Voyager is the most common and probably the first word you learned for "to travel" in French. But just like there are countless destinations to explore, there are also many different ways to talk about traveling in the language of Molière! Whether you're planning your next adventure, reminiscing about past trips, or simply want to enrich your vocabulary, knowing these alternatives will make your French sound much more natural and expressive. Get ready to pack your linguistic bags – let's discover 9 fascinating ways to say "to travel" in French!

The standard 'to travel' – voyager

The verb voyager is the most common and versatile way to express 'to travel' or 'to journey' in French.

Voyager is a regular -er verb, making its conjugation relatively straightforward. However, note the slight spelling change in the nous form to maintain the 'g' sound: nous voyageons (we travel).

You'll use voyager for general acts of traveling, embarking on trips, or making journeys, whether for leisure, work, or exploration.

When specifying destinations or means of transport, voyager often pairs with prepositions like en (for countries, regions, or modes of transport like en avion, en train) or à (for cities: voyager à Paris).

Voyager is primarily an intransitive verb, meaning it doesn't take a direct object. You travel to a place or by a means, rather than 'traveling something'.

Its broad meaning allows it to cover everything from a short trip to a long-distance expedition, making it your go-to verb for almost any travel-related context.

💡 * J'adore voyager et découvrir de nouveaux pays. (I love to travel and discover new countries.)

Nous avons voyagé en Italie l'année dernière. (We traveled to Italy last year.)

Elle voyage souvent en train pour le travail. (She often travels by train for work.)

Vas-tu voyager cet été ou rester à la maison ? (Are you going to travel this summer or stay at home?)

Il rêve de voyager autour du monde. (He dreams of traveling around the world.)

To go on a trip or journey – partir en voyage

To go on a trip or journey – partir en voyage

When you want to express the idea of 'going on a trip' or 'going on a journey' in French, the most common and natural phrase to use is partir en voyage.

This versatile phrase specifically conveys the act of leaving for a vacation, an excursion, or any form of travel. It's perfect whether you're planning a weekend getaway or a long international adventure.

While partir alone simply means 'to leave,' adding en voyage clarifies that the departure is specifically for a journey. It distinguishes it from just leaving a room or a building.

Notice the preposition en followed by the noun voyage without an article. This construction is typical for expressing 'to go by' a certain means or 'to go on' a type of activity, much like partir en vacances (to go on vacation).

Another related phrase is faire un voyage (to take a trip/make a journey), which focuses more on the act of taking the trip itself, rather than the departure. However, partir en voyage is specifically about the initial act of setting off.

So, the next time you're packing your bags and heading out for an adventure, remember partir en voyage is the perfect French expression to describe your exciting departure!

💡 * Nous partons en voyage la semaine prochaine. (We are going on a trip next week.)

Elle est partie en voyage en Italie. (She went on a trip to Italy.)

Quand pars-tu en voyage ? (When are you leaving on your trip?)

Ils adorent partir en voyage chaque été. (They love to go on a trip every summer.)

Je rêve de partir en voyage autour du monde. (I dream of going on a trip around the world.)

To make a journey or trip – faire un voyage

When you want to express the idea of 'making a journey' or 'taking a trip' in French, the most common and natural phrase to use is faire un voyage.

This phrase literally translates to 'to make a trip.' Here, faire means 'to do' or 'to make,' and un voyage means 'a journey,' 'a trip,' or 'a voyage.' It's a fundamental expression for discussing travel plans.

Unlike some direct English translations, faire un voyage is perfectly idiomatic and widely used by native French speakers. It encompasses various types of travel, from short excursions to long-distance adventures.

You can easily specify the nature of the trip by adding adjectives. For instance, you might faire un petit voyage (make a small trip) or faire un long voyage (make a long trip). You can also specify the destination, like faire un voyage à Paris.

While the verb voyager means 'to travel,' faire un voyage refers specifically to the act of undertaking a journey. Think of voyager as the general act of traveling, and faire un voyage as the specific event or instance of a trip. Both are correct, but they emphasize different aspects.

💡 * Nous allons faire un voyage en Italie l'été prochain. (We are going to take a trip to Italy next summer.)* Elle rêve de faire un grand voyage autour du monde. (She dreams of making a big journey around the world.)* Ils ont fait un court voyage à la campagne le week-end dernier. (They took a short trip to the countryside last weekend.)* Tu devrais faire un voyage pour te détendre. (You should take a trip to relax.)* Combien de voyages fais-tu par an ? (How many trips do you take per year?)

To move around or get around (often implying travel) – se déplacer

The French verb se déplacer means "to move around" or "to get around". It inherently implies movement from one place to another, often with a connotation of travel or transportation.

It's frequently used when discussing methods of transport or the act of traveling. For instance, you might se déplacer by car, train, or plane, emphasizing the act of moving from point A to point B.

While often linked to travel, se déplacer can also describe general movement within a space, like an animal moving in its habitat or a person moving from room to room, especially if effort or a change of position is implied.

As a reflexive verb, se déplacer always requires a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) that agrees with the subject, indicating that the subject is performing the action upon itself.

💡 * Je me déplace souvent en train pour le travail. (I often travel by train for work.)

Comment vous déplacez-vous en ville ? (How do you get around in the city?)

Le serpent se déplace sans bruit. (The snake moves silently.)

Nous nous sommes déplacés à pied jusqu'au marché. (We walked to the market.)

Il est difficile de se déplacer avec cette blessure. (It's difficult to move around with this injury.)

To explore (often involving travel to new places) – explorer

The verb explorer in French directly translates to 'to explore' in English, encompassing the act of discovering new places, ideas, or possibilities.

Most commonly, explorer refers to the physical exploration of geographical areas, uncharted territories, or unfamiliar environments. Think of adventurers, scientists, or tourists venturing into the unknown.

Beyond physical journeys, explorer is also used to describe the act of investigating, examining, or delving into abstract concepts, ideas, emotions, or potential solutions. It implies a detailed examination.

As a transitive verb, explorer always takes a direct object. You explore something (e.g., explorer le monde, explorer une idée).

Whether you're mapping new lands or brainstorming new strategies, explorer is the go-to verb for describing the act of discovery and investigation.

💡 * J'aimerais explorer les montagnes cet été. (I would like to explore the mountains this summer.)

Les scientifiques explorent de nouvelles théories sur l'univers. (Scientists are exploring new theories about the universe.)

Nous devons explorer toutes les options avant de prendre une décision. (We must explore all options before making a decision.)

Il rêve d'explorer le fond de l'océan. (He dreams of exploring the bottom of the ocean.)

To travel through or cover (a distance, a region) – parcourir

The verb parcourir in French literally translates to 'to travel through' or 'to cover' a distance, a region, or even a period of time. It implies a sense of movement across or examination of an extent.

Its most common usage is to describe covering a physical distance or traversing a geographical area. Think of it as moving from one point to another, often implying the entire extent of the space. For instance, you parcourir a road, a forest, or a country.

Beyond physical movement, parcourir is also used to mean to scan, to read through, or to go over a document, a list, or even a person's life or career. In this context, it suggests a quick but complete review or journey through information or an experience.

Parcourir is a versatile verb, encompassing both literal and figurative journeys. Whether you're physically traveling across a landscape or mentally sifting through information, it conveys the idea of moving through or covering an entire scope. It's a regular -ir verb, making its conjugation straightforward.

💡 * Il a parcouru le monde entier. (He traveled the whole world.)

Nous avons parcouru des kilomètres à pied. (We covered kilometers on foot.)

J'ai parcouru le rapport avant la réunion. (I went through the report before the meeting.)

Elle a parcouru une carrière brillante. (She had a brilliant career.)

Le regard de l'enfant a parcouru la pièce. (The child's gaze swept across the room.)

To leave or go away (implying travel from one place to another) – s'en aller / partir

When you want to express the idea of leaving or going away from one place to another, especially implying travel or a definitive departure, French offers two main verbs: partir and s'en aller.

Partir is a very common and versatile verb meaning 'to leave,' 'to depart,' or 'to go away.' It's often used when you're leaving a specific place (e.g., home, work, a city) to go somewhere else, or simply to indicate departure.

S'en aller is a pronominal verb that also means 'to leave' or 'to go away.' It often emphasizes the act of going away, sometimes with a stronger sense of definite departure, or simply moving from where one is. It can feel more emphatic than partir in certain contexts.

💡 * Je pars demain matin pour Paris. (I'm leaving tomorrow morning for Paris.)

Elle est partie sans dire un mot. (She left without saying a word.)

Nous nous en allons dès que possible. (We are leaving as soon as possible.)

Il s'en va en vacances la semaine prochaine. (He's going away on vacation next week.)

Tu pars quand ? (When are you leaving?)

2. To hit the road or set off (for a journey) – prendre la route

To 'hit the road' or 'set off' for a journey in French is commonly expressed with the versatile idiom prendre la route.

Literally meaning 'to take the road', this phrase is used when someone is about to embark on a trip, typically by vehicle, but it can apply to any departure for travel.

Remember that prendre is an irregular verb. You'll conjugate prendre according to the subject, while la route remains unchanged. For example: Je prends la route, Nous prendrons la route.

💡 * Nous allons prendre la route tôt demain matin pour éviter les embouteillages. (We are going to hit the road early tomorrow morning to avoid traffic jams.)

Il a pris la route vers le sud. (He set off towards the south.)

Quand est-ce que tu prends la route pour les vacances ? (When are you hitting the road for the holidays?)

Après le petit-déjeuner, ils ont décidé de prendre la route. (After breakfast, they decided to set off.)

To go on an excursion or day trip – faire une excursion

The most common and idiomatic way to say “to go on an excursion” or “to go on a day trip” in French is to use the verb phrase faire une excursion.

This phrase literally translates to “to make an excursion.” In French, the verb faire (to do, to make) is frequently used in conjunction with nouns to express various activities, much like “to go for a walk” is faire une promenade. Une excursion refers specifically to a short journey or trip, often for pleasure or educational purposes, typically completed within a day.

You'll use faire une excursion when talking about visiting a place for a short period, often leaving in the morning and returning in the evening. This can include trips to the countryside, a historical site, a museum, or a nearby town. It implies a planned outing rather than just a casual visit.

💡 * Nous allons faire une excursion à la montagne ce week-end. (We are going on a day trip to the mountains this weekend.)

Les enfants ont fait une excursion scolaire au musée. (The children went on a school trip to the museum.)

J'adore faire des excursions pour découvrir de nouveaux endroits. (I love going on excursions to discover new places.)

Ils ont fait une excursion en bateau sur le lac. (They went on a boat trip on the lake.)

Prévoyons-nous de faire une excursion demain si le temps est beau? (Shall we plan to go on a day trip tomorrow if the weather is nice?)

Are there other ways to say 'to travel' in French?

Are there other ways to say “to travel” in French?

Our list covers the most common ways to say “to travel” in French. However, the French language, rich and diverse, offers many nuanced verbs and expressions to convey movement, journeys, and exploration, some of which are regional or more formal.

To explore further, try an online search for “comment dire voyager en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region to discover local idioms and usage.

You might discover interesting synonyms or expressions for ‘to travel’ that aren't on our main list. Always verify a word’s meaning and observe its usage in context before incorporating it into your vocabulary.

As you immerse yourself in French media — reading, watching, and listening — pay close attention. You're likely to encounter diverse and exciting ways to express the concept of travel, enriching your understanding of the culture.

For an even deeper dive into verbs and expressions related to travel, the WordReference entry for voyager is an excellent starting point to uncover a wealth of related terms and phrases.

I hope this article has broadened your French vocabulary for travel and inspired your linguistic journey. To conclude, here’s a fitting quote from Gustave Flaubert: Voyager rend modeste. On voit quelle petite place on occupe dans le monde. (Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.)

9 ways to say "to travel" in French