3 cities · 102 million international tourist arrivals in 2024

France

The world's most visited country rewards travellers who slow down: Paris is famously crossable on foot, Lyon layers Roman, Renaissance and silk-weaving history across two hills and a peninsula, and Nice pairs a seafront promenade with a tightly packed old town.

Paris: Paris Montmartre Walking Tour Best Art Culture and Food — Photo supplied by Viator · from a featured walking tour

Cities in France

Île-de-France

Paris

A city you can cross on foot in an afternoon

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Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Lyon

Two rivers, two hills and Europe's largest Renaissance quarter

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Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Nice

A seafront promenade, a hilltop park and an old town in between

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Walking in France

France has been the world's most visited country for decades, and much of what draws people here is best appreciated at walking pace: the way Haussmann's boulevards open onto a quiet square, the sudden view from a bridge, a market street that changes character every hundred metres. The cities in this guide were chosen because their centres are compact, richly layered and genuinely pleasant to explore on foot.

The three cities featured here sit in very different parts of the country. Paris is in the north on the Seine; Lyon is in the south-east where the Rhône and Saône meet; Nice is on the Mediterranean coast near the Italian border. High-speed rail links all three, so combining two or more in one trip is straightforward.

Why France is here

UN Tourism's 2024 figures (the latest complete, comparable full-year set at the time of research) place France first in the world. France's tourism agency reported a similar level, around 102 million, for 2025.

Useful to know

Getting between cities
France's TGV network connects Paris with Lyon in about two hours and with Nice in under six. Lyon and Nice are linked by rail via Marseille. Booking in advance on high-speed services is normal and usually cheaper.
Language
French is the official language. English is widely understood in tourist areas of all three cities, less so elsewhere. Opening an interaction with "bonjour" is expected and makes a noticeable difference to how you are received.
Money and shops
France uses the euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere; contactless is standard. Many smaller shops close for lunch outside Paris, and Sunday opening is limited, though markets and bakeries are usually open on Sunday mornings.
Walking culture
Pedestrian zones are common in historic centres, and cities have expanded cycle lanes considerably in recent years, so watch for bikes as well as cars at crossings. Pavement cafés are part of the streetscape; a coffee at a counter is cheaper than one at a table.
When to go
Spring and early autumn are the most comfortable seasons for long days on foot in all three cities. August is holiday month: many independent businesses close in Paris and Lyon, while Nice is at its busiest.

Other countries in the directory

Spain

Plazas, old quarters and evenings that belong to pedestrians

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United States

Three cities that break the rule that America is for driving

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Sources and review date

Country information last reviewed 2026-09-24. Visitor figures are from the sources below; check official sites for the latest data.

World Tourism rankings (UN Tourism data, 2024), Wikipedia (accessed 2026-09-24)
UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer, January 2026 (accessed 2026-09-24)
Tourism in the French economy, Atout France (accessed 2026-09-24)