France Travel Guide 2026: Schengen/ETIAS, Navigo Easy in Paris, TGV vs Ouigo, Drive-Right, Bonjour Rule
The one France travel guide that actually explains Schengen 90/180 + the €7 ETIAS, why Navigo Easy replaced paper tickets in Paris, TGV InOui vs Ouigo pricing, driving on the right with crit'Air stickers, and the 'Bonjour' rule that determines whether waiters will help you.
Published July 28, 2026·16 min read
Summary
Everything for a 2026 trip to France: Schengen 90/180(€7 ETIAS coming late 2026), buy a Navigo Easy card in Paris (paper tickets being phased out), book TGV InOui or Ouigo in advance for cheap high-speed, know your Crit'Air sticker before driving into any ZFE, and start every interaction with “Bonjour”. Skip roaming with an Orange- or SFR-backed eSIM.
Schengen entry + ETIAS coming late 2026
France is a founding Schengen state. Visa-waiver visitors get 90 days in any 180-day periodacross the whole Schengen area combined. From late 2026, ETIAS adds a €7 online authorisation for visa-waiver nationals — not live yet, verify at travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en.
Money: cards everywhere, service compris on your bill
Contactless Visa/Mastercard, Apple Pay, and Google Pay work at cafés, restaurants, boulangeries, metros, taxis, museums, and every train station. Cash is a fallback for the boulangerie that charges a €10 minimum on card and the odd small tabac. Withdraw €50–100 on arrival from BNP Paribas, Société Générale, Crédit Agricole, or LCL ATMs.
TVA (VAT) is 20%, included in the sticker price. Non-EU visitors can claim VAT back on retail purchases over €100 via the PABLO tax-refund kiosk at airports.
Service compris (service included):French restaurant bills legally include 15% service — the price on the menu is what you pay. No 20% tip needed. Rounding up 1–2 € for great service, or leaving a small coin at a café, is appreciated but never required.
Paris transit: Navigo Easy, Metro, RER
Paris runs a zone-based system on the RATP Metro, RER (regional express), and buses. In 2025 RATP phased out paper single tickets in favour of the Navigo Easy rechargeable card (€2 for the card, then top up with a 10-ticket carnet at €17.35 or the Navigo Jour day pass).
| Product | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Single Métro/bus t+ | €2.15 | One ride, 90 min transfer window in the zone |
| Carnet (10 tickets) | €17.35 on Navigo Easy | 2–4 day trip with 8+ rides |
| Navigo Jour Zones 1–5 | €12.00 | Airport CDG day trips + heavy Metro use |
| Navigo Semaine (weekly, Mon–Sun) | €30.75 all zones | Stay 4+ days spanning Mon–Sun |
Warning: the Navigo Semaineresets Monday morning regardless of when you buy — buying it Thursday and staying until next Wednesday wastes half the value. Do the maths against the carnet or day pass.
High-speed rail: TGV InOui and Ouigo
Both run on the same 320 km/h track. Book on sncf-connect.com (TGV InOui, IC, TER regional) or ouigo.com(Ouigo). Advance saver fares from €10–20 open ~3 months out.
| Route | Time | Advance fare |
|---|---|---|
| Paris ↔ Lyon | 2h | €25–80 InOui, €10–30 Ouigo |
| Paris ↔ Marseille | 3h 15 | €40–100 InOui |
| Paris ↔ Bordeaux | 2h 10 | €25–80 InOui |
| Paris ↔ Strasbourg | 1h 50 | €35–100 |
Airports and transfers
| Airport | Recommended transfer |
|---|---|
| Paris CDG | RER B to Gare du Nord/Châtelet (€13, 35 min); Roissybus to Opéra; taxi flat €56/62 |
| Paris Orly | Line 14 Métro extension (~€13); Orlyval + RER B; Orlybus; taxi flat €36/44 |
| Nice Côte d'Azur (NCE) | Tramway T2 to Nice centre (~€1.50) |
| Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS) | Rhônexpress tram (~€16, 30 min) |
Driving: right side, Crit'Air stickers, autoroute tolls
- Drive on the right. Steering on the left. Manual is default; ask for automatic.
- Licence: EU/EEA fine. Non-EU visitors: national licence in English (or IDP) for up to 12 months.
- Crit'Air sticker required in Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, Strasbourg, Marseille ZFE zones. €4 from certificat-air.gouv.fr. Fine for missing it: €68.
- Autoroute tolls (A): ticket-and-pay-on-exit; roughly €8–12 per 100 km. Some free.
- Speed limits: 50 built-up, 80–90 rural, 130 autoroute (110 in rain).
- Priorité à droite (yield to right) still applies at unmarked country intersections — a French idiosyncrasy.
French phrases — and the Bonjour rule
The single most useful thing you can learn about France is the Bonjour rule: say “Bonjour” when entering any shop, bar, café, or approaching any waiter or clerk. Failing to greet first is considered rude — it's the reason many Americans think French waiters are hostile. Say bonjour first and watch service transform.
Cultural norms visitors get wrong
- Bonjour first, always. See above. This one rule changes everything.
- Speak quietly at restaurants. Loud American voices at a bistro turn heads.
- Meals are events. Lunch 12:00–14:00, dinner from 19:30. Kitchens close between services.
- Bread is torn, not cut. Placed directly on the tablecloth beside your plate.
- Wine with lunch is normal; getting drunk on it is not.
- Ask for tap water (carafe d'eau) to avoid the pushed €5 bottle.
- Bakeries close Mondays or Tuesdays and Sundays after noon — plan your croissant runs.
- “French Sunday”: most shops closed, museums open, restaurants open lunch and dinner.
- The August exodus: Paris empties in August, many restaurants and small shops close for 3–4 weeks.
Staying connected: Orange / SFR / Bouygues / Free Mobile
Four networks: Orange (widest coverage), SFR, Bouygues Telecom, and Free Mobile. 5G in most cities; 4G LTE elsewhere. Orange has the strongest rural footprint.
EU visitors: Roam Like At Home — no eSIM needed. Non-EU visitors:travel eSIM saves US$50–100 vs roaming per week. See France eSIM vs roaming and the France eSIM buying guide.
Practical odds and ends
- Plugs: Type C/E, 230 V.
- Time zone: CET (UTC+1) / CEST (UTC+2) summer.
- Emergency: 112 universal, 15 SAMU (medical), 17 police.
- Tap water is safe. Restaurants owe you a free carafe on request.
- Pickpocketing real on Metro line 1, near Eiffel Tower, Montmartre. Cross-body bag.
- Drinking age: 18 for wine/beer/spirits.
- Strikes (grèves) happen — check RATP status before an important trip; often SNCF gives 48h notice.
FAQ
QDo I need a visa to visit France in 2026?
AFor short-term tourism, citizens of ~60 visa-waiver countries — Canada, US, UK, Australia, NZ, Japan, Korea, and more — can enter France (and the entire Schengen area) visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day window. From late 2026 (subject to further slips), ETIAS will require a €7 online authorisation before flying. Verify at travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en before you book.
QCan I tap my bank card on the Paris metro?
ARolling out. The RATP now sells the Navigo Easy card (rechargeable, no photo, €2 for the card + top-up) as the replacement for the old paper carnet — paper tickets are being phased out. Contactless bank card on gates is being rolled out on Île-de-France Mobilités services (RER, Transilien) but not yet universal on Metro turnstiles. Simplest for a first-time visitor: buy Navigo Easy at any ticket machine and top up with a 10-ticket carnet (€17.35) or a Navigo Jour day pass.
QWhat's the difference between TGV InOui and Ouigo?
ABoth are SNCF (French national rail) high-speed products on the same track. TGV InOui is the premium service — comfortable, flexible ticket, catering car, business option. Ouigo is the low-cost brand — cheaper base fare (from €10), paid seat assignment, paid luggage, no catering, sometimes departs from suburban stations (Marne-la-Vallée for Paris) instead of central Paris. Both hit ~320 km/h. Book on sncf-connect.com; Ouigo separately at ouigo.com.
QWhat is a Crit'Air sticker and do I need one?
ACrit'Air is France's vehicle emissions sticker (6 categories, based on age and fuel type). Cars entering the Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, Strasbourg, and Marseille low-emission zones (ZFE) must display one — €4 from the official government site (certificat-air.gouv.fr). Rental cars from French agencies come with it; check at pickup. Fine for driving without one in a ZFE: €68.
QHow much should I tip in France?
AVery little. By law, French restaurant bills include a 'service compris' 15% service charge — no additional tip is expected. Rounding up €1–2 for good service, or leaving a small coin on the table at a café, is a nice gesture. Never leave 20% American-style — it reads as odd. Round up taxi fares. €1 per bag for hotel porters. No tip at counter service.
QWhat's the cheapest way to get mobile data as a tourist?
AA France travel eSIM installed on your unlocked phone runs on Orange, SFR, or Bouygues Telecom for a fraction of the US$10–15 per day most US carriers charge for a roaming pass. Install on Wi-Fi before you fly and land at Paris CDG or Orly already connected. EU citizens with EU SIMs get Roam Like At Home already — no eSIM needed for a short trip.
Bottom line
Schengen entry for 90/180, buy Navigo Easy in Paris, book TGV InOui or Ouigo in advance for cheap high-speed, know Crit'Air before driving into any ZFE, tip only rounded change on top of service compris, and let an Orange-backed eSIM carry data on non-EU passports. And say Bonjouron the way in — France is 40% politer the moment you do.