Booking An AirBnB
Salut la compagnie!
Imagine how exciting it will be to prepare your trip to France! Well, I want to make sure that you have the best experience and that starts by finding the right place to stay. Beside the tips that I share below, I have also created a list of vocabulary words that you will need for your rental. A nice fun way to learn ;-)
Avant de partir / Before leaving
Before even looking for a place to rent, you have to know where you want to go and what you want to see. In order to make your trip easy, you have to be somehow close to the sites that you really want to visit. You don't want your vacations to become a hassle. So, first things first, do your research and pinpoint on a map the sites you really want to visit.
For example, let's say that you are visiting Paris. It's best to checkout how the transportation system works and how it can bring you from point A to point B. One aspect of Paris' public transportation system is the subway. To have an idea how the subway system in Paris is laid out, take a look at the image below.
If you are staying outside of the city, you will end up spending more time using public transportation. We have a saying for this In French, it is: Passer du temps dans les transports publics.
Now that you know where your points of interest are, you can look for a place that is central to them. You can start by asking yourself these questions:
What is the best way of getting around town?
Are there any buses, trains, or subway stations nearby?
Chercher le bon endroit
In this section, I am going to tell you about the things where you should bring your attention, despite the nice photo on Airbnb. My husband is a photographer, so I can really tell you that the pictures can look better than they seem. We say in French les photos peuvent être trompeuses, meaning the photo can be deceptive.
Make sure that you can get in touch with the host before booking.
Talk about your expectations and your needs. Follow your intuition : Si vous avez un doute, ne réservez pas.Read the reviews.
Reading the comments gives you the best idea about the place.
Is it clean? How is the neighborhood? How is the host and is it easy to be in touch with him/her? Actually reading the comments in French will be a perfect exercise for your reading comprehension, right?!Carefully read the description and the rules.
Does it match your needs? For example, do you need une chambre privée (a private room), une chambre partagée (a shared room) or un logement entier (a full place). And can you smoke or bring your pet.Make sure you have all the right appliances.
You might need things that aren't listed.Extra cost and fees.
Sometimes owners included fees on cleaning or late arrival so you might want to factor that into your budget.
À l'arrivée
A Few days before your arrival, make sure that your meeting with the owner is planned or at least that you know how you get the keys and/or the code for the door. Also, specify the time you will arrive. Some owners usually take time out of their daily lives to come and open the door for you.
Look around the place with the owner to make sure that nothing is damaged before your arrival, and that everything is in place. You don't want to be held responsible for something missing or broken.
And of course... Speak French with him/her as much as possible. Remember, practice not perfection... And if he/she speaks English with you, ask him/her nicely if he/she can do it in French, slowly if necessary because you are trying to understand. You want to make sure that all your encounters during your trip count and that you learn something. Never ever feel ashamed, you are doing amazing!
Exercice
Now it's your turn! The best part of learning French is practicing and learning from your mistakes. I've created two free French quizzes below for you to practice your new vocabulary. Simply click on any of the links below to start the quiz
Je vous souhaite un très bon séjour.
If you have traveled already in France and you have used an AirBnb, please share your experience and let us know how much you have learned.
Je vous souhaite un très bon séjour. À très bientôt.
Amicalement,
Aurélie
