The best time to visit France is May to June or September to October, when the weather is mild and popular cities and coastal regions are quieter than the summer peak. July and August are the busiest months, particularly along the Riviera. There are highlights year-round: Provence's lavender fields bloom into festivals across towns like Valensole from late June to early August, autumn brings the grape harvest to Bordeaux and Burgundy's vineyards, and winter draws for Christmas markets in cities like Strasbourg, as well as skiing in the French Alps.

The best things to do in France include exploring Paris's museums and neighbourhoods, touring vineyards in Bordeaux and Burgundy, and relaxing on the French Riviera.

• Discovering Paris, from the Louvre and Musée d'Orsay to neighbourhoods like Montmartre

• Touring vineyards and wine regions in Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne

• Relaxing along the French Riviera, taking in Nice's Old Town markets, Cannes' beaches, and the turquoise calanques between Marseille and Cassis

• Hiking or skiing in the French Alps, around resorts like Chamonix, and riding the Aiguille du Midi cable car for views over Mont Blanc

• Travelling by overnight ferry to Corsica, for the scenic mountain railway between Bastia and Ajaccio, beaches, hill towns, and the long-distance GR20 trail

• Cycling through the château towns and countryside of the Loire Valley along the Loire à Vélo cycle route

• Exploring Provence's lavender fields, hilltop villages, and markets selling olive oil, honey and herbes de Provence

• Sampling apple cider and oysters along Normandy and Brittany's coastlines

• Learning about the WWI and WWII battlefields and memorials of Hauts-de-France, including the Somme and D-Day beaches

• Exploring French Basque Country, from Biarritz's surf beaches to the hilltop villages of the Pyrenees foothills

• Wildlife spotting among the wetlands and wild horses of the Camargue

• Eating your way through Lyon, France's gastronomic capital, and exploring its hidden traboules passageways

• Wandering Alsace's half-timbered towns, including Strasbourg and Colmar, along the Route des Vins d'Alsace

• Trekking the volcanic landscapes of the Massif Central, around the Chaîne des Puys

• Canoeing the Dordogne River past clifftop castles and medieval villages

France is reachable via Eurostar direct from London St Pancras to Paris and Lille, with connections onward across France by TGV high-speed rail and regional TER trains. From the rest of Europe, high-speed rail links Paris with cities including Brussels, Amsterdam, Cologne, Barcelona and Milan. Overnight ferries also connect the French mainland with Corsica, sailing from ports including Marseille, Nice and Toulon.