France
French Republic
Western Europe · FRA
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To France
France combines heavyweight urban culture with countryside, wine regions, alpine scenery, and strong transport links. It is one of the easiest countries to shape around a single interest, whether that means museums, food, small towns, or long scenic rail journeys.
Popular For
Things To See
- Paris
- French Riviera
- Loire Valley
- Mont Saint-Michel
- Louvre Museum
- Provence
Best Months
Best Months For Winter Travel
Know Before You Go
- France works well as both a one-city trip and a longer regional itinerary.
- High season is easiest to avoid outside July and August.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for France.
Guidebooks
Tours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for France.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Paris
- Population
- 66,351,959
- Area
- 543,908 km²
- Region
- Western Europe
Languages
- French
Currency
euro (€)
EUR
1 USD = 0.85 EUR
Cost of Living (World Bank)
73.7
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 73.2
- Restaurants
- 66.2
- Rent
- 22.3
Safety & Peace
higher score = safer everyday environment · derived from World Bank homicide data
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Paris (48.87°N, 2.33°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
80/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 90/100
- Lived safety
- 61/100
This traveler-facing score is lower than the legal protections score because lived-safety context is weaker, based on broader traveler safety and development conditions.
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal✅
- Relationship recognitionMarriage
- Adoption recognition✅
- Anti-discrimination laws✅
- Employment protections✅
- Legal gender recognition✅
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.920
Very high human development
- 5-year change
- +0.009
- 10-year change
- +0.024
- Trend
- stable
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.993
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.034
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.804
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (54)
- 🏛️
Megaliths of Carnac and of the shores of Morbihan
Inscribed 2025
- 🌍
Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands
Inscribed 2024
- 🌿
Volcanoes and Forests of Mount Pelée and the Pitons of Northern Martinique
Inscribed 2023
- 🏛️
Funerary and memory sites of the First World War (Western Front)
Inscribed 2023
- 🏛️
The Maison Carrée of Nîmes
Inscribed 2023
- 🏛️
Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
The Great Spa Towns of Europe
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
Cordouan Lighthouse
Inscribed 2021
- 🌿
French Austral Lands and Seas
Inscribed 2019
- 🌿
Chaîne des Puys - Limagne fault tectonic arena
Inscribed 2018
- 🏛️
Taputapuātea
Inscribed 2017
- 🏛️
The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement
Inscribed 2016
- 🏛️
Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars
Inscribed 2015
- 🏛️
The Climats, terroirs of Burgundy
Inscribed 2015
- 🏛️
Decorated Cave of Pont d’Arc, known as Grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc, Ardèche
Inscribed 2014
- 🏛️
Nord-Pas de Calais Mining Basin
Inscribed 2012
- 🏛️
The Causses and the Cévennes, Mediterranean agro-pastoral Cultural Landscape
Inscribed 2011
- 🏛️
Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps
Inscribed 2011
- 🌿
Pitons, cirques and remparts of Reunion Island
Inscribed 2010
- 🏛️
Episcopal City of Albi
Inscribed 2010
- 🏛️
Fortifications of Vauban
Inscribed 2008
- 🌿
Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems
Inscribed 2008
- 🌿
Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe
Inscribed 2007
- 🏛️
Bordeaux, Port of the Moon
Inscribed 2007
- 🏛️
Le Havre, the City Rebuilt by Auguste Perret
Inscribed 2005
- 🏛️
Provins, Town of Medieval Fairs
Inscribed 2001
- 🏛️
The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes
Inscribed 2000
- 🏛️
Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion
Inscribed 1999
- 🏛️
Belfries of Belgium and France
Inscribed 1999
- 🏛️
Historic Site of Lyon
Inscribed 1998
- 🏛️
Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France
Inscribed 1998
- 🌍
Pyrénées - Mont Perdu
Inscribed 1997
- 🏛️
Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne
Inscribed 1997
- 🏛️
Canal du Midi
Inscribed 1996
- 🏛️
Historic Centre of Avignon: Papal Palace, Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge
Inscribed 1995
- 🏛️
Bourges Cathedral
Inscribed 1992
- 🏛️
Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Former Abbey of Saint-Rémi and Palace of Tau, Reims
Inscribed 1991
- 🏛️
Paris, Banks of the Seine
Inscribed 1991
- 🏛️
Strasbourg, Grande-Île and Neustadt
Inscribed 1988
- 🏛️
Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct)
Inscribed 1985
- 🏛️
Abbey Church of Saint-Savin sur Gartempe
Inscribed 1983
- 🏛️
Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d'Alliance in Nancy
Inscribed 1983
- 🌿
Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve
Inscribed 1983
- 🏛️
From the Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains to the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, the Production of Open-pan Salt
Inscribed 1982
- 🏛️
Amiens Cathedral
Inscribed 1981
- 🏛️
Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay
Inscribed 1981
- 🏛️
Palace and Park of Fontainebleau
Inscribed 1981
- 🏛️
Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments
Inscribed 1981
- 🏛️
Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the Triumphal Arch of Orange
Inscribed 1981
- 🏛️
Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay
Inscribed 1979
- 🏛️
Palace and Park of Versailles
Inscribed 1979
- 🏛️
Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley
Inscribed 1979
- 🏛️
Vézelay, Church and Hill
Inscribed 1979
- 🏛️
Chartres Cathedral
Inscribed 1979
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 28.6%
- Forest cover
- 32.5%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 13
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 19
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
77/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Winter Sports
88/100
Ski infrastructure & alpine pedigree
Combines ski resort depth, ski resort density, and Winter Olympic skiing results. Separate from climate comfort.
Luxury Infrastructure
97/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Exercise increased cautionin France due to terrorism and unrest. Pickpocketing and phone thefts are common, especially in crowded places. Terrorist groups continue to plan possible attacks in France and may attack with little to no warning. There are also regular, peaceful protests and strikes in Paris and other cities throughout France. Pickpocketing and phone thefts are frequent crimes. They can occur in crowded areas such as: Airports Subways and train cars Tourist attractions Train stations Terrorist groups continue to plan possible attacks in France. They may attack with little or no warning. Possible targets include: Tourist locations Transportation hubs and airports Markets and shopping malls Local government facilities Hotels, restaurants, and clubs Places of worship Major sporting and cultural events Educational institutions Parks Other public areas Peaceful demonstrations and strikes happen often in Paris and other cities in France. Protests can disrupt transportation services. On rare occasions, protests have turned violent or caused property damage. Police may respond with water cannons and tear gas.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data