#39 Attending a Wedding｜Useful French Phrases
Izumi French Garden
#145 Consulting a Travel Agency About a Travel Plan｜French Travel Phrases
Izumi
When planning a trip, consulting a travel agency can be very helpful. They may suggest options you had not considered yourself and propose travel plans that best suit your preferences and conditions.
When discussing travel plans in French, structuring the conversation in the order of “purpose of consultation → travel style or theme → options → budget and conditions” helps ensure smooth and efficient communication.
In this article, I explain useful French expressions for discussing and finalizing travel plans with a travel agency.
Contents
Dialogue
Bonjour. J’aimerais organiser un voyage et j’aurais besoin de vos conseils.
（Hello. I would like to organize a trip, and I would appreciate your advice.）
Bien sûr. Quel type de voyage envisagez-vous ?
（Of course. What kind of trip are you considering?）
Je cherche un séjour d’une semaine, plutôt axé sur la découverte culturelle.
（I am looking for a one-week stay, mainly focused on cultural discovery.）
Avez-vous déjà une destination en tête ?
（Do you already have a destination in mind?）
Pas encore. J’hésite entre l’Italie et le sud de la France.
（Not yet. I am hesitating between Italy and the south of France.）
Dans ce cas, quel est votre budget approximatif ?
（In that case, what is your approximate budget?）
Idéalement, je préférerais rester autour de 1 500 euros, vols compris.
（Ideally, I would like to keep it around 1,500 euros, including flights.）
Nous pourrions alors comparer deux itinéraires et voir lequel correspond le mieux à vos attentes.
（Then we could compare two itineraries and see which one best matches your expectations.）
1. Stating the Purpose of the Consultation
When speaking with a travel agency, it is best to begin by clearly stating that you would like advice regarding your travel plans.
Example
- J’aimerais organiser un voyage et j’aurais besoin de vos conseils.
（I would like to organize a trip, and I would appreciate your advice.）
The French expression “j’aurais besoin de …” uses the present conditional and conveys politeness.
Rather than making a direct request, it shows that you are seeking guidance.
Related Expression
- Je souhaiterais discuter de différentes options de voyage.
（I would like to discuss various travel options.）
2. Indicating the Direction or Theme of the Trip
Next, share the general direction or theme of the trip you are looking for.
Example
- Je cherche un séjour d’une semaine, plutôt axé sur la découverte culturelle.
（I am looking for a one-week stay, mainly focused on cultural discovery.）
The phrase “axé sur …” means “focused on” or “centered around” and is useful for clearly expressing the theme of your trip.
Related Expressions
- axé sur la détente
（focused on relaxation） - axé sur la nature
（focused on nature） - axé sur la gastronomie
（focused on food and cuisine）
3. Explaining That the Destination Is Not Yet Decided
When consulting a travel agency, it is perfectly acceptable not to have a destination decided yet.
In fact, being honest about your uncertainty allows the agent to suggest suitable options.
Example
- J’hésite entre l’Italie et le sud de la France.
（I am hesitating between Italy and the south of France.）
The expression “hésiter entre A et B” is widely used not only for travel planning, but also for shopping and work-related decisions.
4. Clearly Stating the Budget and Conditions
Providing a realistic budget and conditions is essential for creating a feasible travel plan.
Example
- Idéalement, je préférerais rester autour de 1,500 euros, vols compris.
（Ideally, I would like to keep it around 1,500 euros, including flights.）
The expression “rester autour de …” means “to keep it around …”.
By combining “idéalement” (ideally) with “vols compris” (including flights), you indicate flexibility while still clearly communicating your preferred conditions.
5. Receiving Suggestions from the Travel Agency
Once your preferences and conditions are clear, the travel agency may suggest how to proceed with the planning.
Example
- Nous pourrions alors comparer deux itinéraires et voir lequel correspond le mieux à vos attentes.
（We could then compare two itineraries and see which one best matches your expectations.）
Using the conditional form “pourrions” makes the proposal sound polite and non-imposing.
Related Expressions
- Cela correspond-il à vos attentes ?
（Does this meet your expectations?） - Souhaitez-vous que nous ajustions certains points ?
（Would you like us to adjust certain points?）
When you receive such proposals, you can review them positively and move forward with creating a concrete travel plan.
Summary
Key French Phrases
- J’aurais besoin de vos conseils.
→ A polite way to express your intention to consult a travel agency. - Je cherche un séjour axé sur …
→ Used to indicate the theme or direction of your trip. - J’hésite entre … et …
→ Expresses hesitation between destinations or options. - Rester autour de … euros / vols compris.
→ Used to clearly share budget and conditions. - Comparer des itinéraires / ajuster le plan.
→ Useful expressions when refining a proposed travel plan.
