FRANCE TRAVEL INFORMATION :

France travel information tips, Paris hotel specials, and France travel and tourism facts. DISCOVER FRANCE FRANCE BICYCLE TOURS FRANCE WALKING TOURS FRANCE GETAWAYS PARIS TRIPS PARIS HOTELS Theme Travel » Honeymoons Family Trips Wine/Cooking Paris Packages His & Her Woman Tours Gay/Lesbian Corporate Group Travel Club Trips Info Book a Tour Site Map Walking Tour Regions Alsace Brittany Burgundy Champagne Dordogne/SW Paris/Ile de France Languedoc Loire Valley Normandy Provence Bicycle Tour Regions Alsace Brittany Burgundy Champagne Dordogne/SW Languedoc Loire Valley Normandy Poitou-Charentes Provence Rhone-Alpes Travel news/announcements/Info: See our latest newsletter for updates Southern France, Spain, Italy - the best weather in the fall season ! We can take last minute bookings up to 7 days in advance of travel - subject to hotel availability. Our recommendations: Carcassonne Countryside - more challenging cycling tour visits the famous Cite of Carcassonne and vineyards of the Corbiere before finishing at the sea side. Provence - Avignon to Mediterranean - most popular tour for a full cross section of charming Provence. Spain - Catalonia and the Costa Brava near Girona . Lovely farmhouse family style lodging or gastronomic charm hotels. Exceptional late season biycle tour! Italy -Tuscany - enchanting region with its famously hilly terrain is best visited in the fall. We can accommodate 4 or 6 night packages. Paris Getaways : Low Season - November through March from low rates for excellent hotels of charm. Add on museum passes, metro passes, airport transfers or even add a stay in any of the many provinces easily reached by train from Paris like Dijon, Bordeaux, Avignon, Strasbourg, Tours, Reims, Lyon, and so on! Paris by foot; see our new Da Vinci Code tour and other programs in Paris Self Guided Walking Tours : Our program of self-guided travel is open to anyone; to know more visit this page of our website: Self Guided Touring FRANCE TRAVEL INFORMATION : This bit of information is for general travel throughout France. Each of our tour clients will receive this in addition to more detailed information about their tour. Paris Hotels - see our site at www.hotelsparis.net Hotels throughout France - see our site at www.francegetaways.com Regional Tourist Offices throughout France - see our links page See our new Vocabulary and interactive Language page Arriving in Paris: most flights now arrive at Charles de Gaulle airport from foreign destinations. There are still some charters and inter France flights going out of Orly. Our site at www.gotoparis.net discusses in detail the different options available for getting into the city. These options include: express buses, trains, taxis, and private transfers. To get from CDG airport to Orly, the best is by Air France bus. They depart every 30 minutes between 6:30 am and 10:30 pm. Traveling around in France: France is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (G.M.T. +1). This makes it 6 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time (E.S.T. +6, and +9 PST). The time is the same all over the country. The country is divided in 95 departments – each has its name and its number and this number is set by alphabetical order. That number is found at the beginning of each zip code of the department as well as the last 2 digits of the car plates. Documentation U.S citizens only need a valid passport to travel to France as long as their stay does not exceed 3 months. You are required to carry identification with you at all times when traveling in France. If you lose your passport, contact: American Consulate 2, rue Saint Florentin - 75001 Paris Tel: 01.42.96.12.02 or 01.42.61.80.75 Consular Section for Canadians 35, Avenue de Montaigne - 75008 Paris Tel: 01.44.43.32.00 Post Office - Mail / Shipping The Post Office is called LA POSTE or PTT. Generally open M-F from 9am to 6pm and Saturday from 9am to 12pm. Telephone France is divided by 5 zones for the telephone. The 2 first digits of a phone number tells you the area: 01 is Paris / 02 northwest / 03 northeast / 04 southeast / 05 southwest. From the States, you don’t need to dial the 0. But once in France, you have to dial the 0. Phone numbers must have 10 digits (including the first 0), no exception – except of course the emergency numbers. Public phones in France require a telephone card, or they can often work also with a credit card. Check for the signs “Visa”, “Master Card”, etc… Emergency telephone numbers throughout France 24 hour ambulance (called “SAMU”): 15 Police: 17 Fire: 18 Other telephone numbers in Paris: 24 hour doctor: 01.47.07.77.77 24 hour dentist: 01.43.37.51.00 English language crisis line: 01.47.23.80.80 Public Holidays January 1st / Easter Monday / May 1st = Labor Day / May 8th / Ascension Thursday (last Thursday of May) / Pentecote Monday (beginning of June) / July 14 = Bastille Day / August 15 = Assumption / November 1st / November 11th / December 25th. Electric current Electricity in France runs on 220 volt, 50-cycle AC current. If you bring electrical devices, you will need to have a transformer and plug adapter. Banking / Purchasing Banks are generally open weekdays 9am - 4:30pm. In many cities outside Paris banks close for lunch, sometimes for 2 hours. Most banks are closed Saturday and Sunday and all holidays. The main banks are: BNP / Credit Agricole / Societe Generale / Caisse d’Epargne / Credit du Nord, etc… The Euro - € As of January 1, 2002, the Euro is the official currency in France and the 11 other countries currently participating in European currency union. The old French Franc is now part of history and is no longer accepted as a payment form. Check before departure the equivalent of the Euro compare to the U.S Dollar. The Euro paper currency will be the same in all 12 countries, in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Euros. The coins however, will bear a different face according to the country. There are 8 coins: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 cents and 1 and 2 Euros. Driving in France Document / Insurance / Law - An American driver’s license is valid for Americans driving in France. Have another ID document with you like your passport. - Insurance is highly recommended, be sure you are set before you leave home. - The legal age to drive in France is 18. - Trucks – except with special authorization – are not allowed to drive on Sunday. - Seat belts must be worn at all times – children under 12 must sit in the backseat - Park your car only where it is authorized, fines arrive quickly! And cars are often towed away. Car rental The legal age to rent a car is 21– but most companies require being 25 years old. See our links page for companies, and insurance options. Gas Taxes on gas are very high in France, which explains the price of the liter: On the petrol pump “Sans Plomb” means unleaded petrol. Gas stations along highways are open 24 h / 7 days. French usually get gas at large stores like Carrefour, Leclerc, Casino, etc… You can go at any time, help yourself and use your credit card Types of roads Interstate toll way / Motorway = A + the number of the road / 130km/h is the speed limit. This is also a toll road, you can pay tolls with a credit card; this is the fast way to travel, but is not cheap! Every 20 km you have restaurants, gas station, sometimes shops, restrooms… National road = N + number of the road / 90km/h. If you are not traveling too far or if you have plenty of time, then the more scenic and free way to go is on the National roads. A famous road in France is the National 7 / N7. There is even a song ? about that road sung by Charles TRENET! Department road = D + number of the road / 50km/h. Great for seeing the back country of France; very slow going. PARIS - some basic info is below. Museum passes, metro passes, day tours, shows, bus tours, more: www.gotoparis.net TOURIST OFFICES There are many convenient locations within Paris: Carrousel du Louvre: 99 Rue de Rivoli, 75001. Metro: Palais Royal / Louvre (1,7) Montmartre: 21 Place du Tertre, 75018. Metro: Abbesses (12) Gare du Nord: Metro / RER (B,D,4,5) Tour Eiffel: Metro / RER: Champs de Mars / Tour Eiffel (C), Bir-Hakeim (6) Gare de Lyon: Metro / RER (A,D,1,14) Opera – Grands Magasins: 11 rue Scribe, 75009/ Metro: Opera (3,7,8) / RER: Auber (A) Train Stations in Paris: Gare du Nord: North of France, Belgium, Eurostar to London, UK Gare de L’Est: Champagne, Alsace / Germany Gare de Lyon: Southeast, Provence – Cote d’Azur / Italy Gare Austerlitz: Loire Valley, Southwest France Gare Montparnasse: Brittany, TGV to Loire and Southwest Gare Saint Lazare: Normandy, western coast More detailed travel information is available at the French Governement Tourist Office Website at www.franceguide.com Home | Cycling Classics | Pure Adventures | Bicycle Tours | Walking Tours | Media | Links Promotions | Travel Agents | FAQs | Weather | Newsletter | Group Travel | Privacy © 2006 Discover France (SM)

Cheap Travel Through Europe

Budget Travel: Cheap Travel in Europe Web TransitionsAbroad.com Home Work Study Travel Living As seen in Transitions Abroad Magazine July/August 2003 Related Topics Budget Travel Back Door Travel with Rick Steves Related Articles Europe’s Online Travel Deals Cheap Flights Within Europe Cheap Flights To Europe Rick Steves' Thrifty Fifty: How to Make Your Dollars and Sense Carry You Further in Europe Cheap Travel Through Europe 10 Money-Saving Tips for Your European Vacation Solo Backpacking Through Europe Hostels Are the Best Deals Tenting in Europe European Travel by Bus Car Camping Through Europe Coping With a Weak Dollar Affording Italy: Camping Leads to Savings and Local Culture Cheap Travel in Europe By Steve Sanoski (Web editor's note: Updated to link to sites for current rates and information.) Like many students, I was on a tight budget on my first visit to Europe. Living in England at the time, I found a package deal through the Eurolines bus network that seemed to be what I was looking for. Eurolines is downright cheap compared with European rail passes. On England’s Eurolines web site, www.eurolines.com , you may see their inexpensive current rates for 15, 30 and 40 days. My mini-pass started and ended in London, by way of Brussels, Amsterdam, and Paris. The advantages of traveling by train over bus include more legroom, more frequent opportunities to stand up and stretch, more destinations, and significantly more punctual schedules. In addition, sleeping cars are available, meaning you’ll be refreshed after a night of travel. Complete Eurail price lists and schedules are available at www.railpass.com . Eurail passes can be customized to your specific travel plans. If you’d rather skip ground travel all together, airlines such as Easy Jet ( www.easyjet.com ) and Ryanair ( www.ryanair.com ) offer cheap daily flights all over Europe. If your travel dates are flexible, discount flights can save you time and money. Ultimately, when deciding how to get around Europe, you must consider not only your budget but also how much time you have to spend on traveling and how much you value comfort. Having sampled all three options on separate one-month trips through Europe, I would suggest you seriously consider taking a train or airplane over a bus network. You’ll find you have more access to Europe and more time and energy in which to explore it. STEVE SANOSKI studied abroad in England last year. He now lives in Duluth, MN, where he is a journalism student at the University of Minnesota. Contact him at sano0009@d.umn.edu . Web TransitionsAbroad.com Home Work Study Travel Living Disclaimer ©Transitions Abroad

RUSSIA Travel 309 Peters

Russian visa services online: visa to Russia, Russian visa support, Airfare, Hotels, Apartments. RUSSIAN HOLIDAY. Please be informed that December 30 through January 9 are official New Year and Christmas holidays... Russian visa from $180 Online train tickets reservations more... Most of our visa services including Russian Visa, Ukraine Visa can be ordered and tracked online. Your transaction on this site is 100% safe and secure via our encrypted server. FULL VISA SERVICES Travel visas are required to travel to Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other countries of the former Soviet Union (except for Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia). We make it simple to get your visas to these countries. RUSSIAN VISA IN 5 MINUTES START HERE Visa to: Russia Ukraine Belarus Moldova Kazakhstan Armenia Azerbaijan Georgia Kyrgyzstan Turkmenistan VISA SUPPORT ONLY Go To Russia provides quick visa support service for those who just want to obtain required official travel vouchers or visa invitations through us and then apply to Russian consulates on their own. Travel visas are required to travel to Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other countries of the former Soviet Union (except for Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia). We make it simple to get your visas to these countries. AIRLINE TICKETS Our ticketing department helps thousands of travelers save money on their international and Russian/CIS domestic tickets every month. AIRPORT TRANSFERS Our dependable drivers can pick you up at the airport and safely deliver to any destination. US PASSPORTS US passport in as fast as 24 hours. ADDITIONAL SERVICES Russia Train Tickets Everything you may need staying in Russia, starting from accomodation. APARTMENTS If you need more privacy than a regular hotel offers, or would like to mix in with the crowd and try to live like the Russians (Ukrainians) do -- you can! TOURS and CRUISES Tours in Russia We operate individual and group tours to Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic states and other countries of the former USSR TRAVEL SERVICES Want to feel a little special? Or maybe you just don't have 2 hours to waste in the lines of International Airports GO TO RUSSIA Travel 309 Peters St., Unit A, Atlanta, GA 30313 Phone: 1.888.263.0023, 404.827.0099, Fax: 404.827.0435 Russian Visa Office hours Mon-Fri 9AM - 8PM EST Saturdays 11AM - 3PM EST

Japan Travel

Japan.com - Travel - Travel in Japan - Japan Travel Search : on the web in Japan.com Powered by Home News Business Travel Travel Cities Flying to Japan Hotel Japan Overview Airports Climate Weather - Tokyo - Osaka - Other Cities Leisure Technology Living in Japan Study Job in Japan Immigration you@japan.com Login Address Password © 2001 Japan Inc. Communications K.K. All Rights Reserved. webmasters click here J@pan Inc Magazine Is about 'innovation and the latest business trends' in Japan. It covers the products, companies and people behind such new developments; more broadly it touches upon related topics such as Entrepreneur ship, VC funding, M&A, culture trends, corporate governance and academia-industry cooperation. With 80,000 readers every month and distributed in more than 30 countries, Japan Inc is an invaluable and enlightening source of information to stay ahead of the game. www.japaninc.com JAPAN.COM FRIENDS Sign up for FREE and meet ADVERTISEMENT Free Newsletters Email : J@pan Inc Newsletter Wireless Watch Gadget Watch Terrie's Take Music Media Watch More NEWSLETTERS English OK Key Areas: » Kichijoji » Shinjuku » Harajuku » Omotesando » Shibuya » Ebisu » Shinagawa » Roppongi » Azabu » Akasaka TRAVEL Kudos Kudos is a unique benefits programme offering a wide range of services IN ENGLISH to the International community in Japan. This combination of services is available exclusively to Kudos members (Hotel, Travel, Automobile services etc... Individual membership is only 5,000 yen per year and includes: monthly newsletter, Konnections, detailing all current offers. http://www.jp-kudos.com TOURIST ATTRACTION Japan National Tourist Organisation Homepage of Tourist Organisation's official guide to Japan. http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng Introduction to Japanese Hot Springs Nationwide guide to Japanese hot springs. http://www2.gol.com/users/jolsen/onsen/index.html Tokyo Disneyland Official home page of Tokyo Disneyland. http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/tdr/index_e.html Outdoor Japan Your guide to travel and the outdoors in Japan. http://www.outdoorjapan.com TOUR OPERATORS Xassow Tokyo Guiding Tour English guided tour in Tokyo. http://www.xassow.com Sunrise Tours by JTB Offers hotel and tour packages in Japan with English speaking guides. http://www.jtb.co.jp/sunrisetour/esunrisetop.html InsideJapan Tours Offers tours of Japan, tailored trips, and travel information. http://www.insidejapantours.com Tara Group Customized Japan tours and homestays. http://www.tara-group.com Elite International, Custom Designed Tours Custom designed tours from Tokyo, to the Japan Alps, Kansai, and Hiroshima. http://www.eliteintl.com Hike Japan A UK-based company offering walking holidays such as mountain pilgrimage trails, sacred sites, hot springs, and traditional Japanese food and accommodations. http://www.hikejapan.com TRANSPORTATION Tokyo Narita International Airport Airport guide featuring terminal, hotel, car rental and car parking guide. http://www.tokyo-nrt.com TRAVEL AGENTS IACE Travel Offering a range of airline tickets to international destinations, package tours, hotel reservation services, car rentals, FAQ, and links. http://www.iace.co.jp/english No1 Travel Discount travel agent with nationwide offices; also online reservations, travel guides, and FAQ. http://www.no1-travel.com GS Travel Osaka based travel agency serving the Kansai region. http://www.gs-travel.com Travel Hero Corporation Tokyo based agent of discount airline tickets along with departure assistance, travel news and company information. http://www.travel-hero.co.jp/e STA Travel Japan Specializing in discount airline tickets and tours for students and young people. http://www.statravel.co.jp/index_en.html TRAVEL TOOL Travel Planner Travel Expert gives you a choice of several routes, with costs and travel time for comparison. http://www.japanhomesearch.com/travelexpert/te_main.asp Tokyo Metro Network Bilingual subway maps with bilingual search feature http://www.tokyometro.go.jp/network/map_english.html

Spain Travel

Spain Travel Information | Lonely Planet Destination Guide worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links : Explore Spain Spain The Spanish passion for living is deliciously contagious. At a Glance Fast Facts WORLDGUIDE Introduction Background Info See Image Gallery Events Transport Money General RELATED Thorn Tree Forum Postcards Travel Links More Places Check out our other destinations: Within Spain Alicante Andalucia Balearic Islands Barcelona Gibraltar Granada Ibiza Madrid Malaga Mallorca Murcia San Sebastián Seville Valencia View Map Click here Feature Attraction Parc Nacional d'Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici Two million years of glacial action has created two east-west valleys lined by jagged peaks of granite and slate, forming a home for pine and fir forests, ... more Once away from the holiday costas, you could only be in Spain. In the cities, narrow twisting old streets suddenly open out to views of daring modern architecture, while spit-and-sawdust bars serving wine from the barrel rub shoulders with blaring, glaring discos. Travel is easy, accommodation plentiful, the climate benign, the people relaxed, the beaches long and sandy, the food and drink easy to come by and full of regional variety. More than 50 million foreigners a year visit Spain, yet you can also travel for days and hear nothing but Spanish. When To Go Spain can be enjoyable any time of year.The ideal months to visit are May, June andSeptember (plus April and October in thesouth). At these times you can rely on good-to-excellent weather, yet avoid the extreme heat - and the main crush ofSpanish and foreign tourists - of July andAugust. But there's decent weather in some partsof Spain virtually year round. Winter alongthe southern and southeastern Mediterraneancoasts is mild, while in the height ofsummer you can retreat to the northwest, tobeaches or high mountains anywhere to escapeexcessive heat.The best festivals are mostly concentratedbetween Semana Santa (the week leading up to Easter Sunday) and Septemberto October. Factoid Pablo Ruiz? Spaniards have three names: a given name ( nombre ), and two surnames ( apellidos ). The first surname is the persons' father's first surname, the second is the mother's first surname. So Picasso's full name was Pablo Ruiz Picasso. SPONSORED LINKS Enquire Accomodation Reviews Find Lonely Planet author reviewed places to stay * Required Fields Country * Please select Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada China Cuba Czech Republic Denmark Egypt England Estonia Finland France Germany Hungary Iceland India Ireland Israel & the Palestinian Territories Italy Japan Malaysia Mexico Morocco Netherlands New Zealand Poland Portugal Russia Scotland South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden Taiwan Thailand Turkey USA United Arab Emirates Vietnam City * Please select Travel Services · Flights · Hostels · Hotels · Travel Insurance More Services › On the Road Read an Iberian road tale. Drive there › Disclaimer: We've tried to make theinformation on this web site as accurate as possible, but it isprovided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injuryor inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety,customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before youtravel. text & images © lonely planet 2005 about us | privacy | feedback | advertising FAQs worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links