Top Five Day Trips From Paris
Posted September 30, 2009 , comments closedThere’s enough to do in Paris to keep a visitor occupied for weeks, but for those who do wish to venture further afield, there are a series of awesome destinations that can easily be checked out in a day trip from the French capital. From cathedrals and palaces to wine tasting and architectural gems, these five pack in an awful lot for the day-tripper.
Château Thierry in Champagne
Versailles
Around 17km (10.6 miles) southwest of Paris, Versailles is to all intents and purposes a suburb of the French capital. It is also the most popular day trip destination from Paris, and that’s due to the famous château. What began as a simple hunting lodge under French king Louis XIII became the most important building in France under his son. Louis XIV had the lodge expanded into an opulent palace, and moved the entire French government there. It was his way of making sure he had absolute control of everything. Nowadays, it is still used for some state functions, but most of the visitors to the château are tourists. They come for a good old gawp at how the other half lived. The apartments of the king and queen are lavishly decorated as they would have been during Louis XIV’s heyday in the 17th century. The highlight for many is the Hall of Mirrors. As the name would suggest, it features 357 mirrors and has been the venue for many historic occasions. These include the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, which divided the spoils after World War I.
Although the palace interiors are what most visitors wish to see, it’s the gardens that often leave the biggest impression. They’re extensive, beautifully designed and take considerably more work than mowing your back garden does…
Château de Compiègne
Compiègne
A 50-minute train journey north of Paris, Compiègne also plays home to a royal château. Compiègne’s version is a little more understated than the one in Versailles. The rooms have been restored to how they were in various eras, making the tour around the building a somewhat eclectic experience. Napoleons I and III are heavily represented, and the best story is about one of the bedrooms. It belonged to Napoleon’s second wife, Marie-Louise, but due to cost factors she wasn’t allowed to decorate it as she’d like. So she got to sleep amongst a hideous blaze of pink, chosen personally by Napoleon’s first wife, Joséphine. That must have gone down a treat.The gardens are enormous, disappearing into the forest and accommodating an equestrian cross-country course.
Aside from the château, Compiègne’s highlights are historic in nature. First up comes the spot where French heroine Jean d’Arc was finally captured, but more interesting is a railway carriage in a forest clearing. Unfortunately, the carriage is a replica (the original was burned during World War II), but the site is hugely significant. This was where, in top secret, Germany surrendered to end World War I. In World War II, Hitler insisted on making France surrender in exactly the same carriage, in exactly the same spot. Now the clearing hosts a small-but-fascinating museum and one of France’s major war memorials.
The Champagne region
True bubbly fanatics are probably better off staying overnight in Reims or Epernay, but those just wanting to sample the fun of the fizz can enjoy a whistlestop charge through the Champagne region in a day from Paris. The distance from Paris to Reims is around 145km (90 miles), and a return trip can easily be conquered in a day by hire car or train. It’s a city of churches, public squares and Roman remains, but the obvious draw card is the World Heritage-listed Cathedral de Notre-Dame. It’s an enormous Gothic monster, and easily one of the most impressive in Europe.
However, the real highlights of the Champagne region lie in the vineyards. They’re not adequately served by train, and self-driving provides the slight problem of not being legally able to drink the good stuff. Thus the tour option becomes the best bet. Epernay is the hub of the region, but the major champagne houses are spread out. Amongst the big names that can be visited are Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Dom Perignon and Mumm. It’s not just the sampling that makes such a trip worthwhile, however – the drive through vineyard scenery is usually enough to bring a contented smile to any face.
Metz Moselle River and Temple Neuf
Metz
A few years ago, it would be absurd to suggest Metz as a day trip from Paris. But with the recent installation of a high speed train line, it only takes 82 minutes to get to the eastern city from Paris’ Gare de l’Est. It’s a wonderfully good-looking city, and contains a real hodge-podge of architecture. Some of the more pompous, grandiose buildings in the south of the city date from a period of German rule, while there are Roman remains dotted throughout and a stunning if (slightly sinister-looking) Protestant church in the middle of an island in the Moselle river.
When darkness falls, Metz is brilliantly lit up – big sums have clearly been spent on showing the city’s buildings off in the best possible manner. Therefore, if going on a day trip from Paris, it’s a good idea to go in winter time when days are shorter. Show up in November or December, and you also get the benefit of the awesome Christmas markets. In terms of cultural attractions, the big two are the Musée de la Cour d’Or - which covers everything from fine art to full-sized peasant houses – and the recently-opened Centre Pompidou-Metz. The latter is the first regional branch of Paris’ Pompidou Centre, and it houses a seriously impressive collection.
Nancy Chamber of Commerce
Nancy
Nancy is another city that has reaped the extraordinary benefits of the high-speed rail link to Paris. The journey takes just 90 minutes (again from Gare de l’Est), and there’s ample time during a day to cover the city’s highlights. Nancy is mostly famous as an epicentre of Art Nouveau architecture. There are buildings throughout the city decorated with the movement’s trademark flowers and curves. The Chambre du Commerce et d’Industrie is a good example, with its ironwork and stained glass, but the Banque du Crédit Lyonnais on rue St George is the real jaw-dropper. Nip inside and look up – the stained glass ceiling is an enormous work of thoroughly impressive detail.
Real devotees should head to Musée de l’ École de Nancy. It’s a grand villa packed with works by Nancy’s Art Nouveau movers and shakers. It’s utter overkill on the floral and natural influences in many cases, but it’s undoubtedly worth a visit. If just a taste is enough, abandon the Art Nouveau trail and head to Place Stanislas. Ringed with café bars, this huge square is arguably one of the finest public squares in Europe. It’s huge, and acts as the central social hub in this instinctively likeable city.
-David Whitley
Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Day trips from Paris, from trips to the Champagne Region to Giverny tours, or even tours to Mont St Michel or a Loire Valley Castles day trip.
Half Term Holiday hunters look to Last Minute holidays for a deal.
Posted , comments closed) Holidaymakers are still determined to find last minute holidays before Winter officially kicks in, says holiday website www.holidayholiday.co.uk.
According to their stats, 46% of visiting holiday consumers in the last week have searched Holiday Holiday for a holiday in October, picking popular hot destinations such as Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt. A large percentage of those are looking for a cheap deal for October half term holidays, due to start in approx. 4 weeks time.
Marketing Director Emma Healey commented “With British Summer time ‘officially’ over on the 25th October, which falls at the start of the half term holidays week, lots of people are shopping around trying to find a last minute holiday. As we move into the Winter holidays season in the next couple of months, we expect the trend for last minute holidays for package holidays to continue.”
The Winter season in the travel industry is traditionally the start of November to the end of March, when destinations such as the Caribbean, Egypt and the Canary Islands become popular. Ski and Cruise bookings are also popular during this time, as ski resorts start to open and Cruisers look to the next year to book ahead for new cruise ship itineraries as well as that last minute bargain cruise deal.
For Half Term Holiday hunters, the Government backed “Every Lesson Counts” initiative, a joint initiative with ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) and the FTO (Federation of Tour Operators) to aim to reduce the levels of school absence, has encouraged tour operators and travel agents alike to try even harder to find value added holidays within the school holidays.
In relation to this “those looking for half term holidays will benefit from a site like holiday holiday” says Emma as “we have hundreds of knowledgeable travel agents advertising, all in one place, updating their holiday offers on a daily basis. If you are looking for a deal in the half term week then searching the website and speaking to one of the many ABTA bonded travel agents on the site will enable you to challenge them to put their expertise to the test to find you a really good holiday deal”.
Travel Search Engine Sprice.com launches hotel search application for iPhone
Posted , comments closed) Singapore, September 27, 2009: Leading travel and hotel search engine Sprice.com (www.sprice.com) has gone mobile. iPhone users worldwide will now be able to search over 120,000 hotels (http://www.sprice.com/hotels) globally on their iPhones using the power and convenience of the innovative ‘Sprice Hotels’ app. All it takes is a quick download of Sprice Hotels app, absolutely free, from the online Apple App store. Compatible with all iPhone generations including the latest 3G S version, the Sprice Hotels application allows users to quickly and easily search for hotels in an intelligent manner. Sprice Hotels generates important data with the search, including information about the hotel such as location map, photos, hotel guest reviews and amenities, as well as real-time offers and discounts on room rates. In addition, users can choose to filter the search results by the hotel’s room rates, user rating and even the distance from whichever landmarks they choose as the start point.
“The launch of our mobile application Sprice Hotels is a natural progression for our travel search engine, as the pool of mobile users around the world continues to expand exponentially. Since Sprice.com was launched in 2007, we have received positive feedback from consumers all over the world and in Asia Pacific. Demand for our online hotel search product has consistently been on the rise with visitorship reaching a record of three million globally,” said Vikas Gulati, Vice President of Sprice.com, Asia Pacific.
“The Sprice Hotels iPhone App empowers travellers to make last-minute booking decisions, even as they are en route to their destinations. Like Sprice.com, the mobile application is also very user-friendly. We are pleased to be working with Apple to extend such a powerful travel search tool to millions of iPhone users worldwide.”
Sprice Hotels serves as a dynamic marketing platform for travel providers. Earlier this year, Apple announced that its global iPhone sales peaked and grew by 245% in 2008, and it expects this growth to continue. Over 200 of Sprice.com’s travel partners around the world, including online travel agents and hoteliers, can reach out to tech-savvy consumers on the move directly and more effectively through Sprice Hotels.
About Sprice.com
Sprice.com (www.sprice.com), the leading real-time travel search engine in the world, allows travelers to search for cheap flights, find and compare over 120,000 hotels with hotel reviews (http://www.sprice.com/hotel-reviews), and get the best travel deals (http://www.sprice.com/travel-deals). Sprice.com is a product of Sprice Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-registered company. Sprice operates in Europe through its office in France, while the head office in Singapore serves the markets in the Asia-Pacific. Sprice.com offers detailed information on over 120,000 hotels around the world, hotel reviews and cheap flights (http://www.sprice.com/flights).
For more information, please contact:
Julia Lai
Tel: +65 6534 7250
Email: spricesg@lewispr.com
Asia Vacations & South Pacific Vacations - Globus family of brands
Posted , comments closed) Travel to Asia and South Pacific regions of the world has increased with travelers’ growing interest in exotic travel. Whether they list China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tibet, Mongolia or Vietnam on their “must-see” lists for 2010, the Globus family of brands has unveiled a deep offering of vacations designed to enhance the lives of Americans venturing abroad.
“We are not only revealing new itineraries in Asia, our vacation styles to exotic locations worldwide have increased,” said Scott Nisbet, president and chief executive officer for the Globus family of brands. “We’re giving travelers a plethora of tours, river cruises and independent vacation packages to choose from.”
As part of its 2010 vacation offerings, Globus has unveiled several NEW vacations, including two tours: Essence of China and Exploring Australia vacations. And, Monograms the company’s independent travel arm has substantially increased offerings to Asia with NEW Tokyo & Kyoto, Beijing & Shanghai, Beijing & Hong Kong, China Escape and Bangkok & Phuket itineraries. On these vacations, travelers will traverse the Asia Pacific region of the world independently, with help from a Local Host.
“Our Monograms product has witnessed the most growth in these exotic destinations,” said Nisbet. “This expansion, in part, is because Monograms is the perfect choice for first-time travelers to a destination people who want the security and convenience of having an English-speaking Local Host on-hand to point them in the right direction and ensure they explore all of the ‘must-see’ sites.”
To celebrate its exotic vacations, the company is providing travelers $400 off per couple on the air-inclusive price on 2010 Asia & South Pacific vacations when booked before October 13, 2009.* Visit www.globusjourneys.com for more information.
2010 ASIA & CHINA VACATION HIGHLIGHTS:
NEW Essence of China (8 days), priced from $1,599 land- and intra-tour flights only.
Mystical Thailand (12 days), priced from $1,969 land- and intra-tour flights only.
Magical China & the Yangtze River (12 days), priced from $2,799 land/cruise- and intra-tour flights only.
Fascinating China & Mongolia with Yangtze River Cruise (17 days), priced from $5,389 land /cruise and intra-tour flights only.
NEW Bangkok & Phuket (9 days), priced from $989 land- only.
NEW Beijing & Shanghai (7 days), priced from $909 land- only.
2010 SOUTH PACIFIC VACATION HIGHLIGHTS:
NEW Exploring Australia (20 days), priced from $5,919 land- and intra-tour flights only.
South Pacific Sampler (13 days), priced from $3,139 land- and intra-tour flights only.
Naturally New Zealand (10 days), priced from $2,089 land- and intra-tour flights only.
Australia Escape (10 days), priced from $1,329 land- only.
Aussie & Kiwi Explorer (14 days), priced from $2,139 land- only.
*Book a 2010 Globus, Monograms or Avalon Asia or South Pacific air-inclusive vacation. Booking must be made, under deposit and discount applied between August 12 and October 13, 2009 for travel commencing through December 31, 2010. Offers not valid with any other offer except Journeys Club and applies to new 2010 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.
ABOUT THE GLOBUS FAMILY OF BRANDS
Littleton, Colorado-based Group Voyagers, Inc. is the privately held company that markets and sells the Globus family of brands within the United States. Globus, Cosmos, Monograms and Avalon Waterways offer travelers unparalleled tour, independent travel package, river and small ship cruise options. Considered the world’s largest tour operator, with more than 80 years of international travel experience, the Globus family of brands is dedicated to enriching the lives of travelers by turning foreign destinations into familiar harbors, where the expense of travel is forgotten and replaced by personal value.
Hawaii Vacations - Globus family of brands
Posted , comments closed) Hawaii entices millions of travelers each year with its promise of sun, beautiful landscapes and island culture. Offering a selection of Platinum and Regional Discovery tours and Cruise & Tour options with Globus, as well as independent travel packages through Monograms, the Globus family of brands has developed 2010 Hawaii getaways focused on fun in paradise.
“Our Hawaiian vacations including two new getaways offer exciting excursions and opportunities to enjoy all the Hawaiian Islands have to offer,” said Scott Nisbet, president and chief executive officer for the Globus family of brands. “On our vacations, travelers can choose to explore some of Hawaii’s most awe-inspiring national parks, enjoy lunch at a plantation, snorkel, watch the sun set on a cruise, learn about island history or simply take in the view and the sun from one of the destination’s breathtaking beaches year round.”
New in 2010, the award-winning company has unveiled an Enchanting Hawaii Platinum guided tour with Globus and seven-day independent travel package Maui & Kauai through Monograms. Perfect for honeymooners, girlfriends or families, on this vacation travelers will explore two beautiful islands on their own, equipped with a plethora of special discounts and offers as well as 24-hour on-call service to ensure the vacation is filled with fun and free of stress.
In addition to unveiling new getaways, also new in 2010, the Globus family of brands is promising travelers ocean views from their hotels as part of its standard accommodations
And, in the Aloha spirit, the company is giving travelers $250 off per person on the air-inclusive price on all Globus and Monograms Hawaii vacations when booked before October 13, 2009.* Visit www.globusjourneys.com or www.monogramstravel.com for more information.
2010 HAWAII VACATION HIGHLIGHTS:
INDEPENDENT TRAVEL (Monograms Hawaii Vacations)
NEW Maui & Kauai (7 days), priced from $829 land- and intra-vacation flights only.
Oahu & Maui (7 days), priced from $889 land- and intra-vacation flights only.
Oahu, Maui & Kauai (10 days), priced from $1189 land- and intra-vacation flights only.
TOURS (Globus Hawaii Escorted Tours)
NEW Enchanting Hawaii (8 days), priced from $2,469 land- and intra-tour flights only.
Best of the Hawaiian Islands (9 days), priced from $2,289 land- and intra-tour flights only.
Grand Hawaii Vacation (12 days), priced from $3,059 land- and intra-tour flights only.
CRUISE & TOUR (Globus Hawaii Cruises)
Cruising Hawaii’s Paradise (11 days), priced from $1,909 land and intra-tour flights only.
*Book a 2010 Globus or Monograms Hawaii air-inclusive vacation to receive the $250 per person discount. Booking must be made, under deposit and discount applied between August 12 and October 13, 2009 for travel commencing through December 31, 2010. Offers not valid with any other offer except Journeys Club and applies to new 2010 Hawaii bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.
ABOUT THE GLOBUS FAMILY OF BRANDS
Littleton, Colorado-based Group Voyagers, Inc. is the privately held company that markets and sells the Globus family of brands within the United States. Globus, Cosmos, Monograms and Avalon Waterways offer travelers unparalleled tour, independent travel package, river and small ship cruise options. Considered the world’s largest tour operator, with more than 80 years of international travel experience, the Globus family of brands is dedicated to enriching the lives of travelers by turning foreign destinations into familiar harbors, where the expense of travel is forgotten and replaced by personal value.