Saving money in France
Sights in France
Be a sightseeing V.I.P.—Sightseeing passes grant admission to dozens of sights, avoiding the lines and saving money
Online ticket prices can be cheaper than buying them on-site (and will also save you time waiting in line)
Tips and advice for how to get the most out of seeing the sights, museums, and monuments during your France vacation
Lodgings in France
Don't use the most famous booking engines; use the ones with the largest selection and lowest rates
Hotels' official star ratings have nothing to do with how clean, central, comfortable, or charming a hotel is—just how many (often pointless) amenities it offers
Hotel sites often feature special sales and promotions you won't find on the booking engines and aggregators
Serviced flats, residence hotels, Aparthotels, and other townhouse suite lodging in France
From B&Bs and farm stays to cottages, castles, and campgrounds, here are French lodging alternatives to the traditional hotel
Breakfast at a B&B can be lovely—but at a standard hotel, you probably won't be getting your money's worth
Stay on a working farm (Séjours à la ferme) and experience the best of French hospitality and countryside tradition
All the steps you can take to find the lowest price on the perfect place to stay in France
A place to call your own for the night or the week—renting a gîte, villa, house, or cottage in France
A room with "external facilities" (shared bath down the hall) always costs less for this minor inconvenience
Free lodgings in France: Hospitality networks (couchsurfing), home swaps, and house sitting services
Couchsurfing and other hospitality networks allow you to sleep for free in other member's homes
Hospitality networks gather folks who are willing to put up fellow members in their homes for free or for a small fee
Trading spaces isn't just a show on basic cable anymore. It's a way to live life like a local on your travels absolutely for free—so long as you let the local borrow your life (and home) in return.
Sleep for free on vacation by watching someone's house (and, often, watering their plants and feeding their cat)
Camping and campgrounds (terrains de camping) are a cheap way to spend the night while traveling
Sleep in a religious guesthouse or retreat at abbeys, monasteries, priories, and convents across France from just €17
If you love sailing, or just have an unquenchable taste for adventure and new experiences, you can sign on to help crew a boat just about anywhere in the world, including France
Dining in France
Prix-fisse, tourist menu, lunch menu—a fixed-price or set tourist menu may not be the best meal you could have at that restaurant, but it's certainly often the best budget option
Be your own chef and you can save money and add an extra cultural experience to your trip
From crèpes to quiches, there are many excellent (and inexpensive) French versions of fast food to try
Skip the big slab of meat and order two starters instead—more variety, lower cost
Planning for a trip to France
T-mobile offers the cheapest international roaming—it works in 140 countries and costs as little as $10–20 per month for voice and data.
Aggregators search all the booking engines, airline sites, travel agencies, and airfare discounters in the blink of an eye
Use Skype (and an internet connection) to make and receive free voice and video calls—or have your friends and family Skype your cell in France for 10¢ per minute or $1–$2 per month.
Book your own cruise excursions for up to 40% less than the cruise ships charge
The hotel garage will often be far costlier than a nearby public garage or other parking option
Unlimited train travel in France, or France and some neighboring countries, or even all of Europe—Is a Eurail pass worth it?
Fly across Europe for as little as $25—welcome to the wonderful age of no-frills airlines, the little jet engines that could
How to get the most out of renting a car in France with the lowest cost and least hassle
Top shopping tips for a trip to France to help you bring home the best gifts and souvenirs from your French travels at the best price
How to arrange for a short-term lease on a brand-new car in France—cheaper than a rental for longer periods, and far better insured
London is the cheap airfares turnstile of Europe, so fly cheaply into here and then elsewhere in Europe or North Africa on a no-frills airline for far less