since1999
Before you travel to France
The Gitelink Selection
2025
Some tips for visitors from the UK and other countries
| Gites in France | Information about France | Driving in France |
Preliminaries & formalities: before you travel to France
- ID: to travel to France, passengers from other European countries must be in possession of a valid ID card. For countries outside the European Union, and EU countries like the UK where there are no ID cards, a valid passport is required. For many countries outside Europe, a visa is required. For further details consult this official French foreign ministry website in English.
- Reaching
France by car:
if you plan to travel by car from the UK during a holiday period,
pre-booking your Channel crossing (Tunnel or Ferry) is essential; but
at other times, you can normally just turn up and buy a ticket. But
before making any booking, check out these tips and
warnings about "cheap" travel offers.
Don't be taken in by offers of "cheap ferries" on third-party booking
sites. The best prices are usually those you get by booking directly
with the ferry companies. See Ferries
to France .
- Reaching
France by air:
there are a large number of regional airports in France, with flights
from the UK and other countries. You can find a list of appropriate
regional airports on the regional directory pages of the Gitelink France directory.
- Currency: France uses the Euro. The easiest way to get holiday money (and often the cheapest) is to withdraw euros from an ATM (hole in the wall, cash dispenser) as soon as you reach France, or even in the departure area at a major UK airport. Most French ATMs accept foreign cards (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, etc).
- Booking
directly;
gites, small hotels, campsites. If you need to make a deposit for
accommodation, some premises will accept credit cards or Paypal; but
for those that do not, it is usually possible to make an "IBAN"
transfer, which is quite simple and not expensive. Ask your bank for
details.
- Health:visitors are strongly advised to make sure that they have health insurance cover before travelling to France or any other foreign country. For France, UK visitors should obtain the new Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), which has replaced the old EHIC card for UK travellers. For more information see this UK Department of Health webpage .
- Accommodation:
there are hundreds of internet sites offering direct booking for
hotels, but beware of sites supposedly offering the "cheapest deals".
Take care: some sites, while announcing the best possible deals, turn
out considerably more expensive than others, and notably than booking
directly, once all the unannounced extras are added in. These can
include a percentage booking fee, credit-card fees,
cancellation
insurance, and other extras. Check out a few sites before you book.
For holiday cottages, which are an ideal solution for a relaxing break in rural France, visit Gitelink's regional directory pages or look for gites on our interactive gites maps. Most properties listed with Gitelink can be booked directly with the owners, cutting out all the middlemen.
- For Bed and Breakfast, visit the Gitelink / BandB-in-France.com website, or go directly to a regional page with the B&B by region links on the left. The Gitelink directories offer a choice of holiday cottages and B&Bs with either British, Dutch or French owners.
- Destinations: France is perhaps the most varied country in Europe, in terms of natural and climatic diversity. Check out the different regions of France and also Undiscovered France.
- Driving:
UK vehicle insurance
policies
cover named drivers for driving across the European Economic Area,
which includes the EU. . Your insurer should be able to provide you at
no cost with
a "European accident statement form", which should be used in the event
of an accident. However, it may well be that your standard UK insurance
only provides you with third-party cover once outside the UK; in this
case, if you want full comprehensive cover, you will need to get the
extra cover from your UK insurer for the time you plan to stay abroad.
Consult your insurance company on this matter, or the AA.
Click here for more information on driving in France - Mobile
phones in France :
if you are planning on remaining accessible via your UK mobile phone
while abroad, make sure that your phone is able to connect to French
networks for both incoming and outgoing calls. NB It is illegal
(as well, of course, as dangerous)
to use a mobile phone while driving a car or vehicle in France.
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Book gites and
B&Bs directly
with
owners ! Best rates, and no hidden charges.
Most properties listed on Gitelink can be booked directly with owners, avoiding the commissions and fees charged by many online holiday rental agencies.
The big online booking sites are not charities, and gite owners, or their customers, or both, pay seriously for using their services, whether they realise it or not. Depending on the rental agency used, visitors can be charged a fee of up to 16% on top of the rental charge – not to mention the commissions charged to property owners.
With Gitelink, cut out the middlemen, their fees and their commissions, by booking directly with property owners. Or if not directly, book through online sites that do not demand instant upfront payment, and do not charge a booking fee to the visitor, on top of the quoted rental price.
Most properties listed on Gitelink can be booked directly with owners, avoiding the commissions and fees charged by many online holiday rental agencies.
The big online booking sites are not charities, and gite owners, or their customers, or both, pay seriously for using their services, whether they realise it or not. Depending on the rental agency used, visitors can be charged a fee of up to 16% on top of the rental charge – not to mention the commissions charged to property owners.
With Gitelink, cut out the middlemen, their fees and their commissions, by booking directly with property owners. Or if not directly, book through online sites that do not demand instant upfront payment, and do not charge a booking fee to the visitor, on top of the quoted rental price.
Rural gites throughout France - directly from the owners:
Select an area on the map
Or
chose from a listCopyright Gitelink.com 2003 - 2025