Julie & Hayden

In the region:

Rent a bike in Toulouse and tour the beautiful paved streets of the pink City.

Feel like a King and queen at the old city of Carcassonne.

Visit the Abbey of St. Pierre and its waterways in the town of Moissac.

Wander down narrow streets in Montauban or in Gaillac.

What better place to drink French wine than at its historical source! The very first French vineyards are said to have been planted near Cahors in the first century by the Romans.

Climb towards the sky to Cordes-sur-Ciel which was one of the first fortified villages of Southwest France.

Hire a boat and cruise down the Canal du Midi for a few days!

France:

Go eat a crepe and get your picture painted in Montmartre, Paris

Have you got what it takes to climb the tallest sand dune in Europe? Then head out to La Dune du Pilat for a view that will take your breathe away.

Hire a car, bring your surfboard and smell the pines through the Pays Basque. While there, make sur to visit the reknown village of Espelette and try the popular chillis.

Make a Pilgrimage to Mont Saint-Michel.

Kayak down the crystal clear waters of the Gorges du Verdon.

Spend a night in a Chateau in the Loire Valley.

Go champagne tasting in Reims

Explore Bordeaux’s top wineries.

View cave paintings from prehistoric times in Dordogne.

Hop on a plane and discover the "Island of Beauty", Corsica.

If you are a food lover like we are, then France will have you asking for more! But where should you start? Here are our recommendations:

THE GERS, THE LAND OF “GRAS” (FAT). You will be in Le Gers during the wedding festivities:

Food: Foie gras (must have!), Duck breasts, Duck confit (anything duck really), Gascon Black Pork, the Adour Kiwifruit, Lectoure Melon, Poultry of the Gers, Oeufs cocotte

Drinks: Armagnac (digestif), the Saint Amons Wine, the Floc de Gascogne, la Cadette de Burosse (local beer)

Note: if spending time in Toulouse, try the restaurant called L'Os a Moelle for all you can eat homemade foie gras!

In the South West:

Food: Croustade aux pommes ( apple pie), Bayonne Ham, Cassoulet, Espelette chilli, Canelet (cake) , Rocamadour (Goat's cheese), Roquefort cheese, Smoked or dried Duck breast, Chestnut black sausage (boudin aux chataignes), the Toulouse sausage.

Drinks: Jurancon AOC ( white wine), Bordeaux AOC ( Red or white wine), 

Anywhere in France: (don't leave without trying those!)

Food, savoury: Freshly baked bread, Saucisson, Rillettes, pate de campagne, escargots (snails), Croque monsieur, Ham and cheese Crepes, EVERY cheese you can get your hands on, Beef tartare, Sole meuniere (fish), raclette, tartiflette, Horse meat if you are feeling adventurous and why not try the frog legs? 

Food, sweet: Profiteroles, Croissant aux amandes (almond croissant), macarons, creme brulee, nutella crepes, pain au chocolat, chocolate in all sorts or shapes 

Drinks: Wine (duh), 1664 (beer), Ti-punch ( Rum), La chouffe ( beer, though from Belgium, you should try it), a chilled ice of rose on a hot day.

The Basics/ La base 

Bonjour , salut = Hi, hello 

Comment ca va? Tu vas bien? Ca va? = How are you, how is it going mate? 

Bien, merci, et toi? = Good, thanks, and you?

Merci = Thank you

S'il te plait = Please

Enchante = Nice to meet you

Au revoir = Goodbye ; A bientot = See you soon 

Excusez-moi = Excuse me

Oui, non = Yes, no 

Pardon= Sorry 

Je ne parle pas francais / anglais = I don't speak french / english 

At the Bakery:

Une baguette s'il vous plait = a baguette please

Un croissant = a croissant

un pain au chocolat = Chocolate croissant 

Un cafe = a coffee ( note - french drink espressos - it will be difficult to find a good cap or a latte)

When travelling around:

Station service = Petrol station

Gasoil = Diesel, Sans plomb = Unleaded 

Un parking = a car park 

Un peage = a road toll 

Un billet de train = a train ticket 

When eating out:

Une table pour 2 = a table for 2

L'addition s'il vous plait = The bill please 

Un verre de vin = a glass of wine 

Eau plate = Still water , Eau petillante = mineral/ sparkling water 

La carte/le menu, s’il vous plaît = The menu, please.

1.Don’t Expect a Big Savoury Breakfast. The French don’t really do breakfast in a big way. And it’s very sweet in taste. Go French, and eat croissant or croque monsieur for breakfast, big at lunch and even bigger at dinner.

2.Don’t cut baguette with a knife. Don’t even think about neatly slicing baguette. Put it on the table on a nice cloth or in its original paper wrapping and let everyone tear a chunk from it as they please.

3.Do kiss hello and goodbye. It may feel a bit strange if you are used to polite handshakes or awkward pats on the back. Dive in and air kiss your acquaintance on both cheeks while gently pouting and making a kissing sound. To make things more interesting, the number of kisses vary by region. Men can shake hands with other men however, women will always kiss. 

4.Don’t worry about not speaking French beyond the basics. However, do learn a couple of words. Bonjour. Au revoir. Merci. Monsieur. Madame. Oui. Non. Voila — you’ve got it.

5.Don’t buy bottled water in a restaurant unless you like or need bubbly water. Otherwise, stick to a “carafe d’eau”. It’s delicious — and free.

6.Do spend at least an hour at a café terrace at some point during your trip sipping something. Bring the journal, notepad, book, or postcards, and have the whole experience.

7.Do eat things that you have never tasted before. You might realise that snails is your new favourite food!

8.Don’t eat anywhere within a beret’s toss of a major tourist destination, especially Sacre Coeur, Eiffel Tower, or Notre Dame. Push a bit farther afield and look for something more authentic without “tourist pricing”. 

9.Don’t pay for breakfast in a hotel or hostel if you don’t have to. It will probably cost you about €9-14 for something that you get (fresher!) at the corner bakery for about €3-4.

10.Don’t let your guard down. When sitting at a cafe, keep your purse safe and valuables (including that smartphone!) off the table. Things can disappear from your table between sips…

11. Do keep cash on you. A lot of places such as bakeries won't accept payment with card if it is under 10 euros

12. Don't wave at waiters. Most French waiters expect patrons to wait until they come to their table. While you won’t always get a grumpy response, most French waiters prefer the subtle art of eye contact.

13. Do take your time to enjoy your meal. Don’t worry about how long it takes to order in a French cafe, or how long it takes to get a meal or a coffee or wine; this is a social experience, and not worth rushing.

14. Do order a carafe of wine at lunch to share… or for yourself. Wine is cheap in France! And you’re on vacation, right?

Be aware that most rental companies ( or the cheapest) will tend to add hidden fees if you don't have a credit card. Make sure to read the fine prints before booking ( trust us, we know...)

Si vous decidez de louer une voiture sur place, faites attention puisque les agences ont tendance a charger plus si vous n'avez pas de carte de credit. 

What's the weather like at this time of the year? 

Guess what, the 20th of june is the first day of summer in France! Temperatures should average around early 20s  though it might still be below that in the mornings so make sure to bring something to keep you warm. The weather being so unpredictable, rainy days could still occur. Make sure to bring enough clothes to keep you dry.

What is the time difference between France and my Home country?

Australia: WA is +6 hours, SA is +7.5 hours, VIC and NSW is +8hours.

Japan: +7 hours 

USA: MO is -7 hours and VT is -6 hours

What are the travel requirements?

Make sure you have a valid passport ( at least 6 months from expiring). No tourist visa is required. A valid passport will let you stay for a duration of up to 3 months. 

What if I don't speak a word of french?

Have a look at the basic vocab list posted below for a start. In paris, you won't find it difficult to meet english speakers however, it might be a little tricky when heading down south. We can recommend the app google translate which really helped us out when in staying in a small ski village in Japan! But remember, even if you can't communicate, a little smile can go a long way!

What number to call in case of emergency?

Police: 17, Fire fighters: 18 and Ambulance: 15

Where, when or how should I exchange currencies?

Now this is a really good question. We still haven't found the best way to save on exchange rates. What we would recommend though is to NOT exchange currencies at the airport. Also avoid carrying too much cash around with you, especially in Paris as pickpockets are unfortunately quite common in the metro or around touristy locations.