A vacation to France is guaranteed to be one you will never forget – so long as you do it right.

A self-drive trip around France is the best way to explore the country. You become your own tour guide and have complete autonomy as to how you want your holiday to be. Add to that virtually unlimited mobility and the comfort of your own vehicle and you are probably starting to wonder why you’ve never done one of these before.

Need a bit more convincing? We have laid out some of the main reasons why you should visit France on a self-drive trip. Read on and be inspired.

1. Enjoy the Scenic Back Roads

Some of the most beautiful parts of France can be found off the beaten path. Taking a detour from the main roads onto some of the less frequented back roads can be a truly incredible experience. From this vantage point, you can absorb the stunning landscapes without the distractions of other cars, pedestrians and buildings.

Tired of driving? Hire a bike and take to France's backroads - © France Bike Trips

2. Go at Your Own Pace

One of best things about being behind the wheel is the ability to not be behind the wheel. Let us explain what we mean. Picture the scene: you’ve seen something beautiful and you want to take a closer look. Simply pull over, hop out of your vehicle and go exploring.

Being able to stop at your leisure can really enhance your experience and allows you to see more of the things you love. And, of course, when you are ready to move you can up and leave on a whim.

3. Avoid the Tourist Traps

Often with organised tours, you are taken to designated tourist spots, which are crammed with souvenir shops and overpriced restaurants. By creating your own tour, you can avoid these nightmarish places and focus on seeing the real France. This means eating where the local eat and doing as the locals do in order to get an authentic taste of France.

See beautiful sights like Mont St. Michel without getting dragged into tourist traps

 

4. Visit the Attractions Early

Sick of elbowing people out of the way to get a good photo of that attraction you came all this way to see? Driving yourself gives you the advantage of being able to head to sight-seeing spots before the crowds. If the first bus leaves at 8am, you can leave at 7. This means you will have the spot virtually all to yourself for a while.

5. Be Flexible

You never know what might happen while you’re on vacation. You might have your heart setting on visiting a certain town only to meet other travellers who tell you that actually, it isn’t that good. When you can drive yourself, it is easy to be flexible and change your plan at a moment’s notice. Chances are those same people that told you that town X would be boring will also have a recommendation of where to go instead. The freedom that comes with a self-drive trip is liberating to say the least.

6.    Be in Charge

This is your vacation and you should be calling the shots. On an organised tour you are often given a wake-up time along with designated hours for eating and leisure. While this might suit some people, the more adventurous among us will no doubt prefer to be able to decide these things for themselves. A self-drive trip gives you the opportunity to craft your own itinerary.

7.    It’s an Adventure!

Taking to the roads and driving yourself around France armed with nothing more than a GPS and a bucket load of enthusiasm is exciting. France is yours to discover, all you have to do is get out there and see it. Of course, you are never completely on your own. We provide everyone on a self-drive trip with a guidebook packed with important information regarding road signs, speed limits, the police and more.

You will also find driving in France easy, with plenty of places to park and an easy to navigate network of roads.

Have we whetted your appetite for adventure? Get in touch and let us make your self-drive dream a reality!

RELATED: How to plan a road trip through France 

France Just For You

Experts in self-drive tours in France

Travelers Reviews

5.0
Carol
We have just returned from a road trip around France and with Emilie's help, we had one of the best trips we've ever had. We travel extensively and I normally do my own research and bookings because we don't like using formal , organised tours and we were looking for advice on self driving holidays in France. Emilie's attention to detail is …
Robert
Everything you need and things you didn’t know you needed. Emilie is very kind, a good soul. And don’t you want the people who handle your holidays to radiate happiness? A happy itinerary = a lovely journey!
Jan & Ray
We were overwhelmed by the wealth of information available when attempting to plan our 6 week self drive holiday in France. Never having been to France before we found the task daunting and sifting through forums full of information only confused us. We have traveled in New Zealand using a New Zealand based travel adviser and decided to look into …
Teresa & Garry
Laura and Emilie started working with us to develop a trip in July of 2020, but the trip had to be postponed because of COVID. Nonetheless they kept everything in place and made some modifications so that the trip could take place this October and November. They were always responsive and helpful with our questions and concerns. All of the …
Wendy
Celebrating my daughter Kelsey's Doctorate - Emilie planned the PERFECT / made to order itinerary for us! Serendipity led us to France Just for You - and has spoiled us for any other way to travel abroad. Perfect trip start to finish....there was no detail overlooked. The personal guidebook is to be treasured - a fabulous reference material and …
Deirdre
My husband and I spent one week visiting Normandy and the Loire Valley on a trip planned by France Just For You. The trip was amazing....We stayed in beautiful accomodations,had the BEST private guides,utilized many suggested itineraries---and all while keeping within our budget! For anyone who does not have the time or inclination to plan a trip …

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