Now that your holiday is booked and you have an idea of where you are going in Spain, it’s time to focus on the language of the country—Spanish. Maybe you know a few phrases that you’ve picked up a few phrases from movies and TV shows. Regardless, learning a few key phrases in Spanish will ultimately be a lifesaver for you and your travelling companions.

The whole world knows about Paris and its unending charm. Undoubtedly it is on most people’s bucket list. Most people know about Provence and Nimes and Cote d’Azur too because they are popular destinations full of tourist-favourites like beaches and award-winning cuisine and drink.

Perhaps one of the most difficult things about travelling in a country where you don’t speak the language is figuring out how their public transportation (if there is public transportation) works. Sometimes colours guide your way, sometimes its symbols and other times its numbers, but in each city, the process of getting from Point A to Point B with public transportation is different.

Surfing may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the Bordeaux region of France, but contrary to popular belief, there is a thriving surf community along the coast. The Cote d’Argent is over 200km long, making it Europe’s longest beach with a ton of surfing opportunities along the way.

Packing to go on holiday can be a real struggle because it’s hard to know exactly what you will need when you’re abroad. Like most holidays in Europe, the plus side of travelling within France is that there are stores and companies all around that can supply smaller goods you may forget to pack like shampoo, a comb or socks. Use this packing list to help take the guesswork out of what you’ll need on your French holiday.

For a cheap and beautiful summer getaway, consider a last-minute trip to Vietnam. First time visitors: stay safe and informed from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi with our list of travel tips for Vietnam beginners.

Just about two hours west of Paris is a city known for its champagne and general splendour. The city’s called Epernay and it is home to many of the world’s most celebrated Champagne houses. Here is where you’ll get to tour cellars with tens of thousands of bottles of Champagne that are aging to perfection for a future celebration.

It doesn’t take a lot of convincing to get travellers to step outside the city limits of Paris and explore the famous French countryside. Over the years they have played host to tons of iconic artists, poets and it makes sense why. Rural France offers visitors a unique landscape and colour palette that is charming, classic and romantic all at the same time.

Besancon is city of art and history that is nestled right in the curve of the Doubs River in France. The city won the honour of being France’s “greenest city” and remains committed to keeping their city clean and conscious of the environment and the natural surroundings—which isn’t hard to do when everywhere you look is green and leafy.

Nothing says “amour français” like an oozing triple crème. The French enjoy a lot of cheese and more importantly, they are deeply connected to and proud of their cheese. As well they should be! Some varieties are available in every supermarket, some are specific to a region, and others are local to just a village or community.