Our methodology

Our methodology

This document describes how the L’Heure du Voyage editorial team produces its content. The methodology is public so you can judge the reliability of our recommendations and, if needed, challenge them.

1. Selection of destinations covered

The Site covers 52 destinations, chosen on criteria we stand by:

We prioritize the production order on an internal editorial roadmap, starting with the most-requested destinations and the ones we know best.

2. Producing a destination page

Each destination hub follows the same 6-step process:

Step 1 : What travellers actually ask

Before writing a line, the lead author lists the concrete questions someone planning this trip is asking: when to go, for how long, on what budget, which itinerary, what paperwork, what to avoid. That is what shapes the page, not the other way around.

Step 2 : Field verification

Cross-checking against the reference author’s direct experience. Priority is given to destinations where the author has spent at least 3 cumulative weeks in the past 5 years.

Step 3 : Official sources

Verification of critical data (visa, vaccines, security) against dated official sources:

• France Diplomatie (potentially daily updates)
• WHO (annual vaccination recommendations)
• Official website of the relevant embassy
• National tourism board

Step 4 : Writing

The author writes the French and English versions. Each time we aim for the same thing: a direct answer at the top of the page, real numbers rather than generalities, named sources, and a structure where you find what you came for quickly.

Step 5 : Cross-review

Each page is reviewed by a second author (not the one who wrote it), with a checklist: factual accuracy, sources present, clear heading hierarchy, and readability.

Step 6 : Publication and follow-up

Once published, a page is not forgotten. We re-read it a few weeks after it goes live, then on our review schedule, and we correct it as soon as a reader flags an inaccuracy or an official source changes.

3. Comparator methodology

Product comparison pages (travel insurance, credit card, e-SIM, travel bank) are the most demanding in terms of methodology. Here is the applied protocol:

Product selection

• Inclusion: any product with significant market share in France (top 15 of segment) and on the market for at least 12 months.
• Exclusion: products with announced end-of-life, products unavailable to French residents, products without a French-language interface.
• Partnership ≠ automatic inclusion: a commercial partner can be excluded if not relevant; a non-partner is included if it is a reference.

Scoring grid

Each comparator publishes its criteria grid at the top of the page. Example (travel insurance):

Each sub-criterion is rated 0-5 by the author, then weighted to produce the overall score. The grid is applied identically to all products compared.

Comparator updates

Systematic quarterly revision. Re-test of standardized scenario twice a year. When a product changes its conditions, the entry is updated within 7 days and the score recalculated.

4. Budget estimation methodology

Each destination displays a budget range by profile (backpacker, comfort, premium) for 14 days, 2 people, Paris flight included. How these ranges are built:

• Flights: average of prices observed in economy class on Skyscanner and Google Flights over rolling 12 months, excluding extreme high season.
• Accommodation: median prices observed on Booking.com for the matching range (3*, 4*, 5*), in main tourist zone.
• Meals: local estimate based on author experience + cross-check with Numbeo.
• Internal transport: average prices observed (car rental, domestic flights, trains, ferries).
• Activities: standardized basket of 5-7 major activities of the destination.

Ranges are intentionally wide: a backpacker trip can fall below the lower bound, a premium trip can vastly exceed it. The aim is to give a reliable order of magnitude, not a promotional price.

5. Climate data methodology

The displayed climate calendars (“when to visit X”) rely on:

• Monthly averages over the past 10 years (temperature, rainfall, sunshine).
• Sources: national weather service of the country concerned when available, otherwise ICAO stations (major airports).
• Consistency with local tourism practices (high / low season) as documented by the national tourism board.

Recent climate shifts (Mediterranean heatwaves, delayed monsoons in Southeast Asia) are flagged in a note when they significantly alter the historical “best period.”

6. Interactive tools (budget calculator, etc.)

For tools producing personalized results, the calculation methodology is published on the tool’s page. In summary:

• Coefficients used are visible in the component’s source code (open via browser inspection).
• No result is randomly generated or produced via opaque AI.
• Known biases (e.g., budget calculated excluding extreme luxury zones) are made explicit.

7. Independence from our partners

What determines a page’s content is the author’s field experience and official sources, full stop. Whether or not a page is tied to a commercial partner has no bearing on what we recommend, nor on the order of a ranking.

When we decide which topics to tackle first, we take into account what travellers search for most. But once a page is written, the quality of the information comes first, never a commercial consideration.

8. Self-assessment and acknowledged limits

We acknowledge that:

• An author’s experience, however extensive, remains partial. A destination “known” by our team does not mean “exhausted.”
• Prices and formalities change fast: a guide up-to-date today may be outdated on specific points in 6 months.
• Comparator pages reflect a snapshot; a product’s score may evolve.

To report a gap or challenge an analysis: redaction@lheureduvoyage.com.

9. Evolution of the methodology

This methodology is reviewed annually. Any structural change (new scoring criterion, weight change) is documented publicly and triggers a re-evaluation of existing content.

Methodology last updated on May 22, 2026.