We just wrapped up the loveliest week in France with a group of ladies on an Atlas Adventures trip. It was the perfect combination of time spent enjoying Paris, exploring quaint towns, winery tours, cooking classes, and relaxing with yoga and meditation.
Paris, Limoges, and Bordeaux in early July typically experience summers with temperatures ranging from the mid-60s to mid-80s°F (around 18–28°C). You can expect warm afternoons, plenty of sunshine for outdoor tours, and cooler, breezier moments during evening events or in air-conditioned transit spaces. You also always have to plan for the chance of rain! As this trip was a bit different than our other trips spent mostly in Paris, here’s what we recommended our attendees pack.
What to Pack for France in Summer
We always recommend packing one or two nicer outfits if you’re going to a nicer dinner or performance, like the theater or opera. With that said, make sure everything you pack is something you'll feel comfortable in! You’ll want a lightweight cardigan, jacket, or scarf - ideal for cooler moments during train journeys or for that extra layer if the evening gets breezy. Especially if you partake in an evening boat cruise down the Seine like we did.
Whether you’re exploring the cobbled lanes of old Limoges town or strolling Bordeaux’s elegant streets, we suggest lightweight pants, linen shorts, or skirts that are comfortable, breathable, and can easily be layered up as needed. Pair with an easy blouse and you’re set. With our relaxed mornings offering yoga or meditation sessions, and leisurely afternoons at retreat venues, a couple of comfortable activewear sets fit the bill.
There was a pool at our country retreat and at our last hotel in Bordeaux, so packing swimwear and a light cover-up or sarong was a must. French summer hopefully means glorious sunshine— be sure to protect your eyes with quality sunglasses and shield your skin (and add some style) with a lightweight hat and sunscreen. A tote bag that can double as a pool bag and for storing all your treasures from the local markets is a good idea, as well as a zippered crossbody bag.
As is typical for European cities, we did lots of walking, including some longer city walking tours, and during a full-day winery excursion. Be sure to pack comfortable, broken-in, and supportive shoes. I personally love having a slightly dressier flat pair of sandals and flats that are easy to walk to dinner spots, but can look dressy enough, too. If you prefer a heel, I love wedge espadrilles.
Don’t forget to bring along a reusable water bottle on daytrips or walking tours. If you think you might want to pop a few bottles of wine in your suitcase, then I highly recommend bringing some wine bottle travel protector sleeves like these. France uses Type E plugs with a 220V supply. Pack a universal converter to charge your devices, do your hair, etc. You may want to consider an external charger for extra juice on longer transit days.
Our trip leader, Marigold, loves to read a book set in or by an author from the destination she’s traveling to. Here is her reading list for this trip to France.
Mastering the Art of French Eating: Lessons in Food and Love from a Year in Paris by Ann Mah. Journalist Ann Mah moves to Paris when her diplomat husband is given a three-year assignment there. She's overjoyed at the opportunity until he's reassigned to Iraq for a year-long solo stint and must figure out life in Paris on her own. And so she does, one pain au chocolat and boeuf Bourguignon at a time. Both funny and intelligent, this is a story about love of food, family, and France.
Where the Light Falls: A Novel of the French Revolution by Allison Pataki and Owen Pataki: Pataki has a reputation for writing excellent historical fiction. In her newest, she tackles the French Revolution with the help of her brother Owen Pataki. Tracing the effects of the Revolution and Terror on the lives of two linked Frenchmen, Pataki explores courage, democracy, and love, while emphasizing why the Revolution's lessons remain important today.
A Year at the French Farmhouse by Gillian Harvey: Escape to France for the perfect uplifting, feel-good book. A story about being made redundant and second chances in life, the central character, Lily, takes on renovating a French country house by herself.
The Summer Queen by Elizabeth Chadwick: Eleanor of Aquitaine is a 12th-century icon who has fascinated readers for 800 years, sometimes known as the “rebel queen of the Middle Ages”. But the real Eleanor remains elusive. She was the Duchess of Aquitaine (the region in which Bordeaux sits) and married first the French King and later the British King Henry the Second, and is credited with bringing wine to the UK. This stunning novel introduces an Eleanor that all other writers have missed. Based on the most up-to-date research, it is the first novel to show Eleanor beginning her married life at 13.
We’d love to help you plan your own dreamy summer trip to Paris, Limoges, and Bordeaux! Learn more about our travel planning services and reach out today to schedule a consultation with our team.
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