In this episode of the podcast, Annie Sargent talks to Heidi Hunter about her month in France on a budget. Most of us limit expenses by having shorter vacations. But Heidi and her husband stayed for a month and visited Paris, Nice, Marseille, Annecy, Lyon and Strasbourg! They also went to the Mont-Saint-Michel as a day trip from Paris, to Eze and Colmar on the train. How did they do all that on a budget? Click play and listen to Heidi explain. They started their trip in Paris and worked their way around the country: Nice, Marseille, Annecy, Strasbourg. Their main cost-cutting decision was to stay at hostels and pensions instead of hotels. In Paris they wanted to stay in a central location so they splurged for a hotel. However, there is a very good hostel in central Paris that Annie recommends from personal experience. This is where you need to go to get your Pass Sanitaire starting in November 2021 Hostels and Budget Hotels Recommended in this Episode In hostels sometimes you have to share a bathroom, sometimes there are no elevators. But, often they have other amenities that make up for those inconveniences: hostels often have a kitchen and laundry facilities. Bedrooms are smaller in hostels than in hotels (although in Paris that's not always true). With hostels it is best to book in advance because the best ones get booked up. Hostels are not just for young people. Heidi and her husband are in their mid-40s and they weren't the only ones in that age-range. What makes hostels great is that you talk to the other visitors which people typically don't do at hotels, especially the fancy ones. There are usually kitchens in hostels and when people use a kitchen together they usually talk and get to know each other. French people of all walks of life and all ages stay at hostels when they go on choir trips or family trips where they need to keep the cost down. Budget Hotels in Paris Annie recommends Hôtel Marignan in the Latin Quarter near Notre Dame de Paris.  Book 6 months + in advance, this is a popular hôtel/hostel! In Paris Heidi stayed at the Hôtel des Grands Hommes  near the Pantheon, a great location and a great value. Budget Hotel in Annecy Guest VIP Annecy Lake was really nice because their room had its own little kitchen. They were able to shop just like a local, make their own breakfast and meals which feels great after you've been on the road for a while. Hostel in Lyon Away Hostel and Coffee Shop. This was a nice place and Lyon was a fun city. They particularly liked the Traboules and the Museum of Cinema and Miniatures. Hostel in Strasbourg In Strasbourg they stayed at Ciarus for 5 nights. It was a great location and a good hostel. The Rooster and Hen are on Rue de la Nuée Bleu in Strasbourg and you can see them going off at noon every day.     Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/364 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking