TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

When you are traveling to a foreign country, familiarize yourself beforehand about that country's customs.

For instance, if you are traveling to France, you may be shocked to learn upon arrival that most restaurants and businesses close in the middle of the afternoon. Each establishment is different, and they will close anywhere from 12:30pm - 4pm.

This means that if you arrive anywhere in France during these hours, and you are starving, you may not find an open restaurant in sight. Your best bet would be to find an "American" fast food restaurant, which are more likely to remain open all throughout the day - or to bring your own snacks. Another alternative would be to find a grocery store that is open and buy something to eat there.

In the bigger cities, you'll have more opportunities to find businesses that stay open through the afternoon siesta. However, in smaller cities and tiny villages, you'd better be prepared!

It's strange to think that restaurants will close in the middle of the afternoon - prime lunch hours, good profit potential - but hey, that's the French way!