes are on 28 March 2027 and 31 October 2027.
What is the time difference between France and the UK?
Paris is 1 hour ahead of London, and the gap is the same all year.
Where is the warmest weather in France?
Along the Mediterranean, in Provence, the Riviera, Languedoc and Corsica, where summers are hot and dry and winters mild.
Do you tip in France?
Not necessarily. Service is included in the bill; a little extra for good service is a kind gesture, not an obligation.
Sources
- Directive 2000/84/EC on summer-time arrangements (legislation.gov.uk): in every EU member state, summer time begins on the last Sunday in March and ends on the last Sunday in October.
- tz database, Europe file (mirror): Europe/Paris on Paris Mean Time until March 1911, then Greenwich-based time, Central European Time from June 1940, and summer time rules again from 1976.
- European Commission: European 112 Day: emergency services can be reached from anywhere in the EU by dialling 112.