Travel around France and you’ll discover a land of legendary landmarks known all over the world – from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the blooming lavender fields of Provence. Around 90 million visitors arrive in France each year making it head and shoulders the most visited country in the world. They are seduced by the culture, the history, architecture, food and wine, they are beguiled by the many pleasures of France, and once is never enough. And it’s not just visitors that love to visit France, staycations are popular with the French, with some 80% taking holidays in their own country.

In France you will never run out of things to see and places to visit. World class art, magnificent architecture, more than 40,000 chateaux and fortresses, glorious beaches, snowy mountains, historic cities, picturesque villages – there is just so much to fall in love with.

And when you’ve ticked off those must-see sites on your list – the Palace of Versailles, Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, a dazzling little island that makes you feel you have stepped back centuries, the Louvre, the world’s most visited museum and the sun-kissed French Riviera, the boulevards of Paris and the majestic castles of the Loire Valley – there are a million more thrilling sites and places to discover. Prehistoric caves, troglodyte villages, the steep cobbled streets of Saint-Emilion in Bordeaux, the medieval town of Annecy in Haute-Savoie and Claude Monet’s house and garden in Giverny, Normandy…

But now let’s look at travelling in France:

Travel guide to France

Travel in France isn’t just about how you get from A to B. France has such a diverse landscape and so many pleasures to experience. When you travel  from the sea to the mountains, and discover France in diverse ways from sailing on the Seine on a cruise from Honfleur to Paris like the Normans in the Middle Ages, or by exploring the canals of Burgundy or Provence and visiting the many sites that have shaped its history.

Travel in France by car

The French travel en voiture, by car, mostly. France has a very good road system with auto routes you along – at a cost of course. Between the middle of July and the middle of August the roads are considerably busier than usual as this is the prime time for French holiday makers to get away, as well as peak tourist season.  There’s even a website called Bison Fete which monitors and reports on how busy the roads are.

If you ever drive in France, you’ll notice that the French are obsessed with roundabouts, rond-point in French. A whopping 30% of all the traffic roundabouts in the world are to be found on the roads of France. The very first one in the world was at the Place de l’Etoile (Star Square), now called Place Charles de Gaulle, on which sits the historic Arc de Triomphe, commissioned in 1806 by Napoleon Bonaparte. A rather nightmarish twelve boulevards converge here and it’s said that if you’re involved in an accident driving round the circle, insurance companies split the cost fifty-fifty as each driver is considered at fault. Allegedly it’s the only place in the city where an accident is not judged.

The roads are generally very good in France. Auto routes and toll roads provide swift passages across the country. In fact The French are so fond of their auto routes they give them nicknames! The A6 which runs from Paris to Lyon is called the L’Autoroute du Soleil, the Sun Motorway, because you’re heading for the sunny bit of France! And the A26 – which runs from Calais in the north to Troyes in Champagne is called the Autoroute des Anglais, or the “Motorway of the English” – because millions of people every year travel from the UK by ferry and train in their cars and head south from Calais.

Road travel then is easy in France, and it’s not just the motorways, the country lanes are rarely busy. And sometimes you really need a car to get to see places where there is no public transport.

Which brings us rather neatly to rail travel… my preferred mode of getting around.

Rail travel in France

The state-owned rail network SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer) makes travel across parts of France very easy, and travel via the TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) trains, which travel at speeds of up to 320km/h connect Paris to every region. Trains whisk you across France: Paris to Bordeaux in just two hours, Paris to Marseille in less than 3.5 hours.

The fast train services to stations in the main cities in all the departments of France then connect to local services which are generally slower trains, known as TER (Transport Express Regional). .

When it comes to buying tickets – there are a few things to know:

The earlier you buy your ticket for TGV trains or intercity trains, the cheaper it will be. And the price difference is huge, you can pay 6 times more on the day than you would have paid if you booked a few months in advance. But often tickets are not on sale more than 4 months before the travel date!

You can buy train tickets through SNCF online, their app, through other companies, or in person at ticket offices. A lot of bigger stations in cities have SNCF sales offices on site – but be prepared for queues.

If you have a printed ticket – you will need to compost it before you board the train. The first time I got a train and the ticket collector came round to check tickets and asked me why I hadn’t composted my ticket I was flabbergasted, I hadn’t even used it, let alone put it in the compost bin. But this is not about recycling – it’s about time stamping your ticket. There are little yellow machines at the entry to the platform area and you push your ticket into a slot and it stamps it! Weird yes. But true.

Always leave plenty of time to get on your train, often they are formed of multiple carriages. You’ll be assigned a seat in advance and your carriage could be a long walk down the platform. Sometimes trains split into two and go different ways – so always get in the right carriage!

You can also track your train times through the SNCF App – no I’m not working for them, but it can make it easier for you to travel, the app will show your platform number and if there are any delays.

On the whole I love travelling by train. It can sometimes seem like strikes are almost non-stop when you read the news, but in 12 years of pretty much monthly train travel in France and I don’t know how many hundreds journeys, I’ve only had strike issues twice. The people that work on the trains really do take pride in their jobs, they wear a smart uniform, they’re generally really helpful and the trains are clean and comfortable. And I love the jingle that plays at all French train stations when they’re announcing a train departure or arrival – it’s iconic and mostly I get that frisson of excitement when I hear it – unless they’re announcing a delay or cancellation then it’s the ring tone of doom!

Bus travel in France

There are bus services which often run from outside major train stations. They’re called Gare Routières. Often there are boards up in the stations giving details of bus departures and arrivals. These are not like the buses in Paris which you can hop on and off of with your travel pass (which you can buy at stations, tabacs etc). but buses that you book like trains. Not quite in the American Greyhound Bus travel league but similarly, these offer cross country coach services. Four major bus companies are present on most bus routes in France and Europe: Isilines, Eurolines, Flixbus and Ouibus.

While coach services usually can’t compete with aeroplanes and trains in terms of speed (surprisingly sometimes buses are actually quicker when you factor in waiting times so it’s worth checking), they are usually the most affordable way to get around France. On top of this, a lot of buses operate overnight services meaning you can save on hotel fees and precious holiday time.

Bike travel in France

You can also cycle across France. Here, cycling is a national sport, after all this is the country that invented the Tour de France. You’ll often spot a lycra-clad enthusiast, or a whole raft of cyclists hogging the road. There are numerous dedicated cycle routes and voies vertes (green ways) which are traffic free. The French part of famous bike route La Scandibérique (which runs from Norway to Spain) is known as the Euro Velo 3. It runs for 1700km through France from the Belgium border in the far north, through Paris and the Loire Valley through to the Pays Basque in the far south.

Plane travel in France

In 2023 France banned short-haul domestic flights. Now any journeys that you can that you can take by train in 2.5 hours are not offered as a flight, for instance, Paris/Bordeaux, Paris/Lyon and Paris/Nantes. But you can take a flight from Paris to Marseille for instance.

Travel in France by boat

There are several ferry services within France. Corsica is France’s most famous destination, but you can also easily travel from France to Mallorca, Menorca, or Sardinia, as well as some of the Channel Islands. From the ports of Sète and especially Marseille, long-distance ferries sail to Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. France is a land of rivers so boat travel plays quite a big part even to this day especially for holiday makers. In the old days when goods were often transported by boat, canals were created – now they’re fabulous for holidays on barges.

Travel on the Paris Metro

The underground train service in Paris was originally called the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris (“The Paris Metropolitan Railway Company”). It was gradually shortened to Metro. The Metro has it’s own jingle which is played for announcements. It’s quite funky!

There are 304 stations in Paris, 16 lines – and it’s growing. Four more metro lines are currently being dug out. It’s said that in central Paris you are never more than 500 metres from a metro station! And it takes around 60 seconds to go by metro from one station to another.

The deepest metro station is Abessess, at the bottom of Montmartre. I once walked up the stairs there, nearly gave me a heart attack. It’s 118 feet underground, and there are 285 steps which wind around a spiral staircase. You can take the lift though! At the entrance to the station is a stunning glass cover – created by architect Hector Guimard. He designed many of the iconic entrances between 1900 and 1913.

It’s said that the Paris metro covers 600,000 miles a day – the equivalent of ten times around the world!

Many stations are named after the street above, the neighbourhood, or famous people, Presidents, like Charles de Gaulle and Franklin D Roosevelt, saints and writers. But some have some unusual names. Like Metro Blanche. The name refers to the white dust that covered houses from carts carrying plaster from the quarries near Montmartre!

There is also a metro station called Bonne-Nouvelle, which means good news, named after a local church, and it always makes me laugh to think that the onboard announcement when you’re arriving there is “The next station is good news!”

And some stations are really fascinating. Arts et Metiers for instance on line 11 is kitted out like Captain Nimo’s copper submarine! And at the Louvre metro, there are replica treasure from the museum. And many stations have artistic tiled walls and frescoes

Travel the French way!

If you want to travel the French way here are some of my three top tips:

As you travel, visit the local markets, many have tables and chairs set up where you can try local products – or have a picnic.

Don’t check your work email while on holiday, switch off, relax and recharge your inner batteries.

Pack a light raincoat, even if you’re going to the south of France in the summer, it’s not unknown for it to rain!

Janine Marsh is the author of  several internationally best-selling books about France. Her latest book How to be French – a celebration of the French lifestyle and art de vivre, is out now – a look at the French way of life. Find all books on her website janinemarsh.com

Want more France?

Discover more fabulous destinations in France with our free magazine The Good Life France

Love France? Have a listen to our podcast – everything you want to know about France and more!

All rights reserved. This article may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translated) or redistributed without written permission.

The post Travel guide to France – planes, trains, automobiles, bikes and boats! appeared first on The Good Life France.

Though they have long been part of the rail landscape in France, in 2016 the decision was made to cancel the last remaining night trains from service: Paris-Briançon and Paris-Rodez-Toulouse-Latour-de-Carol. The reasons were chiefly the lack of enthusiasm among travellers, the easy availability of low-cost flights, the reduction in TGV travel times and ageing equipment. However, night trains are being resurrected, and the interest is growing for savvy travellers.

The night train, a new way of travelling (almost)

Many sing the praises of the night train services:

• Ecological: train travel has a low environmental impact unlike flying or travelling by car. According to a study carried out by the NGO Transport & Environment in 2022, trains pollute 28 times less than planes.
• Economical: tickets are often cheaper, plus hotel costs may be avoided
• Comfort: arrive at your destination rested, and in a timely way
• Social: promotes the opening up of less well-known areas
• Alignment with other European countries (Italy, Austria, etc.)

Take the intercités night trains in France to travel in a different way

Eight destinations are currently served from Paris:

• Nice: travel by sleeper train. After a good night’s rest in a reclining seat, you will arrive at Nice train station. Departure: Paris-Austerlitz. This train serves Marseille-Blancarde, Toulon, Les Arcs, Saint-Raphaël, Cannes and Antibes.
• Toulouse: sitting comfortably in your reclining armchair, you won’t notice the time passing. Reach Toulouse by early morning, the ‘Pink City’ as it’s known due to the red bricks predominant in the architecture, is the ideal destination to see life through rose-tinted glasses. Departure: Paris-Austerlitz direct to Toulouse.
• Briançon: Discover the pretty walled city and soak up the fresh air of the Alps and the glorious mountain views. Departure: Paris-Gare de Lyon.
• Albi: Join a connecting service in Toulouse, you’ll arrive in Albi two hours later. It’s the perfect time to enjoy breakfast on the terrace at Pontié, the oldest café in the city. Departure point: Paris-Austerlitz
• Argelès-sur-Mer: your journey from Paris to the Mediterranean will end the next morning. What more could you ask for? Departure: Paris-Austerlitz. Connections in Toulouse and Perpignan
• Ax-les-Thermes: you will arrive at your destination perfectly rested to fully enjoy this spa town and the Pyrenees mountains that surround it. Departure: Direct service from Paris-Austerlitz.
• Cannes: Only a little more than 12 hours separate the Gare d’Austerlitz in the heart of Paris from the sunshine of the Croisette and the beaches of the Mediterranean. It would be a shame to deprive yourself of it. (Direct service).
• Lourdes: Arriving in the early morning, you’ll have plenty of time to take the funicular railway to admire the city from above. Departure: Paris-Austerlitz. Connection in Toulouse

Want to cross borders by night train?

The future is bright

Currently, only two destinations are accessible by night train from France: Vienna and Berlin. The train leaves from Gare de l’Est towards Strasbourg and separates to go in the two different directions. Travel time is about 14 hours.

Among the routes from Paris planned in the near future are Venice, Warsaw, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome and Porto.

The most exotic night trains in Europe

• The Santa Claus Express: despite the name, you can actually take it all year round. This Finnish train connects Helsinki and Turku to Kemijärvi, in northern Lapland, with a journey time of about fifteen hours. The train makes a stop in Rovaniemi, the city of Santa Claus. In addition to taking you beyond the Arctic Circle, it is truly unique in that in summer, this night train runs… during daylight because the sun doesn’t set. Between September and April, you’re likely to be lucky enough to spot the Northern Lights.
• The EuroNight Ister train: This service runs between Hungary and Romania and the journey takes 14 hours. You may be surprised to wake up in Brașov, Transylvania. The name may not ring a bell – but it’s where you’ll find the castle believed to be the home of Count Dracula!
• The Calendonian Sleeper: connecting London to the Scottish Highlands. This “oh so British” night train includes a lounge car with sofas, and you can even have breakfast served in bed.

In addition to all the advantages of nighttime travel by train, you’ll experience a very special atmosphere on board, making journeys unforgettable.

The post The return of night trains in France appeared first on The Good Life France.

Until the end of March 2023, you can enjoy a free day trip on the Calais/Dover route with P&O Ferries when you spend €300 or more with Calais Vins – the wine and spirits  warehouse in Calais. This includes wine, beer or spirits for orders which must be reserved online in order to get your free tickets.

And you can also make extra savings by claiming 15% VAT back.

How the free day trip to Calais offer works

Head to Calais Vins website to browse and shop the fabulous offers with wines and spirits from all over France and around the world. Calais Vins are the biggest online caviste in France with a vast range of wines, champagnes, beers, cider and spirits. More than 4000 different types of alcohol in fact. They have two superstores in Calais, one near the ferry port and one near Eurotunnel, making collection easy. They have frequent special offers.

And they also have an in store service to help you claim back your VAT – saving you 15% on your purchases.

Plus if you order €300 worth of products online, they have a prepay €23 Euro day trip offer. Calais vins will refund you with a ticket you can spend in the P&O boutique. You can claim the refund when you collect your goods from Calais. The offer is for a car (not per passenger).

Please check the offer details, and be aware that you will be charged extra if you don’t fulfil the conditions, when you book your refundable day trip.

What’s in stock?

Well apart from thousands of wines, from excellent table wines to grand crus wines, there are also 300 types of whiskies. Armagnac, cognac, gins, Champagne and sparkling wines. There are plenty of ciders from neighbouring Normandy and Brittany, and a great choice of beers. And you’ll likely find that the prices are generally cheaper in France as alcohol is more heavily taxed in the UK.

What can I take back to the UK?

Since Brexit, the allowance has been reduced. But you can still make significant savings.

The per person allowance over the age of 17 is:

The amount of alcohol which you are allowed to carry with you depends on its type. You may bring up to:

42 litres of beer
18 litres of (still) wine, the equivalent of 24 bottles

You can also bring in either:

Four litres of spirits or liquor containing over 22% alcohol or,
nine litres of sparkling wine, fortified wine or other alcohol drinks up to 22% alcohol

This last allowance can be split, meaning that you could carry up to half of your allocation for each type of alcohol. For instance: 4.5 litres of fortified wine and two litres of spirits.

Note that you can’t combine your personal allowance. In order to avoid issues with British customs, split the allowance before hand so that it is clear to them how much each person has. It doesn’t matter if between you you have an allowable amount. If you don’t split the allowance clearly and one person has more in their box than the other passenger, it may take that person over the limit and customs won’t care if the second person is under the limit. It’s not about a bulk lot per car, it’s about a personal allowance. You can find more information on the UK government website: gov.uk

Visit Calais Vins

Calais Vins are open 7 days a week from 09h to 19h except Sundays and bank holidays: 10h to 18h. Free parking is available at each store, both of which are a few minutes from the port of Calais and the Eurotunnel terminal.

Calais Vins have teamed up with Customs and refund services to enable easy VAT reclaims on all your purchases (UK passport holders only). When you pay for your good in-store, they will generate the form for you. Their quick and easy service that allows you to scan a code at the Calais port terminal (or Eurotunnel terminal) to activate the refund process.

Ordering on line is simple and secure, you can see the whole range of products here: wine-calais.co.uk

The post Free Day Trip Crossing Dover/Calais with Calais Vins purchases appeared first on The Good Life France.

DFDS are the only cross-Channel ferry operator to offer the Newhaven to Dieppe crossing. Direct to Normandy in the heart of northern France, the journey takes just four hours which several crossings per day.

Newhaven-Dieppe Normandy ferry

From May to September there are three sailings per day – morning, afternoon and evening, from Newhaven in east Sussex on the English coast. At other times there are two sailings per day. The ferries, Seven Sisters and Côte d’Albâtre have excellent onboard facilities: restaurant, shop and lounges with reclining seats, as well as private cabins.

Dieppe is a great location to start your journey in France as it’s so central. It’s just 3.5 hours to the heart of the Loire Valley or Rennes in Brittany by car, and 3 hours to Reims in Champagne. With excellent auto route and toll roads to the south, Bordeaux and Dordogne can be reached in a little under 7 hours.

Foot passenger service to Normandy from UK

And sailings aren’t just for vehicles – cyclists can take bikes. Plus you can travel as a foot passenger. It’s best to take the morning boat if you’re travelling this way to Dieppe if you plan to take public transport or a taxi on arrival. A shuttle bus operates between the passenger terminal and the town (a 10 to 15 minutes walk). If you’re arriving after 6pm and you need a taxi – book in advance to make sure you’re covered. The train station is in the centre of Dieppe, around 15 minutes walk from the port. Trains run across Normandy as well as to Paris, Lyon, Lille, Bordeaux, Montpellier and Rennes. From Dieppe, trains connect with other lines to cover the whole of France and Europe.

Whale spotting on the Dieppe-Newhaven route

For the past three years, from the end of March to September, DFDS have welcomed ORCA volunteers aboard their  ferries. These Ocean Conservationists look after the animals that inhabit the North Sea and English Channel. One of their missions on board is to observe the different marine animals, like dolphins, whales and gannets. By listing the areas where these species live, volunteers can, in collaboration with the relevant authorities, take measures to protect them. They also give presentations and lead wildlife watching experiences for passengers on board!

Find out more and book your tickets at: dfds.com

The post Newhaven to Dieppe ferry with DFDS appeared first on The Good Life France.

France is the most visited nation on earth. This is no mere coincidence – there are many reasons that France continues to attract record visitor numbers. Official statistics from accommodation providers indicate that many of the visitors are of German, Spanish, and Italian origin.

The City of Light

Paris, the French capital is one of the biggest draws for anyone looking to visit France. It is estimated that the city receives more than 30,000,000 visitors from all corners of the world each year. These numbers top the visitor numbers of any other capital city. But what makes Paris so attractive? Is it the iconic Eiffel tower, the Louvre Museum, stunning Parisian architecture, or the romantic image associated with the city? The truth is that a combination of all this makes it the most popular city for visitors.

The Variety of Mountains, Sun, and the Sea

More French tend to travel within France than take overseas holidays to exotic international locales. Why? France has everything that any visitor would like to see including visitors from within France. From pristine countryside to snow-covered mountains and sandy beaches the huge range of landscapes is enormously diverse – even for the French. As any tour operator will tell you, each region in France has something unique to offer. And each region you visit has its own unique appeal from great cities like Marseille, Lyon, and Paris to the rolling countryside of Auvergne and Burgundy. France really does have something for everyone.

Strategic Location

Another factor contributes to France’s appeal is location. For instance, UK residents only need to take a ferry to cross the Channel to get away from unreliable summers in the UK. Tourists from other countries such as Germany have only a short trip to France. Though not all visitors are there for the scenery, some are just passing through on their way to other destinations, but still the location is a factor.

The post Reasons France continues to attract high tourist numbers each year appeared first on The Good Life France.

It’s truly horrible when you’ve planned your perfect trip to France, everything is packed, you’re so ready to go… and then you’re told right at the last minute that your flight has been cancelled. Apart from the big let-down, you may lose your money. However, there are ways you can achieve flight cancellation compensation. Here are a few tips:

What to do if your flight is cancelled

First, always remember to check your flight status online before driving to the airport. If your flight is cancelled long enough in advance, it can at least spare you the trip and the hassle. This can happen because of bad weather for example, which can sometimes be anticipated hours before departure time.

On the other hand, if your flight is cancelled at last minute, you might not be informed until the last hour before the intended departure time. This kind of emergency cancellation can be due to security risks for instance (such as was seen in the UK when drones were apparently seen flying over an airport, which caused chaos to flight schedules for several day).

In any case, whatever the reason for cancellation – you can ask for a flight cancellation compensation. EU regulation EC 261 provides certain rights to passengers, such as a reimbursement of the flight ticket up to €600 under certain circumstances.

Are there also compensations for flight delays?

Fortunately, yes, but only in specific circumstances and depending on the airline you travel with. For instance the compensation for a flight delay with Ryanair may be as much as $700.

However, not all airlines apply the same rates and it can take hours of negotiating with the airline to get success.

For this reason, it may be worth using a service which specialises in dealing with airline compensation on your behalf. These kinds of services are expert in consumers rights and all you have to do is fill a form for them to take in charge all the administrative process.

What are the criteria for a flight delay or cancellation compensation?

Compensation is the same for any destination, whether you go to Toulouse, Paris or Bordeaux, although not all circumstances open right to a compensation. For instance, emergency weather and other extraordinary circumstances are usually not taken in account, as it is obviously not the responsibility of the airline. The European law EC 261 defines a cancelled flight as “non-operation of a flight which was previously planned and on which at least one place was reserved”.

On the other hand, a flight that do leave the tarmac, but takes off later than planned, is considered as delayed. Of course, if there is only a 5 minutes delay, you won’t get any compensation, but depending on the airline your travel with, compensations can be requested from a 3 hours delay. Obviously, the compensation will be proportional to the delay time.

The post What compensation to expect when your flight to France is delayed or cancelled appeared first on The Good Life France.

Travelling to France was never easier. Eurostar gets you from the centre of London to Calais in France in under an hour, Lille in less than an hour and a half, and Paris in 2 hours and 15 minutes! And, if you need a cheap hotel close to Eurostar, I know one that’s just the ticket!

Why take Eurostar to France

I’m not being paid to write this, I’m a fan of Eurostar for several reasons. I travel between London and France all the time for work. I’m a travel writer and go all over France by train. For me its easier than driving, quicker too, and I find the train service run by SNCF in France is generally superb. Though not when they’re striking, I don’t travel at those times.

The quick journey time on Eurostar is of course part of the appeal. There’s a bar on the trains where you can get tea, coffee, glass of wine, something to eat. There are plugs for phones to be charged up. The seats are comfy. Another big plus is that you don’t have to get to the station too far in advance. Generally 45 minutes is sufficient and they’re very efficient at processing you through. And you don’t have to pay extra for luggage like you often do on a plane.

Tips for travelling on Eurostar

Print off your boarding pass, and when you arrive, simply scan it on the machines to go through to the customs and security areas. Buy your ticket well in advance for the cheaper tickets. I’ve found that if I get to the Eurostar terminus early they won’t put you on an earlier train without charging a small fortune.

Arriving in France from London

When you arrive at Calais Frethun, you’ll be in a main TGV station so you can take trains onwards. You can also travel into Calais town by local train. I’m told there’s a bus too, but in the dozens of times I’ve done this journey, I’ve never seen one.

When you arrive in Lille, you’re just a few minutes’ walk from the centre of town. You can take trains from Lille International station or walk to Lille Flandres station for journeys to the north of France.

Paris Nord is right in the centre of Paris and great for taking the metro, RER (overland trains) and buses on to where ever you want to go.

Where to stay in a cheap hotel near Eurostar London

I stay at Point A Hotel Kings Cross in historic Grays Inn Road (I’m not being paid to write this either). It’s just a couple of minutes’ walk from St Pancras for Eurostar and perfect for when I’m catching an early train. It’s terrific value with rooms starting from £54. And you can join their free membership scheme for an extra 10% off. Believe me I’ve paid much more for a room near the station and it’s been nowhere near as good as Point A (think shared bathroom and Cinderella in a grubby attic – seriously). Of course, the fact that it’s so close to the Eurostar station makes it ideal. But equally important is the fact that the staff at Point A Hotel are friendly and helpful (24 hour reception), even when I arrive late at night ready for an early morning departure.

The cheapest rooms are small but they’re really well designed. Super clever use of space means a good sized bathroom, big bed and storage, so you don’t feel squashed. Comfy, spotlessly clean, with aircon, and despite being in such a busy part of London – totally silent at night.

I love that there are plenty of restaurants and pubs in this road so you can get a full English breakfast, a snack, afternoon tea, lunch, dinner or a late night drink – and then walk a few yards to get a good night’s sleep. There is a dining area too in the restaurant that’s buzzy and vibrant. Late at night, it’s great for a hot drink!

Bon Voyages!

The post Taking the Eurostar from London to France appeared first on The Good Life France.

Have you ever seen mysterious red license plates on a French car and wondered what they mean? Was the driver a diplomat? A military officer? A French James Bond saving the world from an evil genius?

No, the car was from the French Buyback Lease program. If you need to rent a car in Europe for more than a few weeks, this may be the way to go. You get a brand new car with 100% insurance for less than the price of a normal rental.

Sound good? Here’s how it works

The program is available to non-EU citizens and all the French car companies participate. You don’t rent the car, you buy it and the company buys it back when you are done. This is all arranged up front and the paperwork is much like a rental.

You need to sign up well before your trip because the car is manufactured for you—you pick from a list of models that are in the program. Automatic transmissions are available, which is great for those who don’t like a stick shift, and the premium you pay over a manual transmission is lower than for a rental.

You can pick your car up at one of many locations in France and drop it off at a different one if you’d like, for no charge. Cars are also available at locations outside of France but there’s a fee for that.

The company wants to make sure your car is well cared for, so it comes with 100% insurance coverage. AND zero deductible. AND a 24-hour hotline for problems. Nice!

This is so much easier than figuring out what kind of insurance to get when you rent. Does my personal auto insurance cover this? How about my credit card? Will there be a hassle to get a claim paid?

By contrast, the insurance coverage for a Buyback Lease car is easy. Mine was once broken into and a window was broken. Getting it fixed was simple. The worst part? The thieves made off with my melons de Cavaillon – the devils!

How can this be cheaper than renting a car? Because there’s no VAT. In France, that’s 20%! And you also save money because there’s no charge for extra drivers and the GPS is usually included.

Let’s take an example. The Buyback Lease information is from Kemwel, the rental information is from Europecar.

I looked at the Peugeot 308, a car that that has plenty of room for a family with luggage. I specified air conditioning, a GPS, a second driver and an automatic transmission.

First, let’s look at having the car for six weeks

Rental**

Car:  $2,011
GPS: $196
Second driver:  $90
Insurance: ??
Total: $2,297 + insurance*

Lease Buyback**

Car: $2,179
GPS: 0
Second driver: 0
Insurance: 0
Total: $2,179

So far the difference is mainly the insurance. But it grows the longer you have the car. For three months the rental costs $4,181 + insurance while the Lease Buyback is only $3,036. Quite a saving!

Think about it – a brand new car, total insurance coverage, lower price. And you get those stylish red plates! The French Buyback Lease program is definitely something you should check out.

Information is available from Citroen, Peugeot and Renault.

* depending on your personal coverage, this can cost well over $1,000
**These numbers are based on 2017 research and subject to change

Keith Van Sickle splits his time between Silicon Valley and Provence.  He is the author of One Sip at a Time: Learning to Live in Provence; Read more at Life in Provence.

The post French Buyback Lease Car Hire Programme appeared first on The Good Life France.

France is such a huge and diverse country that exploring it in its entirety would take a lifetime. That said, 1 million one-night trips are taken by British people every year – and a huge number of those people head straight to France. With flight times making the rest of Europe easily accessible… why is France so popular?

The fact is, France has some absolutely stunning one day trips that can be traversed via car, train or flight. It’s long been a popular road trip destination and that applies even for short trips. The variety of places to visit and things to do makes it possible to enjoy the country, wherever you head for, even flights to the far south are short enough for a long day trip.

A word on safety

Before embarking on any French road journey, make sure you’re clued up on safety. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have comprehensive speed driving tips. Most importantly, ensure that you stay safe by checking your insurance cover, carrying a valid license and keeping vehicle documents with you. Driving regulations are different, and certain devices – like speed camera detectors, are completely illegal, even if deactivated. Be aware, and don’t get caught out.

Exploring the Canal du Midi

The Canal du Midi is perfect for riverboat and cruise tours, encompassing a gorgeous stretch of countryside between Toulouse and Etang de Thau. Driving between the two takes just over two hours, and, if turned into a day trip, can easily stretch out, enjoying the delights of Castelnaudary and fairytale Carcassonne (amongst many others) en route. Dripping with culture and architecture along the way, this short drive can be the perfect getaway.

Les Baux-de-Provence and its beauty

Les Baux-de-Provence, which has been inhabited since 6000 BC, is a stunning hilltop village that today has a population of just 450 people. However, 1.5m visitors arrive every year to experience its attractions, especially what the Daily Telegraph describes as the greatest of Roman aqueducts – the Pont du Gard. This is easily completed over a one-day road trip, during which nearby hilltop villages in the Provence can be visited. This is excellent for a foodie, with olives a main crop in the region.

The Fontainebleau Forest

For something completely different from the stereotypical wine and food of France, look no further than Fontainebleau Forest. Just outside of Paris and reached easily through the A5 route to Melun, the forest offers a scene akin to a fantasy novel. Ingrained in French culture and history as the King’s former hunting grounds, wild animals still stalk there so – be wary. However, a road trip and stay at one of the nearby villages or towns can easily be done in a day, with a lot of benefit to be gained in terms of satisfying your curiosity and providing an element of calm through nature.

France could take you years to fully explore. Or, it could take a single day. With your packed lunch and a car, there are several gorgeous spots that you can easily explore with a minimum of fuss.

The post France: Wonderful by road, even with just one night  appeared first on The Good Life France.

France is the most visited country in the world and no wonder, world famous gastronomy, culture, historic cities, snowy alps, bucolic countryside, gorgeous beaches and more is on offer.

One of the best ways to see France is to take a road trip, get out of the centre of the city or simply travel from one part of a region to another. Hiring a car in France is easy and means you’ll get to experience as much as possible of this diverse country.

See the most beautiful villages of the south of France by car

Gorgeous Grasse

Grasse is the perfume capital of France. There are around 30 perfume makers in this fragrant town, a great place to buy a souvenir of your trip and even do a workshop. On a hot summer’s day, the public park makes for a perfect place for a picnic, there are sprays that are jasmine scented – absolutely lovely…

Sizzling St Tropez

For a contrast, head round the coast to the heart of the French Riviera – St Tropez around an hour a half by car from Grasse through beautiful villages like Mandelieu-La-Napoule and through floral countryside where the perfume ingredients are grown. Colourful and vibrant St Tropez is nestled on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea and a magnet for jet setters, but it retains the charm of the fishing village it once was. Azure blue waters, wall to wall sunshine, boutiques and art galleries and of course golden sandy beaches make it a stand out location.

Picturesque hill top towns of Provence

From St Tropez, it’s a picturesque drive to the poster boy city of Provence, ever lovely Aix-en-Provence the city of a thousand fountains. The famous Cours-Mirabeau, a wide avenue fringed with tall plane trees and stunning 18^th century buildings is ideal for sipping a glass of rosé and watching the world go by. Plan to be there on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday morning and you’ll experience one of the loveliest markets of Provence. Park in one of the peripheral, municipal car parks and enjoy the stroll into town to avoid the traffic in the small winding roads on market days.

From Aix, it’s easy to get to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, the antiques capital of France. Criss-crossed by skinny green canals peppered with mossy green waterwheels and the iconic Bassin de la Sorgue, a tranquil lake that reflects the blue sky by day and the twinkling lights of the cafés and restaurants that line it by night. There are hundreds of second-hand shops and on Sundays a terrific flea market takes place on the Ave des 4 Otages.

En route to this lovely town, you could stop off at Menerbes, made famous by the late great, Peter Mayle in his book, A Year in Provence, as well as Lourmarin, Bonnieux, colourful Roussillon with its dramatic ochre cliffs and gorgeous Gordes.

If you have a car in this part of France, you can see it in all its glory at your own pace, diverting as and when you like, and stopping off when you see somewhere that’s so special you know you just have to stop.

The post France, the ultimate road trip destination appeared first on The Good Life France.