French Waterways collates its pick of the best France bloggersThere’s certainly no shortage of French blogs, written by natives, expats, travel gurus, foodies… And they cover all corners of the country, writing about France and every aspect of its culture. Many of them are niche, while others take a more general stance. The best France bloggers count their followers in thousands and come with stratospheric figures in social media too.

Choosing the best blogs about France is, therefore, no easy task. But we’ve taken a good look at what’s out there and come up with our list.

It’s ever evolving – do please share your suggestions for who we should include. Typically we find the best French blogs for our purposes – and yours – include those covering expert travel tips, family-friendly France, candid French restaurant reviews, expat insight and lots of photos of France. Read on to discover our pick, just for you…

Best France bloggers

Our favourite Francophiles

Travel tips for travelling to France

Janice Chung describes herself as “an avid runner from Toronto” but she also turns out to be one of the best France bloggers and genuine francophile. She’s visited the country over 30 times and as a result is something of an expert. Jan’s big thing is saving time and money, and that’s the main objective of her blog, France Travel Tips. But the blog also makes a great guide to France and what to see and do there. 

Jan says it began as her escape from work but has since become her oasis and a place where she feels truly “bien dans sa peau” (good in her skin). Despite not living in the country, she knows the tourist trail like the back of her hand and takes you on a journey around the country (she’s covered a lot in 32 visits).

The site’s super easy to navigate and the handy “Start here” tab comes packed with advice, tips and information. We like the Google map locating all the places Jan has visited and covers in her blog, and the variety of information. This is a website that lists 10 dos and don’ts in France along with money saving tips, out-of-the-box experiences and practical advice.

There are even some downloadable pdfs covering some fun basics such as “how to get your meat cooked”. Her newsletter offers a weekly tip and would make a perfect addition to any France fan’s inbox.

A great site for newbies in France and veteran visitors too. Jan offers a gold mine of information as well as lots of tips to help you get the most out of your trip to France.

Snapping France city by city

Livia, originally from Australia, lived in France for several years before returning Down Under. Her France blog Chamelle Photography showcases many places across the hexagon and reviews festivals, art exhibitions and films giving you a real flavour of La France.

The blog opens with Livia holding pink balloons against a backdrop of the Eiffel Tower and spring in Paris and this stunning image sets the scene for the whole site. Livia offers articles on some 20 French cities including the best known as well as a smattering of those you perhaps haven’t heard of. Each comes with lots of information on sights and things to do – including those off the beaten tourist trail – and, of course, plenty of lovely photos.

Livia also takes a look at four regions and typical French festivals – her photos of the Nice Carnival really cheer up a grey day – as well as art exhibitions and film reviews. She also provides lots of practical information such as when’s the best time to visit Aix-en-Provence and there are handy Google maps so you can place a particular city.

Livia has earned her place in our round up of best France bloggers because she is particularly strong on pictures of hidden corners and unusual angles of France (that secret fountain, concealed patio, stunning façade…) that you never knew existed.

An expat perspective

Tales from the Loire Valley

Oui in France began life in 2012 when New Jersey-born Diane arrived in the Loire Valley. The site has now become a giant source of information, practical advice and a tongue-in-cheek look at life in France for an expat, which makes Diane one of our best France bloggers.

Blogging about France from an expat’s point of view is hardly new, but Diane brings a fresh take to those newbie experiences. She firmly believes in “making the most of every moment” and so there’s a strong healthy lifestyle element to her blog. She also includes different perspectives to the whole expat experience.

Take learning French for example. Her articles are unusual – one piece looks at “what we can learn from Bradley Cooper speaking French”. And they all include videos and pictures to bring each article to life. She also goes behind the scenes to visit the ‘real’ France. For example, one of her latest posts documents her visit to a French bakery at 4 o’clock in the morning to video how they make their 1,000 daily baguettes and create the perfect macaron.

French husband Tom also features and answers blog visitors’ questions. The ‘Ask Tom Tuesday’ section gives Diane a great excuse to provide some insight into French culture and how it’s so very different to her native America.

There’s also some good advice on speaking French (check out the ‘Quick French Lesson’ section).

Diaries from the Dordogne

Marcus Smith is creator of France This Way, a site he started when he moved to the Dordogne from the UK.

The blog section offers useful information on life in France (some of it very specialist advice such as how to learn to drive in France) and some less familiar content such as the Top 10 infamous French criminals!

As well as lots of advice on life in France, we also love the guides to the regions. They’re all there – Burgundy, Provence, Loire Valley, Cote d’Azur – and come with all the essential information you need to plan a proper visit.

If you haven’t planned and need some inspiration, the ‘Holiday Ideas’ blog section offers a long list of places to get your travel bug going. And if you fancy practising your French before you visit, just click on the Version Française.

 A Parisian feast

Travel writer Lindsey’s Lost in Cheeseland blog about France centres on Paris with occasional sojourns to other parts of the country. There’s a good sprinkling of travel posts – great tips for must-dos with kids in Paris and a good rise to the challenge of 24 hours in the city – plus the Franco File Fridays series featuring interviews with expats who share a love of France.

But it’s her food blogs where Lindsey, who hails (appropriately) from Philadelphia, excels and secures her place as one of our best France bloggers. Every foodie post comes accompanied by mouth-watering photos (no wonder she has nearly 70k followers on Instagram) and we wanted to go on her Paris Pastry Crawl right away.

There are great tips for the best coffee in Paris and a listing of Lindsey’s favourite restaurants, including some without those often unfriendly-on-your-wallet Paris prices.

The other side of life

It isn’t often a blog covers quite as much and as well as this one, but award winning The Good Life France takes the whole country well into its stride. Whether you’re looking for the best parks in Paris, hosting a dinner party French-style, châteaux hopping in the Loire or simply interested in new attractions anywhere in France, this is your go-to blog.

Outside the official blog section of the website, you’ll find a treasure trove of information about France – there’s practical advice on aspects of everyday life and posts about things to do in France.

All the main tourist regions are featured here so you can read about the market in Dijon, find out where to see lavender in Provence, see photos of the Loire Valley in winter… Now, surely, as one of the best France bloggers that’s the good life sorted?

Storytelling from Provence

There’s no doubt about Carolyne’s love for Provence and her commitment to telling the region tales from a first hand perspective. With her roots firmly in Canada, but her heart very much in Provence, she has set about sharing and extolling the joys of this sun kissed region.

For anyone who’s been to Provence and left a little of their heart there, this blog will warm your soul on the darkest of winter days and skip you back to pretty Provence in no time at all. Whether you seek travel inspiration or recipe ideas to bring a piece of Provence to your supper, you’ll find some wonderful, authentic and locally inspired suggestions here.

We’re particularly fond of her Provence books section where every member of the family is catered for. Time to update your reading list?

Learn to speak French

One word at a time 

We have to include Word A Day in our list of best France bloggers because not only it is fabulous tool for learning the local lingo, it’s also an effort based on a genuine desire to help others. This is such a gem for learning French beyond the run-of-the-mill language classes we couldn’t possibly not include it.

Blog owner Kristi posts a new word or expression daily, teaches you how to pronounce it via the handy audio download (her husband Jean Marc provides the perfect French) and then puts the word of the day into context in a short article.

You can also download audios on mastering French vocabulary and while you’re there, catch up with Kristi’s two children who, although they spoke French after she did, have the advantage of being bilingual.

Out and about in France

A love for the city of love and its history 

As one of the first blogs passionately sharing travel and tourism know-how on France, Bonjour Paris hits our list of best France bloggers for its commitment and detail to Paris and a penchant for a backstory or two. Sue Aran’s monthly post delves into the history of French icons like the Marquis de Lafayette and Madame de Pompadour. Daily posts on a Parisian theme work for locals and tourists alike.

From Paris apartments for sale, to restaurants you can book for brunch rather than queue down the street waiting for a table, you’ll want this blog bookmarked for your next trip to France’s first city.

The currency of the content is perhaps the most exciting – there aren’t just Paris restaurant recommendations listed here, there are restaurants to visit this month before your friends all ask “have you eaten at … yet? You really must…” The information is as fresh as fresh can be, just like the croissants Sue might have had for breakfast this morning.

Slow travel en France

Sue Aran’s own slow travel blog French Country Adventures is well worth a read, preferably over a crisp glass of sauvignon. From her deep joy at living in southwestern France and sharing it with readers and visitors alike, to her philosophical ponderings, you’re left with a warmth for France and an eagerness to see it at a gentle pace.

The slow travel philosophy is in parallel to the slow food movement that encourages one to stop, savour, absorb and hold on to that moment and what it has to offer. If ever you needed reassuring that travel creates life experiences, read the blog on French Country Adventures. Tales from the French countryside will have you grounded and back in touch with perspective in no time. Now all you have to do is act on it…

Keeping up with Provence

American Julie Mautner’s The Provence Post features on our list of best France bloggers simply because her ‘what’s on in Provence’ information is second to none. When you’re planning a holiday it’s super useful to know what’s on while you’re there and The Provence Post does just that.

Julie is based in St Remy de Provence where she has lived since 1999 and her blog shares events in Provence and pieces of local news that are difficult to find elsewhere. Each blog post begins with a nice display of photos to give you a feel for the topic before going on to give you the information. The Provence Post also provides useful information for visitors such as a list of tourist offices and a calendar of French holidays for the year.

If you aren’t lucky enough to be going on holiday in Provence, take a tour round the blog anyway. Each post comes jam packed with photos that transport you away from your screen into the sights, sounds and most of all, scents of Provence.

Those Parisian secrets

As discovered by American Heather who hails from Arizona but has lived in the City of Light since 1995. Secrets of Paris takes you to the Paris off the beaten tourist track and uncovers anecdotes and hidden sights while giving you a lot of insider knowledge of the city.

The blog posts include lots of photos and occasional video clips making them fun and easy to read. Another great feature for the Paris visitor is Heather’s Paris Resource Guide where you can find her thoughts on the best restaurants in Paris, hotels and sightseeing as well as more unusual topics such as running in Paris and Naughty Paris (ladies only!).

And if you’re on holiday in Paris check out the monthly calendar packed with things to do and see.

En famille in a van

Brit Richard and his family (wife and two daughters) got into a campervan in 2015 and set off for Europe. 3 years and 35 countries later, they’d notched up 54,000 miles between them and discovered 450 adventures en famille. The Life in our Van blog documents these and gives you a unique insight into seeing France (and the other 34 countries) with kids in tow.

Although they no longer post new updated, the very family friendly feel to the site and its fabulous content remains there for your consumption. Lots of videos and photos showcase regions and experiences with France taking centre stage as obviously one of their favourite countries. Richard’s guides to French cities have a totally family stance, a perspective that tends to be relegated to a small section in guidebooks or not mentioned at all.

Life in our Van gets up to all sorts of things – the family go cycling round vineyards, whitewater rafting and discover hidden spots on the French coastline. Richard and his wife certainly do encourage their girls to “embrace a bit of adventure”. The blog covers it all comprehensively and you even get an insight into things to do when it’s raining in Strasbourg say.

Would-be campervan trippers will find lots of tips and campsite reviews – always useful when you’re on the road. And of course, each review tells it from a family perspective.

Not on the Bordeaux postcards

Tim Pike’s blog Invisible Bordeaux discovers those places in and around Bordeaux that don’t feature on postcards. It goes beyond the usual tourist sights in Bordeaux and aims to reveal the real city and surroundings, which is what lands him a place on our list of best France bloggers.

But the blog doesn’t forget the essential things to see – these are covered too – and it makes some good suggestions on what to see if you want to get off the beaten track.

Discover Bordeaux’s version of the Statue of Liberty, Wallace fountains and and WW2 U-boat pen. Invisible Bordeaux includes useful interactive maps and self-guided walks, available as pdfs or as apps for iPhones.

À votre santé best France bloggers! 

French wine obviously has to put in an appearance on a list of the best France bloggers and our chosen entry ranks among the best.

Tales from the vines

In Wine Terroirs, freelance photographer and wine aficionado Bertrand Celce visits vineyards and wine cellars throughout the main wine producing regions in France and then writes about them. We love his wine reviews in the Wine News section plus the long list of anecdotes…

  • Bertrand recently discovered that until 1956, wine was served at French school lunches – diluted with water for primary and neat for secondary.
  • When he bought a bottle of very, very vintage Chateau Kirwan at a flea market in Paris for 2 euros.

As you’d expect, there are lots of photos on the blog and we especially like his range of pictures that take you from planting the vines to trying the wine at the end of the process.

Bertrand is also listed as one of the top seven best wine bloggers for Food & Wine magazine so we’re obviously all on the same page with this one! Cheers!

Could you blog about France?

Whether these France bloggers inspire you to visit France, to learn to speak French, or to even start writing about France, we hope we’ve enlightened your reading on the country.

To experience the country first hand, will you start with a luxury hotel barge in France, take the helm yourself from a self-drive hire boat, or take to one of the country’s biggest waterways on a French river cruise?

Whichever you choose, our team has the first hand expertise to find exactly the right French cruise for you.

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Our most inclusive list yet of the best France bloggers