Travel Journal

Where to Go in France This Winter (2025-2026)

Looking for the best places to visit in France this winter? From Annecy under snow to the quiet charm of Burgundy’s vineyards, discover our favourite winter destinations in France.

December 16, 2025

Winter is probably our favourite season to travel in France. Not because everything is open, busy, or “at its best”, but because places finally breathe again. The crowds disappear, and you get to experience destinations the way locals do: slowly, quietly, and often more beautifully.

Over the years, we’ve realised that winter travel isn’t about chasing the sun or ticking boxes. It’s about atmosphere. A fire lit at the end of the day. A long lunch with people who live there. A museum visited in silence. A walk where you can actually hear your own footsteps.

These are some of the French destinations we love most in winter; authentic, elegant, and deeply satisfying once the season changes.

Annecy

In summer, Annecy is busy, postcard-perfect, and undeniably beautiful. But in winter, it becomes something else entirely; calmer, more local, and far more intimate.

With snow covering the rooftops and mountains surrounding the lake, the old town feels almost suspended in time. The canals and narrow streets are no longer crowded, allowing you to truly enjoy the traboules, the architecture, and the rhythm of daily life. Tourist restaurants close, leaving space for year-round addresses where locals actually eat and where you’ll almost always eat better.

Winter is also when Annecy becomes a perfect base: a lakeside walk in the morning, then up to the nearby ski stations in the afternoon, Le Semnoz, La Clusaz, Le Grand-Bornand, or even Chamonix. And in the evening, it’s all about fondue, firelight, and that cosy alpine feeling that makes winter so special.

Biarritz

Winter in Biarritz is one of France’s best-kept secrets. The climate remains mild, the air is fresh, and the city suddenly feels much more like itself.

The beaches are quiet, dramatic, and beautiful; perfect for long walks along the coast, watching surfers face winter waves, or stopping to admire the sunset at the Côte des Basques. There’s a real sense of calm here in winter, a slower rhythm that makes the town incredibly restorative.

It’s also the perfect season to explore culture and gastronomy: museums like Asiatica, galleries, and small restaurants where Basque flavours take centre stage. And from Biarritz, it’s easy to head inland to villages like Espelette, La Bastide-Clairence, or Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, where winter brings authenticity and local markets.

Paris

Paris in winter has a very particular charm. The city feels calmer, more introspective, and surprisingly comforting.

It’s the season for intimate museums and warm interiors: writers’ houses like Victor Hugo or Balzac, artists’ studios such as Bourdelle or Zadkine, and quieter visits to places you might skip in summer. We also love winter for unexpected escapes, the tropical greenhouses of the Jardin des Plantes, or the Aquarium de la Porte Dorée, which instantly transport you somewhere warmer.

Paris in winter is about cafés, bookshops, long lunches, and evening walks when the city lights feel softer and more poetic.

The Côte d’Azur

The Riviera in winter is a completely different experience and a beautiful one. The light is still there, the sun often shines, but the crowds are gone.

This is the season to explore without pressure: walk coastal paths, drive into the hinterland, visit gardens, and enjoy a slower pace of life. You can ski in the Southern Alps and be back by the sea the same day, follow the Route du Mimosa as it blooms, or experience events like the Nice Carnival without the summer chaos.

Winter reveals the Côte d’Azur’s elegance; understated, luminous, and far more authentic.

Megève

Megève is winter done properly.
Elegant but warm, traditional without being outdated, and perfectly balanced between nature, gastronomy, and comfort.

The village itself is a pleasure to explore, with its wooden chalets, cobbled streets, and refined atmosphere. Skiing is obviously central; the Évasion Mont-Blanc domain offers incredible views and variety, but Megève is just as appealing if you’re not a serious skier.

Snowshoe walks, spa afternoons, long lunches, winter markets, and a strong cultural calendar make Megève as much about lifestyle as sport.

Burgundy

If winter travel for you means good food, wine, and tranquillity, Burgundy is a perfect choice.

The vineyards, stripped back and sometimes dusted with snow, take on a quiet, almost poetic beauty. Wineries are calmer, visits are more personal, and conversations with winemakers feel more genuine. This is when you really learn, rather than rush.

Winter is also the season for Burgundy’s comforting cuisine; long dinners, rich sauces, and evenings spent by the fire. The days may be short, but the experiences feel deeper and more memorable.

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