Bienvenue en France! After all of the heavy lifting of convincing your parents to let you study abroad, narrowing your location down to France, picking a study abroad program, and then arriving in France and settling in, it’s time to have some fun in your new home! It’s easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day of going to classes and working on your language skills, but some of the best parts of studying abroad happen outside of the formal “study” part. Thank goodness!
France is famous for plenty of things besides the Eiffel Tower (although that’s reason enough to visit).
For teens, France can really be the best jumping-off point for both local excursions and international adventures. From a few hours spent learning how to dance the can-can to a weekend exploring the countryside and gardens that inspired Monet, there are plenty of things to do for as long or short a time period as you want. Vive la teen life in France!
10 things to do in France for teens
Depending on where you’re studying in France, there could be a billion things to do right outside your door or you might have to travel a bit. No biggie since France has awesome public transportation, and sometimes having to travel a little makes an adventure that much better. Even if you’re studying in a big city like Paris, you still should spend time outside the city or in totally different regions of France...Paris is not the end-all-be-all of France!
Since there are just so many things to do in France for teens, we’ve narrowed down our top 10 excursions all over the country. We’ve included the average time it takes for each activity to help you plan your free time, but this doesn’t factor in the time to actually get there from your study abroad location since everyone is different. Get creative with these ideas and extend any to full weekends to really get the most out of your adventures!
Grab some friends from your program and go experience some of the best activities in France for teens.
1. Make your own macarons and pastries
The way to a person’s heart is absolutely through their stomach, and France definitely understands this! There’s no better place to learn a thing or two about sweets than France, and whether your sugar of choice comes in the form of macarons, croissants, madeleines, or éclairs, there’s something for all sweet tooths. Spend a few hours learning about pastries, ganaches, fillings, and more, or sign up for a full-day class complete with open air market tours and café stops.
- Where? Paris or probably any French city!
- Time needed? 1-2 hours
2. Live out your #instagoals in Provence’s lavender fields
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, chances are you’ve seen one of those magical pictures of an Influencer surrounded by endless rows of luscious lavender plants. France is one of the world’s leading producers of lavender, and the farms that grow it throughout Provence are even more beautiful than the plant itself. June through August is the best time to see the lavender plants at their peak, so this is a perfect excursion if you’re doing a summer program for high school students in France. Take a few hours to tour some lavender farms and the surrounding charming towns, and don’t forget to pack a picnic!
- Where? Provence
- Time needed? 3-4 hours
Talk about a relaxing weekend getaway! <3
3. Soak up the sun in the French Riviera
France might not on the top of your beach paradise list, but considering that it has over 3,000 miles of coast, there’s lots of room to enjoy! The French Riviera is world-renowned for its Mediterranean beaches, and the hopping cities and quaint towns surrounding the beaches are just as amazing to explore. Especially if you’ve enrolled in a French summer program for high school students, enjoying the French Riviera is a must-do. Head to the coast for a few hours or spend a whole weekend lounging by the sea!
- Where? Nice, Cannes, Marseille, Toulon
- Time needed? 4-5 hours
4. Expand your horizons in Basque Country
Want to add an extra splash of history and culture to your French experience? No study abroad experience is complete without a trip to the French Basque Country, a very under-the-radar destination that is not quite France but not quite not-France. Complete with its own language, the Basque Country is split between France and Spain and located at the foot of the Pyrenees. The Basque region dates back even before Roman times, and today offers everything from small town, alpine adventures to surfing mega waves off the coast of hip cities.
- Where? French Basque Country
- Time needed? 8-10 hours
There are so many great towns to explore in France.
5. Experience après-ski in the French Alps
Literally translating to “after ski”, the French coined this term to describe the Nordic concept of cozy, low-key partying after a day on the slopes. It’s not cool enough to just fly down the rugged, larger-than-life Alps...the French have taken ski days to a whole new level by topping them off with warm, delicious beverages, comfort food, and great conversation served fireside or in a slopeside hot tub. Après brings people together in the most relaxed and happy environments, and no day on the slopes is complete without it! Don’t fret if you’re on a summer program for high school students in France...did you know that ski resorts such as Les Deux Alpes and Tignes offer summer skiing? You actually have a higher chance of bumping into an Olympian training in the summer. Just be sure to get there in the morning before the sun hits the snow!
- Where? Mont Blanc/Chamonix
- Time needed? 8-10 hours
6. Museum hop in any French city
France has so much history, art, food, fashion, and overall “culture” that there is never a reason to be bored. Pick any region and spend a day touring the various museums, and don’t forget to take advantage of student discounts or even free admission. Whether you’re spending literally all day in the Louvre in Paris or bouncing between Strasbourg’s chocolate museum, planetarium, and art history museums, there’s plenty to see in all regions of France and for all types of interests!
- Where? Any city
- Time needed? 1-3 hours each
Sure, it might mean a lot of walking, but nothing beats the art in France.
7. Make your own chocolate
Chocolate may not have been invented in France, but just like most things, the French have truly refined it. Take a few hours to learn a bit more about what makes French chocolate so special, and even try your hand at making it! Truffles, bon bons, hot chocolate, caramels, you name it. Being able to make your own chocolates is truly the sweetest skill you can get while studying abroad!
- Where? Paris or probably any French city!
- Time needed? 2-3 hours
8. Experience WWII first-hand in Normandy
France for sure has a storied past, but most visitors tend to focus on the more romantic side of France’s history. France’s darker past is quite frankly more important, and the best place to start is with relatively recent history like WWII. There’s no better place to experience France’s involvement than Normandy. Spend a few hours walking along Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery learning about the D-Day battles, or take a day-long tour to visit much more of the 54 miles of museums, cemeteries, monuments, and war remains that line the coast.
- Where? Normandy
- Time needed? 2-3 hours
Normandy is a must-see spot if you’re doing a french summer program for high school students.
9. Become royalty at a French castle or palace
The British royal family gets all the attention nowadays, but not too long ago, the French had the most fabulous royals with the most luxurious palaces and castles. The Palace of Versailles alone became a staple in the “luxury” world and has been an inspiration for countless other palaces, government buildings, high-end hotels, and luscious gardens. Take a few hours to get in touch with your royal side at one of the many castles and palaces throughout the country, or pick an area like the Loire Valley with 42 palaces where you can chateaux-hop for a day or weekend!
- Where? Versailles, Mont St. Michel, Fontainebleau, Chenonceau
- Time needed? 3-4 hours
10. Country-hop
The best part of living in France is that it’s surrounded by exciting places. Not that anyone could ever be bored of France, but sometimes you need to switch it up a bit! Take a day trip to tiny but dripping-with-riches Monaco to experience how the 1% lives. Hop over to Switzerland to see how four distinct languages and cultures coexist in one country. Take the ferry across the English Channel for some tea and crumpets. Thanks to cheap airlines popping up and everything being connected by train, it’s super easy to explore the areas surrounding France and add real context to France’s place in the world.
- Where? Anywhere!
- Time needed? 2-3 hours or 2-3 days!
Have unforgettable adventures as a teen in France!
Have a great time in France! It’s sure to be an unforgettable experience.
The best thing about France is that there’s seriously so. much. to. do. You could be skiing the Alps one day and then lounging on the Mediterranean the next day. Or learning how to bake fresh baguettes in the morning and touring a castle after lunch. Or better yet, learning how to bake fresh baguettes inside a castle. For teens, France really does have everything. There are so many reasons why France is a top study abroad location, and its room for adventure is the cherry on top. Whether you’re in France for a French summer program for high school students or doing a whole semester/year abroad, come experience France for teens to the max!
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