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AIAs Vacation Rentals Lodging Accommodations Condo Rentals Beach Houses Ski Homes Private Self Catering Holiday Villas For Rent By Owner AIAs Vacation Rentals Lodging Accommodations Condo Rentals Beach Houses Ski Homes Private Self Catering Holiday Villas For Rent By Owner AIA's lodging4vacations.com an easy-to-use collection of vacation rentals, private homes, beach condos and luxury villas for rent by owner. AIA's unforgettable web pages show plenty of photos, unique details and convenient contact forms for the friendliest vacation rentals around the world! Before you continue, please read the disclaimer 4lastminute search advertise with-us e-mail us lodging4 submit 4 link exchange UNITED STATES Alabama Rentals Lake Eufaula Rentals Thomas Creek Lakefront Arizona Lodging Sedona Vacation Rentals Sedona Vacation Rentals Red Rock Realty Red Rock Realty-Pg3 California Lodging Bishop Joseph House Inn Catalina Island Catalina Vacation Rental Crystal Cove Newport Coast Newport Coast Luxury Dana Point Harbour House Rental Ivory Coast Condo Monarch Beach Home Coastal Cottage Condo Dana Point Town Home Headlands Luxury Condo Dana Point Condo The Cleopatra Luxury Luxury Beach Condo Dana Point Beach Condo Dana Point Monarch Beach Dana Point Ocean Breeze Monarch Beach Links Home Dana Point Condo Luxury The Strand Headlands-II Cabana on the Coast Disneyland The Barclay House Huntington Beach Rentals Surfside Beach House B21 Beach Cottage B75 Lake Tahoe Vacation Rentals Alpine Chalet Lodging Cheyenne Tahoe South Lake Tahoe Keys Inverness 2210 South Shore 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Jack's Edgewater Condo En Soleil En Soleil Luxury Condo GulfCrest Myra's GulfCrest Luxury Christy's PCB Condos Hidden Dunes Hidden Dunes Luxury Hidden Dunes Condo Inn Paradise Myra's Inn Paradise -- Dorothy's Inn Paradise Mariner West PCB Mariner West Regency Towers Cindy's Regency Towers Sumner's Regency Towers Angie's Regency Condo Hartzog's Regency Towers Seachase Resort Sharon's Seachase Condo The Summit Cindy's Summit Beach Condo Myra's Summit Condo Judy's Summit Condo Dorothy's 3 Summit Condos Horton's Summit Condo Walters' Summit Condo Carolyn's Summit Condo Anita's Condos Summit 1414 Condo Hartzog's 2 Summit Condos Whidden's Summit Rentals Parrothead's Beach Condo The Regency Summit Condo KB Summit Condo The Sunbird Cindy's Gulf Front Sunbird Jaclyn's Sunbird Condo Sharon's Sunbird Condos Casey's Condo Sunbird "B" Deluxe Suite Sunbird Penthouse Condo Kornecki Sunbird Rentals 208W "B" Deluxe Suite Karin's Condos #610E 405W "B" Deluxe Condo Sarah's 808E "B" Condo Top of the Gulf 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Bachelor Sunriver Meadows Lodge Northwoods Lodge Sunriver Lodge Home North Course Fairway Executive Lodge Home Sunriver Ledgerock Lodgehome Sunriver Vacation Home Sunriver River Rock Retreat Bachelor Sunriver Haven Sunriver Mt. Bachelor Sunriver Pine Lodge #1 Sunriver Pine Lodge #2 Sunriver Escape Rockaway Beach Rockaway Beach House Pennsylvania Lodging Bedford County Hemlock Hill Rhode Island Lodging Newport Vacation Rentals Newport Hillside Farm Estate Utah Lodging Park City Vacation Rentals Grand Love Shack The Morton House Park City Grand Luxury Deer Valley Luxury Home Large Woodside Park City Mountain Family Home Old Town Victorian Park City Mountainside Park City Downtown Resortside Luxury Homes Park City Claim Jumper Park City By Owner Deer Valley Vacation Home Joyce's Condo Park City Park Ave Park City Rental Home Park City Rental Park City Vacation Rental Luxury Deer Valley Condo Park City Crestview Deer Valley Townhome Cedar Way Home Powder Pointe Condos Silver Cliff Village Ski-in/Ski-out Snowflower Solitude Mountain Powderhorn Lodge Washington Lodging Mount Baker Glacier Chalet #7 Port Townsend Pilot's Cottage CANADA Alberta Lodging Calgary Vacation Rental 25th Ave Executive Penthouse British Columbia Lodging Lake Okanagan Cove of Sand Whistler Vacation Rentals Whistler Ski-in Ski-out Whistler Accommodations CARIBBEAN Bahamas Lodging Abacos Vacation Rentals Bahama Vacation Villas Lubbers' Quarters Cay Great Guana Paradise Green Turtle Cay Beach House Green Turtle Cay Osprey Cottages Shorecrest II Outisland Bahamas Eleuthera Island Breeze Bahamas Island Breeze Bungalow Point O'Vue Beach Villa Exuma & Exuma Cays Exuma House Bahamas Bahama Villa Rentals Seastar Bahamas Jamaica Lodging Montego Bay Villa Olga Carib Vista Villa Negril Beach House Villas Leeward Islands Lodging Anguilla CuisinArt-Resort & Spa Antigua Antigua Villas French West Indies Lodging St. Maarten & St. Martin Esmeralda Resort Alamanda Resort All Inclusive Le Flamboyant All Inclusive Hotels & Resorts Affordable Villas Large Luxury Villas Grand Villa Estate Rentals Baciata dal Sole Luxury Villa Chateau des Palmiers Estate La Salamandre Villa Estate Le Tropezienne Grand Deluxe Reservations Center 4FunStMartin.com Why A Villa Vacations Christmas in St. Martin MEXICO Akumal Vacation Rentals Akumal Private Villa Translate this page to ... 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Switzerland Travel Community? Join

Switzerland Travel Community: Chur Tourism Home Browse: -- ---Destination--- Adelboden Airolo Aletsch Andermatt Anzre Appenzellerland Arosa Ascona Bad Ragaz Baden Basel Belinzona Bern Berner Oberland Bettmeralp Biel Braunwald Brienz-Meiringen Brig Brissago Celerina Centovalli Charmey Chteau-d'Oex Chur Crans-Montana Davos Disentis-Sedrun Einsiendeln Emmental Engelberg Estavayer-le-Lac Flims Laax Falera Fribourg Geneva Gimmelwald Glarus Grchen Grindelwald Gruyres Gstaad Interlaken Jungfrau Region Kandersteg Klosters La Chaux-de-Fonds Lago Maggiore Lausanne Lauterbrunnen Lenzerheide-Valbella Les Diablerets Leuk Leukerbaad Leysin Liestal Locarno Ltschberg Lucerne Lugano Martigny Mendrisio Montreux Morges Mount Pilatus Mt. Rigi Murren Murten Nendaz Neuchatel Nyon Pays du Grand-St-Bernard Pontresina Rapperswil Rheinfelden Riederalp Romont Saanen Saas-Fee Sainte-Croix Samedan Samnaun San Bernardino Sntis Savognin Schaffhausen Schwyz Scuol Sierre Sils-maria Silvaplana Sion Soglio Solothurn Splgen St. Gallen St. Moritz Thun Thurgau Thusis Ticino Toggenburg Torgon Vaduz Val de Illiez Verbier Villars Visp Region Weggis Wengen Winterthur Yverdon Zermatt Zug Zurich ---Region--- Basel Bernese Oberland Central Switzerland Eastern Switzerland/Liechtenstein Fribourg Geneva Graubnden Lake Geneva (Vaud) Neuchtel / Jura / Jura Bernois Schweizer Mittelland Ticino Valais Zurich Switzerland Game Log in Email Address: Password: Remember Me Problems logging in? Not a Member? What is the Switzerland Travel Community? Join the community to discover Switzerland through firsthand travel reviews and photos, to meet other Swiss travelers, earn valuable rewards, and much more! Switzerland > Chur Journal Name: Chur - A Profile of Swiss History Member Name: Sierra (Register or Login to see this member's profile!) Type of Trip: Business Date Created: 10/13/2005 Description: Chur is the gateway town for the Graubnden canton in the eastern region of Switzerland. The city is over 5,000 years old - the oldest town north of the Alps - and has many spas in the area. Entry Category Member Recommendation Content Rating Chur - A Profile of Swiss History Overview N/A Comfort Hotel Post Chur Lodging Highly Recommended The Giger Bar Bars and Pubs Recommended Brgger-Parpan Specialty Shops Recommended Merz Bakery & Caf Dining Very Highly Recommended Romantik Hotel Stern Dining Very Highly Recommended Schlosshotel Adler Dining Very Highly Recommended The wines of Schloss Reichenau Experiences N/A has photos Community Chur Members Who Live in Chur Graubnden Vacation See All Members With Chur Journals Sierra Chur Photos See All Most Recent Chur Journals Chur - A Profile of Swiss History See All Return to Home Information about Swiss Quality Switzerland Tourism : About Us : Privacy Statement

JAPAN Travel Guide Overview

VirtualTourist.com - Japan Travel Guide - Pictures, Tips and Reviews Japan Travel Guide. Tips, Reviews & Photos plus Hotels, Restaurants, Activities & More in Japan member log in | join for free! | help Home Travel Guides Hotels Flights Deals NEW! Members Meetings & Events Do It Yourself Guides Forums JAPAN Travel Guide Overview | Hotels | Forum | Things To Do | Top Member Pages | Deals | Members | Meetings & Events Home » Travel Guides » Asia » Japan Destinations Members Keywords Sponsored Links for Japan Low fares at AA.com. Find our lowest fares at AA.com and pay no online booking fee. Marriott Hotels Enjoy stylish luxury hotels with Marriott's new rooms. Book now. Hotels Compare Prices, View Photos & More! Low Rates Guaranteed - Book Now Hotels Find Great Deals on Hotels for Winter Travel from Travelocity! Cheap Hotels at Expedia Expedia Special Rates Means We Guarantee Our Low Rates on Rooms. Japan Hotel Rates City: Check-In Date: Check-Out Date: Guests: 1 2 3 4 Hotels by OneTime.com Japan Forum Join a Discussion detail of japan (2 replies, 2:19 PM Dec. 26, 2005) 1 year, 1 bike, 1 country - JAPAN ! ! tips please. (2 replies, 12:06 PM Dec. 21, 2005) Nyotaimori (2 replies, 5:26 PM Dec. 21, 2005) Be the first to reply to these questions japan ... (no replies yet) about japan fahsion............ (no replies yet) Ryokan in Kyoto (no replies yet) » All Japan Discussions » Post a Japan Discussion Travel Resources Car Rental Cruises Vacations Luggage NEW! Japan Deals Memoirs of a Geisha Tour - 7 day Kyoto (0 comments, 9:12 PM Nov. 16, 2005) » All Japan Deals » Post a Japan Deal FREE VT Deals Newsletter great deals, inside tips & no spam Popular Japan Hotels In: Tokyo Kyoto Osaka Nagoya Hiroshima Nikko Japan Flight Rates From: To: Departure Date: Anytime Morning Afternoon Evening Midnight 01:00 AM 02:00 AM 03:00 AM 04:00 AM 05:00 AM 06:00 AM 07:00 AM 08:00 AM 09:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM Noon 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM 07:00 PM 08:00 PM 09:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Return Date: Anytime Morning Afternoon Evening Midnight 01:00 AM 02:00 AM 03:00 AM 04:00 AM 05:00 AM 06:00 AM 07:00 AM 08:00 AM 09:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM Noon 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM 07:00 PM 08:00 PM 09:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Passengers: 1 2 3 4 Flights by OneTime.com Japan Local time: 7:42 am Thursday, December 29, 2005. TravelPro Sale - LuggageGuru.com Hotels in Japan Flights to Japan Map NEW! Members living here: 1,942 Member tips: 14,854 Member pictures: 26,547 Popular Destinations in Japan Tokyo Kyoto Osaka Nagoya Hiroshima Nikko Kobe Yokohama Nara Sapporo Tsukuba Kamakura Himeji Yokohama Yaizu Takayama Niigata Sasebo Hakone Shizuoka Chiba Hamamatsu Nagano Sendai Miyajima » More Destinations in Japan Regions in Japan Aichi-ken Akita-ken Aomori-ken Chiba-ken Ehime-ken Fukui-ken Fukuoka-ken Fukushima-ken Gifu-ken Gumma-ken Hiroshima-ken Hokkaido Hyogo-ken Ibaraki-ken Ishikawa-ken Iwate-ken Kagawa-ken Kagoshima-ken Kanagawa-ken Kochi-ken Kumamoto-ken Kyoto-fu Mie-ken Miyagi-ken Miyazaki-ken Nagano-ken Nagasaki-ken Nara-ken Niigata-ken Oita-ken Okayama-ken Okinawa Osaka-fu Saga-ken Saitama-ken Shiga-ken Shimane-ken Shizuoka-ken Tochigi-ken Tokushima-ken Tokyo-to Tottori-ken Toyama-ken Wakayama-ken Yamagata-ken Yamaguchi-ken Yamanashi-ken Top Pages About Japan 1. Land And Nature Of Japan by cheesecake17 148 Tips 174 Pictures 2. Tadaima!! (i Came Back!!) by Maline 51 Tips 46 Pictures 3. Japan, My Friends, Our Trip.... by PolishChick 44 Tips 85 Pictures 4. Bringing The Tropic To Japan by manuelEB 34 Tips 42 Pictures 5. An Art Teacher Visits Japan by nicolettart 45 Tips 39 Pictures » View all rated pages (183) » View newest pages » Build your own Japan page Tips and Photos about Japan in General Overview General Tips Tips: 360 - Pictures: 259 Restaurants Tips: 246 - Pictures: 159 Hotels and Accommodations Tips: 186 - Pictures: 97 Things To Do Tips: 610 - Pictures: 523 Nightlife Tips: 71 - Pictures: 44 Off the Beaten Path Tips: 170 - Pictures: 146 Tourist Traps Tips: 51 - Pictures: 28 Warnings or Dangers Tips: 114 - Pictures: 65 Transportation Tips: 240 - Pictures: 158 Local Customs Tips: 407 - Pictures: 320 Packing Lists Tips: 61 - Pictures: 26 Shopping Tips: 66 - Pictures: 50 Sports Travel Tips: 11 - Pictures: 9 » See tips about a specific place in Japan More Sponsored Links for Japan Hot Airfares to Japan Amazing one-way, round trip savings Buy unused seats on major airlines. Flights - Cheap Tickets Book Your Flight Online & Save. CheapTickets Makes It Simple! Japan Flights SuperSearch Across Multiple Sites And Find Low Fares To Japan Find: Destinations Members Keywords Matching: Advanced About VT | Contact Us | Site Tour | Advertising | Local Merchant Login | Travel Tools | VT Chat | VT Gear | Help User Agreement | Privacy Statement Virtual Tourist® ©1994-2005 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

France Travel

FRANCE Geography History Politics Culture Transportation Lodging Restaurants Museums and Monuments Nightlife Currency 1. Geography France is bordered by the English Channel to the North; Belgium and Luxembourg to the Northeast; Germany, Switzerland and Italy tothe East; the Mediterranean Sea to the South; Spain and Andorra to the Southwest; and the Atlantic Ocean to the West. It includes theisland of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea to the Southeast of the mainland. The country's 210,026 squre miles offer vastly diverse scenery. It is comprised of the Alps and Pyrenees mountain ranges, the valleys of the Loire, Rhone, and Dordogne rivers, and the fertile flat lands and cliffs of Normandy and the Atlantic coast. France is bordered by 1800 miles of coastline. 2. History France was originally inhabited by Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon peoples. After the disintegration of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, it was settled by Gauls - a Celtic people. In the 8th century, Charlemagne established his Frankish empire stretching from the Pyrenees to the Baltic. Over the next several centuries the feudal lords of Paris consolidated power over various regions, creating for the first time a French nation. The reign of Louis VI from 1108-1137 represented the first time that royal authority came to fruition in certain areas of France. There remained however powerful rulers who served as Louis VI's vassals in name only, such as the Dukes of Normandy. During the FrenchRenaissance, Francois I helped develop the chateaux in the Loire Valley. These luxuries reached their peak during the reign of the SunKing Louis XIV (1643-1715) in which the power of the French state was further centralized and France became the major Europeanpower. Louis XV's reign (1715-1774) saw a time of prosperity as well as a growing gap between rich and power. During this period, the nobility and clergy were exempt from the payment of taxes. These disparities culminated in the French Revolution of 1789 which overthrew Louis XVI and sought equality of the individual before the law. Rising army commander Napoleon Bonaparte overthrew the weak and unpopular governemnts of the end of the 18th century in 1799.Five years later he was declared Emperor and attempted to establish a French empire in Europe. In 1812 Napoleon's good fortune wasreversed after his failed invasion of Russia. He was exiled and his army dismantled but escaped and returned to France for a briefHundered Days until he was defeated at Waterloo by the Duke of Wellington. The 19th century saw France waver from republic to monarchy to republic to empire, and finally back to republic. It faced an emerging Germany in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871and again as the network of treaties and alliances collapsed in 1914 with the assassination of the Austrian Grand Duke Ferdinand in Serbia. In the interbellum period, after the Versailles Treaty, France recovered the Alsace-Lorraine region originally lost in the Franco-PrussianWar, and established a new electoral system based on proportional representation. With the advances of Nazi Germany into Poland in1939, France once again declared war on Germany and entered WWII. However, it was swiftly occupied by the Nazis who establishedthe Vichy Regime from 1940-1944. The Fourth Republic was established after the war but could not resist the pressures induced by the Algerian Conflict. General deGaulle, former Resistance leader of the exiled anti-Nazi government during WWII, established the Fifth Republic. 1968 saw the adventof student and industrial workers riots threatening to overthrow the fledgling Republic. Throughout the 1970s, conservative presidents and centre-right majorities governed in France. The Socialist party experienced its firstvictory in 1981 with the election of Francois Mitterand who remained in office until 1995. Jacques Chirac, the former mayor of Paris and Prime Minister in cohabitation with Mitterand was narrowly elected President in 1995. Edouard Balladur was first appointed PrimeMinister but was succeeded by Alain Juppe who was committed to streamlining the public sector. Having called for an early election, Chirac is now governing in cohabitation with the Socialist Lionel Jospin, his competitor in the 1995 election. 3. Politics The strong executive branch of the 5th Republic is directed by the President who is elected by direct popular vote for a 7-year term.The legislative branch is governed by a bicameral parliament comprised of a 577-member National Assembly which is elected for 5-yearterms, and the 321-member senate which is elected for 9-year terms with one-third of the seats up for reelection every 3 years. France's main foreign commitment is to the European Union. Its relations with Germany have been considered to be the pillar of the integration movement. France continues to be active in multifarious regions of the world as a means to assert its status as a worldpower. In opposition to American hegemony, France has come into conflict with the United States on a number of instances, most notably at the Uruguay Round of negotion on the 1993 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and with regards to the commandof armed forces in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. France has conducted several military interventions in Africa where it maintians a significant economic, military, and cultural presence inmany former colonies. In the Franc Zone, many francophone African countires have linked their currencies to the French franc. Frenchmilitary involvement also existed in French Polynesia in the 1995 when the Chiracien goverment conducted a series of nuclear tests atthe Mururoa atoll. Rioting broke out on Tahiti, the main island and severe international condemnation followed. French domestic politics are also rocky as Chirac and Jospin attempt to govern cohesively side-by-side. With an unemployment rate at arecord high of 12.8%, they are finding it difficult to streamline their country's economy to meet the strict criteria necessary for entry into the scheduled European Union economic and monetary union. 4. Culture The official language is French, but many regional dialects such as Basque and Breton exist. Many French speak basic English, but polite efforts to speak French are generally appreciated. 90% of the French population is Roman Catholic. There exists a Protestant minority, and representatives of almost every religion exist. The family is still relatively central to French life, as are long meals with excellent wine and gastronomical delights. The cuisine varies by region as does the wine. Most everything shuts down between noon and 2pm during the week and closes on Sundays. Major national holiday include January 1, Easter Monday, Labor Day (May 1), Victory in Europe Day (May 8), Ascension Day (May 8), Whit Monday (May 19), Bastille Day (July 14), Assumption Day (August 15), All Saints' Day (November 1), Armistice Day (November 11), and Christmas (December 25). In addition,much of the less touristic parts of France slow down the month of August when everyone is on holiday in the often crowded coastal towns. 5. Transportation Visas are not required of U.S., Canadian, New Zealand, or EU citizens. Visas are required however of South Africans and Australians. AIR : France's national airline is Air France(AF), domestically Air Inter(AI). RAIL : Societe Nationale de Chemins de Fer (SNCF) operates an extensive rail network. Timetables are well-organized and color-codedto coincide with peak hours. Tickets are not valid until punched in the orange machine at the entrance to the platforms at the trainstation (la gare). Seat reservations are recommended for international trips, and are mandatory on EuroCity (EC), InterCity (IC), and TGV (train a grande vitesse/ high-speed) trains. All 3 mandate a ticket supplement (between US$3-18) and a reservation fee (betweenUS$2-3). The French Railpass which must be purchased outside France permits 3 days of travel within one month (US$145) with up to 6 additional days available (US$30 each). BUS : usually well-priced and well-organized. The bus station (gare routiere) is usually near the train station. PARIS : AIR : Most transatlantic flights arrive at Aeroport Roissy- Charles de Gaulle, NE of Paris. To get to town, take Roissy Rail, a cheap combination bus-rail system. To get to Roissy Rail, take free shuttle bus to train station, ride RER train B3 to the city. Taxis will be extremely expensive. Air France also offers a clean and safe shuttle bus service to various points in Paris as well as to Orly Airport. Flights arriving at Aeroport d'Orly, S of Paris usually arrive from various points in Europe. To get to town, take free shuttle bus to Orly train station and take RER C2 to central Paris. Or Air France shuttle buses also service Orly. RAIL : Gare du Nord services northern France, Belgium, Britain, Netherlands, Scandinavia, and northern Germany. Gare de l'Est services eastern France, Luxembourg, northern Switzerland, southern Germany, Austria, and Hungary. Gare de Lyon services southeastern France, southern Switzerland, Italy, and Greece.Gare d'Austerlitz services the Loire Valley, southwestern France, Spain, and Portugal.Gare St. Lazare services Normandy. Gare de Montparnasse services Brittany and the TGV to southwestern France. Within Paris, the subway (Metropolitain, Metro, M) is efficient and quick. Lines are numbered but are referred to by their final destinations.Connections are called correspondances. Coupon Vert allows unlimited weekly travel.Carte Orange is an ID which accompanies the Coupon Vert. The Reseau ExpressRegional (RER) is a commuter train to the suburbs and an express subway in Paris. BUS : use same tickets as Metro which may be purchased from driver. NICE : AIR : Aeroport Nice-Cote d'Azur. Take Sunbus 23 "St. Laurent" from the train station. The airport bus runs from the bus station by pl Massena. RAIL : Gare SNCF Nice-Ville, avenue Thiers is in the center of town next to the tourist office. Trains run frequently to Cannes, Antibes, Monaco, and elsewhere in France, Italy, and Spain. In summer months, several trains connect with the TGV from Marseille to Paris. BUS : Gare Routiere, promenade du Paillon to Monaco, Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, and Cannes. Sunbus to museums and youth hostels. Can buy 5 ticket booklets or weekly passes at agency or kiosk at sq. Leclerc. Bus 12 goes from train station to pl Massena and the beach. LYON : AIR : Aeroport Lyon-Satolas E of Lyon. Take bus from Perrache via Part-Dieu. RAIL : Part-Dieu and Perrache stations both have TGV trains to Paris. Perrache is more central. Part-Dieu is the business district on the east bankof the Rhone. The Metro operates with tickets good for 1hr in 1 direction withbus and trolley connections included. Can purchase 1 day unlimited travel at tourist and TAG offices, not in stations. Troleys operate from pl. St. Jean to St. Just and the top of Fourviere. BUS : Perrache train station to Annecy, Grenoble. Philbert handlesmany domestic routes. Eurolines runs throughout Europe. Iberbus goes to Spain. 6. Lodging HOTELS : Room and all meals (pension) are most often offered with a stay of 3 days or longer. Room, breakfast, and one meal (demi-pension) are often offered outside peak holiday periods. Hotels are generally not expensive but have strict standards. Hotels docharge extra for a third bed in a double room and will charge extra for extra occupants. Logis de France are small or medium sized inexpensive hotels with basic clean and comfortable accomodations. Hotels de Tourisme are graded into categories according to government quality regulations. CAMPING : 7000 campsites exist throughout France. Some have tents and/or caravans for rent. Prices vary but all graded campsitesprovide water, toilet, and washing facilities. YOUTH HOSTELS : Hundreds exist throughout France. Simple accomodation at very low prices. Stays are usually limited to certain agebrackets and to 3-4 nights a week. Most require membership in the National Youth Hostel Association. Some accomodations are privaterooms and others are bunk-beds in shared rooms. Some have curfews. Reservations are advised during peak-seasons. This is a great way to travel cheaply and meet interesting people. Further information may be obtained from national youth hostel organizations. PARIS : HOTELS : Hotels in Paris may be the most practical for most and maybe the most economical for large groups. Costs range, and cheaper rooms maynot come with private baths. You may pay extra for the key to the hall shower. Rooms disappera quickly after morning checkout, so reserve ahead. They usually require one night's deposit. HOTEL DE NEVERS : -53, rue de Malte, 11e, tel: 01 47 00 56 18 HENRI IV : -25 place Dauphine, 1e, tel: 01 43 54 44 53 HOTEL STE-MARIE: -6 rue de la Ville Neuve, tel: 01 42 33 21 61 YOUTH HOSTELS : Most Parisian hostels don't have many restrictionswhich may be found in other hostels. They do often have maximum stays. Theyusually include breakfast and showersin the price. Only 2 HI hostels exist in the city proper. The rest are private hostels or fosters. CENTRE INTERNATIONAL DE PARIS (BVJ) : -Paris Louvre- 20, rue J.-J. Rousseau, 1er., tel: 01 42 36 88 18 -Paris Quartier Latin- 44, rue des Bernardins, 5e., tel: 01 43 29 34 80 AUBERGE DE JEUNESSE JULES FERRY (HI) : -Jules Ferry- 8 bd Jules Ferry, 11e, tel: 01 43 57 55 60 AUBERGE INTERNATIONALE DES JEUNES : -10, rue Trousseau, tel: 01 47 00 62 00 LYON : HOTELS : A financial center, Lyon has little lodging during the week,but many openings on the weekends so plan ahead. First try the hotels near Perrache, then near Pl. des Terreaux if they are full. CENTRE INTERNATIONAL DE SEJOUR : -46 rue du Commandant Pegoud, tel: 04 78 01 23 45 RESIDENCE BENJAMIN DELESSERT : -145 av. Jean Jaures, tel: 04 78 61 41 41 HOTEL VAUBECOUR : -28 rue Vaubecour, tel: 04 78 37 44 91 YOUTH HOSTELS : AUBERGE DE JEUNESSE (HI) : -51, rue Roger Salengro, Venissieux, tel: 04 78 76 39 23 NICE : HOTELS : Summer accomodations require advance reservation.Most affordable and clean hotels surround Notre-Dame rue d'Angleterre,rue de la Suisse, and rue de Russie. HOTEL BACCARAT : -39 rue d'Angleterre, tel: 04 93 88 35 73 HOTEL LES ALIZES : -10 ru de Suisse, tel: 04 93 88 85 08 HOTEL DES FLANDERS : -6 rue de Belgique, tel: 04 93 88 78 94 YOUTH HOSTELS : Very often full, especially summer months.Camping in front of the train station is a dangerous idea, even in groups. AUBERGE DE JEUNESSE (HI) : -rte. Forestiere du Mont-Alban, tel: 04 93 89 23 64 RELAIS INTERNL DE LA JEUNESSE CLAIRVALLON : -26 av Scuderi, tel: 04 93 81 27 63 RESIDENCE LES COLLINETTES (HI) : -Summer only! 3 av Robert Schumann, tel: 04 93 86 58 48 7. Restaurants LUNCH / DINNER : a complete meal includes an aperitif (pre-dinner drink), an entree (an appetizer), a plat (main course),salad, cheese, dessert, fruits, coffee, and a digestif (after-dinner drink). Wine is typically taken with meals. Boisson comprise means that you are entitled to a free drink, often wine, with your meal. In restaurants, fixed-price 3-course meals (menus) begin at 60f. A 15% gratuity is most often included in the price (service compris). BREAKFAST : continental breakfast usually includes your choice of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate; and breads and pastries with jam. PARIS : Cafes : LA COUPOLE : -102 bd du Montparnasse, tel: 01 43 20 14 20 LA CLOSERIE DES LILAS : -171 bd du Montparnasse, 6e, tel: 01 43 26 70 50 LES DEUX MAGOTS : -6 pl St-Germain des Pres, 6e, tel:01 45 48 55 25 RESTAURANTS : AU TROU NORMAND : -9 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 11e, tel: 01 48 05 80 23 LES FOUS DE L'ISLE : -33 rue des Deux-Ponts, tel: 01 43 25 76 67 CHEZ LES FONDUES : -17 rue des Trois Freres, 18e, tel: 01 42 55 22 65 CREMERIE RESTAURANT POLIDOR : -41 rue Monsieur-le Prince, 6e, tel: 01 43 26 95 34 TY BRIEZ : -52 bd de Vaugirard, 15e, tel: 01 43 20 83 72 LYON : RESTAURANTS : LE SUD : -11 pl Antonin Porcet, tel: 04 72 77 80 00 CHEZ MOUNIER : -3 rue des Marrioniers, tel: 04 78 37 79 26 CHAERT ET FILS : -11 rue des Marroniers, tel: 04 78 37 01 94 LA MERE VITTET : -26, cours de Verdun, tel: 04 78 37 20 17 CHEZ CARLO : -22 rue du Palais Grillet, tel: 04 78 42 05 79 NICE : RESTAURANTS : O MICHELANGELO : -28 cours Saleya, tel: 04 93 80 05 27 NISSA SOCCA : -5 rue Ste-Reparte, tel: 04 93 80 18 35 LE FAUBOURG MONTMARTRE : -39 rue Pertinax, tel: 04 93 62 55 03 RESTAURANT DE PARIS : -28 rue d'Angleterre, tel: 04 93 88 99 88 8. Museums and Monuments PARIS : MUSEUMS : LES CATACOMBS : -1 pl Denfert-Rochereau, 15e-5-6 million Parisians buried in former limestone mines CENTRE NATIONAL D'ART ET DE CULTURE GEORGES-POMPIDOU : -Palais Beaubourg, 4e.-Musee National d'Art Moderne, 20th century art MUSEE DES EGOUTS DE PARIS : -Quai D'Orsay and pl de la Resistance, 7e. -Sewer Museum MUSEE DU LOUVRE : -Palais-Royal, 1e-Venus de Milo, Winged Victory of Samotrace,David, Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People, MonaLisa MUSEE D'ORSAY : -1 rue de Bellechasse, 7e-1848-1914 Impressionism, etc. MUSEE PICASSO : -5 rue de Thorigny, 3e MONUMENTS : ILE DE LA CITE/ ILE ST-LOUIS : -Cathedrale de Notre Dame de Paris-Palais de Justice -Ste.-Chapelle LATIN QUARTER/ St-GERMAIN-des-Pres : -Pantheon-La Crypt-Le Jardin des Plantes-Boulevard et Place St-Michel-Jardin du Luxembourg FAUBOURG ST-GERMAIN : -Espanade des Invalides-Musee de l'Armee / Napoleon's tomb-Tour Eiffel LOUVRE/OPERA/MARAIS/BASTILLE : -Louvre-Jardin des Tuilleries-Place Vendome-Palais-Royal-Opera CHAMPS ELYSEES/ BOIS DE BOULOGNE/ LA DEFENSE : -Place de la Concorde-Obelisque de Louxor-Avenue des Champs-Elysees-Arc de Triomphe-Bois de Boulogne-La Defense MONTMARTRE / PERE-LACHAISE : -Basilique du Sacre-Coeur-Butte Montmartre-Cimetiere Pere-Lachaise, Jim Morrison's grave LYON : MUSEUMS : MUSEE GALLO-ROMAIN : -17 rue Cleberg-mosaics, helmets, swords, jewlery MUSEE DES BEAUX-ARTS : -Hotel de Ville-French, Spanish and Dutch painters-Italian Renaissance. MUSEE D'ART CONTEMPORAIN : -Quai Charles de Gaulle-Modern Art MONUMENTS :-Basilique Notre-Dame de la Fourviere-Vieux Lyon-Cathedrale St-Jean-Place Bellecour NICE : MUSEUMS : MUSEE DES BEAUX-ARTS : -33 av Baumettes-Fragonard, Monet, Sisley, Degas, sculptures MUSEE MATISSE : -164 av des Arenes de Cimiez MUSEE NATIONAL MARC CHAGALL : -av du Docteur Menard MUSEE D'ART MODERNE ET D'ART CONTEMPORAIN : -Av St-Jean Baptiste and Traverse Garibaldi MONUMENTS :-Promenade des Anglais-Jardin Albert 1er-Espace Massena-La Colle du Chateau-Cathedrale Orthodoxe Russe St-Nicolas-Monastere Cimiez 9. Nightlife PARIS : DANCE CLUBS : -Les Bains, 7 rue de Bourg l'Abbee, 3e, tel: 01 48 87 01 80-Le Balajo, 9 rue de Lappe, 11e, tel: 01 47 00 07 87-Le Palace, 8 rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 9e, tel:01 42 46 10 87 BARS : -Le Bar Sans Nom, 49 rue de Lappe, 11e, tel: 01 48 05 59 36-Le Piano Vache, 8 rue Laplace, 5e, tel: 01 46 33 75 03-Cafe Charbon, 109 rue Oberkampf, 11e, tel: 01 43 57 55 13 LYON : DANCE CLUBS : Check out quai Romain Rolland,quai de Bondy, and quai Pierre Scize in the old city. BARS : -Albion, 12 rue Ste-Catherine-Le Verre a Soi, 25 rue des Capucins-Le Broadway, 9 rue Terraille NICE : DANCE CLUBS : -Chez Wayne, 15 rue de la Prefcture, tel: 04 93 13 46-Master Home, rue de la Prefecture, tel: 04 93 80 33 82-Le Studio, 29 rue Alphonse Karr, tel: 04 93 82 37 66-De Klomp, 6 rue Mascoinat, tel: 04 93 92 42 85-The Hole in the Wall, 3 rue de l'Abbaye, tel: 04 93 80 40 16 10. Currency The basic currency unit is the French franc (Ffr), which is issued in both coins and paper notes, and is subdivided in 100 centimes.Coins are in denominations of Ffr 10,5,2, and 1 + 50,20,10, and 5 centimes. Notes are in denominations of Ffr 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, and 10. Some first-class hotels exchange foreign currency. Also the Credit Mutuel, Credit Agricole exchange currency. Shops and hotelsare prohibited from accepting foreign currency. American Express, Visa, Diners Club, and Travellers checques are widely accepted. Also Visit These Travel Pages GO BACK TO HOMEPAGE

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