France Travel Guide A Vagabond Life
France Travel Guide
France is the most visited country on earth and for good reason.
France has everything from sophisticated cities, spectacular mountain ranges, long coastlines, historic medieval villages with imposing chateau and rolling green pastures. It is also the home of haute couture and the Michelin star.
France is also my home for a good part of each year where I live in a medieval town and spend my days enjoying the French lifestyle and exploring greater Europe.
France Travel Guides
France Travel Guides

France Travel Guides
Five Quick Facts About Travelling In France
- France is a relatively safe country to travel in however do watch for pick pockets and scammers in major tourist spots and around main transport hubs. A normal sensible approach should be adapted whenever travelling.
- France has an excellent transport system with high speed rail taking the visitor to every corner of the country. See Getting Around Tab for more information
- English is not widely spoken across France so brush up on key phrases and download Google France translate to your smart device.
- France is not a particularly cheap country to travel in however by travelling off -season, staying in guest houses or similar and eating in local restaurants you can easily have a cost effective French holiday.
- Health in France is good so by exercising a normal hygiene regime, staying away from stray animals and eating well the risk to health while travelling in France is low (although always have travel insurance just in case).
France is a great place to travel to at any time of the year. Here is a guide to the different seasons and times of year.
High Season (July & August)
European summer and when most Europeans take their holidays means long lines at main attractions and busy roads. There are loads of festivals across France throughout the summer. Book ahead for accommodation as places get booked out early. The weather is usually warm to hot with mild nights.
Shoulder Season (April to June & September / October)
Spring and Autumn see milder weather and less crowds. Spring flowers are abundant in the fields and villages and in the later months the tress are in their full Autumn colours.
Low Season (November to March)
A busy time for the ski resorts with the rest of the country being quieter with no queues or crowds. The weather is cold with both snow and rain, a great time to visit theatres and museums.
France Currency
The currency in France is the Euro which is the currency of the 24 other EU member states plus Andorra, Kosovo, Monarco, Montenegro, San Marino and the Vatican.
ATMs can be found throughout France. It is advisable to always carry a small amount of cash as no all eftpos machines accept foreign cards.
German Visa Policy
Germany is part of the Schengen Area Visa Policy.
Nationals / Citizens from Schengen States have right of movement and entry without a visa but will need a passport as proof of identity.
The policy applies to the Schengen Area which is 22 E.U member states and 4 non E.U states which are part of the EFTA – Iceland, Liechenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia and Romania are not part of the Schengen Area but have visa policies based on Schengen acquis.
Schengen Visa Policy Map
Schengen Area | |
Other EU member states outside the Schengen Area but bound by the same visa policy and legally obliged to join the Area when they meet the criteria, and special territories of Schengen member states (freedom of movement in the Schengen Area) | |
Members of the EU single market with independent visa policies (freedom of movement in the Schengen Area) | |
Visa-free access to the Schengen states for short stays, usually 90 days in any 180-day period ( | |
Visa required to enter the Schengen states, and to transit some Schengen states in some circumstance | |
Visa required to transit any Schengen state | |
Travel documents not accepted |
Schengen Area Map
Member state | |
Countries de facto participating | |
Members of the EU legally obliged to join the Schengen area, but not yet members |
Source: Wikipedia
France has an excellent internal transport system with many options to get around the country.
Plane
Cheap flights can be found linking most of the major cities in Germany.
Train
BusWhat To Pack In Germany
What to pack for France is very dependent on when you will be travelling to the country and where you will be going. Summers are warm to hot but if travelling to the mountains a jacket or coat is advisable.
Winters are cold especially in the mountains so cold-weather gear will be needed.
It’s all about layering which allows you to add or loses clothing as needed
Packing List
Clothing
1 pair jeans – I know they are heavy and take ages to dry but I wear them constantly and find them comfortable
1 pair black travel type pants – Black pants are little smarter than jeans so good if going somewhere a little dressier. Mine is the lightweight fabric in the style of jean,
2 x pair of shorts. 1 denim and one lightweight travel fabric
2 x singlets – good for layering and sleeping in
4 x short sleeve cotton shirts, lightweight and breathable
1 x long sleeve sloppy joe.
1 x zip-up shell jacket
1 x lightweight raincoat – packable version that packs down into a small bag.
5 x socks
5 x underpants
2 x bras
Shoes
1 x pair walking or hiking shoes.
1 x pair slip on flats
1 x pair flip flops (great for hostel showers)
Toiletries
Shampoo & Conditioner
Bar of Soap
Deodorant
Razor
Tweezers
Brush / Comb
Hair Ties
Electronics
1 x Earbud headphones.Light and small,
1 x IPad
1 x 6S iPhone
Charging leads for above
2 x USB
1 x power bank
1 x Cable organiser which keeps everything tidy
1 x 14” laptop – we run a business so this is essential for us.
Photography
1 x GoPro Hero 5
2 x Spare GoPro Batteries
1 x Canon DSLR + 2 lenses
Spare micro SD Cards
Other Stuff
1 x padlock
1 x headlight or torch
1 x Swiss knife
1 x medical kit
Ziplock bags

Auvergne-Rhone-Alps
Auvergne-Rhone-Alps Travel Guide.

Centre Val De Loire
Centre-Val-de-Loire Travel Guide.

Haute – de – France
Haute-de-France Travel Guide.

Nouvelle – Aquitaine
Nouvelle – Aquitaine Travel Guide.

Provence-Alps_Cote D'Azur
Provence Travel Guide.

Brittany
Brittany (Bretagne) Travel Guide.

Corsica
Corsica Travel Guide.

Ile – de – France
Ile – de – France Travel Guide.

Occitane
Occitane Travel Guide.

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Travel Guide.

Grand Est
Grand-Est Travel Guide.

Normandy
Normandy Travel Guide.

Pays-de-la-Loire
Pays-de-la-Loire Travel Guide.
World Destination Guide
There are 195 countries in the world stretching across seven continents – so there is an awful lot to see.Where to begin? Many people are inspired by a movie they have seen or a story they have heard, or a desire to see the land of their ancestors.
Use the drop-down on the right to explore the world.