France

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France is the most visited country in the world! Which attracts about 80 million tourists per year, 20 million more than the number of inhabitnats! And no wonder… This country has well preserved historic architecture, a variety of stunning scenery and a mouthwatering culinary. It is certainly an irresistible destination.

Here you can go back in time and learn more of the history traveling through the charming medieval towns, the castles of kings and cities that retain buildings from the Renaissance spread throughout the country. You can enjoy nature in summer and winter, from the marveling waters of the Mediterranean to the Alps. The only problem is the amount of tourists… Do not expect much peace nor exclusivity.

We didn’t have France in our plan during our trip around the world, but we ended it up stepping here twice with the change of plans. But our tips below is the result of several trips we made at different times of life.

What was worth it: Paris the capital of the light, the waters of the Blue Cost, the beautiful castles of the Loire Valley and Versailles, the medieval towns of Britain and the ski mountains.
What we wanted to do but we didn’t: The wine region of Bordeaux.

A few tips:

• TRANSPORTATION: Travel around Europe by land can be expensive, especially by train. That’s why to fly can be a good option. You can find very cheap flights around Europe (sometimes for 20 euros), but usually you only find the cheapest fares when you buy your ticket in advance and out of season. Also be aware that to check-in luggage and to pay with credit card you always pay an extra fee. There are several budget airline companies in Europe, but our favorite is Easyjet. Check also Ryanair, Vueling, Flybe, Tuifly, Thomas Cook. You can also use this guide to search for budget airlines between 2 points in Europe.
• GET A RIDE TO GO AROUND: Another cheap way to travel the country and Europe is catching a ride by car, by a system called BlaBlaCar where people who are traveling by car sell seats on their car for a low cost that helps to cover the cost of the trip. It works really well and reserving through the site you have all guarantees (if the person does not show up you get your money back and you can also cancel your reservation up to X hours before the trip). Moreover you can always find last minute options and this offers flexibility. We used and we approve. Find your journey buddy in BlaBlaCar.
• VERSAILLES AND THE LOIRE VALLEY : Versailles is undoubtedly the most beautiful and impressive castle, especially for its garden, but the Loire Valley is also worth a visit to make your trip back to the time of the kings even more remarkable! The problem? Choose which castles to visit… There are around 150 castles across the region. To really enjoy consider at least 4 days and if you want to go deeper consider one week. For a good mix of extravagant exterior architecture, preserved interior decoration, beautiful gardens and history, we suggest the following castles: Chambord, Cheverny, Chenonceau, Villandry and Les Clos. And if you have more time consider also: Blois, Ussé, Brissac, Le Lude and Chamont sur Loire. Do your research in the site to know more about the castles and decide the best route for you and if you enjoy cycling you can have a more amazing experience and there is a site just for that: Loire à Vélo.
• SKI CHEAPER: To be able to ski in France without spending a fortune the ideal is to rent an apartment in low season weeks. We once paid 150 euros per person for seven days in an apartment in Courchevel for 6 people during 7 days, in the first week of the year, just beside the ski lift. A great deal! Search in the official web pages of each ski station, because usually they offer rentals right there and you can look for the cheapest weeks (which often fall by half): Courchevel and Chamonix. Also during thos weekes, the skipass is cheaper and being in an apartment enable you to cook to save even more.

Our itinerary

We didin’t have a single path as we visited France on several different trips , but we marked the major points we’ve been on the map to help.

The best of the country