I want to go to france with my friends. we're 14. im 100% serious. any ideas?

Show all answers

Cabal

Millie is right, you should not go to France without a place to go to. You probably do not speak the language and you will receive a big cultural shock there because France is not the US, the only thing you will recognise are the Mc Donalds and Starbucks shops. Everything will be in French, not everyone speaks English and talking loudly in English to the French for help in the hope they will understand won't work. Paris receives 50 millions tourists a year and is just as friendly as
New York to them. And that's not mentioning the fact that we don't act or think the same way.
If you decide to come here (whether in a family or by yourself) a few things you need to know:

- You need a passport, which means your parents approval. You will have to carry it on you at all time, this is mandatory in France to always have a proof of identity. Check with the French embassy if you don't need more because of your age. Here is a link to the one in Washington.
http://www.ambafrance-us.org/visitingfrance/

- At 14 you can travel alone but under special watch by most airlines.

- In France you are badly underage at 14, there's plenty of things you won't be able to do. And be ready to answer a lot of questions, adults will want to know what you are doing without your parents at your age and might even want to check your story. Yes, we are nosy when it comes to underage kids. Hotels can refuse you a room because they might be considered responsible for you.

- If you consider having a boyfriend (sorry for bringing that up but it needs to be said) 15 is the age of consent. Before that it is considered rape and sends you straight to the police.

- If you still decide to go alone despite everything :
Have an itinerary, give it to your parents, stick to it, book everything in advance (whether hotel or youth hostel),
Keep an emergency fund not to be used in any case but a real emergency
Have a list of phone numbers like your embassy/consulate in France (you can buy a prepaid phone card anywhere in France for your mobile)
Have a letter by your parents saying that you are really travelling with their permission
Have a card giving your ID, blood type, allergies, and who to call in case of an accident.
Carry a travel belt under your clothes with ID papers and emergency funds, summer is the time the thieves all over Europe gather in Paris to prey on tourists.
Traveller cheques can be used by minors and are reimbursed if stolen, so this would be the best rather than a wad of money.
If any of you need medications bring a box with you with the name and composition, it might exist under another name in France.
Get a travel insurance.

ilovehadouken

Im going to spain with my friends but the only reason is that one of them has a house there.. From england btw, so its not that far. (im 14 too! woooh.) I dont really think its a good idea because not all airlines let you fly alone till your 16. And two 18 year olds is coming with us too, so that we can get out there safely..

I know its a pain but, i think its better to wait a while, unless you know the area really well. In two years you can save up enough, and your parents might even foot the bill if you say its a present for passing your exams. Im going to New york after my GCSE's. This way you have more time to plan.There's a bad exchange rate too at the moment. Better to carry travellers cheques. AND/OR a debit card.

You need PLENTY of money out there! Its quite expensive for hotels and flights, go to a travel agent and try and get a cheap deal, either book well in advance or right before the holiday in the sale. When you're out there you need a phone card, otherwise you cant use the phones. Its quite hard to check in too when your under 18.

And what happens if someone gets ill etc, its not like you can drive 20 miles to hospital. And then theres insurance, and hotel bills, and loads more effort. Very useful if you can speak french. parlez-vous franÃ§ais? :D You need to know basic french at least, and its usefull too carry around with you a phrase book.

You might need to go to the french embassy, and check if you need anything else to prove your idenity, although I would think a passport is strong enough evidence. On the plane, which is well annoying, you have to sit next to an air hostess, and she or he walks round the airport with you. In some airports, you have to sit in the minors lounge, (under 16's).

My cousin went to rome last month with her boyfriend, (18) and got her bag stolen with her WHOLE holiday money, ipod, hotel keys, car keys, etc... Luckilly her passport was in her suitcase, keep your money and passport really close to your body... I know this sounds a little childish but the best place for this is in your bra! Because you would know if it went walkies..
Good luck!
xxxxxx

BimTrix

Right, cause France is just like going to Hershey

Millie

It is technically possible in the sense that minors can perfectly fly with their parents' authorization and it is very easy with the right tips to live on less than 50 euros/day. BUT: no parent in their right mind would let two 14-year old girls travel on their own so far from home if they don't know anyone in France. Your best option is to look for a host family in France. 2 possibilities:

- go through a specialized organization. It is the safest method because they provide insurance and everything but it is quite costly.
- find a pen-pal from France online and once you feel comfortable with her and her family, suggest the possibility of staying with them in exchange of her staying with you. This will only cost you the air ticket and some pocket money.

In either case, you need your parents' approval and be careful to find a nice, reliable host family.

dasdjasdjaiwdjaws

if u have cash yeah

babyymilli

its possible, because i've done it before. on my 13th birthday (in the summer) , i took a 3 of my best friends to paris, and we had enough money there to last for 2 months. my dad paid for it, cause he lives over there and he will do anything to see me again after 4 years. i suggest if you have a low budget, work for the money

bookish

Are you going to expect your horrible parents to finance this trip? It could be a problem, since you are all so young. You might not be allowed to sign for the hotel or whatever, I don't know.
Camping a Hershey is a lot different--and how did you guys get there, by the way?

lifo

i think you should look for an international workcamp were you will meet people from all the world and do something with them (as rebuilt something, help children, take care of the nature...). there are some il almost all countries and so in france. it's a good way to travel and to keep your parents quiet because you're not alone. but maybe 14 is too young, but sure at 15 it's OK for that kind of things.
here is an example of an organisation (look at short terms placement) :
http://www.vfp.org/index.html
maybe they have nothing in france, but there are more association
(solidaritÃ©s jeunesse, concordia...)

With the current economic crisis and the euro almost at 1 dollar 50 cents you will have to be packing some real cash. Expect 1000+ dollars / person.

alex

The truth is france is a bad place 2 b without a lot of money. everything costs a lot there. I had a friend who went to Switzerland for s ummer when she was 14 and she had an impossible time getting back. The weather was bad so she didnt make it to the airport on time so she missed her flight back. She had 2 get he rparents to send her money which took 2 days and she had nowhere to stay for the entire time.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: