bon voyage
/bɔ̃ vwa.jaʒ/
The English phrase 'travel mercies' can be expressed in French as bon voyage.
While 'travel mercies' in English often carries a religious connotation, bon voyage is a secular, standard way to wish someone a safe trip in French.
Did you know?
- The word voyage is a doublet of viatique, a term used in the Catholic Church to describe the final Eucharist given to a dying person for their journey to the afterlife.
- While bon voyage is the standard greeting, French speakers often substitute it with bonne route if the person is departing by car or on a terrestrial journey.
- Although bon voyage is the standard phrase, using it for a very short trip like a ten minute drive to the store can sound ironically dramatic or humorous to a native speaker.
Examples in context
- Bon voyage à toi !Have a good trip!
- Je vous souhaite un bon voyage.I wish you a good journey.
- Bon voyage, on se voit bientôt.Safe travels, see you soon.
Example conversation
Nathan is leaving for a weekend trip and Chloé is seeing him off.
- ChloéN'oublie pas ton passeport, Nathan.Don't forget your passport, Nathan.
- NathanMerci, je l'ai dans mon sac.Thanks, I have it in my bag.
- ChloéAlors, bon voyage !Well, have a safe trip!
- NathanMerci beaucoup, Chloé, à bientôt.Thank you very much, Chloé, see you soon.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bon voyage, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bon, voyage, CC BY-SA 4.0.
