Good deals for summer 2021 in France

The 2021 summer holidays are just as special this year as we are still confronted with Covid-19. This, however, does not mean that we cannot do anything. In fact, it means the opposite. It's time to discover places that you never would have thought of visiting!.

The best holiday deals in France

That's it, half of the summer holidays has passed for most students and the next academic year is fast approaching... But you still have time to go on trips, especially because of good summer deals. The different players in the tourism sector offer solutions to go on holiday in France at the last minute for a cheap price!

Such is the case with Groupon, for example, which is an website that gathers good deals to go on holiday in France as well as for online shopping. This way you can plan your holiday and find the best events and activities to do. For example, Groupon enables you to explore the Aquaboulevard water park in Paris with a discount from 20 € to 16 € for childrens tickets, aged 3 to 11, as well as 28 € instead of 35 € for adults (from 12 years onwards). There aren't any small discounts! Especially for students.

If, on the other hand, you're looking to get away from the city, why not recharge your batteries in the mountains? It's time to discover the Alps in Grand-Bornand, located 40 minutes away from Annecy by car. They offer good holiday plans for summer 2021: 15% discount on stays between the 14th and 28th August. So why not call some friends and make the most of it!

Small tip: Keep an eye on the weather before preparing for an activity or trip this summer as the weather in France is supposed to be quite insatiable, just as July was. Rain and storms are to be regularly expected, especially in the North of France, until the last week of August when the weather should improve across the country. Check the weather regularly to avoid any unwanted surprises on arrival.

Holiday destinations in France for summer 2021

Are you unsure of where to go in France and are looking for a destination? Again, Groupon can help. There's also Promovacances and Vogageprivé. On these websites you can find discounts for hotels in many cities. There are loads of good deals for Paris, Bordeaux, Orléans, Marseille, etc... There are also deals for those who've decided to go to Lyon at the last minute! A lot of cheap holidays are waiting for you!

You can also go on holiday in the south of France. The weather also seems to be better in August, so grasp this opportunity with two hands and find a holiday destination by the sea:

• On the Mediterranean side, you can discover Nice and its famous Promenade des Anglais. You should also take a stroll in the old part of Nice and discover its history.
• On the Atlantic side, you can visit La Rochelle. It's a very studenty and cultural city with a lot of bars and an important historical heritage. In particular, there's the Old Port, the three towers along the side and its classic style cathedral which is different to what we're used to seeing.

If you have already visited Paris, we suggest rediscovering the Île-de-France region. What better to do after months of confinement than go on trips? You can discover the Versaille estate for free if you are under 26 years old and are a citizen of the EU. Be careful, you need to book online and have a health pass to be able to access the palace. It's not necessary for the garden and the park.

If you prefer escaping to nature, we suggest three hikes:

• The Arboretum and the Allée Royale in the Wood of Vincennes: a short 8km route and is accessible from the centre of Paris. Ideal for a summer weekend in the capital.
• In Vauboyen: 16 minutes away from Versailles on the RER C. We suggest an 8km stroll across two woods. You can visit Versailles Palace in the morning and do this hike in the afternoon for example.
• La Seine sauvage (The Wild Seine): You will need to go to the Bois-le-Roi station to start this 15.4 km route. You'll enjoy the natural banks of the Seine as well as part of the forest.

Travel efficiently thanks to good train deals

If you're aged between 12 and 25 years old, SNCF offers a youth pass which allows you unlimited use of the TER for only 29 €. This is only between 1st July to 31st August. You can still make the most of this good TER deal for your trips, and you get your money's worth in just a few trips. You could visit the Royal Fortresses of Chignon that is 3.5 hours away from Paris. You could also visit Orléans that is only 1 hours and 20 minutes away from the French capital. This city is mostly known as a result of Joan of Arc chasing away the English in 1429. Go and walk in her steps and learn more about one of the most symbolic figures of France!.

The train is a good mode of transport but it can be expensive during the year. I recommend getting a avantage jeune card (from 12 to 27 years old). For only 49 € per year (with it generally being on offer for 25 € at the beginning of the school year in September and January), you benefit from a 30% discount on the TGV INOUI and the Intercities. Even if you make a reservation at the last minute, it'll still be cheap! Trust me, it's useful if you do improvised weekends or you need to go somewhere urgently. For a return trip between Paris and Marseille you can save 70 € in one go and travel in first class for the same price as second class. Add or pretend to have the avantage card on our SNCF profil and see all of the possibilities they offer. Long live good train deals!

Good deals for leisure and activities in France

Now we're going to tell you about the leisure activities you can do that are sure to interest you! Amongst them are the sectors that were hit the hardest during the Covid-19 pandemic over the last few months and years: festivals, theme parks, camping, museums and other activities. We can finally go to these places again, as long as you have a health pass as a general rule.

Festivals

Yes, festivals are finally starting again this summer, much to our delight! We suggest the following for the end of the summer:

• Woodstower: located in Lyon, this is a 6 day music festival from the 24th to the 29th August. It costs 26 € for the day for students but it's definitely worth it! The music is mostly pop rock and rap with PLK and Sofiane mostly.
• No Logo BZH: for reggae amateurs and other styles of music. This festival is near Saint-Malo in Brittany, with shuttles planned for the festival goers. Do the artists Panda Dub, Danakil or Biga*Ranx ring a bell? If not, you need to discover these French reggae artists. There'll be at least one you'll like. This year, the festival will take place between the 13th and 15th August and cost 31 € for the day or 75 € for the three days.
• Pelpass Festival: from the 31st August to the 5th September in Strasbourg. It's a festival dedicated to the urban arts, French songs, rock, fanfares and games! There's something for everyone. The price is 15 € per day and per person.

Theme parks

You may want to discover something other than festival but still have an unforgettable experience. We have good deals for theme parks. It's time to discover one of our favourite Gaul's, the Astérix park! Don't forget to book online to get the best prices at least one week in advance. There's also Futuroscope in Poitiers which has family shows and thrill rides for the daredevils. You should also plan ahead and book your tickets in advance for the best price.

Camping

Camping amateurs will be pleased to have the atmosphere they've been missing. Set course for Île d’Oléron! This is, in fact, an island but it's accessible via a bridge. You can stay in a mobile home for a fair price, for example: Camping Les Grosses Pierres, 5 stars, offers a 20m² pitch for 3 people starting from 81 € fir 3 nights. Which is only 9 € a night and per person.

If you prefer to escape to nature in the south of France, then the camping du Lac Mercus can satisfy your wants for a weekly flat rate of 355 € for 4 people in an Eco-lodge of 17m² (which equates to 15 € per night and per person). Plus, you'll also have Andorre 2 hours away, Perpignan 2 and a half hours away and Toulouse 1 and a half hours away in case you wanted to re-find civilisation or make the most of the cheaper products in Andorre.

Museums

Since the end of May, our museums have finally been able to reopen their doors to the public! As the weather is due to be quite changeable, you'll at least indoors. You may have heard that the 5th May 2021 marks 200 years since the death of Napoleon. It's time to rediscover this French emperor in the "Napoleon is not more" exposition in the Army Museum in Paris. You can go and see this exposition until the 19th September and it costs from 11 € for students and free for minors.

You can also visit the George Pompidou Centre. It's best to make the most of it sooner rather than later as from 2023, the centre will be closing for some important maintenance work until 2027. You can currently see 6 temporary expositions as well as 3 permanent expositions. The price varies between 11 € and 15.50 € for students, depending on which gallery you would like to see. Small tip, go on the first Sunday of every to see the permanent collections for free!

Sporting activities

If you want a thrill other than music festivals and theme parks, we're suggesting land and sea activities for all tastes:

• Climbing
• Cycling
• Scuba Diving
• Kitesurf
• Water Skiing
• Kayaking
• Sailing

Make sure to reserve accommodation that has one of these activities in the area if you really want to do one. Of course, it won't be possible to do them all. For example, you may not have water nearby.

The most sporty people will be delighted to hear that the UCPA offer "happy summer" weeks for those aged 18 to 25. You can do week-long sailing trips for only 369 € which includes food and accommodation. This includes 10 2 and a half hour sessions with an instructor and they lend you a wetsuit. There are also organise really worthwhile parties every night! This trip is at Aigues-Morte bay which is near Montpellier and Nîmes. The UCPA also offers climbing trips and fitness trips if you prefer to stay on dry land. Having done a few trips with the UCPA, I can assure you that after a week with them, you won't want to leave!

Good deals for out of season weekends

You might be finishing your degree or masters and don't have the time to go on holiday this summer so are waiting until its finished before going. In this case, we're going to tell you the advantages of travelling after most of the population. The two main advantages are the fact that there are a lot less people, especially if you go to a really touristic area. The other advantage is that you save a lot of money this way as the rental and activity prices can be halved: the more you go on holiday out of season, the more cost-effective it is. And your purse will also thank you!

The most ideal out of season periods correspond to those which are not during summer or over Christmas as well as outside the school holidays. Students can make the most out of their holidays throughout the year to go out of season as they are not necessarily linked to the school holidays. When doing a degree in France, lectures often finished between mid-April and mid-May. This will vary depending on your subject and university but holidays are generally a few weeks ahead of other holiday goers. So don't wait until July to plan your holiday! An out of season holiday is the best deals for all students.

If you don't want to wait until the end of your academic year to get away, a cheap weekend away in mid-September can be sufficient to recharge your batteries. With a bit of luck, you'll still be able to make the most of the sun and go for walks in your t-shirt. Look up the touristy destinations that you'd like to go to but don't usually dare go to out of fear of overcrowding, and make the most of the advantages of going out of season!

The 2021 summer holidays in France with Covid-19

It's time to take a closer look at the 2021 summer holidays and the situation with Covid in France. Unfortunately, we are still going through a health crisis, especially due to the number of Covid variants, and our holidays may be affected. In the face of the fourth wave of Covid that has already begun in France, the Government has decided to new measures in place as of Monday 9th August 2021. The health pass, which we spoke about earlier, will be required for longer and will be compulsory for:

• Going to restaurants, cafes, fairs and trade shows
• Making long distance journeys by plane, bus and train
• Going to shopping centres bigger than 20 000m²

This is what you can expect over the next few weeks. These measures were put in place to avoid yet another lockdown in France over summer 2021 and at the start of the school year so respect them. Those aged between 12 and 17 do not need a health pass until 30th September.

Don't forget!

If you are looking for accommodation, we can help! Erasmusu offers hundred of accommodation possibilities. Whether it's a spacious room, a studio, university halls, or even a flat that you want. We do this to help you find an ideal location before you get arrive in the city.

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