France is a varied country, with plenty to see.
Whether you want to visit the city of love, sample French cuisine, or explore the beautiful countryside, there's many reasons why France is popular with tourists.
If you're ready to don your beret and explore France, you should think about travel insurance. This can cover you if the worst happens.
If you need medical treatment while you're in France, your insurance policy can cover the cost.
You policy will usually include some form of cancellation cover that will allow you to claim for things like cancelled flights.
If you become too unwell to travel, your policy's repatriation cover could help with the cost of getting you home.
Your policy should include baggage cover, which allows you to claim if your belongings are stolen or damaged while you're away.
Travel disruption could be the result of adverse weather or strikes. Your travel insurance can cover the cost of your accommodation or missed flights as a result of disruption.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issue travel warnings against going to certain countries. If you travel against FCDO advice, you won't be able to make a claim if something goes wrong.
Any mishaps involving drugs and alcohol won't be covered by your insurer.
These are events that were known about at the time of booking your trip. You won't be covered for any events that were already known before you booked.
Activities that are deemed to be high-risk won't normally be covered under a standard policy. If you want cover for these you'll need to take out adventure travel insurance as an optional extra when you get a quote, or a specialist high-risk travel insurance policy.
Changing your mind is not covered under your travel insurance policy, and won't count as a valid reason for requesting compensation.
If you're planning a skiing holiday to the alps, you'll need specific ski insurance to cover you.
This is an add-on that you can tack onto your base-level policy. A standard policy won't cover you for any high-risk activities like this.
To make sure you're ready to hit the slopes, select 'winter sports cover' when getting a quote.
Winter sports cover will typically cover you for things like medical bills for injuries sustained while skiing. But it can also cover you for ski-specific things like:
Travel insurance prices for France.
Solo traveller
£2.051
Couple
£4.152
Family
£4.903
You can get travel insurance for France from as little as £2.05.
But as everything from your age to your medical history and the type of cover you choose can all have an impact. on what you pay, your policy might be priced differently.
To see exactly what travel insurance for France might set you back, compare quotes with us today. We'll show you our best prices from some of the UK's most trusted insurers.
1Lowest price for a single trip policy lasting 3 nights for a 30-year-old single traveller with no health conditions. Based on Confused.com data September 2024.
2Lowest price for a single trip policy lasting 3 nights for a 30-year-old couple with no health conditions. Based on Confused.com data September 2024.
3Lowest price for a single trip policy lasting 3 nights for a family of 4 consisting of two adults aged 30, and two children aged 5 with no health conditions. Based on Confused.com data September 2024.
To drive in France there a few requirements:
You’ll need car insurance too.
If you already have UK car insurance, your policy may cover you for driving in Europe. But it's always worth checking. You should also be aware that it may only give you 3rd party protection while you're driving abroad, even if you have a fully comprehensive policy.
If you want to up this to fully comprehensive European car insurance, you can normally enhance your cover by contacting your insurance provider.
You’ll also need:
The UK sticker replaced the GB sticker in 2021. If you fail to display a UK sticker on your vehicle, you may be stopped and fined.
In France, Crit'Air stickers are used to categorise different vehicles based on the level of emissions they produce. The cost of the sticker is €3.72, including postage in France. It's €4.61 including international postage if you buy in the UK. You can buy them from the French government website. The current fines for not having one are €68 for a private car and €135 for a coach.1
This should include reflective jackets for all passengers and a warning triangle. You get a fine of up to €135 for each item you don't bring, so make sure you're fully prepared!
Though you'll only need these if you're driving in the snow. France has many beautiful mountain roads, so if you're driving through the Col d'Iseran or Petit St Bernard, make sure you bring snow chains with you.
1Prices correct as of October 2024.
You don’t need a visa if you’re spending less than 90 days in the Schengen area, which includes France. You can spend 90 to 180 days here without a visa, but after this you’ll need one. You’ll also need a visa to work in France. The GOV.UK website provides guidelines for people travelling to France for work.
You’ll need a passport with an expiry date at least 3 months after you plan to leave the Schengen area.
A passport with a date of issue less than 10 years before the date you arrive.
If you’re staying with friends or family, your host may need an ‘attestation d’accueil’ which they can acquire from their local mayor’s office.
Learn more about travelling to Europe with our handy guide.
While crime isn’t particularly high in France, it’s worth noting that thieves and pickpockets do operate in some areas. They're particularly prevalent on the Paris Metro, on RER train lines (particularly RER line B) and at mainline stations.
Face coverings are banned in France, and carry a heavy penalty of up to 150 euros. This includes balaclavas, veils or any other garment or mask that hides your face. Forcing someone to hide their face is also a crime and is punishable by a year’s imprisonment and a fine of up to 30,000 euros. If the person forced to hide their face is under 18 years old, the sentence is doubled. This law applies to all tourists.
If you're going to be working in France, you should consider getting business travel insurance.
You should check if you have cover with your company, and if not, you'll need to take out this cover yourself. Select business travel insurance when you're getting a quote and we'll help you find our best deal.
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