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.
Asian Trails celebrates 10th anniversary
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By
Luc Citrinot, eTN Asia Staff Writer |
Sep 30, 2009
It has been ten years now since Luzi Matzig, one of the most prominent personalities in Asian tourism, created his own tour operation. For eTurboNews, Matzig – who just celebrated his 60th birthday - gives his vision of tourism in southeast Asia.
eTN: What are the most dramatic changes you have experienced over the last ten years?
Luzi Matzig: This is definitely Internet booking that has revolutionized distribution and the way to do business. Booking engines are now into the hands of large travel groups that contract directly with travel suppliers such as hotels. Agoda.com has been taken over by Priceline and asiarooms.com by TUI. Tour operators such as ourselves are not anymore needed to book rooms. We just lost ourselves a contract with asiarooms.com as they decided to deal directly with hotels. And we cannot compete, as it would request a lot of effort and money. We have to adapt our strategy and concentrate on our core business, the tour operating. We just, in fact, gained Kuoni UK as a new customer.
eTN: Are travelers from today very different from ten years ago?
Matzig: We definitely experience[d] a strong rise in individual travelers. As soon as a market becomes mature, it walks away from group tourism. We see also emerging two strong types of travelers, both at the extreme. With the collapse in airlines and hotels prices due to increased competition, there is a trend for cheaper and ever-cheaper packages. But how cheap can we further go? Is it really worth the energy to chase those mass tourism markets producing a very small return on investment? We prefer to look after the other segment, FIT who looks after exclusive up-market products. There is more disposable money and less competition.
eTN: What are the products then that you can offer?
Matzig: These FIT travelers have very determined ideas about what they would like to do and when. Our strength is then to propose packages à la carte. We can arrange for a private car with chauffeur or offer a tailor-made circuit in southeast Asia. We see, for example, a strong interest for cruises as the choice becomes more sophisticated in the region. They are classical cruises on the Mekong River or on the Andaman Sea. Borneo is also emerging as an attractive cruise destination. We also propose private jet[s] for top travelers. We also find more holidaymakers looking for exclusive destinations. For example in Thailand, we see up-market clients moving away from well-known tourist destinations such as Krabi, Phuket, or Pattaya to go more to secluded islands. The last Kuoni Switzerland catalogue on Asia is a very good example of the current trend. It contains up to ten pages of stays and packages at little-know[n] Thai islands.
eTN: Did you also experience a shift in destinations requested by travelers?
Matzig: Indochina has seen the biggest growth over the decade with tourism booming in countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, and also Laos. Burma is coming back, rather slowly, but it went through a terrible time in 2008. I expect that Myanmar will double the number of its travelers next year compared to 2009… The Philippines is gaining in popularity, especially for Boracay with its fine beaches. But the most successful destination over the last two years is Indonesia. Especially for Bali, where it becomes extremely difficult to sort out an accommodation. The EU ban lift on air travel for some Indonesian airlines help us to design new packages. We propose again overland tours from Sumatra to Bali or propose tours to the Toraja in South Sulawesi in complement to a stay in Bali.
eTN: Is culture an attractive theme in Southeast Asia?
Matzig: It has always been, but as travelers are becoming more discerning, they like to link many cultural destinations with eventually a few days break at a seaside resort at the end of their tour. In Europe, travelers from France, Germany, or Switzerland are very keen at combining multi-countries cultural tours, such as Vietnam-Cambodia and Thailand. But Russians, Scandinavians, and Britons would mostly favor a single sea and sun holiday destination.
eTN: What are your predictions for 2010 for Asian Trails?
Matzig: We definitely will see a recovery, let[’s] say in a growth range of 10 percent. We are personally very happy with our position today and our presence all around southeast Asia. We do not plan to move to other markets as we estimate to remain among the best specialists in the region.
Contest: Win 2 Free Tickets to Oktoberfest in Munich!
Posted September 24, 2009 , comments closedEditor’s note: The contest is now closed. Thanks again for entering, we’ll announce a winner next week.
Oktoberfest may be the world’s largest party. Organizers estimate more than 6 million liters of beer will be consumed (drink, drank and - hiccup - certainly drunk) at this year’s Oktoberfest in Munich, which runs September 19 - October 4. It’s time to roll out the barrels, we’ll have a barrel of fun…
While entry is free to the Oktoberfest beer tents, you won’t be served beer unless you’re sitting down. And seats in the beer tents require advance reservations. As in - you shoulda reserved 6 months ago because most seats are sold out by now.
Don’t panic - we said most are sold out, not all. If you’re stuck for a ticket to the world’s biggest beer festival, Radius Tours has limited tickets left – so hurry as they are selling fast! Call them in Germany at +49 - 89 - 5502 9374 to secure your reserved seat in the legendary Hofbrauhaus beer tent! Tell ‘em Viator sent you.
Win 2 free tickets to Oktoberfest!
If you love beer, Viator and Radius Tours are your new best friends. That’s because we’re giving away 2 free tickets to Oktoberfest’s closing ceremonies on October 4 in Munich. What’s the catch? There isn’t one! All you need to do is answer the following question in 10 words or less:
Why should we give YOU two free tickets to Oktoberfest?
Post your answer as a comment, below. And remember your answer must be 10 words or less. Eleven words is one too many, keep your replies to 10 words or less. You can enter our contest as ofter as you like. We’ll pick a winner by September 25.
Win 2 free tickets to Oktoberfest!
So what do you win? The 2 tickets include a guided tour of the grounds, telling you all you need to know about the world’s greatest beer festival; a ride on the famous Oktoberfest Ferris wheel; seats at a private reserved table – guaranteed places for up to five hours in the Hofbrau Tent (Oktoberfest’s sister to the legendary Hofbrauhaus and the biggest and most popular tent at Oktoberfest); your first 2 litres of beer; and half a roast chicken!
Not to get all legal on you, but here’s some additional fine print: It’s your responsibility to get yourself to Munich. We’re simply providing 2 free tickets to the Oktoberfest closing ceremonies on October 4, 2009. Any hotel, train, plane, or other expenses are solely your responsibility.
Good luck in the contest. Happy travels and enjoy the beer!
-Viator Travel Team
Driving in Europe: Observations From a First Timer
Posted , comments closedDriving in Europe: Observations From a First Timer
We drove over 5,000 km through 5 European countries in our rental car – an Opel Astra – on our recent family holiday. The car worked very well, though it was hardly the performance vehicle that my husband was craving (he nicknamed it the ‘gutless wonder’), especially for the German Autobahn.
Driving in Europe has some unique advantages over driving here at home in North America. Not the least of which in my view, is the fact that there are rules of the road that people actually follow.
Here are some observations about driving in Europe.
1. No Passing on the Right
This is completely verboten in every country we visited, and the police will nail you with a serious ticket if you get caught speeding past another car in the right lane of the highway. The passing lane is the left lane, and as soon as you are done passing someone in that lane, you move to the middle or right lane immediately, or risk getting rear-ended (or worse) by that Ferrari or Mercedes whipping past you at 200 km (or more) an hour. Even when you may be going 160 km an hour!
Nobody ’sits’ in the left lane biding their time as they creep by to pass someone. Nor do they pass moral judgment on other drivers who are going faster than them, by sitting in the passing lane clogging up the roads. If only this tradition could be grafted onto our driving culture in North America!
I find that this system is safer in that you do not need to be worried about people passing you on both sides of the highway, which is the way of the world in the New World, and a recipe for road chaos and traffic disorder.
2. No Speed Limits
Now, the speeding issue is something else entirely. While many countries (Switzerland, Austria) have strict speed limits that are heavily enforced, others appear to allow more latitude. Germany is the most open, though Italy seemed absent of any traffic enforcement during our travels, even in construction zones.
If you love to drive and have a car that can match your desires, Germany is the driver’s utopia. While many roads and highways do have speed limits, when you are on the Autobahn and see 130 posted with a slash through it, move to the right lane and watch the drivers max out their high-end vehicles. Some of the speeds traveled are astonishing and not just a little frightening. The downside of no speed limits is of course that when car accidents happen, they are catastrophic and deadly. I don’t know if the risks are worth it, but then I don’t dream of being a racecar driver either.
3. No Right Turn on Red
Safer for pedestrians by far, and other drivers as well who don’t have to worry about a car sticking half-way into the intersection trying to turn on a red light. Many of our accidents in Vancouver over recent years have been caused by this practice, and while it is convenient for drivers, one wonders how much time is really saved on a journey by allowing right turns on red lights.
4. Priority of the Right – Belgium
Belgium has very aggressive drivers. Not only do drivers not facilitate new cars merging on highways by changing lanes (cars merging have to wrestle their way onto the highway), the priority of the right at intersections signifies that cars coming from that direction have priority over you, and will burst past you at high speeds with nary a glance in your direction.
You are responsible for ensuring that nobody is coming from the right (if the intersection is unmarked by yields or stop signs), hence the common sight of traffic mirrors to assist you in ensuring you are not t-boned in downtown Brussels. A comfortable drive in the city or country, this system does not make.
5. Cars and Bikes – Live and Let Live
On many city and country roads in the countries we visited, cars, motorcycles, and bicycles co-exist in harmony. While we give lip service to ’sharing the road’ in Vancouver, it is in Europe where this practice is truly honoured and respected. Part of the reason may be the maturity of the biking culture, which is strong and vibrant and well-respected. Commuters and students biking to work and school have priority. Bike lanes are separated from car lanes, or marked by coloured paving. Racing cyclists aren’t honked or yelled at when being passed by cars. It all seemed much more civilized and free of the anxiety and stress I experience when I bike on the ’shared’ bike lanes of Vancouver.
Travellingmom tip:
Research and pre-book your rental car (we used Europcar) from home before you leave on holiday. You will have a good choice of cars, be able to compare prices and find better deals than by booking at the airport upon your arrival. Also, booking a diesel vehicle will save you money on fuel costs, especially if you plan a lot of driving. Even diesel fuel, the cheapest fuel available in Europe, is more than double the price of our lowest-grade regular fuel in North America.
US Airlines: Still in the woods, but out of the ‘defaulting on debt covenants’ woods
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Sep 24, 2009
They couldn’t have known it at the time, but United Airlines and other U.S. carriers were dealt a lucky break last year when an oil shock made it appear they were headed for bankruptcy.
Overseas rivals, who were shielded from stratospheric fuel costs and the collapse of the U.S. dollar at the time, are now months behind the U.S. airline industry in dealing with the aftereffects of the global economic crisis that started as fuel prices fell, analysts said.
International carriers such as Germany’s Lufthansa and Air France-KLM are starting to lay off workers and trim routes as it becomes evident that lucrative international business flying will be depressed for the foreseeable future.
But U.S. airlines are ahead of the game as a result of the steep cuts that carriers started to enact by early summer 2008, when oil seemed headed to $200 a barrel, analysts said.
“It prepared the legacy carriers to dramatically lower costs more than they would have otherwise, and it probably kept a couple of them out of bankruptcy,” said Vaughn Cordle, a former airline pilot who is managing partner and chief analyst for AirlineForecasts.
Of course, U.S. airlines still aren’t flying clear of the economic turmoil that followed Wall Street’s meltdown, analysts said. But benefits from their restructuring are starting to become evident in data released this week by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
Chicago-based United Airlines, which cut its workforce more deeply than most of its peers, has seen dramatic improvement in its cost structure, federal data show.
United, a unit of UAL Corp. and the nation’s third-largest carrier, cut 5,600 full-time workers, or 11% of its workforce, in the 12 months preceding July 2009. Northwest Airlines Corp. was the only carrier to cut a larger percentage of workers — 12.5% — as it was absorbed by merger partner Delta Air Lines Inc.
United’s unit costs, a measure of how much it pays to fly passengers, dropped 22% to 12.2 cents per seat mile during the second quarter of 2009, the lowest among network carriers.
The bad news for United: Its revenue, once the highest in the industry, tumbled in proportion to its costs and is now among the lowest of large carriers. Still, United reported a positive operating margin of 4.3% in the second quarter and an operating profit of $172 million, its first such gains in more than a year, BTS data show.
The seven largest U.S. carriers reported an average negative operating margin of 0.5%, according to BTS. That’s not exactly robust, although it is a big improvement from the collective 6.3% negative margin the carriers reported during the year-earlier period.
The improved results have sent U.S. airline shares soaring since early July, but analysts caution that a full rebound for U.S. carriers won’t occur until 2010 at the earliest.
“They’ve been poised [to rebound] for years,” said Roger King, an airline analyst at CreditSights Inc., noting that carriers have cut tens of billions of dollars since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks without achieving strong earnings. “They’re still hurting on fuel, and there’s nothing they can do about that. They’re hurting on the global economy, and there’s nothing they can do about that.”
Business travel revenue, a key driver of profit, was down 35% to 40% in July for carriers around the world, the International Air Transport Assn. estimates. The trade group estimates that carriers globally will lose $11 billion in 2009.
“They’re still in the woods,” said Cordle of U.S. carriers. “But they’re out of the ‘defaulting on debt covenants’ woods.”