When to Visit France?
April - June or August - September are the best times to be in France, as these are the shoulder season periods. During this time, you can still enjoy a nice warm temperature and colorful nature all around you without having to deal with peak season crowds, ridiculously long queues, and overpriced hotels and tours.
How to Get to France?
France is very well connected both within Europe and from everywhere else. If you are traveling from Asia or the Middle East, I would recommend flying Emirates Airline as they are reasonably priced, connected midway through Dubai, and they provide one of the best services out there. If your route isn't provided by Emirates, you can find more flight ticket discounts on Wego.
If you are traveling from within other European countries, the fastest way to reach France is via the European train system of your country of origin. Germany, Switzerland, and Spain have very well-connected train systems that will allow you to travel across the border without any problems. For more information about the train, visit Seat61.com.
How to Get Around France?
Within big cities like Paris, Lyon, and Bordeaux, you have quite a few options with their local transit systems. The metro and trams are perfect for short distances within the city.
For intercity travel, the most affordable and reliable way is to use bus companies like Flixbus, which is much cheaper than other transportation options. If you are looking for the fastest way to get to places, the SNCF train is your best bet, but it can get very expensive, especially with its fast TGV lines.
Another cheap but less reliable option is to travel with Blablacars, a carpooling service that is significantly cheaper than the trains and buses, but you will have to organize a pickup location with the driver yourself.
Daily Budget
Traveling here can be quite expensive and isn't necessarily budget-friendly, though there are still options to manage costs. You can expect to spend around $50 - $70 USD per day per person, including food, accommodation, and transportation.
Please keep in mind that these are suggested daily budgets based on my own style of travel, which leans more towards the budget side of things. If you aim to stick to this budget, anticipate sleeping in dormitories, dining out only occasionally, and being comfortable with the cheapest and most convenient modes of transportation, which often involve a considerable amount of walking.
What to Pack for France?
As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to France:
- Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
- Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
- Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
- Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).
- Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
- Down Jacket: In freezing temperatures, a down jacket is essential. The Columbia Men's Lone Fir Hooded Jacket (for women) is my choice. They are warm, lightweight, and available in various colors.
- Wool Beanie: A wool beanie is perfect for keeping your head and ears warm.
- Wool Gloves: I always have wool gloves handy to keep my hands warm in cold weather.
- Wool Socks: Don't forget to keep your feet warm with wool socks.
- Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
- Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
- Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
- Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
- Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
- Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
- Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
- Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.
For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.