FRANCE TRAVEL GUIDE 2024 | Things To Know Before Going To France

Hey explorers Kita the Explorer here and today I  am here to give you my France travel guide 2024 yes I'm here to tell you all the things you need  to know before you go to France in this video so we're going to talk about things from the currency  food places to stay and focus on Marseille Paris and Lyon safety things to be aware of all types  of things in this video if you want to learn about a particular section of France you can go down  to my chapters click on that it will send you to that

part of the video otherwise stay all the  way to the end so you can get all this information before you go to France especially you know  the Olympics are coming up if you're going you need to know these things okay so let's get into  today's video before we do please make sure you hit the subscribe button and a notification bell  it is free for you to do so and helps me provide more and better content to you in the future  and if you're a returning subscriber thank you so much I truly appreciat

e it now let's get into  today's video my France travel guide 2024 first up let's quickly talk about the currency in France  they use the Euro that's what they accept that is their currency if you pay in any method you're  going to be paying in Euro so don't be that person going up in France and be like can I use my US  Dollars don't do that I had someone do that with me before and it was embarrassing don't do that  you can get Euros by ordering money in advance if you're in the US you can go to

like Travelex or  something get money in advance get money from your bank you can take your local currency exchange it  at the foreign exchange booth at the airport or you can take your card and get money out of ATM  machine electronic payments are widely accepted in France so you can use your visa and MasterCard  credit cards restaurants stores whatever widely accepted no issues there so let's talk about the  food so each region has different type of foods that they specialize in and you are r

eally in  for culinary experience when you go to France I do hear people complain like France has horrible  food France knows how to control their portions way better than we do in the US and they're not  always filled with unnecessary things that we have in our food here in the US at least not yet  or not as much because I never feel full when I go there and food is always really fresh compared  to what I experience in the United States with that said each region does have its own food so  if y

ou go to Marseille you're going to be looking at Bouillabaisse which is that fish soup a lot of  seafood there is right along the Mediterranean and they do have North African food influences there  while I was in Marseille I actually tried Tunisian food for the first time and it was delicious now  if we go up to Lyon Lyon is actually known as the Gastronomy Capital it actually has the most  Michelin starred restaurants I believe way well over 20 Michelin star restaurants are around  Lyon and you

can check out those different restaurants if you're interested in Michelin  Starred restaurants on Michelin's website now as for some foods while you're there I went on  a food tour while I was in Lyon and I tried this wonderful bread that oh my gosh I ate too much  of it honestly Then we also you will see a lot of cheeses and meats while you're in Lyon as well  and Paris Paris has a lot of high-end culinary experiences and a lot of like steak tartar if  you're out for dinner but they're really

known for their baking croissants you have to have one  in France okay and if possible take a baking class cuz then you get it fresh okay definitely have  some pastries while you're in Paris okay before we move away from the food let's talk about  restaurant there's a plethora of restaurants in all these cities of Lyon Marseille and Paris  and outside but I'm going to do this name drop a few I don't have restaurants to drop in Lyon  because the one I went to something I don't know what's happen

ed I looked it up on Google recently  I don't see much information about it anymore so I don't know what's going on there so I'm not  going to recommend it and while I was in Lyon I was mainly there on a river cruise so I am on the  river cruise it was included in the package why pay extra when there's food I already paid for it  anyway in Paris you have to go to Gumbo Yaya best chicken and waffles I ever had black-owned  restaurant in Paris there's also other fabulous restaurants like Sacree Fl

eur you have a really  nice experience when you go into the restaurant there are so many restaurants in Paris I can  go down a list of them already I've been there three times but definitely try out Gumbo Yaya and  Sacree Fleur now if you're in Marseille remember I mentioned to you that Tunisian restaurant you  have to go there food was impeccable it it really made us feel like a family experience while  there but the name of this restaurant is Chez Yassine so just check it out and have a fabulo

us  experience at this restaurant next up let's talk about getting around France so I believe in France  it have a law where you cannot fly somewhere that is 2 hours or less but their train system has a  lot of options unlike in the US we don't have a lot of real options right so if you want to get  from City to City town to town even the small towns take a train you can book train tickets  through SNCF and it's really affordable SNCF will definitely get you where you need to go I took a  train

from Paris to Marseille Marseille to Arles and Lyon to Paris never an issue very affordable  and it saves you time and emissions and not going through all the hustle and bustle of the airport  if you're inside a city so if you're inside Paris or Lyon or Marseille you can look at different  other local transit options there's definitely subways in Lyon and Paris very affordable will get  you around the whole city if you're in Paris you do need to pay attention to the zones because  they have a lo

t of different zones I think it goes up to five I believe and you could buy a  pass for like zones one through three or a pass that includes four and five and stuff and the  cost is going to vary but you need to make sure because you don't want to use that ticket to and  you get off at the wrong zone and you didn't pay for it also in these cities there's rides sharing  definitely available so you can just pick up your app your Uber app and request an Uber if you need  to also you're going to fin

d buses in each of these cities of Marseilles Paris and Lyon you'll  be able to find a bus and I like where in Lyon and Paris is easily connected into their Metro station  also the passes at least in Lyon the pass that I bought a whole day pass and I could get all their  public transit obviously again Paris you got to look through all the details cuz you need to buy  the right ticket Lyon the the ticket purchasing is not as extensive as in Paris also in Lyon they  did have transit by boat just a

cross the uh the port so there's a nice little port like a harbor  right in the middle of the city and they created a quick ferry to cross it so you didn't have to walk  all the way around particularly for elderly but anyone can get on it very cheap I think it's not  even like one Euro to get on to go one way also on Lyon if you want to get up to the mountain top  they do have a cable car which is also included in the Metro pass that you buy for their entire  system and of course you can always

pay to rent out one of the bikes along the street or just walk  oh and lastly you can always rent a car I don't know much about renting a car I don't rent cars  when I go on vacation so there's that so there are a lot of different ways to get around in France  and obviously it's going to vary based on which city you're in or if you're in a smaller town  so let's talk about some top things to do while you're in France per each City obviously each  of these cities have a lot of things to do but I

want to talk about some of the top things that I  have loved that I have done recent in recent years that you should definitely check out if you're in  Paris definitely go on the Black Paris Tour it is definitely a great historical reference and the  guides usually give you a lot of different things about navigating the city while you're on the tour  if you have a chance take a baking class and get some great tips and knowledge on how to bake the  perfect croissant also which I haven't been able

to do just yet because the first time I went to  Paris this structure had recently just caught on fire visit Notre Dame it's actually reopening  this year in 2024 so visit it and check it out and see the wonderful cathedral also you can go  to speakeasies I actually went on a speakeasy tour which included a speakeasy called Mexcaleria  which specializes in mezcal drinks in their speakeasy it was really cute but there's a lot of  speakeasies and underground places and Paris also has plethora of

museums you have obviously the  world renowned Louvre if you go to the Louvre make sure you have a plan when you go I had  a plan so I was not overwhelmed I knew what I wanted to see what I wanted to do you don't  have a plan it's going to be overwhelming you also have Musee D'Orsay which is not huge if they  have a great exhibit definitely go there there are so many other museums I haven't even went to  in Paris and there could be one just for you lastly if you want nice views of Paris don't  g

o up in Eiffel Tower unless you want to say I've been at Eiffel Tower you want to go to the  Montparnasse Tower it gives you an excellent 360 view of Paris and you also can get amazing photos  of the Eiffel Tower now let's talk about Lyon Lyon has a lot of things to do as well not as much  as Paris smaller city but still big city vibe and it's only 2 hours away from Paris by train in  Lyon if you want to go to museum check out Musee Lumiere which is the Lumiere Museum talks about  the history of

photography and Lumiere products in there so really cool if you're into photography  or videography now remember I told you you could take the cable car of the mountain definitely do  the do that because the cable car is a part of your metro pass and you can go up to this mountain  go up by the cathedral and have this amazing view of Lyon amazing but make sure you go up on a clear  day because it will not be worth your time going up there there if it's cloudy or rainy also we  want to go and ch

eck out Le Dome Le Dome has this wonderful architecture and it was voted  I think in 21 the world's best bar they have drinks that are affordable to expensive drinks  they also have afternoon tea options lastly if you're in Lyon you should definitely check out Old  Lyon that's the old part of the city cobblestone streets beautiful architecture they have the  historic passageways secret passageways where you may or may not know that they exist unless you  have a guide or you've done some research

on them you have wonderful stores and you can find some  wonderful traditional delicacies while you're in Lyon hey you may want to take a food and walking  tour while in Old Lyon as well lastly let's touch on Marseille so in Marseille definitely take  a food tour like I mentioned there are food influences Mediterranean North African you have  you know your French cuisine like all that's mixed up in there so you definitely want to take  a food tour food tour will take you to some great spots and

try different foods from different  influences in that city now I wasn't able to go out to the castle as it's on an island because  I decided to sleeping y'all I was tired so kind of disappointed I didn't go but hey I needed my sleep  I was beat from traveling to France but go out to Chateau D'If it is a wonderful Castle experience  but you have to take a boat over to the island to check that out also if you want a free option  while you're in Marseille go to Palais Longchamp it was created to

bring water into the city but  is actually a beautiful architectural experience you can get amazing photos there and you will see  a lot of locals there I saw people actually like doing their homework reading and all types of  stuff out there but it's definitely worth going to to get some photos and lastly make sure you go  to the port you can eat at the port you can check out the boats at the dock and just walk around and  see what's around the board there now let's talk about the language it i

s France they speak French  okay first language is French what I have noticed in my experience a lot of people do speak English  in France but you need to be respectful of their culture and their language do not go into a place  expecting assimilate it would be very respectful if you go into France and you know a few words in  French so obviously knowing bonjour maybe knowing how to say how to order something uh or saying  thank you saying saying something in French obviously you don't need to g

o learn a whole new  language but say something to try and usually in that experience they end up switching to English  so I've had several instances where I have tried to speak French and they speak they just switch  to English cuz I obviously my accent or I speak in English and they don't respond in English they  respond in French so obviously it depends on the person but it's definitely respectful to go in and  try to say at least a few words in French okay now let's talk about where to stay

in each of these  cities I'm going to give you one recommendation per city now if you're in Paris definitely stay  at the Courtyard Marriott Gard de Lyon I've stayed there twice now both times a beautiful experience  it's right by the Gard de Lyon which is the Lyon train station in Paris and that means you have  easy access to get down to the RATP Metro system and you can walk to different places you can take  the train um get ride sharing from there you can walk to another train station whateve

r but I love  the hotel I love the staff um I love the security of that hotel and I just love the rooms and the  views great hotel now if you're in Lyon stay at the Lyon Cite Internationale Marriott Hotel  amazing staff the rooms are huge at least the room I was in was huge I think I did get upgraded  so I don't know if all the rooms are like that huge room very spacious staff incredible there's  a lot of things going on in the hotel or in that immediate area and you can also have easy access  t

o the bus which takes you right into the city or to one of their Metro lines lastly in Marseille  you should stay at the Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles this is a great hotel if  you're transiting through Marseille if you're just staying there a few days and you're going to take  the train somewhere else stay there this hotel is right near the train station so you don't have  to call an Uber or something to take you over but it's also convenient to walk to the old port or  other parts o

f Marseille from that hotel now the hotel I had an amazing view of Marseille from the  hotel the room was cozy not my not my preferred they had old looking carpet in there and it is  a non-smoking hotel but someone was smoking in there but once I called they immediately fixed it  because I can't take the smell of cigarettes smoke coming in my room at all it congests me and all  that but other than that it's it's a pretty okay hotel okay let's talk about some cautions just  going to tell you thes

e cautions that does not mean they're going to happen to you or they could  it's good to be aware if you are particularly in Paris be aware of pickpockets you will actually  see that sign in a lot of places in the Metro by tourist attractions and everything be mindful of  pickpockets to protect yourself from pickpockets make sure your bag is in the front and you don't  have anything in your pocket so bag in the front so you can watch you can see you can protect  that bag okay don't flash anythin

g out so keep your phone put up as much as possible and if you  have to hold on to your phone have I have a ring on my phone so it stays connected to my hand don't  have money flashing around don't just throw money in your pocket don't throw your Metro card in  your pocket also they do have a lot of scams by the tourist attractions where they might come up  to you and they'll ask if you speak English when they clearly don't because you can tell by the  accent that they speak French they might as

k you to see your cell phone they might ask you if you  want to take a survey just don't don't do it if you near the Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe  any of those tourist attractions just don't just mind your own business and do what you need to do  because they're probably trying to pickpocket you also another thing to worry about in France or not  worry about but you may see rats okay I know Paris has rats I've never seen one fortunately I've seen  rats in New York City plenty of times I'v

e have not seen one in Paris just yet but what I wasn't  expecting was the rats I saw in Marseille one evening I walked to the port and this is November  so you know got dark earlier and I'm walking back and the amount of rats I saw on the street one rat  actually walked next to me for a long time I was very concerned y'all but I was like I'm just I'm  just keep on going I'm not going to react don't react calm just to be calm cuz then I don't want  to set the rat off rat was walking with me like

it was my dog it was disgusting I I walked past rat  colonies it was disgusting okay sick but I never was bothered with a rat I never went into a place  where rat was like eating food or anything in there but you might run into some on the streets  now I know I focused on Marseille Lyon and Paris and giving a quick rundown on each of those cities  but if you're in France I do highly suggest that you get outside of the cities and see other things  like the countryside France has an amazing wine

country in Burgundy I was able to go to Beaujolais  and had some incredible wine I actually only have one bottle left incredible wine so going out going  on a wine tour going some to some tastings your um or you might go to and see uh chateaus castles on  the countryside of France also you could check out other smaller towns I went to Avignon in France  and that was a cool experience you got to see uh the French Pope Palace you got to see some other  historical things try the local food and see

this really cute town that's not doesn't have all the  hustle and bustle of Paris or Lyon check out Arles is definitely a UNESCO world site city so many  UNESCO world heritage sites in Arles it's the place where Van Gogh did a lot of his paintings  a lot of inspiration for his paintings and it's really a picturesque city if you want to take  photos there so definitely enjoy Paris enjoy Lyon enjoy Marseille go to Nice that's also another  beautiful part there I haven't been there just yet but che

ck out things outside of the major cities  next thing I want to talk about is entry into France again I'm speaking from the US perspective  here but when you enter into France in general I would think this is for everyone you need to have  at least six months available before expiration on your passport okay if it is anything less you may  not be able to enter if you're traveling to France from the US and you're going to be there only  for 90 days or less within a six-month period you do not nee

d a visa but you only can be a  tourist during that time if you're looking to be there for some other reason like work school  whatever there's other visa options available but next year I mean they keep pushing this back so it  could push back again in mid 2025 you will have to pay an ETIAS if you're a US citizen and a lot of  other countries that did not need a visa to enter into Europe so you want to make sure you look  into that so won't have any travel disruptions going but that's not going

to be implemented until  sometime 2025 if it's not pushed back again okay lastly let's talk about safety as a solo woman  traveler who is African-American so mind you I have to include this or I like discussing this  because if you are a woman you know some places in the world even some places at home are not always  welcoming or safe for a woman and same as being a black person so it's definitely important to  touch in those things and if you don't understand why now you can see a different pe

rspective from  someone who is in these shoes because maybe you're not part of one of these demographics okay but  mind you if you are one of these demographics my experience could and should be different than your  experience what I experience what my perspective is may or may not be different than yours so keep  that in mind and keep what I say in mind to help you when you go to France so first of all let's  talk about safety as a woman I walked around at night uh Paris and Lyon during the day

night both  all three cities I never had an issue I never felt threatened I never felt threatened from a male  perspective or any random person along the street now as a black person it's different I've heard  I've heard about racism in France that's usually a hot topic about traveling to France because some  people like I don't want to travel there because of racism I or vice versa I haven't experienced  it in my experience fortunately I'm usually seen as an American right off but they don't I

don't  I have never gotten that racism I do know after reading through history doing research hearing  from other people that racism tends to come from or or be focused towards people who more so look  African not to say it's going to happen to every single person but I have heard those stories from  people I I know in the travel space that that has happened I'm not trying to discount that from  anyone who's experienced racism in France just know that different people may experience racism  or

not all right Explorers so I really hope you enjoyed this extensive France travel guide 2024  and knowing all the things you should know before you go to France obviously there is a lot more  I could put in this video I could probably make another part two but I just wanted to give you  a quick rundown to help you guide you on your way so if you have any questions about this video  leave them down below I will try to answer them for you or direct you to your answer if you have  any additional co

mments leave them down below but always keep it classy cuz the non classy ain't  going to get approved we don't have time for the non classy comments also please make sure you  hit that like button if if you are interested in seeing more of my France experiences you can check  out my France series which I'll have linked down below it's an entire playlist from all my trips  to France not just in 2023 but 22 and 2019 also if you have not already please make sure you hit the  subscribe button and t

he notification bell it is free for you to do so it helps me provide more  and better content to you in the future and make sure you share this video video with your friends  family and social media networks because they may want to learn a little bit more about France  before they go as well if you would love to support my business more you can check out my  merchandise shop or my blog which is linked down below and thank you so much for traveling  with me to France with me over these past few

months I really enjoyed retelling and revisiting  those memories au revoir and see you in my next video