This page is about metropolitan France. For Overseas France, visit the pages dedicated to each overseas area (Réunion, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, etc.)
I have been to mainland France a bunch of times, which is an understatement. In childhood, I often went there with my family during the summer holidays to go camping. I’ve celebrated my summertime birthday there probably more often than in any other country—since I can remember. But we didn’t only visit France in summer; on the other side of the spectrum in winter, we would sometimes go skiing, mainly in Les Trois Vallées.
On those trips, we visited regions from Normandy and Bretagne to Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne, and we canoed/kayaked on the Dordogne river. I visited Paris twice in high school, once with my family, and once with a romantic partner (which sucked ass). As a backpacker, I’ve been to the Alsace region and Strasbourg in 2013. As a solo hitchhiker, I’ve gone around the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes to visit the HitchGathering, and Occitanie in 2015.
My only big blind spot in the European part of France is the island of Corsica. That’s why a return trip to France would focus on that area plus the Atlantic coast.
Next Time in France
- Hitchhike even more with French people. Last time, it was a lot of fun and I’d like to do it together with Jonas. Jonas’ French is a lot better than mine
- Stuff my face with croissants (this is tradition)
- Visit the area around Marseille (little islands!) and perhaps take a ferry across the Mediterranean Sea to like.. Algeria? Otherwise, I’d love to hitch a sailboat from this beautiful canyon called Calanque de Port-Miou
- North of Marseille, visit Roussillon and its Sentier des Ocres. Because I like this shade of yellow
- When in Corsica, pick up some Corsican even though it has many varieties
- Also in Corsica, hike up Monte Cinto (2706masl) if that’s even possible, take the train somewhere, hike (part) of the GR 20, and take ferries or hitchhike sailing boats (here are my CrewBay profile and my Find a Crew profile)
- See Mont Blanc (4808masl). I don’t believe I’m capable of summiting, so doing that touristy cable car to Aguille du Midi seems fine. There’s also a recently abandoned airport in that area called Sallanches Aerodrome
- Visit some observatories, such as these in Meudon, Toulouse, Pic de Bure + NOEMA, Nançay, Saint-Verán, Pic du Midi, and the Pises Observatory
- See or hitchhike some marvels of engineering, such as the Mont Blanc tunnel, some aqueducts, Col du Chaussy (Other suggestions welcome! Please comment below)
- Visit some castles/fortifications with a dramatic aesthetic, for example, La Ville Close de Concarneau
- Hike up Mont Gerbier de Jonc (1551masl) and maybe hike until the Loire River can be kayaked
- Visit Dune du Pilat. I love big sand dunes
- Hang out in the Pyrenees to go hiking and enjoying trips to Spain and Andorra (and Pheasant Island)
- Revisit the Atlantic area, visit the Îles Chausey (there’s a kayak rental), the cliffs of Étretat, and make trips to the British Crown Dependencies Jersey and Guernsey.
If you know cool places and things to do in France, comment at the bottom of this page so I can always find your suggestions again once I start plotting my return! Tips especially welcome if you are French or lived there for a while
Are you a travel blogger and do you have good posts about France? Then drop them in a comment below and I’ll read them!
Check, I Hitchhiked the Millau Viaduct (France)
A couple of days ago I was still in France completing one of my “Hitch Bucketlist Masterpieces of Human Engineering”: the Millau viaduct! One of these pillars that keeps it all standing is taller than the Eiffel Tower and it spans the entire valley. My French driver spoke good English as he had just been back from a five-month backpacking trip himself. He told me more stories of the bridge as there were loads of protests against it. A one-way voyage over the bridge costs a whopping €9.40, so I offered to contribute. My driver rejected the offer. This bridgeContinue reading
Hosted by my French Friend in Frontignan, France
Remember this guy from the hitchhiker’s picnic in Tirana? We just reunited in France, where Yohan’s family lives in Frontignan. Thanks to this French friend and his family, I have a comfortable bed for one more night before I have to go speed-hitchhiking to the south of Spain. Together, we made a little calculation yesterday and it’s more than 1500 kilometers I have to do if I want to avoid Barcelona and Madrid (yes please)! I have about five days to make it to meet the other side of my family there. At the HitchGathering, some women told me theContinue reading
HitchGathering 2015 in Saint-Laurent-du-Pape, France
Five days and four nights without internet at the HitchGathering was a great opportunity to get to know this community of hitchhikers. They come together once a year to be among like-minded people at this ‘hitchhiker’s conference’. Some of them went to great lengths to meet up at this place in France and hitchhiked from farther away than I did. A good bunch of hitchhikers also needed to obtain a Schengen visa before coming here. It’s not easy being an ambitious international hitchhiker without a strong passport. I met up with awesome people who have contacted me through my FacebookContinue reading
Au Revoir Family and Drôme Region (France)
I just said au revoir to my mom, stepdad, and dog as you can see in the picture. It’s always quite difficult, even though I’ve said goodbye many times before; I can’t stop living my life too afraid to leave just in case something happens. My dog is quite an old lady already. I’m sad to leave my family and the Drôme region in France, but it’s time to move to the Ardèche region. That’s where the HitchGathering will begin today! It’s my first time at this event, but so far I’ve gathered that the HitchGathering is: An annual eventContinue reading
Die, Drôme: Celebrating My 24th Birthday in France!
24! I’m currently celebrating my birthday with my mom, step-father, and dog in France at a campsite. I’m kind of couchsurfing their campsite, or squatting it? Heck, I don’t know what to call it. We’re in Die in the Drôme department of France. It’s full of beautiful mountains and rivers. I think this is the 8th time or so I’ve celebrated my birthday in France; we used to go here almost every year when my sister and I were younger. So it’s like the good old days with a Francophone gâteau d’anniversaire! In recent years, I’ve spent my birthday abroadContinue reading
Hitchhiking Bucket List: #3 Millau Viaduct, France
On my humble ‘hitchhiking bucket list’ I have a special category for Amazing Masterpieces of Human Engineering. Ever since seeing this Discovery program about the construction of the Millau Viaduct (French: Viaduc de Millau) I wanted to go there. Now it’s one of my prime hitching goals in Europe. I’m probably going to do it on my way to Monaco whenever I will eventually feel like going to Monaco. Anyway, pillar P2, according to Wikipedia – which is a legitimate source – is taller than the Eiffel Tower. But it only costs €7 in tolls to drive on this magnificent structure.Continue reading
Accommodation in Serbia: From Apatin to Novi Sad, Belgrade, and Golubac
What to expect of accommodation in Serbia as a digital nomad and/or comfortable kayaker? We stayed in Serbia from roughly the 28th of March till the18th of May, 2024. These are the places we booked to both work online from and rest on our off days during the Danube Kayak trip. Contents1 Apatin: Pegasus Apartments2 Novi Sad: Central Apartment3 Stari Slankamen: Acumincum⭐4 Novi Banovci: Prenociste Dunav5 Belgrade: For the Book Lovers6 Grocka na Dunavu: Apostolović’s House ⭐7 Smederevo: Apartment Centar Exclusive8 Ram: Rajski Horizonti Rooms Ram9 Golubac: Aleksandar Apartments & Rooms10 Unlock the Prices of Accommodation in Serbia11 Share thisContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 50: Mohács in Hungary to Apatin in Serbia – We Meet Again, Danube
The events in this story happened on Thursday the 28th of March, 2024. We paddled our inflatable canoe Zucchini from Mohács in Hungary to Apatin in Serbia. This was our first kayaking day down the Danube of 2024 and a continuation of this trip in 2019. We intend to paddle to the Black Sea in 2024 this year. Since we’re crossing from a Schengen country to outside of the EU, this required some paperwork at the police. Contents1 Our (Second) Stay in Mohács2 Hungarian Immigration + A Call with a TID Participant3 Leaving Mohács for Apatin: Day 50 or DayContinue reading
Why We Started Catsitting + How to Start Housesitting to Travel
It all started with a cat named Monday. At least, that’s what we called her. And after finding a forever home for her, we wanted to have more cats in our lives without the drama and the tears. More happy stories of beloved felines that receive regular veterinary care. Fewer stories of kittens discarded on a hiking trail or born in a colony on a rooftop. Just taking care of cats for a few days or weeks or months and then handing back the responsibility to their pet parents who missed them dearly and are grateful for the help. ThatContinue reading
Four Days in the Aosta Valley (Italy)
Between two catsits in Geneva, Switzerland, and The Hague, the Netherlands, we took the bus from Geneva to Aosta in Italy. Aosta is the capital of the autonomous Aosta Valley region, which is bilingual (Italian and French). From the 30th of May till the 3rd of June, we spent four incredible days in the Aosta Valley. We used the city of Aosta as a base for day trips to the surrounding villages. Contents1 Plotting Our Trip + Bus Ride from Geneva to Aosta2 But First, Pizza + Gnocchi3 Taking the Bus to Cogne + Hiking to Lillaz Waterfalls4 Cogne toContinue reading