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Increase in drownings in France – which areas and why?
Authorities are also calling for people to stay extra alert this summer
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May 1: who do French people give muguet to?
We speak to young people in France about the tradition of giving lily of the valley flowers on Labour Day, and how it can be hierarchical between grandmothers, mothers and daughters
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Camping in France: what you should know before you go
From basic tent pitches to fully equipped resorts, knowing what to expect makes a difference
Check museum free days in France
Holiday money-saving tips
Many readers will have visitors to stay this summer and be keen to show them local attractions but perhaps fearing the cost... however, remember that many towns and cities have free-entrance days at museums.
Often this is the first Sunday in the month (check first as some museums opt out in summer).
Tourist office websites can help, with the en.parisinfo.com site having a page ‘Free museums and monuments in Paris’.
Popular sites are included, such as Musée d’Orsay and Pompidou Centre, and it also gives ideas for walks, festivals, cultural events, sport and for children. Normandy lists free visits on Calvados-tourisme.com under ‘Visites gratuites en Calvados en Normandie’.
Buying a pass can be useful and a €37.50 pass in Bordeaux gives unlimited access to seven museums for a year for two people (bordeaux.fr) while in Dordogne a PassVisItPérigord saves 20% on entry fees for 12 top sites (visites-en-perigord.com).
On the Riviera, buying the Côte d’Azur Card gives free entry to more than 100 activities, such as an underwater snorkel trail in Fréjus.
