The Prices of Art History, Museums, and Cultural Tours to France
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For travelers with a passion for the past, history, museum, and cultural tours around France offer a fascinating journey through time. These tours take you to iconic landmarks, world-renowned museums, and culturally rich destinations where you can discover the stories, art, and traditions that have shaped our world. Whether you're exploring historical ruins, admiring priceless works of art, or immersing yourself in local customs, these tours allow you to connect with history and culture in a way that's both educational and inspiring. In this article, we'll explore the costs of history, museum, and cultural tours around France, highlight some of the best options, and reveal the destinations that make these tours an unforgettable experience.
To help you find the perfect cultural journey, we've carefully researched a variety of tours. By comparing price ranges, tour quality, included amenities, and cultural experiences, we've identified the best value options for history and culture enthusiasts. Whether you're looking for an affordable museum tour or an in-depth cultural immersion, these tours in France offer a wealth of knowledge, exploration, and adventure. So, pack your curiosity and get ready to travel through history with a journey you'll never forget.
Why does France appeal to history and art lovers?
France is a treasure trove for art history enthusiasts, with its iconic museums, historic art movements, and architectural marvels. Paris, Versailles, and Mont-Saint-Michel offer plenty of amazing museums and sights to explore. The romance, charm, and excitement of Paris, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, and Cannes makes them very popular with couples looking for a romantic trip. Across a variety of destinations and historical periods, France's rich artistic heritage captivates travelers.
How much do art history and museum tours in France cost?
The average price per day for art history and museum tours in France is $319, based on our analysis of 12 tours. While the overall prices can vary greatly, when we look at the daily price of these tours, the costs range from $146 to $549 per day.
Budget-friendly tours average around $177 per day, while higher-end luxury tours average about $467 per day.
Budget tours will usually provide less luxurious accommodation, have larger group sizes, and visit less expensive destinations. They will also sometimes have you pay for more activities on your own instead of including everything up front.
Mid-range tours often provide a step up in accommodation and transportation, and include more guided activities.
Luxury tours usually provide the highest levels of service, luxury hotels, more gormet food choices, comfortable transportation, and offer more all-inclusive payment options.
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The Best Tours in France
Budget-Friendly Tours
Budget-friendly and affordable art history and museum tours in France average $177 per day, with daily prices from $146 to $230. Budget tours usually include hotels, meals, and activities that are not quite as nice as other tours. Often, they might only include transportation, lodging, and some activities, leaving you on your own to pay for meals and other attractions during the tour. This can be a very convenient and economical way to visit France without spending too much money, as it gives you control over the amount you spend on meals and extra services. If you're looking for a really great option, check out London to Barcelona Quest (Standard, Summer ( Until Mar '27), Start Paris, Classic) here.
Mid-Range Tours
For typical art history and museum tours in France that fall in the middle range of prices, the average cost is $312 per day. Daily prices range from $250 to $363. Taking this step up in price from the cheaper tours to mid-range will often get you plenty of extra amenities and service for a great price. These tours usually include very comfortable hotels, meals at delicious local restaurants, comfortable transportation, knowledgable guides, and entry to many of the top attractions. One of the best tours is Treasures of Burgundy and Provence: Rhône & Saône (Lyon - Lyon) (including Beaujolais).
Luxury Tours
Luxury art history and museum tours in France average around $312 per day, with daily costs ranging from $365 to $549. At this price, you'll be very well taken care of and pampered on your journey through the scenic destinations. Knowledgable guides, the best accommodation options, the finest restaurants, comfortable transportation, and quick entry into attractions are all part of the itinerary. Every luxury and detail has been planned and thought about so that you don't have to deal with any hassle, you simple show up and enjoy your vacation. One of the best luxury tours here is The Majestic Rhine 2026|2027 - 8 Days (from Frankfurt-am-Main to Basel).
Which tour companies offer art history, museums, and cultural tours?
A number of fantastic tour companies offer art history and museum tours in France. These are a few of the best, because they offer the highest rated service, provide the best overall quality, and have the most five-star guest reviews to prove it.
Collette
Collette is a large international travel company offering tours all over the world. Some of their most popular destinations include the U.S., Italy, Great Britain, and France. The company appeals to travelers of all ages, with many tours focusing on families with children. Many of the tours fall into the mid-range price category. The company's adventures often highlight activities such as wine tasting, island hopping, and camping.
Contiki
Contiki is a large multi-national travel company which offers tours to destinations around the world. Some of their most popular destinations include Great Britain, Italy, France, and Germany. Younger travelers looking for adventures love this company. This company's tour offerings are generally priced lower than others, which makes them attractive for budget travelers. Travelers usually enjoy the tour activities such as island hopping, snorkelling, wine tasting, surfing, camping, whale watching, diving, rock climbing, white water rafting, and jet boat rides.
Emerald Cruises
Emerald Cruises is a large company with a focus on river cruise tours through France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Most participants are adults and the tours range in length from 5 days to 4 weeks. The tours offered by Emerald Cruises are usually luxurious, high-end, and provide a top-tier level of service. The company's adventures often highlight activities such as wine tasting, island hopping, and snorkelling.
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Lueftner Cruises
Lueftner Cruises offers local river cruise tours through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, and others. Most participants are adults and the tours range in length from 5 days to 2 weeks. Some of their offerings cater to families with children. Many of their tours are priced in the mid-range category.
See All Tours from Lueftner Cruises
Art History, Museums, and Cultural Destinations in France
Wondering where art history, museums, and cultural tours visit in France? With a variety of stops and destinations along the way, there's something for everyone.
Paris
Paris is not only the capital city of France, but it is one of Europe's most iconic cities. For many visitors, its a dream destination that is filled with wide boulevards, charming cafes, and world class landmarks. The food is widely recognized as some of the best in the world. The city sits along the River Seine, and a stroll down the river at night is a quintessential Parisian experience.
One of the most world famous landmarks is the Eiffel Tower. The city is also home to the world renowned Louvre, Notre-Dame, and Palais Garnier Opera House. In addition to the many iconic sights, there are beautiful buildings and hidden gems throughout the city.
Calais
Many people overlook this part of France for the more popular southern regions, but those who do visit can enjoy sandy beaches and nice wine and cheese. UK visitors often arrive by ferry and enjoy some shopping as they pass through.
It's a port city with a few good museums and landmarks to see. Check out the Town Hall, Burghers of Calais, La Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode, and Musée de la Guerre de Calais, as well as the Calais Lighthouse.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a the heart of France's winegrowing district. It's also a port city that's filled with a lot of history and architecture. The surrounding countryside is filled with vineyards and the city has many great restaurants where you can sample traditional cuisine and local wine.
The city has many historical landmarks and museums to explore. Cathédrale Saint-André, Tour Le Grand-Théâtre, and Basilique Saint-Seurin are all notable monuments that are worth visiting.
Reims
Reims is the unofficial capital of France's Champagne region. In town you'll find many Champagne Houses that offer tastings and tours. Some of the houses have a long running history. The city is also home to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims among other sights. Visitors enjoy exploring the countryside, wandering the cobblestoned streets, and seeing the region from above on hot air balloon rides.
Sights around town include Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims, Palais du Tau, Basilique Saint-Rémi, and Musée des Beaux-Arts.
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Other popular destinations for art history, museums, and cultural tours through France include Arras, Lourdes, Meaux, Macon, and Colmar.
Art History, Museums, and Cultural Tours vs. Independent Travel: Pros and Cons
When deciding between a self-planned trip and an organized tour, remember to evaluate the key features of each travel style.
Organized Tours
Pros- Guides offer expert insights into art and history.
- Access to lesser-known stories and details.
- Skip-the-line access to popular sites or museums.
- Organized itineraries save time and effort.
- Opportunities to ask questions and interact.
- Group tours often include transportation.
- Visits to curated highlights ensure you see the best.
- Learn cultural context for deeper appreciation.
- Group settings may feel impersonal or distracting.
- Fixed itineraries limit flexibility.
Independent Travel
Pros- Freedom to choose your favorite museums and landmarks.
- Explore at your own pace without feeling rushed.
- Tailor your itinerary to your specific interests.
- Spend more time at off-the-beaten-path locations.
- Flexibility to adjust plans as you go.
- Enjoy a more personal, intimate experience.
- Researching locations takes time.
- Risk of missing important context or details.
- Navigating transportation to multiple places can be tricky.
- Long lines or limited access without advanced booking.
- Harder to discover hidden stories or significance.
- No expert to answer your questions on-site.
- Overwhelming number of options to choose from.
- Requires managing tickets, hours, and reservations yourself.
Which is cheaper?
Is independent travel cheaper than guided art history and museum tours? The answer is not simple. Tours provide many of the services that you would otherwise pay for yourself on an independent trip. Hotels, transportation, food, entry tickets, guides, and activities are provided on organized tours, whereas you would pay for everything separately on your own. To deterine the difference in price, you would need to compare the combined price of everything in a tour with everything you would book separately. Sometimes you might want to stay in a cheaper hotel, or eat at a more expensive restaurant, so the price of a tour could be more or less than what you would otherwise pay on your own. Make sure you know what is included before making your comparison.
Also, before booking a tour, make sure you know exactly what is included as tour companies sometimes change their itineraries or included amenities to keep them updated with seasonal changes and customer interests.
More Tour Options
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Also, if you're departing from a specific destination, see The Best 3-Day Tours from Strasbourg, The Best 3-Day Tours from Paris, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Paris, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lyon, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Nice, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bordeaux, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Avignon, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Strasbourg, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Marseille, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Arles, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Blois, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Dijon, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Chamonix, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Bastia, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Tours, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, The Best 10-Day Tours from Paris, The Best 10-Day Tours from Arles, The Best 10-Day Tours from Nice, The Best 10-Day Tours from Chalon sur Saone, The Best 10-Day Tours from Lyon, The Best 10-Day Tours from Marseille, The Best 2-Week Tours from Paris, The Best 2-Week Tours from Nice, The Best 2-Week Tours from Arles, The Best 2-Week Tours from Marseille, or The Best 2-Week Tours from Chamonix for more package tour options.
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