France is the archetypal honeymoon country — and there is far more to it than Paris. Between the capital’s boulevards, Provence’s lavender fields, the glittering Riviera, the châteaux of the Loire and the cellars of Champagne, you can build a trip that’s equal parts romantic city, slow countryside and sun-warmed coast. The fast TGV network means you can combine several without spending your honeymoon in transit. Here are the six regions to weave together.
6 best honeymoon spots in France
1. Paris
Begin in the City of Light. Beyond the obvious, the romance is in the small things: an early-morning walk along the Seine before the crowds, coffee and a croissant at a pavement café, a picnic below the Eiffel Tower for its hourly after-dark sparkle, and a candlelit dinner in a tucked-away bistro. Stay in the Marais or Saint-Germain-des-Prés for atmosphere over convenience, and give the city two or three days before heading out.
2. Provence
The heart of a French countryside honeymoon. Base in a stone mas (farmhouse) and drift between the hilltop Luberon villages — Gordes, Roussillon’s ochre cliffs, market-day Isle-sur-la-Sorgue — over long lunches of rosé and tapenade. Time it for late June to mid-July to catch the lavender in bloom around Sénanque Abbey and the Valensole plateau. A car is essential here; the pleasure is in the driving.
3. The French Riviera
The Côte d’Azur brings glamour and turquoise sea. Base in Nice or quieter Antibes, drive the coastal corniche to the medieval eagle’s-nest village of Èze high above the water, and day-trip to the artists’ village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence and the harbour of Monaco. It’s at its best in May–June and September; July–August is glorious but crowded and pricey.
4. The Loire Valley
A fairytale of Renaissance châteaux — moated Chambord, the river-spanning Chenonceau — set among vineyards, and an easy two-hour hop from Paris. Cycle the flat lanes between castles, taste crisp Loire whites, and spend a night or two in a small château-hotel for a genuine storybook stay without Riviera prices.
5. Champagne
Toast the marriage at the source. The great houses of Reims and Épernay offer tastings in chalk cellars carved deep beneath the towns, and Épernay’s Avenue de Champagne is lined with grand maisons. It’s a celebratory and very easy add-on — Reims is about 45 minutes from Paris by TGV, making it doable even as a long day trip.
6. Annecy & the Alps
For mountain-and-lake romance, ‘the Venice of the Alps’ has a canal-laced pastel old town beside a startlingly clear lake ringed by peaks. Rent a rowboat or paddle out in summer, cycle the lakeshore path, or come in autumn for crisp air and golden larches — a refreshing, active counterpoint to the cities.
Planning a France honeymoon
Two proven routes: Paris → Loire → Provence → Riviera (city to countryside to sea, the full two-week honeymoon) or a shorter Paris → Champagne → Provence. France’s TGV network makes the long hops painless (Paris–Avignon in under 3 hours puts you at the gates of Provence), but rent a car once you’re in Provence or the Loire, where the best moments are in villages no train reaches. Ten days comfortably covers Paris plus two regions; two weeks lets you reach the Riviera without rushing.
When to go & what it costs
Go in June or September for warm, uncrowded weather; late June catches the first lavender in Provence, while September brings the grape harvest and softer light to the vineyards. France sits at the pricier end for honeymoons — budget roughly €200–350 per couple per day mid-range, more in Paris and on the Riviera in summer, less in the Loire and rural Provence. Save by booking a self-catering gîte for the countryside legs, buying TGV tickets early (prices rise as seats sell), and picnicking on market produce — itself one of the trip’s pleasures.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.