The Best Way to Experience France
March 22, 2022 ctn_admin
There’s something about France.
It’s why Canadian Travel News jumped at the chance to experience France for a week via a direct flight from Toronto with Air France, despite already visiting the country twice. We’re in town for Rendez-vous en France; a world-wide tourism trade show that is designed to showcase everything the country has to offer and allow attendees to make connections within the travel industry to further increase visitation.
Tourism is a very big business in most countries, and there are so many behind the scenes things that need to happen in order for travellers to book their trips. It’s not something most people give much thought to; a simple click and you can have your trip booked (we HIGHLY recommend using a travel agent) and next thing your bags are packed and you’re on your way to create memories.
Our founder’s first time in France was in September 2008 for her honeymoon, where they spent a couple of nights in Paris on arrival, took a train to Nice and drove all through the South of France – Monaco, Canne and Saint Tropez before crossing over to the Italian Riviera and spending a good chunk of time in a beautiful little town called San Remo.
The last time we were here was for the Rendez-vous conference held in Paris before COVID. It was a magical week as we discovered the city with our guides, getting insider tips from those who know the city as a local and making long lasting friendships.
Fast forward to now– our first international conference in a post-COVID world, which is, in itself is a reason to celebrate in our industry. And what better place to welcome back our industry than in France?
Our itinerary has been jammed-packed since arriving; it feels we’ve been here much longer than a few days as so far we’ve experienced everything from cathedrals, castles, the iconic countryside, an island filled with machine-moving animals, art galleries, the tram, and some of the best meals we’ve ever had.
With this in mind, we wanted to share our tips on how you can visit France, while not breaking the bank. Here’s a breakdown:
Use Paris as a bookend to your travel
Canadians travelling to France most likely land at Charles De Gaulle, located in Paris. Paris hotels can be expensive, especially when you factor in the conversion rates from the Euro. We recommend booking a room for two nights for arrival. This will allow you to get your bearings after the flight (about 7 hours from Toronto) and give a full day to wander around the city. Book at least one night on your return to make getting to the airport easier.
The train is your best friend
France has a very extensive train system which includes a high speed line (TGV) and a regional line (SNCF). It’s very easy, and cost effective to take the train to other cities. In fact, we would recommend it versus renting a car and trying to navigate yourself. Schedules run fairly frequently making it an easy journey – plus you can relax and see the French countryside which is beautiful sight. Note that on the high speed trains, the bar car is closed still due to COVID. We recommend stopping at a local boulangerie before you go to grab a baguette, cheese and some wine for the trip. (Why not? You’re on vacation!)
Take delight in smaller towns
For this trip, we’ve visited Le Mans, Angers and Nantes. Each are beautiful and offer something a bit different. Le Mans has a small town feel to it while being home to the famous 24 hour race course, Angers has an abundance of history and delightful charm and Nantes is the most cosmopolitan of the three. Of the three, Nantes resembles Paris the most. Yet if we had only visited Paris and here, we would’ve missed another side of France, which is why we recommend doing these three cities (and countless others).
Use a travel advisor
Honestly, this is the best option for travel anywhere, especially for Canadians travelling to a destination where English is not the first language. Now during post-COVID times, agents are more than ever essential. We are experts at Canadian Travel News and navigating what’s needed to enter is still confusing to us. Add in the possibility of flight delays, last minute changes etc and your time is better spent just focusing on lying on the beach or what you’re going to eat or drink next. Trust us.
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