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Could anything be more romantic than spending Christmas and New Year in the French capital? With so many things to see in Paris, taking one of the city’s many road or river tours is a great way to ensure you pack in as much as possible. The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, the Palais Garnier and the Cathedral of Notre Dame are just some of the monumental sights that await you at every turn.
Site of the first Winter Olympics, Chamonix is one of the best places to ski in France. Featuring the awe inspiring elevations of Mont Blanc, the resort is also famous for its rich cultural mix of mountain sport, history and fine cuisine, so there should be plenty to keep you away from the intoxicating lure of après-ski. Well, for a while…
For fun worshippers, this region is one of the must-go-to places in France. The French Riviera is home to a number of huge events, including the Monaco Grand Prix, Nice Carnival and - of course - the Cannes Film Festival. Don’t be put off by the place’s reputation as a millionaire’s playground either. Many of the region’s charms are free to enjoy, especially the climate, which promises some of the best weather in France.
The Loire Valley is one of the most stunning places to go in France. Covering an area of around 800 square kilometres, the ‘Garden of France’ was recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2002, and has countless historic towns and châteaux to explore. And if that sounds a little dry, this is also the home of the vineyard tour, where quaffing the complementary wine is all part of the fun.
Enjoying the most famous tourist attractions in France by day is one thing, but a night (or week) spent exploring the bars in Paris reveals another side to the city. Use the cheap and convenient Metro system to check out the Latin Quarter, Bastille, Saint-Germain and edgy Pigalle districts. Whatever your thing, Paris bars and clubs will have it covered.
With so much to see here, it pays to take a little extra care planning your trip. You won’t have time to savour everything this wonderful country has to offer in just one hit, but we’ll help you boil it down to the essentials. Here are our pick of the top places to visit in France.
You’ll immerse yourself properly into every place you visit. Whether it’s Berlin’s illuminating history or the quaint villages of Santorini, you’ll explore with a local guide who knows their stuff and loves what they do. You’ll expand your horizons and see new ways of living with unique experiences, like learning to be a Gondolieri in Venice or dining in a restaurant that supports refugees in Austria. But Contiki is about more than the destination. It’s about the people, AKA your Contiki crew. Who you’ll build amazing connections with from the very first coach ride, and maybe even become BFFs for life.
Places we visit in Europe
Vienna
Hopfgarten
Prague
Copenhagen
London
Helsinki
Paris
Nice
Berlin
Munich
Rhine Valley
Santorini
Athens
Corfu
Mykonos
Budapest
Dublin
Amalfi Coast
Capri
Florence
Milan
Pompeii
Rome
Venice
Amsterdam
Oslo
Porto
Lisbon
Edinburgh
Madrid
Barcelona
Iberian Peninsula
Ibiza
Geneva
Lucerne
Swiss Alps
Istanbul
Izmir
Countries we visit in Europe
Albania
Austria
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
England
Finland
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Montenegro
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Scotland
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
UK
Other regions
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All trip prices are in NZD $
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