Sea, mountains, villages, heritage or gastronomy: the ideal trip depends above all on what your group wants. With CircuitGroupes, you can search for stays by region and by theme, then adapt the programme to the length of the trip and the profile of the participants. The listed tours combine accommodation, meals and tourist services, with flexible packages available on request. Here are 10 French regions worth considering for a group trip, in no particular order: each one offers a different experience.
Why choose a region based on your group’s profile?
A seniors’ association, a school group, a works council or a tour sold by an agency rarely look for the same programme. Some travellers favour cultural visits and historic town centres. Others want landscapes, local specialities or more active days.
The season also plays a part. Brittany and Normandy lend themselves well to coastal and heritage tours. The Alps, the Pyrenees or the Jura add a mountain dimension. Corsica combines sea and mountains, while Centre-Val de Loire appeals more to château lovers.
CircuitGroupes lets you filter programmes by region as well as by theme: culture and heritage, nature, gastronomy, events, New Year’s Eve or snow.
Brittany: coastline, heritage and traditions
Brittany suits groups who want to alternate between the coast, historic towns, gastronomy and regional heritage. The Gulf of Morbihan, Carnac, Quiberon, Vannes and the villages of southern Brittany make for a very varied itinerary.
CircuitGroupes offers, for example, the “A Trip in South Brittany” tour, departing from Crac’h, near Auray and Vannes. The programme can last from 2 to 11 days. Depending on the package, it includes Belle-Île-en-Mer, Quimper, La Gacilly and several stops at the heart of Brittany’s heritage. The stay is presented as adaptable to the group’s needs.
This region is a good fit for associations, clubs and sightseeing tours that want to alternate visits and landscapes without building an overly urban programme.
Normandy: history, heritage and sweeping coastal landscapes
Normandy brings several worlds together in a single tour. You can devote one day to Caen and its heritage, another to the D-Day landing beaches, then continue towards Mont-Saint-Michel or the coast.
The “Normandy: its beaches, its history” programme on CircuitGroupes runs from 2 to 8 days, departing from Caen. Depending on the length chosen, the tour includes Caen, Arromanches, Longues-sur-Mer, the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, Omaha Beach, Mont-Saint-Michel and the Mémorial de Caen.
It is a particularly good destination for groups looking for a stay centred on history and remembrance, with the option of adding coastal scenery and gastronomic stops.
Grand Est: Alsace, the Vosges and Champagne
Grand Est has several faces. In Alsace, groups can combine Mulhouse, Strasbourg, Colmar, the Vosges and the Wine Route. Further west, Champagne adds another dimension, with its heritage and winemaking expertise.
Among others, CircuitGroupes lists “Alsace from Mulhouse”, a programme lasting 2 to 9 days. Some days take in the Route des Crêtes, the Grand Ballon, the Markstein or Gérardmer.
This variety lets you choose between a cultural tour, a stay built around regional gastronomy or a programme that gives more room to the landscapes of the Vosges.
Nouvelle-Aquitaine: from the Basque Country to the Bordeaux vineyards
Nouvelle-Aquitaine is particularly well suited to trips of several days thanks to the diversity of its areas. A group can choose the Basque Country for its cultural identity and landscapes, or build a programme around Bordeaux, the Médoc and the vineyards.
From Anglet, the “A Trip in the Basque Country” tour can last from 2 to 8 days. La Rhune, Espelette, Bayonne, Biarritz, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and the Grottes de Sare are among the planned stops, depending on the programme.
CircuitGroupes also offers a Bordeaux stay with a day devoted to the Médoc, Pauillac and the Route des Châteaux.
This region therefore suits a group drawn to the ocean just as well as a trip focused on heritage and regional specialities.
Occitanie: the Pyrenees, historic towns and local produce
Occitanie takes you from the mountains to heritage towns, with very different programmes depending on the area you choose. The Catalan Pyrenees suit groups looking for scenery and unusual excursions, while the Tarn and the Aveyron offer more in the way of heritage and gastronomy.
In Mont-Louis, the “In the heart of the Pyrenees: the 3 or 4 trains” programme lasts from 2 to 7 days. Depending on the package chosen, it combines the Train Jaune, Villefranche-de-Conflent, the Núria valley, the Train Rouge du Pays Cathare and cross-border excursions.
Around Castres, CircuitGroupes also features a gastronomic tour taking in Gaillac, Albi, Cordes-sur-Ciel, Lautrec and several visits linked to regional products.
Occitanie is therefore a good choice for groups who want to alternate gastronomy, heritage and landscapes.
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: volcanoes, mountains and rural heritage
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes offers very different possibilities depending on the itinerary. The Alpine peaks are ideal for mountain stays, while Auvergne, the Allier and the Ardèche lend themselves to tours built around villages, heritage and nature.
In the Allier, CircuitGroupes lists a stay departing from Coulandon, near Moulins, with several suggestions around châteaux, Charroux and the volcanoes of Auvergne.
In southern Ardèche, the network also offers a tour from Joyeuse. The programme can include local heritage, villages, a château, Ardèche landscapes and excursions into the area’s uplands.
This region therefore suits a group that loves wide-open spaces just as well as participants who want a cultural stay with stops in the countryside.
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté: the Jura, vineyards and gastronomy
For a group that enjoys gentle mountain scenery, lakes and good food, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté offers an interesting alternative to the more coastal regions.
CircuitGroupes offers a discovery stay in the Jura from Malbuisson, on the shores of Lac Saint-Point. The 2 to 8-day programme can include Arbois, Salins-les-Bains, the Lison valley, Ornans, Besançon, the Hérisson waterfalls and the Jura lakes. Visits linked to the vineyards and local specialities round off the stay.
For a group, this destination makes it possible to build a tour that combines nature, heritage and local produce, at a pace suited to several types of audience.
Centre-Val de Loire: a destination for château lovers
Centre-Val de Loire remains a safe bet for groups who want to devote their stay to architectural heritage and French history.
CircuitGroupes mentions Chambord, Chenonceau, Villandry and Cheverny among the major landmarks for a cultural tour of the Loire Valley. The region is also one of the destinations available through the network’s search engine.
A programme can easily combine a château in the morning, a group lunch, then a second visit or a stop in a historic town. This format works well for cultural associations, school groups and seniors’ tours.
Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur: the Mediterranean, towns and the hinterland
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region lets you build stays around the Mediterranean, historic towns and Provençal landscapes.
In Nice, CircuitGroupes lists excursions around Nice as well as a stay built around the Carnival. The Hôtel et Appartements Monsigny is the starting point for these programmes and sits in the heart of the city, close to the station and the old town.
The programmes offered on CircuitGroupes in the south can also include stops such as Arles, Les Baux-de-Provence or Avignon, depending on the chosen itinerary.
This destination suits groups who want to combine urban heritage, a Mediterranean climate and regional excursions.
Corsica: sea, mountains and villages in a single tour
Corsica offers a very different format from the other regions. The scenery changes quickly between coastline, mountains, hilltop villages and historic towns.
The “Discover Corsica Stay”, departing from Olmeta-di-Tuda, runs from 2 to 7 days. The full programme includes Saint-Florent, Patrimonio, Corte, Bastia, Cap Corse, the Castagniccia, Porto, the Calanques de Piana and the Balagne.
Another programme is aimed at groups who want to add more walking, with hikes in the Nebbiu, along the Sentier des Douaniers on Cap Corse or in Bastia.
Corsica is therefore just as suited to a classic sightseeing tour as to a more active stay.
Which region should you choose for your group?
There is no single destination that suits every traveller. For a stay focused on the coast, Brittany, Normandy, Nouvelle-Aquitaine or Corsica offer very different programmes. Mountain lovers can turn to Occitanie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes or the Jura.
For a group mainly interested in heritage, Centre-Val de Loire, Normandy and Grand Est offer plenty of options. If gastronomy plays an important part in the stay, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Occitanie, the Jura or Alsace let you build a programme around local specialities.
The group’s pace should also guide your choice. A string of city visits does not appeal to the same audience as a tour with hikes, mountain excursions or long days on the coach.
How do you build a tour suited to your group?
Start by setting the length of the stay and the number of kilometres you want to cover each day. A fixed base with daily excursions often provides more comfort. A touring itinerary offers more variety but means more hotel changes.
Next, think about the participants’ profile. Walking distances, free time, guided tours and mealtimes should all match their pace. The season also deserves particular attention, especially for mountain areas or destinations that are very busy in summer.
CircuitGroupes offers programmes that include accommodation in double rooms, full board, visits, entrance fees and a tour guide, depending on the package advertised. The charter also provides for a reply within 48 hours, one free place for every 20 paying participants and delivery of the services as presented.
Plan your next group trip with CircuitGroupes
At CircuitGroupes, we bring together discovery stays, themed tours and tailor-made programmes designed for group travel. Organisers can search for their tour by region, establishment or theme, then request an adapted programme to suit their needs.
Brittany, Corsica, Alsace, the Basque Country, the Jura or the Pyrenees: the choice depends above all on the experience you want to give your group. Browse the programmes available on CircuitGroupes and send us your project to build a stay suited to your length of trip, your audience and your wishes.
