France Travel Tips

Long before Janice Chung started her own blog, France Travel Tips, she fell in love — with a country. It happened when she was just a young girl, watching the film Two for the Road, which follows a couple’s journey from England to the south of France.

And something about the scenery, the spirit of the whole country, stuck with her. “I just fell in love with France,” she says, “and I knew I had to go.” Some would even call this destiny, as Janice’s birthday is July 14th - which just so happens to be Bastille Day - France’s National Day.

She finally made it to France at 18, a trip that would ignite a lifelong passion. Since then, Janice has returned nearly 40 times, often seeking out the quirky, the lesser-known, and, for her, the more heartfelt side of French culture.

That’s why you won’t find anything about the Eiffel Tower or Arc de Triomphe in her blog — it’s about attic museums, cooking classes, and immersion schools in the countryside. She also loves exploring the nooks and crannies of the country through hiking, kayaking, and other excursions that she typically doesn’t do while at home in Toronto.

“I’m also my own audience,” she explains. “When I go to France, I’m seeking out new places and experiences for my own enjoyment. And I want to share them with others.”

Now retired from her career as a teacher and principal, Janice has more opportunity than ever to lean into her lifelong loves — France, writing, and helping people — so she launched France Travel Tips in 2014. The blog was her way to continue educating others, but this time, through storytelling and travel.

Janice is now preparing for her 40th trip to France this spring. Her itinerary includes a language immersion program in the countryside, a scenic train ride through the Ardèche Gorge, a visit to the Valrhona chocolate factory, and even a 10K race in Paris. “To me, that’s what makes a trip fabulous — learning new things, meeting people — that’s what I love.”

So, while France Travel Tips might not go after the big hits, it resonates with readers looking for off-the-beaten-path recommendations along with advice for situations you’d wish you’d known about beforehand — like how to navigate French traffic tickets and ATMs.

And it’s partially thanks to ad revenue that Janice is able to fund her travels, cover site costs, and keep doing what she loves: sharing stories that help others experience a different side to France than what they’ve come to expect.

“My goal is to help people by providing travel tips and unique insights they won’t find anywhere else,” she says. “And if ads can pay some bills so I can keep engaging people and sharing my passion? Well, then that feels like a win-win to me.”