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๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France

France is no. 1 in our list of the 50 most visited destinations, with 102 million international arrivals in 2024. Below: visa rules for every passport, cash limits at customs and the tourist traps official travel advice warns about.

Rank 1 of 50 by international arrivals (102 million, 2024) ยท Source: UN Tourism

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Explore France: things to do, shopping, food and getting around

Paris first, plus a few ideas for the rest of France. Every item links to the page it was taken from; official tourism-board pages come first.

Things to do

  • Climb the Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe

    Paris

    Atout France lists climbing the Eiffel Tower and seeing Paris at night from the terrace of the Arc de Triomphe among the classic things to do in the capital.

    Source: France.fr (Atout France) โ€“ Paris

  • Take a boat cruise on the Seine

    Paris

    A cruise on the Seine is suggested as a way to see the city's landmarks from the water.

    Source: France.fr (Atout France) โ€“ Paris

  • See a show at the Opรฉra Garnier or a Paris cabaret

    Paris

    The Opรฉra Garnier and Opรฉra Bastille stage ballet and opera; the Moulin Rouge, the Lido and the Crazy Horse keep the cabaret tradition going.

    Source: France.fr (Atout France) โ€“ Paris

  • Visit the restored Notre-Dame

    Paris

    The cathedral reopened on 8 December 2024 after the 2019 fire. France.fr says visits are managed through a free booking system in a mobile app, with a capped daily capacity.

    Source: France.fr โ€“ Notre-Dame practical information

Places to visit

  • Louvre and Musรฉe d'Orsay

    Paris

    The Louvre holds one of the world's richest art collections (including the Mona Lisa); the Musรฉe d'Orsay, in a former railway station, is the home of Impressionism.

    Source: France.fr (Atout France) โ€“ Paris

  • Montmartre and Sacrรฉ-Cล“ur

    Paris

    A hill-top neighbourhood with a village feel, Place du Tertre's painters and a view from the Sacrรฉ-Cล“ur dome at 130 m above sea level.

    Source: France.fr (Atout France) โ€“ Paris

  • Palace of Versailles

    Versailles (day trip from Paris)

    Louis XIV's palace west of Paris: the Hall of Mirrors, formal gardens, the Petit Trianon and the Queen's Hamlet.

    Source: France.fr (Atout France) โ€“ Paris

  • Parks: Tuileries, Luxembourg, Buttes-Chaumont, Promenade Plantรฉe

    Paris

    Free green spaces across the city, including the Promenade Plantรฉe, an elevated walkway on a former railway line from Bastille towards Vincennes.

    Source: France.fr (Atout France) โ€“ Paris

  • Nice, Cimiez and the Riviera coast

    Cรดte d'Azur

    In the hills above Nice are Roman ruins and the Matisse and Chagall museums; ferries from Cannes reach the Lรฉrins islands.

    Source: France.fr โ€“ Cheap and chic Nice and the Cรดte d'Azur (2020)

Shopping

Cheap ways to get around

Nightlife

  • Rex Club and the Paris club scene

    Paris

    The Rex Club, under the cinema of the same name, is a techno institution; ShowCase under the Pont Alexandre III and Nรผba on the Citรฉ de la Mode roof are other big venues.

    Source: France.fr โ€“ Paris for night owls (2016)

  • Late museum openings

    Paris

    Not into clubbing? The Palais de Tokyo stays open until midnight (closed Tuesdays), and some foundations have evening openings.

    Source: France.fr โ€“ Paris for night owls (2016)

  • Cafรฉ terraces and rooftops

    Paris

    Cafรฉ terraces in Saint-Germain-des-Prรฉs and Oberkampf, and rooftop bars on palace hotels, are classic Paris evenings.

    Source: France.fr (Atout France) โ€“ Paris

Food

  • Eat at a brasserie for good-value French classics

    Brasseries are everywhere and suit every budget: simple dishes like steak frites or duck confit at reasonable prices.

    Source: France.fr โ€“ Eating in France

  • Market food halls (halles gourmandes)

    Many towns' covered markets have counters where you can eat lunch; in Paris the Marchรฉ des Enfants Rouges is the oldest covered market.

    Source: France.fr โ€“ Eating in France

  • Street food on Rue des Rosiers

    Paris, Marais

    Falafel and shawarma stalls in the Marais (L'As du Falafel is the best known) are a cheap, fast lunch.

    Source: France.fr โ€“ Top 5 French street food places in Paris

  • Crรชperies and Lyon's bouchons

    Try buckwheat galettes with cider at a crรชperie (especially in Brittany), and the traditional bouchons in Lyon.

    Source: France.fr โ€“ Eating in France

General tips

Summarised in our own words from the linked pages, official tourism boards and transport authorities first; items marked "Not official" come from other guides. Prices and opening times change, so check the source before you go. Last checked 23 Oct 2026.

Common tourist traps and how to avoid them

Scams and risky spots named in official travel advice for France, plus a few reported in public visitor reviews (labelled), in our own words.

  1. Pickpocket teams on the Mรฉtro and RER

    How it works: One thief distracts you (a question, a bump, a petition) while another opens your bag, mostly on the Paris Mรฉtro, RER lines, airport trains and at big stations.

    How to avoid it: Wear your bag across your body, split cards, cash and passport between pockets, and stay alert at ticket machines, ATMs and doors.

  2. "Free drink" at a private club

    How it works: A friendly stranger invites you for a free drink or show at a private club; you then face huge charges on your card before you are allowed to leave.

    How to avoid it: Turn down invitations from people you just met and choose bars yourself.

  3. Card skimming

    How it works: Devices fitted to ATMs and unattended petrol-station pumps copy your card, especially in tourist areas.

    How to avoid it: Use ATMs inside banks or shopping centres, cover your PIN and keep the card in sight.

  4. Children used as a distraction

    How it works: Thieves use children to crowd or distract tourists, or to do the stealing themselves.

    How to avoid it: Keep valuables zipped away when approached by groups, however young.

  5. Unlicensed taxis

    How it works: Unofficial drivers wait at airports, stations, theatres and clubs; assaults and robberies have happened.

    How to avoid it: Use the official rank (in Paris the roof sign says "Taxi Parisien") or pre-book a ride-hailing car.

  6. Snatch theft from cars in traffic

    How it works: Thieves grab bags from cars stopped in traffic, including on the motorway between CDG airport and central Paris; rental cars are targeted everywhere.

    How to avoid it: Keep doors locked while driving, bags in the boot, and do not stop for people waving you down on the motorway.

  7. Break-ins at camper vans and caravans

    How it works: Vehicles are burgled at night in isolated car parks or unsupervised campsites; near Calais people try to climb into slow vehicles.

    How to avoid it: Park in lit, supervised places, never sleep at motorway rest areas, and keep moving and locked near the Calais port road.

  8. Drink and needle spiking

    How it works: Drinks (or people, by needle) are spiked in bars and clubs, followed by theft or assault.

    How to avoid it: Watch your drink being made and never leave it alone.

  9. String-bracelet sellers at the foot of Sacrรฉ-Cล“ur

    How it works: Men at the bottom of the steps below the basilica (by Square Louise-Michel) grab your wrist, tie a string bracelet on and then demand money; visitors report being blocked and held by the arm.

    How to avoid it: Keep your hands in your pockets, say no and keep walking, or skip the main steps: take the Montmartre funicular (a normal Metro-Train-RER ticket) or walk up from Abbesses.

    From visitor reviews, not official Montmartre, Paris. Sources: reddit.com ยท reddit.com ยท reddit.com. Researched 23 Oct 2026; there is no official page to re-check, so this date is not updated automatically.

Areas flagged in official advice

  • Paris: Gare du Nord and the CDG airportโ€“Gare du Nord train
  • Paris Mรฉtro lines 1, 2 and 6 and RER lines
  • Eiffel Tower area, Champs-ร‰lysรฉes, Louvre/Palais Royal, Les Halles, Latin Quarter
  • Calais port road (people trying to enter vehicles)
  • Wildfire areas in summer (Aprilโ€“October)

Official advice: FCDO: no areas advised against. Smartraveller: exercise a high degree of caution (terrorism).

Emergency numbers in France

  • Emergency 112
  • Ambulance 15
  • Fire 18
  • Police 17
  • SMS (deaf / hard of hearing) 114

Other traps paraphrased from official travel advice: FCDO travel advice โ€“ Safety and security ยท FCDO travel advice โ€“ Warnings and insurance ยท FCDO travel advice โ€“ Getting help (emergency numbers) ยท Smartraveller (Australian Government) ยท FCDO page updated 11 Aug 2026 ยท Last checked 4 Oct 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Cash you can bring in and take out

Customs rules for banknotes and other cash when you enter or leave France.

EU external border (Reg. 2018/1672)

Bringing cash in
Declare cash of EUR 10,000 or more (or equivalent) when arriving from outside the EU.
Taking cash out
Declare cash of EUR 10,000 or more (or equivalent) when leaving to a country outside the EU.
Local currency (EUR) in
No limit (declaration only).
Local currency (EUR) out
No limit (declaration only).
Foreign currency
No limit (declaration only).
Within the EU
France also requires a declaration of EUR 10,000 or more when travelling to or from another EU country.
  • EU rule (Regulation (EU) 2018/1672): anyone entering or leaving the EU with EUR 10,000 or more in cash (banknotes, coins, bearer-negotiable instruments such as traveller's cheques, and gold coins/bullion of high purity) must declare it to customs at the point of entry/exit, using the EU cash declaration form. The threshold is per person, also for families/groups.
  • Customs can act on lower amounts if there are signs of criminal activity; undeclared cash can be detained and fined.

Official source: taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu ยท eur-lex.europa.eu ยท europa.eu ยท service-public.gouv.fr ยท Last checked 4 Oct 2026

France visa rules by passport

The general rule for each passport, from official sources. Open a passport to see conditions and options that depend on where you live.

Free movement (EU/EEA/Swiss)30 passports
Visa-free63 passports
Embassy visa105 passports

Verified rules for France: 197 of 198 passports; awaiting verification: 1; not yet covered: 0. A rule that is awaiting verification or not yet covered is not a negative visa decision: it only means we haven't confirmed it on an official source yet.

โš  Unofficial sources: 1 rule for France is not from an official France government source (based on other governments' travel advice or secondary research). They are labelled on each page, are not counted as verified above, and should be confirmed with the embassy before travel.

Requirements for all visitors to France

These apply on top of the visa rules above, whatever your passport, unless an item says otherwise.

  • Proof of fundsProof of means of subsistence: EUR 120/day without accommodation proof; EUR 65/day for hotel-booked nights; EUR 32.50/day with an attestation d'accueil

    Applies to: non-EU/EEA/Swiss visitors at the external Schengen border, on request.

    Official source: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu ยท Last checked 2 Nov 2026

Nearby destinations

Official travel advice

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Plan your trip to France

Verify with the embassy before you book. Visa rules change without notice. We link every rule to its official source and last checked it on 23 Oct 2026, but the embassy, official e-visa portal and your airline have the final say. MyVisaPort is not a visa agent and is not affiliated with any government.