If you
are on a tight budget here are some ideas
that may help and some other travel resources:
ACCOMODATION
- consider camping (you can save almost
half your accommodation costs)
- if you are aiming to stay somewhere for
a few days ask for a discount or offer to
work in lieu of your accommodation
- aim to stay in places that provide breakfast
as part of the cost. Make sandwiches for
lunch and only eat out at night.
- use the travel network (word of mouth)
for cheap options in the places you visit.
- booking ahead through our online reservation
system costs no more than if you walked
off the street.
- try a house
sitting option instead of paying everywhere.
There are also organizations you can join
where you join a register so you can stay
with people abroad and return the favour
in your own house.
LITERATURE
AND RESOURCES
For Travel in France we recommend a guide
book like Lonely Planet, Rough Guide or
Footprints. If you want more architectural
and historical information you may want
to try the Eyewitness Guides, for special
places to stay look through the Alastair
Sawday range.
- Use our online city guides as an option to carrying heavy guidebooks. They
are also free!
- Search through the fantastic Amazon.com store for books about travelling
cheap.
- We also have a comprehensive guidebook review on our site.
TRAVEL
- consider staying just outside town for
cheaper options.
- don’t move around so much. The longer
you stay in a destination you actually save
money.
- walk around town rather than pay for metros
and buses. Or buy all day or three day passes
that work out cheaper than individual tickets.
- if you are game try hitch hiking (preferably
with someone else).
ENTERTAINMENT
- all travel information centres will list
free entertainment options which can be
just as interesting
- spend a day visiting the free museums
or try to schedule your big city visits
on the days when museums are half price
entry (in Europe this is usually once a
month).
FOOD
AND WATER
- day old bread is usually distributed freely
from various bakeries or shops as is other
food
- cheap meals are often available at social
welfare centres.
- it is much cheaper and healthier to eat
out of a supermarket than buy take away
food.
- drink water instead of softdrinks and
always drink the local water rather than
buying it (unless it is not clean). If the
water is not clean another option for water
purification is a filter, iodine or purification
tablets rather than buying bottled water.
WEBSITE
We hope that you will consider our website
your first port of call. Other useful websites
include:
France Guide http://www.franceguide.com
official French government tourist information
about France, including travel, accommodation,
monuments and museums, youth travel, French
courses, and more.
Discover France http://www.discoverfrance.com
offers walking and biking tours focusing
on the cultural, historical, and other unique
characteristics of France.
France Way http://www.franceway.com
travel guide with sections on culture and
heritage, regions of the country, and dining
and lodging; also has a bulletin board.
FORUMS / BULLETIN BOARDS
We invite you to take part in our bulletin
for you to get answers to your questions
and aid other travellers with theirs.
Our website editor will drop by the boards
from time to time to make sure all unanswered
questions are dealt with.
If you have not got the question answered
then email the editor at france@backpackglobe.com
