We will plan a unique self-drive France itinerary - Just For You

Are you tired of organized bus tours?

We know the time and effort that goes into independent trip-planning, and understand why booking a bus tour seems like the easiest option.

It's nice not having to worry about planning the trip, knowing that someone else has you covered. But organized group tours can have their downsides, including:

• having to stick to a rigid tour schedule
• not having enough time in each place
• feeling like herded sheep half the time

 

You might also feel concerned about traveling in tour groups in France following the pandemic.

 

We know the benefits of planning the perfect vacation, just for you, and we have everything covered - including new advice on the new health and safety measures that are in place all over France due to the pandemic.

 

 

With France Just For You, you can have the best of both worlds: an organized tour and the freedom to explore at your own pace.

 

We plan the perfect France Itineraries - Just For You

We - Emilie and Laura - will plan every aspect of your self-drive France itinerary, so you can drive through our beautiful country at your own pace. No tour groups, no rigid schedule, and no obligation to do anything you don't want to do. 

• First, send us your wish-list and tell us about your dream trip to France. 
• Then we schedule a call to talk about it in more detail and to answer any questions you may have. 
• Finally, you send through a down-payment for the trip and we start planning your itinerary. 

 

Send us your Trip to France Wishlist

 

Emilie Thyebaut and Laura Crotet are local experts on France and will plan a France itinerary just for you.

 

Leave All the France Trip-Planning to Us

We are locals, so we know our country like the back of our hand. We know the best vacation spots in France, and will take care of everything, including:

- booking charming hotels or premium B&B accommodation in beautiful old stone houses with English-speaking French hosts

- arranging car hire

- recommending the best driving routes through France

- organizing pre-booked activities, according to your wishes, such as private guided tours, wine-tastings, truffle hunts etc.

 

Let Us Plan your Dream Trip to France

Get a blend of planned and suggested activities, with complete flexibility

You will have some pre-booked activities, which we will discuss during our first phone conversation. We will also suggest other activities, which you may or may not choose to do. This gives you the freedom to drop suggested activities from the itinerary to spend longer exploring the places you love.

 

Your personal France Travel Guide 

We also compile a 250-500 page France Just For You travel guidebook, which is unique to your tour of France. This will be your 'travel Bible' (our travelers' words, not ours!), and it contains:

• your full itinerary, accommodation information and driving routes
• insider information on each destination (including how to avoid the tourist crowds)
• suggested self-guided walking tours
• Restaurant and activity recommendations
• the best places to buy high-quality, authentic souvenirs
• cultural information, travel tips, and essential French phrases
• recommended books and movies about France
• a French music playlist for your journey
• and so much more! 

Every France Just For You travel guidebook is unique. We create each one especially for each tour, so it really is just for you!

An Emergency contact available during your trip

 

 

 

If you need us during your trip to France, you can contact Laura or Emilie and we will be happy to help. 

 

We invite you to take a look at some of our tours for travel inspiration.

 

Our Tailor-made driving tours of France

There are three ways to travel with France Just For You. You can:

 

• Choose one of our ready-made France vacation Itineraries

You choose an itinerary from the tours of France on our website 

 

• Craft your own unique Self-Drive Itinerary

When you send us your France travel wishlist, you may tell us about the places you want to visit, the things you want to do, the experiences you want to have. You give us all of the ingredients for your 'a la carte' French road trip itinerary, and we'll craft the perfect self guided driving tour of France - just for you!

 

• Choose a combination of the above

Choose one of our itineraries that you like most and pick and choose what to include and what not to include. For example, if you do not drink alcohol and prefer not to do a wine tasting, we can replace this with another gourmet experience.

On our tours page, you can find some of our suggested self drive tours of France. These tours will give you an idea of what to expect from a tour with France Just For You. They might also help you decide which regions you would like to visit during your vacation in France. 

However, our aim is to make sure your trip is personalized just for you.

After you contact us about your wishes for your dream vacation, we'll plan your perfect road trip around France together.

 

Customized France Itineraries - just for you

Our customized France itineraries offer travelers the best experience possible, a trip that we tailor to your preferences. A customized itinerary is no more expensive than one of the itineraries on our tours page. The tour price depends only on the accommodation and activities you choose.

We guarantee that we will create an itinerary that will suit your tastes, desires and preferences.

We believe every traveler is unique and deserves to go on a unique vacation planned just for them.

Your self guided driving tour of France will include stops in some of the most beautiful places - ©CDT Touraine

 

Activities to include in your France vacation itinerary

There are many activities that we can add to your France travel itinerary.

These could include:

• a private cooking class in the home of a professional chef
• wine tasting tours
• golfing
• a private guide for a day
• a truffle hunt... and so much more!

Your trip to France will be an incredible and unique experience.

We'll make sure of it!

 

We plan trips for Families

Family vacation packages are planned with special care so the younger and older members of the family can enjoy their time in France. We also have plenty of experience planning trips for parties of four, often two couples of friends who like to travel together. They rely on us to take note of the expectations and wishes of each traveler. Thus, we make sure that everyone gets to enjoy the trip from the first day to the last!

We guarantee that our travelers will enjoy delicious food and wine on their self drive tour of France - ©CDT Touraine

 

Romantic Vacations & Wedding Anniversaries

Romantic vacations in France: call us biased, but we firmly believe there is no better place on Earth than France for a romantic getaway! We will be happy to craft a special honeymoon package or a romantic trip for newly-weds or for wedding anniversaries. We will pick the best spots and activities for your romantic trip with a loved one.

Our self-guided driving tours of France can include visits to the beautiful chateaux of the Loire Valley - ©CDT Touraine

 

Affordable Self-Guided Tours with Premium B&B accommodation

We do our best to offer you affordable vacation packages.

• The customized tours (carefully crafted specifically to your tastes) are within the same price range as the sample tours from our website. We charge no extra fee for the additional work of customizing the trip to your preferences.
• We wish to offer you an affordable, great value, and high quality vacation in France. See below for summaries of and links to our most popular driving tours of France.

 

Our Most Popular Driving Tours of France 

The Tour de France Itinerary

16 days in the Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Dordogne and Provence

Vineyard in Bordeaux - ©FJFY

This is France Just For You’s very own Tour de France! You won’t need a bike but you will need an adventurous spirit! This is our most popular France driving itinerary and it includes four of the most fascinating regions in France.

This is the perfect choice for food and wine lovers, as it includes wine tastings, wine and food pairings, truffle hunting for the elusive black truffle, trips to local villages and markets and two tables d’hôtes dinners prepared by your B&B hosts.

In your French road trip itinerary, we will include all of our secret tips on the most beautiful villages to visit, and we’ll keep you as far away from the tourist crowds as possible!

 

Other Popular France Itineraries

Heritage, Wine and the Back-Roads

10 days in Paris, Normandy and the Loire Valley

The beautiful port of Honfleur - ©OT Honfleur

• This France driving itinerary gives travellers a real taste of France in regions that are very typically French and well known for their cultural heritage. This tour is especially suited to wine-lovers, history buffs, and those looking for beautiful French sceneries. For Paris, we’ll give you a range of options for exploring the city on foot, by boat, or by public transportation. We can arrange for you to visit some of the most popular tourist attractions, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, if you like. You’ll also visit the Palace of Versailles and we’ll make sure you won’t have to wait in the long line to get in!
• In Normandy, you’ll visit the gorgeous city of Bayeux, taste the delicious local apple brandy and a selection of wonderful cheeses. You’ll have a private guided tour of the D-day landings beaches, and can choose between exploring Normandy’s beautiful country roads and villages, or spending a day at the seaside in the pretty harbor town of Honfleur. You’ll visit one of France's spectacular UNESCO World Heritage sites of Mont Saint Michel before moving onto the Loire Valley.
• In the lovely Loire Valley, you’ll stay in a wonderful restored 15th century farmhouse and visit the historic cities of Chinon and Saumur, as well as experiencing the peaceful life of some of our country villages on market day. Bike rental is included in the price of this itinerary, and you’ll be able to ride along the flat roads by the Loire river and explore the villages of Langeais and Villandry. You’ll visit the old city of Amboise and enjoy a special wine tasting including some very old wines, with cheese and cold cuts. We believe you’ll love this French road trip itinerary!

 

La Belle Provence

13 days in Provence

Les Dentelles de Montmirail, Provence - ©Alain Hocquel CDT Vaucluse

This self drive tour of France includes stays in absolutely stunning premium Bed and Breakfast accommodations AND a stay in a French chateau. We will also include a range of unforgettable gourmet experiences! This fabulous Provence driving itinerary will be a real treat for the senses! In Avignon, you’ll explore the beautiful ‘City of Popes’, taking in the Popes’ Palace and the medieval bridge of Avignon. Back at your B&B you’ll be able to relax by the pool or in your suite.

• Next, you’ll have the option of touring the salt marshes of the Camargue. We'll also tell you where to buy the best olive oil in the lovely Saint Remy de Provence. For a dose of history, there are Roman remains to be explored at Orange, Pont du Gard and Arles, the latter also being where Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh produced many of his masterpieces. Wine lovers will want to spend at least half a day at the Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards. Finally, for lovers of gourmet, we know just the lady to introduce you to all the local specialities! 
• Deep in rural Provence, your next Bed and Breakfast, a former mas house, is surrounded by olive and cherry trees. It also has a lovely swimming pool for you to cool off in at the end of the day. The slopes of Mont Ventoux are scattered with pretty villages like Vaison la Romaine, Malaucène and Bedoin. Places likes ‘les Dentelles de Montmirail’ (pictured above) offer dramatic French sceneries. What's more, we have another unique, fun wine tour planned at a vineyard we picked just for you.
• Your final stop will be a gorgeous fortified castle near the beautiful city of Aix-en-Provence. Spend a night sleeping in a four-poster canopy bed and enjoy having breakfast in a medieval kitchen! We believe this is the perfect end to the perfect Provence itinerary!

 

From Paris to Biarritz on the Back Roads

20 days in Paris, Loire Valley, Dordogne and the Basque Country

A typical Basque village in France - ©FJFY

• We’ve carefully crafted this itinerary to create what we feel is one of the best road trips in France. We’ll help you experience the best of Paris by sharing with you our favorite restaurants, bakeries, views of the city and much more. On the next leg of your journey, castles, fine wines, gardens and gorgeous sceneries await you in the Loire Valley. We’ll arrange a unique wine-tasting experience for you in a troglodyte cave. We’ll also explain the best ways to visit the valley’s famous and hidden gem castles. 
• In Dordogne you’ll enjoy a delicious dinner prepared for you by your B&B host. You'll have the chance to explore prehistoric caves, and sample the region’s best goat’s cheese. We know you’ll love the ancient city of Sarlat on market day! Sarlat is one of the most beautiful medieval towns in France. We will include a nice walking tour of Sarlat in your personal guidebook, which will take you to the most important and interesting places in the town.
• On to the Basque Country, you’ll stay in a typical Basque villa and visit the charming seaside towns of Biarritz and Saint Jean de Luz where King Louis XIV got married. We’ll even include some day-trips to the nearby Spanish Basque Country. We want you to get a real sense of the uniqueness of the Basque culture. For this reason we'll arrange for a local guide to walk you through the town of Biarritz and Basque traditions. You’ll learn about the traditional mountain pig farms, try some Bayonne ham and visit one of the farmers’ markets. You’ll spend your final nights in a comfortable restored sheep farm in the Pyrenees foothills. This is one of our newer France road trip itineraries and we’re really excited to share it with our travelers!

 

Northern France Must Sees & Hidden Beauties

20 days in Burgundy, Loire Valley, Normandy and Paris

The medieval Hospices de Beaune in Burgundy - ©FJFY

If you’re looking for a French road trip itinerary that will take you through the best of Northern France, this is the itinerary for you. From the vineyards of Burgundy to the châteaux of the Loire Valley and the battle sites of Normandy, you’ll become fully acquainted with the region. This tour culminates in Paris. 

• After picking up your French rental car from Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, you’ll drive three hours to Burgundy with a nice rest stop along the way. You’ll stay in a beautiful and ideally-located Bed & Breakfast in Beaune which will allow you to walk to the town’s loveliest attractions. These including the famous medieval Hospices and an excellent wine cellar for wine-tasting. From there, your customized French road trip itinerary will direct you to hidden vineyards and timeless villages that will give you an authentic insight into the region. 
• In the Loire Valley you will visit the historic cities of Chinon and Saumur before moving on to the northern Loire region. There you’ll only have to walk 15 minutes to get to the beautiful Amboise castle and the Clos Lucé castle (Leonardo Da Vinci’s final dwelling). We have a private tour to a hidden abbey and a cooking class with a gourmet chef planned for you (according to your preferences).
• We believe that no French road trip itinerary is really complete without a visit to the half-timbered villages, the famous cider road or the vast and beautiful coastal areas of Normandy. From the medieval harbor of Honfleur to the mystical islet of Mont St Michel, we will make sure that Normandy captures your heart. This itinerary will take you away from the well-worn tourist path as much as possible and enable you to experience France as the locals do. 
• In Paris, our travelers stay in a lovely boutique hotel in the central Le Marais district, full of charm and with plenty to do within walking distance of the hotel. Your Paris itinerary will take you to all of the must-see attractions and suggest some alternative activities for those who are looking for something a bit different. This brings to a close our 20-day France vacation itinerary exploring the northern region of the country - contact us so we can start planning your personalized self drive tour!

...and this is just a small taste of what we offer!

 

Visit our tours pages for more detailed information on each tour or contact us!

 

Why we don't offer discounted packages

We don’t offer discount packages or cheap alternative vacation packages.

• This is because we want only the best quality of service for our travelers. In our experience, discounted prices tend to result in a 'cheaper', lower quality of service.
• Furthermore, we work with partners that we know well (hotels, B&Bs, guides) and who we know are doing an excellent job. They tend not to offer discounts as they are often fully-booked a long time in advance. Therefore, the earlier we start planning your trip, the better the chances of booking the best places and guides for you.

 

Are you concerned about driving in a foreign country?

It's natural to have some concerns about driving in another country.

• That's why we've written The Ultimate Guide to Driving in France, which we also include in your travel guidebook. It covers car rental, rules and regulations, French road signs, how to pay tolls, how to fill up the gas tank... It even explains how to pay a French speeding ticket! Take a look and if there's anything we haven't covered, please reach out to us with your questions!

 

We would love to hear from you!

If you're not sure whether a self-guided driving tour of France is for you, please don't hesitate to contact us! Tell us about your hopes and concerns and we may be able to set your mind at rest. You may also like to take a look at our page on TripAdvisor - we have received more than 100 Excellent 5/5 reviews!