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Start with the places you want to experience
A first France holiday is easier to plan when you choose the route before the package price. Glider's route catalogue uses Paris, Nice and Lyon as proposed stay bases. They are alternatives and possible combinations, rather than a promise that every holiday includes all three. Decide which base contains your main priority, then give the remaining days a purpose.
Three starting points to compare
Paris
The catalogue's single-base plan for Paris lasts four days, with arrival and departure counted. Montmartre is one of the suggested priorities; Seine river and Le Marais are additional planning ideas. Choose this base when these stops matter more to you than changing hotels. If Nice is also a must-have, compare the linked six-day route instead of squeezing an additional base into the arrival day.
Nice
The catalogue's single-base plan for Nice lasts four days, with arrival and departure counted. Promenade des Anglais is one of the suggested priorities; Old Town and Castle Hill are additional planning ideas. Choose this base when these stops matter more to you than changing hotels. If Lyon is also a must-have, compare the linked six-day route instead of squeezing an additional base into the arrival day.
Lyon
The catalogue's single-base plan for Lyon lasts four days, with arrival and departure counted. Vieux Lyon is one of the suggested priorities; Fourviere and Presqu ile are additional planning ideas. Choose this base when these stops matter more to you than changing hotels. If Paris is also a must-have, compare the linked six-day route instead of squeezing an additional base into the arrival day.
Match the route to the time available
| Route | Trip length | Stay bases |
|---|---|---|
| Paris | 4 days / 3 nights | 1 |
| Paris → Nice | 6 days / 5 nights | 2 |
| Paris → Nice → Lyon | 8 days / 7 nights | 3 |
The four-day option keeps one stay base; the six-day examples connect two, and the eight-day plan uses three. Arrival, transfers and departure use part of that time. Open the day-wise plan to see where hotel changes occur. A longer destination list can give you less time in each place even when the overall trip has more days.
Turn the route into a useful enquiry
- Name your preferred first and last base in France.
- List two experiences you want to protect if the schedule needs simplifying.
- Share departure city, total available days and whether travel days are included in your leave.
- Ask for the transport between bases, named hotels and ticketed visits to be itemised.
For example, a traveller choosing Paris and Nice should ask how the connection fits between the two hotel stays. Someone choosing only Lyon should ask how arrival and departure work for that base. Those questions make the quotation comparable to the route you actually want.
Planning basis: the linked Glider route catalogue. Routes are proposals; hotels, transport, access, prices and availability are confirmed in your written quote. This guide does not claim a first-hand visit or live supplier availability.
Make your France plan specific
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