We're going to France. When is the season? When is the best time to go to France? Summer holidays in France

When going on vacation to the country of the musketeers, you, of course, think about when is the best time to go to France. Perhaps the main way to answer this question is to decide why you are planning a trip. Summer is the time when you should go to France to the Cote d'Azur and the Atlantic coast. Although the Mediterranean Sea has its own little secret in the form velvet season in September. In winter, there comes a time when you should fly to France in the direction of the Alpine ski resorts. And here excursion routes It’s worth visiting in spring and early autumn, when it’s not hot.

Holidays in France in spring

The weather in France in spring is very changeable. Spring makes its way across the country gradually, from southern Aquitaine to northern Normandy. And if on the Cote d'Azur in March it can already be +15°C, then in March it is much cooler. In April sunny days throughout the country it is becoming larger, and the air is already warming up significantly. Well, in May, during the flowering period, the tourist season officially begins.

Holidays in France in summer

The weather in France in summer varies from region to region. On south coast it can be quite hot, while on the Atlantic coast there is no heat, and in Paris the weather is very moderate. In summer, many lovers flock to France beach holiday those who want to soak in the waves Mediterranean Sea And Atlantic Ocean. And in the summer, Disneyland Paris will extend opening hours to 10 p.m.

For those who are traveling to France (for the first time or not at all), this is a list of small typically French features that would be good to know and, if possible, observe...

1) The French cannot stand it when the simplest rules of etiquette are not followed. I'm talking, of course, about the native French, and not emigrants, for example, or tourists...

Therefore, even if you don’t speak French, a few words like bonjour (hello), merci (thank you), au revoir (goodbye) can be learned... If you have pushed someone, or are just about to ;-)) , say desolé (desolé) - sorry!

2) If you have been studying French all your life, or once did, or are currently learning, and you go to France and are faced with the fact that they don’t understand you, don’t worry! This is fine)). Many people say that the French deliberately pretend that they don’t understand, that they are snobs, but this is fundamentally not true, they really don’t understand!)) And don’t worry about this - just try to pronounce the words clearly, pronounce them clearly –a-, -o- and other letters - the likelihood that you will be understood will increase significantly.

3) If you come to a restaurant, don’t order frog legs, please!)) Unless, of course, you’ve dreamed of trying them all your life! The fact is that the French themselves do not eat these frog legs, or they eat them, but very rarely and in a very strange state (to be honest, in the 12 years of my acquaintance with France, I have not met a single Frenchman who would order frog legs with me, or was going to cook them, or would he share with me that he recently tasted them)))…

Not only are they difficult to find, but if you find them, they are most likely tourist restaurants, where the quality of the food is unlikely to be high. What is really interesting to order is foie gras or tartare as an appetizer, cassoulet, or rooster in wine (coq au vin) and for dessert, of course, creme brulee or chocolate fondant with a scoop of ice cream…. Never forget, food for the French is a style and a huge part of their life. They say: “Other peoples eat to live, but we live to eat.” So, choice good restaurant in France it is obligatory - going to a restaurant can become an interesting adventure for you if you make the right choice, and a huge disappointment if you fail. Sometimes you may accidentally get into a good place, but it’s better to trust the professionals - read criticism, look at guidebooks, ask friends...

4) It is customary to leave tips in France, but, by our standards, they are very small. For an account up to 20 euros it is about 1 euro, or even less sometimes, up to 50 - about 2 euros, up to 100-150 - 5-7 euros. You can, of course, leave more, but this is not necessary. Don't forget that in France, being a waiter is a profession, unlike in Russia, where students usually become waiters, or even if they are older people, but this is usually considered a temporary job, and the main income comes from tips, not from wages .

In France, waiters receive a full salary, so tipping is more of a gesture to show that you thank the person for their service, rather than a means of earning money. A large tip (although for us it may be normal - about 10%) may not even be well received, but most likely it is simply not understood. But it will definitely be clear that you are tourists. You can also leave a small tip in a taxi, but this is usually just rounded up from centimes to euros. Usually they don’t leave tips in other places, however, you can always give some small rewards to the service staff, for example, if you live in a hotel, to the cleaning staff.

5) Usually in public transport It is not customary to give up your seat, as in Russia. The exception is pregnant women and, sometimes, people with small children in their arms. But usually they are not given a place. Moreover, if you risk giving way to an older woman, she may even be offended!) I have seen a couple of times such situations when they gave way to women, and they, refusing, showed with all their appearance that they were still young enough and full of strength not to sit down. This, by the way, is the big difference between our cultures. In France, there is a cult of equal rights between women and men, so women do not expect someone to open a door for them, remove a suitcase from a shelf, help lift something heavy, etc. But on the other hand, men for the most part do not believe that only a woman should do, for example, household chores. French men usually share maintenance in household things in the same way - they wash dishes equally with women, cook, vacuum, etc. This equality is manifested in everything - for example, if parents divorce, the practice is for a child to live in two houses - a week with mom, a week with dad.

6) How to catch a taxi? This question usually arises for a Russian person, who is accustomed to raising his hand anywhere and immediately seeing a whole tail of cars, setting his own price, choosing the car and driver he likes. In France (as well as in the rest of Europe), the situation is radically different. You can either take a taxi at a taxi stand, or if you see a car with a taxi badge and a green signal on the visor. If you see a yellow or red signal, it means that the car is already occupied by another lucky person). So, you come to a taxi stop and see a free car. You're already in luck! In Paris, you can sometimes run around for a very long time looking for transport. The situation gets worse during national celebrations (for example, July 14 or White Night). I remember several times at night, during some of these holidays, we could not find a taxi, and we had to walk half the city to get to the place where we were going.

But let's say you're lucky and you're near a car with a green light indicating you can go where you want. In this case, you get into the car IMMEDIATELY. There is no need to go up to the driver’s window and ask if the taxi driver will go to some place. According to the rules, a taxi should go wherever you need, without exception. However, there are still exceptions)). The shift may end, and then the taxi driver will take with him only the one who is traveling in approximately the same direction as him. Or, if you are traveling far outside the city, refusal is also possible. But, in any case, you should be informed about this in a polite manner and immediately. In all other cases, you can safely sit in the back seat. Pay attention - exactly to the rear. In Russia it is customary to sit in the front seat, next to the driver, in Europe in the back. Even if there are three of you passengers, you all sit in the back seat. To be honest, I still don’t understand why this is so, but it is so. And one more thing - if there are four of you, then it is likely that the taxi driver will refuse you, and you will have to take two cars. True, now the situation has changed a little, and now they often take a fourth passenger, but at the same time add a cost for 4 people (usually this is either discussed in advance, before boarding, or it is written in the rules on the taxi window).

So, you got into the back seat. What's next? You say the ubiquitous “Bonjour” and then name the place where you are going. Be prepared to repeat the name of the place several times - they may really not understand you, even if, in your opinion, you pronounce the words clearly in French)). Better yet, show the address on a piece of paper, on a map, etc. That's more true. Afterwards you can relax - the Moscow question: “Will you show the way?” you won't hear. All taxi drivers have a navigator, or, as a last resort, a map. When you arrive, the amount of your trip will be displayed on the meter. If you have luggage in the trunk, then a couple of euros will be added to your bill for each suitcase. Another important point is when you get into the car and the car moves, the driver presses the counter and the amount for boarding is displayed there - this is the starting point, the rest of the cost will be added to it. It is important to note that if you call a taxi to a hotel, house, etc., the taxi driver arrives with some amount on the meter. And this amount may be an unpleasant surprise. That is, if you called a taxi and it came from a nearby street, then the meter will be small - maybe 1 euro more, but if it came from somewhere further away, then the amount can increase significantly. One day a taxi came to us with 14 euros on the meter. It was terrible!

Another thing you need to know about taxis is that the cost per km increases if you drive along the ring road (our Moscow Ring Road), or if you travel outside the city.

When you pay the meter, don’t forget to say: “Merci. Au revoir. Bonne journée!”

7) Rules of behavior in the restaurant. Let's say you're walking around the city and you see a cute place where you think you'll happily spend some time enjoying a meal. Very often, Russians come in and immediately head to an empty table without waiting for an invitation. However, in France, when entering a restaurant or cafe, it is customary to wait for the head waiter, who will ask how many of you will be there (you can say it in English, or just point with your fingers), and follow him to the table he offers.

If you don't like this table and you see another one available, you can ask if it is possible to move there. I would like to point out that in France they always sit at a table with as many seats as there are guests. That is, if there are two of you, you will be seated at a table with two seats. And if there are two of you, but you like a table for four or even three, you will most likely be refused. If there is no one at all in the restaurant, and no one is expected, then you may be allowed. This system occurs due to the fact that there are not very many places in restaurants, and usually tables are set a large number of and right next to each other in order to seat as many people as possible. Please note that if you sit on the terrace, there will most likely be an additional cost added to your bill - this may mean that they will simply add a fixed amount to it, or they will add a few percent (about 10), or you will see a difference in the menu cost – the price inside and the price outside. It is also worth paying attention to fast food cafes such as Pomme de Pain or Brioche dorée. Here, if you buy and eat on premises, you will pay a little more than if you take the same food to go.

Please, as always, do not forget to say hello and goodbye, not to mention thank you)). To attract the waiter's attention, they usually either raise their hand, making eye contact with him, or, if he passes by, politely: “Excusez-moi!” Or “Pardon. Excusez – moi! Or you can say the same thing in English)). No “garçon”, of course! It is not polite. In France, it is customary for waiters to ask whether you liked the food or not (in Russia now this has also begun to appear more and more). If you speak French, of course, answer, and if not, then simply show with a smile that you don’t understand.

One more point - in France there is a rule that, at the request of the client or automatically, put a carafe of water on the table. It's free and it's potable water. If the decanter is not on the table, then you can ask for it. To do this, you need to say that you need free water. In French it would sound like this: “Une carafe d`eau, s`il vous plait!” ([yun caraf do, silvuple] carafe of water, please). If you just ask for water, it is likely that they will bring you bottled water, which you will have to pay for.

As for starting the meal... Usually, after you have ordered, a basket of bread and butter is brought out. The French, in order not to die of hunger for the next 15-20 minutes while waiting for the ordered dish, save themselves with a baguette, spreading butter on it). And believe me, the last thing they think about at this moment is their figure. The butter is not spread on the entire piece at once, but on a part. Or, a piece is broken off and butter is spread on it, then it is eaten, and then the procedure is repeated.

8) If you came to visit someone at home. Shoes in France are usually not removed; the French walk around the house in the same shoes they came in. I remember at the beginning of my acquaintance it was a shock for me, but now I’m used to it)). Although sometimes I ask when I’m not sure whether to leave the shoes or not.

9) If you are invited to dinner at a Frenchman's home... What to bring? It's okay to ask, especially if it's a party, if it hasn't been discussed in advance. If not, it can usually be a bottle of wine or other alcohol (but usually wine!). If it's a party, it could also be chips or nuts, or other snacks. I was also surprised to discover that the French often, when they go to visit a woman, or a couple with a woman, carry a bouquet of flowers. This becomes even more strange considering the fact that France does not have the same flower-giving culture as ours. However, it was in this case that I encountered this more than once.

10) In public transport, you enter through the first door, however, as now in Moscow, you pay for a ticket, or, if you already have one, you punch it. It’s better - it’s more convenient and cheaper to buy 10 tickets - this is called encarnet - for example, you can buy it in the metro. Tickets are valid on all public transport.

11) In France, it is not customary to drink alcohol on the street, including beer. Although, of course, you may encounter this sometimes.

12) Regarding gifts... A typical birthday gift could be a book or a CD with music. Now discs have been replaced by gift cards in the AppleStore, for example, if you have an IPOD, or FNAC cards (a supermarket of books, music, video and audio equipment). At first I was surprised how it would be to give just a book for a birthday). But when I found out the prices of books, it became clear to me - a book costs about 15-25 euros. So that's pretty clear. It is not customary to give expensive gifts unless it is a special occasion.

13) In general, in France it is not customary to show off the presence of money. If you have a lot of them, keep this knowledge to yourself. You shouldn't pull out wads of money to show your creditworthiness)). Pretentiousness in clothing and accessories is also not welcome. But this, of course, is everyone’s business.

14) If you go to a restaurant with someone, then everyone usually pays for themselves. This is often difficult for us to accept, since we often pay for each other, and if there is a man and a woman, then usually the man pays. This is not the case in France. Sometimes a man can pay for two, but you shouldn’t expect it, just like you shouldn’t be offended - another culture! But, girls, there is a positive side here - you don’t feel obligated to do what you don’t want, just because someone paid for you somewhere. That is, I usually expect that I will pay myself, and I am always ready to pay. But if the person opposite me says that it’s not necessary, then it’s not necessary).

Do? There can be only one answer to the question - in France you can always have a great time and relax, at any time of the year!

France in winter

Of course, France is, first of all, Paris. The most romantic city in Europe and the most magical holidays - New Year and Christmas - can you think of a more successful combination! The people of Paris have excellent taste - not only is the city itself superbly decorated, but in almost every window you can see a small work of art on a Christmas theme.

The whole city glows with the lights of garlands and brightly decorated Christmas trees. On New Year's Eve, Parisians and guests of the capital take to the streets - music, laughter, champagne - the most French and most New Year's drink! Large festive festivities take place on the Champs Elysees. But by midnight, bright streams of people, glowing with sparklers, lanterns and multi-colored light bulbs, flock to the main symbol of Paris - the Eiffel Tower, which also sparkles with lights, and especially brightly on this night.

For those who prefer to celebrate New Year and Christmas in more comfortable conditions, small and large cafes, restaurants and restaurants cordially open their doors, where you can see a wide variety of entertainment programs and try delicious food. For the appropriate fee, you can attend a ball in a real castle, where you will be offered a menu worthy of kings.

And the period from January 9 to February 16 is a real holiday for shopping lovers. The largest stores hold sales, and discounts on goods gradually reach 50 - 80%. All of Europe knows about these sales, and the number of people coming to Paris these days increases significantly.

In addition, no one canceled a visit to the Louvre, the Cognac-Jeu Museum and others, of which there are a lot in Paris. You can spend the whole day at Disneyland.

Winter in France is mild, the air temperature rarely drops below -10°C, most often 0° and slightly higher.

Ski resorts in France are very popular. The Alps here are the highest in Western Europe, a large selection of slopes, 3900 lifts - there is no such number anywhere in the world, stable snow cover from early December to May. And the presence of special snow cannons at 175 resorts allows you to continue descending from the mountains even in summer. Sun, almost always good weather, famous resorts such as Courchevel, Chamonix, Tignes, Val d'Isere, Val Thorens, Meribel and others! And there are also little-known places for ski holidays, where prices are much lower.

Spring in France

Spring in France is a great time for tourists. This is the time of flowering, when the air is filled with the aroma of lilacs and blossoming almonds. On the Parisian boulevards, chestnut trees delight the eye. And how wonderful it is to celebrate Valentine's Day in the most romantic city.

There are not very many tourists and it is much easier to get to famous museums. You can walk for a long time along the streets and squares, relaxing with a cup of coffee in small cafes under open air. And a little later, take a boat ride on the Seine, or go on a bus excursion to the castles of the Loire.

Summer holidays in France

The shores of France are washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The climate here is mild and, although the summers are quite hot (in July the temperature is above +25°), the resorts of the Cote d'Azur are considered one of the most famous and popular in the world. There is excellent clear water and excellent infrastructure. Names such as Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Nice are known even to those who have never been to France; they are associated with a luxurious and carefree life.

In addition to the Cote d'Azur, the resort of Biarritz is also known; it is located on the border with Spain and is famous for its particularly mild climate, which allows for thalassotherapy - therapeutic spa treatments based on the use of sea water and algae.

Very close to Paris is the province of Normandy. The resort of Deauville on the English Channel coast has long been a favorite holiday destination for the “rich and famous”. In addition to the beautiful beach, there are conditions for horse riding and sailing.

France ranks first in terms of attractiveness for tourists. More than 80 million travelers visit it annually. And all thanks to the fact that France has a huge number of attractions, developed tourism infrastructure, an extensive transport network, and most importantly: there is a comfortable climate, excellent beach resorts in the south, upscale ski resorts in the Alps, picturesque nature throughout the country. Let’s also not forget that Paris, the capital of France, is also called the city of lovers, and many young (and not only) couples strive to come here.

An independent trip to France will not only save up to 50% of your money (compared to if the vacation was organized by a travel agency), but will also bring much more vivid and memorable impressions into your life. In fact, organizing your own trip is quite simple. If you are doing this for the first time, then just follow the instructions, and you will be able to relax 100%.

Trip plan

1. Decide on travel dates
2. Decide in which specific place you want to vacation (or in which part of the country, if the trip involves visiting several cities)
3. Make a rough vacation plan (on which days you will visit what)
4. Buy round trip air tickets
5. Book accommodation (hotel/house/apartment/hostel)
6. Get health insurance
7. Get a Schengen visa (if not already)
8. Go on vacation

Everyone chooses the dates and place for their vacation for themselves. The same article is devoted to the main points of organizing a trip. And so let’s move on to these most important points, this information is for you to travel to France on your own, inexpensively and comfortably.

Flights

Air tickets to France must be purchased in advance. 3-6 months before the flight, air ticket prices are minimal. The best (and most convenient) way is to buy air tickets yourself on the website. I have been using this site almost since its opening and have never had any problems with it, so you can use the Aviasales functionality yourself with complete confidence.

If you want to fly to France cheaper, then consider flights with transfers. Most often, there is a transfer in Kyiv or Riga; such planes fly to Paris from Moscow in 5-7 hours, and the ticket costs from 200 €. You can fly by direct flight in 3.5 hours, spending from 270 €.

The largest airports receiving flights from Russia are located in Paris, Nice and Marseille. If you want to go to some other city in France, you will have to fly with transfers, also using domestic aviation. Most major airport country is called “Charles de Gaulle” (Charles de Gaulle, France, code CDG). Most flights to France from Russia depart from Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Some daredevils go to France in their own car. Let me warn you right away that this type of travel is very long, difficult and quite demanding on money, so it is not suitable for everyone. But if you are not afraid of difficulties, you can read the article; the information also applies to France.

Calendar low prices for air tickets

Check airfare prices:

Accommodation

Hotels in France are both inexpensive and very expensive. The closer to city centers, the higher the prices. If you are going to stay in Paris, then take into account the fact that the capital of the country is divided into 20 districts and some of them (mostly the extreme ones, the districts are numbered in a spiral from the center to the periphery) are quite crime-prone areas, in which it is not advisable to settle. Therefore, it is safest to choose central and mid-distance districts (most of the attractions, restaurants and shops are located there, so living in these areas, you will definitely benefit from comfort and accessibility interesting places).

No matter what city you are going to, it is more profitable to book a hotel at. I recommend switching to this service right now and finding a suitable option for yourself. This site is used by millions of travelers from all over the world because of its functionality, a huge number of hotels, safety and friendly attitude towards visitors, and, most importantly, there is no commission on it. It's great when you can find inexpensive and comfortable hotels, and even arrange everything in a few minutes. Use it!

Another way to live in France is to rent an apartment, room or house. This is most often beneficial large families or groups of friends from 5 people. You can rent any accommodation on Airbnb. You can find out how to rent accommodation abroad on Airbnb.

Find a cheap hotel from Roomguru right now:

Travel documents

France is part of the Schengen zone, which means Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, and Kazakhs will need a visa. It’s quite easy to get it yourself; you can also contact a special company that will help with paperwork, for example, in. The list of documents for a trip to France is as follows:

• international passport
• Medical insurance
• Schengen visa

How to get a Schengen visa yourself. The correct choice of health insurance is written in.

Attractions

Depending on the place you choose for your vacation, there will be a different list of places you will visit. Therefore, you need to decide which attractions are worth seeing when you have precisely decided on the city of stay for the duration of the trip. If you are going to visit several cities at once, then take guidebooks from all of them. settlements and mark the ones that are best in your opinion. In any case, you can spend an interesting holiday in France in any city. I will list the most famous and popular attractions among tourists:

• Eiffel Tower (Paris)
• Notre-Dame de Paris (Paris)
• Versailles (suburb of Paris)
• Louvre (Paris)
• Picasso Museum (Paris)
• Rodin Museum (Paris)
• Chenonceau Castle (Chenonceau village)
• Chateau de Chambord (Loir et Cher department)
• Arc de Triomphe (Paris)
• Rouen Cathedral (Rouen)
• Cathedral of Notre-Dame de la Garde (Marseille)
• Pantheon (Paris)
• Champs Elysees (Paris)
• Château d'If (Marseille)
• Longchamp Palace (Marseille)
• Cathedral (Marseille)
• Notre Dame Cathedral (Strasbourg)

For those who want to see as many interesting places in France as possible, I recommend. You can use it to travel to different parts of the country and understand much better what and how the French live, and you will have many times more pleasant impressions.

Travel cost

Traveling independently in France can be much cheaper than offers from travel agencies. But it is important to understand that only you decide how much your vacation will cost. You can live in a three-star hotel, fly economy class with a transfer, not spend money on shopping and save on restaurants. Also, the price of the trip depends on the city where you stay. For example, a vacation in Paris will require twice as much money as the same one in Lyon. To give you an idea, I’ll give you a breakdown of the costs for an average week’s vacation in Paris for two:

• Round trip flights = 440 €
• Room in a 3* hotel (in the center) = 800 €
• Food = 250 €
• Sights and transport = 400 €
• Shopping = 250 €
• Visa = 35 €

In total we get that independent trip to France it will cost 2175 €. But keep in mind that this is the cost of the holiday itself. dear city France. Some people spend a lot less, saving on everything, while others spend a lot more, buying everything they like. Read our guide on how to travel very cheaply around the world. It gives instructions and examples on how to travel around the world, spending only $40-60 per day per person. Thanks to this information, you can visit France very inexpensively, but then you will lose a little in comfort.

How to save money while traveling

I hope you will no longer have a question about how to travel to France on your own. Thanks to this information, you will be able to visit Paris, Nice, Marseille or any other city in France very soon. Best wishes to you!

We continue to share with you ready-made travel recipes from our readers. Teresa Kavinska from Lviv recently returned from a three-week trip to France, which enchanted her with its food, landscapes and architecture.

Why France?

I've been drooling over photos of the magical Etretat for a long time, and French cheeses and croissants cannot be compared with anything. In addition, I wanted to dispel the stereotype that France is only Paris and the Eiffel Tower, and surprise myself and my friends beautiful nature of this country.

How to get there?

Most cheap way to get to France - fly through Brussels. Since we had a plan to travel the coast of France from north to south, we took tickets from Warsaw to Charleroi, and back from Toulouse to Warsaw on the Irish favorite Ryanair. We also took extra luggage to fit our tent. Tickets cost €80 per person, two ways. We hesitated between Charleroi and Paris, but tickets to Belgium were cheaper.

Cheap options from Poland to Brussels or France and back are very common. And if Ryanair or Wizz Air are having a sale, they will cost almost nothing. In addition, Belavia recently launched direct flights Minsk-Brussels (from € 89 one way). You probably know that airports are far from the city. You can take a shuttle for €10, we were hitchhiking.

Transport

Hitchhiking in France is excellent. Although most drivers do not understand English, it is easy to explain where to drop you off using sign language and maps on your phone. We were picked up on highways, parking lots and small rural roads. Hitchwiki is always there to help you find out the best spots.
If hitchhiking is not your thing, use BlaBlaCar, which, by the way, was invented by the French. The prices are reasonable and it’s easy to find travel companions.
It is also convenient to use FlixBus and Eurolines. If you decide to travel by train, you should know that France has a special railway system. Prices depend on the time of year, high or low season and the time when you buy the ticket. The earlier you buy, the cheaper the tickets will be. If you are going to travel a lot, then buy a travel pass. For example, Interrail France Pass. And don’t forget to say that you are young - up to 26 years old you will receive a discount.

Public transport in France is inexpensive. Metro in Paris is € 1.7, and buses € 1.2-2, depending on the city. Quite cheap bikes to rent in Paris and Bordeaux - €2 per hour. But if you change your bike within 30 minutes at stations, it will be free.

What to save on?

It's easy to save money on food in France. We bought groceries at Carrefour and had awesome picnics for €6-8 for two. Do you want to have a snack? Go to the Boulangerie. Baguettes for 60 euro cents, and croissants for 80. And you’ll be full, and national cuisine you'll try. If you see the morning market, don't miss it. As usual, prices are low and you can try everything. We bought three avocados for €1, a large quiche Laurent for €3 and plenty of seafood for five for €20. And don't be afraid to haggle!

We also took food with us from home and sometimes cooked on a gas burner (we bought it from Decathlon in France).

But the biggest savings are made on transport and accommodation due to hitchhiking, couchsurfing and tents.

Where to live?

Luckily, couchsurfing works well in France. We traveled outside the tourist season (late March - early April) and visited small towns. We looked for couches the day before our arrival and almost always found them. I'm sure that in high season and in big cities The situation with this is worse, so write in a week or two.

In addition to the cabins, we stayed in hostels. In Paris, hostel prices start from €30, but rooms are sold out like hot cakes. I recommend Smart Place Hotel Gare du Nord (28 Rue de Dunkerque) and Les piaules (59 Boulevard de Belleville). The first is in the Montmartre area, but not in the center of the action, but on a quiet street not far from the metro. I liked the second one even more - a chic bar on the ground floor and an incredible view from the open rooftop terrace. Every Sunday there is a noisy and cheap market under the hostel. In other cities, prices are not much cheaper, and hostels in small towns No. For example, in the city of Lorient we stayed in a hotel for € 60 for two (this was the cheapest offer in the city, even without breakfast). Then night found us in an unknown place, and there was no desire to sleep in a tent.

By the way, about tents. Theoretically, you cannot set up a tent within a city or park - it is prohibited. Of course, you can hide in the forest where no one will see, but there is always a risk that a pack of wild animals will come for a visit. Wild donkeys came to us to look at the tent. Therefore, if you travel with tents, stay at a campsite or with locals. Camping costs €15-20 for a piece of land for a tent and a warm shower. If you're lucky, you'll meet some tramps from different countries and get wifi. But if you are a traveler with a budget of € 20 for a week, I advise you to put up a tent in the yard local residents. I first practiced this in Norway, then in Italy, and now in France - it works. Just look for a house with a big yard and friendly people, put on your most charming smile and ask to pitch a tent on the property. First of all, it's legal. Secondly, you will have access to hot water and maybe even wifi. And thirdly, it is likely that you will be invited to spend the night in the house, and even fed with treats.

Well, now the route. Our route ran from Brussels to Toulouse, which is more than 2500 km. But the standard route can start from Paris, ending in Bordeaux, passing through Normandy, Brittany and Aquitaine.

Paris

We decided to avoid everyone hiking trails, so we didn’t even get to the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe. What surprised me was that it was huge! It seemed that popular locations were located within the same county. But no. From Montmartre to Notre Dame 5 km, from Notre Dame to Eiffel Tower another 5 km, and to the Louvre it’s another 2 km. We didn’t chase the sights and walked all day, enjoying the streets of the Latin Quarter, blooming magnolias and a deserted park near the tower, where several locals were walking their dogs. Oh yes! You can try the best croissants at Du Pain et Des Idées (34 Rue Yves Toudic, 75010 Paris, France), and excellent falafels at L "as du Fallafel (32 Rue des Rosiers) in the Le Marais area.

Normandy

We went on a trip for the sake of Normandy and Brittany. These are the regions of cider, cheeses and rocks. Therefore, immediately after Paris we hitchhiked to Normandy. First we arrived in Honfleur, a small fishing town in the department of Calvados. Our coach lived in a tall old house that smelled like grandma's closet, but very nice and in the center of the city. The specificity of Norman towns are half-timbered houses, high (6-7 floors), but narrow (2-3 windows per floor) with low ceilings. It seems that such a house may not withstand gusts of wind, but time shows otherwise.

In addition to Honfleur, I advise you to visit Deauville, Trouville-sur-Mer, Fécamp. In Deauville, for example, Coco Chanel opened her first boutique and introduced the fashion for tanning.