While there is a trend among people to retreat from big cities to live a quieter life on the outskirts or more rural, BonV accompanies those who not only wish to live closer to nature, but also apply this simpler lifestyle to their travels.

As editor at BonV magazine by Scandeat Food & Beverage at scandeat.com I can relate. Born in the Netherlands and now residing in France, I have lived most of my adult life abroad. Over the years I have lived in and visited many places with very different standards, in different countries, but each with their own charm, character and value.

Therefore you will find a mix of luxury and simplicity in BonV Magazine, everything from 5 star to hidden gems, such as triple Michelin star restaurants to the local family-run cafe on the corner, 5 star resorts to inexpensive charming small hotels, to recipes with nordic ‘caviar’ or fried eggs.

How do you get the best of both?

For instance if you happen to stay at 5 star hotel Le Meurice in the centre of Paris by all means enjoy its grandeur, but go out as soon as you can, before breakfast even, go to the nearest branch of Cojean and treat yourself to an inexpensive, healthy and tasty breakfast; either Le Petit-Déjeuner Frugal coffee and dried fruit bread roll, Le Petit-Déjeuner Sentimental organic coffee or thee, freshly pressed organic juice, bircher muesli or cottage cheese, organic dried fruit bread roll, or Le Petit-Déjeuner Royal organic coffee or thee, freshly pressed organic juice, almond milk porridge.

Cojean Breakfast in Paris

To have a truly satisfying journey, you should follow the least touristic route and experience local culture, food and customs unprejudiced and in depth. Avoid lengthy luxury and resort traps whilst still enjoying some of their perks and try authentic foods made by family-owned businesses whether restaurant or streetcar. Furthermore, prepare to sometimes be out of your comfort zone yet come home with a uniquely individual memory of your holiday which has added to or even changed something in your life.

“I’m not an activist or an advocate, or a spokesperson or someone on some mission. I like being free to have a point of view. I guess I do have a truth. I have a point of view, but I try not to have an agenda. Again and again and again, I find that if I show up and sit with people and am willing to accept what they offer with an open mind and heart, then people will tell me rather extraordinary things about themselves and the world that they live in. I’m not a reporter—and that’s a luxury.” Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain in San Sebastián

Our BonV Top Tips for authentic best value travelling:

1 Popular places are absolutely best visited off-season to avoid crowds, paying premium prices for accommodation, getting the best beach chair and meeting the interesting locals instead of your fellow countrymen.

2 Spend your travel budget on 5 star hotels if you wish, but  if you do, have your coffee or aperitif in the grand lobby or exclusive bar to enjoy the luxurious feeling, but then waste no time to get out to find the little family-owned restaurant where locals eat to enjoy authentic food and meet some interesting people. We can’t emphasise enough to try try try the real local food instead of the tourist-adapted safe menu in your hotel.

3 Wine tourism is on the rise so many luxurious hotels have been opened on wineries, often these are overpriced, overrun with tourists and  in – for exploration – quite uninteresting locations. Therefore we suggest you limit your stay at such places and try to find the bed&breakfast in the nearest historic village where you can continue regional wine tasting in the local bar.

4 Venture off the beaten path; leave your hotel for a long walk to explore the lesser known corners of the city, skip the popular beaches for the rugged less visited ones, do your own research instead of relying on guides and be prepared to get lost and laugh about it.

5 Finally, be graceful to the inhabitants of this foreign country you are visiting, you’ll be surprised how your efforts will be rewarded, especially if you learn a couple of phrases in their language, be open-minded and show a genuine interest in their lives to make the meeting mutually agreeable and hopefully you’ve learned something valuable about them and yourself.

Bon Voyage!
Saskia Noomen, editor BonV Magazine