France Tours

Les Domaines de l’Ane offers half-day through 7-day treks through the Alpes Mancelles, Pays d’Auge and even as far as Mont Saint-Michel. Don’t feel like walking? It’s okay – they have donkeys to ride! And quirky, cool accommodations for the longer treks.

This is a great way to spend some time in nature, and see a part of France that not many do – and in a way that not many do. I mean, look at that picture! Can you even imagine? There are also kid-friendly donkey rides as well, so if you’re in the Mont Saint-Michel area, consider this as a fun diversion.

Learn more about visiting Mont Saint-Michel here.

The Sarthe département, in the Loire Valley, has a great deal on a weekend tour for wine lovers.

For just €83 per person, you get a night in an 18th-century mill-turned-4-star-chambre d’hôtes, a tour of a local AOC vineyard, a gourmet dinner, breakfast the next morning, and a lot of other little treats and activities including chocolates and a bottle of the wine to take home with you (or at least back to the hotel!).

This is a great idea for a side trip during a vacation to Paris. It’s run by the tourism council of Sarthe, so it’s going to be mostly if not all in French. But if you can get by with the language, this is definitely worth it.

Based between Angers and Saumur in the Loire Valley, le tasting room offers excellent wine tasting tours – and they’ve got you Paris fans in mind: “hop on the direct TGV service from Montparnasse and we can have you sitting with a glass of something delicious by 10am.” These are clearly my kind of people.

They also have weekend and 3-day breaks as well, if you want an overnighter. Strolling through vineyards and delicious meals… sigh.

And if you need further inspiration, check this out: Beautiful foliage and great wines in the Loire Valley.

If you’re into a road trip to see the Loire Valley and want to add a little flair, Cabriolet Touring offers several weekend itineraries for Anjou, Sarthe and Touraine to go along with your choice of classic sports car.

Don’t worry, they all include GPS! And their itineraries include the full routes and directions.

This would be the perfect surprise for someone who loves to drive – or who wants to channel their inner Steve McQueen. Make sure to do this if you’re visiting the castles of the Loire.

Read more France road trip ideas here.

If an entire vacation tour is more your speed, I really love the look of this Kensington Tours 7-day private French Riviera tour. It starts in Nice and ends in Monte Carlo, which is a compact enough area of the country that you’ll spend your time seeing stuff and not just traveling from place to place. To me, that’s an important factor in choosing full vacation packages.

And it includes a helicopter ride! So awesome.

They also take you to a lot of places while still providing a high-quality, private feel.

Learn more about Nice, Monte Carlo, and the entire French Riviera.

Raison d’Art is located near Vaour in the Midi-Pyrenees, and has a unique twist on the normal “tours.” They base vacations out of their 200-year-old farmhouse, and host different activities mixed with sightseeing – from fitness and cooking retreats for adults to teen art vacations, which sounds about a thousand percent better than any summer camp I’ve ever heard.

It’s run by a couple who are passionate about what they do, so check them out!

And if you’re looking for an idea for another destination in the Pyrenees, check out Corbières: Wine, Cheese and Medieval Fortresses.

Wintertime fun can be had in La Clusaz, Le Grand Bornand and Samoens, with half-week packages (Thurs-Mon or Mon-Thurs) that include lift passes, accommodations and close proximity to Annecy, France and Geneva, Switzerland. And they have host snowshoe walks, so dreamy and such a unique way to see the area.

Oh, and if you’re not into skiing and such, they have discounts (and activities) for non-skiers. Ski Weekender is your host with the most.

Romance in France

Paris has been called the most romantic city in the world by pretty much everyone who’s ever spoken about France, and in some ways it’s true. From whimsical street performers to the winsome afternoon light, everything about Paris seems to be made for canoodling. Even an unwelcome rainstorm can lead to a lost afternoon huddled together under the protection of a cafe awning. And there’s anecdotal evidence that it might be among the most romantic places to get engaged – just read this recent account of popping the question in Paris, which set my heart racing!

But there are so many places and experiences in the rest of France that I find romantic, too – and being so close to Valentine’s Day, I’d like to tell you a little bit about them.

French Trains

Train travel has always struck me as impossibly romantic, and French train travel even more so. Now, I know that train lines follow technical guidelines for topography and such, but my heart tells me otherwise. It’s like whoever laid down those tracks did so with the romantic traveler in mind. Why else would they put a train line right along the shores of the Côte d’Azur, or through miles of Champagne vineyards?

It’s also the luxury of time that’s romantic. Although high-speed train lines like the TGV get you where you’re going faster than ever before, there’s something romantic about resting your head on your lover’s shoulder while gazing out the window at France going by.

And then there train stations. Unlike airports, at the train station you can spend up to the last moment with your beloved, and even run alongside the train as it departs. It doesn’t get anymore romantic than that. And if you’re traveling together, you don’t have to suffer the indignity of stripping down and getting wanded in the security line. You simply arrive, pick up a sandwich for the train, and get on board at your leisure.

French Castles

I’m about as un-princessy as a girl can get, but even I have to admit getting swept up in the romantic vibe of French castles. It’s all too easy to see oneself pruning the roses at Villandry, or gliding down the double-helix staircase of Chambord, or lounging away the hours under layers of royal bedding at Versailles. And it’s no coincidence that Sleeping Beauty’s castle was fashioned after the Château d’Ussé. Hark, sweet prince!

French Beaches

You may think of beaches as more sexy than romantic, but even with all the topless bathing here there isn’t really a lot of titillation. What there is on French beaches – which I have to say, I’m addicted to – is the beach club.

Unlike the beach I grew up on in NJ, where you bring your own chair, or French public beaches where you throw down a towel, private beach clubs make French beaches the epitome of romance. You and your honey are guided to side-by-side chaises longues, which are long sun beds. Some even have double chaises for summer snuggles. It’s like being in an outdoor hotel room, complete with rom service – many beach clubs have restaurants, and they’ll bring you drinks or fruit or even a full lunch. It’s not just this cold snap we’re having right now in France that is making me to say, my boyfriend and I can’t wait for beach club season!

But even if you’re not into lying around in your bathing suit, you can still make a romantic time of beach clubs. Many of them have lounge areas for non-bathers, with cushy chairs or love seats, and table service. What’s more romantic than watching the sunset from your beachside bar before heading to dinner? Which leads me to…

French Food

You know I wasn’t going to let a post go by without talking about French food. Frankly, there is nothing more romantically French than a long dinner where all of your senses are involved. From briny oysters to velvety sauces to the perfect pairing of wine and food, it’s a feast in every way.

Of course, there are the long lunches, too – nothing says “I’m on vacation in France!” like a three-hour lunch on a Tuesday afternoon. And then there’s breakfast – that steamy paper bag of fresh croissants that you bring back with you to the apartment, or take with you as you stroll around town. Which, again, leads me to…

French Streets

Perhaps the absolute most romantic thing about France are its streets. Whether it’s a leafy boulevard, a covered gallery or a tiny winding alleyway, walking hand-in-hand with the one you love down a street anywhere in France is a moment that even years later gives you the warm fuzzies.

What do you find romantic about France?

Other Voices From the France Blogging Roundtable

EuroCheapo
Food Lover’s Odyssey

Top photo: keepwaddling1

While there are fewer festivals and special events happening during these months, it is also the best time to get deep discounts at cheap hotels in France and land incredible deals on airfare to France. It’s also a great time to breeze through short or non-existent lines at museums and other attractions. This is also the time of the year when Paris and other French towns and cities are owned by the locals, giving you the perfect opportunity to get in touch with local life in France.

Reasons to go to France in February

• Enjoy the quiet of low travel season and avoid long lines at museums and attractions
• February is the peak of the skiing season
• Low rates on lodging and airfare
• France’s centuries old Carnaval, which predates New Orleans’ Mardi Gras
• Enjoy Valentine’s Day in the most romantic city in the world

Winter Weather in France

Chillier temperatures are one of the reasons you find fewer tourists in France during the winter months. While the South of France and Côte d’Azur tend to be more mild, the cold winter winds called the Mistral can even make these sunnier regions feel more on the frigid side.

Paris tends to be damp and cold in the winter, and while snow will fall occasionally, you’ll usually see temperatures hovering above 0 degrees C, or in the 40s F.

Of course, you’ll also find snowy, cold conditions in the mountains, where skiing in popular.

If you pack accordingly and bundle up, however, the weather in France in the winter isn’t inhospitable. Read more about what to wear in France in the winter.

>>Find out more about weather in France

Valentine’s Day in France

It is certainly no secret that Paris is one of the most romantic cities in the world, making France (especially Paris) the perfect setting for Valentine’s Day.

You’ll see plenty of Valentine’s Day specials and packages in Paris, but you can also easily make your own romance filled itinerary in Paris.

>>Read more about Valentine’s Day in France and Romantic Things to do in Paris

Skiing in France

France is renowned for its world class ski resorts located high in the snowy peaks of the Alps. Val Thorens in the Alps is Europe’s highest resort; this resort has snow pack early in the season and is already near to being in full-swing by December. Chamonix and Tignes’ high elevations and year-round glaciers also make for fantastic ski conditions, especially by February.

>>Read more about skiing in France

Celebrate Carnaval in Nice

For two weeks in February (leading up to Mardi Gras), Nice comes alive with activity and colorful celebrations of carnival processions, elegant flower parades, fabulous soirées, rock and techno concerts, entertainment and fireworks that attracts approximately 1.2 million people each year to the southern French city.

>>Read about Carnaval in Nice, and about cheap flights to Nice.

>>For more ideas on how to enjoy France in the winter months, read Winter in France

Photo by Vincent MontiBus on Flickr

But although there are a over a thousand castles in France, only a handful get the attention – those nearest Paris, and those in the Loire Valley. But what if you’re in another part of France? What if you don’t want to jockey for position with tour groups and busloads of people?

With that in mind, I’ve included some amazing French castles that you may not have heard of – or, sadly, not yet seen. I included my favorite of the “famous” castles, but for the most part, some of these were a revelation to me as well! And as always, to enable you to include them in your next France vacation itinerary, I’ve included some salient facts for each.

Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg

• Orschwiller, Alsace
• Unknown construction date – first mention 1147
• Nearest major city: Strausbourg
• Train to: Sélestat, about 3 hours from Paris
• Website

Château de Chambord

• Chambord, Centre
• Built 1519–1547
• Nearest major city: Tours
• Train to: Blois, about 1.5 hours from Paris
• Website

Château des Baux de Provence

• Les Baux-de-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
• Built in the 10th century
• Nearest major city: About halfway between Montpellier and Marseille
• Train to: Arles, about 4 hours from Paris
• Website

Château de Fontainebleau

• Fontainebleau, Île-de-France
• Original construction 12th century; as it is today, 16th century
• Nearest major city: Paris
• Train to: Fontainebleau, about 40 minutes
• Website

Château de Beynac

• Beynac-et-Cazenac, Dordogne
• Built in the 12th century
• Nearest major city: Bordeaux
• Train to: Bergerac, about 4.5 hours from Paris
• Website

Château de Montfort

• Vitrac, Dordogne
• Original construction unknown; after razed in 12th century, rebuilt and added to
• Nearest major city: Bordeaux
• Train to: Bergerac, about 4.5 hours from Paris
• Website

Tours de Merle

• Saint-Geniez-ô-Merle, Limousin
• Built in the 12th century
• Nearest major city: Bordeaux
• Train to: Brive-la-Gaillarde, about 4 hours from Paris
• Website

Château de Josselin

• Josselin, Brittany
• Built in the 11th century
• Nearest major city: Rennes
• Train to: Josselin, about 3.75 hours from Paris
• Website

Photos: Fr Antunes, sybarite48, ell brown, o_0, felix388, yanec, Stéfan, Chez Eskay

While Lourdes is well known to millions of religious pilgrims, it’s often overlooked by secular travelers. But you don’t have to believe the story of the Marian apparition, or even be religious, to enjoy a trip to Lourdes.

In case you don’t know the religious history of Lourdes, in 1858 the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared several times to a young girl named Bernadette (later Saint Bernadette). The Church determined 1862 that she had in fact seen and received messages from Mary, and the rest, as they say, is history – one which now includes a massive prayer and devotion complex that includes the grotto, churches, places to gather, and a full schedule of events for the faithful.

Why visit Lourdes?

However, it’s not like there are people checking for some sort of secret handshake in order to be allowed to enter the grounds, appreciate the architecture and witness the phenomenon that is Lourdes. It’s a culture unto its own, and one that plays an interesting part in the larger French culture.

So with that in mind, let’s take a closer look at visiting Lourdes, and you can decide if it’s something you’d like to include on your next Southwestern France vacation itinerary.

First, read more about how to get to Lourdes and where to stay in Lourdes.

Where is Lourdes, and what’s nearby?

Lourdes is close to Spain, but separated from it by the Pyrénées mountain chain. I wouldn’t exactly call it a day trip from anywhere. That being said, with a bit of ingenuity, it can easily be added to a trip to any of these cities.

• Toulouse
• Bordeaux
• Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz
• Perpignan
• Pau
• Carcassonne
• and even San Sebastian, Spain!

What is there to do in Lourdes?

Obviously, the Sanctuary is the big draw. Tours are available, which I recommend for understanding its place in the culture and history of both France and religion. Don’t think it’s for you? Well… have you visited the Vatican in Rome? The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul? Notre Dame in Paris? Then there’s no reason why the fantastic Rosary Basilica and the Byzantine Ukranian Church at Lourdes shouldn’t be on your list.

There’s also an 8th-century fort used by Charlemagne, which in any other town would be a stunning focal point. And being in the Pyrénées, hikers can enjoy the three summits in the surrounding area (and the lazier among us can take the funicular up to Grand Jer).

Of course, the town of Lourdes is interesting in and of itself – if only to see how a 14-year-old girl’s visions long ago transformed this place into what it is today. A stroll by the Gave de Pau river is always a joy. And there is prime people-watching, too.

When is the best time to go to Lourdes?

Weather-wise, May is the rainiest month, so keep that in mind. December is when it’s coldest, but January is not that bad and actually the driest month. The summers are mild and pleasant.

In terms of events, the town’s level of “open” is dictated by the Lourdes Sanctuary. In general, from April to October are the peak months; so much so, that some hotels close in the “off” season.

Photo: cocoate

Well, the truth is, there is a LOT to do not only in Bordeaux, but in the surrounding area as well. To whet your traveling appetite, let’s take a look at some delicious places to visit during a trip to Bordeaux. And to get you started on trip planning, here are some helpful links:

• Wine regions in France
• France 3-Day Itinerary: Southwest France
• Getting from Paris to Bordeaux

Clermont-Ferrand

Clermont-Ferrand is one of the few places where it’s easier to drive from Bordeaux than take the train. To wit: it takes over 8 hours by train, with a change in Limoges; by car, it’s a little under 4 hours. But it’s very much something to consider if you’re in the southwest – although Clermont-Ferrand is in the center of France, it’s one of those “hidden-in-plain-sight” gems that deserves a lot more attention. Why? Well, let’s start with the (dormant) volcano chain. Then there are the Roman ruins. And hiking, paragliding, a great city center, and so much more.

You can read more about visiting Clermont-Ferrand here.

Biarritz

Biarritz, just a little over two hours from Bordeaux by train, is the surfing capital of Europe and a hip town with a decent old town, a fun beach vibe, and delicious Basque-influenced food. It’s also a hop, skip and jump away from Saint-Jean-de-Luz, perhaps the cutest little town you ever did see. If you’re visiting Bordeaux during the summer months, then a side trip to Biarritz is practically mandatory.

Limoges

You may know Limoges because of its world-famous porcelain, and you can certainly find your fair share it there. (Gifts to be bring back home? Done. I recommend the tiny pill boxes.) But Limoges wears its history proudly. In fact, almost every century since the 10th is represented in the city – from that century’s Crypt of Saint Martial to the Gothic Limoges Cathedral Saint-Étienne de Limoges to the Bishops’ Palace. Limoges is about three hours from Bordeaux.

Arcachon

Need a reason to go to Archachon? Look no further than this video, which accurately shows all of its jaw-dropping awesomeness:

Right?? You could spend a week there. But even an overnight trip means you can experience the astonishing beauty of this coastal area. If you only take one side trip from Bordeaux, this is definitely it.

For the two weeks leading up to Mardi Gras, Nice comes alive with activity and colorful celebrations including Carnaval processions, elegant flower parades, swanky soirées, rock concerts and techno shows, entertainment and fireworks that attract approximately 1.2 million people each year to the seaside city.

>>Did you know you can fly direct from New York’s JFK to Nice?

Origin of Nice Carnaval

The word “Carnaval” comes from “carne levare” (“away with meat”).The earliest mention goes back to 1294, when the Count of Provence Charles d’Anjou spent the “the joyous days of Carnaval” in Nice. The festival started before the Middle Ages when the people of Nice, in anticipation of the 40 days of the Catholic Lenten season, enjoyed their fair share of rich, abundant foods.

During these few weeks, it was pretty much anything goes in terms of the amount of excess. Carnaval also became a time for mocking everything and everybody, at everyone’s expense, which is where the origin of the masks comes in – they wanted to be protected from getting called out for their mocking.

Until the 18th century, masked balls punctuated Carnaval in what is now Old Nice. But the “Abbés des Fous” (Fools’ Abbots) soon stepped in – clergy assigned with the thankless task of keeping excesses in check. And Carnaval festivities have been suspended throughout its history, mainly during the French Revolution and the First Napoleonic Empire.

History of “Modern” Carnaval

On the first day of Carnaval (February 17 in 2012), the King of Carnaval arrives at Nice’s Place Masséna and the party begins. The joy is downright contagious.

On the first Sunday afternoon of festivities, the Carnaval procession is made up of dozens of floats and as many as 500 “big heads” (papier-mâché caricatures) in a colorful parade, along with traditional street theatre and music groups from all over the world.

On the final day of Carnaval, Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday”), there is a parade that lets you know you’re going out with a bang.

Carnaval 2012

In 2012, Carnaval is happening February 17 – March 4.

Every year, there is a theme decided for the costumes and floats for the parade. The theme for 2012 is “King of Sport,” and Great Britain, the host of this year’s Olympics, is a guest of honor. With more than a million people expected to take part in festivities, Carnaval in Nice in 2012 is sure not to disappoint.

>>Check out the official Nice Carnaval web site for more information

• How to get from Paris to Nice
• How to get from London to the South of France
• How to get from Barcelona to Nice
• Cheap flights to Nice
• Budget airlines that fly to Nice
• Cheap hotels in Nice
• Hotels near the Promenade des Anglais in Nice
• The best hostels in Nice

While Lourdes, France is a pretty enough town to visit on its own, there is really only one star here – the Sanctuary and Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes. Millions of pilgrims and sightseers alike flock to the city, especially on February 11, the Feast of Our lady of Lourdes. However, there are processions, events and Masses every day, and the complex itself – which houses 22 places to worship, including 8 churches – is open from 5AM to midnight.

With more hotels per square mile than any other town in France except Paris, you’ll want to whittle down your choices. Here are out picks for the best hotels that are closest to the Rosary Basilica at Lourdes.

If you’re in the middle of planning your trip, find out how to get to Lourdes here.

Hotels Near The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France

Grand Hôtel Moderne

The Grand Hôtel Moderne is simple, elegant, spacious, and 30 rooms have a view of the Basilica. They also have Junior Suites for larger groups, and a gorgeous restaurant. Their site doesn’t mention Wifi, but it’s a 4-star hotel, so I’m guessing there is.

Hôtel Chapelle et Parc

This 3-star hotel is surprisingly chic, and you couldn’t get much closer to the grounds if you tried. Note, though, that this is only open from Easter to All Saints’ Day, which coincides with the seasonal events calendar of the Sanctuary.

Hôtel Sainte-Rose

This is the hotel you want if you’re traveling with someone who’s ill and come to visit the Grotto. It also has a fantastic view from its breakfast room, anf family-size rooms for sharing.

Hôtel Christian Cluny

A 2-star on the road leading to the Sanctuary, this is definitely the best bet of the bunch. Clean, quiet, quaint. Definitely no Wifi, though. (It’s only 2012, you know.)

Croix des Bretons

This hotel has handicap-accessible rooms, and vegetarian meal options. There’s also an on-site chapel (in case the 22 places at the Sanctuary aren’t enough).

I’ve also read this year’s crop of “off-the-beaten-path” places to go around the world. It seems that these days, everyone’s looking to one-up their friends and family with never-before heard-of places in the far-reaching corners of the planet. After all, France is the most visited country on the planet – what’s there that’s left to discover?

How about this: EVERYTHING. You have no idea how jam-packed France is with the most unbelievable things to see and do. (And eat and drink.) So, to expand your bucket list of places to go that won’t take 26 hours and a sherpa to get to, here are some places I think should get more attention in France.

Étretat

Look at that arch. How could you not want to see that? And not only that, there are three of them off the cliffs of this area of Upper Normandy. And it takes under three hours to get there by car.

Clermont-Ferrand

Volcanoes! Hiking! Panoramic views! A short-film festival! And the creepiest black granite church ever. The Teoz train gets you there in about 3.5 hours.

Sète

Two words: water jousting. Two more words: junk museum. And here’s two more, to close the deal: fresh oysters. Have some summertime fun in early spring, without the cruise day trippers on the Riviera. Leave Paris first thing in the morning, and be sitting on the canal with a coquillages plate in front of you by lunch.

Ushant/Ouessant

It doesn’t get any more off the beaten path than the western-most point of France, off the coast of Brittany. In fact, it’s not even on the mainland – it’s an island. And seeing as how you have to go through all of Brittany to get there, there are about a hundred more non-touristy places to visit nearby.

Aigues-Mortes

A fortified city that’s more fun to visit than Carcassonne. Yeah, I said it. Why? Because unlike the fortified part of Carcassonne, it’s less like a museum and more like a tiny jewel box town that’s very much lived in. It’s also on the salt flats, which means you can stock up on sea salt and impress your guests during your next dinner party.

Conques

Conques is an ideal side trip, because it’s so opposite of Paris. First of all, there are no cars allowed in the town, so it’s blissfully quiet. And second, whatever tourists may come through leave by afternoon, so you’ve got the place to yourself. It’s about halfway between Clermont-Ferrand and Montpellier, so if you’re taking a trip down south it’s the perfect pit stop.

Châlons-en-Champagne

A beautiful town surrounded by vineyards. Who’s thirsty? And it’s an hour and a half on the train from Paris, so you have absolutely no excuse. Note: You may know this by its former name, Châlons-sur-Marne, as mentioned by Eddie Izzard in one of his bits years ago, and as it appears in Snoopy’s Red Baron story in It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

The East Coast of Corsica

It’s weird – seeing as how the east coat is closer to Italy, you’d think it’d be more visited, with many ports for ferries. Lord knows it’s jam-packed with breathtaking villages tucked into valleys here and there. But the most popular places to visit on Corsica are anywhere but; the main cities are at the north and south and along the west coast, and hikers love the interior mountains. Nobody goes to the east coast. Why don’t you put a stop to that?

Throw a Dart at a Map

I’ve taken enough road trips to know that there are very few butt-ugly towns in France. Honestly, you can’t go wrong. And if you don’t love a town you’ve chosen? Go onto the next one, and discover a place in the world’s most visited country that you can truly call your own.

Photos: aigle_dore, matsukawa, Rob124, archiepel2005, aschaf, flissphil, erbajola, dmytrok

I traveled with a Eurail Pass at the tender young age of 40 last year, so that’s the first thing you need to know – it’s not just for backpackers! But even though I’m a wizened traveler and a train addict, there was a definite learning curve. Here’s what I learned while traveling with a Eurail Pass through France. Enjoy!

Although the Eurail Pass allows for a lot of freedom, it doesn’t mean you should shy away from planning.

With the kind of Eurail Pass I had, you can travel for 15 days out of two months. But on each day you travel, you can take as many trains as you’d like. (There are cut-off times for overnight trains, FYI.) So if you want to cram in as much as possible, you’ll need to make a plan for your trip.

For example, during a few days in Paris I wanted to take road trips to some of the northern cities. So I got out my map of France and the Eurail train timetable that came with my pass, and like an army general, set out my plan of attack. Now, granted, I was doing recon for this site, so I wasn’t as interested in full immersion traveling. But I wanted to give you an idea of what’s possible, so here are some (long) days of travel I planned out:

• Paris – Nancy – Reims – Paris
• Paris – Lyon – Dijon – Paris
• Paris – Brest – Rennes – Paris

Decide how you want to use your Eurail Pass.

When you’re planning your trip, instead of thinking about it linearly, think about having a base and using your pass to travel from there. I chose Paris as my base to explore Northern France because to get to many of these cities from the South of France, you have to go into Paris first and then back out to get to the destination. So it made sense to start off four hours closer to all the places I wanted to go.

However, I also used it to get to Paris in the first place, as well as to take trips to Berlin and Rome. Using your Eurail Pass to get from Point A to Point B – with as many stops as you’d like along the way – can be paired with an open-jaw plane ticket for your entire vacation. (An open-jaw ticket is one that lets you fly into one destination, and fly out of another. So you can fly from New York to Paris, and then return to New York from Rome.)

You have to make reservations for certain trains.

Regional trains and “smaller” train lines – like the one that goes from Nice to Ventimiglia, Italy – don’t need reservations. You just hop on with your Eurail Pass and you’re good to go. But if the train normally needs reservations (meaning, if it has assigned seating), you’ll need to have an actual ticket.

Luckily, train station ticket people are more than familiar with how Eurail Passes work, so just slap your pass down on the counter and let them know where you want to go. The only question they usually ask you is whether your pass is 1st or 2nd class, so they know where to put you on the train.

You can’t get on any train you want.

While you can certainly check on a country’s train system website (like SNCF for France) for times and such, your Eurail Pass timetable is the final word on which trains you can actually get on. This doesn’t hold for regional trains, of course, where reservations are not necessary; but for major train routes, there are a limited number of seats reserved for Eurail Pass holders. So, again, you need to plan ahead!

Even with your Eurail Pass, you’ll still have to pay sometimes.

Don’t worry, you won’t have to pay a lot. In France, my usual tariff for TGV trains was about €3. My trains from the South of France to Berlin were about €30 total – although the most expensive one, from Paris to Frankfurt, included a full lunch! And a newspaper. So, it all evens out. Just make sure you know which ones you’ll need money for, because French train stations (and ticket machines) don’t take American cards.

Always have your passport with you.

You need it because the conductor needs to check the name on your ticket with your passport. Once you read the literature that comes with your Eurail Pass this should seem apparent, but I want to include it here because a lot of people like to leave their passports in the hotel safe. I put my Eurail Pass inside my passport, so I always had them together. I also clipped a pen onto my passport, because you need to…

Wait until you get on the train to write in the date, but make sure it’s the first thing you do.

The way you “validate” your Eurail Pass is to write the date of your travel on the ticket face. You have to do this even if you have a reservation. (And, FYI, you have to write it “European” style, with the day first and then the month.) Train conductors can at best give you the hairy eyeball, and at worst issue you a fine. So, it’s really important that you do it!

But, make sure you do it AFTER you board the train, because you never know what could happen (strikes, plans changed, etc.) and you can’t erase a date you’ve written, just cross out it – meaning you’ll lose one of your travel days.

If you’re ready to buy your Eurail Pass, or if you want to learn pretty much all there is to know about Eurail Passes, check out the BootsnAll Eurail Pass site – it’s fantastic and very comprehensive.