Compare France holidays

Paris, the city that spawned a thousand epithets, is the perfect spot for a city break.

It’s romantic, sophisticated and culturally rich, while its museums alone will leave little time for anything else. Take a stroll along the Seine, indulging in a spot of retail therapy among the boutiques of the Marais, and sit down for a delicious meal at the local bistrot (replete with surly waiters) – you’ll feel like an extra in an art-house film.

Literary types and history buffs are enthralled by the storied history of France.

The region of Languedoc is famous for the mediaeval citadel of Carcassonne. The castle is France’s second-most visited tourist spot after the Eiffel Tower, with plenty of package tours on offer.

The châteaux of the Loire Valley have Insta-appeal too – cheap holidays to France don’t come much more fairy tale than this.

France knows how to let loose too.

The magic of the French mountains is easily accessible, meaning you can book skiing holidays in France in the Alps or the Pyrenees. If you have kids, France’s all-inclusive ski package deals mean adventure on a budget.

France is a beacon of diversity and there’s no way you’ll ever discover it all. But that’s all the more reason to keep going back, non?

With seasons similar to those in the UK, France has lots to offer whatever the time of year.

In the summer months, luxury holidays in the South of France mean beach-filled days and cocktail-crammed nights, plus daytime temperatures between 25 and 30C.

Winter means snow at the higher altitudes. This is the perfect time for ski adventures of course, but it’s also a chance to visit the major cities minus the major crowds of summer.

There’s an added benefit to off-season breaks: it means you are much more likely to find a cheap holiday to France, whether you’re after a swift romantic getaway in a chic boutique or an all-inclusive holiday in one of France’s rural idylls.

August holidays in France mean one thing: the locals taking their grandes vacances. The French take their holidaying seriously and everyone rushes to the coast to get their annual quota of vitamin D. This results in closures of shops and restaurants in major urban centres.

The cities are unlikely to be swamped, even when it comes to big events such as Bastille Day, though it’s always wise to book holidays well in advance if you know your break coincides with a major event.

May’s glitzy Cannes Film Festival will affect holiday prices, so if you’re determined to mix with the silver-screen luvvies, make a move quickly and book that break.

• Currency: Euro (€)
  
  
• Language: French
  
  
• Key phrase to learn: Pour aller a la… ? Je voudrais… (How do I get to…? I would like…)
  
  
• Time difference: France is one hour ahead of the UK
  
  
• Average flight time: 90 minutes
  
  
• International phone code: +33
  
  
• Emergency services number: 112
  
  
• Public holidays: New Year's Day (Jour de l’an; January 1), Easter Monday (the Monday after Easter Sunday), Labour Day (May 1), Victory Day (May 8), Ascension Day (approximately 40 days after Easter Sunday), Bastille Day (July 14), Assumption Day (August 15), All Saints’ Day (November 1), Armistice Day (November 11), Christmas Day (25 December).
  
  
• Link to FCO travel advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france