Travel to and in France 

Essential travel information for France

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Use the links below to find information about different aspects of travelling to France or different ways of getting round France once you've arrived - with or without a car.
   Being about 1000 km from east to west and 1000 km from North to south, France is a large country by European standards, and one where tourism inevitably involves travel.... even if it's just a matter of getting there.

Travel to France ► Depending on where you are coming from, France can be reached by plane, by ferry, by train or by car : Flying to France  a guide to who flies where from the UK and North America Paris airport guide - how to get to and from the main Paris airports Lyon airport guide  Ferries to France  All the options for crossing the Channel, and North sea ferries to France Eurostar to France -  London to Paris, or London to Lille or Calais, by high speed train To France by train from other countries.  See rail travel in France Planning a trip to France Find more information on About-France.com. Return to About-France.com  home page .

French roads Driving in France  - full practical information and tips about driving in France Rules of the road in France - Permits, speed limits, and other useful stuff Car hire in France - the different options Main routes through France Through France on byroads (from north to south) French route planner Visit France without a car ► Essential information on the different options available for travelling in France or travelling through France without a car. Rail travel - France by train - trains, or high-speed trains,  are the main means of intercity and regional public transport in France Scenic and heritage railways in France Bus and coach travel in France Travelling round Paris - public transport and the different travel passes Cycling through France Travelling by boat through France Long distance footpaths - a short guide to hiking in France Maps of France

 Travel to France and within France is easy, and relatively inexpensive..... France has an extensive network of regional airports, many of which are served by airlines from other parts of Europe, including many low-cost airlines; several French airports have direct flights to the USA or Canada, particularly to New York and Montreal. Within France, the main form of intercity public transport is the train , and the French TGV network of high-speed railway lines is one of the best in the world - and constantly expanding. By contrast, domestic air travel is relatively expensive except on some high-volume routes where the airlines compete with the trains.

France has a well developed network of motorways and main roads; most motorways are toll roads - but you can find ways of avoiding the tolls on the pages about driving in France.
    In most of provincial France, driving can be a relatively relaxed experience, as traffic is light except around main towns and on the main regional roads. But there are tens of thousands of kilometres of minor roads that carry very little traffic: these routes are ideal for cyclists.
    Slow travellers can enjoy France not only thanks to its bucolic backroads, but also by using a developing network of cycle ways such as the French section of the Danube-Atlantic cycleway, which links the Rhine to the Loire, or the cycleways along many of France's canals, such as the Canal du Midi. Completely off-road, France has an extensive network of hiking trails, the longest of them running from the English Channel to the Mediterranean.