Category Archives: France

Summer 2024: Europe Travel Tips

Posted on by

Paris Summer Olympics

Be prepared to pay steep prices in Paris as the games approach. Hotels and food will become more expensive, and some metro stations might close. Check the Paris Ministry of Transport website for updates on those closures. Arrange transfer in advance, as strikes could affect public transportation.

Our tip: If you don’t like crowds, avoid Paris this summer and choose a more laid-back spot.

The consequence of climate change: Natural occurrences

Photo by Jasmin kaemmerer on Pexels.com

Europe is set to face a major heatwave in 2024, and unfortunately, natural disasters are becoming more frequent in this region. Massive floods hit Germany and Belgium last year and are now back. Greece dealt with wildfires in 2023. Iceland’s volcano keeps erupting.

That River cruise you booked may not be operating as planned. The hotel you booked may not have air conditioning or have restrictions on air conditioning use due to environmental objectives.

Our Tip: A professional travel advisor has deep insights into European travel because they stay updated on various factors that can impact your trip, such as natural disasters, political changes, and strikes. Their extensive network and access to real-time information allow them to anticipate and navigate potential disruptions. They can provide personalized advice and contingency plans that you might not easily find on your own, ensuring a smoother and safer travel experience.

Strikes and Delays: The new normal

Photo by Free Stock on Pexels.com

Train travel is an awesome way to explore Europe, but air and land transportation has been delayed more frequently lately. Major travel strikes are happening across several countries. To deal with these inevitable strikes, it’s smart to prepare for delays and have a backup plan ready.

Our Tip: Slow down! Instead of hopping around every other day from city to city, country to the next, allow yourself time. That way, you still have days left if you miss a day and some space to make alternate arrangements. A good travel advisor will help you create an itinerary that holds up!

Tickets, guides, and politics

Photo by Chait Goli on Pexels.com

Popular attraction tickets are getting scalped. Some of the best guides refuse their services because the sights are overcrowded. Some attraction time slots, like the Colosseum in Rome, are allocated at the last minute. That said, your tour time could change.

Our Tip: You get what you pay for! Trust your advisor, upgrade your experiences, get up early, and don’t overload your day.

Daytripper fees

Photo by Gotta Be Worth It on Pexels.com

The city of Venice rolled out its one-day visitor fee this summer. On arrival, train passengers are checked to see if they purchased a day pass and fined if not. Venice overnight guests have to file an exception. The town of Clovelly in Cornwall charges a daily visitor fee. Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, is discussing implementing a fee for visitors arriving by car. This is becoming the norm.

Our Tip: Work with a specialist! Unless you are a very thorough trip planner with hours to learn about destinations and how best to navigate them, trust an expert to help you craft your trip and prepare you ahead of time.

Is Europe on your mind? Reach out, and we will happily help you plan your trip!

On the Twelfth Day of National #PlanForVacation Day: Cycling in Burgundy

Posted on by

France offers many wonderful wine regions, one for every wine enthusiast it seems. For Mark, Julie, Allen, and Alicia, Burgundy was the choice.

Burgundy is made up of vineyards, castles, rivers, and a lot of history. Dijon, its capital, can easily be reached in an hour and forty minutes from Paris via high-speed train. If you are into wine, there is quite a bit to explore with the five wine producing regions.

The most important red wine areas are Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-St-Georges, Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny, Beaune, Pommard, and Volnay.

If you prefer white, your most famous areas are Chablis, Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, Corton, and Pouilly-Fuisse.

There are many different ways to explore the region but since Mark, Julie, Allen, and Alicia, love being active, we set them up with a private bike tour through the vineyards. During their day cycling the Côte de Nuits area, they visited a domaine in Aloxe Corton as well as Gevrey Chambertin. They tried many wines and enjoyed a traditional lunch. As you can see they lucked out with perfect weather that day!

This blog post is the twelfth destination highlight concluding our series of twelve, leading up to the National #PlanForVacation Day on January 29, 2019. Don’t let your vacation days go to waste, plan a trip!

STEFANIE PICHONNAT
Stefanie Pichonnat is the owner of Cumar Gold Travel; a boutique travel firm specialized in creating customized travel itineraries. Originally from Switzerland, she started exploring Europe at a young age and continues to expand her knowledge every year.  To plan a trip contact her at stefanie@aav-travel.com

On the Tenth Day of National #PlanForVacation Day: European River Cruising

Posted on by

Exploring Europe via a river cruise has gained a large momentum over the past ten years. Several river cruise companies have emerged, built new ships, and today, you have a large choice of itineraries as well as different river cruise companies.

River cruises are best planned well ahead. The pricing can seem steep initially, but a lot is included. Also, promotions and discounts are available if you plan to travel during the off-season, or chose a less popular cruise itinerary.

The most popular river cruise itinerary sails along the Danube River. The Danube originates in Germany and crosses Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine before draining into the Black Sea. A typical River Cruise itinerary, however, travels between the Nuremberg/Regensburg area to Budapest only, making several stops throughout Austria, most notably Vienna.

Photo by JÉSHOOTS on Pexels.com

Equally popular is a Rhine River cruise which sails between Basel, Switzerland and Amsterdam, Netherlands. It travels along the German/French allowing guests to visit the romantic Alsace Region and then continues through Germany on to the Netherlands (or the other way around).

The Seine River is a wonderful option for guests who are interested in Paris, France’s countryside, all the way to Normandy. As it travels a rather short distance, it often is roundtrip and allows for a lot of in-depth stops.

For wine lovers, a Bordeaux river cruise is an excellent option. Staying within a fairly small area, it allows its guests to visit famous wine regions like Pauillac and St. Emilion.

There are many more river cruise options within central Europe all with a different flair and unique experiences.

This blog post is the tenth destination highlight of twelve, leading up to the National #PlanForVacation Day on January 29, 2019. Don’t let your vacation days go to waste, plan a trip!

STEFANIE PICHONNAT
Stefanie Pichonnat is the owner of Cumar Gold Travel; a boutique travel firm specialized in creating customized travel itineraries. Originally from Switzerland, she started exploring Europe at a young age and continues to expand her knowledge every year.  To plan a trip contact her at stefanie@aav-travel.com

Where to Honeymoon in September, October or November?

Posted on by

It used to be, that the summer months were the most popular, but lately, couples are choosing more and more to get married during the fall months.

With September being peak hurricane season, many ask where should we honeymoon in September or October? Is it safe to travel to the Caribbean during hurricane season? What do we have to expect from hurrican season? And, are there any alternatives?

Of course, choosing a destination has a lot to do with the time a couple has available as well as their budget. It also has something to do with what they ultimately want to experience.

Some couples aren’t worried about hurricanes and don’t mind a daily afternoon rain shower. That is mostly what you should expect during hurricane season. However, every now and then a hurricane forms and eventually takes one path or another.

Nowadays, hurricane tracking is fairly reliable and a hurricane’s path is predicted days before it actually happens. This can be both, great if indeed the hurrican takes a certain path and the chosen destination is affected, upsetting if you change your plans, only to find that the hurricane takes a different path or has weakened.

The most important thing to have in this situation is solid travel insurance. If you have a “cancellation for covered reasons” policy, chances are that you are only covered if the hurricane hits. Meaning, that if the hurricane is supposed to hit tomorrow, but you are traveling today, you have no option to cancel because “fear of a hurricane” is usually not covered.  If you want to have the flexibility to decide not to go because you are worried a hurricane might affect your honeymoon, you need a so called “cancel for any reason” travel protection plan.

But, which Caribbean island to pick during hurricane season? If you want an all-inclusive experience, go with Jamaica, the Negril side to be precise. The island’s Blue Mountains offer a natural, protective barrier to the other side of the island. They also catch most of the rainfall. If an all-inclusive honeymoon isn’t on top of your list, pick one of the ABC Islands (Aruba, Curacao or Bonaire). These are usually out of the hurricane belt and less prone to stormy action.

Whichever destination you choose in the Caribbean, or along the Pacific Coast, there never is a guarantee though. Weather patterns have been changing and are no longer as predictable as they once were.

For those who want to stay away from hurricanes altogether I suggest a trip to Europe. Fall in Europe is the best, and depending on where you go, you can still enjoy a beach vacation.

Here are some of my top choices:

IRELAND

Great for nature lovers, couples on a tighter budget, couples afraid of long flights, and couples worried about language barriers.

How long does it take to get there? A quick 6- 7  hour flight from the East Coast will take you there.

ITALY

Perfect for romantics, history buffs, art lovers, music lovers, food lovers… need I say more, the country screams amore and passion. Fall is less crowded, the weather mild, prices lower.

How long does it take to get there? Expect a little over 8 hours from the East Coast

GREECE

For a laid back, sunny, island hopping experience. Sipping ouzo, nibbling on olives, watching a donkey go by. The perfect setting for a romantic, relaxing honeymoon. However, keep in mind that once October hits, many hotels, shops and even ferries shut down

How long does it take to get there? Expect a little over 10 hours from the East Coast

PORTUGAL

Douro River – image courtesy of Viking River Cruises

For a romantic river cruise along the Duoro River where vineyards abound and harvest season is in full swing. Lisbon is also one of the most stunning cities in Europe!

How long does it take to get there? Expect a little over 6 hours from the East Coast

PARIS, LONDON & AMSTERDAM

For a three city power pack cultural experience. Each unique, each worth a visit. Super easy to connect via high-speed trains. Track Royals in London and have High Tea at Kensington Palace, stroll book stalls along the Seine in Paris and enjoy dinner atop the Eiffel Tower, and ride a bike in Amsterdam and check out the Anne Frank museum.

How long does it take to get there? Expect between 6 – 7 hours from the East Coast, depending on which city you fly in and fly out of.

 

Written by STEFANIE PICHONNAT
Stefanie Pichonnat is the owner of  Cumar Gold Travel, a boutique travel firm, specialized in creating and customizing honeymoons. You can contact her at stefanie@aavromance.com

 

 

24 hours in Paris – Paris is always a good idea!

Posted on by

I will never forget my very first time in Paris. I had just turned 14 and my parents decided to take my sister and I to the City of Lights for a couple of days. It was sometime in the 80’s and the TGV, the high speed train, had just been introduced. This new, super fast train, made traveling from Bern to Paris non-stop and a breeze.

Quite a few memories remain from that visit. Le Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen and Le Magasin Tati, shopping heaven for bargain hunters, or teens on a limited budget. The incredible grandeur of Versailles impressed me forever with its lavishly decorated halls and perfectly manicured gardens. Dinner in a typical French restaurant, somewhere along the Seine river. A charming French waiter who traced a heart of whipped cream on my dessert, timidly asking my parents if he could take me out that night. Me, deeply embarrassed and the laughing stock of my sister. Needless to say, the trip left an everlasting impression.

A couple of years later, I returned to stay for a year. The city was still beautiful; but had become somewhat more menacing. I spent my mornings working as a nanny in one of the suburbs and the afternoons perfecting my French at the Alliance Francaise in the 6e arrondissement. Most of my free time I spent roaming around Paris, discovering every nook and cranny, meticulously following the different walks suggested in Michelin’s Guide Vert. For almost a year, I discovered Paris inside and out. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

I’ve returned many times since but this summer was going to be different. I was headed in that direction with my girls and it was their very first time. We only had about 48 hours but I absolutely wanted them to see Paris, even if it was just for a day. It was an incredible experience to watch them get excited, show interest, and wanting to discover more.

Here are a few pictures from our day visiting some of my personal highlights in the city. Enjoy!

Our first stop, the carousel at the Parc de Bercy. This is probably Paris’ newest park which is beautiful and consists of 3 different gardens, The Romantic Garden, The Flower Beds and The Meadows. There was no chance we could leave the carousel, without enjoying one of the enormous “barbe à papa” (cotton candy or loosely translated, daddy’s beard).

Next on the list was one of my very favorite places in Paris. La Place des Vosges, home to Victor Hugo’s house, located in the area called Le Marais.

We headed towards Les Quais de la Seine, the boardwalks by the Seine river where until today, you can find merchants selling old books, magazines, posters and paintings.

Lively St. Michel made for the perfect lunch stop. We opted for Indian food at Le Safran and enjoyed a lovely lunch in their upstairs area.

Le Louvre was already closed when we got there but no matter what, it is beautiful to look at. I remember the controversy of the pyramids when they first installed them and today they are an integral part of these ancient buildings. If you go, make sure to check out La Pyramide Inversée, the inverted pyramid as well, which acts as a skylight.

We went on to Le Jardin de Tuileries (the Tuilerie gardens) where the summer carnival was in full swing. We did go on the Ferris wheel which was incredibly overpriced and honestly said, not worth the money. I was however able to get some nice shots. Can you spot La Défense,  Le Musée d’Orsay, Les Invalides, Opéra Garnier and Sacré-Coeur?

Dawn was setting in as we headed North to the Montmartre area, one of my absolute favorites because of the incredible view. That evening, it was incredibly busy due to it being Le 14 juillet (Bastille Day).

We decided to head back to the Tuileries to watch the fireworks and walked towards Pigalle where the Moulin Rouge is located.

We enjoyed the fireworks from a distance and then traveled back to the hotel for a last night in Paris.

Bonne nuit mes amis! We had a great time, short but sweet. We will be back!

Written by STEFANIE PICHONNAT
Stefanie Pichonnat is the owner and travel consultant at Cumar Gold Travel, a boutique travel firm customizing travel itineraries for discerning customers. With her extensive travel experience in France and Paris, she can help you create a wonderful trip. Contact Stefanie at stefanie@aav-travel.com

 

Celebrity Honeymoon Spotlight: Paris

Posted on by

Paris is well known for being one of the most romantic cities in the world. Recent celebrity couples spending their honeymoon in the City of Lights include Lily Allen and Sam Cooper as well as Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen.

Lily and Sam got married in June 2011 and traveled to Paris by train for their honeymoon. Lily is a famous British singer, very well known in Europe, less so in the US. If you would like to check find her on Myspace. Little is known about their stay, however, they added an interesting twist by spending a couple of nights in a luxury tent at the Glastonbury Music Festival in England. More details here.

Another famous couple who chose Paris for their honeymoon are Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen. They spent a week in the Coco Chanel Suite at the Ritz. The lavish two-bedroom suite was previously inhabited by the legendary fashion designer. A bit more about their wedding and honeymoon from People Magazine.

Paris is a great honeymoon destination for a couple wanting to romance but also explore and enjoy European culture. What I think is really neat about Paris is that you can do it either very lavish, or on a budget. Having lived in Paris for a year I feel it offers plenty of options for both. Climbing up to Sacre Coeur at night and taking in the spectacular view of the illuminated city is priceless, super romantic, yet totally free.

Work with a travel consultant that knows the city, can explain the different pros and cons of the “arrondissements”, that makes sightseeing suggestions, and helps setting them up. We like to go as far as making dinner reservations for our clients, pointing out off the beaten track sights as well as hot spots…

Posted by: Stefanie Pichonnat can be reached at 812-917-2149 or stefanie@aav-travel.com