A Guide to Talking About Holiday Activities in French

When you’re on holiday in France, you’ll want to describe what you’re doing — or what you plan to do.
This lesson helps you talk about common activities like camping, swimming, sightseeing, and relaxing, so you can chat naturally about your trip or write about it in French.

Introduction to Phrases

French	English	Pattern
Je fais du camping avec mes amis.	I go camping with my friends.	faire + activity
Nous visitons les musées cet après-midi.	We’re visiting the museums this afternoon.	Present tense + time phrase
Je prends un bain de soleil à la plage.	I’m sunbathing on the beach.	Present-tense expression
Il fait du vélo tous les matins.	He goes cycling every morning.	faire + activity
Nous allons randonner dans les Alpes demain.	We’re going to hike in the Alps tomorrow.	aller + infinitive

Grammar Tip: Using “faire”, “aller” and the Present Continuous

1. Talking About Activities with “faire”

In French, the verb faire (to do/make) is often used for sports and leisure activities:

English	French
to go camping	faire du camping
to ski	faire du ski
to cycle	faire du vélo

Examples:

Je fais du camping chaque été. → I go camping every summer.
Elle fait du ski à Chamonix. → She goes skiing in Chamonix.

2. Expressing Future Plans with “aller + infinitive”

To say what you’re going to do, use the near future:

aller (present) + infinitive

Examples:

Je vais aller nager. → I’m going to go swimming.
Nous allons visiter Paris. → We’re going to visit Paris.
Ils vont randonner demain. → They’re going hiking tomorrow.

This structure is simple, natural, and used constantly in spoken French.

3. Using Time Phrases to Add Detail

French often uses time expressions at the start or end of a sentence:

English	French
Every summer	Chaque été
Tomorrow	Demain
This afternoon	Cet après-midi
All day	Toute la journée

Example:

Chaque été, je fais du camping.
Nous allons à la plage demain.

Cultural Note: Leisure and Holidays in France

Leisure is an important part of French culture — especially on holiday.
In summer, families faire du camping along the coast or randonner in the mountains.
In winter, skiing (le ski) is hugely popular, especially in les Alpes and les Pyrénées.

You’ll often hear:

On profite du soleil ! → We’re making the most of the sun!
On se repose à la campagne. → We’re relaxing in the countryside.

Try It Out

Build Your Holiday Day

Choose one activity for the morning, one for the afternoon and one for the evening. Your French holiday itinerary will appear below.

Le matin

Choose a morning activity.

Choose a morning activity Je prends un bain de soleil à la plage. Je fais du vélo le long de la mer. Je visite le marché local.

L’après-midi

Choose an afternoon activity.

Choose an afternoon activity Je visite le centre-ville. Je fais une randonnée dans les montagnes. Je nage dans la piscine.

Le soir

Choose an evening activity.

Choose an evening activity Nous mangeons au restaurant. Nous nous promenons sur la plage. Nous visitons la vieille ville.

Your itinerary

Ma journée de vacances

Le matin, —

L’après-midi, —

Le soir, —