Flights from Tenerife to France

Travel to France from Tenerife

Vueling flies direct from Tenerife to 7 French cities, with no stopover on the Spanish mainland: Paris, Nice, Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille, Nantes and Strasbourg. Paris is between 3.5 and 4 hours away, and the destinations in the south are a little closer.

The biggest change is the climate: in Tenerife the temperature barely moves all year, while Paris, Nantes and Strasbourg have proper winters. The north, the French Riviera, the Rhône valley and the Atlantic coast make for very different trips.

What documents you need to travel to France

France and Spain are both part of the European Union and the Schengen Area, so Spanish and other EU citizens only need a valid national ID card or passport, with no visa or extra paperwork.

On Schengen flights you need the physical Spanish ID card (DNI): the digital version is only valid on flights within Spain, not on the route to Paris. Check the expiry date when you book, not at the airport, because an expired document will stop you boarding. If you are travelling with children, each one needs their own. For any other nationality, the travel documents page explains what you need.

What to know when you land in France

Getting into town. Paris is the one that needs some planning: its airports are a long way out and the journey by public transport takes between half an hour and an hour, so it is worth looking into before you book accommodation. Nice is the opposite, with the airport right by the Promenade and a tram that reaches the centre in under half an hour. Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux and Nantes all have a shuttle bus or a direct tram from the terminal.

The TGV. This is what turns 7 arrival points into a whole country. Paris and Lyon are 2 hours apart by train, while Bordeaux is around 2 hours and Marseille just over 3 from the capital. The stations are in the city centres, so you can arrive in one city and head back from another without retracing your steps.

The cold up north. This is the biggest change when you are coming from Tenerife, where the temperature barely moves all year. Paris, Nantes and Strasbourg have proper winters, with lows close to 0°C, and wet autumns. Even in summer, evenings in the north call for a jacket.

Mealtimes. France eats early. Lunch is served between 12:00 and 14:00 and dinner from 19:30, and many kitchens close after 22:00. Turn up for dinner at 22:30 and you may not get a table.

You pay in euros, and plugs are types C and E, at 230V. The official language is French, though English gets you by in tourist areas.

What to do in France

Paris and the north

Paris is best explored on foot: museums, neighbourhood markets, café terraces and the architecture itself make every day different. The Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower are all within walking distance of one another, and the Palace of Versailles is around 40 minutes away by RER.

The French Riviera and Provence

In Nice you land right by the sea, with pebble beaches, markets and a blend of local life and Italian influence. The coastal train reaches Cannes, Antibes and Monaco in under an hour. Marseille is the gateway to Provence: the Calanques, Aix-en-Provence and Avignon.

Bordeaux and Aquitaine

Bordeaux has a historic centre listed as a World Heritage Site and a first-rate food and wine scene. The Médoc and Saint-Émilion vineyards are less than an hour away, with the Dune of Pilat out on the Atlantic coast.

Lyon, Nantes and Strasbourg

Lyon is a renowned food capital, with its bouchons and an old town that is also a World Heritage Site, and it is far less crowded than Paris. Nantes opens up Brittany and the Loire, while Strasbourg sits on the border with Germany, home to the Petite France quarter and the Christmas markets in December.

Luggage for your flight to France

Your luggage allowance depends on the fare you choose when booking. The simplest fare includes a personal item that fits under the seat in front, and from there you can add cabin or checked luggage.

Flying north from Tenerife, warm clothes take up a lot more room than you might think. If you are also bringing ski gear, a bike or a pushchair, these come with their own conditions, so check them in advance. You will find the current rules in Vueling’s luggage policy.