autoeurope

France is quite a fascinating yet expensive country. So in case you are planning to travel to France, chances are that you may be wondering how to keep your costs low. While it requires a little bit of planning, it is possible to tour through all of France on a budget.

Literally, the first and most obvious step that you should take, is to bundle up the airfare, accommodation, and transportation costs. In this regard, you may find a number of travel package deals that save you significant money when compared to booking those travel arrangements independently from one another. Companies want to have as much of your business as possible and will generally offer discounts in order to get more of your business.

Once you have done that, use the following tips to further cut your travel costs in France:

Travel During an Off-Season or Slow Season

Usually, there is an influx of tourists in France during the summer and spring season. This is especially true for the Southern part of France and Paris.

This is why Rick Steves recommends you consider traveling to France during an offseason, you will find landscapes that are not spoiled and cheap accommodation.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of traveling in the slow season is dirt cheap accommodations. During the tourist season, the same accommodation may cost two times more because there are more travelers requiring rooms. Most hotels drop their rates to fill their rooms in the fall and winter in France because some business is better than rooms sitting empty.

However, do remember that a number of tourist areas will not have enough infrastructure during the slow time of year. Local B&Bs may close up shop outside of peak season.

Eat Local Specialties

Although you will be tempted to try out the dish of your choice, you will be able to save a lot more by eating the plat du jour (the plate of the day) while in France.

Generally, mussels are quite affordable and are also typical in France.

Usually, you will be able to have a multi-course meal during lunch for as little as 10 Euros.

That said, expect dinner prices to be much higher.

One strategy we suggest is to eat a big lunch and a lighter dinner. This way you stretch your dining budget.

Nevertheless, if you are traveling off-season, you will be able to enjoy great food at a cheaper price during your trip.

Avoid the Toll Roads

In case you are planning to take a road trip in Europe, always choose the no-toll roads. This is because road tolls are quite pricey in France. However, in order to do so, do not always trust your GPS. Sometimes, it may act like a rebel. It would be much better to buy a road map and keep Google Maps on your phone as a backup.

However, low toll roads may not always offer you the best views (sometimes that is a big requirement in road trips). In case the destination matters to you more than the journey, no-toll roads can help you save enough travel costs.

Consider Traveling on Public Transportation

The local transportation in France is quite decent priced in most of the major cities. However, the prices may still vary depending on the region that you are traveling to or from.

However, do not hesitate to plan it all out. You can save plenty of travel costs simply by walking more and using public transportation when compared to renting an automobile.

Cities like Paris are quite popular for a very friendly public transportation system which includes the Metro which is cheap and very fast.

Alternatively, you can also bike around the city (in case you have the stamina) and save even more money!