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Showing posts with label France. Show all posts
Showing posts with label France. Show all posts

France - Lille Travel Guide

 
Lille is a top travel destination, with its Flemish ambience, excellent museums, great food and beer, and the world-renowned Grande Braderie (Europe's biggest flea market).

Lille (or Ryssel in Flemish) is the most important city in northern France, and the fourth biggest in France. It has a very young population (including many students), and a vibrant cultural scene.

The award of European Capital of Culture in 2004, and the massive investment that came with it, have helped boost the profile of the city. Lille is also very accessible and has been growing in popularity ever since the Eurostar arrived in 1994.

Flying to Lille

There are no direct flights to Lille from the UK, from where the best option by far is the Eurostar. Airlines offering flights to Lille from other destinations include Air France and AIR ALGERIE.

From London (with a train connection) - 3 hours 15 minutes; Nice - 1 hour 45 minutes; Marseille - 1 hour 35 minutes; Bordeaux - 1 hour 25 minutes.

Travel by road

In Lille, traffic drives on the right and the minimum age for driving is 18 years. Speed limits are 130kph (80mph) on motorways, 110kph (68mph) on dual carriageways, 90kph (56mph) outside built-up areas and 50kph (30mph) in built-up areas. A national driving licence, the car's registration document and a red warning triangle must be carried at all times. EU nationals taking their own cars to France are strongly advised to obtain a Green Card, without which insurance cover is limited to the legal minimum.

Travel by rail

Eurostar (tel: 08432 186 186; www.eurostar.com) runs trains to Lille from London. Information on other train services, including TGV (French high-speed trains), to Lille are available from the national rail service provider, SNCF (tel: 0892 353 535; www.sncf.fr). Both the Lille Europe (for Eurostar) and Lille Flandres stations are located in the city centre.

The easiest way to get to Lille from the UK is with Eurostar, from London St Pancras (journey time - 1 hour 20 minutes). Trains depart regularly throughout the day but early booking is advisable for the best fares.

Paris Hotels

 
Comfortable mid-range accommodation in the heart of Paris was something of a non entity for many years. However, with the rise in ‘boutique chic’ hotels in Paris, finding a nice place to stay in a convenient location, though still pricey, is becoming less of a headache. You still won’t find cheap hotels in any of the main touristy arrondissements, but the choice of stylishly decorated lodgings with friendly service has grown – and with the consumer in mind.

Hotel prices generally include VAT and a room tax (taxe de séjour) of between €0.50 and €1.50 per person per night. This tax is sometimes added to the bill at the end of a visit and guests are advised to check whether it is included when making a reservation. Guests are also advised to tip porters €2 for each bag and chambermaids €2 per day.

Jays
For elegance, location and personable service, Jays has come out flawless ever since it opened its 19th-century doors in 2006. Amazingly, the Champs-Elysées Avenue, Trocadéro and the Eiffel Tower are all within walking distance of this luxury Parisian hotel. On entering, guests are greeted in a stunning marble-floored reception with a grand iron banister staircase. High-ceiling suites have been given a fresh interior design, complete with all mod cons. A top bracket accommodation filled with personality.
Address: 6 rue Copernic, 16th, Paris, France
Telephone: 01 4704 1616.

Le Bristol
There’s luxury accommodation and then there’s Hotel Le Bristol Paris. From marble-panelled powder rooms to its regal 1,210-sq-m (13,000-sq-ft) garden, Le Bristol has been Paris’s most prestigious hotel since its inception. A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, all services are naturally state of the art. Foodies will also be happy to hear its three-Michelin starred restaurant continues to stockpile accolades under the guidance of chef Eric Frechon.
Address: 112 rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré, 8th, Paris, France
Telephone: 01 5343 4300.

Ritz Paris
Situated on one of the smartest yet most intimate squares in Paris, close to the Louvre, the Ritz Paris is the city's most celebrated hotel and is the very essence of luxury and discretion. The lobby gleams with marble, chandeliers and impressive floral arrangements from designer Djordje Varda, while the oriental carpets, soft to the touch, soak up the sound. There is a magnificent swimming pool and fitness room, as well as a recently revamped health spa. In the labyrinthine underbelly of the hotel lies the celebrated cookery school, where master chefs teach their tricks to international acolytes.
Address: 15 place Vendôme, Paris, France
Telephone: 01 4316 3030.

Hôtel Banke
A new addition to the Derby Hotel chain, Hôtel Banke is a refurbished bank found in the desirable Opera district in Paris. The lobby’s grandiose circular interior, capped with a crystal-domed ceiling, gives way to thickly carpeted hallways and designer sofas. Both single and double rooms are modern and pleasingly functional. The trendiness factor borders on gauche, but with this location who cares.
Address: 20 rue La Fayette, 9th, Paris, France
Telephone: 01 5533 2222.

Hyatt Regency Paris Madeleine
This relaxed luxury bolthole lies right in the heart of Paris’s shopping district. It may be part of an international chain, but there has been a real attempt to make it feel genuinely like a boutique hotel. There are only 86 rooms and suites, all relying on classical touches and muted colours rather then glitz to make them truly luxurious. Some rooms on the higher floors have views out across the rooftops to the Eiffel Tower.
Address: 24 Boulevard Malesherbes, Paris, France
Telephone: 01 5527 1234.

Le Méridien Montparnasse
Even those with a poor sense of direction will have no problem finding this impressive skyscraper of a hotel in Paris, only a tad shorter than the Montparnasse tower. The TGV glides to within a stone's throw of this business hotel, equipped with in-room voicemail, meeting rooms for up to 2,000 delegates and secretarial services. Dining options include Montparnasse 25 restaurant and Le Justine buffet.
Address: 19 rue du Commandant Mouchotte, Paris, France
Telephone: 01 4436 4436.

Appi Hôtel
When you say the location could not get better, expect to get a few strange looks from Parisians as this cheap hotel is right in the heart of the red light district. It also happens to be close to most of the main tourist attractions and a métro stop. The en-suite doubles may have the smallest bathrooms in Paris, but the bedrooms are clean with some modern art to brighten things up and views over the human zoo below.
Address: 158 rue Saint Denis, 2nd, Paris, France.

Hôtel du Septième Art
A Hollywood theme runs through this fun and funky 22-room hotel in Paris, designed with the film buff in mind and adorned with 1950s posters. The hotel is a popular media haunt in the Marais district, set in a 16th-century building. It’s a no-frills place (internet access in the common room), but quirky and comfortable.
Address: 20 rue Saint-Paul, Paris, France
Telephone: 01 4454 8500. 

Mama Shelter
Located next to the Père-Lachaise Cemetery and designed by Philippe Starck, this is a genius concept of a hotel: great facilities with a unique atmosphere and aimed at the business traveller in Paris. Guests are provided with international newspapers on request, and have access to communal business centre and an enormous bar with private terraces for post-work drinks.
Address: 109 rue de Bagnolet, 20th, Paris, France.
Telephone: 01 4348 4848.

Hotels In Paris

 
Parts of Paris don't fit easily in any "category". In fact, Parisians say that their city is just a collection of one hundred villages. Montmartre, rising up to the north of the center, has managed to retain an almost rural atmosphere with its colorful mixture of locals and artists despite the daily influx of tourists.

Undisturbed by tourism, the dilapidated working-class quarters of eastern Paris offer a rich ethnic slice of Parisian street life and in direct contrast, technological wonder is paraded at the ground-breaking science museum constructed in the recently renovated Parc de La Villette.

Paris is a record-holder city for the number of hotels – there are more than 1500 of them here. And it is very difficult to prefer the one, which will suit you the best, especially if you are looking for high-class service and chic accommodation.

Paris is one of the most demanding city concerning hotels' rates. Its tax system is arranged in such a way that it is very profitless for owners to give their premises the rank of the five-star hotel. That's why even the most fashionable hotels in Paris are often rated as four-star superior or deluxe ones.

Five star Paris hotels are the best hotels in France and even in Europe. They set off by their pompous appearance, which often resembles a palace and the corresponding sophisticated and elegant interior, combined with the highest possible level of service, comfortable rooms with splendid views over the city and tasty dishes in a la carte restaurants.

Most of these luxurious hotels are settled in the very heart of Paris, its Rue de Rivoli and Place Vendome, just steps away from many monuments, historical sites and boutiques.

For instance, the world-known Ritz Hotel, opened in 1898, easily stands out among other palace hotels with its legendary history and top-notch reputation. The hotel combines exquisite luxury, modern conveniences and royal service, classical traditions with latest technologies and modern designs. Besides, the Ritz boasts the biggest swimming pool in Paris.

Le Meurice is another hotel, which is considered to be one of the most fashionable hotels in the world. This hotel presents perfect service, exquisite cuisine and ancient architecture. It is a perfect combination of historical chic and modern glamor.

At the Le Bristol accommodation you will find great atmosphere, a special kind of intimate and relaxing hospitality of Paris as well as modern services provided by the hotel staff. Le Bristol Hotel boasts close proximity to the Elysee Presidential Palace, Louvre Museum, Opera Garnier and Grand Palais.

Located in the heart of Paris and housed in a 19th century building luxurious Champs Elysees Plaza Hotel offers exceptional service and calm atmosphere. The famous Champs-Elysees avenue is just steps away along with other major monuments of the city.

This is a short list of the most attractive five-star hotels in Paris, though the rest of them also have something special and unique to offer to satisfy and often to exceed even the highest expectations. Namely for this feature the hotels were graced with such a high rate and honor to invite top-ranking guests from all over the world.

Paris Travel Guide

 
Paris, the cosmopolitan capital of France, is - with 2.2 million people living in the dense (105 km²) central city and almost 12 million people living in the whole metropolitan area - one of the largest agglomerations in Europe. Located in the north of the country on the river Seine, Paris has the reputation of being the most beautiful and romantic of all cities, brimming with historic associations and remaining vastly influential in the realms of culture, art, fashion, food and design.

The city of Paris within its administrative limits (largely unchanged since 1860) has an estimated population of 2,167,994 (January 2006).
The Paris unité urbaine (or urban area) extends well beyond the administrative city limits and has an estimated population of 9.93 million (in 2005).
The Paris aire urbaine (or metropolitan area) has a population of nearly 12 million, and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe.

An important settlement for more than two millennia, Paris is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centres, and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities.

The Paris Region (Île-de-France) is Europe's biggest city economy, and is fifth in the World's list of cities by GDP.
With €500.8 billion (US$628.9 billion), it produced more than a quarter of the gross domestic product (GDP) of France in 2006.

The Paris Region hosts 36 of the Fortune Global 500 companies in several business districts, notably La Défense, the largest purpose-built business district in Europe. Paris also hosts many international organizations such as UNESCO, the OECD, the ICC and the informal Paris Club.

Paris is the most popular tourist destination in the world, with over 30 million foreign visitors per year. There are numerous iconic landmarks among its many attractions, along with world famous institutions and popular parks.

You can’t come to Paris and not indulge in culinary ecstasy. From light and flaky croissants in the morning to a rich slab of foie gras in the evening, Parisians love food. From the neighbourhood bistro to the Michelin-starred restaurant, dining out in Paris is a joy.

For the genuine foodie, Paris is the holy city. For the art lover, Paris is the holy city. For the lover, Paris is the holy city.

Paris had always been a destination for traders, students and those on religious pilgrimages, but its 'tourism' in the proper sense of the term began on a large scale only with the appearance of rail travel, namely from state organisation of France's rail network from 1848.

One of Paris' first 'mass' attractions drawing international interest were, from 1855, the above-mentioned Expositions Universelles that would bring Paris many new monuments, namely the Eiffel tower from 1889.

Paris' museums and monuments are by far its highest-esteemed attractions, and tourist interest has been nothing but a benefit to these; tourism has even motivated both city and State to create new ones.

The city's most prized museum, the Louvre, sees over 6 million visitors a year. Paris' cathedrals are another main attraction: its Notre-Dame cathedral and Sacré-Coeur basilica receive 12 million and 8 million visitors respectively.


Paris is quite an expensive city. For a small budget, accommodation is hard to find and the restaurants, cafés and clubs are quite expensive, especially in tourist areas. A good solution could be to try one of the Paris apartments to rent in the city. You could travel with a group of friends, your partner or even alone. In an apartment, not only are you staying in cheaper accommodation but you can also save money, since you can cook at home and you have more freedom to plan your holiday.


The Eiffel tower, by far Paris' most famous monument, averages over 6 million visitors per year. Disneyland Resort Paris is a major tourist attraction not only for visitors to Paris, but to Europe as well, with 12.4 million visitors in 2004.

Many of Paris' once-popular local establishments have metamorphised into a parody of French culture, in a form catering to the tastes and expectations of tourist capital.
The Moulin Rouge cabaret-dancehall, for example, is a staged dinner theatre spectacle, a dance display that was once but one aspect of the cabaret's former atmosphere.
All of the establishment's former social or cultural elements, such as its ballrooms and gardens, are gone today. Much of Paris' hotel, restaurant and night entertainment trades have become heavily dependent on tourism, with results not always positive for Parisian culture.

Taking time off to travel around Paris is a great way to spend your vacation. Dealing with the troubles of trying to sell timeshare is not. Instead of letting another vacation slip away check out Donate Timeshares and see how they can help you get out of your timeshare obligations while helping charities such as The Wyatt Foundation.

By the times that Dickens describes, Paris became the centre of the French Revolution, with the storming of the Bastille and the overthrow of the monarchy. Fortunately, much of the pre-revolution buildings survived the flame. During the restoration, when monarchy (briefly) returned, a period of building continued. After the February Revolution of 1848 and the birth of the Second Republic, Paris capitalised on the industrial revolution and the advent of the steam train that led to a massive influx of rural migrants.

By 1852, city planning under Napoleon III saw its medieval streets flattened and replaced by wide sweeping avenues – of which the Champs-Élysées is the most famous. The rest of the century were tumultuous times for Paris, but its position as a world centre was cemented by the 1889 Exposition Universelle during which the Eiffel Tower was built.

In the early 1900s, Paris enjoyed the Belle Epoque period which saw the building of the Opera Garnier. During WWII, Paris fell to the Nazis who adored the city and left it intact.

Paris today is the most visited city in the world, but it’s not without its problems. Issues around immigration are at the forefront of Parisians’ mind, no matter what their political persuasion. It occasionally spills into violence; usually in the suburbs. And the Paris of the next decade will change, notably its skyline with several skyscrapers planned. But it is coupled with a real motivation to make it an ecologically sustainable city. It is in no danger of losing its appeal.

Val d'Isère Ski Resort - France Travel Guide

 
Val d'Isère ski resort is a traditional French Alpine village with centuries of history and beautiful stone chalets, which contrasts starkly with neighbouring Tignes' purpose-built apartment blocks. Skiing began here in the 1930s, but really took off after WWII.

Today Val d'Isère is a lively resort, with busy shops, restaurants and a buzzing nightlife. The resort centre has been extensively redeveloped in recent years and is now largely pedestrianised. It is especially popular with the British and Scandinavian ski crowd.

Val d'Isère ski resort is also a leading competition venue. It held several events during the 1992 Winter Olympics and most recently the 2009 Alpine World Ski Championships. Staging these two events, along with regular World Cup competitions, place it in an elite group of five resorts worldwide that have staged all three levels of world-class international competition.

Together with Tignes, it forms part of the 10,000-hectare (25,000-acre) Espace Killy ski area, home to some of France's best on- and off-piste terrain and one of the world’s biggest lift-served verticals.

Location:

Val d'Isère is located in the southeastern French region of Savoie in the Western Alps, close to the Italian border.

Serre Chevalier Ski Resort - France Travel Guide

 
Serre Chevalier is a friendly, good-value resort with a fine range of pistes to suit any skier or boarder. A strong point is the tree cover (a rarity in the French Alps), which ensures potentially good skiing even in poor weather, while the open slopes and bowls are great fun during the resort's more common sunny periods.

The nightlife in Serre Chevalier ski resort is rather low key, and the mix of rustic and modern ambience in the various villages is somewhat offset by heavy traffic along what is the main Grenoble-Briançon road.

Serre Chevalier is located close to the Italian border in the glaciated upper Durance Valley of the Southern French Alps, on the boundary of the Parc des Écrins, which is within the Écrins Massif – the highest mountain range entirely within France.

France - Paris Travel Guide

 
Paris is the greatest city on earth – who would argue? Londoners and New Yorkers put up a fight, but in terms of architectural beauty, art history, gastronomy and sheer extravagance, it’s Paris that wins. And that is reflected in its visitors – there are more than any other city.

It’s more than the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre of course. Spending a few days in Paris can serve as a crash course in how to live. When you walk along the River Seine or take a seat in a corner café, it’s evident the finer things in life are appreciated. People don’t rush lunch. Children are doted upon. Hairdressers are always busy. And although you can’t take Paris with you, when you return home, that sense of pride will linger.

You can’t come to Paris and not indulge in culinary ecstasy. From light and flaky croissants in the morning to a rich slab of foie gras in the evening, Parisians love food. From the neighbourhood bistro to the Michelin-starred restaurant, dining out in Paris is a joy.

Flying to Paris

There are very few airlines that don’t fly to Paris from London. There are dozens of flights a day from Gatwick, Heathrow, London City and the provincial international airports. The main airlines offering flights to Paris are Air France and British Airways. The principal airport is Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), but there’s the smaller Orly (ORY) airport too. Given the competition, cheap flights to Paris can easily be found. Peak season is May to September, with July and August being the busiest. Flights to Paris from London take just over one hour.

For the genuine foodie, Paris is the holy city. For the art lover, Paris is the holy city. For the lover, Paris is the holy city.

Travel by road

Traffic in Paris drives on the right and the minimum driving age is 18 years. Speed limits are 130kph (80mph) on motorways, 110kph (68mph) on dual carriageways, 90kph (56mph) outside built-up areas and 50kph (30mph) in built-up areas. A national driving licence, the car's registration document and a red warning triangle must be carried at all times, or the driver is liable for a fine.

EU nationals taking their own cars to France are strongly advised to obtain a Green Card, without which insurance cover is limited to the legal minimum. All headlamp beams must be adjusted for right-side driving by use of beam deflectors or by tilting the headlamp bulb-holder

Travel by rail

Paris is served by six major stations - Gare du Nord, rue Dunkerque, 10th, Gare de l'Est, Place du 8 Mai 1945, 10th, Gare St-Lazare, place du Havre, 8th, Gare de Lyon, place Louis-Armand, 12th, Gare Montparnasse, boulevard de Vaugirard, 15th, and Gare d'Austerlitz, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 13th.

Gare du Nord is the French terminus of the international Eurostar train that runs from London Saint Pancras. Thalys's services from Brussels Bruxelles-Midi also terminate here. Eurostar also runs from London Saint Pancras to Disneyland Paris.

Travel over water

The most convenient ports to Paris from Britain all lie on France’s northern seaboard and include St-Malo, Cherbourg, Caen, Le Havre and Dieppe.
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