France Flexible schedule Tours & Trip Packages

France Flexible schedule Tours & Trips

1,415 France trips. Tours from 195 tour companies. 2,376 reviews. 4.6/5 avg rating.

346 trips exactly matchall of the the filters you selected.
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Flexible schedule
London, Paris and Amsterdam Tour
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4.5/5 Excellent
16 reviews
Private Guided
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Amsterdam, London, Paris

Highlights

  • Stroll through the beautiful Covent Garden and visit Leicester Square, listen to Big Ben chime and have your photo taken by one of the Queen's Soldiers
  • Visit Louvre museum
  • See Paris from the top of Eiffel Tower
  • Evening canal cruise in Amsterdam

Themes

Cultural, Family Friendly, Singles Travel

What travelers are saying

"I recently took the Best of Australia and New Zealand tour...added on Fiji and a day in Auckland...with Discovery Nomads. During the booking process they were attentive and helpful. However, the nightmare began after paying for the tour! They told us we would receive our itinerary 10 to 20 days before our trip. It was sent 4 days before departure. We booked a tour for the trans alpine train from Christchurch to Queensland which we were told after the fact, that it did not exist. Furthermore, they failed to make a transfer reservation from the airport to our hotel in Christchurch. It took a week of constant sending of emails to get credit. They never answered them! Credit was finally issued almost 25 days later. The nightmare continues...we had to call each shuttle ride to confirm as their confirmation numbers were wrong and the local company could never find our reservations. So now add the cost of all the phone calls! Furthermore, when we reached out to Discover Nomads to help us while traveling, they NEVER answered their phone or a request for refund by email. We were completely ignored and left on our own. The only saving grace was we were traveling in English speaking countries. Can you imagine this happening to you in a country that doesn't speak English? Nightmare!!!!! And no assist from this horrible company. The only communication from them was for flight delays which we found out first by checking into the airport and one response asking for how much I paid for my transfer and proof of payment. I explained that it was all electronic and requested a refund of my original payment...heard nothing again from them until seven days later they sent an email stating that a meeting point had changed. So they had my email, just refused to deal with refunds or help. In addition, they had us waiting 15 hours for a hotel room in two flights. We were not allowed to stay in hotel lobby for so long and we arrived at 1:00am. We ended up paying for an early check in. Also, all internal flights were booked with 7.5 kg cabin luggage only. We had to pay baggage fees of $45 per bag. The costs of this trip were way higher then we anticipated. We had quotes for private tours just $2,000 higher...we should have booked that as we probably spent close to that amount in other fees!! TAKE MY WARNING...DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!!!!"

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Classic Rhine Cruise (Amsterdam - Basel), MS Crucebelle
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5/5 Excellent
6 reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Amsterdam, Basel, Koblenz, Rudesheim, Strasbourg

Highlights

  • 4 countries visited
  • no need to pack/unpack on every stop
  • stops in the hearts of the cities

Themes

Cultural, Family Friendly, Local Immersion & Homestays

What travelers are saying

"I recommend this tour to everyone without exception. I am an experienced traveler, made sea cruises on huge liners, as well as river cruises around the world. A cruise along the Danube stands out from the crowd with the extraordinary beauty of landscapes, tranquility and grandeur. Days spent on board were filled with care and comfort. Food and service were excellent! All dietary requirements are met, lactose free food is provided upon request - very important for my family. The weak point of the cruise is the limited time in some ports - would be great to spend at least 5-6h. The ship itself is clean and comfortable, the cabin is being cleaned 2 times a day - morning and evening. What I personally liked is the possibility to join city tours as it was our first time on the Danube and we wanted to learn as much as we could. It is better to choose tours you'd like to join before the cruise - to secure a place within a group. It was a wonderful experience for my family. You are sure to enjoy this route for your vacation."

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Country Walks In Provence
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5/5 Excellent
4 reviews
Private Guided
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Avignon

Highlights

  • Enjoy Perfect Family hiking trip or self guided walking tour
  • Discover Avignon
  • Opportunity to hike into the Gorges de la Nesque
  • Experience fascinating hike on Dentelles de Montmirail and You will have a fantastic Wine tasting
  • Visit Les Baux de Provence

Themes

Family Friendly, Hiking & Walking, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"Europe is great, but Alpine Interface runs fantastic trips close to home in Alberta. My daughter and I just completed a great series of hikes in Banff and Yoho, and even the snow on the Helen Lake trek did not put a damper on the experience. Great guide in Tamara, who was extremely knowledgeable and flexible in planning our daily journeys. Being near AI home base, we had special attention from Louie and Karin to make sure everything ran smoothly. I think you can hike the Canadian Rockies for years and years and never go the same place twice. AI is definitely a prime choice to lead the experience."

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Waterways of France by Luxury Barge
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5/5 Excellent
2 reviews
Private Guided
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Arc de Triomphe, Burgundy, Champs-Élysées, Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, Rhone Rhine Canal

Highlights

  • See the highlights of beguiling Paris– full of romantic architecture, art and history
  • Relish a week on a luxury river barge, floating through historic & quaint French villages
  • Bicycle along the canal waterfront
  • Sample local wines, savory cheeses & delicious regional delicacies
  • Visit Gothic churches & magnificent Renaissance châteaux
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Themes

Culinary & Wine, Cultural, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"The wildlife viewing was incredible! We were able to take superb photos and the knowledge guides were enjoyable. We were impressed with our accommodations and especially the tented camps. The service at the camps were first rate!"

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Escape to Provence
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5/5 Excellent
4 reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Very Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Arles, Avignon, Lyon

Highlights

  • Admire picturesque Provence
  • Discover ancient Avignon
  • Take in the wild Camargue

Themes

Local Immersion & Homestays

What travelers are saying

"Just returned from Miramar hotel in Bellaria great holiday , lovely Room but are at the back of hotel ,so if you want to see the great view of the Adriatic you need to upgrade before you go as there is no chance of this when you are there ,hotel was full ,food was good lots of choices but on one cake or fruit for sweets most hotels we have been in Italy they have ice-cream for deserts ��, they give you beach towels which we used and went on the great beach opposite hotel 15 euros for two beds and brolly �� we had a great time"

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Gems of the Seine
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4/5 Great
4 reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Basic - 2 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Paris

Highlights

  • Meet your fellow guests at a lavish Captains welcome dinner on board your Scenic ‘Space-Ship’
  • Seize the opportunity to take easy paced bicycle rides at your leisure through spectacular scenery and villages
  • Sail along the majestic Seine River through landscapes that have inspired artists for generations
  • Dock in Rouen, most notable as the location where Joan of Arc was accused of heresy and burnt at the stake at 1431
  • Delight in the gastronomic specialties of northern France on board your Scenic ‘Space-Ship’
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Themes

50 plus, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"We just disembarked from the Nuremberg to Budapest cruise and I needed to tell you before writing to Trip Advisor and other sites how disappointed we are with the total lack of hygiene and assistance provided! I have never experienced a situation where servers and food prep workers who were coughing and sneezing and obviously sick were allowed to work and spread germs to passengers or customers! We as well as many others on your ill fated cruise became sick due to your negligence. No one was required to sanitize their hands when entering or leaving the dinning room or ship. the rails were never wiped down or disinfected, and people who were coughing or sneezing then used the rails only made things worse. When we were in Vienna I was too ill to leave the ship, the front desk person Jozeph was going to the post office and I asked him if he could purchase for me some decongestants. He only drew on the map how I could walk there???? Is this the special five star treatment you offer and advertise? Many passengers on board became sick and it is your fault. There were other issues like the quality of food at dinner and the poor service, but the above is outrageous and reportable to prevent others from this situation."

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France and Italy Tour
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
4.5/5 Excellent
16 reviews
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Wheelchair Accessible
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Cinque Terre, Eiffel Tower, Florence, Louvre Museum, Nice, Paris, Rome

Highlights

  • Explore Paris
  • Visit the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower
  • Explore the amazing towns of Cinque Terre
  • Enjoy walking tour around Florence

Themes

Cultural, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"I recently took the Best of Australia and New Zealand tour...added on Fiji and a day in Auckland...with Discovery Nomads. During the booking process they were attentive and helpful. However, the nightmare began after paying for the tour! They told us we would receive our itinerary 10 to 20 days before our trip. It was sent 4 days before departure. We booked a tour for the trans alpine train from Christchurch to Queensland which we were told after the fact, that it did not exist. Furthermore, they failed to make a transfer reservation from the airport to our hotel in Christchurch. It took a week of constant sending of emails to get credit. They never answered them! Credit was finally issued almost 25 days later. The nightmare continues...we had to call each shuttle ride to confirm as their confirmation numbers were wrong and the local company could never find our reservations. So now add the cost of all the phone calls! Furthermore, when we reached out to Discover Nomads to help us while traveling, they NEVER answered their phone or a request for refund by email. We were completely ignored and left on our own. The only saving grace was we were traveling in English speaking countries. Can you imagine this happening to you in a country that doesn't speak English? Nightmare!!!!! And no assist from this horrible company. The only communication from them was for flight delays which we found out first by checking into the airport and one response asking for how much I paid for my transfer and proof of payment. I explained that it was all electronic and requested a refund of my original payment...heard nothing again from them until seven days later they sent an email stating that a meeting point had changed. So they had my email, just refused to deal with refunds or help. In addition, they had us waiting 15 hours for a hotel room in two flights. We were not allowed to stay in hotel lobby for so long and we arrived at 1:00am. We ended up paying for an early check in. Also, all internal flights were booked with 7.5 kg cabin luggage only. We had to pay baggage fees of $45 per bag. The costs of this trip were way higher then we anticipated. We had quotes for private tours just $2,000 higher...we should have booked that as we probably spent close to that amount in other fees!! TAKE MY WARNING...DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!!!!"

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City of Light: Paris
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5/5 Excellent
2 reviews
Private Guided
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Palace of Versailles, Paris, Reims

Highlights

  • Private highlights tour of Paris - including the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower and more
  • Explore the enchanting Montmartre District and the Ile de la Cite
  • Full day at leisure to explore Paris
  • Select from a choice of luxury accommodations
  • Full Day excursion of your choice: Visit the Palace of Versailles, with VIP access to Marie Antoinette's and Louis XVI private chambers and a walking tour through the Royal Park. Lunch is at the Trianon Palace.OR: Tour the Champagne region historic Reims, including tours and tastings at Moet & Chandon and Dom Perignon. Lunch is at Les Crayres.

Themes

Cultural, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"The wildlife viewing was incredible! We were able to take superb photos and the knowledge guides were enjoyable. We were impressed with our accommodations and especially the tented camps. The service at the camps were first rate!"

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346 trips exactly matchall of the the filters you selected.
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Flexible schedule

France Reviews & Ratings

4.6/5  Excellent
2,376  Reviews
See all France tour reviews
Excellent
1,039
Great
349
Average
60
Disappointing
19
Terrible
17
A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

Menton

This was another delightful walking trip with a good group. The leader Jessica was born locally and is passionate about the history of her region, so that we now ...

A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

Walking the French Riviera

Stunning scenery. Walks a little slow as we stopped a lot to look at the flora but sufficiently challenging. Views and visiting Eze which was optional at lunch stop...

A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

Walking French riverra

Excellent guide, Sandrine. Exodus must retain her!! Routes, excellent variety, interest and length. Good hotel. Below average breakfast. I had a very good room, b...

A

Anonymous

Nov 2017

Provided byExodus Travels

Walking The French Riviera 2017

Perfect break away - good capable leader - perfect hotel and wonderful location in Menton. We had a good week and walked to some super places. We enjoyed great ...

A

Anonymous

Jul 2017

Provided byExodus Travels

Beautiful Riviera

I wanted to try something different this year and this certainly ticks the box. It's a much better way to see the Riviera than a tour bus or cruise ship. Although ...

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France Tour Selection Trips

  • France is so rich in cultural opportunities and activities of all sorts that you can’t expect to see it all in one trip. Pick a tour that visits a region or two and get to know that area well, then return to other regions you want to visit on subsequent tours.
  • On a tour of France, you can choose anything from luxury on down to basic accommodations, dining, and transportation -- something to fit every budget.
  • Specialty tours are a good way to experience France: culinary, wine, art and architecture, walking, biking, World War II history, even religious pilgrimages are all available.
  • Don’t overlook river and barge cruises, which offer a convenient, leisurely way to see the country, stopping both at important ports such as Rouen and Lyon and small villages as well.
  • Don’t be put off from visiting France by the reputation of French people -- especially Parisians -- as rude to visitors. A simple greeting such as “bonjour, madame,” and a smile will almost always win you good service and a return
  • When planning your tour, keep in mind that almost all of France goes on vacation during the entire month of August, so for the full French experience you may want to pick a different month.

Additional details

Weather in France

The geographic diversity of the French regions, as you might imagine, lends itself to diverse weather patterns. In general, it will be temperate with summer averages ranging 61-75°F and winter averages ranging 32-46°F. 

Winter weather is gray although milder in the south uness the wind is blowing; colder and wetter in the north. Snow could be an issue during the winter months if you are in higher elevations. 

As for the summer, recall the record heat France sweated out during the summer of 2019 when temperatures reached 115°F in Verargues, Southern France while even further north in Paris, thermometers hit 108°F! 

There are four climate zones in France:

  1. Oceanic (Atlantic) climate of western France - Brittany, Normandy, Loire Valley, Western Loire - average rainfall spread over many days and modest average temperature variations

  2. Continential, or transitional, climate of central and eastern France - Champagne, Alsace, Burgundy, Ile de France (Paris) - cold winters, hot summers 

  3. Mediterranean climate of southeastern France - Provence, Cote d’Azur, Corsica - hot, dry summers and while damp but mild, rainfall between October and April 

  4. Mountain climates above 2,000’ see heavy rainfall with snow falling 3-6 months a year  

Best Time to Visit France

Late Spring and Fall

Late Spring and Fall is the time to avoid crowds while still being relatively assured of good weather. You will miss the summer festivals but for those that are crowd averse, this may not be a factor. 

Note that a few National Holidays fall in May: Labor Day and WWII Victory Day are May 1st and 8th respectively; Ascension Day falls 39 days after Easter Sunday. 

July or August 

Traveling in July and August? Be prepared for hoards of crowds in the Riviera, coast of Brittany, Dordogne and Alps as these are hot spots for vacationing Europeans. In August, businesses often close although not to the degree noticed by tourists. If you enjoy festivals, there are plenty to choose from!

Winter 

Winter has its own beauty but during the winter months, some tourist sites and information offices might not be open or they might have limited hours. Smaller towns and villages might also be hunkered down with closed restaurants and shops. 

Is France Expensive?

If you’re wondering how much it costs to vacation in France, like anywhere you may travel, it depends on how you plan your trip. France is one of the top destinations in the world and Paris, in particular, does have a reputation for being expensive. 

But so does New York and just like France, traveling there for the budget minded can be accomplished. 

Some things to consider when traveling to France on a budget

  1. Factor in the time of year you’re traveling - shoulder seasons are less costly for air and hotel; regardless, book flights well in advance

  2. Factor in your mode of travel: barge, river ship, self-guided, cycling, train, etc.

  3. Exchange rates

  4. To avoid inflated tourist rates while dining out, first look at the menu posted outside then take note: if locals are eating there, it’s most likely a good choice

  5. Sit at the bar, where prices are cheaper, not at a table

  6. Most expensive French cities: Nice, Paris, Bordeaux and Lyon 

  7. Most expensive French regions: the Dordogne, Meditteranean and the Loire Valley

  8. Less costly: central France 

  9. Shop at local open air markets and second hand flea markets (brocantes)

France tours on Stride features per day costs. Using the price filter from lowest to highest you’ll find 4 day trips for as low as $71/day and on the higher end, ultra luxury 7 day trips costing over $7,000/day. 

Who Will Enjoy Traveling to France

Perhaps the question is, who wouldn’t enjoy traveling to France?! There is so much for the French traveler to experience, it’s no wonder that France is a top worldwide destination. 

Beaches, mountains, valleys of grapes and lavender, rivers to cruise, 45 natural and cultural world heritage sites, Disneyland Paris, gastronomy, wine and shopping...there’s something for just about everyone.

If mobility and / or walking on uneven ground is a concern, speak with your tour operator as many of the smaller towns and villages have uneven cobblestone which may not be suitable, depending on your situation. If traveling through subways, they involve quite a bit of stair climbing and while many of the accommodations are historically charming, they might not be fully accessible for those using a walking aid.   

While it’s hard to go wrong with a trip to France, if you’re not curious about the language, people and its customs you might have a harder time making meaningful connections. Of course, this isn’t unique to France. Be respectful and courteous. Say “hello” and even better, “Bonjour” (“hello” in French) to start a conversation. 

Make an effort to speak the most basic of phrases - this can go a long way. Just as Americans don’t expect a foreigner visiting America to speak English, we shouldn’t expect the French to speak to us in English. Many do speak English by the way, especially in Paris, so be mindful - if you are complaining about something, a local might be listening. And do keep in mind that Americans have their own reputation, one that isn’t always positive. 

Learn some French etiquette, a word derived from French after all. Doing so will give you a much deeper appreciation - and connection to - the country and its people, as will learning some common phrases.

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On Travelstride you can find 1415 trips to France and more than 20,000 trips worldwide ranging from budget to luxury and private guided to group tours and everything in between. Only on Stride can you find and compare expert-planned trips from 1,000+ tour operators, cruise lines and local experts. Read traveler and professional reviews so you can confidently find your perfect trip.

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