7-Day France and Switzerland Tour Packages

Insider tips: Recommended 7-day France And Switzerland tour itineraries

Compiled by

NinaFrance and Switzerland travel expert at TourRadar

• 7 Days in France & Germany, incl. Marseille and Paris

  From French Provence through Swiss Fribourg, this 7-day route highlights Lyon's funicular, Burgundy's vineyards, and Alsace's historic towns. Stops include Triberg Waterfalls and Swiss Baden before arriving in Paris.

  

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  • Day 1

    Provence Art & History (Marseille to Lyon)

    Start your day in Marseille and head to the Roman amphitheater in Arles by 9 AM to avoid crowds. Visit Carrières de Lumières in Les Baux for about 2 hours. The quarry floors are uneven so pack good walking shoes. Stop for lunch at Place de l'Horloge in Avignon before visiting the Palais des Papes. Travel to Lyon and take a cable car up to Notre-Dame de Fourvière to catch the sunset.

    
  • Day 2

    Burgundy Wine Trail (Lyon to Dijon)

    Drive through Burgundy's rolling hills to Tournus about 2.5 hours from Lyon. Visit the Hospices in Beaune but book tickets online to skip the lines. Check out Savigny Castle's unique motorcycle and aircraft museums for something different. Get to Dijon by late afternoon to walk through the medieval center. Fall is the best time to see the wine harvest in action.

    
  • Day 3

    Alsace Villages (Dijon to Strasbourg)

    Visit Besançon's citadel first thing before driving 3 hours to Colmar. Take photos of Colmar's Little Venice in mid-morning when the light makes the colorful houses look their best. Stop in Riquewihr to see the picturesque Grand-Rue. End your day in Strasbourg where the cathedral looks beautiful at dusk.

    
  • Day 4

    Black Forest Discovery (Strasbourg to Baden-Baden)

    Take the first boat tour at 9:30 AM in Strasbourg's Petite France but book ahead. Cross to Germany and explore Freiburg's historic center. Try some Black Forest cake at Café Schmidt. Visit Triberg Falls in the afternoon but bring sturdy shoes as paths can be slippery. Spend your evening at Baden-Baden's elegant casino.

    
  • Day 5

    German Castles (Baden-Baden to Frankfurt)

    Begin at Speyer's Romanesque cathedral then go to Heidelberg. Take the funicular up to the castle in the morning to beat the crowds. Get your best castle photos from across the river on Philosopher's Way. Finish in Frankfurt's Römerberg where you can find traditional German food. The apple wine taverns are busy and fun on weekends.

    
  • Day 6

    Three Countries (Frankfurt to Paris)

    Leave early for Luxembourg which is about 3 hours away. Explore the old town's fortifications but bring good shoes for the steep walks. Visit Reims' Gothic cathedral in the afternoon to see sunlight through the stained glass. Get to Paris by evening.

    
  • Day 7

    Paris Departure

    Spend your final morning in Paris before leaving. Most cafés open at 7 AM if you want one last Parisian coffee near your hotel.

    

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• 7 Days in France & Switzerland, incl. Paris and Zurich

  Charming cities like Beaune, Lyon, and Lucerne anchor this 7-day tour. Highlights include Gruyères' cheese heritage, Geneva's Jet d'Eau, and Alsace's medieval towns, plus champagne tasting in Épernay and stays at selected hotels.

  

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  • Day 1

    Paris to Lyon

    Leave Paris and travel through Burgundy's wine region. Stop in Beaune (2.5 hours from Paris) for lunch but plan to arrive before 12:30 PM since most restaurants close their kitchens early. Continue to Lyon (3 hours from Beaune) and take the funicular up to Notre-Dame de Fourvière. Visit before sunset for the best views of the city. Book your stay in the Presqu'île district where you'll be close to Lyon's traditional bouchons restaurants.

    
  • Day 2

    Geneva and Gruyères

    Make an early start to Switzerland. The drive from Lyon to Geneva takes about 2 hours. Visit the English Garden's flower clock in the morning light for better photos. From there drive to Lausanne (1 hour) and continue to Gruyères. Visit the Cailler Chocolate Factory in late afternoon when crowds are smaller and the chocolate tastings are fresher.

    
  • Day 3

    Swiss Alps Exploration

    The Susten Pass drive is one of the trip highlights. Leave Interlaken early but wait until around 10 AM when the morning fog usually lifts for better mountain views. Bring shoes with good grip for the Aare Gorge walkways. When you reach Italian-speaking Switzerland watch for great photo spots along Lake Lugano especially during golden hour.

    
  • Day 4

    Medieval Switzerland

    Start at Bellinzona's castles when they open at 9 AM to catch the morning light. Drive the Gotthard Pass before noon to avoid traffic. Plan to visit Lucerne's Kapellbrücke bridge at sunset when the crowds have thinned and the lighting is perfect for photos.

    
  • Day 5

    Basel to Alsace

    Walk through Basel's peaceful old town before shops open. Time your Colmar lunch between 1-3 PM to avoid the busiest hours. Visit Riquewihr after 4 PM when tour buses leave and the evening sun makes the colorful buildings look their best.

    
  • Day 6

    Strasbourg and Champagne

    Take an early morning boat tour in Strasbourg when the canals are quiet. For the cathedral's astronomical clock show at 12:30 PM arrive 30 minutes early for good spots. Schedule champagne cellar tours in late afternoon for a more personal experience.

    
  • Day 7

    Final Morning in Paris

    Finish your trip in Paris. If flying from Charles de Gaulle Airport give yourself at least 1 hour for the transfer from the city center since morning traffic can be heavy.

    

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• 7 Days in France & Switzerland, incl. Paris and Zurich

  This 7-day tour blends Paris's landmarks with Swiss mountain beauty. The itinerary features the Eiffel Tower, Seine River, Mount Titlis, and Lake Lucerne. Guests stay at Hotel L'Interlude in Paris and Drei Konige in Lucerne, connected by comfortable train rides.

  

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  • Days 1-3

    Paris

    Book a morning flight into Charles de Gaulle Airport to avoid heavy traffic. A recent traveler shared: "The detailed documentation saved us lots of time figuring out logistics, especially with Paris's complex metro system." Start with a Seine River cruise between 4-5pm for optimal lighting conditions followed by the Eiffel Tower. Book your summit visit about an hour before sunset to see Paris in both daylight and after dark. Get there 15 minutes early with your skip-the-line ticket. Your second day covers historic Paris on foot. Visit Notre Dame and Pont Neuf before spending 2-3 hours at the Louvre. Use the Porte des Lions entrance to avoid crowds and see the Mona Lisa first thing. Day 3 takes you through local neighborhoods. Start at Champs-Élysées in the morning then explore Montmartre before crowds fill the Sacré-Cœur. Visit Père Lachaise Cemetery in late afternoon when sunlight filters through the trees.

    
  • Days 4-5

    Lucerne

    Take an early train from Paris to Lucerne (6 hours). Your Swiss Pass covers all Swiss train travel. Head to Mount Rigi right after arrival for spectacular lake views from the cogwheel train. Start early the next day for Mount Titlis. Take the 8:30am train to Engelberg to get ahead of tour groups. You'll get amazing glacier views from the rotating cable car and Ice Flyer chairlift. End your day with a Lake Lucerne boat cruise from the upper deck.

    
  • Days 6-7

    Zurich

    It's a quick hour by train to Zurich from Lucerne. Spend the afternoon walking through Old Town's narrow streets. Take a morning trip to Rhine Falls and try the boat ride (CHF 15) that brings you close to the water. The airport train from central Zurich runs frequently. Plan to arrive 90 minutes before check-in time for security.

    

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