AF Seat sale from Canadian airports

Got notice today of 3 day seat sale - Canadian airports to various European destinations via CDG. Travel in first quarter of 2010.

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What%26#39;s the link?

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HI -

Sorry - I had no time to do more than I did at the time - The fares start at $599 CAD, including taxes and fees!!! purchase by October 29 and travel Dec 24,2009 to March 31, 2010

airfrance.com/cgi-bin/…

The fares apply from Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. this link is the one for a Montreal departure. Try the AF web site without all the other fallerall and see if it works. If it doesn%26#39;t, this may apply to FlyBlue membership.

Carcassonne - October 2009

Hi all,

My wife %26amp; I are going to Carcassonne on October 19th for one week. We%26#39;re staying in our friends house in the village of Malvies from Monday October 19th until Friday October 23rd %26amp; we plan to stay in a hotel in Carcassonne from Friday October 23rd until our return on Monday October 26th.

I plan on renting a car from the airport for the five days %26amp; return to the airport %26amp; then head back by taxi into the city. The cheapest quote I have got so far for car hire is €149 via EasyTerra Car Rental. Does that seem reasonable? It%26#39;s for a Fiat Punto manual with a/c.

Is three nights in Carcassonne enough or too much?

I have checked the various hotels on TripAdvisor and I still am confused as to what to go for! If anyone has been in Carcassonne recently would you have a recommendation for a good mid-priced hotel?

This is our first visit to the region and any other general tips would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Bridgewell

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Hi

I think one day in Carcassonne is enough.

Many stay longer, but use it as a base for driving each day.

As for the car hire - it seems slightly expensive, so try this :

*go to Ryanair booking site

*select %26quot;cheap rental cars from Hertz%26quot;

*look out for offers - often 7 days is cheaper than 4 or 5

*follow the booking procedure

*enter the Ryanair flight number nearest to the pick up time ( even if you are flying on a different flight or airline, you will get a discount)

*get an annual INS excess policy. This will pay for itself in 5 days (£49). See notes here : the-languedoc-page.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php…

Peter

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Thanks mpprh for your prompt reply %26amp; advice.

I note your comment re Carcassonne - we still haven%26#39;t decided how long we will stay there - I would like to stay there at least two nights so I can have a few drinks without having to worry or think about driving! I am considering booking accommodation in Le Jardin de la Cite, if they have availability. It%26#39;s No.1 on TripAdvisor for B%26amp;Bs.

I had a look at the RyanAir website for car hire %26amp; followed your instructions - it was dearer than EasyTerra car rental. For a similar car (Opel Corsa) it was €202 for five days or €223 for seven days.

It does appear to me that car hire is expensive in France, based on my research on the internet to date.

Thanks again for your advice

Bridgewell

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Stayed at the hotel Montmorency last year and was very happy with it. Cheaper than the Chateau, had car parking and was right at the city gate. IMO a whole day is long enough to see the main site. Its good to stay close as it`s much more pleasant after hours when the hordes have left.

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Thanks Hugo,

I%26#39;m still inclined to stay for two nights in Carcassonne i.e. the Saturday %26amp; Sunday night - we fly home on the Monday.

I previously had a look at Hotel Montmorency %26amp; on your advice I just had a look at it again. I am impressed %26amp; the cost seems reasonable - €195 for the two of us for two nights for a superior room.

Once again thanks for your advice

Bridgewell

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Just as an extra, we tried to book this through Planigo who claimed to have it available. Upon booking we were told it was unavailable due to the busy season. Got in touch with the hotel and successfully made our booking direct. Checkin, parking and breakfast are across the road at the Chateau. Two nights is good. One whole day!

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Hi again Hugo,

That%26#39;s what I thought too - Saturday afternoon/night and all day Sunday %26amp; evening in Carcassonne and fly home Monday morning.

The rate I quoted in my previous post was the one that I got off the hotel%26#39;s website.

Unusually it only appears that one or two third party hotel booking sites have Hotel Montmorency listed.

Bridgewell

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My husband, small son and I will be in Carcassonne from 10/20-27th, and we aren%26#39;t even renting a car. (We have rented a house in the old city wall.) From what I%26#39;ve read, if you%26#39;re OK with a laid-back vacation, there%26#39;s plenty to see and experience. We%26#39;re looking forward to poking around the city, sampling the local cuisine, and just exploring the area.

Enjoy your stay!

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Hi all,

Thanks for all your replies to my post above.

We%26#39;re off to Carcassonne tomorrow and looking forward to it.

We hired a car in the end with Europcar - €190 for 7 days plus €36 daily excess insurance with Insurane4CarHire.com.

As we%26#39;re selfcatering we decided to go ahead and book one night in Carcassone to break up our holiday %26amp; went ahead with Hotel Montmorency at €106 for the two of us for one night, booked directly with the hotel.

Looking forward to our holiday in Languedoc-Rousillon

Bridgewell

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Carcassonne is a town rich in culture, to only spend one day there would not be enough to scratch the surface. I am biased because I am lucky enough to live here, yesterday in the Autumn sunshine the streets were full of life, La Cité and the Bastide were vibrant. Look beyond the obvious spots and explore the Canal du Midi either by foot, boat or bike or enjoy the footpaths along the River Aude. You could head straight for the Tourist office for details of one of the very many events that are hosted all year round, many are free. Slightly out of town there is Carcassonne Plage, in all four directions a different wine appellation to savour. Enjoy your holiday !!

Ski Basics

Any reviews/word about Ski Basics Chalets?

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Hi Penny,

We stayed in Chalet Fourmi in 2005. Although not very spacious it was nice and the location great as the Morel chairlift was just across the road. It was nice not having to do any cooking and cleaning and the food was good (did not look quite like the pictures in the brochures, but was fine). We were 8 in the group and a friend organized this so we just split the cost in four and we paid our bit. We are going again in 2010 but with three kids and was looking at a six sleeper but found the cost quite high. We are doing self catering and the hubby promised to do half of the cooking and the kids are in charge of breakfast... I can recommend Ski Basics.

Lunch at the Arab Institute

Has anyone eaten lunch at the Arab Institute%26#39;s roof top restaurant. If so what is the food like - I assume it is middle eastern? Would I need to book for a Sunday in November? What are the prices like?

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I%26#39;ve had dinner there. Meals were tagines and the like. The view is superb, especially if it is nice enough to sit on the terrasse. The food was okay. I don%26#39;t remember the prices, but I do know that you are paying for the venue, as well as the food.

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haven%26#39;t eaten there but must say that their museum is the most disappointing museum experience and the most overpriced, I have had in Paris --

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We%26#39;ve gone up to the roof just for the view, to take a few photos, and have tea, but IMO you can do better at a cafe in the area.

Pjk

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Thanks everyone.......if the food is just ok, maybe I will give it a miss. I was hoping for a restaurant with a view and good food.

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Didn%26#39;t eat there, but checked there menu. IMHO the prices are high. The view from terrace is nice, but there is a lot places with much better view.

Entrevaux

I would like to visit the village in November (without car).

I%26#39;ve got several questions:

1 Does it make sens to go there in November or the weather will not be pleasent for walks/ all attractions closed?

2 I%26#39;ve seen from the internet site of the city that there is hill with the castle. How to go to the top? only by foot or any tourist trains/local buses

3 The pictures outside of the village is fantastic. Are there any places with good view to the village? Any local buses to use in oder to go to the scenic view?

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It%26#39;s perfectly alright to visit Entrevaux in November (average temperatures in the area during daytime are 10°C-13°C and providing it doesn%26#39;t rain, you%26#39;ll definitely enjoy walking around the village). Both the Cathedral and the Four à pain will be open and the access to the castle (%26quot;citadelle%26quot;) at the bottom of the hill is through a gate that is %26#39;token-operated%26#39; %26gt; buy your tokens from the machine that is right next to the gate (make sure you have coins), therefore it is always open.

There is no train or bus to the top of the hill, you%26#39;ll have to walk approx 25-30 mins to reach the castle. From there, the views over the rooftops and the river Var flowing past the village in a semi-circle are amazing. And you%26#39;ll get another great view of the village %26amp; castle from the road when you arrive/leave.

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Entrevaux is lived in all year round so the few shops and restaurants stay open.

Its a steep zigzag walk up to the top of the citadel but worth it for the amazing views. It is a bit hair raising in parts if you suffer from vertigo

On a sunny November day it would be an amazing day trip and the walk to the citadel would be less exhausting and the visibiliy likely to be better than in summer.

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To get there from Nice use the little train http://www.trainprovence.com/ which is about 15 mins walk from Nice Villetrain stn.

You walk through the %26#39;Old village%26#39; to get to the citadel.

For a good lunch choose the restaurant opposite and slightly up from the main entrance to the village, the only hotel actually closes at lunch time!

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%26lt; the only hotel actually closes at lunch time! %26gt;

Peteram, if it%26#39;s the Vauban you%26#39;re referring to, it%26#39;s closed on Sun evenings %26amp; Mondays (all day) only at this time of year.

(From mid July to the end of August it is open 7/7 %26amp; it is closed from mid Dec to mid Feb for holidays)

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The hotel waitress at 2.15 pm on a Monday in Aug - Je suis desolee - we are closed for lunch, we had a brilliant lunch directly accross the road.

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Monday is a common day for places to be closed - especially outside the main towns.

Quite a few places even shut in Nice on a monday.

People should always check beforehand for opening times [especially on a monday] if they are relying on visiting a particular restaurant or shop in a small village.

Apart from Monday closing affecting things , many shops in the hinterland still take a very long lunch and don%26#39;t open in the afternoon till well after 3

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Also, most restaurants don%26#39;t serve lunch after 2.00 pm or might only offer a small selection of dishes because their kitchen %26#39;closes%26#39; at a certain time even on their normal business days. It%26#39;s a good thing you managed to get a proper lunch this late, especially in a small village!

Help me figure out a Velib work-around!

OK, so we are heading back to Paris the end of this week, and I really want to create a work around for people like us who have a US credit card, without the chip. I had read there is a 5 or 7 day pass...is this the type of thing one can buy now, at home, over the Internet with their credit/debit card for the week they will be there?

If so, is there an English section of the web site? My French is passable conversation wise, but my reading lacks a thing or two...

And if one can buy the week pass now, how do you use it once you get to a Velib stand? I am aware it may not be the most economical choice, but without a chip card there is no other choise...so it might be worth it for us...

If you have done it, please add you insite so we can figure this out...I am tired of going and not being able to get on the road!!!

Sean

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I copied the following from www.europeforvisitors.com

For more information, see www.velib.paris.fr click %26quot;English%26quot; in the language-selection box, and use the English-language navigation menus

But - I found that selecting %26quot;autres langues%26quot; -%26gt; anglais%26quot; didn%26#39;t translate the entire page into English. so - the work around is this -

Google Velib Pass, Paris, and click on Translate this page for this site -

Vélib%26#39; - vélos en libre-service à Paris - Site Officiel - Paris - [ Translate this page ]

Et, voila!! The entire page comes up in English.

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You could always rent a bike....

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I think the difficulty is that the credit card acts as a deposit - there is a 150€ charge against it during the period of subscription (short-term is either 1 day or 7 days), and it will also be charged if you have a bike out for longer than 30 minutes. The velib website gives details of sending off for a one year subscription, but nothing about alternative ways of setting up a short-term subscription.

We used them for the first time last week, and noticed there is a mechanism for linking the velib subscription to a Navigo pass, but I think this may simply be to get the bike out faster (just a swipe, rather than having to feed in numbers each time).

Velib terms and conditions in English are here http://www.en.velib.paris.fr/content/download/1750/13328/version/1/file/3+volet+CGAU+Courte+Duree-Anglais.pdf

Funnily enough, having used velib this time, we are seriously considering renting our own bikes next time.

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Here%26#39;s the info on the Short-term subscription in English

…paris.fr/abonnements_tarifs/abonnement_cour…

Despite the fact that the link to more information (En savoir plus) is in French, it does in fact take you to another page in English. And that page does confirm that even for a 7-day (€5) short-term subscription your credit card will be debited the €150 charge.

And by the way, to see the site in English, in the top right hand corner there%26#39;s a window %26quot;Autre langues%26quot; - click on that and then English, et voilà!

However, for some very strange reason, the home page (even on the English site) is in French but the other pages are not.

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And if this is an example of what you get when you click [translate this page] in Google, I wouldn%26#39;t be relying on it too much! :-)

Cyclists Paris, you could see by 2012 cyclists London rejoindrent bike paths in the capital. Lovers of long walks and tourism, you can rent a bicycle to bicycle shops or ride your bike staff to borrow a bike lane Paris - London with a length of 350 km!

For those who read French, this is the French version:

%26quot;Cyclistes parisiens, vous pourriez voir d’ici 2012 des cyclistes londoniens rejoindrent les pistes cyclables de la capitale. Amateurs de longues balades et de tourisme vert, vous pourrez louer un vélo aux vélocistes ou enfourcher votre vélo personnel pour emprunter une voie cyclable Paris – Londres d’une longueur de 350 km !%26quot;

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There is a short demonstration, with subtitles in French, (pause it while you translate!) explaining how to subscribe and borrow bikes: www.paris.fr/portail/Solidarites/Portal.lut…

In fact, hiring the bikes, there is an English language option on the post - we selected this and got English language information every subsequent occasion we fed in the subscription numbers.

I was wondering ...

Someone posted a while ago about youngsters without a credit card who were able to take out a velib subscription using a debit (ATM) card. What they did not realise until too late was that the 150€ %26#39;caution%26#39; was actually removed from their account - my memory is that this happened every time they used a bike. It was not refunded for several DAYS, so there was an overdraft letter waiting for them when they got home. And there were exchange costs for the money to be changed both ways (€ to £ going out then € to £ when it went back in).

It%26#39;s not a sensible regular option, but it might be worth trying if you just want to try a velib as an experience.

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You will not be able to use Velib without a credit card with a chip or an American Express card.

For the complete Velib brochure in English

www.paris.fr/portail/viewPDFileServlet…

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You guys are great!

I have viewed the pages in English, and did som google work before I posted this. The impass is as follows...

The Velib site says:

%26quot;Day Vélib’ ticket (€1) and 7-day Vélib’ ticket (€5)**(18/06/2007)

A 1 Day or 7 Day Vélib’ Ticket gives you unlimited number of journeys for the duration of the subscription period.

A 1-day or a 7-day Vélib’ ticket is available for purchase ****on the web*** or at any of our Vélib’ Service Points...%26quot;

Which leads me to belive we could buy it now on line. As for the deposit, I%26#39;d use a credit card so the hold doesn%26#39;t effect us.

Also, I saw the video link posted, and they also show the Navigo being used. We have ours from past trips and will recharge it this time.....how does it work with Velib?

Sean

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%26lt;%26lt;A 1-day or a 7-day Vélib’ ticket is available for purchase ****on the web*** or at any of our Vélib’ Service Points...%26quot;%26gt;%26gt;

I think this may be a translation error. If you read the brochure and/or click on %26quot;Abonnez vous ! Cliquez ici pour vous pré-abonner en ligne%26quot;, it%26#39;s only the annual subscription that can be purchased online.

While a Velib subscription can be linked to a Navigo card, a Navigo Decouverte will not work. Navigo cards have an 11-digit number on the back and are also linked to a bank account, whereas Navigo Decouverte cards have a 6 digit number on the front and are not linked to a bank account.

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Removed on: 1:05 pm, October 27, 2009

Should I go to Bordeaux?

Hey,

Im travelling Europe at the moment and next summer i%26#39;ll be comming up from Barcelona to Paris, but im thinking of stopping in Bordeaux on the way, ive looked it up on google and read about it etc but I still cant decide weather to go. I like to see the sights, kinda like doing the tourist stuff as well as getting off the beaten path.. ill be only 19 next summer so i%26#39;ll also want check out the night life and the local bars, do you think I%26#39;d have a good time there?

Thanks,

Benjamin

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Bordeaux is hardly %26#39;on the way%26#39; between Barcelona and Paris but once you have overcome that obstacle Bordeaux is a very interesting city, full of history and culture. it also has a large university, which at the right times of year makes for a lively night-life.

Bordeaux is also a good base from which to explore the surrounding region, which has many pleasant small towns and is of course world-renowned for its wines.

Not far away also are many beach resorts.

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What Cubsur says about Bordeaux is of course correct and I wouldn%26#39;t want to deter you from visiting one of France%26#39;s great cities. However, the same is true for Toulouse which is less far off your route, however you are travelling.

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Having visited both several times, I couldn%26#39;t argue against Toulouse either. In fact, the sensible route could be Barcelona - Toulouse - Bordeaux - Paris. Going by train Barcelona to Bordeaux (or by car) you have to go past Toulouse anyway.

Train from Paris to Perpignan or Argeles sur mer

I am in Australia and am going to La Sirene holiday park in June 2010. We will be taking the train from Paris to this area. I am trying to work out whether we take the train to Perpignan or to Argeles station.

Can someone advise me the distance from the two train stations to La Sirene?. We will most likely be picked up from either station by family but would prefer the one closet to the La Sirene. Thanks

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La Sirene is in Argeles so Argeles is where you want to go.

See www.sncf.com for timetables.

It depends on which train you take in Paris. All will stop in Perpignan and most will not stop in Argeles so you%26#39;ll have to get off at Perpignan and take another train to Argeles (it is a 20 mn journey and trains are frequent).

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Thank you for the info, much appreciated.. can you please tell me how long does it take by car from Perpignan train station to La Sirene?

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Less than 30 minutes, Perpigan to Argelès is approx. 25 km.

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I did this journey last summer. I changed at Perpignan for a train to Argeles. There were no problems, just change platforms and less than 20 minutes later you are in Argeles. Very nice trains too. There are taxis outside the station but you may have to wait for the driver to return unless you prebook.

Book your TGV tickets online threee months in advance and you will pick up a Prem fare where 1st class is about £5 more than 2nd. A great deal!

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Good point about the taxis at Argeles station - I had a long wait last time and no phone. The taxi office is about 100 metres down the road from the station so I went inside. When returning to the station, it is just about essential to pre-book a taxi a couple of days beforehand.

Gagnac sur Cere

Hope I%26#39;m in the correct forum - please let me know if not.

Thinking of booking a cottage in Port de Gagnac (near Gagnac sur Cere) in September next year. Have done a search but can find nothing. Would this be a good base for visiting Albi, Rocamodour? We want to experience village life, or is this too isolated.

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Well if it%26#39;s the Gagnac-sur-Cere I think it is, for example you will be around 100 miles/140km from Albi, maybe 2 hours drive on those rural roads. Isn%26#39;t that a bit far for a little day trip? Certainly there are plenty of nice places in and around the area including Brive, Tulle and Aurillac as well as the Dordogne valley.

The area as a whole is pretty isolated. La France profonde is I believe the expression that would suit.

The village is only just inside Midi-Pyrenees and you might also wish to pose your question in the Aquitaine/Dordogne valley forum.

Anyone know the Terminal at CDG where USAirways lands?

I am meeting my sister at CDG. She%26#39;s flying Air France, which I am fairly sure always lands at Terminal 2 . I am on USAirways. (Yes, I know) Neither ticket indicates the CDG landing terminal.

We plan to take the train from CDG to Avignon. I%26#39;m not sure if the train can be accessed from both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Does anyone know?

Also, I%26#39;ve never taken the shuttle between terminals. How long would that take? Thanks, all.

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US AIR flights (from PHL ??) arrive at and depart from CDG #1...a short ride (8 mins..frequency 1-every-4 mins) across the airport via the free CDGVAL shuttle/train, from the lower level of CDG #1 to the CDG #2 TGV-RER train station. The CDG# 2 TGV-RER train station is inter-connected between CDG #2-C %26amp; C and CDG #2-E %26amp; F. This is a fairly quick and simple transfer--

CDG Airport Map %26amp; Terminal Diagrams--

aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/…maps.htm

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USAirways flights from Charlotte also land at Terminal 1. I think all Star Alliance flights do.

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To the best of my knowledge, the only direct flight that US Air offers between the US and CDG is from Philadelphia(PHL). All other US Air flights from the US will %26#39;..connect..%26#39; (change planes) to the PHL-CDG flight onward...This flight will arrive at CDG #1.

Many of the twenty-five(25) STAR ALLIANCE %26#39;..partner airlines..%26#39; flights will arrive at CDG #1. Not all. SOME will arrive at various CDG #2 terminals; one(1) at CDG-T3 and one at ORLY.

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Many thanks to both of you for such thorough replies to my question. My USAir flight is actually through Charlotte. I will plan to take the shuttle from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 to meet my sister.

I%26#39;ve been to Paris several times. My sister has not. A dumb question: Does anyone have a suggestion for a foolproof meeting place in Terminal 2 before we catch the train? The airport is so large and we may not have cell phone access to each other. Our flights are scheduled to arrive CDG within minutes of each other.

Thanks again.

How many days to do Europe?

Hello. I am planning on making my mark in Europe. How many days do you suggest taking off to see Europe? At least the more popular spots? I want to %26quot;blend in with the locals%26quot;

Thanks!

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You are being a little ambitious. I would need two or three years to %26quot;see Europe%26quot;. It is an entire continent, filled with sights and treasures.

How many days would I need to see America??

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This is a joke, right? Anyway, I%26#39;ll bite...

There are close to 50 (I think 47 but don%26#39;t make me swear an oath on that...) countries in Europe of which at least ten are major destination countries like France, Italy, the UK and so on. Allowing two weeks for a minimal superficial visit to each of those, perhaps an average of a week each for about 15 more, and skipping the rest (along with Russia and Turkey that are part European...), you arrive at about 35 weeks to which you would have to add perhaps another couple of weeks travel time, so maybe 9-10 months would give you a fairly good basic overview.

As to your desire to %26quot;blend in with the locals%26quot; you%26#39;d better pick one country in whose language you have decent facility. Set up residence there (assuming you can overcome the immigration hurdles) and work VERY hard at becoming REALLY fluent in the language. After perhaps five years you will begin to have the ability to %26quot;blend in with the locals.%26quot;

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There are only about 25 countries in North America, Nick, so perhaps half as long as Europe? Maybe six months for a quickie overview? Of course if you meant both North and South America we%26#39;d be back at the year it would take for a quick once-over of most of Europe, give or take...

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The longest I can take off work is for a month to Europe. My personality does not allow me to stay in one location for too long so I am going to do the train thing througout. But I think you are right. It is a little too ambitious to make a real stamp in Europe in that short period of time. I just discovered this site and I think its the best thing on line for travel advice and recommendations.

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Planning a whistle-stop(!) tour by train sounds a good idea. Don%26#39;t plan on too many places, and leave enough time in each place to get a flavour, even if you do have ants in your pants!

Maybe in later years you%26#39;ll come back to build on your memories!

GG

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OK. Now I know you have a month, here is some genuine advice.

Each time you move from one town to another, you are going to loose the best part of a day. Therefore, although you like moving around, don%26#39;t plan on going to more than eight towns, and preferably fewer. You have to spend a few days in a European town to get any kind of feel for it.

In my opinion, the two cities that you really %26quot;must see%26quot; are Paris and Rome. If you agree with this view, then it would make sense to fly into Paris and out of Rome (or the other way round). Then sit down with some French and Italian guidebooks to work out which places you would like to see that are roughly in a line between Paris and Rome.

If you are intending to stay in towns, the best way of travelling will be by train. You can get train times and costs at:

France: www.tgv-europe.com but say you are from Great Britain

Italy: www.trenitalia.com

Rail timetables will change on 12 December, and there is not yet full information beyond that date. Use travel dates in the next week for your planning: times and costs will not change much.

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why not rent a car? Then you can wander as the spirit moves you.

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If you rent a car in one country and drop off in another, there will be a large relocation fee.

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Since you have a whole month, you really should consider doing a car lease purchase rather than a rental. Driving ( especially if you use really good guidebooks like the Michelin Green Guides for France) will allow you to really see and explore, as opposed to just breezing by the wonderful smaller towns and villages that are the most important and wonderful places. If you decide to get around via rail, you will not only seriously reduce your access to many of the most wonderful sites, but you will be entirely dependent upon the train schedules, and will waste alot of your time getting fron place to place and hauling your luggage around - UGH !!!.

Above all, you need to realize that you %26quot;can%26#39;t do / see it all (Europe) in a month,%26quot; and doing a %26quot;whistle-stop type tour will only allow you to say that you have %26quot;been there%26quot; as opposed to really getting a good feel / understanding of several regions.

If you are interested in both France and Italy, you might want to consider flying into Paris, travelling South, eventually into Northern Italy, and returning home from an airport in Southern France ( NIce or Marseille ) . T

here are many routes that you can consider, but the bottom line is that you need to realize that you can%26#39;t %26quot;do%26quot; Europe%26quot; in a month - or even 3 or 4 months. Above all, you need to think of this trip as your FIRST trip to Europe as opposed to your ONLY visit to Europe.

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1 day per country --- morning for the high points and afternoon for the blending in with the locals.

Ski schools morzine

Any tips on a good ski school in Morzine for adults. There is a big difference in price between esf and some of the english based schools? Or would you be better getting maybe 3 days X 2 hrs private tuition?

Any tips greatly appreciated!

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I%26#39;ve skied in Morzine but haven%26#39;t taken lessons there. However, last year my children (never skied before) had private lessons in Flaine. I had to do this as we were only there for 3 days and ski schools were for a whole week. I was really pleased at how well they got on and would now give the advice to anyone to take private lessons. There was no waiting around for others and the teaching was exactly aimed at their confidence and competence levels. I think they got more out of 3 day /2 hours individual tuition than they would have got in a week of ski school, and they certainly got the skiing bug. I%26#39;m bringing them to Morzine this time. The benefit of ski school though is that it is more sociable and you%26#39;ll meet people to ski with and have a vin chaud with. Have a great time.

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Thanks for the advice, I think you are right that maybe 3 days of 2 hr private lessons are better and it frees up more time to explore the slopes!

L'Esterel

What is the best way to explore the Esterel massif without hiring a car.

I new thatt here is a train and a bus from St Rafael to Agay, but were eaxtyl to leave the train/bus to have thebest views/enjoy tge region most?

Students on a budget first time to Paris

My son and his girlfriend are off to Europe from Australia for Christmas. As it is their first trip they are very excited, but absolutely in the dark about where to stay in Paris. They have very limited funds! Any suggestions please?

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They should take a look at www.centreparis.com/ which is a budget apartment rental agency. They don%26#39;t have any security deposits, but only require 50% to be paid upon confirmation and 50% on arrival. As its getting much closer to December now, its best just to see what Centreparis has available, as others may have booked months in advance.

For hotels (and other types of accommodation), they should check out what%26#39;s available on www.venere.com/ during their dates.

Good luck and I hope they have a GREAT time in Paris! :)

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Hi JackyJacky,

You may check out this hotel - www.alfahotel.fr/. It is located near Metro Nation and a twin Bed Room costs euro 44 . I can provide feed-back in case you short-list this hotel.

Another site would be www.hostelbookers.com.

arvind

Provence to Milan in 6 days

We are traveling the end of Feb 2010 to Provence and the French Riviera for the first time. No particular schedule as of now but need one. Would love to see Provence, Monte Carlo and maybe Eze and then get to Milan within 6 days. Too ambitious? Need suggestions please and the best way to get from Monaco to Milan.

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The best way to get from Monaco to Milan is by train. Direct trains at 10.18 and 18.17 taking 4.5 hours for €30, plus other options with one change of train at Ventimiglia. See http://trenitalia.it/homepage_en.html for train times up to December 12, after which precise times are not yet available as the timetable changes (but probably not by much).

Buy your train tickets in Monaco.

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Thanks so much perilizia for the help. What are your thoughts on trying to do Provence and the French Riviera in only 6 days? What places would you choose to go to at the end of Feb? We love food and wine and would love to see the countryside and charm of Provence.

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You can see a lot in six days - depends what your particular interests are (food, wine and countryside are everywhere!). In February you need to have variable plans which give you things to do in both good weather (it might be beautiful) and poor weather.

I would suggest a long look at a guide-book on southern France or Provence and the Cote d%26#39;Azur.

Cell Phone Service

I am looking at renting a cell phone for visiting Chamonix and am told it would be a Mobiho service on GSM. Does anyone know if this service has reliable coverage in Chamonix and on the surrounding slopes? Or if not, do you have a recommendation for what carrier to look for?

I would hate to rent a cell phone only to discover that service is spotty or non-existent in Chamonix. Thank you.

|||

I normally get 3 different services in Chamonix SFR , which I use, and 2 others. All have good signal strength.

I doubt there will be an issue as when you see the amount of people using mobile phones on the slopes it must be OK

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In England I have Orange, and my wife has One to One. Does anyone know if either (or both) of these cover Chamonix area?

First time on a ferry!

there is probably a very simple answer to my question but here goes.

How far in advance do we need to be at the ferry before boarding?

we have not booked with P%26amp;O and i imagine when i do i will be told.

This info has a knock on effect to other travel plans so any info would be much appreciated

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If you%26#39;re arriving with a car it%26#39;s usually an hour before but check on the various websites. Besides P%26amp;O there is also SeaFrance on that crossing and Norfolkline (my current favourite ferry line on the shorter crossings) travel from Dover to Dunkerque, which is a little further north (about 20 mins on the autoroute) but is a more relaxed crossing with nicer boats. In fact, I%26#39;d rate P%26amp;O the worst on that crossing.

LD Lines also do Dover-Boulogne. I%26#39;ve not tried them but their prices are good and people I know give them good reviews.

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If you fancy driving via the Tunnel, it%26#39;s very convenient; we usually find it%26#39;s an an hour from UK motorway to French motorway. It%26#39;s dearer than ferries, but if booked ahead isn%26#39;t always too bad, especially out of season.

We haven%26#39;t taken a ferry for years, apart from just after the fire last autumn. Sea sickness and the longer time taken took us to the Tunnel.

GG

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From your address I presume you%26#39;re coming down from Scotland and by car.

We travel by car from Derbyshire and our journey times over the years have varied from three and a half hours up to seven hours, due to an M1 accident and long detour.

Trying to time it right to arrive at Dover for the ferry, say for mid-afternoon, will be more down to traffic conditions, road works, petrol and food stops than your initial expectations.

I would suggest that going by Eurotunnel could be a better option as they normally put you on the next train whatever the time on your ticket says.

And that usually entails only about a half hour wait.

The times between ferries vary from three quarters of an hour up to two hours so you might have a long wait when you get to Dover.

Eurotunnel only takes 35 minutes and the ferries 75 to 90 mins.

Arriving about an hour before departure on most Ferries is usually ok.

LD Ferry have fewer crossings and require an earlier arrival at Dover and Boulogne.

We%26#39;ve done ferries, hovercraft and tunnel and now we usually go for Eurotunnel because of the speedy crossing, not having to worry about the time we arrive or the weather conditions in the Channel.

On one occasion we left Derbyshire in balmy sunny weather but by the time we arrived in Dover there was a force 10 gale blowing and no ferries crossing all day.

We had to make a quick phone call and book on the train or we would have lost at least a day of our holiday.

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I do normally travel by ferry (who I travel with likes to sail). You normally have to arrive about an hour before though to check in as they have to upload you (or whatever the phrase is) onto the ferry. Tunnel is quickiest way over though.

Last time I went on a ferry though, it was very windy and the crossing was rather rough with the ferry lifting up 6 - 8 feet in the air etc with waves crashing over the deck, but I wasn%26#39;t seasick (guess I%26#39;m lucky, alot of people where ill though).

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I prefer ferries to the tunnel because a ferry crossing gives you a decent break after a long drive with the opportunity to walk around and have a meal etc, whereas in the Tunnel you can sit in your car or, er, stand next to it.

After many, many Channel crossings over the years I can also say that the only really significant delays I have ever had have been with the Tunnel (usually down to signalling problems). And although the Tunnel will try to put you onto another crossing if they can, at busy times they may not be able to. When I missed check-in by 10 minutes last year, due to bad weather en route, the next train they could get us on was over 7 hours later, at 3am - not the most fun evening I have ever had.

Either form of transport has its advantages - it%26#39;s a matter of personal preference really.

Any recommendations for lesser known Champagne houses?

Mrs Maximus and I will be spending a couple of days in Epernay later this month to replenish our badly depleted Champagne stocks. We already have a couple of places in mind that we definitely want to visit, but it%26#39;s always nice to try something new, so we%26#39;d also like to visit some small Champagne houses we%26#39;ve never tried before and see if we like them.

Does anyone have any recommendations for real little gems among the small Champagne houses? In or near Epernay would be a plus, but it%26#39;s not a problem to drive around a bit to hunt out the good places if need be.

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I like Champagne Raymond Boulard which is just outside Reims close to the motorway back to Calais which I am guessing you%26#39;ll be driving back on.

Francis Boulard is the owner/viticulturist/winemaker. He speaks limited English, is very open-minded in that he runs a group that tastes sparkling wines from all over the world. He is growing bio-dynamically and makes a range of Champagnes.

He ownes vineyards in 5 areas of Champagne including Grand-Cru rated vineyards.

The website is at www.champagne-boulard.fr/en/vineyard.htm

I suggest you email first to check he is personally available to pour your tastings as otherwise he may be in the vineyards.

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Ruinart in Reims.

Tioshuttle - transfer from CDG to Disneyland

I am just wondering if anyone has used this transfer company before ? We are looking for transfers from CDG to Disneyland for 4 adults and 1 child. Thanks

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To reach Chessy/DLP from CDG,

1. TGV

(non refundable fares vary depending upon departure time from 15€ to 30€)

Travel time 9-10 minutes

http://www.voyages-sncf.com/

depart: AEROPORT CDG 2 TGV (95) arrive: MARNE LA VALLEE CHESSY

__________

2. Bus (VEA)

http://www.vea.fr/uk/index.asp

Adults – 17€, children under 12 – 13€

Departures every 20 minutes from 8:55 a.m. until 8:05 p.m. except:

Until 8:25 p.m. on Monday %26amp; Thursday

Plus 10:25 p.m. on Friday

Plus 9:55 p.m. on Sunday

Travel time about 1 hour

__________

3. RER (train/métro)

http://www.ratp.com/

RER Line B towards Chatelet-Les Halles; change to Line A for Marne-La Vallee/Disneyland

This is probably the cheapest option (8.20€) but it can take up to 2 hours.

__________

4. Shuttle

paris-blue-airport-shuttle.fr/index_en.php

Private shuttle from 1 to 8 people – 60€ to 100€

Shared ride from 1 to 8 people – 45€ to 12.50€ per person

http://www.paris-shuttle.com/

Private shuttle from 1 to 6 people – 80€ to 95€

Shared ride from 1 to 6 people – 45€ to 15€ per person

Travel time about 1 hour

Reliability varies

__________

5. Taxi

http://www.taxisg7.com/

Convenient but can be expensive

Travel time about 1 hour

Cost estimate: 75€+

_________

Most hotels have transportation from DLP/Chessy. There is a free %26quot;pink shuttle bus%26quot; that connects a large number of hotels in the area. This free shuttle can be very crowded and difficult to board at times, particularly with luggage and children.

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TioShuttle not good company

I have emailed them and rang them for 2 days, no one responds to messages or answers call, on one occassion the phone went through to the taxi driver, he said I cant help, call the main number,lol. (which i%26#39;ve been trying for 2 days)

Anyway if this is the service, what guarantee have I got they will pick me up from the airport!!

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We used Tioshuttle recently for our transfer to and from CDG Airport - Sequoioa Lodge Disney Hotel.

The service they provided was first class to say the least. The driver was smart,spoke perfect english and met as at arrivals as soon as we arrived.

He took us straight to our hotel very safely indeed.

The vehicle was large, comfortable, and fully air-conditioned with DVD for the little ones.

We paid 115 euros for round trip, half paid after each trip which was excellent.

We have been to Paris on 4 occasions over the last few years and this Company without doubt offers the best transfer service at a very reasonable rate.

I shall be recommending them to anyone going to paris and will certainly use them again, myself.

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Hi there,

We booked them in august, they were excellent and we will definitely use them when were back again.

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It%26#39;s so nice of these first-time posters to take the time to sign up to TA just to give us a glowing recommendation about their shuttle trip. You%26#39;d think that something else would have been a highlight worth posting about, like how wonderful DLP was, or the great hotel they stayed in, or the delicious meal they had at such-and-such a place, but apparently the shuttle from the airport outshone all these incidentals...

So it goes...

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Hi,

I am wanting to book Tio shuttle but cannot find a website for them, could you please tell me how you booked this firm, as 115 euros is a very good round trip for 5 people.

Thank you

Michaela

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Always useful to get new info even for us%26#39; old timers.%26#39; We used to fly to CDG before the Eurostar was built, and catch the Disney bus from there, but sometimes there was a long wait for it to arrive.

Have since travelled by Eurostar, but means we have to leave home at 6am, catch a train to Waterloo, then tube to St Pancras to catch the Disney train, getting us to DLP at 1.30pm.

Can%26#39;t do this in the winter months as the train time changes, and we have to book a travelodge the night before, as we can%26#39;t get to SP in time. All costs extra. Coming home again by train, we don%26#39;t get back to the New Forest until the early hours.

Have been considering flying from Southampton in future, as can get an early flight and be there mid morning. Late flight home, and only a short drive home from Soton. Similar price to Eurostar.

Would be good to have our own transport booked to get to DLP and return to airport quickly. Is this a private shuttle or do you share it with others? 115€ is good for a round trip for a group, but a bit pricey for just 2 people.

Do you book it for a set time? We booked a shuttle from Fumicino airport into Rome in June, but we wasted about 2hrs at the airport, having to join a queue, and then wait for the next shuttle. It was a nice air con Mercedes, but I would rather have got a taxi on arrival, and been on our way.

Sarastro, have you come across tioshuttle?

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%26lt;%26lt;Sarastro, have you come across tioshuttle?%26gt;%26gt;

This is the first I have heard of this company but there are many, many shuttle companies.

I have read nothing here so far that would entice me sufficiently to try them. I%26#39;ll stick with taxis, the bus options if convenient, or the RER when appropriate.

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does anybody have a website for tioshuttle?

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http://tioshuttle.com/info.html

Ryanair to Paris

I am thinking of booking a Ryanair flight to Paris, I know they leave you outside but you can get a shuttle, has anyone done this and how eay or hard is it?

Thanks

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It will take you around 1h - 1h30 (depending on traffic) to come from Beauvais to Porte Maillot (east of Paris) where you can access a metro station.

One way ticket will cost you 13€ per person between Paris and Beauvais.

CAUTION : For your departure, you will have to take the bus at Porte Maillot 3 HOURS prior landing time exactly !

But I know that from Dublin, it is the cheapest and easiest way to come to Paris... Even if it is not very easy to make this transfer.

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Sorry, I mean that Porte Maillot is situated on the extreme west part of Paris (17th district), not east... At Porte Maillot, you can take underground line 1, which is a very central metro line.

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Ryanair no more flies into Paris than the Cowboys play football in Dallas. Neither is really true but marketing departments want you believe that each of these is the reality.

Beauvais is indeed 60 to 90 minutes from Paris but for those using this airport to reach Disneyland Paris, you may expect a 2-3 hour connection time.

Christmas shopping strasbourg from afar

Hi, Wondering if any locals or others can advise me where I might be able to purchase some of the items you find at the Christmas Markets online? I am in Australia and last year did not purchase all the items I would have liked.

I particulrly am searching for the ceramic candle houses and glass winter scene candle holders.

Many thanks Snowy

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Looking at this web page it seems those things are made in China nowadays!

www.alibaba.com/showroom/Candle_House.html

But maybe you can find something more authentic here:

ot-soufflenheim.fr/voir-decouvrir/artisanat-…

www.pays-betschdorf-hatten.com/?page_id=54

Bye!

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Thanks, I%26#39;ll take a look.

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Just spent a week in Riquewihr where there is a Christmas shop that operates all year. It is a speciality shop that has a huge selection of Christmas items made in Germany; it seems that the %26quot;flagship%26quot; store is in Rothenburg.

Lovely handmade items; not inexpensive.

www.feeriedenoel.fr

www.bestofchristmas.com

email: feerie.de.noel@wanadoo.fr

Birthday Treats

Hiya

I am taking my nephew to DLP and on the day we leave he turns 7...do you know if anything can be organised as a wee treat for him?

Clare

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it depends on where you are staying - if in a Disney hotel it is worth contacting guest relations to see if they can organise anything.

DLP.GUEST.COMMUNICATION@disney.com

Alternatively why don%26#39;t you put some special bits together for him to open on the way there? Perhaps visit the Disney store beforehand and see if anything appeals.

Inexpensive hotels

My wife and I are going baack to Europe next summer. We have been several times before and have paid for the nicer hotels. Since we spend very little time in the hotel rooms when we travel, we are thinking about %26quot;being cheapies%26quot; on this trip and staying at hostels, etc. Does anyone have any information on travelling cheap in Europe? I remember years ago there was a book out entitled, %26quot;Europe on $5.00 day%26quot;. I know its know where near $5.00 a day these days - but our travel could be more economical than in the past.

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Paula Frommer writes a good guide book. I think its called someting like see more and spend less. Bravo to you both-why go to Europe and spend a large chunk of your budget on a hotel room that you%26#39; ll only use to sleep and store your stuff?

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Hi travellingcouple52,

If you could specify your hotel budget and the cities in Europe you intend visiting maybe I could help you out.

arvind

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Arvind

Thanks for the response. My hotel budget can be ~$150 USD per night, but I am trying to avoid that much. I really do not know what is realistic on the low side. $50 USD a night woulod be nice.

We are going to be in Salzburg, Bern, Berlin and Hamburg.Jeff

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There%26#39;s been another thread recently with a similar question - in fact it%26#39;s now split into two sections: hotels and apartments.

You might find something useful here

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k31780…

and here:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k31809…

What month are you travelling? That can make a difference to the price - June is typically dearer than August.

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I%26#39;ve stayed in various hotels in the Ibis chain the past when I%26#39;ve wanted to save a few quid. They are basic, but generally very reliable hotels, and might be just what you are looking for. There are a great many of them in France.

I doubt you%26#39;d find many for less than USD 50 per night, but you might not pay very much more than that if you book in advance on their website and go for some of their special offers. You can usually get quite good rates if you don%26#39;t mind paying in advance (non-refundable, obviously). For example, I stayed in an Ibis in Troyes earlier this month and only paid about GBP 45.

Just beware of really low-end hotels in France. I%26#39;ve stayed in some real dives in the past. A couple of them reminded me of a line from a Bill Bryson book when he talks about the cheap hotels his father chose when he was a kid: %26quot;At least at the Bates Motel you got a shower curtain%26quot;.

Eiffel tower twinkling

I´d like to know what time the Tower start to twinkle. I know that it blinks by night on the hour for 5min each, but I have to take a Eurostar at Gare du Nord on Sat Nov7t at 21.30 so I´d need to leave the Tower as early as possible to get the train on time

By the way, what is the best option to go from the Tower to the Station at that time that day? I was thinking of RER, but not sure by now.

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Hi,

Check out this link this should help with your question.

tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/…

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You are lucky: to celebrate the Tour Eiffel 120th birthday, there will be a special Light Show every evening at 8:00 pm, 9:00 pm, 10pm and 11pm (from now until December 31).

To go from the Tour Eiffel to Gare du Nord, the RER is indeed the fastest option (don%26#39;t forget to change train at St-Michel/Notre-Dame).

How long to transfer within CDG Terminal 2B

Hi,

I am an American planning an intra-Europe flight itinerary. My plan is to use Easyjet to fly from Milan (MXP) to CDG and then from CDG to Edinburgh. I will be able to do online check-in for both flights but there is only 45 minutes between when the first flight is scheduled to land and when I will need to be at the gate for the second flight (for the 30 minute pre-departure requirement).

Essentially I want to know if this is possible or if it is too much of a gamble. I have read on this forum that sometimes it takes 15-20 minutes to taxi to the gate. Once I deplane, will it be possible for me to just walk to the next gate within 2B or do I have to go through security? I%26#39;ve looked at a map of the terminal and I can%26#39;t tell what the 12 gates are (Numbered 1-12) and how they correspond to the flight gates (22B through 33B).

Thanks

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I may be more conservative than other posters here, but I wouldn%26#39;t take a chance on it. If your inbound flight is late on the ground or you have to disembark on the tarmac and ride a bus to the terminal, there%26#39;s no way you%26#39;ll make the check in requirement, even though you shouldn%26#39;t have to clear security again.

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I t really depends entirely on your tolerance for risk given that your ticket to Edinburgh will be worthless if you do not make the connection. For me this would be too tight a connection, but if everything falls exactly into place and you do not encounter any glitches you will make it. I wouldn%26#39;t risk it if I didn%26#39;t have to. You may be more of a gambler...

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If you make aware to the cabin crew that you have a connecting flight to catch and the window to do this is small they sometimes allow you off first to make up time.

Just be polite to them its not there fault if it is a bit late.

Oradour-sur-Glane near Limoges

I was thinking of taking hubby here for a trip early next year as he is into all things %26quot;WW2%26quot;. We live in Scotland, so can anyone tell me what airport we fly into and how we get there afterwards?? Bus, train?? What villages are nearby?? Whats the nearest big city??

Hubby wont drive abroad so this is not an option.

Thank you for your help :)

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It is an amazing place to visit. This web-site gives information as to how to get there but most people do drive.

http://www.oradour.info/appendix/howto.htm

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indeed one of the most moving places I have visited in France...

Oradour-sur-Glane is about 25 km west of Limoges. I wish you could persuade your husband to drive. I have driven extensively in both France and Scotland and I can%26#39;t say that Scotland is noticeably easier. So how about you drive while he navigates? But if not, you will have to take the bus from Limoges that I suspect is infrequent, or take a taxi.

If you do not have easy access to direct flights to Limoges your best bet would be to fly to Paris, either CDG or Orly, and take the TGV to Limoges. You can research fares and timetables at tgv-europe.com or raileurope.co.uk Check both as the fares may vary somewhat between the two sites. You can only book up to three months in advance. The earlier you book within that time frame the better your chance of getting deeply discounted PREMs fares. Note that these tickets are non-refundable and cannot be changed once purchased.

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Irish ~ Yes I can still picture every street and every burnt out house. The fact that everything has just been left as it rested, untouched. If there can be a lighter note I have to say it is for the undestructible nature of singer sewing machines. Everything else in a house was destroyed but the sewing machine survived.

It truly is somewhere to go and quietly look and contemplate what happened.

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Limoges would certainly be the place to base yourself for a visit to Oradour. It is a city worth visiting in its own right. There are buses through Oradour, but not many, so you might need a taxi at least one way. If you cannot get a flight to Limoges, see whether you can get one to Tours or Toulouse and continue the journey by train.

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Oradour is a place I will never need to visit a second time. As JBart says it leaves an indelible impression. I remember when we left there it was almost lunch-time and we had planned a picnic. I don%26#39;t think either of us spoke a word throughout the meal...

railtraveller - Wouldn%26#39;t Bordeaux be a better option than either Toulouse or Tours? I think theere would be many more direct trains and a shorter travel time, no? Actually thinking about it Bordeaux might be better than Paris. And there is an airport at Poitiers too is there not?

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For Limoges flights look at Flybe and Ryanair.

|||

%26gt;%26gt;Yes I can still picture every street and every burnt out house. The fact that everything has just been left as it rested, untouched.%26lt;%26lt;

It has not actually been left untouched. By now, it would be a collection of totally overgrown ruins. In fact, it is lovingly maintained so as to continue looking as it did in 1944.

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It is a must-visit and it will break your heart--even more so if you had any part of your family living in Europe during WWII.

|||

Yes Nick of course I know it is not untouched :)

I was just trying to get an impression of the place over to the OP.

I would also add that the exhibits at the visitor centre are extremely well done and another must see.

The school pictures of the classes the year before they were all massacred are particularly poignant.

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I would agree that it is the poignant and moving place I have visited. The burnt-out pram in the church was almost unbearable.

1-4 Feb 2010

Hi All

Booked from 1st to 4th Feb and just wondering will it be very quiet or should I still book ahead for meals? (Have standard free dining package) Thanks

Private Tours in Villefranche

We%26#39;ll be stopping at Villefranche in Sept. 2010 while on a cruise. To see as much as we can of the surrounding towns, we would like to take a private tour. There are six of us in our group, and we are of varying fitness levels, so trying to take trains and buses would drastically limit how much we could see. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Chez Jallot

Has anyone stayed at Chez Jallot more recently than 2007-2008? we read many positive comments on various sites but have been put off by comments on Limousin forum about cats and baying dogs. We have owned a house in rural France for 16 years and have never been wakened by baying dogs so it is not an inevitable part of rural life.

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Type in bed and breafast limousin and look up Chambres d%26#39;Hotes a Nouic, read their reports, they are in the Haute Vienne.

Struggling to pick that perfect first-time Paris hotel

I have been researching for quite awhile and find picking the %26quot;perfect%26quot; Paris hotel without having been there very daunting. Every time I think I have %26quot;found it%26quot; I get distracted by another gem and wander down that path for awhile until I am thoroughly confused again.

I believe we are in the $250-$300US a night range somewhere on the left-bank/ Luxembourg Garden area.

I keep coming back to Hotel La Perle.

I have also spent time looking at the Hotel des Grands Hommes and the Le Regent although both are bit more $$ than the Perle.

Any insight or wisdom would be appreciated.

I am anxious to make a decision and put this to %26quot;bed%26quot;.

|||

My wife and I enjoyed our stay at the Grand Hotel St Michel this past summer...

http://www.hotel-saintmichel-paris.com/

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Not to make this more difficult, but another hotel to look at is the Millesime...

http://www.millesimehotel.com/

In the 6th on the rue Jacob about two blocks from the Blvd St. Germain and 3 4- blocks from the river at the Pont des Arts. Their 3-night minimum stay has a winter package which includes a ride from or to the airport, two tickets for a Seine riverboat cruise, and two metro tickets good for unlimited use for one day, among others. It%26#39;s on their web page. These extras are good for first timers and you can walk to alot of places form the rue Jacob.

hth

Pjk

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My parents went to Paris this summer and stayed at Hotel La Perle - they said the hotel was nice enough but the room left much to be desired. They only booked their week-long stay there because of a deal they found on Travelzoo for a discounted rate which included breakfast each day. They said the room was smaller than most other European hotels they have stayed in and the street was quite noisy.

I just got back from Paris last week and came across Hotel La Perle while being out one evening. It is indeed on a very popular street near St. Sulpice - Rue Des Canettes (sp?) - it%26#39;s a popular/trendy area for bars and restaurants and is quite lively every night of the week until very late at night/early morning.

If you are looking for a place %26quot;in the center of it all%26quot; then this might be a good place for you. But if you plan on getting in from touring/spending the day out and wanting a good solid night sleep, perhaps you should look elsewhere?

Hope that helps! Good luck and happy travels!

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No suggestions - but I%26#39;m with you! That%26#39;s the area I%26#39;m looking in, probably Luxembourg and south, the streets seem a bit calmer, and budget only €130 - but like you, I keep finding The One, and then another gem twinkles. Difficult, ain%26#39;t it?

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Hi david4455,

I can understand your predicament. I had gone through the same dilemma before my visit in August and ultimately settled on Hotel Champerret Heliopolis in 17eme. It was more than value for money. However, since you would like to stay in the 6eme and have zeroed in on La Perle I will suggest that you go by your own instinct ( you have done your home-work - the hotel has 146 reviews, majority are very favourable and appear genuine. You may go through them again with a fine comb ,weigh all pros and cons and take a final decision ).

Had my budget been around $300 I would have booked it.

Incidentally, finding the %26quot;perfect %26quot; Paris Hotel would be as easy as holding an eel.

arvind

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yankeegirl makes a point that would weigh heavily with me, though not necessarily with you. If you don%26#39;t mind being in the midst of all the StGdesP busy-ness then I think the suggestion that you go with your own feelings is the right one. If I were choosing among these three I would pick the Grands Hommes, simply because it is slightly more removed from the thick of things. The downside there is that the closest métro station is a bit of a walk away. The Luxembourg RER station is close but it is not always convenient ro begin or end your travels on the RER. (Of course there are always buses...)

Ailidh - I take it the Lindbergh is not %26quot;The One%26quot; then..?

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I.R. - not quite: it%26#39;s one of those that advertizes a stunning promo rate but whatever dates I put in, the price is nearly €50 higher (136 from 89).

Plus, I don%26#39;t like James Stewart.

I appreciated the suggestion though. Still hunting for my %26#39;pearl%26#39;.

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Thanks for all your feedback....

The Perle offered me a wonderful rate of 172E a night including breakfast for a Superior room ( inside courtyard... larger than their Classic room).....BUT.. it is a non-refundable rate and this trip being nearly a year off makes me a bit apprehensive for that commitment.

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Seeing a your trip is a year off, I would wait for a while, a lot can happen in a year and I work in a hotel and know only to well that rates can also go down and you may find special offers.

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I have stayed at La Perle. Indeed it was a few years back but, the location IMO is great. I had a room on the street and was never bothered by noise. It%26#39;s a more modern type hotel so if someone is looking for Pierre deux it%26#39;s not the place. I traveled as a single but asked for a double room. My room was very comfortable and not the tiny type at all. Again, I thought it was a great location and had no problem taking the Metro or walking from there.

P2P or Rail Passes France and beyond

Hi All,

I am trying to estimate costs for travel during our Europe trip (France, Italy, Spain) in 2010.

We spend 12 days in France and are doing about 9 train journeys in total (Paris to Vernon return; Paris to Versailles return; Paris to Caen, Normandy return; Paris to Lourdes; Lourdes to Avignon and Avignon to San Remo, Italy). Total costs P2P per adult (using PREMS in most cases and Jan 2010 dates aligned to the actual day of the week we are hoping to travel) is: 206 Euros approximately.

We will also be doing several train journeys in Italy over a period of 28 days (Lake Como; Venice, Genoa; Florence, Seinna, Trevi, Rome). We are a group of 7 during the first 6 weeks of travel.

After 8 nights in Rome the group reduces to two . My husband %26amp; I then have a further 6 weeks to ourselves (with no real plans apart from a visit to London and flying out of Madrid at the end of June 2010). My questions are:

(a) Should the group (5 adults and 2 Youth aged 18 %26amp; 19 yrs) buy P2P tickets or a rail pass for france and Italy?

(b) Would it be better for my husband and I to buy rail passes seeing we will be in France, Italy, Spain and London for a whole 3 months while the rest of the group is there for only 6 weeks. I guess this is a hard question given we havent planned the last 6 weeks yet.

(c) I have been using snfc website and there doesnt seem to be discounts for the group of 5 adults, neither does there seem to be discounts for over 60s (for my mum and dad). Am I doing something wrong?

Sorry for all the detail but I read in previous forums thatd etails make a big difference. Oh our travel dates for the group are: 5 April 2010 to 16 May 2010. My husband an I only fly out on 27 June 2010 from Madrid.

Look forward to the advice.

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A pass will very rarely be worthwhile for rail travel in France and Italy, particularly as you would have to make and pay for seat reservations on all the faster trains in these countries.

a. P2P will be cheaper than a pass

b. P2P will be cheaper than a pass

c. I am not aware of discounts for groups or for older people in France.

Italy train times and costs: www.trenitalia.com but it does not yet have information past 12 December. Times will not change much, so use dates in the next week for your planning. There are no discounts for purchasing well in advance over the Internet, and you will probably find that your card does not work on this site. Just buy the tickets in Italy.

Spanish times and cost: www.renfe.es/horarios/english/index.html . Tickets go on sale 62 days before travel, and the cheap seats sell out quickly.

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Thanks for your prompt response sydneynick.

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There are two possible ways in which your parents may be able to get discounted fares. On local TER trains, I%26#39;m not sure about other services, that leave outside busy periods (in Period Bleu) they can get Senior Decouverte fares which are about 25% lower. Alternatively, they could purchase a Carte Senior which gives a discount of up to 50% on virtually all fares outide the Paris Region. I do not think if gives an extra discount on Prem fares which affects whether it is worth buying one.

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Thanks for the tip !

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I may be wrong about this but I think the Senior Découverte discount applies to all trains not just Ters and that it only applies to round-trip travel. The PREMs fares will always be lower than either the SD fares or the CS discounted fares in any case but (1) you need to book them well in advance, especially as I think your travel dates coincide with school holidays in France at least, and (2) once you have booked them you are locked into those specific trains. You cannot change or cancel your booking.

Don%26#39;t forget that most trains will require you to pay for a reservation if you do have a pass. These can be expensive.

Good restaurant in/near the center of Epernay?

I am here now for work for a week. We have already dined at La Cave (fantastic) and Brasserie le Central (twice). We are going to Royal Champagne tomorrow night.

Anyone have any suggestions where we should go this evening? We are staying at the Ibis in the Place des Arcades, so it will need to be within walking distance. Thank you!

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In central Epernay (on the main square, 3 rue Dr Rousseau), we enjoyed “La Table Kobus” — see http://www.latablekobus.com/

Jake

http://parisandbeyondinfrance.blogspot.com/

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Funny you should ask, as I was in Epernay just last week. We ate at Le Chapon Fin in Place Pierre Mendès, and were very happy with it. Good, traditional French stuff. I had a lovely French onion soup for my starter, followed by steak tartare, which was not the best I%26#39;ve ever had (that was in a restaurant in a back street in Budapest, if you must know), but certainly not the worst, and definitely enjoyable.

We had the %26quot;formule%26quot; menu, which made it very reasonably priced. If you go a la carte, you have a choice of some quite lovely looking stuff, but obviously it costs more. However, we found the choice on the formule menu was pretty good.

We had the %26quot;house champagne of the week%26quot; to drink (or something like that), which was a rose from the nearby village of Chavot (sorry, can%26#39;t remember the grower), and was very pleasant.

All in all, I was quite happy with it and I%26#39;m happy to recommend it.

The second night we were there we ate at a pizza restaurant about half way along the Rue Gambetta, which was rather disappointing. If you fancy a pizza, there was another one pretty much opposite Le Chapon Fin, which was full when we tried to get in, which I guess tells you something. I think it was called Le Sardaigne.

New challenge! Apartments...

Thanks again for everyone who is helping with my hotel challenge post...

Taking your advice, I%26#39;m wading through apartments. Here%26#39;s what I%26#39;m looking for:

1. Location in 1, 4, 5, 6 (St.Germaine), 18.

2. Under $100/ 70E per night.

3. Only a 3 day stay (please no short-stay fees - that%26#39;s like charging an extra night!)

4. Must have a bed! (Silly, I know, but some are fold out fouton/sofas and my husband%26#39;s 6, 3%26quot;, so he won%26#39;t fit- ha ha ha)

5. Personal rental experience, or company recommendations a huge bonus!

6. Bonus points for %26#39;French%26#39; feeling, romance, and location.

I%26#39;ve checked out: venere.com, parisby.com, flipkey (crappy search input), ahparis, cobblestone, and some others I can%26#39;t remember...I need help, since I can%26#39;t tell if I%26#39;m being sold a lemon!

THank you all again and please help - this will for sure narrow it down between hotel vs. apartment. You all have been fantastic!

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Under $100/night? Not likely.

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Your budget, geographic restrictions and length of stay lends itself more to a hotel than an apartment. Is there a specific reason why you want an apartment?

If you are set on an apartment, try centreparis (or centerparis?) and vacationinparis who might be able to help.

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That would be considerably more than a challenge!

CentreParis is probably the most %26quot;economical%26quot; resource for apartments. But, few are within your budget. And, prices are %26quot;starting at...%26quot;

It is surely unreasonable to expect to find a %26quot;real%26quot; bed in the prime neighborhoods within that budget.

And, for a stay of less than a week, rates are higher and/or there are additional fees involved.

It would be quite the challenge to find a hotel room for that rate in those areas!

With the number of destinations you plan to visit and your budget, you may want to consider overnight trains and hostels.

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I agree this is a challenge -- under 70 euros per night! I think you might only find something in a hotel. I think you need to raise your budget up to 90 euros at least. I%26#39;ve stayed here though I think it is a marginal 2*

parismarais.com/hotels/…hotel_saintonge.htm

or

http://www.hoteljeannedarc.com/tarifs_en.html

For apartments, most have a five day minimum though you might find some on vrbo.com with less.

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I agree with Elzevir. You could find something small from 90€ per night, if you have some luck to tally with another tenant departure/arrival. Most of the time, owners prefer not to rent for such short term except if the rental fee is high or if you just tally with another person rental.

Don%26#39;t forget that if you expect a clean place, cleaning and laundring cost are very expensive for the owner... So if you find a very very good deal, you can have some doubt about the general cleanliness of your accommodation!

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Hi ukiebride,

You may want to check out this apartment on www.parisapartment.iowners.net .It is ,however, located in the 17eme and not in your preferred locations.

It appears to fulfill two of your criteria ( ,Price is euro 450 to 475 per week,so may be it is within your budget even if priced higher for your 3 day stay ) ( and the photos at least,show a real bed,not a sofa ).The guestbook is interesting.

I had come across this site during my own search for hotels/apartments for my visit in August. I hasten to add that I do not have any feed-back whatsoever since the apartment was not available for my dates and hence I had not probed further. You will have to cross check / verify its credentials..

arvind

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www.centreparis.com has MANY apartments at 60 euros per night, no extra fees unless you take the cleaning fee (normally 25 euros for the studio apts.).

It isn%26#39;t impossible to find the price the OP is looking for - even for 3 nights with no extra deposits and fees. It does exist.

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In fact, I just counted 38 apts. on the centreparis website that are 60 euros (or LESS) per night. They may not all be in the arrond. the OP wishes, but some probably are.

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You might also check out cross-pollinate.com. Their prices are in your range but most are located in the outer arrondissements, which is really great if you let it be. Good luck.

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Just come back after renting a bargin apartment and I would say you can definately find something but you%26#39;d be better off going straight through an owner. We found one by the Luxembourg Gardens for E270 for three days for example on Homelidays.

However one thing I would really stress from my two stays is watch the head height especially of bathrooms. Both of the places I%26#39;ve stayed would be totally unsuitable for anyone tall. Bargin apartments tend to be a compromise on something, if its %26quot; no elevator %26quot;check that the sloping ceiling on the higher floors won%26#39;t be a problem.

Good Luck!

One Day in Provence

I know this is not a completely new topic. We are also on a cruise that will stop in Marseille for a day. We plan to arrange a private tour (driver) to Provence. If a day was all you had, what towns would be the most beautiful or desirable to visit?

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It really depends on how much time you want to drive and how much time to visit. Closest to Marseille are Cassis, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille itself of course. Then you either:

- go east towards first Saint Tropez and the inland perched villages of the Var like Grimaud, Gassin,... then yet further Cannes, Nice, Eze,...

- go west to Avignon and all the places around: Pont du Gard, Arles, Gordes, Saint Remy de Provence, l%26#39;Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, les Baux de Provence,...

First do some research to find out what you really want to see. Then do google maps to get a feel for driving time and plan accordingly.

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Thank you, I think we will concentrate on the west. Our ship lands in Monte Carlo so we will spend a few days there and visit some of the eastern areas from there.

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Ok, so west it is as you will do east during the previous stop in MC.

Among the things that I would list to do in one day is:

- Avignon and the Pope%26#39;s Palace. The drive is about an hour and the visit of the palace can be quite long so you would need to do it at an accelerated pace or a short version.

- Pont du Gard

- Gordes and the cistercian abbey of Senanque

- Saint Remy de Provence and the roman site of Glanum

- Arles and roman architecture

Without knowing what you are interested in makes it hard to give advice. These are ideas but you will need to plan and choose as one day will be limiting. Do you want to visit places like above? Just walk through villages and towns to enjoy the atmosphere? Looking for a great place to have lunch ie dedicate time to that or just grab jambon beurre sandwiches and see the maximum possible?

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I%26#39;ve just returned from Provence and I definetely recommend Gordes, Lourmarin, Baux-en-Provence (fairy tale), St. Paul de Vence and Cassis.

From Barcelona to Paris in 5.5 days

Dear Fellow Travellers,

We will be finishing our trip in Barcelona on January 1st and have to be in Paris on January 7th morning. I am looking for an itinerary to from Barcelona to Paris for about 5.5 days.

I would appreciate if you can suggest places to see. We are more interested in sight seeing, photography, some hikes are fine. Just want to get a feel for the culture.

Thanks

Deepa

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Your trip will take you through the Languedoc region of France, which is very beautiful. There are lots of things to see and do, including:

Doing the Cathar trail - there are lots of old Cathar castles in the southern half of the Languedoc around the Carcassonne area and further South. The castles were built by the Cathars in medieval times (although many are more recently built on the sites of the old ones) who were literally exterminated by the Catholic establishment by the end of the 14th century. I%26#39;ve never been round them all, but it%26#39;s supposed to be a really interesting thing to do, and I think there is a certain order you are supposed to do them in!

Using the A75 motorway, which is free, but mainly because it goes over the amazing Millau bridge (which isn%26#39;t free - there is a toll).

Spending some time in the Cevennes mountains or the Haut Languedoc - absolutely beautiful scenery.

Visiting one or more of the main cities and towns in the area - Carcassonne, Narbonne, Beziers, Monpelliers, Nimes etc - they are all very different.

A bit further north is Albi, a very beautiful town, which is worth a visit.

There%26#39;s so much but these are just a few ideas.

exchange rates - best place to buy euros

I am going to paris on the 14th Nov for a day trip. please could someone advise is it better to buy euros in paris or to buy here in london first? if so where can i get the best rate from?

many thanks

Mhnz

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You would probably find it useful to have euros on you when you arive in Paris, so that you can buy metro tickets etc immediately.

Some banks have reasonable exchange rates; I used to use my local branch of the Halifax. Otherwise a trip to your post office or M %26amp; S might be a good idea. They claim no fees are charged on exchanges, but I think their rates take this into account, but as they are easy to get to and use, are popular. They charge quite a high fee if you need to change euros back into pounds.

If you have a Nationwide flexaccount, you can use your card in ATMs in France with no charges from Nationwide or the French bank, providing it has the right symbol showing on the machine, and most do. And, of course, providing you have plenty in your account! Nationwide do a very favourable rate. But a small amount on you on arrival would be best even if you have a flexaccount

GG.

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If you go on to the Money Saving Expert website there is a tool that tells you the best place to buy your Euros (though only in England). Usually the best rates are from companies that do delivery but they sometimes have offices in central London too.

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It would seem unlikely, though possible, that you could find a place to purchase euros in England cheaper than you could in Paris.

I recommend the following locations in Paris. You can look at their rates and compare with what is available elsewhere:

http://www.bureaudechange.fr/

http://www.ccopera.com/

http://www.fcochange.com/