Travelling to France from Canada: 4 Things to Sort Out

Do You Need Authorization to Enter France?

Not yet. With a Canadian passport, you can enter France without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen Area. Your passport must remain valid for at least three months after the date you plan to leave Europe. The ETIAS travel authorization is still not in operation, and the European Union has set no launch date, according to its official website.

What has changed is the border check itself. Since April 10, 2026, the European Entry/Exit System (EES) records four fingerprints and a photo of your face the first time you cross, and replaces the stamp in your passport. Children under 12 are not fingerprinted. Once ETIAS comes into force, it will cost €20 and remain valid for three years, or until your passport expires.

The Government of Canada also recommends travel insurance that covers hospital stays and medical evacuation, and border officers may ask for proof of health insurance, according to its travel advice for France. So check what your credit card covers before you leave, especially after age 65.

Which Credit Card Should You Take to France?

You can pay by card almost everywhere in France, usually contactless. Visa and Mastercard are accepted everywhere, while American Express is less common at small businesses, so make a Visa or Mastercard your main card.

Most Canadian cards add about 2.5% in foreign transaction fees to every purchase in euros. To avoid them, we recommend one of the cards with no foreign transaction fees, such as the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card.

On $3,000 spent in euros during your trip, those fees come to about $75. Run the numbers for your own trip with our no-FX fee calculator. The Passport card also gives you six airport lounge visits a year through the Visa Airport Companion program.

Book With One Card, Pay With the Other

The most rewarding combination: book your flight with the National Bank World Elite Mastercard for its insurance, then pay on the ground with a card that has no foreign transaction fees. According to its insurance certificate, it covers trip cancellation up to $2,500 per person and trip interruption up to $5,000. Charge at least part of your trip costs to the card for the coverage to apply.

Its emergency medical coverage applies to trips of up to 60 days under age 55, 31 days from 55 to 64 and 15 days from 65 to 75. Through Milesopedia, its $150 annual fee is refunded in the first year for applications made by November 4, 2026.

Once in France, you have two options with no foreign transaction fees. The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card suits you if you collect Scene+ points: 25,000 points after $2,000 in purchases in three months, or $100 ahead once the $150 annual fee is paid. The Wealthsimple Visa Infinite+ Card suits you if you prefer 2% cash back on all your purchases, including in euros: on $3,000 spent in France, it gives you back $60, on top of the $75 in fees you avoid. Its $240 annual fee is waived if you hold $100,000 in assets at Wealthsimple or deposit your paycheque there.

Which Non-Stop Flights to France in Winter?

In winter, you can fly non-stop to Paris every day from Toronto and Montreal, and from Montreal to Lyon, Toulouse, Marseille and Nantes. Nice is a summer-only route: Air Canada resumes flights on May 1, 2027.

It is also the cheapest season. On its route pages, Air Canada shows Toronto–Paris and Montreal–Paris economy return fares around $750 from November to April, compared with over $1,000 in July and over $1,300 in August. These prices change daily, so use them as a benchmark.

Over the holidays, Air Canada adds flights to Paris, from December 18 to January 10 from Toronto and from December 16 to January 4 from Montreal. Prices climb during that period, though, so book in the fall.

Once you are there, the train takes over: we compare train, coach and plane on five routes from Paris in our guide to getting around France.

Paying for Your Flight to Paris With Points

With Aeroplan, a one-way flight on Air France costs a fixed number of points, according to the Aeroplan reward chart:

• Toronto–Paris or Montreal–Paris: 32,500 points in economy, 60,000 in business class
• Vancouver–Paris: 42,500 points in economy, 75,000 in business class

On Air Canada flights, prices vary with demand, starting from the same amounts. Add a $39 partner booking fee plus taxes.

Your American Express Membership Rewards points transfer 1:1 to both Aeroplan and Flying Blue, Air France's program. With Flying Blue, reward prices vary by date, and carrier surcharges are added to taxes.

The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card uses a fixed chart: 65,000 Avion points cover a return flight to Europe up to $1,300, according to RBC. Its welcome offer reaches 70,000 points: 35,000 on approval, 20,000 after $5,000 in purchases in six months and 15,000 on the first anniversary. It applies to applications received by November 25, 2026.

This chart pays off most when the ticket is expensive. Over the holidays, a $1,300 return ticket paid with 65,000 points gets you 2¢ per point; in November, a $750 ticket gets you only 1.15¢. So save your points for the pricey dates.

Prefer to book with any airline? With the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card, 200 TD Rewards points are worth $1 on travel booked through Expedia for TD. Its offer reaches 160,000 points, worth $800 in travel, after $7,500 in purchases within 180 days. In addition, TD rebates the $139 annual fee in the first year.

Both cards charge 2.5% on purchases in euros, though. We therefore recommend booking the flight with one of them, then paying on the ground with a card that has no foreign transaction fees.

Travelling to France in Fall or Winter

From November to March, you enjoy the low season, with shorter days: in Paris, the sun sets around 4:55 p.m. near December 21, according to the IMCCE. So plan your outdoor visits for the morning.

Christmas markets in France open as early as late November. Here are the 2026 dates published by the cities:

• Colmar: November 23 to December 29, 2026
• Mulhouse: November 20 to December 27, 2026
• Reims: November 25 to December 27, 2026
• Lyon Festival of Lights: December 5 to 8, 2026
• Strasbourg: 2026 dates not yet published by the city

If you plan to shop, winter sales in France run from Wednesday, January 6 to Tuesday, February 2, 2027 in most regions, under the rule set by decree. Paid with a card that has no foreign transaction fees, $1,000 in purchases costs you $25 less.

To ski in the Alps, Lyon is the closest airport with non-stop flights from Canada: Air Canada flies there four times a week this winter, according to Lyon airport, and Air Transat year-round. Once there, winter TGV INOUI trains serve Chambéry, Albertville and Bourg-Saint-Maurice, among others, according to SNCF.

Renting a car? From November 1 to March 31, winter tyres or chains are mandatory in some mountain areas, notes travel.gc.ca. So ask the rental agency for them when you book.

Finally, strikes regularly affect transport in France. Check SNCF Connect traffic info before each trip: SNCF publishes its transport plans the day before, from 5 p.m., and you can exchange your ticket free of charge in case of disruption.

How Can You Pay for Your Stay With Points?

If you prefer an apartment, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card lets you apply your Scene+ points to travel purchases charged to the card, including an Airbnb booking. Our guide to saving on Airbnb walks you through the steps.

For hotels, your American Express Membership Rewards points transfer to Marriott Bonvoy at a 5:6 ratio, or 1,200 Bonvoy points for 1,000 Membership Rewards points, and to Hilton Honors at 1:1, according to American Express.

Here are the Marriott Bonvoy hotels in France we have stayed at, each linked to our review:

• Paris: Moxy Paris Bastille, Courtyard Paris Gare de Lyon, Courtyard Paris Porte de Versailles, AC Hotel Paris Porte Maillot, Renaissance Paris Arc de Triomphe, Renaissance Paris Vendôme and Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel
• Around Paris and near the airports: Moxy Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Sheraton Paris Charles de Gaulle, Moxy Paris Val d'Europe, Courtyard Paris Créteil, Courtyard Paris La Défense West Colombes, Courtyard Paris Arcueil, Renaissance Paris La Défense and Renaissance Paris Hippodrome de Saint-Cloud
• Nice: Le Méridien Nice, Sheraton Nice and AC Hotel Nice

On the Hilton Honors side, your transferred points also work in France, from the Hilton Garden Inn Bordeaux Centre to the DoubleTree by Hilton Lyon Eurexpo and the Maison Astor Paris, Curio Collection by Hilton.

Travelling to France: Key Takeaways

For now, your passport is enough: ETIAS is not in operation. If you are leaving this winter, book early for the holidays, save your points for the priciest dates and pay on the ground with a card that has no foreign transaction fees. To plan the rest, visiting Paris and getting around France complete this guide.

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