Archive for February, 2008
Deciphering French Train Travel
Figuring out the SNCF’s train website - is baffling to say the least. If you haven’t already done it the easy way i.e. buying you’reEurail Pass or your Flexipass here is a follow up to some of my past posts on booking train tickets while you’re in France.
I will say the obvious once again. Booking a ticket with no seat reservations in second class is the cheapest and most flexible way to go-especially if we’re talking about mid-week, off-season travel. Today I took the train from Bernay in Normandy to Paris and lolled around in a car with just one other passenger for most of the one and a half hour trip. However for the return trip on a Friday night, catching a non-reserved seat might be a little more dicey. To ensure your chances of picking up a non-reserved seat, arrive at the train station early - i.e. 20 minutes before departure. Once the quai number is posted on the departures screen, you can proceed immediately to your car, and when it’s a non-reserved ticket, just walk and walk until you get to the very end of the train. The unreserved seats are always at the end of the train.
Today, the conductor didn’t even bother looking at my ticket - I tried to hold it up and he said ‘Later’ (which turned out to be never). He couldn’t help but throw in, “There must be a huge difference in price between the reserved and non-reserved seats.”
Of course, when you’re converting these into dollars from Euros - the answer is ‘Yes’.
Date: February 28th, 2008 |
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March in Paris
It’s still February, and already the daffodils are in bloom - in Paris - and even in Normandy. It’s been an unseasonably warm winter for 2008. Being ever optimistic, I’m hoping this great weather will continue into March, just in time for the Easter festivities.
Easter 2008 events in Paris
If you plan on being in town this March, be sure to drop into Notre Dame cathedral for the Easter Tuesday (March 18th) concert. If you’ve never heard Gregorian chant - live, this is the ideal time and location. You can buy your tickets in advance at the cathedral.
Date: February 26th, 2008 |
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Book a Flight to Paris for the Early Spring
Paris in the spring is something quite special. This time of year in the city has been sung about and sighed about, so the only thing left for you to do is get there and sing and/or sigh about it in person. Even though it is not quite the height of the spring travel season in Paris, which means that maybe the weather will not be as perfect as it might be in April or May, going to Paris in March gives you a much better chance on finding a great deal on …
Date: February 25th, 2008 |
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Best Actress 2008: Marion Cotillard
You may remember back in July, 2007 Parislogue reviewed ‘La Mome’. I urged fans to see this film at that time. Even if you aren’t a Piaf fan, it’s almost impossible to separate the sounds of Piaf, ‘La Vie en Rose’, with the twisting streets of Montmartre and the image that so many of us retain of the Paris of yesteryear.
Now, it looks like Ms. Cotillard has received a super Valentine’s day gift. The film was originally released on February 14, 2007 and now, a year later, the Valentine’s box of chocolates arrives in the form of not only an Oscar but a Cesar as well.
In January, 2008, I was rooting for Cotillard to win this year’s ‘Best Actress’ saying,”Sometimes a role and an actor are preordained to meet.” Rolling Stone went one step farther - saying that Cotillard’ performance was ‘a performance for the ages’. I heartily agree.
Date: February 25th, 2008 |
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Rugby Woes: France Concedes to England 13-24
Toward the end of the meal, the Englishmen in our dinner party asked if they might possibly be excused from the dinner table a little early to watch the Stade de France game. This has to be an awful case of ‘deja vu’ for France’s coach Marc Lievrmont - but according to the Sunday times Sackey’s Arc de Triomphe, the fireworks went on - as scheduled - regardless of who won or lost.
I’ll be honest - I haven’t been following Rugby so closely since the final results of last October’s Rugby World Cup (we were …
Date: February 24th, 2008 |
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Discover Italy by way of Paris: Paris to Venice, Rome or Florence 45 Euros (one-way)
Here’s another one of SNCF’s famous ‘promotions’. Catch it while you can 45 Euros (one way to Venice or Rome) for their ‘Discover Italy’ deal. This only works if you’re already on your way to Paris because the cut-off date is March 9, 2008 (already a lot of these fares have been snapped up), but as of this posting I still saw a fare available at the 45 Euros rate. (The hard part is finding a return rate to Paris at the same price! If you catch this ticket, you’ll want to check out Italylogue’s …
Date: February 28th, 2008 |
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Packing for your Paris Honeymoon
Sandals found at My Dream Wedding
Travel light - and you’ll be glad you did.
What to bring with you:
Cool shades.
Your best-fitting jeans.
An impeccably cut black or navy blazer.
Converse trainers for walking.
‘Just Married’ sandals for Paris Plage and Deauville/Trouville.
Cashmir pullover for cool evenings.
Pocket-size digital camera with extra memory stick and extra batteries.
Corkscrew for spur of the moment picnics on the Seine.
Raingear for summer cloudbursts (i.e. Travelsmith raincoats that roll up into pouches)
Adaptor plugs (220 volt) Make sure your camera attachments cords fit the adaptor plug socket.
For the bride:
Outrageous lingerie.
Little black dress
Cool shades.
Best-fitting …
Date: February 26th, 2008 |
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Students, Fly Free to Paris
Take advantage of AIFS ‘Fly Free to Paris offer’ which is part of their 2008 Fall Studies abroad program - you must hurry! To qualify for this offer, you need to apply before May 15th, 2008 (other prerequisites may also apply). But it can’t hurt to check out the details on this offer if you’re already planning on studying in Paris this fall for your ‘year abroad’.
Date: February 25th, 2008 |
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25 Euro Train Ticket: Paris to Amsterdam - Going Fast!
I found this one way fare on the voyages-SNCF site for a Sunday in April (April 27 ‘08) It will go fast! Catch it while you can. You’ll find that train ticket rates vary greatly, depending on when and how you buy your tickets. Here’s the direct link (while the ticket lasts)
Tip: Buy your tickets without reserving seats and it’s less expensive. You can also buy tickets without a specific date set when your ticket has no seat reservation.
Date: February 24th, 2008 |
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Footwear for Paris
So you’re coming to France this summer – and you want to do a lot of walking – but you don’t want to look like a tourist in clunky running shoes.
The solution is simple. Buy a pair of Converse trainers and you’ll fit right in.
In Peggy Frey’s article for Madame Figaro Magazine, Bien Dans Nos Converse’(Comfy in our Converse) she interviews some of Paris’s top names in the fashion world. They confide to Frey their passion for Converse.
Ines de la Fressange tells Frey her favorite colors – navy …
Date: February 24th, 2008 |
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