I%26#39;m thinking of camping with Eurocamp at Vieux Boucal. Has anyone camped there and what are your thoughts. Also, what would be the best way to get there from Biarritz Airport.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Cycling Macon Taize
Hi Everyone!
We are two friends (female, in our forties) - who need help - quickly!
We want to travel from Geneve to France from Sunday 7 June 2009 for 3 nights. But we need a bit of info:
We want to hire bicycles in Macon and do the following towns: Macon, Roche de Solutre, Pierreclos, Taize, Brancion, Tournos, St Andre and back to Macon. Our questions:
1) Where can we find out if it will be possible to hire bicycles in Macon on a Sunday?
2) We dont know if the area is hilly? IS it possible to cycle that route? Any specific order in which we should attempt the towns that will be easier to cycle?
3) Any suggestions as to nice places to stay, not to expensive, but rather %26#39;%26#39;authentic%26#39;%26#39;? And perhaps a restaurant or two that should not be missed?
What to do in 4 days?
Hello all,
My fiance and I are going to Marselle for 4 days in the next 2 weeks. I wanted to chill on the beach. Which ones do you suggest?
Any suggestions for Cafes and restaurants? (nothing very pricy).
Do they have any boat sightseeing?
Please give me tips!!! :o)
Thank you so much!
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Beaches in Marseille are a no-no. The closest and quaintest is Cassis, small fisherman village, many restaurants around the port, cafes to people watch, beaches, boat ride to the Calanques.
Seems to fit your criteria!
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Def go 2 Cassis,and to Aix to chill
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Oh yes nice! Thank you!
And how long is from Marseille to Cassis?
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Hello,
It looks like you can take the bus.
www.ot-cassis.fr/us/venir/acces/index1.php
I%26#39;m not sure how long it takes by bus, we drove from the train station and it took about an hour, and that includes getting lost while leaving Marseille and getting lost trying to find out hotel in Cassis.
You will love it there though.
Thanks!
Suzanne
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It is a beautiful harbor with lots of outdoor cafes. There are sightseeing boats to the Calanques (sp?). There are ticket sales by the tourist office on the left as you look at the water but there is also a boat on the right side all the way down past the restaurants. When we were there (March) it was less busy than the tourist side. We did not see the Calanques but they are highly recommended. Many from TA hike there too.
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Oh guys thank you so much, I am already loving it!!!!
Tots To France
We had a terrible experience with Tots To France when we rented a gite in France. Whilst this may be a one-off, after the terrible experience we had during the holiday as well as with the Tots to France personnel after the holiday when we complained, we wanted to forewarn others that may be thinking of booking through them. The main issues are highlighted below:
1. For what you get, the gites are heavily overpriced. We paid almost £1000 for a week, and had some French friends visit us for the day, and they could not believe what a rip-off it was. A French run gites will be half the price for twice the quality;
2. The gite was run by an English family (which I think is the norm with Tots to France gites) that had decided to subsidise their own holiday lifestyle by renting out rooms to other Britishers. It was common to see the owners sun bathing / lazying around and we felt bad to disturb them when we needed something (almost like interuupting their holiday!!) Where as the accomodation that would be run by the locals would be run as a business with two important ingredients - customer care and service.
3. The gite owner%26#39;s obsession was with selling their wines and tried repeatedly to organise wine tasting evening with us. Having a baby we were not in the least interested in this, which really annoyed the british gite owners.
4. The gite was delapidated and required major renovation. The curtains on the windows were extremely transparent which let in sun light at 5am....which meant we were all up at 5am.
5. The swimming pool was a dirty little inflatable one with a concrete floor around it...ideal for a child to fall and crack the skull on (nothing like what was in the picture)
6. There were no child locks in the cupboards
7. The garbage bin which was outside our door (and the owners regularly walked past it) was not emptied for the entire week we were there, which was incredibly smelly with baby nappies and food left-overs.
8. Even after showing photos of the above to the Tots To owners, their response was that we should have complained to the gite owners!!! If this is the case, why bother booking through Tots To when one can book directly through gites in France.
Since returning we have found many gites you can book in France directly and this is what we would recommend. Do a Google search, and you will find plenty!!
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Help! Weve just booked with them - which gite was it? we are going to Les gites du Vin, an hr north of bordeaux.
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Hi -
While I sympathize with some of your complaints, I object to the term %26quot;ripped off%26quot; which is a phrase very commonly used when Brits complain about things they could have avoided with a reasonable amount of research.
Any information you can find with a Google search can%26#39;t be considered difficult to obtain. A little more effort with a guide book, would have given even more, and possibly better, information, since there%26#39;s no chance that it is an advertisement included in the text by the owners. A posting here on the forum, could have resulted in even more information and advice. A number of us would have suggested that you compare whatever else you find with what%26#39;s available through official French channels before making a decision, since official postings are visited/inspected before inclusion in the lists.
Unfortunately, many prospective tourists from the UK trust only other Brits. The biggest problem is that an alarming number of Brits believe that the hospitality business is easy, and requires little or no time on the part of the operators of whatever type of establishment involved, and operators make %26quot;a bloody fortune%26quot; for their non-effort because their Deed of Ownership is really a %26quot;license to print money%26quot;. As someone who has worked in a number of areas of the industry, I can tell you that every single assumption above is wrong, and if you seriously believe any of them, I have some swampland in Florida available for sale at the right price.
Usually Brits start out to finance their Retirement Home in France as proprietors of a B%26amp;B. When that turns out to be too expensive, difficult and time consuming, they whine loudly while they convert their property into self-catering units, which they mistakenly believe will be really, really profitable for little or no effort, et voila, they%26#39;ll be able to be vacationers on their own property. Wrong!
Folks, do yourselves a favour and stay in places that are operated by professionals in the field. The ownership is unimportant. Professionals understand that there are minimum standards to be maintained - the trash must be carried away daily, repairs must be made in a timely fashion; off season if possible, or between guests if necessary. Facilities must be clean. Properties that are marketed specifically to families with young children must be rendered child-safe.
To owner-operators: If you want to sell your own self-labeled/produced products to your guests, leave a brochure in their unit and ask ONCE if they are interested in a tour/tasting/demonstration. If the answer is no, don%26#39;t make mention again.
To guests: if something is wrong/broken/unsatisfactory inform the management politely but firmly (if necessary) as early in the day as possible, even if they are %26quot;sunbathing/lazying around%26quot;. They operate a business and you have paid good money to stay in the business they operate and have the right, therefore, to expect that certain standards prevail. If you don%26#39;t complain to management on-site, you won%26#39;t prevail with anyone else.
Every country has a government agency that can be approached with regard to important issues like rotting garbage. Child locks aren%26#39;t necessarily under their purview, but basic hygiene is. A complaint about this one particular item to the agency that issues Tourist Accommodation Licenses, can result in serious consequences if an inspection reveals that the situation has not been rectified since your complaint was lodged.
A TAL isn%26#39;t a right, and the agencies involved are very happy to revoke them if conditions warrant such action. If the establishment is being operated without a TAL, then government agencies can be very difficult to get along with, and large fines are often levied.
Paris budget?
Hi all,
I am going to Paris in almost 2 week and it will be 3 people including me traveling together, we are planing to stay for a week and I have paid for park entry tickets to Disneyland (without the the transportation)
And we might take a day trip to Versailles+Giverny , my only concern is that we have put a combined budget between 1,728.02 - max 2,208.84 Euros for the entire week, of course minimum if no shopping at all the main concern is food and transportation plus sight seeing here.
Would this budget be enough for an entire week?
(PS. SORRY FOR THE DOUBLE POST, posted it in the wrong city section earlier!)
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Yes. But don%26#39;t expect to have any money left over.
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That would be 80-105 E per person/per day, it can be enough if you want it to be.
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Completely doable! On the days I don%26#39;t shop, I barely spend over 80E a day, if that. Granted, I don%26#39;t go to fancy restaurants or anything, but you can enjoy yourself on that amount of money.
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80-100 euros per day per person is adequate for: eating, postcards, museum tickets, metro, coffee, icecream, afternoon drinks, pastries etc.
However, if you want to have one or two day with a good 3-course lunch (which is about 60-80 euros per person, including apéritif, ½ bottle of wine + coffee) - you must allow for an equal number of days on a tighter budget.
Also if you plan on daytrips, you%26#39;ll have to allow for traintickets etc.
I hope your budget does not include hotel expenses, because then you%26#39;ll have a problem.
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My calculus is without shopping. Definitely without shopping ! And without expensive theatre, opera- or concert tickets.
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to Dewtrell, yes we defiantly wont go to any fancy restaurants going to look for normal cafes and light meals through out the day.
Otherwise I would have loved to try a top notch restaurant in Paris, it was a last minute spontaneous trip plan so we didn%26#39;t save up for it, hopefully I will get to visit Paris again and enjoy the fancy side of it! =%26gt;
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To GitteK, wow thank you so much for your informative and detailed reply! =D
The hotel expense is not included in this budget, I am paying that by my CC.
I was keen on going to a show in Paris, hopefully if we last 5 days with a decent budget left then I can see a show before I leave Paris =)
Not planing to visit many museum thought, except the Louvre.
We are mostly planing on light meals through out the day, and we don%26#39;t drink alcohol so we wont be spending any money on fancy wines.
I am still preparing mentally for the fact that I-really-cant-go-shopping, I love shopping and it is going to be hard but I will try to do more sightseeing and avoid shops if necessary so I won%26#39;t be tempted!
And thank you so much you really helped me allot! =%26gt;
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Thank you navrad and innaMontreal for your reply!
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I%26#39;ve traveled pretty extensively and I have not had the killer dining experience in Paris as I have other cities. While I love Parisian food, it is the very basics, like steak and frites, onion soup, cheese, bread, boeuf bourguignon, just very simple dishes. I%26#39;m allergic to eggs, and I know eggs is used a lot in French cooking, so I have to be careful.
While I%26#39;d love to dine at Jules Verne, paying $200 for lunch, upwards of $300 for dinner isn%26#39;t worth it to me - I%26#39;d rather put that money towards a Louis Vuitton bag or shoes.
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ilga6 - you%26#39;re welcome.....
Now there%26#39;s shopping and there%26#39;s shopping. Of course you can buy yourself a little bitsy thing from Paris as a personal souvenir: a scarf is BOUT 5-10 euros,a set of bijouterie earrings or a necklace you can have for about the same price, some little pretty thingy for you kitchen or bathroom: about the same.
Shopping doesn%26#39;t have to mean %26quot;robbing-Place-Vendôme%26quot; (Or.....well...... somebody actually did, recently ! So why not ??)
Paris is an explosion of unbelievably beauty, style and luxury right in your face. You walk from one exquisite window display to the next and they become still more waaaauuuuuwww !! At some point you simply have to come to terms with the sheer pleasure of %26quot;lèche-vitrine%26quot;, licking the windows. Just enjoying that affluence and abundance like this does in fact exist. And let go of the craving to possess.
Canal boating
My wife and I are planning to rent a canal boat and cruise next year and I%26#39;d like to know which months have the best climate? Particularly in the first half of the year and preferrably when fewer people are on the water. We are looking at using Nicols and are curious to hear of experiences with them. Also, we%26#39;d like to know a good route to take that provides picturesque scenery with old world architecture and buildings, good wine and cuisine, and not an over-abundance of locks. I don%26#39;t mind some but I%26#39;d prefer not to have to get out every 10 minutes. Also, does anyone know of any festivals that take place in some of the towns along the routes? Your advice, suggestions and opinions would be greatly appreciated as neither of us have been to France. Thanks.
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If you want to use Nicols I suggest their website is a good place to start:
http://www.nicols.com/
My recommendation is that you choose a one way route. Somehow the return portion of an %26quot;out and back%26quot; lacks adventure and might best be characterize as anticlimactic.
The bulk in not all of the commonly available routes offered by companies encompass those core elements of interest you describe: scenery, architecture, wine, and cuisine. However some itineraries do include a good number of locks. Only the Camargue routes contain but a few locks.
Trying to include festivals into a boating schedule might prove difficult. Unless you have extra time in which to travel, parking and dwelling upon a single location can cause problems meeting your arrival schedule.
If neither of you have previously been to France, I might urge you to strongly consider the Canal du Midi which offers a good collection of diversions along the way as well as beautiful scenery, vineyards, and numerous small towns.
Here is a list of the remaining reputable boat rental companies:
http://www.midicanal.com/
http://www.franceafloat.com/
http://www.leboat.com/
http://www.locaboat.com/
http://www.rive-de-france.com/default_gb.asp
www.minervoiscruisers.com/english/main/
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June 21 (Festival of Music) and July 14 (Bastille Day) are celebrated throughout France. Festival of Music may be celebrated on June 20, being a Saturday, in some places. Other festivals will vary depending on where you are.
My wife and I have used Nicols for our last 4 trips and have been happy with the service and the state of the vessels. They do get a fair amount of wear and tear and but all of the vessels have been clean, well fitted out and reliable. We use the Nicols 900 with 2 cabins, 2 bathrooms but no flybridge. The big plus with only 2 of us is the easy access from the saloon to the front deck and side door from the saloon so that the captain can hold a line and have control of the helm and engine.
The Nicols Duo is tempting, with the dual steering position, but not quite as easy to get around I suspect.
While the Canal du Midi is the most popular area for cruising, it is an area we have avoided because of its popularity. The two areas we have enjoyed the most are Buzet sur Baise down to Condom and return and Le Lot from Bouzies. These areas are less populated and mostly small, meandering river rather than canal.
What is the difference between a
brasserie, bistro, cafe, restaurant in Paris.
would be helpful whilst planning my intinery .
Also any one know where i can get traditional country cooking like casoulet ,coc au van(sp?)etc
thanks
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The best cassoulet I%26#39;ve ever eaten in Paris was at Auberge Pyrenées Cevennes at 106 r. Folie Méricourt in the 11th. It%26#39;s a family-run, lovely restaurant with wonderful food. The plate of cassoulet is enough to feed two armies. Reservations may not be strictly necessary, but I%26#39;d make one at 01 43 57 33 78.
Nearest Metro is République. Rue Folie Méricourt is off rue du Faubourg du Temple. Happy travels!
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Hello!
What a great question about the difference in brasserie, bistro, cafe and restaurants.
I%26#39;ve been to Paris a few times, and could never really see the difference, but I found this website that might be helpful.
paris-insider.com/tips/dining-paris-terminol…
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Good question!
A brasserie is a place that traditionally serves beer and usually food from the north-east Alsace region of France.
A bistro tends to be an informal place that serves typical French cuisine - you will find your %26quot;coq au vin%26quot;, steak frites etc. there. The word %26quot;bistrot%26quot; was coined by the Russians during WW2 when they occupied the city and demanded %26quot;bistrot = quick%26quot; service.
A café is an informal place that serves coffee and other drinks. They may serve light snacks but not usually proper meals.
A restaurant is a place that serves a full meal service. The type of cuisine will vary. It will not serve only drinks or snacks.
Our favourite place for cassoulet is Le Languedoc on boulevard de Port-Royal in the 5e. It is a small family-run restaurant that specialises in dishes from the south-west of France (the family that run the restaurant are originally from that region). It also does traditional Parisian cusine. It is great value and very popular with the locals.
Bon appétit!
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Nrasserie : serves drinks and food all day
Restaurant : serves meals and drinks during opening hours (lunch and dinner)
Café : serves drinks and simple food (sandwiches, croque-monsieur) all day.
Bistro: originally a slang word for café, now in fashion for some restaurants simpler (or which want to look simpler) than a fancy restaurant.
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%26lt;The word %26quot;bistrot%26quot; was coined by the Russians during WW2 when they occupied the city and demanded %26quot;bistrot = quick%26quot; service.%26gt;
In WWII, that would have been the Germans, not the Russians. One possible source of the term %26quot;bistro%26quot; does trace to a Russian occupation of Paris, but it was in 1814-1815, after Napolean%26#39;s defeat. But that is only one of several theories for the origin of the term.
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Hi --
The lines between the various meanings have blurred somewhat, especially in recent years - for instance; brasseries still serve beer (and wine) all day, but they no longer make such serious distinctions in terms of food. You%26#39;ll find lots of brasseries whose cartes and menus include a large number of dishes from areas of France other than Alsace, as well as things that traditionally were served in bistrots, cafes, and whatever.
I think that these days, the biggest distinctions are in terms of size and a la carte prices. Brasseries are usually the biggest, and often, restaurants (especially the famous ones) are the priciest. The size distinction is more reliable than the price one, since you%26#39;ll find lots of very affordable restaurants in neighbourhoods all over Paris.
Coq au vin is something you might find in anything but the very smallest places, simply because it%26#39;s something tourists always ask for. This is one more good reason for reading the bills of fare outside any eating establishment.
Cassoulet is more of a winter dish, I think, but again may pop up almost anywhere, at any time of year, because of tourist demand. There are lots of OPs who love the dish and will be able to name their favourite source restaurant/cafe/whatever, and may be willing to share.
Sharing the name and address of an eating place doesn%26#39;t sound like much of a sacrifice, but once a place is named here on the forum, it very often becomes a %26quot;tourist%26quot; place with lines snaking out the door. The reason, or course, is that bajillions of folks who don%26#39;t post on the forum, read it, and take the recommendations to heart. If we%26#39;re lucky, those folks are %26quot;restaurant of the season%26quot; junkies, who abandon the recommendations of one year in favour of the ones of the next. Then, the place may revert to its original clientel. But only if we%26#39;re lucky.
Bon voyage.
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We usually have cassolet at the Brasserie D%26#39;Ile St. Louis starting with the tart a l%26#39;onion, but they also serve a good charcroute.
Pjk
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Mon Dieu!
Mea Culpa.
What was I thinking with the Russians and WW2?
The Russians occupied the city during the Napoleonic wars!
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As the question has been asked many times before, you could search the forum for other historical, lexical or foodies points of view, you will find for example these threads:
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k23048…
tripadvisor.com/…2721054
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k13325…
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Another vote for Auberge Pyrenees Cervennes. Non touristy, great food, and yes the cassoulet will feed an army. A nice frisee salad too. We stay in the Marais and walk to the restaurant and definitely have to walk home after the lovely meal.
S
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