France on a Budget
Travel on the Cheap in France
is Still Possible
By Kelby Hartson Carr
Updated by Transitions Abroad 5/6/2019
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Creating a home base in an apartment
on the grounds of a castle winery in Provence, during
the off-season, is easy on the budget and offers great
pleasure and freedom. Photo © Transitions Abroad. |
People tend to assume a vacation in
France must be expensive, but that is far from the truth
with so many ways to plan a budget trip to France. There
are quality lodging options that are dramatically cheaper
than you might expect. You can find excellent food for pocket
change. You can get around sometimes on a few euros. Now,
with the dollar almost reaching par with the euro, there
are many more affordable options than in recent years.
We are not here going to provide you
exact suggested itineraries,
"must-sees," or costs, as those are covered in
so very many guidebooks, articles, "Top 10" listicles,
and posts elsewhere. Check Numbeo.com if you seek exact
costs. We wish to highlight the many great options that
are often overlooked when traveling slowly on a reasonable
budget to immerse yourself in a country so rich in beautiful
landscapes often off-the-beaten-path, an inspiring and evocative
culture, layers of history, and pleasures for all the senses.
Not only can you see France on a budget,
but you will most likely leave the country with a more authentic
and unique experience than people who stay at four-star
chain hotels in Paris.
Tips for a Cheaper Trip in France
Many people make a few costly
mistakes when planning their travel in France, and this
has led to the myth that the country must be expensive. Where
you go is probably the biggest factor. If you
go to Paris, expect Paris prices. It’s just the
same as anywhere else. A vacation in New York City or
San Francisco will cost dramatically more than one in
Charlotte or Indianapolis.
Even if you want the true urban
experience, there are ways to save. Stay in Paris, but
in a less tourist-ridden neighborhood. Stay in an apartment
in Paris by the week or month rather than in a hotel.
Stay in Paris for a few days before moving on to a cheaper
destination. You can visit one of numerous other fascinating
and bustling cities in France that save you money without
sacrificing a memorable trip.
When you go is
another primary factor that affects numerous costs ranging
from airfare (which can cost five times as much in summer
as it does even in late fall or early spring) and lodging
rates (which drop significantly in the off-season).
How you travel is
key. The main credo is to go against the tourist grain.
Go to different cities, or different places in cities,
and go at different times. Not only will you save money,
but you will also experience greater immersion in the
daily life of the locals. In fact, you will receive far
better treatment from locals who aren’t experiencing
an onslaught of gawking tourists.
Cheap Accommodations in France
There is no need to stay at a pricey
hotel when visiting France. One of the greatest qualities
of traveling in France is the wildly diverse range of low-cost
lodging options, including:
- Gîtes
de France is an organization that features listings
of several types of low-cost accommodations in France. Chambres
d’hotes are the French version of the bed
and breakfast. Self-catering gîtes allow
visitors to rent an apartment, villa or house (which
includes bonus savings as you can cook for yourself).
- Logis represents
over 2,300 hotel-restaurants in France. Logis stays are
typically at smaller inns and they are inexpensive. Most
are located in smaller cities and villages. This is the
ideal stay for food-lovers, as Logis accommodations are
well known for their delectable cuisine. In fact, you
could pay almost as much for food as the stay itself
(although it’s probably worth it), so check first
on their prices for half-board rates that include breakfast,
lunch or dinner, and the stay.
- Vacation
Home and Apartment Rentals in France are like
Gîtes de France, but now available through many
worldwide and countrywide websites such as the ubiquitous
Airbnb, Homeaway, and other such agencies. Rentals
are a great way to see one region of the country or
experience the daily life of a city. Rent a place
for one week or more, often with an equipped kitchen,
and this will allow you to use it as a base for explorations,
a place to relax, and an alternative to going out
to eat each and every meal. With all the great markets
in cities and towns throughout France, buying a fresh baguette,
cheeses, wine, fresh produce, pastries, or cooking
your own meal can be a joy and very relaxing if not
outright romantic. And if you are bringing along kids,
by renting a house in the country they can run around
to their heart's content, see castles read about only
in fairy tales, and bring back lifelong memories.
All within a reasonable budget, especially off-season.
It is possible to rent whole houses for $500-600 a
week in some of the most beautiful regions of France
in late September/October, after peak season and while
the weather is still pleasant.
- Camping
in France, which has an English language option on its site,
can be much more upscale than many people unexposed to French
camping might expect. The French government regulates star ratings
for campgrounds, just like it does for hotels. Four-star campgrounds
often offer far more amenities than their more-expensive
three-star hotel counterparts do. Camping is also
quite commonplace in France, and it’s a much
more social form of accommodation than a hotel.
- Bienvenue
à la Ferme is a French government-sanctioned
program in which participating farms provide various
accommodations ranging from no-electricity camping to
stays at a farmhouse bed and breakfast. This is another
great choice for foodies, as some of the members provide
incredible meals of cuisine cooked fresh from their own
farms.
- Hostelling
International (France). For
those traveling alone and using rail passes, buses, or
the relatively cheap flights available to get around
the country or Europe in general, you can book inexpensive
hostels online.
Cheap Dining in France
Decide what type of
food you wish to eat.
France remains the ultimate destination
for lovers of fine cuisine, in my view. Some of the world’s
finest chefs serve up fare at Michelin-starred restaurants
throughout the country. The refined meals come with the
expected exorbitant check in most cases, but that doesn’t
mean you can’t indulge occasionally in fabulous
French cuisine on a budget as you do while at home on
special occasions.
A key way to save is simply
to say no to included breakfasts at your accommodation.
Many automatically include this in the price, so mention
it when you book. These breakfasts, which are usually
simply coffee, breads and pastries, can cost upwards
of 20 euros per person.
You could have a breakfast
that is just as good, if not better, by visiting the
local boulangerie (bakery) or patisserie (pastry
shop) for the same or better food at a fraction of the
cost. Actually, your hotel likely got their breakfast
from the same neighborhood spot, but venturing off-the-beaten-path
may lead your nose to even better bakeries and to displays
that are a feast for the eyes and often even better in
actual taste. Afterwards, visit a local café for
a cafe-au-lait that will cost maybe 3-4 euros.
All told, you will have better selection, and your breakfast
of croissant and coffee will run maybe 5 euros. In Nice,
the coffee is often as good as the best Italian. Another
great option for inexpensive morning meals is a visit
to the local produce market, which usually features a
wide variety of great locally-grown finds.
Wild strawberries full of taste, and other just-picked
berries, as well as other fruits are often found and
need little to no preparation to take you to places your
taste buds have never been.
Since the French often turn
simple meals into extensive feasts, you can have a large
lunch or dinner and simply snack for the other meal without
feeling deprived in the least. Although a late lunch
can be difficult, as most French restaurants close between
lunch and dinner, just plan accordingly. If you want
to eat at an upscale restaurant, try to do so at lunch
instead of dinner to avoid any potential tourist crowds
and to enjoy the atmosphere with locals, while saving
on similar (or the same) dishes that are served in the
evening hours.
Also, always look for a prix
fixe menu, which typically provides a small selection
of starters, main dishes, and desserts for a fixed
price. This can provide tremendous savings over ordering a
la carte, or off the menu. Order a carafe of house
wine, which is cheap and sometimes of better quality
than bottled wines found in other countries. A glass
of house wine will probably cost you less than a Coca
Cola in France, tastes better with a meal composed
of dishes often cooked or served with a wine sauce,
and is far better for your health.
Cheap Transportation in France
There are three transportation methods
in France that are expensive: a traditional rental car,
taxi rides, and long-distance point-to-point tickets. Fortunately,
there are many wonderful alternatives that are relatively
cheap and convenient.
Rail
passes are still a great deal if you will cross great
distances. Instead of paying, say, 250 euros to get
from Paris to Nice, you could get a rail pass for
a similar price and have a couple more days of rail
travel that can be used for other long-distance jaunts.
Rail passes are not a good deal if you will travel
short distances or take day trips from a major city.
The train will also not get you to some of the smaller
villages in France.
Buses are a convenient and
inexpensive alternative. France’s bus transportation
system is extensive. It’s the rare place you can’t
reach by a local or regional bus, usually for just a
few euros. The bus systems can be confusing, however,
and each region and town has its own network. The best
way to handle this is to contact the tourism office for
the region or town you plan to visit ahead of time and
ask for details, a map and a schedule for the local bus
system.
If you will stay in France
for a month or more and have a busy itinerary, your best
bet could be a lease buyback program. Autoeurope,
in a partnership with Peugeot, provides short-term car leases as well as their own long-term relatively inexpensive car
rentals, and are provided brand
new. (Editor's note: One of the main advantages of driving
in France is discovering villages where tourists do not
venture and visiting destinations at your own leisurely
pace, making for a far more adventurous experience in
what is an extraordinarily varied country in so many
ways. We cannot count the times we have been told that
we are the only Americans to have visited a fine, cheap
family-run restaurant in a tiny medieval village, and
the hospitality and curiosity of the locals is often
endless. In addition, cheap lodgings or home base vacation
rentals are far more accessible with a car in most cases.
For those who are not comfortable with using maps or
being overly spontaneous, English-speaking GPS devices
are generally available for car rentals or leases. This
is by far our preferred way of experiencing France when
not traveling alone, and is a great way to travel as
a family or as a couple.)
If you plan to visit another
city in France, a large added expense will be getting
to those other cities. That cost alone could counteract
any savings in other areas. To save cash getting around
France, consider using one of the many discount airlines that also serve
France, such as Ryanair and easyJet.
Many times, a discount round-trip airfare to a southern
France city from Paris is cheaper than a rail-pass or
train ticket.
Obviously, France is not nearly as cheap as Guatemala, Ecuador,
Cambodia, Slovakia, etc. But France is generally no more expensive than Italy, England, Switzerland,
Scandinavia, Australia, Sweden, Singapore, or Japan. Why
you go to visit a country is highly personal and
circumstantial. If you must travel with very tight budget
considerations, there are many other incredible places in
the world you can explore having a far lower cost of living, and we cover these destinations in the budget
travel section of our site.
Cheap Cities in France
Where you go is so
crucial in determining how much you will spend
when you visit France. You don’t have
to stick to quaint Alpine villages to save a
few euros, and Paris isn’t the only option
for city slickers. Here are some urban alternatives
to save you money, while still providing a splendid
vacation in France:
Nice:
During the off-season, this is a great place to
enter France via airplane. Not the cheapest city
in France, but if you have a desire to visit the
fabled French Riviera it is much cheaper than neighboring
cities and resort towns such as Monte Carlo, Cannes,
and Saint Tropez (all reachable for day trips by
rail). Nice has plenty to offer, primarily with
its attractions like the great produce available
at the Cours Selaya market, the Matisse Museum,
and its inviting pedestrian zones along rue de
France and in other parts of an incredible old
city that mixes Italian and French charm.
Alternately, you can stay
in the villages in the spectacular hills above and
behind Nice for a fraction of the price, with even
towns full of celebrities such as Vence offering
deals in certain areas. The editor stayed for a
bit in Vence, by chance near the homes of several
huge rock, movie, and literary stars in a more
modest abode with a great view of their seldom-used
sprawling estates.
Editor's note: If you
have time, we suggest leasing a car through
the Autoeurope plan from the Nice airport
and driving along the Côte d'Azur and
then through the back roads of Provence to experience
the incredible light that seduced and inspired
so many great artists, including Cézanne, Matisse,
Picasso, Braque, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Signac,
Derain, Dufy, and many more… There you can enjoy
some of the finest cheap country food to be
found in France, seasoned with the famous herbes
de Provence, and stay in a country B&B
or long-term vacation rental to stay on budget.
Then there are such diverse and charming cities
as Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, Arles, and many
more towns worthy of a visit.
The Castles of the Loire and the Chartres Cathedral:
Chartres is a smaller city, but it offers much
to do. The city’s centerpiece, which can
be seen from miles away, is its cathedral. Chartres
Cathedral is arguably one of the most stunning
cathedrals in all of Europe. It is also a convenient
and short train ride from Paris, saving on the
price of transportation if you are flying into
Paris. Also, it’s a great base if you
still want to see Paris or visit the many astonishing
castles of the Loire.
Bordeaux:
If you like fine food and even finer wine, this
is an ideal destination. Bordeaux is a bustling
city packed with shopping choices ranging from
designer boutiques to locally-run shops. There
are also numerous historic and architectural
attractions here.
Montpellier:
This southern lady of a city is alluring and
inexpensive. The bustling Place de la Comédie
is the hub of activity, home to markets, cafés,
and a breathtaking opera house. This is a vibrant
college town, and is a wonderful choice for
those who love to shop—whether on a budget
or not.
Editor's note: Large cities
from now-chic Marseille to Lyon, the gourmet capital
of France, are just some of the many other options
if you wish to stay in the city. We prefer the
countryside near these cities using a leased car
to experience the best of all possible worlds while
staying closer to our budget. |
Kelby
Hartson Carr is a travel
writer and social media expert. She lived in France,
and traveled extensively around Europe.
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