France Tour & Trip Reviews

Most trip reviews tend to focus on some or all of these 5 key areas, not all of which may be relevant to you: the tour guide, travel company, service level, country or countries traveled in, and the trip itinerary. 

Remember, just because you see a 1 star review doesn’t necessarily mean that person disliked the country. 

Travelstride features over 2,000 reviews on trips to France. You can sort reviews by highest, lowest, oldest and newest rated with further refinements by tour company.  

Try starting with the highest rated reviews - they can be inspiring! Is it a trip to France or a multi-country trip that includes France? A river cruise or self powered by bike? A culinary or castle adventure? Just a quick scan of the review titles will get you on your way. They’ll also highlight some watch-outs; for example, how challenging it can be to ascend Mont Blanc. 

Guides - Indeed, some guides are good but quirky, some rub people in their group the wrong way and in a few cases, are simply unqualified. As you’ll read in so many reviews though, the vast majority love their jobs and are eager to share their passion for the region, its history, culture, food, etc. Read the most recent reviews on the tour company and the trip you are going on. 

Tour Company - Again, read the most recent reviews on the tour company. The majority of 1 and 2 star ratings are a few years old. They also tend to reflect experiences from just a few tour companies. 

Reviewers are quick to point out if they felt the trip was “worth every penny” or just the opposite: the trip was not as advertised whether it was the food, accommodations, attractions or other aspects of their experience that lacked in quality. Make sure the company is responsive to all of your requests pre-trip as this will likely reflect their level of responsiveness during the trip. 

Service Level - Tour company reviews will give you insight into service levels. Unexpected costs seemed to pop up often in poor reviews so ask your tour company if you should expect any. 

Poor to no communication with the tour company whether pre-trip, during or post-trip was also mentioned in several of those rating at the 1 or 2 star level. Three star reviews are largely recommendations for the tour company and trip but they lack descriptives like: “trip of a lifetime,” “outstanding,” and “unforgettable.” 

Itinerary - Some reviews commented on the itinerary being too packed. This was often the case in multi-country tours. If considering a walking tour, note that there is a high likelihood of  different pace levels. 

This can sometimes be a challenge, particularly if you prefer walking in a group and find yourself walking alone at a much slower or faster pace than the rest of the group. 

A few reviewers, in fact, felt like they were in a military boot camp. If considering a hike in the mountainous regions of France these can be strenuous, so be honest when it comes to your level of fitness.  

Accommodations - ask about the size of the rooms if this is important to you. By American standards, European accommodations can be cramped. In most cases, expect to pay more for larger rooms.

 Early booking sometimes means better room allocation so this is something you may wish to consider/inquire about. Also, you may wish to confirm that accommodations are within reasonable distance to the sites and attractions on your itinerary. More budget minded trips might mean a bit more travel to and, or more basic accommodations.

If you’d like a professional take on traveling in France, see the Travelstride France Guide »