Travel 101: The Ultimate Itinerary for 10 Days in France

April 7, 2026 - Vacations - by Marco Monroy Robles

Ten days in France means making choices. You could sprint through a dozen cities, or you could sit in a Burgundy wine cave for long enough to understand why that particular hillside makes some of the best wines in the world. This France itinerary is great whether you're planning months ahead or grabbing a last-minute vacation package. 

Days 1–3: Paris

Start your French adventure in Paris, but skip the two-hour Eiffel Tower lines. Visit right before 9:00 PM instead, when the crowds are much smaller and you'll get to enjoy the dazzling light show that happens every hour on the hour. Spend your first morning walking around Le Marais, going into its tiny galleries and bakeries. The Musée Carnavalet is a great place to learn about Parisian history with rooms full of ancient artifacts. 

On day two, head to Montmartre before 10:00 AM to see Sacré-Cœur without fighting tour groups. You can then have lunch at Marché des Enfants Rouges, which is Paris's oldest covered market.

Use day three for the Louvre, but get there at 9:00 AM to beat the crowds. The Musée d'Orsay is another exceptional museum with Impressionist artwork. The building itself is worth the visit, as it's a Belle Époque train station turned museum.

Days 4–6: Burgundy Wine Region

Beaune is just 90 minutes from Paris by TGV train. Burgundy wine culture is completely different from Napa's, with much smaller productions and family vineyards. Book a tasting at Château de Meursault or Domaine Debray. 

Rent bikes in Beaume for day five. The Voie des Vignes trail will take you through Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, and other small communes that will let you appreciate the real French countryside. There are plenty of villages, so feel free to stop wherever looks good. 

Day six is all about Dijon, where the famous mustard is from. The Palais des Ducs has one of Burgundy's most impressive art collections, but the real draw is walking down Rue de la Liberté to see its half-timbered houses leaning into narrow streets. 

Days 7–10: French Riviera

Take a short domestic flight or the TGV to Nice, which will be your Riviera base. Hotels are much cheaper than in Monaco, and food tastes better because you'll be eating with the locals. Spend your first day getting there and enjoying some of the fresh Mediterranean seafood that has made the South of France such a culinary powerhouse.

Take the train to Èze on day eight. The medieval village clings to a cliff 1,400 feet above the sea. The view stretches from Italy to Cap Ferrat, and there's no better place to get a good view of the Mediterranean Sea.

Visit Monaco on your final day. The city-state is tiny, so you'll need anywhere from two to six hours to get through the sights. Then, head back to Nice to enjoy a nice final sunset at one of the city's beautiful black pebble beaches.

This route gives France enough time to surprise you. If you'd like something more traditional, then a France vacation package can make things even easier with you by including all the flights and hotels. Many Europe vacation packages now include train passes that make the Paris-to-Burgundy-to-Nice route simple to coordinate. The hardest part is leaving.