As the World’s most popular tourist destination, France is renowned for beautiful landscapes, amazing food and wine and captivating culture. As we know the Rugby World Cup 2023 is being held in France later on this year. With such a tempting destination to visit, why not witness world class rugby with us whilst exploring all France has to offer?

With this in mind, why don’t you discover the areas that will be hosting the 2023 Rugby World Cup…

Bordeaux & Stade de Bordeaux

Weather/Temperature in September/October:

Sunny and dry, avg. high 22°c.

Top thing to see/do:

Place de la Bourse; a majestic square built between 1730 and 1775 that signified the dramatic opening up of the historic centre to the River Garonne.

Food/Drink to try:

Canelés; small pastries baked in a scalloped mould with vanilla, rum and cane sugar.

What we recommend:

Famous for its dry and full-bodied reds, Bordeaux wine is not one to miss trying, so why not make the most of being in this beautiful wine valley and try a wine tour at one of Bordeaux’s many vineyards.

Fixtures:

Ireland v Romania

Wales v Fiji

Samoa v Chile

South Africa v Romania

Fiji v Georgia

Lille & Stade Pierre Mauroy

Weather/Temperature in September/October:

Sunny and dry, avg. high 17°c.

Top thing to see/do:

Explore Lille’s historic district and marvel in the baroque architecture with its Flemish influence, dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Food/Drink to try:

Carbonade Flamande; Braised beef slow-cooked with beer, onions, brown sugar and gingerbread.

What we recommend:

Spend the afternoon exploring one of France’s finest arts museums; Palais des Beaux Arts. The museum opened in 1892 and holds works by renowned artists such as Monet, Raphael, van Gogh and Picasso.

Fixtures:

France v Uruguay

England v Chile

Scotland v Romania

England v Samoa

Tonga v Romania

Lyon & OL Stadium

Weather/Temperature in September/October:

Mixture of sun and thunderstorms, avg. high 20°c.

Top thing to see/do:

Vieux Lyon; This is one of the largest renaissance old quarters in Europe. Explore these streets that are steeped in history and are home to over 300 remaining 15th, 16th and 17th century homes of the rich merchant families that used to reside there.

Food/Drink to try:

As France’s capital of cuisine, there are plenty of items to try including andouillette, a sausage made from tripe or lyonnaise potatoes, which are sliced and pan-fried with onions and parsley.

What we recommend:

Visit the Traboules; a type of secret covered passageways, based in Vieux Lyon and La Croix-Rousse Saône. This architectural feature is unique to the city and was used to give the city’s silk workers direct access to the riverbank. 40 are still open to the public, so make sure to make time to get lost down these unique tunnels.

Fixtures:

Wales v Australia

Uruguay v Namibia

New Zealand v Italy

New Zealand v Uruguay

France v Italy

Marseille & Stade Velodrome

Weather/Temperature in September/October:

Sunny and dry, avg. high 21°c.

Top thing to see/do:

Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde; This 19th Century neo-Byzantine church is hard to miss with its large golden statue of the Virgin and Child, based 150 meters above the water. Either take your chances and try walking up to the top of the hill or take the train that departs from the Old Port to witness it’s breath-taking views.

Food/Drink to try:

Bouillabaisse; a fish and seafood stew or Chichis Fregis; a type of deep-fried doughnut, similar to a churro.

What we recommend:

Weather permitting take a boat trip to visit the Calanques. This National Park is made up of stunning scenery including craggy white limestone cliffs and beautiful coves with crystal clear water.

Fixtures:

England v Argentina

South Africa v Scotland

France v Namibia

South Africa v Tonga

Quarter Final 1

Quarter Final 3

Nantes & Stade de la Beaujoire

Weather/Temperature in September/October:

Sunny and dry, avg. high 19°c.

Top thing to see/do:

Visit the west side of the île de Nantes to experience Les Machines de I’île. These whimsical animatronic creatures are a sight to be seen and are interactive. They include a 12 meters tall elephant which you can ride whilst it walks and a gigantic carousel with moving marine creatures.

Food/Drink to try:

Oysters are as fresh as you can get in Nantes but also try Gâteau Nantais, a soft pound cake made with plenty of rum.

What we recommend:

Ready for a bit of shopping? Visit Passage Pommeraye, a shopping arcade from 1843 filled with a selection of luxury boutiques and oozes history with its neo-renaissance sculptures, stonework, iron and glass roofs that fills the galleries with natural light.

Fixtures:

Ireland v Tonga

Argentina v Chile

Wales v Georgia

Japan v Argentina

Nice & Stade de Nice

Weather/Temperature in September/October:

Sunny and dry, avg. high 20°c.

Top thing to see/do:

Take a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais, this sea-front walk bends around the beautiful coastline for seven kilometers. Take in the whole walk and be awed by the view, or take a seat under the shade from palm trees and drink in the passing crowds of families, joggers and skateboarders.

Food/Drink to try:

Salade Niçoise; a refreshing salad including hard-boiled egg, green beans, olives and anchovies.

What we recommend:

Visit Cours Saleya Market, nestled in Nice’s old quarter. This quaint market includes stalls of flowers and fresh produce as well as salivating desserts and beautiful hand-made jewellery.

Fixtures:

Wales v Portugal

England v Japan

Italy v Uruguay

Scotland v Tonga

Paris, Saint-Denis & Stade de France

Weather/Temperature in September/October:

Balmy and dry, avg. high 19°c.

Top thing to see/do:

The vast Louvre is as we know, one of Paris’ top iconic places to visit. However, with over 35,000 masterpieces to behold - how do you make sure you make the most out of your time there? We suggest joining a scavenger hunt, which can be found online to join. With many themes to choose from, they will keep you guessing and in awe as you get to explore this beautiful gallery as you never have before.

Food/Drink to try:

With Paris’ infamous cocktail scene, it would be rude not to try a cocktail, or two. We suggest starting with a classic such as The French 75 (gin, champagne, lemon juice and sugar) or a Kir Royal (champagne and crème de cassis).

What we recommend:

Think like a Parisian and partake in Parisian flânerie – meaning ‘strolling at leisure’. Take in the sights around Jardin du Luxembourg or take a stroll starting at Arc de Triomphe where you can continue to Jardin du Palais Royal to stop for un café au lait and watch the world go by.

Fixtures:

France v New Zealand

Australia v Georgia

South Africa v Ireland

Ireland v Scotland

Quarter Final 2

Quarter Final 4

Semi Final 1

Semi Final 2

Bronze Final

Final

Saint-Étienne & Stade Geoffroy Guichard

Weather/Temperature in September/October:

Cloudy and dry, avg. high 14°c.

Top thing to see/do:

For most of its life Saint-Étienne has been a hub for mining and manufacturing, so naturally Musée de la Mine is the perfect place to learn about the industrial history of the city. Here you can descend into a reconstruction of a tunnel to see what a day in the life of a miner was like in the 20th century and more.

Food/Drink to try:

Bugnes; doughnut style fritters dusted with sugar and flavoured with vanilla and orange zest.

What we recommend:

Part of the UNESCO creative design cities since 2010, the best way to learn about Saint-Étienne is to take a stroll around the city centre and marvel in the mix of old and new architecture.

Fixtures:

Italy v Namibia

Australia v Fiji

Argentina v Samoa

Australia v Portugal

Toulouse & Stadium de Toulouse  

Weather/Temperature in September/October:

Sunny and dry, avg. high 22°c.

Top thing to see/do:

The UNESCO listed Saint-Sernin Basilica is one of the largest Romanesque churches in Europe. Completed in 1100’s, this breath-taking Church is hard to miss with its five-storey brick tower.

Food/Drink to try:

Cassoulet; A delicious casserole that’s cooked down in a terracotta dish with meat such as Toulouse sausages and large white haricot beans.

What we recommend:

Take a boat ride around the River Garonne and pass by some of Toulouse’s most photogenic monuments. These include L’Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques and Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in the city, constructed in the 1500s.

Fixtures:

Japan v Chile

New Zealand v Namibia

Georgia v Portugal

Japan v Samoa

Fiji v Portugal

Take a look at our range of Rugby World Cup 2023 packages which will get you into the all-important rugby games, but also a chance to explore these beautiful cities.