Flights to France from €109*

* The displayed prices are applicable for one adult. All amounts are in EUR including taxes and surcharges, except where taxes are collected locally at the airport. A booking fee is not applicable, but a payment surcharge may apply. Prices and availability are subject to change without notice, see Air France Price Display for more information.

Air France flights from Ireland to France

France attracts more visitors than any other country in the world, and if you’ve already been, you’ll know why! This nation of 67 million people is the largest country in the European Union – more than seven times the size of Ireland. With such a large surface area, there are several distinct climate zones, from wet and mild on the western seaboard to the hot summers of the Mediterranean climate in the south. These variations contribute to a wide variety of natural landscapes and habitats, including Western Europe’s highest mountain, Mont Blanc. The local currency is the Euro, and France is one hour ahead of Irish time. The flight to France from Ireland (Dublin-Paris) takes around 1 hour 45 minutes.

France – a country of castles and cathedrals!

France is world-renowned for its built heritage. This encompasses everything from Roman-era constructions such as the Pont du Gard aqueduct, vast former royal palaces like Fontainebleau and Versailles, the remarkable tidal island abbey of Mont St-Michel and modernist designs like the Pompidou Centre or the chapel of Notre-Dame du Haut by Le Corbusier.

However, the country is inextricably associated with both cathedrals (boasting over 100), and castles (châteaux), of which there are thousands. Amiens, Reims, Chartres, Rouen, Strasbourg, Beauvais and Notre Dame de Paris are the most famous cathedrals, all being built in the Gothic style. Superlatives abound when talking about these buildings - Strasbourg cathedral, for example, was the tallest building in the world (at 142 metres) for over two hundred years. Meanwhile, Beauvais cathedral’s nave rises up to almost 48 metres, giving it the highest ceiling of any church in the world. Record-breaking feats aside, many people love these churches for their sheer craftsmanship and sense of peace.

Created for entirely more warlike purposes, France’s castles are scattered throughout the country, with the best-known concentration being in the Loire Valley. Collectively, they have been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. As they are widely distributed even within this area, it may be worthwhile thinking about hiring a car. Amongst the best-loved châteaux are:

• Ussé
• Azay-le-Rideau
• Villandry
• Chambord
• Chenonceau
• Brissac
• Clos Lucé

The latter is where Leonardo da Vinci lived out the last years of his life, and now houses a fascinating exhibition about the Renaissance genius, including life-size reconstructions of inventions found in his sketch books, including a helicopter and a kind of machine-gun.

France – much more than just Paris!

A flight to Paris is the quickest way to get to France from Ireland. However, many tourists fail to venture outside the France capital. Their loss is your gain! Every French region has its own attractions. The southwest of the country boasts Bordeaux wine country, prehistoric cave dwellings, the beauty of the Pyrenees and unspoilt, uncrowded sandy beaches in places like Arcachon and the Ile d’Oléron. Moving inland towards the centre, you can enjoy superb hiking in the Massif Central and the Cévennes mountains and perhaps even canoe through the Gorges du Tarn – one of Europe’s most spectacular river gorges. If you long for warmth, head south to Provence, home to the Camargue’s flamingos, an outstanding arts and festival scene in Avignon, superb modern art collections and galleries in towns like Antibes, Nice and St Paul de Vence and delicious specialities like Bouillabaisse (fish soup from Marseille). Regions such as Alsace, Normandy and Brittany all have their own distinctive culinary specialities, architectural styles and history, marking them out from the rest of the country.

Plan your French itinerary using these helpful websites

• ee.france.fr/
• vinci-closluce.com/en
• auvergne-destination-volcans.com/
• nouvelle-aquitaine-tourisme.com/en
• provence-alpes-cotedazur.com/en/