France is so much more than just Paris. While lovely, Paris quite simply isn’t a representation of the rest of the country, just like most capitals are so different from the rural areas. France has so many lovely regions to visit, you might struggle to choose where to go. Do you want to visit the beautiful beaches around Niche, the famous Champagne region, or small sleepy seaside towns like Honfleur? No matter your destinations, here are my top 3 tips for traveling around France:
1. Consider a Campervan
There are some countries where traveling by campervan just makes a lot of sense, and France is definitely one of those places. France is home to some of the world’s best roads, fairly considerate drivers, and accomodation is quite expensive meaning that hiring a campervan in France can save you serious money. Lowering your overall costs by campervan travel might mean that you can tick off a few more places of your bucket list. Another bonus of traveling in a campervan is that you won’t have to constantly pack and unpack as you change destinations, your room comes with you!
2. Visit During the Shoulder Seasons
France is a very popular travel destination! Paris is usually the most visited city in the world meaning that summer times are often completely jam packed with tourists. While that might not be the case right now, the best time to visit tends to be the shoulder seasons when the weather is still fabulous, but the crowds haven’t yet arrived or are on their way out. My personal favourite is spring, that way you can see all the beautiful flowers starting to bloom. You’ll also get better rates on things during the low seasons.
3. Learn a Little French
It’s true what they say, the French are very proud of their language and many of them don’t take kindly to foreigners coming and trying to speak English. My experience in the smaller towns was that the French were trying to bend over backwards to find a way to communicate with me, but they really appreciated any French words I could muster. Learning a little French before your trip will ensure that you can communicate a little more effectively and will prepare you if you hit any non tourist hot spots where the menus and everything are only in French. You can try downloading Duolingo, which is a language learning app, in order to learn some new words and phrases before you go.
France is one of my favourite places in the world, and I’m sure these trips will help ensure you have a fabulous trip.
