Paris, the Riviera, the Alps and vineyards — and your Schengen visa opens the door to much of Europe.
🛂 Visa for Indian passport holders
Schengen short-stay visa required
Indian passport holders need a Schengen short-stay (type C) visa, allowing up to 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area. Apply through France-Visas and the visa centre, up to six months before travel. At your first entry, the EU's Entry/Exit System now records your fingerprints and photo.
Checked 27 Sep 2026. Official source: France-Visas (official) ↗
🗓️ When to go
April to June and September to October; July–August is busy and hot; winter is great for the Alps.
🚕 Getting around
Paris Métro, RER and buses; high-speed TGV trains between cities (cheaper when booked early).
💡 Local tips
- Buy museum and Eiffel Tower tickets online to skip long queues.
- Greet shopkeepers with 'Bonjour' — it makes a real difference.
- Validate paper train tickets before boarding regional trains.
😅 What we wish we'd known
- Pickpocketing is common around big sights and on the Métro — keep phones zipped away.
- Many shops close on Sundays outside Paris's tourist areas.
Places worth the detour
- Paris — The Louvre, Montmartre's lanes, riverside picnics on the Seine and a café on every corner.
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