Opportunities to live authentic and unique experiences

Our tips for an authentic experience

More and more travellers are avoiding organized stays from A to Z in order to discover the country as it really is, off the beaten track. Here are some tips that should help you make your trip to France a unique experience.

But let’s be realistic, the advice below is still valid for very small groups. For a large group, we recommend keeping a classic and proven organization.

The greeters

It is a network of volunteer locals who offer free and off the beaten track tours of their city. Thanks to them, you quickly know the best deals on the premises. You avoid all tourist traps!

Eat at home

The ideal way to discover the culinary traditions of the country of your stay is also to eat with the locals. There is nothing like an invitation to dinner from a local or a small guest house to really enjoy a typical meal.

The VizEat site allows you to be invited to stay with the locals and taste local specialities during a meal. The prices are lower than in the restaurant and the atmosphere is much more friendly. VizEat offers a wide choice around the world as you have the opportunity to taste menus from more than 55 countries, with reservations and prices fixed in advance. Bon appétit!

Navigate with a local

Instead of renting a boat at a golden price to discover the Riviera coast, call on a boat owner and ask the harbour master’s office for information!

This is now possible thanks to the Boaterfly collaborative tourism site, which brings together residents who own boats and travellers. For up to 40% less expensive than a traditional rental, it is possible to sail with the boat owner or even sleep at the dock. A real good plan to discover pretty secret beaches or the best fishing spots to avoid going home empty-handed.

Sleep in a local house

To fully understand the culture and customs of certain regions of France, staying with a local resident is an excellent option. This makes it easier for you to talk to the locals and ask them any questions you want.

The most popular options are couch surfing, which allows you to sleep free of charge in a private home or Airbnb rentals to share with the owner. Guest houses are also a very good solution. You will find many of them in the Petit Futé guides in France and also in the Gîtes de France.

Visit with the inhabitant

Cariboo is a collaborative tourism site that helps to set up tailor-made visits that are both authentic and affordable.

It brings together travellers and “inhabitants-guides” who help them discover their city. But it is not just a question of seeing the inevitable, these “inhabitants-guides” offer visits according to their passion and very precise themes: myths and legends, gastronomy, contemporary art, architecture… Travellers can then choose the right guide on the site according to their passions and interests.

The connection between travellers and guides is free of charge. To pay for your local guide, the hourly rate is the one indicated on the site but it is generally lower than that of a real classic guide.

Celebrate with a local

The party is a very good way to live locally but you still have to know where the locals really go out…. “Party with a local” is a free application that connects travellers with residents who want to celebrate. It’s a great way to meet locals while having fun and find the best bars/clubs in the city where you are that same evening!

Simply download the free application “Party with a local” to your smartphone. You can then select the type of party you are looking for (party in a pub, drink in a lounge bar, party in an electro club…) and then choose one or more party companions from the list of local partygoers. It’s child’s play! And this application is already working in many countries….

According to the same concept, the brand new Tripnparty site offers you the opportunity to celebrate with offices in Paris, Barcelona, London, Dublin, Madrid… 

Since 2003, french-events.com has been designing tailor-made trips for small groups off the beaten track, far from mass tourism, always favouring confidential places.

From a blank sheet of paper, french-events.com develops step by step the trip that corresponds to the desires and aspirations of its customers. A journey that resembles them, meeting the least of their requirements, getting as close as possible to their imagination.

The travel creators of french-events.com, themselves great travellers and mastering to perfection the destinations they offer, create much more than just trips: authentic experiences as intense as they are unique.

Specialists in 45 destinations throughout France, the teams of french-events.com are aiming at experienced travellers with a deep travel culture and a taste for beautiful trips and encounters.

The travel account managers of french-events.com offer the authentic France: This is the guarantee that what you have dreamed of, we offer you. The least known and most authentic destination in France is Auvergne and in particular the Monts d’Auvergne with the “Parc des Volcans”!