Ready to start booking
Making your own bookings or using a travel agent?
On our very first trip to Europe, we arrived at a hotel in Vienna, which had been organised by our travel agent, only to find that the accommodation booking did not exist. The hotel staff were very apologetic and explained that they had rejected the booking due to being closed for the pre-Christmas period for a family holiday. Unfortunately, our travel agent had not passed this information on to us. You can only image how worried we were being in a foreign city, we spoke minimal German and we had nowhere to stay. We were so thankful when the kind hotel owners were able to help us by offering alternative accommodation, which actually was larger and better than the first option.
Since that holiday, I have taken on the responsibility of booking the majority of our travel requirements, including flights. I only deal directly with the airline so that I know that I can contact them if there are any changes/cancellations, which we have had to do on a number of occasions without any issues. The one time I used one of those airline comparison websites, it was extremely difficult to change anything.
This is one of the many bed and breakfast accommodations in which we have stayed. It was in Guchan, a small village in the Hautes-Pyrénées. We enjoyed some lively and wonderful evening meals, accompanied by wine, shared with our hosts and other guests.
I have previously, and briefly, worked as a travel agent. I began with such enthusiasm hoping to create incredible itineraries for my clients. However, I quickly discovered that we were only allowed to sell certain products because it’s all about product loyalty and commissions. I was acutely aware that there are many other better options for tours, accommodations and car hire that I could offer the clients if I had the freedom to do so. It’s been eight years since I decided that particular career path didn’t align with my travel values. Perhaps now the travel industry is more flexible.
Of course, it is your personal choice if you use a travel agent but be aware that if you find that delightful B&B online, it’s unlikely that a travel agent will be able to book it for you.
I urge you to be brave and start booking your holiday yourself.
Flights
You don’t need a passport to make your flight booking; however, you will be prompted to provide these details before you leave. As Australians, our passports must have a minimum six month validity from the return date to Australia. So, it is essential to renew your passport at least six months before its expiry date.
Our favoured airline is British Airways because their luggage allowance is extremely generous and suits our needs. Whilst checked luggage is only 23kg (I am referring to economy), you can also take another 23kg hand luggage … very handy for my photographer husband with all his gear. The best part is being able to take our bicycles. Yes we do pay extra for them, they are a ‘per piece’ up to 23kg for a set price, compared to ‘per kilo’ on other airlines.
By the way, I am not sponsored by British Airways, or any other suppliers, and receive no money or favour for my recommendations. I suggest products and services that I have found to be useful, reliable and of good value!
https://www.britishairways.com/en-au/information/baggage-essentials
By using British Airways, we do have to fly into Heathrow, then change flights and sometimes terminals. We feel this inconvenience is worthwhile for the luggage allowances that they offer.
Also in their favour, was the process of cancelling the flights for our 2020 trip due to Covid. Our 100% refund was given with good humour in a quick telephone conversation and was back in our account within 24 hours. This was not the case for most people I know who had used a variety of other airlines and were only offered a credit!
With all of the above information in mind, I still do extensive research before each trip to ensure that BA are still the best option for us. I keep a watch on the flight prices because they do fluctuate and I normally book flights during October for the following June/July departure once the Tour de France route and dates are released.
Choosing seating on aircraft will be an additional cost. Criteria to consider when choosing your seats is where they are in relation to toilets, baby-allocation seats, exits, wings and engines. Do you require extra leg space? We find that the best place for us is over the wings and forward of the engine noise. We choose to sit in the section of the plane behind business class. This section of the plane is smaller and has fewer passengers than the back of the plane. Foregoing a window seat and sitting in the middle part allows us to have personal access to the aisle. The reason for this choice is that we do not need to disturb, or be disturbed by, the person next to us for excursions to the toilet or to exercise. In this position, we are not too close to the toilets and, so, don’t have people queueing beside us during our journey. Families with small children are usually a few rows in front and are never a disturbance. We have been in the ‘with children’ position ourselves and empathise with the parents. The cabin crew are a fabulous help to these parents.
Accomodation
Searching for accommodation can be both exciting and frustrating. The accommodation is a big part of your holiday so you will need to commit time to this project. I do suggest that you have some idea of the style of accommodation that bests suits you but be prepared to be flexible. If you use your planning calendar and you have a tentative route then it is time to start looking for places to stay.
We like to choose accommodation with plenty of space and ambience. This is the bedroom of our Magny-lès-Villers bed and breakfast. We were also allowed access to the kitchen to prepare food and utilise the refrigerator. Most importantly, access to a washing machine and a washing line, absolute necessities for a long holiday. The link to this property is below.The hosts have changed since our stay.
In what type of accommodation would you like to stay? Hotel, guest house, bed & breakfast, apartment in town, house in the countryside? There are so many options depending on the type of holiday you have chosen and your mode of transport.
If you would like to camp in a tent or camper van or stay in a hostel then I do apologise but I have no experience in these areas but I have added some links on My Favourite French Connections page, which I hope will be helpful.
This magnificent property is located in the village of Lourmarin in the Luberon area of Provence. It was owned by an eccentric lady. The house and garden were full of interesting artefacts to ponder and areas to explore. It was a bed and breakfast but had a kitchen and living area that we could use to prepare meals other than breakfast, which was included.
The last holiday that we had organised included 1 or 2 week bookings in houses. Our itinerary was divided into four blocks. We chose to fill in either end of the holiday with a hotel or B&B as weekly bookings are usually Saturday to Saturday.
Our ideal criteria for accomodation are a house with a bedroom on the ground floor, air conditioning (as we are usually travelling in summer), a private bathroom with a shower (not always the case), a kitchen, a washing machine, a garden or terrace and a decent parking space. We do like to be in, or near, a village that has a boulangerie in walking distance.
This wish list is not always feasible. Air conditioning remains a challenge but we feel that it is a necessity for us. Please do your research and contact the owners for specific information if you cannot find it on their websites.
Google maps, both satellite and street-view, are useful to glean other information; such as, the local roads and landscape (often extremely useful) and whether there is a quarry across the road from the house … there is obviously some personal experience with the latter!
We have learnt to ask lots of questions; for example, “Will our vehicle fit in the parking area?” Here’s our rental van in the parking spot of our Saint-Rémy-de-Provence just steps away from our accommodation in 2015. There was a boulangerie around the corner and a laundromat within 5 minutes walk.
In 2020, we had a combination of beautiful accommodation booked. We were extremely lucky to have the majority of our money refunded when Covid struck, even for one which was non-refundable. I highly recommend trying to secure all bookings with the most flexible conditions possible. I almost exclusively use Booking.com and I search for accommodation with great reviews and cancellation policies. I know others are passionate about Airbnb but, so far, I have not had great success, albeit from only two attempts.
We loved this chalet-style bed and breakfast near Briançon in the Alps where we stayed in 2009. Philippe and Monique were so kind and generous. They lived downstairs in a tiny space and we had a huge room with a balcony and views. Philippe provided us with some wonderful ideas for local touring. One was a drive along the Vallée de la Clarée with spectacular views. We felt like we were the only people there until we reached the end the road and found, to our great surprise, a delightful little restaurant.
I have used VRBO and HomeAway for many of our one-week rentals. Also, I have used: Owners Direct, Gîtes de France and private rentals. Always read reviews then check and double check the payment requirements and methods. If possible, steer away from rentals requiring you to sign a contract, which is likely to be in French and difficult to understand.
If you are renting, check the availability of linen and towels. Travelling from Australia, I am not about to include these items in my luggage. Be aware that there are often additional charges for linen use and also a cleaning charge at the end of your stay. Having said this, when you rent a property you can enjoy shopping at local markets and supermarkets, where you can interact with locals and build a relationship during your stay. Take your fresh produce home to cook or make a wonderful salad, the latter can still happen in a B&B. This makes a ‘welcome break’ from eating out for 3 meals a day and saves you money. A simple meal in the garden of your accomodation gives you an opportunity to enjoy more of its facilities and you don’t have to drive home.
We enjoyed a number of easy, cheap and delightful evening meals, that we organised ourselves, accompanied by local wines in the garden of our bed and breakfast in the village of Magny-lès-Villers, Burgundy. Review websites and ask your hosts questions during the booking process to find out about all the facilities that are on offer.
If the renting considerations sound daunting then pick hotels or a friendly B&B (Chambre d’hôte or Maison d’hôte). You do need to work out what is right for you. There are chains of smaller, boutique, family-owned hotels like Logis.
https://www.logishotels.com/en/
Some B&Bs offer Tables d’hôtes, which is dinner provided at the B&B by the hosts for an additional cost. This is a wonderful opportunity to practise your French. These meals are always entertaining and we have found the food fabulous. We have indulged in the most amazing 3 or 4 courses with an aperitif and wines for much less than eating out in a restaurant.
We have always found our B&B hosts very accommodating. If you ask whether you can you put some food supplies in their refrigerator, or you require assistance with restaurant booking, they are happy to oblige. We have had some great experiences resulting from asking our hosts for local recommendations.
Our bikes do not stay in the car overnight. We bring them into the accommodation whenever possible or a lockable shed/garage. Check with your hosts.
We have even had B&B owners do washing for us. Sometimes they did this for free or a small fee. We always give extra money if they don’t charge. There is usually somewhere on the property to eat a meat during summer months … in the garden, on a terrace or in a shared kitchen area. If not, check out a nice park nearby and take a picnic. It’s not polite to eat meals in your bedroom.
Payment at B&Bs can quite often be ‘old school’. In some of our earlier trips, I have organised costly bank transfers and even posted cash wrapped in foil. Don’t do this. If the property owner states that they require prepayment by cheque or transfer, appeal to them first for another method; for example, credit card or PayPal. If not, I suggest you move on with your research and find somewhere more accomodating. Keep in mind that, even when an owner is willing to take your credit card details as a confirmation of the booking, they are likely to ask for cash either upon arrival or departure. To add to this ‘old school’ feel, a beautifully hand-written receipt on a scrap of paper may be your only proof of purchase.
Always read the booking details. I would recommend that you use Trip Advisor for reviews about accommodation that you choose.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels
A couple of tips:
If your accommodation has a swimming pool, board shorts are not acceptable in French swimming pools. Also, if there is a poolside shower then it is customary to use it briefly before swimming.
I take Australian postcards and write a thank you note for our hosts. I often take a bunch of little gifts too. Australian magnets, bookmarks and clip-on koalas have been popular. If you are staying at one place for longer, you may choose something nicer. Our hosts have been genuinely excited to receive something from Australia.
Outside of the hotel ‘Le Clos du Bois’, in Bonnieux … a fabulous location in a beautiful village with a private carpark, garden and laundry and kitchen facilities. It is a short walk to restaurants and there is a weekly market. With the hosts being so lovely, this accommodation ticked all of the boxes.
Vehicle Rental or Lease?
Car hire is important to us. Our travels are usually with bikes and we have to rent a vehicle that will fit all of our luggage. We have investigated leasing but, even for an 8-week trip, the rental option was more cost effective.
You should be aware of how much luggage you intend to take and if it will fit into the vehicle that you choose. When making your choice, please also be aware that the ‘or similar’ model linked to the vehicle in the photograph on the car hire website is, most often, smaller. The large suitcases that we usually take with us from Australia do not fit well in the smaller cars. We have spent many hours pouring over car websites looking for vehicle internal measurements and configurations to ensure that everything will fit comfortably.
A van is a great option if you have more luggage especially.
Our preferred supplier is Auto Europe. We have found them to be the best for sales, service, rates and also refunds if a change is required or a trip has to be cancelled.
Book and pay before you go
If possible, organise and pay for as much as you can in AUD, or your local currency if you don’t live in Australia, before you depart to minimise cash exchange fees. Also, by booking and paying ahead, you won’t miss out on something that you really want to do, like our visit to Le Train Bleu restaurant, a cooking class, a concert or a sporting event.
If you have a credit card with built in travel insurance, use it to make all of your bookings so that they are covered if there is a cancellation. In the current situation, I’m hearing and reading that travellers are required to make most of their bookings in advance and even reservations for restaurants have been necessary. If you are concerned about conversing with someone in French, choose one of the many restaurant reservation apps for your phone to book and confirm with ease.
Our reservation at Le Train Bleu restaurant in Paris was booked before we left home.
Consider Public Holidays, School Holidays and Festivals
When conducting your holiday research, please check for public holidays, festivals, Sundays and days when attractions could, or will, be closed. If you only have one or two days in a place and you are unable to visit what you came to see, it can be very disappointing. In France, school holidays are usually from the beginning of July until the beginning of September.
https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/europe/france/public-holidays/
The famous Japanese Bridge in Monet’s Garden, Giverny, is unbelievably popular with tourists. Go early and head straight to Le Jardin d’Eau before you head back to explore the rest of the garden and Monet’s house if you would like photos or a more personal experience.
Mixed opinions of “Skip the line”
We have had varied experiences with purchasing tickets to ‘Skip the line’. Many years ago in London, we purchased London Passes, which really did give us opportunity to skip those queues. However, the pre-purchase option doesn’t necessarily always work. In 2012, we pre-purchased tickets to the Palace of Versailles online. We could be forgiven for thinking that, as we already had tickets, we should not have had to wait in the VERY long queue to enter.
The VERY long queue of visitors waiting to enter the Palace of Versailles and, even though we had pre-purchased our tickets, we also were told to queue.
How wrong we were! We were advised to join the queue and waited two hours for entry, where we were then directed through the ‘pre-purchase’ gate, which was separate to the ‘purchase a ticket’ gate. Consequently, we did not have time to visit everything that was included in our full-package tickets. Just be aware of this possibility. Ultimately, we still had a fabulous day. This was our second visit to the Palace of Versailles, the first one being a private group tour where we entered through a private door with no waiting. We have previously taken the elevator up to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower but, once again, on a prepaid tour and skipped the long queue. Otherwise, you wait with everyone else or use the stairs. Research tour options if you are short on time. When researching venues, Google Translate is a wonderful tool for those of us who are not fluent in French.
Visitors to the Eiffel Tower using the stairs
Museums and Galleries in France
Museums are often shut on Monday or Tuesday (Louvre in Paris) or both. Look for information on websites about opening hours.
https://www.louvre.fr/en/visit/hours-admission
In Paris, you can buy a pass that will allow you to visit a number of monuments, museums and galleries. Before purchasing, check that the days and venues covered by the pass align with your calendar. Sometimes visiting fewer places, with more time to enjoy the experience, is better than racing around and cramming your day with many different venues.
Cycling Bookings
I have mentioned that we enjoy cycling and have travelled with own our bicycles from Australia to France. There are many other cycling options and I’ve decided that this extensive topic deserves a dedicated post in the future. In the meantime, if you would like more information on this topic then please feel free to contact me directly by sending me an email in the link below.
As your itinerary starts to build and bookings fill your calendar, the countdown is on for your departure. Keep practising your French and come back next time when we will discuss packing, money, health, security and other necessities.
À bientôt.
Whether you are in a city or in the countryside, stop and enjoy the the view, like this one in the Vallée de la Clarée, near Briançon in the Hautes-Alpes.
