FRENCH CITY-BREAK GUIDES — UPDATED FOR 2026
Pick a French city.
Know what to do there.
Plan the weekend around it.
Things to do across French cities beyond Paris, their old towns, markets and museums, what each city is like through the year, day-by-day plans, and the attractions and neighbourhoods around them, with sources you can check.
Explore Guides
WEEKENDS IN FRANCE34 French citiesFrom Lille to Corsica, beyond Paris
286 city-break guidesOld towns, markets, museums, months, day plans
197 attraction guidesTickets, opening days and time to allow
64 neighbourhood guidesWhat each quarter is like to explore
34 CITIES · 10 REGIONS
Choose your French weekend.
Each city starts with an overview of what to do, then its old town, market, museum and weekend guides, and its attraction and neighbourhood pages where we have them.
Provence
Roman towns, papal palaces and the Mediterranean port.
French Riviera
Old towns and harbours along the Côte d’Azur.
Occitanie
Languedoc and French Catalonia.
Corsica
Citadels and harbours on the island.
Lyon, the Alps and Auvergne
Rivers, lakes and mountain cities.
Burgundy
Ducal Dijon and the walled town of Beaune.
Alsace and Lorraine
Half-timbered towns and grand squares in the east.
Champagne and the North
Cathedral cities and Flemish Lille.
Loire Valley
Royal châteaux and river towns.
Around Paris
Palaces and a cathedral town within easy reach of the capital.
PLAN BY THEME
Old towns, markets and museums.
The same questions answered city by city, so you can compare a market morning in Lille with one in Antibes.
Old Towns
The old towns of French cities: the historic streets, squares and buildings to walk, and self-guided walking routes.
All 33 guidesMarkets and Shopping
Markets and shopping in French cities: covered halls, weekly market days, flea markets, shopping streets and what to bring home.
All 67 guidesMuseums
Museums in French cities: what each holds, closing days, free-entry days and what to do on a rainy day.
All 22 guidesWhere to Eat
Where to eat on a French city break: local dishes and restaurants by area and budget.
All 33 guidesThings to Do
What to do in French cities beyond Paris: sights, walks, parks and free things, with links to each city's attraction and neighbourhood guides.
All 41 guidesItineraries
Day-by-day plans for French city breaks: one day, a weekend, two or three days, and whether a city is worth the trip.
- Is Lyon Worth Visiting? An Honest Weekend Break Verdict
- Is Annecy Worth Visiting? A Short-Break Guide
- Is Cannes Worth Visiting? An Honest Weekend Break Guide
PLAN THE TRIP
When to go, and for how long.
Month guides cover typical weather from climate data, crowds and what is open; the best-time guides compare the seasons. Day plans show what fits into one day or a weekend.
Month by month
| City | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annecy | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Best time |
| Cannes | Sep | Oct | Best time | ||
| Lyon | Aug | Oct | Best time | ||
| Carcassonne | Oct | Best time | |||
| Colmar | Oct | Best time | |||
| Fontainebleau | Oct | Best time | |||
| Marseille | Oct | Best time | |||
| Perpignan | Oct | ||||
| Saint-Tropez | Oct | Best time | |||
| Aix-en-Provence | Best time | ||||
| Ajaccio | Best time | ||||
| Antibes | Best time | ||||
| Avignon | Best time | ||||
| Menton | Best time | ||||
| Montpellier | Best time | ||||
| Reims | Best time | ||||
| Strasbourg | Best time | ||||
| Versailles | Best time |
Days and itineraries
- AnnecyWorth it?WeekendItinerary
- CannesWorth it?WeekendItinerary
- CarcassonneWorth it?WeekendItinerary
- LyonWorth it?WeekendItinerary
- ReimsWorth it?WeekendItinerary
- Aix-en-ProvenceWorth it?Itinerary
- AjaccioWorth it?One day
- AntibesWorth it?Itinerary
- ArlesWorth it?Itinerary
- AvignonWorth it?Itinerary
- BeauneWorth it?Itinerary
- ColmarWorth it?Itinerary
- DijonWorth it?Itinerary
- GrenobleWorth it?Itinerary
- MentonWorth it?Itinerary
- MetzWorth it?One day
- MontpellierWorth it?Itinerary
- Saint-TropezWorth it?Itinerary
- StrasbourgWorth it?Itinerary
- VersaillesWorth it?Itinerary
- AmboiseWorth it?
- AngersWorth it?
- BastiaWorth it?
- BloisWorth it?
- CalviWorth it?
- ChartresWorth it?
- Clermont-FerrandWorth it?
- FontainebleauWorth it?
- LilleWorth it?
- MarseilleWorth it?
- NancyWorth it?
- OrléansWorth it?
- PerpignanWorth it?
- TroyesWorth it?
SIGHTS AND QUARTERS
See the landmarks, explore the quarters.
Attractions
197 guides · 34 citiesCathedrals, châteaux, Roman monuments and museums: where they are, opening days and tickets, how long to allow and what is nearby.
- Aix-en-Provence 6
- Ajaccio 6
- Amboise 6
- Angers 6
- Annecy 6
- Antibes 6
- Arles 6
- Avignon 6
- Bastia 6
- Beaune 6
- Blois 6
- Calvi 4
- Cannes 6
- Carcassonne 6
- Chartres 5
- Clermont-Ferrand 6
- Colmar 6
- Dijon 6
- Fontainebleau 6
- Grenoble 6
- Lille 5
- Lyon 6
- Marseille 6
- Menton 6
- Metz 6
- Montpellier 6
- Nancy 6
- Orléans 6
- Perpignan 6
- Reims 4
- Saint-Tropez 6
- Strasbourg 6
- Troyes 6
- Versailles 5
Neighbourhoods
64 guides · 16 citiesHistoric quarters, market districts and riverside areas: what each is like, what to see and how to explore it.
- Aix-en-Provence 4
- Angers 4
- Annecy 4
- Avignon 4
- Beaune 4
- Carcassonne 4
- Grenoble 4
- Lille 4
- Lyon 4
- Marseille 4
- Montpellier 4
- Orléans 4
- Perpignan 4
- Reims 4
- Strasbourg 4
- Versailles 4
Sourced guides
Factual claims carry a link to the source beside them. French Weekender Editorial is a publication byline.
Dated and updated
Each guide shows when it was published and last updated.
Check before you book
Confirm current dates, prices and booking terms with the operator.
Check the sources
Look for article-level citations beside descriptions, prices and practical details.
Planning FAQ
A few things you might be wondering.
How to use our French city-break guides and check their sources.