GENERAL TRAVEL TIPS

FLIGHT TIPS:

-Check regularly late night/very early morning (before 7am) on a weeknight (ideally mid-week like Tuesday/Wednesday) using an "incognito tab” as sites track you and can show you higher prices based on your search history. Clear your cash regularly for this same reason.

-If prices have changed since you last checked, try waiting 72hrs and searching mid-week from a new device and new connection.

-Leverage AI/ChatGPT sites to find the cheapest routes and prices. There are a number of prompts you can use for this if you do a Google search.

-Check the time between layovers making sure that there is enough time (ideally 2 hrs for an international layover) and other flights that same day if ever you do miss your connection.

FRENCH CARS:

-If you can only drive automatic (not manual), make sure that you rent a car with an automatic transmission.

-French cars sometimes use Diesel not Gas so confirm this with the rental company.

-French cars are smaller than cars in the US so keep this in mind (especially if fitting more than just standard luggage - ex, strollers, pack n play etc).

-If traveling with young children, give Aurelie or Jon a call for tips at the airport and hotels re. Stroller, car seats, crib/pack n’ play etc.

-When driving in France, the "priorité à droite" rule means that vehicles approaching from the right have the right of way at intersections unless otherwise indicated.

-France has Turo. We used it two years ago and rented a great car. We do have some tips to share to ensure that the process and communication with the renter goes smoothly, so, give us a call if you decide to go this route.

JET LAG:

-It takes about 1 day per 1hr of time difference to recover from jet lag. So, if you are coming from the East Coast, 6 days to fully adjust to France time.

-The most important thing is to NOT sleep too much the first day when you land. This goes for you and the kids. Get to your hotel, take a quick shower and change, opt for a short 1-2 hour nap and get outside. Go to bed at a reasonable time (within a standard 8pm-12pm window) and don’t sleep more than 12 hours.

-While it’s important to get on “France time”, it’s also ok to lean into the jetlag a bit. The sun sets late, dinner is usually after 8pm and the evenings are light out until 10pm, so, feel free to embrace the fact that you are waking up naturally at 9am and going to bed a little later. We use this to “flex” with the kiddos too- It’s so nice to have Chloe sleep in until 9am so that we can have a peaceful wake-up and child-free breakfast.

FRENCH WEDDINGS: French weddings run later than American weddings. Dinner starts later, so get a good lunch and snack beforehand. Dancing runs to 2-3am, sometimes 4 or 5am. So, take advantage of the jetlag, and arrive a couple days before the wedding so that you still have plenty of energy at 1am (7pm EST).

EATING & SHOPPING:

-Restaurant Tipping: All food and beverage prices are “TTC” (Toutes Taxes Comprises) which means that prices listed include taxes and a 15% service charge. As such, tipping isn’t at all necessary. But, if you were happy with your meal, you can tip a token amount (5% - this would be a couple euros or a 5 or 10 euro bill for a larger meal). Some restaurants will have a tip jar near where you pay.

-Taxi Tipping: common tips for taxis are to round up (no need to add 10-20% on top of the bill)

-If this is your first time in Europe and you’d like more information on cultural norms when dining, please reach out to us (ie timing, to go options, order customization etc).

-If you’re making a purchase over 100 euros, you may be able to get the French tax back at the airport (10-13%), generally called tax-free or de-taxe. Talk to the shop owner about if they do this and what they need (usually passport information).

-You should have no problem taking cash out at an ATM. If you pay with a credit card and the machine asks you to pay in EURO or USD, push the EURO button. The transaction rate your bank uses to convert to USD is generally better than the one advertised on the payment machine in the store.

BATHING SUITS:

If you’re going somewhere where this is a shared public swimming pool (hotel, resort etc), they sometimes have strict rules on bathing suits, specifically for men. They often don’t allow “baggy” swimsuits that you can wear as regular clothes throughout the day, specifically swim shorts/trunks. This is for hygiene reasons to keep the pool clean. So, they may require “speedo” or “speedo shorts”. You can check with your hotel and if you aren’t sure, bring a pair of the snugger variety just in case.