Travel To France - AIX-EN-PROVENCE

AIX-EN-PROVENCE would be the dominant city of central Provence were it not for the great metropolis of Marseille, just 25km away. Historically, culturally and socially, the two cities are moons apart and the tendency is to love one and hate the other. Aix is complacently conservative and a stunningly beautiful place, its riches based on landowning and the liberal professions. The youth of Aix are immaculately dressed; hundreds of foreign students, particularly Americans, come to study here; and there's a certain snobbishness, almost of Parisian proportions.

From the twelfth century until the Revolution, Aix was the capital of Provence. In its days as an independent county, its most mythically beloved ruler, "Good" King René of Anjou (1409–80), held a brilliant court renowned for its popular festivities and patronage of the arts. René was an archetypal Renaissance man, a speaker of many languages (including Greek and Hebrew), a scientist, poet and economist; he also introduced the muscat grape to the region – today he stands in stone in picture-book medieval fashion, a bunch of grapes in his left hand, looking down the majestic seventeenth-century cours Mirabeau.

Vegetables, Aix Market

(From Yahoo Travel)

Travel To France - Toulouse

TOULOUSE, with its beautiful historic centre, is one of the most vibrant and metropolitan provincial cities in France. This is a transformation that has come about since the war, under the guidance of the French state which has poured in money to make Toulouse the think-tank of high-tech industry and a sort of premier trans-national Euroville. Always an aviation centre – St-Exupéry and Mermoz flew out from here on their pioneering airmail flights over Africa and the Atlantic in the 1920s – Toulouse is now home to Aérospatiale, the driving force behind Concorde, Airbus and the Ariane space rocket. The national Space Centre, the European shuttle programme, the leading aeronautical schools, the frontier-pushing electronics industry… it's all happening in Toulouse, whose 110,000 students make it second only to Paris as a university centre. But it's not to the burgeoning suburbs of factories, labs, shopping and housing complexes that all these people go for their entertainment, but to the old Ville Rose – pink not only in its brickwork, but also in its politics.

This is not the first flush of pre-eminence for Toulouse. From the tenth to the thirteenth centuries the counts of Toulouse controlled much of southern France. They maintained the most resplendent court in the land, renowned especially for its troubadours, the poets of courtly love, whose work influenced Petrarch, Dante and Chaucer and thus the whole course of European poetry. Until, that is, the arrival of the hungry northern French nobles of the Albigensian Crusade; in 1271 Toulouse became crown property.

Travel To France - Marseille

The most renowned and populated city in France after Paris, MARSEILLE has – like the capital – prospered and been ransacked over the centuries. It has lost its privileges to sundry French kings and foreign armies, recovered its fortunes, suffered plagues, religious bigotry, republican and royalist Terror and had its own Commune and Bastille-storming. It was the presence of so many Marseillaise Revolutionaries marching from the Rhine to Paris in 1792 which gave the Hymn of the Army of the Rhine its name of La Marseillaise, later to become the national anthem.

Today, it's an undeniable fact that Marseille is a deprived city, not particularly beautiful architecturally, and with acres of grim 1960s housing estates. Yet it's a wonderful place to visit – a real, down-to-earth yet cosmopolitan port city with a trading history going back over 2500 years. The people are gregarious, generous, endlessly talkative and unconcerned if their style seems provocatively vulgar to the snobs of the Côte d'Azur.

(from Yahoo Travel)

Travel To France - Cheap Hotel in France

Paris Hotels
1.Hotel Astor Saint-Honore
2.Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg
3.Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris
4.Castille Hotel
5.Hotel de Crillon
6.Hotel la Tremoille
7.Hotel Marignan Champs-Elysees
8.Le Meurice
9.Raphael Hotel Paris
10.Ritz Paris
11.Le Bristol Hotel

With it's romantic imagery, priceless artifacts and ageless works of art, Paris, France, seems like it is one of the most expensive places in the world to visit. While it is home to some of the world's most luxurious hotels, it also makes itself accessible for those visitors who are traveling on a budget. With many Paris France attractions offering free admission on certain days of the week or month, it's quite possible to see the best the city has to offer and not break the bank. With cheap hotels in Paris, France, you can even reduce the amount of your accommodations to free up some money for a shopping excursion on Rue du Cherche-Midi.

Grand Hotel Nouvel Opera
With only ten rooms, the Grand Hotel Nouvel Opera may be small, but so is its price. With rooms starting around $76 per night, it's a no frills, amenity-free place to rest your head. It's located in the 11th district of Paris, close to the Bastille, the P S Sre Lachaise cemetery and Rue de Lappe.

The Nord et Champagne Hotel
The Nord et Champagne Hotel is within walking distance of the Montmartre and ideally located near some of the best Paris France shops. With 43 rooms starting around $85, you'll be glad to have the extra money to spend! The Nord et Champagne Hotel combines affordability and privacy in a comfortable and well-decorated setting.

More Budget Accommodations in Paris, France

The Altona Hotel
Located in the heart of Paris, the Altona Hotel is a quaint hotel with only 6 rooms. The staff is highly visible and hospitable. The rooms are comfortable and make for a relaxing place to settle down after a hectic day of sightseeing, and your room will only cost around $83 per night!

Express by Holiday Inn Porte D Italie
The Express by Holiday Inn Porte D Italie is one of the most popular budget hotels in Paris. The fact that guests can enjoy a comfortable room, along with the usual Holiday Inn quality in the most romantic city in the world, all for only around $93 per night is simply too hard to resist. With a 24-hour front desk, a complimentary breakfast buffet and a prime location just a few miles from the best attractions, the Express by Holiday Inn Porte D Italie offers an unbeatable value.

These hotels are only a select few of the cheap hotels found in Paris, France. As with most popular tourist destinations, if you know how to prepare early and make your reservations in advance, you will be rewarded for your efforts with a cheap hotel, even in the city of lights. With a little effort, it's not that difficult to find the best deals on Paris France hotels.

(from AOL Travel)

Travel to France - The Best of France - Video (next)

Travel To France - Paris - Video

The world's happiest cities

Top 5 World's Happiest Cities
1. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2. Sydney, Australia
3. Barcelona, Spain
4. Amsterdam, Netherlands
5. Melbourne, Australia

Ten urban centers closely associated with unmitigated joy.

Ever since Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers appeared in the 1933 film Flying Down to Rio, the world has been fascinated with Rio de Janeiro. Popular perception of the city is infused with images of starry-eyed youngsters dancing into the dusk, backed by imposing mountains and dark sea.

That view has propelled Rio to the top of our list of the world's happiest cities. Famous for its annual Carnaval festival (starting Feb. 13 next year), the second-largest metropolis in South America finished first among 50 cities in a recent survey conducted by Simon Anholt, an author and policy adviser.

"Brazil is associated with all these qualities of good humor and good living and Carnaval," says Anholt. "Carnaval is very important--it's the classic image that people have of Rio, and it's an image of happiness."
In Pictures: The World's Happiest Cities

Next on the list is the top city from Down Under: Sydney, Australia. Known for balmy weather, friendly locals and an iconic opera house, Sydney fared well in Anholt's survey because of its association with a popular brand--Australia.

"It's where everybody would like to go," he says. "Everybody thinks they know Australia because they've seen Crocodile Dundee. There's this image of this nation of people who basically sit around having barbecues."

Rounding out the top five are third-ranked Barcelona, Spain, which Anholt calls "the classic Mediterranean city"; fourth-ranked Amsterdam, Netherlands, because Anholt's young respondents "know you can smoke dope in the bars"; and Melbourne, Australia, which makes the list simply because it's in Australia.

"People know it's in Australia, and that it's full of Australians," says Anholt. "Therefore, it must be fun."

Behind the Numbers
The data Anholt provided for our list is part of his Nation Brands Index, which he developed in 2005. The latest incarnation, the 2009 Anholt-GfK Roper City Brands Index, was released in June. The data was compiled from online interviews with 10,000 respondents in 20 countries.

Happiness is difficult to quantify, and Anholt acknowledges that his data is less an indicator of where local populations are happiest than a reflection of respondents' thinking about where they could imagine themselves happy.

"This is a survey of perception, not a survey of reality," he says. "People write me all the time and say 'that's not true.' It probably isn't true, but it's what people think. The gap between perception and reality is what interests city governments."

The French historian Fernand Braudel wrote that "Happiness, whether in business or private life, leaves very little trace in history." But a perception of happiness leaves a strong trace on the balance sheets of cities that depend on conventions, tourism and an influx of talent.

The Pursuit of Happiness
Anholt notes that the results of his survey reflect the longstanding reputation of Mediterranean and Latin American cities as non-stop party locales.

"It's pretty much the expected bunch," says Anholt. "Though I'm a little surprised about Spain outdoing Italy. It's interesting that the Spanish are perceived as being happier than the Italians--I find the Spanish rather gloomy."

Still, Barcelona--Spain's highest-ranked city--has plenty of supporters.

"The beauty of the city and its environs, along with affordable housing and business opportunities, is the fantastic lifestyle," says Michelle Finkelstein, a vice president at travel agency Our Personal Guest. "There's not the stress of getting a child into the best preschool--the public ones are good and close by. And they have the top soccer team and some of the best weather in Europe."

Other places in the world that lack the metropolitan flair of the cities on this list are often identified with the notion of happiness. "Anyone lucky enough to visit the magical Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan would know that there is no competition: There can be no happier place," says Patricia Schultz, author of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. "This small Buddhist nation of incredibly stunning beauty follows a unique guiding philosophy of GNH--Gross National Happiness. You can see it in their open faces--they smile from the heart. Barcelona has nothing on them."

Global rivalries notwithstanding, Anholt notes that his findings more or less support historical trends, with one notable exception.

"The cities on this list would probably be the same if I'd been running this survey in 1890, aside from Sydney and Melbourne," he says. "Australia is kind of a branding miracle."

See the full list of The World's Happiest Cities

More From Forbes.com:
World's Friendliest Countries
World's Best Places To Eat Well
World's Best-Paid Cities

(from Yahoo)

Travel To France - Cannes

The film industry and all other manner of business junketing represent CANNES's main source of income in an ever-multiplying calendar of festivals, conferences, tournaments and trade shows. The spin-offs from servicing the day and night needs of the jetloads of agents, reps, dealers, buyers and celebrities are even more profitable than providing the strictly business facilities. Cannes may be more than its film festival, but it's still a grotesquely overhyped urban blight on this once exquisite coast – a contrast reinforced by the sublime Îles de Lérins, a short boat ride offshore and the best reason for coming here.

The old town, known as Le Suquet after the hill on which it stands, provides a great panorama of the twelve-kilometre beach, and has, on its summit, the remains of the fortified priory lived in by Cannes' eleventh-century monks and the beautiful twelfth-century chapelle Ste-Anne. These house the Musée de la Castre (daily except Tues: April–May & Sept 10am–1pm & 2–6pm; June–Aug 10am–1pm & 3–7pm; Oct–March 10am–1pm & 2–5pm; €3), which has an extraordinary collection of musical instruments from all over the world, along with pictures and prints of old Cannes and an ethnology and archeology section.

You'll find non-paying beaches to the west of Le Suquet, along the plages du Midi and just east of the Palais des Festivals. But the sight to see is La Croisette, the long boulevard along the seafront, with its palace hotels on one side and private beaches on the other. It's possible to find your way down to the beach without paying, but not easy (you can of course walk along it below the rows of sun beds). The beaches, owned by the deluxe palais-hôtels – the Majestic, Carlton and Noga Hilton – are where you're most likely to spot a face familiar in celluloid or a topless hopeful, especially during the film festival, though you'll be lucky to see further than the sweating backs of the paparazzi. Alternative entertainment can be had buying your own food in the Forville covered market two blocks behind the mairie, or by wandering through the day's flower shipments on the allées de la Liberté, just back from the Vieux Port.

Strolling on and off the main streets of Cannes – rue d'Antibes, rue Meynardier and the promenade de la Croisette – is like wading through a hundred current issues of Vogue. If you thought the people on the beach were wearing next to nothing, now you can see where they bought the sunglasses and swimming suits, the moisturizers and creams, the watch, the perfume, and the collar and leash for little Fou-Fou.

Travel To France - Frence Food

France is blessed with sunny weather, beautiful countryside, a nice selection of beaches, historic cities, ornate churches, picturesque chateaus, and some of the best food and wine in the world. The French take there meals seriously, although don't let that deter you from having a relaxed, impromptu meal. Show up to one of the many restaurants in France with a little enthusiasm and you'll be treated to a culinary tour de force. If culinary delights are you thing then a holiday in France is defiantly the way to go. From bustling markets with the freshest selection of goods, to intimate stores devoted to bread, cheese, and wine, the gastronomic perfection of food in France is spectacular.

There are thousands of great restaurants in France. All of them seem to boast about one chef or another, which is good, but for most of us we want to get down to eating. Walk around the city, peruse the menu, and sit down for a meal. Parisians eat lunch at noon, and take their dinner late, around eight o'clock. Restaurants in France can be a pricey affair, but fortunately French law dictates that prices must include service. Rounding off the bill and leaving some change is good practice.

Eating in France is an exciting and rich experience. Food in France has many different styles. There are staples, like bread, cheese, and coffee. Bread, especially the baguette, is very common, but there are dozens of different styles and sizes of bread. Each with their own name, own texture, and varied use. As it is with cheese. Hundreds of varieties are produced all over France, including delightful ones by small factories. Then of course there is wine, produced in the seven distinct wine regions of France. Food in France goes so far beyond the basics, where sometimes a simple meal can stretch on for hours, or maybe a dinner that last past midnight. Such is the passion of the French palate.

As France is known for culinary delights, Paris is the capital. Choices for food in Paris are all over town, from upscale hotels to intimate restaurants. Paris has a lot to offer. It's important to note the time when dining. A typical breakfast includes coffee and a bagel or fruit. The serious food in Paris isn't served until lunch, from about noon to two o'clock. Walk out of a museum at three, and you'll be hard pressed to find a full meal. Many restaurants close to prepare for the evening after two or two-thirty. They open again for dinner around five or six.

In addition, food in Paris is not restricted to traditional French delights. Cuisine from all over the world can be found in Paris, including Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and other international tastes. Fast food chains are rising in popularity due to convenience and there family oriented style.

Parisians take their meals seriously, and when dining in Paris it helps to show up in a relaxed frame of mind, and not be in too much of a hurry. Plan your meal times, don't rush, and dining in Paris and France will be a pleasant and tasty experience.

Travel to France - Champagne Country - The Beautiful Domaine Ployez-Jacquemart

We are extremely pleased to welcome Domaine Ployez-Jacquemart to au Château ~ our first member in the Champagne region and a producer of superb Champagnes. It is just recently that the proprietors of the Domaine, the Ployez family, made the decision to create guest rooms in their château at the suggestion of many visitors to their vineyards.

The soul of the estate is characterized by the Champenois terroirs, now in the capable hands of the third generation: Gérard and Claude Ployez, who carry on a family tradition. Ployez-Jacquemart Champagne can be found at many of the best restaurants of France and in fourteen countries. Visitors to the estate will experience tastings in fine vaulted caves, some 75 feet deep, as well as enjoy these fine wines and elegant dinners organized at the Domaine. Harvesting and sorting by hand, cold deep cellars, and traditional yeasts produce a Champagne with very fine bubbles ~ a Champagne that is very aromatic, fruity, rich, fresh and that offers a fine balance between alcohol and acidity.

Three double guest rooms and two suites, all with en suite bathrooms, are awaiting guests at Domaine Ployez-Jacquemart. All rooms are non-smoking. Guest can not only enjoy fine Champagne, wines and cuisine at the Domaine, but also experience the many activities offered in the area from hot air balloon rides to golf, visits to the great city of Reims or to the center of Champagne country, Epernay, and the charming village of Chalon-sur-Marne.

Visit their pages on our site today to see the beautifully decorated, spacious accommodations, the lovely salon and dining room, and read all about this unique destination and the exquisite wines awaiting you in Champagne country!

Travel To France - Bordeaux Wine Tours: Experience the thrill of visiting the world's most famous estates.

Enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste at some of the world's most famous chateaux, including First Growths like Chateaux Margaux, Latour or Lafite Rothschild. At these exclusive estates you'll be welcomed for private VIP tours and tastings. Learn from insiders about the people, power and politics that have shaped Bordeaux's past and continue to influence it today. Along the way, you'll enjoy first-class accommodations, and sumptuous meals prepared by the region's best chefs at fabulous Michelin-starred restaurants.

"Staying at Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron was magical. We watched the sun rise over the vineyards of Chateau Latour from the windows of our room. We enjoyed dressing for dinner, sharing an aperitif with new friends in the sitting room recalling memories of the day while nestled among the vineyards. Dinners at the Chateau were more intimate and memorable than at even the finest restaurants." -- Tom & Lynda Mays, Bluffton, SC

Choose your tour:

Bordeaux Prestige Tour, May 11-16, 2009 or June 1-6, 2009

The ultimate wine and culinary immersion for the Bordeaux enthusiast!

• Limited to 12 guests
• Stay in accommodations as exceptional as your tastings: five nights in the luxurious, old-world charm of the private residence of world-renowned Second Growth Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron in Pauillac, one of the Médoc's most prestigious and beautiful wine estates (reserved exclusively for our guests)
• Enjoy VIP tastings at all five First Growth chateaux, Chateau d'Yquem in Sauternes, and legendary estates of Saint Emilion and Pomerol
• Visit with chateau owners and cellar masters as you explore the upper echelons of the Bordeaux wine business as an insider
• Indulge with gourmet meals and private chateaux dinners paired with the finest library of wines to complete your oenological immersion
• US $5,800 per person, double occupancy
  Request Full Itinerary & Reservation Forms

Pre-Packaged, Private Bordeaux Wine Tours

We offer short, value-priced, pre-packaged private tours in Bordeaux.

• Private and flexible-you choose when to go
• The itineraries cover the most important vineyards, and feature the region's top estates, best 4-star hotels, and finest restaurants
• Hosted by one of our wine expert guide/drivers throughout in deluxe, air conditioned vehicle
• A great value, just choose your package, choose your dates, and we’ll take care of the rest!

One Day Wine Tours and Shore Excursions

• Experience our exclusive service for the day.

Travel to France - Entre-Deux-Mers - The Wines and Hospitality of Château Soussac

The wine growing region between the Dordogne and Garonne Rivers of southwestern France is called Entre-Deux-Mers ('between two seas'). and it is here that you will find Château Soussac, a gorgeous 19th century château producing fine wines grown in natural conditions without added fertilizers or chemicals. Joe and Nell Beattie, your hosts and the vintners, have a web site that states, "Château Soussac ~ where the great wines of Bordeaux and we are waiting to welcome you." That sums up the warm hospitality you can expect at the château.

Beyond the fine guest rooms for your comfort and an on site masseuse who can help you to relax and forget the stress of day-to-day living, guests can also take cooking courses with a professional chef and have free wine tastings at the château. However, the feature attraction for wine lovers is the opportunity to take organized Wine Courses to discover the world of great wines and to taste and learn about them as you stand in the vineyards among the vines. As Château Soussac is in the heart of Entre-Deux-Mers and close to St-Emilion and Sauternes, they have on hand a team of experts who will introduce the novice wine drinker to the delights of wine and show them how to differentiate between wines. For the serious wine lover, the château's experts will explain the complexities of the grand crus and how a really great wine is created.

Wine Tours to the great Chateaux of Bordeaux are available to guest of Château Soussac, including St-Emilion/Pomerol, Sauternes and the Médoc. Tours are priced based upon the number of guests in the party and the regions visited. The Beatties will be happy to arrange tours to their guests' preferred regions and put together an itinerary. Only one region is possible per day.

We hope you will visit Château Soussac on our web site to see this beautiful wine producing estate for yourself, for contact information, to learn more about their offers, or to arrange participation in a Wine or Cooking Course. The château is the perfect venue for weddings and family gatherings in a region of France that has so much to offer both the wine connoisseur and the novice, as well as other visitors who are happy exploring castles and small villages, the Atlantic beaches of the Médoc and the stimulating city of Bordeaux.