Greece from France

Best time to visit

Monthly breakdown for France travellers planning a Greece trip.

Best value

May · Jun · Sep · Oct

Peak season

Jul · Aug — Hotter, busier and more expensive

Getting there

Flight time

~3 h 15

Why Greece?

From France, Athens is just over three hours away from Paris (CDG, ORY), Lyon, Nice, Marseille or Toulouse, with direct flights on most of these routes during the season. Several islands and secondary cities — Chania in Crete, Thessaloniki, Kalamata in the Peloponnese — are also reachable non-stop from Paris or Marseille in spring and summer, avoiding a mandatory stop in the capital.

Greece combines two distinct types of trip: the Aegean and Ionian islands for coastline and beaches, and the mainland for archaeological sites and Byzantine heritage. The Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum remain the reference point in Athens, but Delphi, Epidaurus, Mycenae or the Meteora monasteries cover very different historical periods and can be visited as a mainland road trip without needing a ferry.

The tourist season runs from April to October, with visitor numbers and prices rising sharply in July and August, particularly on well-known islands such as Santorini or Mykonos. May, June, September and October offer stable weather, a sea that is already or still warm, and accommodation and car rental rates noticeably lower than the summer peak.

Where to stay

• Athens — The capital and main air gateway from France, and the departure point for the Cyclades and mainland archaeological sites.
• Thessaloniki — Greece's second city, with a dense Byzantine and Ottoman heritage, served by direct flights from Paris during the season.
• Chania — A Venetian harbour town in western Crete, a base for the Balos and Elafonissi beaches and hikes in the White Mountains.
• Kalamata — A Peloponnese port city at the heart of an olive-growing region, giving access to the Mani peninsula and Messinian beaches.

Outside July-August, a typical budget runs around €60-90 per person per day (3-star hotel or apartment, meals at tavernas, local transport included), rising 30 to 50 percent on the busiest islands at peak season. Car rental and fuel are generally cheaper than in France, while entry tickets for archaeological sites (Acropolis, Delphi) cost €10-20, with combined tickets available in Athens.

Plan your trip

• Greece travel guide
• Events in Greece

Package holidays vs booking independently

Compare packages from France-based operators against building your own trip.

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