Just France

France vs. Texas: My Real-World Size Test

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I kept hearing, “Texas is bigger than France.” Cool line. But how big, really? So I tested it the way I live—by going there, driving, and timing it. I used Google Maps, my old Rand McNally road atlas, and the ViaMichelin planner. Then I stacked the facts against how it actually felt on the ground.

You know what? The numbers and my legs agreed. If you want the blow-by-blow data set, I laid it all out in a separate piece right here — my real-world size test of France vs. Texas.

The quick math (plain and simple)

  • Texas: about 268,596 square miles (695,662 km²)
  • Metropolitan France (including Corsica): about 213,000 square miles (around 551,500 km²)

If you’d like to see those figures plotted on interactive maps, JustFrance.org has some handy visual tools that really drive the comparison home. Another quick visualization tool is MapFight’s simple overlay of France and Texas, which puts the size gap in a single frame.

So, Texas is roughly a quarter bigger than France. Think 1.25 times. Not a tiny gap, but not a blowout either.

How it felt when I crossed both

Here’s the thing. The math says one story. Your body tells another.

  • Crossing Texas by car feels endless. I drove El Paso to Houston on I-10. That’s about 745 miles. A full day on the road—desert, pumps, Buc-ee’s, and lots of bugs on the windshield. I hit Houston sore and starved.
  • Crossing France “felt” shorter, but only because the trains fly. Paris to Marseille on the TGV took me a bit over 3 hours. By car, that same trip is about 480 miles and can eat up a day with tolls and traffic.

So yes, Texas is bigger. But France shrinks when you use fast rail. That’s the twist.

Real examples I ran (and lived)

  • Texas: El Paso to Dallas is about 635 miles. I did it with a stop in Midland for tacos and gas. It was a long, dry push. The sky keeps going; the road does too.
  • Texas: Dallas to Brownsville? Roughly 550 miles. I hit it in spring. Bluebonnets at first, then palms near the Gulf. Same state, totally new vibe.
  • France: Lille to Marseille is about 1,000 km (620 miles) by road. I tried the train. Around 5 hours. Croissant, nap, sea. Wild how quick that felt.
  • France: Bordeaux to Nice is about 800 km (500 miles). I drove most of it. Vineyards, toll booths, tunnels, and then the water. It took a full, real day.

Funny thing—those France drives match Texas hauls mile for mile. The scale is close enough that your snack plan matters.

Planning your own loop through France? I rounded up the cities that stole my heart (with all the lived-in moments that made them stick) in this guide to my favorite French cities.

A map test I actually did

I ran a little “overlay” test with Google Maps. It’s not fancy GIS, just a sanity check.

  • Put Paris roughly where Austin is. Marseille lands near Brownsville. Lille slides toward Dallas. Bordeaux sits west, like Midland or maybe Lubbock. It’s not perfect, but it tracks.
  • Then I flipped it. El Paso to Houston is longer than Paris to Marseille. Dallas to El Paso roughly matches Lille to Marseille. That felt right in my bones after both trips.

Honestly, the side-by-side view made the comparison click more than any stat sheet.

Time vs. size (the brain teaser)

This tripped me up. Texas is bigger, yes. But:

  • In France, high-speed rail eats distance. You blink, and cities hop past.
  • In Texas, highways rule. They’re fast, but not train fast. You still feel the miles.

So France “feels” smaller if you ride the rails. Texas “feels” bigger if you drive. Both can take a whole day. It just depends on the wheels.

Little travel notes that stuck

  • Snacks matter. In Texas, I stopped at Buc-ee’s in Katy and left with a bag the size of a pillow. In France, I grabbed a jambon-beurre and a tiny espresso at Gare de Lyon, and that was perfect.
  • Weather plays a part. West Texas heat makes a long drive feel longer. In Provence, the Mistral wind hit me at the car door and I woke right up.
  • Tolls and gas change the math. French toll roads are smooth but pricey. Texas has long free stretches, but gas adds up over 700+ miles.
  • Curious how the two fare as climate change turns up the heat? This EDF comparison on who’s bigger, hotter, and more prepared offers an eye-opening climate lens on the France–Texas matchup.
  • Long drives mean lonely hotel nights; during one overnight stop I started reading about how some travelers bankroll their miles by performing online. For an eye-opening look at the realities behind that digital hustle, check out this candid cam-girl interview that unpacks the economics, safety tricks, and unexpected community behind webcam work.
  • Pulled into Gilbert, Arizona, on one Southwest swing and was surprised at how vibrant—and discreet—the after-hours scene can be. If you’re curious about connecting with an inclusive companion while passing through, this detailed guide to trans escorts in Gilbert breaks down who’s available, how the booking process works, and the etiquette that keeps everyone safe and relaxed.

So… how big is France compared to Texas?

  • Texas is about 25% larger than metropolitan France.
  • A lot of major France drives match classic Texas hauls.
  • Trains in France make the country feel smaller than it is. Texas keeps its size honest with the wheel time.

If you want my gut take after both: Texas is wider, wilder, and wears you down mile by mile. France is dense, quick to cross by train, but just as broad when you try it by car. Different tools, different feel.

Would I do both again? Oh yeah. But I’d plan my snacks better—and maybe stretch more at rest stops. My knees still remember El Paso to Houston. My heart still remembers that first look at the Med rolling into Marseille.

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