If you are traveling to Port Grimaud or to France for the first time, here a few tips for your visit.

Getting dressed

We are located in one of the sunniest areas of France, so you’ll most likely have a lot of sunshine whether you come and visit us in the summer or in the winter.
However, it can get gold in the winter, so don’t forget to layer up.

In general, people are dressed casually, even in fancy villages and cities such as Saint-Tropez or Cannes. However, if this is true when you stroll down the streets, you’ll need to dress up to enter casinos or gourmet restaurants.

Speaking with French people

France in general may not be the country where you’ll find the most English speakers, but we receive millions of tourists every year, so everyone in the industry does speak English. Don’t worry, you’ll easily be able to order a cup of coffee or a good meal at the restaurant (lots of restaurants have menus in different languages).

If you’d like to give French a try, start by learning how to say Hello, Good bye and Thank you.

Hello: bonjour (before 5pm) or bonsoir (after 5pm)

Good bye: au revoir

Thank you: merci or merci beaucoup (thank you very much).

We also suggest you download an app that enables you to speak your question or phrase to your smartphone and it will be automatically speak the translated version.

You’ve probably heard that we French people either say “tu” or “vous” for “you” and this may seem a little intimidating or confusing. Without entering into too many details, use “tu” when speaking to children and “vous” for everyone else. Only friends and family members use “tu”. And if you still have doubts, it’s better to start with “vous” and wait for other people to ask to “se tutoyer” (= to say “tu”).

Currency

Our national currency is the euro. It’s the same as in a lot of other European countries, which can be very convenient if you are travelling to nearby countries, such as Italy for instance.

Taxis/Cabs

Be aware that most taxis do not accept credit card so make sure you have withdrawn cash from an ATM before. If that’s not the case, you can still ask the driver to make a stop at an ATM on your way to your destination.

This profession is strictly regulated so the price should be the same for everyone. It depends on the number of kilometers, the time of the day and on the number of pieces of luggage in the trunk.

Uber is also very popular in France so you can give drive with them as well.

Tipping

At bars and restaurants, a service charge is systematically included in the bill so tipping is absolutely optional (French restaurant owners love foreigners who don’t know that and add a 15% to 20% tip). If you’re happy with the service you can still add a euro or two at the end of your meal.

These are some basic rules when it comes to visiting France. If you need more information or are looking for a vacation rental near Saint-Tropez, please reach out to us. We’ll be happy to assist you.