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France
- Overview
- The Basics
- Attractions
- Events
- Public Holidays
- Useful Contacts
- Airports
- Climate
- Currency
- Visa & Passport
- Phrases
- Tour Operators
- France Map
-
Regions
- Alsace Lorraine
- Basque Country
- Bordeaux
- Brittany
- Champagne Country
-
show more Regions
Ski Resorts
- Chamonix
- Courchevel
- Flaine
- La Plagne
- Les Arcs
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show more Ski Resorts
Ports of Call
- Marseille
Airports in France
Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG)
Overview
As the gateway to the quintessentially chic and sophisticated city of Paris, Charles de Gaulle Airport processes over 58 million passengers each year. The airport offers passengers a first class airport experience with Playstation areas, high-tech video lounges, stylish restaurants and haute couture boutiques scattered throughout the terminals. Staff are friendly and speak excellent English and there's plenty to do at the airport.
Location
The airport is 16 miles (25km) northeast of Paris.
Getting to the city
There is a good train service with the RER B line that serves the airport with connections to the city centre and the Metro station. From the airport RER B can be accessed from Terminal 2 railway station on the airport shuttle. The RER B line is serviced every fifteen minutes Monday through Friday and takes 35 minutes to the city centre. The Roissy bus line also connects to the city centre for the 60-minute drive. Buses depart every 15-20 minutes between 6am and 12.30am. Air France also runs buses to certain city destinations. The Noctilien night bus runs between 12.30am and 5am with fares depending on destination.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).
Contacts
Tel: +33 (0)1 48 62 1212.
Paris Orly Airport (ORY)
Overview
Like Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris-Orly Airport offers passengers state-of-the-art facilities and often much shorter queues. The airport is well equipped to serve over 26 million passengers each year. It caters to a number of low-cost carriers, making it easier for passengers across Europe to book cheap flights to Paris.
Location
The airport is nine miles (14km) south of Paris.
Getting to the city
Several choices of public transportaiont methods are the cheapest way to the city centre. RER C trains leave regularly from both terminals and connect to the metro and SNCF train stations. A number of bus services also operate from both terminals such as the Roissy bus line and Air France. Taxis are an expensive albeit fast way to the city centre although they should be avoided in rush hour. Fares usually cost US$35 but are more expensive at night (Tel: 01 47 39 00 91). Airport shuttles also offer door to door service or connections to public transportation stations.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Contacts
Tel: +01 49 75 5252.
Bordeaux-Merignac Airport (BOD)
Overview
France is the world's most-visited tourist destination, and one of its most popular areas is its wine region, which is characterised by rolling hills graced by vineyards and cosy villages. While most visitors to the country fly into Paris, traffic to regional airports like Bordeaux Mérignac Airport (BOD) is steadily increasing.
The airport is small and efficient, saving passengers much of the hassle and queues that have become synonymous with Paris' sprawling Charles de Gaulle International Airport. There are almost hourly flights to Bordeaux Airport from Paris, and daily flights to nearly all other French airports. Moreover, it's possible to fly almost anywhere in Europe from Bordeaux, including weekly services to prime destinations such as London, Prague, Geneva, Madrid, Amsterdam, Lisbon and Milan. Another significant attraction of Bordeaux Airport is The Parfumerie Aéroboutique. This is a great place to do some last-minute gift-shopping for loved ones back home. The Aéroboutique stocks luxurious French cosmetics like L'Occitane skin care products and Terner accessories and jewellery.
Location
The airport is located eight miles (13km) west of Bordeaux.
Getting to the city
There are regular bus services to the city centre taking about 30-45 minutes. Taxis are available outside the airport.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Contacts
Tel: +33 (0)5 5634 5000.
Lyon Saint Exupéry International Airport (LYS)
Location
The airport is situated 13 miles (20km) east of Lyon.
Getting to the city
Buses leave regularly for Lyon and the other main towns and cities in the Rhône-Alpes area. There is a TGV train station within walking distance of the airport with regular services to France's main cities.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).
Contacts
Tel: +33 (0)8 26 80 0826.
Marseille Provence Airport (MRS)
Overview
Marseille Provence Airport is the main air travel hub for the Provence region of southeastern France. The fifth-busiest airport in the country, the facility processes 7.5 million passengers per year.
Marseille Provence Airport serves a holiday region with several popular resort towns, including Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, and Miramas. Several budget airlines offer flights to Marseille Provence Airport, and the facility itself has a 'budget' feel to it with basic facilities and crowded waiting areas.
Flights to Marseille Provence Airport come from cities all over Europe, including major destinations like Paris, London, Rome, Amsterdam, Casablanca, Frankfurt, Geneva, Athens, Barcelona, Istanbul and Lisbon.
Location
The airport is located 15 miles (24km) north of Marseille and 16 miles (26km) south of Aix-en-Provence.
Getting to the city
Shuttle buses leave the airport regularly for Marseille Saint-Charles Rail Station, where connections can be made to other destinations. Buses also connect the airport with Aix-en-Provence bus station and Aix-TGV rail station.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Contacts
Tel: +33 (0)4 4214 1414.
Nice Cote d'Azur Airport (NCE)
Overview
A bustling regional airport, Nice Côte d'Azur Airport is the main gateway to the fashionable resorts of the Côte d'Azur, or French Riviera. Tourists bound for Cannes and Monaco fly through Nice Côte d'Azur Airport to avoid the bustle of Paris, and the facility is well-equipped to handle the 10 million passengers who pass through each year.
The airport is efficient and pleasant to fly through, with light and airy terminals filled with duty-free shops and restaurants.
Flights to Nice Côte d'Azur Airport come from destinations all over Europe.
Location
The airport is situated four miles (6km) west of Nice.
Getting to the city
Buses leave regularly for hundreds of destinations between Marseilles and Genoa, and Buses 98 and 99 go into Nice every 20-30 minutes. Bus 98 goes from both terminals into central Nice, while Bus 99 goes to the railway station from both terminals. TER and SNCF trains go to Cannes and most other main towns and cities from Nice, and the stations are within a mile of the airport.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).
Contacts
Tel: +33 (0)8 20 42 3333.
Strasbourg Airport (SXB)
Overview
Strasbourg International Airport is a modest, yet efficient, airport southwest of Strasbourg in France. Staff tend to be very helpful and friendly and the airport is run efficiently and smoothly.
The airport is just nine minutes by shuttle-train from Strasbourg. As such, passengers won't find too many amenities within the terminal itself, but its close proximity to town means that it doesn't need a wide selection of restaurants.
Location
The airport is about ten miles (16km) from Strasbourg city centre.
Getting to the city
A train shuttle is available from the airport with four trains departing every hour. The journey time is seven minutes and a footbridge allows passengers to access the station platform from the airport. Alternatively, taxis are available outside Arrivals.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Contacts
Tel: +33 3 88 64 6767.
Toulouse Blagnac International Airport (TLS)
Overview
Toulouse Blagnac International Airport is just a short drive from central Toulouse and provides almost seven million passengers a year with easy access to the French Pyrenees.
Situated on the doorstep to the French Alps, Toulouse Blagnac Airport is well connected to airports across Europe and offers the perfect gateway to a fun-filled winter Ski holiday in France.
Location
The airport is located four miles (7km) northwest of Toulouse.
Getting to the city
Buses leave every 20 minutes for Toulouse from outside Arrivals.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).
Contacts
Tel: +33 (0)5 61 42 4400.
Figari South Corsica Airport (FSC)
Location
The airport is about 17 miles (28km) from Porto-Vecchio.
Getting to the city
A bus service runs between Figari Airport and Porto-Vecchio three times a day, and tickets are €4. Taxis and car rental services are also available.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Lille Lesquin International Airport (LIL)
Overview
One of France's smaller airports, Lille Airport (also known as Lille-Lesquin Airport or Lesquin Airport) serves 1.2 million passengers each year. Lille Airport is a nimble facility, taking advantage of its small size to offer efficient and friendly service.
The facility has been nicknamed the '15-minute airport' due to its location in the centre of a complex web of highways that allow quick access to Paris, Belgium, and Dunkirk. Despite being farther out of these areas than larger airports, Lille Airport is ranked as one of the top airports in France for accessibility and punctuality, making it a valid option.
Location
The airport is situated about four miles (7km) from Lille, close to the Belgian border.
Getting to the city
The airport shuttle service operates from the city centre, hourly, every day between 5.10am and 8pm; and from the airport, every hour, from 5.30am to 22.15pm. Services on Sundays tend to start later. Single fares start from €8. Several taxi companies also serve the airport.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Contacts
Tel: +33 89 1673 210
Calvi Sainte Catherine Airport (CLY)
Location
The airport is located four miles (7km) southeast of Calvi.
Getting to the city
Connections to the city are made by taxi. Bus services are also available.
Time
Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).
Contacts
Tel: +33 49565 8888
Chambéry – Savoie Airport (CMF)
Location
The airport is located 6 miles (about 10km) north of Chambéry.
Getting to the city
Time
Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).
Contacts
Tel: +33 47954 4954
Grenoble-Isere Airport (GNB)
Overview
A tiny airport in the south of France, Grenoble-Isere Airport is a popular travel hub for skiers on their way to the French Alps. The airport has coach links to the town, making ground transportation easy and convenient.
Handling fewer than 500,000 passengers each year, Grenoble-Isere Airport is served mostly by budget airlines like Ryanair and Flybe, providing flights to airports in the UK as well as destinations around Europe, including Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Rotterdam, Dublin, Stockholm, Moscow and Tel Aviv.
The small facility, though fairly new, has an unfortunate reputation for long queues and disorganisation. The congestion is only getting worse as traffic to the airport increases. There are plans to expand the facility, however no date has been set.
Location
The airport is located 28 miles (45km) from Grenoble.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Nantes Atlantique Airport (NTE)
Overview
One of France's smaller airports, Nantes Atlantique Airport is nonetheless a major air travel hub for western France, processing roughly two million passengers per year. The facility is a modern L-shaped terminal building made up of four halls. Lots of glass walls give the facility an open, airy atmosphere, and it is easy to find your way around.
With no long queues to contend with and friendly staff members on hand, Nantes Atlantique Airport is a pleasure to fly through. Passengers should be aware however, that facilities are very basic and only 3-4 shops and stores are there for entertainment. One fun amenity is the photobooth in Hall 1, where you can take before and after pictures to remember your holiday in France.
Flights to Nantes Atlantique Airport come from around Europe and North Africa, with many domestic connections to other airports in France.
Location
The airport is located five miles (8km) southwest of Nantes in Bouguenais.
Getting to the city
Shuttles connect the airport to the city centre every 20 minutes between 5.30am and 11pm Monday to Saturday, and every 30 minutes between 6.15am and 11pm on Sundays and holidays. The shuttle runs from outside Hall 1; a single trip costs €8.50.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).
Brest Bretagne Airport (BES)
Location
Brest Airport is located just over six miles (10km) northeast of Brest, within the département of Finistère.
Getting to the city
An airport shuttle service runs to the tramway station at Porte de Guipavas several times a day. The journey takes about ten minutes, and costs around €1.50. Tickets can be bought onboard the shuttle. Outside of tramway hours, the shuttle runs to the railway station.
Time
Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).
Lourdes Pyrenees Airport (LDE)
Location
The airport is located six miles (9km) from Lourdes city centre.
Getting to the city
Taxis and car rentals are available for transport to the city. There is also a public bus service to the Tarbes and Lourdes stations; the fare is €2 to any destination within the Hautes-Pyrenees Department. There are also direct shuttles to ski resorts during winter season.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).
Montpellier–Méditerranée Airport (MPL)
Location
The airport is located four miles (7km) southeast of Montpellier.
Getting to the city
Airport Shuttle, Line 120 connects the airport to the "Place de l'Europe" Tramway Station, where connections can be made by train to the Montpellier St Roch Railway Station, and by tram to many destinations around Montpellier.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday of March to last Sunday in October)
Pau Pyrénées Airport (PUF)
Getting to the city
The IDELIS shuttle service offers travellers access to Pau's town centre and train station. The shuttle departs every hour between 7.40am and 7.10pm, Monday to Saturday, from the IDELIS bus stop just to the right of the terminal building exit. Tickets cost €1.50 and can be purchased from the shuttle driver. The journey to the train station takes approximately 30 minutes.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).
Perpignan–Rivesaltes Airport (PGF)
Location
This airport is located five miles (8km) from Perpignan, in southwestern France.
Getting to the city
Transport available includes shuttle buses, taxis, and car hire services. There are regular airport shuttle buses that transport travellers from the airport into the centre of town.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday of March to the last Sunday in October).
Poitiers–Biard Airport (PIS)
Location
The airport is located one and a half miles (2.4km) west of Poitiers.
Getting to the city
Taxis are available to transport travellers to the city centre or the train station.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).
Quimper - Cornouaille Airport (UIP)
Location
The airport is located in Pluguffan, nearly six miles drive (10km) southwest of Quimper.
Getting to the city
Buses connect the airport to the city centre on line 25. It takes 30 minutes from the airport to the city centre by bus. Tickets can be bought from the driver.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).
Rennes-Saint-Jacques Airport (RNS)
Location
The airport is situated nearly four miles (6km) southwest of Rennes.
Getting to the city
Buses are available 984 feet (300m) away from the airport at the 'AireLibre/Aéroport' stop; Route 57 runs from here to the city centre. Buses run every 20-30 minutes. A one-hour ticket can be bought for €1.50 either on the bus or at the Information Point inside the airport.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).
Rodez–Marcillac Airport (RDZ)
Location
The airport is situated six miles (10km) from Rodez.
Getting to the city
There is no rail or bus service connecting the airport to the city. Taxis can be found at the taxi rank outside the airport's arrival area.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).
Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport (ETZ)
Location
The airport is located 15 miles (25km) from Metz.
Getting to the city
Taxis and shuttles are available from the airport to the city.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).
Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne Airport (BIQ)
Location
The airport is located three miles (5km) from downtown Biarritz.
Getting to the city
Buses to and form the airport are available via the Chronoplus urban transport network.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne Airport (CFE)
Location
The airport is located four miles (7km) from Clermont-Ferrand city centre.
Getting to the city
Buses, taxis and trains are available from the airport to the city centre.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).
Figari Sud-Corse Airport (FSC)
Location
The airport is located two miles (3km) from Figari city centre.
Getting to the city
Taxis and rental cars are available. Some hotels may provide transfers with advance arrangement.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).
Le Mans-Arnage Airport (LME)
Location
The airport is located three miles (5km) from the city centre of Le Mans.
Getting to the city
There is no public transportation servicing the airport.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).
Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (AJA)
Location
The airport is located three miles (5km) east of the Ajaccio.
Getting to the city
Buses service the airport daily. Taxis and rental cars are also available.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Angers-Loire Airport (ANE)
Location
The airport is situated 12 miles (20km) northeast of Angers.
Getting to the city
Buses service the airport, and the nearest train station is Angers Saint-Laud Station. Taxis and rental cars are available.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Bastia Poretta International Airport (BIA)
Location
The airport is located 12 miles (20km) from Bastia city centre.
Getting to the city
An airport shuttle is available from the airport to the city centre (Bastia Terminus Station). The journey time is about 35 minutes and the fare is about €9.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Toulon–Hyères Airport (TLN)
Location
The airport is located 11 miles (19km) from Toulon city centre and two miles (3km) from Hyeres.
Getting to the city
Airport bus shuttles are available at the airport to transport passengers to both Toulon (30-minute journey) and Hyères (10-minute journey). The bus shuttles depart five times from the airport per day, with additional trips during summer, and a ticket costs €1.40 for a single trip. Taxis are located outside the arrivals hall of the airport and are available seven days a week.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).
Tours Val de Loire Airport (TUF)
Location
The airport is located four miles (6km) from Tours city centre.
Getting to the city
Tram A from Gare Vinci to Terminus Vaucanson offers transport to the airport at regular intervals every day. Taxis are available and generally meet every scheduled flight. A trip to the city costs between €15 and €30 depending on the exact distance. Rental cars are always available.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October).
Paris Roissy Airport Taxis: the taxi fares above are intended as a guideline only.
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