Uncountable amount of small castles, the busy port of Le Havre, and the nearby Capital of the European Union, Belgium – Paris in the north of France is perfectly located for one-day trips outside the city. The surrounding land has forests, meadows, rolling hills and also sandy beaches and imposing cliffs on the 150-mile stretch of coastline. You can explore the beautiful countryside by car – for car rental possibilities and the best offers of cheap hotel rooms and low cost flight tickets, have a look here on Liligo.com.
There is some kind of fête or festival going on all the time; some of them dating back to the Middle Ages, and the people of this region are warm and hospitable. The Flemish influence was strong in this region, which can be seen in its architecture, cuisine and the names of the towns. Other sights in the area available via car rental are the city of Lille with the Rihour Palace and the isle of Corntesse. The towns of Le Havre and Boulogne are also worth a visit. St. Omer is a nice little town also known as the Venice of Northern France, only 2 hours from Paris.

The water here may not be as warm as in the south of the country, but the sand and the dunes are great. For beach life you can head for Dunkerque, for other outdoor activities Olhain offers many different possibilities. If you decide to rent a car, you can also get to Orléans and have a walk in the historical town, which has many places of interest, like Joan of Arc's House, the Historical and Archeological Museum, La Source flowers park, the Charpenterie garden or the Pasteur park.

Some things to take care of when planning your trip

To have a holiday without setbacks, it helps a lot to take into consideration what simple measurements can be done that would save you many bad shots.
First of all, always check your documents that will be requested at the entrance of your destination country, consult the competent government agency, and even if you do not leave the country, keep in mind that it is obligatory to carry along your identification papers. Moreover, many accommodations request documents at registration. You may also want to rent a car, so you'll have to take your driver's license with you (get informed about the international driving license, too). Do not forget your travel insurance, your health insurance card (we strongly recommend you to take your health card). There are some countries where a visa is required to be allowed to enter the country at all. But do not worry, in most countries you can enter and stay without visas or special permits for some months (usually 90 days).
A good tactic is to photocopy important documents you might need, so in case they get lost or stolen, it will be really useful. Furthermore, it is also a good idea to carry along two extra passport photos.

Thanks to the Schengen agreement, one can freely cross the borders of ‘Schengen countries’, so EU travellers travelling within this area won’t be asked to identify themselves. Even so, you should always carry along identity documents, because police might ask for identity checks, any time. The following countries form part of the Schengen Agreement:
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Iceland (non-EU), Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway (non-EU), Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland (non-EU).
EU countries that do not belong to this agreement are: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, UK and Romania. Citizens outside the EU will need to apply for visas and documents to enter the Schengen area. The maximum length of stay for travellers is 3 months.
Bear in mind that some documents and visas are not that easy to get, one has to wait for them. Therefore it is recommended that you plan the travel and learn about these documents well in advance.

In addition to paperwork, when travelling within or outside the borders of the EU or the Schengen area, don’t forget to be informed of the required or recommended vaccinations in certain countries. If you know exactly the health care situation of the country which you plan to travel to, you can avoid many unpleasant surprises.
Again, please note that some vaccines require more than one dose, sometimes with large temporary spaces between them, so it is advisable to act well in advance. Be cautious with consuming food, especially fruits, and for your security, drink bottled water only.
Also, the maximum weight of your luggage is usually around 20 kilos –depending on the airline-, so it might be a good idea to make a list of most necessary things before packing your suitcase. Your passport (and anything fragile) is best to be guarded in your hand luggage that you bring along into the cabin.
Note that you can’t have scissors (or any kind of cutting or stabbing tools) with you, nor liquids of any kind (water, tee, juices and all types of cosmetics), or at least only a small amount.

Unfortunately, sometimes it happens that your luggage gets lost. In this case it might be helpful to have some clothes with you in your hand bag, until your luggage is found.

Further information:

Foreign and Commonwealth office

European Health Insurance card

Healthcare abroad

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