{"id":1302293,"date":"2026-09-26T18:17:58","date_gmt":"2026-09-26T18:17:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/?page_id=1302293"},"modified":"2026-10-01T16:32:45","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T16:32:45","slug":"france","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/europe\/france\/","title":{"rendered":"France"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":200,"featured_media":0,"parent":1301190,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"hw-hub-country","meta":{"footnotes":"","hw_hub_hero_eyebrow":"","hw_hub_hero_h1":"","hw_hub_hero_intro":"","hw_hub_hero_image":"","hw_hub_hero_overlay":"","hw_hub_hero_cta":"","hw_hub_why_title":"","hw_hub_why_body":"","hw_hub_why_link_label":"","hw_hub_why_link_url":"","hw_hub_why_cards":"","hw_hub_stats":"","hw_hub_countries_title":"","hw_hub_countries_intro":"","hw_hub_featured":"","hw_hub_regions":"","hw_hub_hostels_title":"","hw_hub_hostels_intro":"","hw_hub_hostels_cta_label":"","hw_hub_hostels_cta_url":"","hw_hub_hostels_source":"","hw_hub_hostels_location_type":"","hw_hub_hostels_location_id":"","hw_hub_hostels_currency":"","hw_hub_hostels_count":"","hw_hub_hostels_cache":"","hw_hub_hostels":"","hw_hub_when_title":"","hw_hub_when_intro":"","hw_hub_seasons":"","hw_hub_costs_title":"","hw_hub_costs_body":"","hw_hub_cost_rows":"","hw_hub_cost_note":"","hw_hub_money_reads":"","hw_hub_rail_title":"","hw_hub_rail_body":"","hw_hub_rail_link_label":"","hw_hub_rail_link_url":"","hw_hub_rail_image":"","hw_hub_routes":"","hw_hub_events_title":"","hw_hub_events_intro":"","hw_hub_events_source":"","hw_hub_events_continent":"","hw_hub_events_count":"","hw_hub_events_cache":"","hw_hub_events_cta_label":"","hw_hub_events_cta_url":"","hw_hub_events":"","hw_hub_events_pills":"","hw_hub_reads_intro":"","hw_hub_article_rows":"","hw_hub_show_read_time":"","hw_hub_all_title":"","hw_hub_all_body":"","hw_hub_all_cta":"","hw_hub_trips_title":"","hw_hub_trips_note":"","hw_hub_trips":"","hw_hub_faq_title":"","hw_hub_faq_note":"","hw_hub_faqs":"","hw_hub_cta_title":"","hw_hub_cta_body":"","hw_hub_cta_buttons":"","hw_hub_newsletter_title":"","hw_hub_newsletter_body":"","hw_hub_newsletter_shortcode":"","hw_hub_hub_term":"","hw_hub_scope_rows":"","hw_hub_country_hero_eyebrow":"France country guide","hw_hub_country_hero_h1":"Things To Do In France","hw_hub_country_hero_intro":"The most visited country on earth, and most of it is not Paris. Alps, Atlantic surf, Mediterranean coast and a rail network that gets you between them in an afternoon.","hw_hub_country_hero_image":"1302296","hw_hub_country_hero_overlay":"light","hw_hub_country_hero_cta":"Pick a city | #cities\r\nWhat it costs | #money","hw_hub_country_stats":"\u20ac25 | Dorm bed, from\r\n13 | Regions\r\n2h | Paris to Lyon by TGV\r\n3,400km | Of coastline","hw_hub_country_intro_title":"Paris is not the country","hw_hub_country_intro_body":"France gets flattened into Paris, and Paris is genuinely one of the great cities, but it is also the most expensive part of the country by a wide margin and the least representative. Two hours south by train, Lyon eats better for half the price. Four hours and you are in Marseille, which feels like a different sea entirely.\r\n\r\nThe country divides usefully into thirds. The north and west \u2014 Normandy, Brittany, the Atlantic coast \u2014 is green, cool and full of surf towns nobody outside France talks about. The middle is wine and ch\u00e2teaux, Burgundy through to the Loire. The south is the postcard: Provence, the Riviera, and the Pyrenees or Alps on either shoulder.\r\n\r\nA week does Paris and one region. Two weeks does Paris, the south and a stop in between, all by train. Skip Paris entirely on a second visit and you will not regret it.","hw_hub_country_facts":"Language | French. English is common in Paris and the tourist south, patchier elsewhere\r\nCurrency | Euro (\u20ac)\r\nEmergency | 112\r\nTap water | Safe. Ask for une carafe d'eau and it is free with meals\r\nTipping | Service is included by law. Round up if you want to\r\nLunch | Kitchens close around 14:00 and reopen at 19:00\r\nHow long to stay | A week for Paris and one region, two for the south as well\r\nBest months | May, June, September and October","hw_hub_country_cities_title":"Where to go","hw_hub_country_cities_intro":"The TGV network makes this a country of day-apart cities. Book weeks ahead for the fares that make it worth it.","hw_hub_country_cities_live":"1","hw_hub_country_cities":"Paris | Worth the clich\u00e9, and worth more than the three days most people give it. Expensive, walkable, endlessly layered. |  | 1302517 | A great city with loads of culture and history! Definitely recommended! | 24 Hours=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/24-hours-in-paris\/; 2 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/2-days-in-paris\/\nLyon | The country's food capital, a Roman city, and half the price of Paris. The most underrated big city in France. |  | 1302518 | Vibrant, clean, good public transit, charming, not full\u2026 Lyon\u2019s amazing. Definitely worth a stop! | 24 Hours=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/lyon\/24-hours-in-lyon\/; 2 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/lyon\/2-days-in-lyon\/; 3 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/lyon\/3-days-in-lyon\/\nMarseille | Rough, sunlit and Mediterranean rather than French. The best value city on the south coast. |  | 1302519 | In Marseille,you get the best of both worlds: a big bustling modern city proud of its long and fascinating history AND the connection to the sea everywhere you go. The ports and the beaches and the islands just off the coast, not forgetting the famous Calanques are all within easy reach of the city, and the mountains form a beautiful backdrop to perfect this idyllic picture. What are you waiting for?! | 2 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/marseille\/2-days-in-marseille\/; 3 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/marseille\/3-days-in-marseille\/\nNice | The Riviera base: pebble beaches, an old town, and day trips to Monaco and Cannes. |  | 1302520 | Superb weather. Beautiful beaches and water. Easy access to beaches. Big city without being TOO big. | 24 Hours=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/nice\/24-hours-in-nice\/; 2 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/nice\/2-days-in-nice\/; 3 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/nice\/3-days-in-nice\/\nBordeaux | Wine country capital with 18th-century streets and a student population keeping prices sane. |  | 1302521 | The people in Bordeaux are wonderful and extremely helpful! | 24 Hours=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/bordeaux\/24-hours-in-bordeaux\/; 2 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/bordeaux\/2-days-in-bordeaux\/; 3 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/bordeaux\/3-days-in-bordeaux\/\nToulouse | The pink city: brick architecture, a huge student population, and the best value of any French city this size. |  | 1302522 | I would definitely come back in a heart beat, the city has a soul and if you visit the same activities as the locals you will see it! | 24 Hours=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/toulouse\/24-hours-in-toulouse\/; 2 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/toulouse\/2-days-in-toulouse\/; 3 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/toulouse\/3-days-in-toulouse\/\nStrasbourg | German and French at once, with a cathedral, canals and the biggest Christmas market in the country. |  | 1302523 | Food scene: great and with a lot of variety. Culture: so many things to see and experience. Night life: plenty of bars, restaurants and dive bars. | 24 Hours=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/strasbourg\/24-hours-in-strasbourg\/; 2 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/strasbourg\/2-days-in-strasbourg\/; 3 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/strasbourg\/3-days-in-strasbourg\/\nLille | Flemish in feel, an hour from Paris and 90 minutes from London, with a student nightlife and cheap beer. |  | 1302524 | Lille is a very beautiful town with great architecture. Beautiful streets with lots of outdoor cafes. | 24 Hours=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/lille\/24-hours-in-lille\/; 2 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/lille\/2-days-in-lille\/; 3 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/lille\/3-days-in-lille\/\nNantes | A former shipbuilding city turned strange: a mechanical elephant walks the island, and the art trail runs through town. |  | 1302525 |  | 24 Hours=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/nantes\/24-hours-in-nantes\/; 2 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/nantes\/2-days-in-nantes\/; 3 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/nantes\/3-days-in-nantes\/\nMontpellier | Southern, young and walkable, ten minutes from the Mediterranean by tram. |  | 1302526 | Montpellier is a beautiful city. I had a lovely two days here, it took maybe 0.5-1 day to see the main sights and then I spent the rest chilling and people watching (and trying to deal with the heat). Friendly people, very patient with my average French. Public transport was excellent, it was very easy to get to the centre from the Sud de France gare and also easy to get to the beach. | 24 Hours=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/montpellier\/24-hours-in-montpellier\/; 2 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/montpellier\/2-days-in-montpellier\/; 3 Days=https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/solo-travel\/france\/montpellier\/3-days-in-montpellier\/\nAvignon | A papal palace, a famous broken bridge, and the base for Provence and its festival in July. |  | 1302527 |  | \nAnnecy | A canal town on an alpine lake, with the clearest water in Europe and mountains straight up behind it. |  | 1302528 | Please go!! The view of the lake and mountains are worth it in of itself, the canals and the opportunities for sight seeing were incredible! Don't forget to take a dip in the water :-) | \nChamonix | Under Mont Blanc: skiing in winter, alpinism in summer, and the Aiguille du Midi cable car all year. |  | 1302529 | Just the best town for snowboarding\/ skiing, so much to choose from beautiful views great town with loads going on. My favourite resort to ski at ! | \nBiarritz | Atlantic surf town on the Spanish border, with the Basque country either side of it. |  | 1302530 | Very pretty city, with great beaches and nightlife. Great good and markets too. | ","hw_hub_country_trips_title":"What kind of trip is this?","hw_hub_country_trips_intro":"France covers every one of these. Pick the one that sounds like your week.","hw_hub_country_trip_types":"City break | blue | city | Three or four days, one city, and a lot of walking. | Mus\u00e9e d'Orsay over the Louvre if time is short; An evening in Le Marais; Picnic on the Canal Saint-Martin | Montmartre; Le Marais; Vieux Lyon | Paris; Lyon; Bordeaux | city-break\nFood | sunset | local-markets | Bouchons, boulangeries and markets that run six mornings a week. | A bouchon lunch in Lyon; Market shopping for a picnic; Wine tasting in Bordeaux | Les Halles Paul Bocuse, Lyon; March\u00e9 Bastille, Paris; Capucins, Bordeaux | Lyon; Paris; Bordeaux | food\nBeach | teal | sunglasses | Two coasts, two entirely different holidays. | Calanques boat from Marseille; Surf lesson in Biarritz; Beach day in Nice | The Calanques; C\u00f4te d'Azur; Landes beaches | Marseille; Nice; Biarritz | beach\nAdventure | green | backpack | Alps in the east, Pyrenees in the south, surf in the west. | Hike the Tour du Mont Blanc; Ski Chamonix; Kayak the Ard\u00e8che | Chamonix; The Calanques; Verdon gorge | Lyon; Nice; Marseille | adventure\nCulture | purple | culture | More museums than you can do, and free on the first Sunday. | The Louvre on a late-opening night; Normandy D-Day beaches; Avignon's papal palace | Louvre and Orsay; Ch\u00e2teau de Versailles; Carcassonne | Paris; Avignon; Bordeaux | culture\nNightlife | pink | nightclub | Wine bars and terraces more than clubs, outside Paris. | Ap\u00e9ro on a terrace at 18:00; A night in Oberkampf; Student bars in Lyon | Oberkampf and Belleville, Paris; Cours Julien, Marseille; Vieux Lyon | Paris; Marseille; Lyon | nightlife","hw_hub_country_do_title":"Things to do in France","hw_hub_country_do_body":"Paris rewards planning. The Louvre, Orsay, Versailles and the Eiffel Tower all sell timed tickets that save hours, and the late-opening evenings at the big museums are the quietest time to see them. State museums are free on the first Sunday of the month, which is either a bargain or a crowd depending on your tolerance.\r\n\r\nOutside Paris the attraction is the regions themselves. Normandy's D-Day beaches and Mont-Saint-Michel, the Loire ch\u00e2teaux, Provence's villages and markets, the Calanques between Marseille and Cassis. Most are day trips from a city with a hostel.\r\n\r\nThe rule that holds everywhere: lunch is the main event, kitchens shut between 14:00 and 19:00, and Mondays close a surprising number of museums and restaurants.","hw_hub_country_do_points":"Book ahead | Louvre, Versailles, Eiffel Tower \u2014 timed entry, days in advance\r\nFree Sundays | State museums free on the first Sunday of the month\r\nUnder 26 | Free entry to most national museums for EU residents under 26\r\nMondays | Many museums and restaurants close. Check before you plan a day","hw_hub_country_do_tag":"things-to-do","hw_hub_country_do_more":"All things to do in France","hw_hub_country_food_title":"Eating in France","hw_hub_country_food_body":"The cheapest good meal in France is the formule at lunch: a main plus a starter or dessert, typically \u20ac14 to \u20ac20, in the same restaurant that charges twice that in the evening. Every neighbourhood has them and they are how French people eat out.\r\n\r\nLyon is the food city, and its bouchons serve heavy, cheap, offal-leaning cooking that is the opposite of the delicate French food stereotype. Marseille does bouillabaisse and North African cooking better than anywhere. Paris does everything, at Paris prices.\r\n\r\nFor almost nothing, do what locals do: a boulangerie sandwich or a market picnic. Bread, cheese, charcuterie and a bottle of decent wine come to under \u20ac15 for two and beat most restaurant meals.","hw_hub_country_food_points":"Formule midi | \u20ac14\u201320 for two courses at lunch. Half the dinner price\r\nCarafe d'eau | Tap water is free by law. Ask for it\r\nMarket picnic | Under \u20ac10 a head, and better than a mid-range restaurant\r\nService compris | Service is included. Tipping is optional, not expected","hw_hub_country_food_tag":"food","hw_hub_country_food_more":"All food guides for France","hw_hub_country_nightlife_title":"Going out in France","hw_hub_country_nightlife_body":"The French night starts with ap\u00e9ro on a terrace around six and drifts into dinner. Paris drinks in Oberkampf, Belleville and along the Canal Saint-Martin, where people sit on the banks with bottles from the supermarket \u2014 legal, cheap and the best free night out in the city.\r\n\r\nOutside Paris it is wine bars and student quarters. Lyon and Bordeaux both have large university populations and prices that reflect it. Marseille's Cours Julien is the most alternative scene in the south.\r\n\r\nClubs exist but are not the point, and they are expensive. The exception is the summer south, where beach clubs on the Riviera run at Ibiza prices and Ibiza hours.","hw_hub_country_nightlife_points":"Ap\u00e9ro | From 18:00. A glass of wine \u20ac4\u20137 outside Paris\r\nCanal Saint-Martin | Bring a bottle and sit on the bank. Free and very Parisian\r\nHappy hour | Widespread 17:00\u201320:00, marked as HH\r\nLast metro | Paris runs to about 01:15, later at weekends","hw_hub_country_nightlife_tag":"nightlife","hw_hub_country_nightlife_more":"All nightlife guides for France","hw_hub_country_transport_title":"Getting around France","hw_hub_country_transport_body":"The TGV is the reason France is easy: Paris to Lyon in two hours, Marseille in three, Bordeaux in two. Fares swing enormously with booking date, so buy as early as you can and look at Ouigo, SNCF's low-cost service, which sells the same journeys for far less, often from out-of-centre stations.\r\n\r\nUnder-27s should check the Carte Avantage Jeune, which pays for itself in two or three journeys. BlaBlaCar is heavily used and often cheaper than the train for medium distances.\r\n\r\nA car matters in Provence, Brittany, Normandy and the Loire, where the villages and ch\u00e2teaux are spread out and buses are rare. Everywhere else, the train wins.","hw_hub_country_transport_points":"TGV | Paris\u2013Lyon 2h, Paris\u2013Marseille 3h. Book weeks ahead for the fare\r\nOuigo | Low-cost TGV, often from peripheral stations. Much cheaper\r\nUnder 27 | Carte Avantage Jeune pays back in two or three trips\r\nBlaBlaCar | Widely used, often cheaper than rail on medium routes","hw_hub_country_transport_tag":"transport","hw_hub_country_transport_more":"All transport guides for France","hw_hub_country_money_title":"What France costs","hw_hub_country_money_body":"Paris is the expense, not France. Dorms in the capital start around \u20ac35 in season and can be more during fashion weeks and the rugby; in Lyon, Marseille or Bordeaux the same bed is \u20ac22 to \u20ac28.\r\n\r\nEating is where you can control the damage. Lunch formules, boulangeries and markets keep a day under \u20ac60 comfortably. Dinner in restaurants every night pushes it past \u20ac90 without much to show for it.\r\n\r\nTransport is the other swing. Booked-early TGV tickets are reasonable; the same seat bought on the day can cost three times as much, which is the single most avoidable expense in the country.","hw_hub_country_money_points":"Dorm bed | From \u20ac35 in Paris, \u20ac22\u201328 elsewhere\r\nA day, all in | \u20ac70\u201395 in Paris, \u20ac55\u201370 outside it\r\nLunch formule | \u20ac14\u201320 for two courses\r\nCity tax | \u20ac1\u20135 per night depending on city and category","hw_hub_country_money_tag":"budget","hw_hub_country_money_more":"All budget guides for France","hw_hub_country_safety_title":"Staying safe in France","hw_hub_country_safety_body":"France is safe to travel, with the usual big-city qualifications. Pickpocketing is concentrated on the Paris metro lines serving tourist sites, around the Eiffel Tower, Sacr\u00e9-C\u0153ur and Gare du Nord, and on Marseille's Canebi\u00e8re. The techniques are distraction-based: petition signers, friendship bracelets, the gold ring found at your feet.\r\n\r\nMarseille has a reputation that is partly deserved and mostly misapplied \u2014 the problems are concentrated in specific northern quarters that visitors have no reason to enter. The old port, Le Panier and Cours Julien are as safe as anywhere.\r\n\r\nStrikes are the practical disruption to plan around. Transport strikes are announced days in advance, and SNCF publishes which trains will run, so check before travel days rather than on the morning.","hw_hub_country_safety_points":"Emergency | 112\r\nPickpocket hotspots | Metro lines 1, 4 and 9, Gare du Nord, Sacr\u00e9-C\u0153ur\r\nCommon scams | Petitions, friendship bracelets, the gold ring trick\r\nStrikes | Announced in advance. Check SNCF before a travel day","hw_hub_country_safety_tag":"","hw_hub_country_safety_more":"","hw_hub_country_entry_title":"Entry and documents","hw_hub_country_entry_body":"France is in the Schengen area. EU citizens travel on an ID card. UK, US, Canadian and Australian passport holders get 90 days in any 180 across the whole zone, counted together rather than per country.\r\n\r\nPassports need three months' validity beyond departure and must have been issued within the last ten years \u2014 the second condition catches people out, because a passport can be valid and still too old.\r\n\r\nETIAS, the EU's pre-travel authorisation for visa-free visitors, has been postponed repeatedly. Check the official EU page close to travel rather than relying on any article, including this one.","hw_hub_country_entry_points":"Schengen | 90 days in any 180 across the whole zone\r\nPassport validity | Three months beyond departure, issued within ten years\r\nETIAS | Repeatedly delayed \u2014 check the official EU site\r\nUnder 26 | EU residents get free entry to most national museums","hw_hub_country_entry_tag":"","hw_hub_country_entry_more":"","hw_hub_country_season_title":"When to go","hw_hub_country_season_intro":"France has a short, expensive peak and two excellent shoulders. August is when the French themselves go on holiday, so Paris empties and the coast fills.","hw_hub_country_season_note":"Average highs for Paris. The Mediterranean south runs six to eight degrees warmer in summer and stays mild in winter.","hw_hub_country_season_rows":"January | 8 | 1 | Cheapest month. Cold, grey, and museums are empty\r\nFebruary | 9 | 2 | Ski season in the Alps, quiet everywhere else\r\nMarch | 13 | 2 | Warming, still quiet, good for cities\r\nApril | 16 | 3 | Paris in blossom. Easter lifts prices briefly\r\nMay | 20 | 4 | The best month. Long days, everything open\r\nJune | 23 | 4 | Warm and busy. F\u00eate de la Musique on the 21st\r\nJuly | 26 | 5 | Peak. Tour de France, festivals, high prices\r\nAugust | 26 | 5 | The French holiday month. Coast rammed, Paris quiet\r\nSeptember | 22 | 3 | Excellent. Harvest in the wine regions\r\nOctober | 17 | 2 | Quiet, cool, cheap. Cities at their best\r\nNovember | 12 | 1 | Wet and grey. Lowest prices of the year\r\nDecember | 9 | 2 | Christmas markets in Alsace, then a holiday spike","hw_hub_country_budget_title":"What your trip will cost","hw_hub_country_budget_intro":"Pick how you travel and how long for. Per night, for one person. Paris adds roughly a third to the bed and the beer.","hw_hub_country_budget_note":"Excludes TGV legs. Paris to Marseille is \u20ac35\u201360 booked early, three times that on the day.","hw_hub_country_budget_rows":"Shoestring | 25 | 18 | 5 | 8\r\nMiddle of the road | 34 | 35 | 8 | 18\r\nComfortable | 55 | 55 | 14 | 28","hw_hub_country_budget_currency":"\u20ac","hw_hub_country_events_title":"What is on while you are there","hw_hub_country_events_intro":"These fill the cities they happen in. Both the dates and the prices are worth planning around.","hw_hub_country_events_source":"api","hw_hub_country_events_country":"france","hw_hub_country_events_count":"8","hw_hub_country_events_cache":"24","hw_hub_country_events_cta_label":"All events in France","hw_hub_country_events_cta_url":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/events\/europe\/france\/","hw_hub_country_events":"Nice Carnival | February | Nice | Two weeks of parades and flower battles on the Riviera in low season. |  | \nCannes Film Festival | May | Cannes | Twelve days that make every bed on the Riviera unaffordable. |  | \nF\u00eate de la Musique | 21 June | Nationwide | Free live music on every street corner in the country. The best night of the French year. |  | \nTour de France | July | Varies each year | Three weeks moving across the country. Standing at the roadside costs nothing. |  | \nBastille Day | 14 July | Nationwide | Fireworks and firefighters' balls, which are open to everyone and free. |  | \nF\u00eate des Lumi\u00e8res | December | Lyon | Four nights of light installations across the city. Book beds months out. |  | ","hw_hub_country_hostels_title":"Where to stay in France","hw_hub_country_hostels_intro":"The highest-rated hostels across the country, live from Hostelworld. Paris runs pricier than everywhere else, so look at Lyon and Marseille for value.","hw_hub_country_hostels_cta_label":"All hostels in France","hw_hub_country_hostels_cta_url":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/hostels\/europe\/france\/","hw_hub_country_hostels_source":"api","hw_hub_country_hostels_location_type":"country","hw_hub_country_hostels_location_id":"73","hw_hub_country_hostels_currency":"EUR","hw_hub_country_hostels_count":"12","hw_hub_country_hostels_cache":"12","hw_hub_country_hostels":"","hw_hub_country_faq_title":"France travel questions","hw_hub_country_faq_note":"The ones we get asked most.","hw_hub_country_faqs":"How many days do you need in France? | A week for Paris and one other region. Two weeks lets you add the south and a stop in between, all by train. Paris alone justifies four days, though most people give it three.\r\nIs France expensive? | Paris is; the rest of the country is mid-priced. Dorms from \u20ac35 in Paris against \u20ac22 to \u20ac28 in Lyon, Marseille or Bordeaux, and lunch formules keep eating costs reasonable everywhere.\r\nWhen is the best time to visit France? | May, June, September and October. July and August are peak, with August being the French holiday month \u2014 the coast fills, Paris empties and many small businesses close for two weeks.\r\nIs the TGV worth it? | Yes, if you book ahead. Paris to Marseille in three hours for \u20ac35 to \u20ac60 booked early is excellent value; the same seat on the day can be three times the price. Ouigo sells the same journeys cheaper, often from peripheral stations.\r\nIs Marseille safe? | Yes for visitors. Its reputation comes from problems concentrated in specific northern quarters that tourists have no reason to visit. The old port, Le Panier and Cours Julien are as safe as any French city.\r\nDo I need to speak French? | It helps more than in most of Europe, especially outside Paris and the tourist south. Opening with bonjour before asking anything in English changes the reception noticeably \u2014 skipping it is read as rude.\r\nAre museums really free? | National museums are free on the first Sunday of the month, and free year-round for EU residents under 26. Both are worth planning around, though the free Sundays are busy.","hw_hub_country_cta_title":"Say yes to hostels, meet the world","hw_hub_country_cta_body":"Compare hostels across France \u2014 live prices, real reviews and free cancellation on most bookings. Then meet the people already there in the app.","hw_hub_country_cta_buttons":"Find hostels in France | https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/hostels\/europe\/france\/\r\nGet the app | https:\/\/hostelworld.onelink.me\/IdiK\/f5a50nhd","hw_hub_country_newsletter_title":"Get the good stuff monthly","hw_hub_country_newsletter_body":"New city guides, deals and route ideas. 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