Why Tunisia
The country is small — less than half the size of France — and concentrates within that area Carthage, one of the best preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world at El Jem, the great mosque of Kairouan, troglodyte Berber villages and the gateway to the Sahara. Eight sites are World Heritage listed.
It is also the most accessible long-haul destination from France after Morocco: two hours' flight, one hour's time difference, and French everywhere.
Getting around
The train links Tunis to Sousse, Monastir and Sfax along the coast, with variable comfort but negligible fares. The TGM, a suburban line, serves Carthage and Sidi Bou Said from Tunis in half an hour.
The louages — eight-seat shared taxis — are the country's real network: they leave when they are full, go everywhere, and cost little. The louage stations are worth knowing city by city. A car is necessary for the South.
Money
The dinar is a non-convertible currency: you cannot obtain it before leaving and you cannot take it out. Exchange is done on site, and you must keep the receipts to convert the remainder back on departure.
Cash dominates: souks, louages, cafés, small businesses. Cards work in hotels and the large stores. Haggling is practised in the souks, not elsewhere.
Before you go
The border areas with Libya and Algeria, as well as certain regions of the south-west, are subject to restrictive official advice: consult it before tracing an itinerary in the South.
The Sahara is not visited alone in a rental car: the tracks require a 4x4, a guide and often an authorisation. The circuits leave from Douz or Tozeur.
In summer, the coast is saturated with beach tourism while the interior is empty. Shifting by a month, to June or September, entirely changes the stay and the prices.