23-05-2025
La Belle Vie: French holiday hacks and why France loves Belgian comics
La Belle Vie is our regular look at the real culture of France – from language to cuisine, manners to films. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to your newsletter preferences in 'My account'.
Everyone loves going on holiday, but not everyone loves planning their holiday. If you have ever experienced this tension (perhaps your travel buddy does not want the minute-by-minute itinerary), I might have a middle-ground solution.
I promise that no one is paying me to say this. I genuinely love and recommend the Routard travel books. They are one of France's best-kept secrets for finding the authentic, localised tips of where to stay, what to do, and how much to budget for a trip in France. It's like having a local French person in your pocket, and it's a good test of your French (they are written in French after all).
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Sadly, you can't avoid booking your travel tickets ahead of time. This is something you should do as far ahead as possible. If you give yourself enough time to get organised, then you might be able to benefit from another one of France's best-kept secrets: the special, yearly 'holiday' discount (up to 25 percent) on rail tickets.
How to get a discount on your French holiday train tickets
I've spent the better part of the last week speaking with second-home owners and real estate experts about the best parts of the country to purchase a holiday home. You can find the
series here
.
If you're tempted to buy a second home in France, one of the best pieces of advice I heard was to rent in that area for a few months before deciding to buy.
Another tip that resonated with me was the importance of considering your healthcare needs. While the countryside has plenty to offer, with scenic villages and nature at your doorstep, it is important to be realistic about how often you might need to see the doctor while in France.
For those purchasing a second home with the intention of eventually retiring and spending their later years there, being in a part of the country with good access to GPs and hospitals is important.
MAP: Where in France has the best access to healthcare?
If you do opt for the rural life, then you will want to think about how you will build community. This might involve taking a French class to improve your language skills, or going outside your comfort zone and joining a local club or activity.
I also thought one recent tip from our second homes series was useful. Jeanne Fry-Thomas, who owns a second-home in south-west France, told us: "Make sure you visit your local Marie when you first arrive and make a big effort to join in with your local community, I've always found washing up at the Salle des Fêtes an excellent way to make friends.
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"Try to speak French, regardless of how bad you think it is. Also remember, in the countryside, neighbours are very important, far more than you may have been used to."
In 2019, we published an article on making friends in rural France, and much of advice is just as pertinent today as it was then.
How to make friends with your French neighbours in rural France
If you want to make your time in France more permanent, then you might be planning to eventually request nationality. There is the paperwork side to the process that is time-consuming - gathering the necessary birth and marriage certificates, plus criminal record checks and tax statements.
Before you start any of that, you can always begin reviewing for the interview, which is when you will be questioned about your knowledge of France, its history, culture, and current events. A good place to start is the Livret du Citoyen (never too early to begin studying!).
What is France's 'Livret du Citoyen' and why might it be vital to you
Building a life in France also involves picking up on cultural references, which often go back to movies, films, TV comic books.
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Oddly enough, a lot of France's favourite comic book series are Belgian in origin. Take The Adventures of TinTin for example, or most notably, the Les Schtroumpfs (The Smurfs). The blue characters France has come to love and cherish originated on the other side of the northern border.
Still, France has adopted the smurfs as their own (and broken world records while doing so).
French town breaks world record for number of smurfs
And finally, if you are to befriend your French neighbours or laugh along in French conversation, at some point you might hear a reference to the best Gaul of all time: Astérix. It's even easier to get into Astérix these days, thanks to the
new Netflix series
that is currently airing.
Asterix: Five things to know about France's favourite character
