Flights from Palma (Majorque) to France from 32GBP*

Flights to France from Palma de Mallorca

From Palma de Mallorca, Vueling flies direct to 7 French cities: Paris, Nice, Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille, Nantes and Strasbourg. Paris is around 1 hour and 40 minutes away, and the cities in the south are closer still.

The big advantage is leaving the island without a stopover on the mainland. With flights this short, the real decision is where to start: the north, the French Riviera, the Rhône valley and the Atlantic seaboard make for trips that have little in common.

What documents you need to travel to France

France and Spain are both members of the European Union and the Schengen Area, so Spanish citizens only need a valid Spanish ID card (DNI) or passport, with no visa or extra formalities.

On Schengen flights you must show the physical DNI. The digital version is only valid on flights within Spain, and that detail catches people out at the check-in desk. Check the expiry date before you book, as you cannot board with an expired document. If you are travelling with children, each one must carry their own documents. If you hold another nationality, check your case on the travel documents page.

What to know when you land in France

From the airport to the city centre. Paris is the one that needs planning: its airports are a long way from the city and the journey by train or bus takes around an hour, so look into it before you book somewhere to stay. Nice is the opposite, with the airport right next to the Promenade and a tram that reaches the centre in a few minutes. Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux and Nantes all have a shuttle 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, and Marseille or Bordeaux are just over 3 hours from the capital. Stations sit right in the city centres, so you can start your trip in one city and finish it in another without going back to where you began.

Mealtimes. Meals start 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 well go without a table.

Climate by region. The Mediterranean south, from Marseille to Nice, has a climate similar to Mallorca’s, with the mistral wind as the main difference. Paris, Nantes and Strasbourg are much colder and wetter in autumn and winter, with lows close to 0°C.

France uses the euro and type C and E plugs, at 230V. French is the official language, and English works in tourist areas.

What to do in France

Paris and the north

Paris packs the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower into an area you can cover on foot, with Le Marais, Montmartre and Saint-Germain-des-Prés as neighbourhoods to get lost in. The Palace of Versailles is half an hour away by suburban train, and the Loire châteaux are a couple of hours away.

The French Riviera and Provence

In Nice you land right by the sea, and the coastal train reaches Cannes, Antibes and Monaco in a matter of minutes. Marseille is the gateway to Provence: the Calanques National Park, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon and, in summer, the lavender fields of the Luberon.

Lyon and the east

Lyon has a well-earned name as a food capital, with its bouchons and the Renaissance quarter of Vieux-Lyon, a World Heritage Site. Further east, Strasbourg opens up Alsace, with Petite France, the Gothic cathedral and the Christmas markets in December.

The Atlantic coast

Bordeaux has a historic centre that is a World Heritage Site, with the Médoc and Saint-Émilion vineyards less than an hour away and the Dune du Pilat on the coast. Nantes is the way into Brittany and the Loire Valley, facing an Atlantic that has nothing of the Mediterranean about it.

Luggage for your flight to France

What you can take 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.

For a weekend in any of the 7 cities, cabin luggage is usually enough. If your plan links several cities by train, deciding while you book saves you carrying too much between stations. Check the current conditions in Vueling’s luggage policy.