You may wish to rephrase the quesion, clarifying the class of airspace involved and what you mean by "ATC". You'd be surprised at how many people use ATC as a catch-all to describe anyone operating a radio on the ground.
But let's assume you're talking about an airport in Class D. Yes, you need to inform then where you're going because a flight plan is mandatory in Class D airspace. This requirement can however be satisfied over the radio, or by "booking out" over the telephone beforehand. If you want to do circuits on your return you stand a better chance if you ask beforehand, but there's no rule that says you can't suddenly pipe up on short final and say "mind if I make it a touch and go, then do a few circuits?".
Can the next question be about flying VFR on top in France, or whether piggy-back FAA license holders legally need BFRs?