France is a great place to have a vacation. The food is great, the wine is superb and there is lots to see and do. Even the rude waiters provide something different to what you find at home. Everybody knows that Paris a great place to spend part of your vacation but where else in France should you go?
How about spending a couple of days in the city the French themselves think is the capital for food? How about staying on the edge of two different wine regions, with a chance to make comparisons between the two at amazing prices? How about being in an ancient Roman city with its own theater and with fabulous mosaics? How about wandering down narrow passages between houses, designed originally to get the bales of silk down to the river protected from the climate? How about having two of Europe’s great rivers joining together within the city? How about seeing some great paintings and sculpture without being surrounded by hordes of other vacationers? How about a short trip to the Alps?
You can reach Lyon easily from Paris by the world-famous fast train, the TGV. You can travel across a major part of France in just two hours, in great comfort. In fact, some Parisians take their business colleagues down to Lyon by train just to have lunch. Lyon is considered teh gastronomic center of France with the highest concntration of Michelin three star restaurants in the world. Many of the young cooks at these great restaurants leave to open their own restaurants, serving great food at modest prices. You are sure to find exceptional food at reasonable prices in Lyon.
I don’t know why Lyon is not included in more vacation plans. It’s a great city for tourists and a perfect stop on your vacation trip on the way from Paris to the sophisticated beach life of the South of France. For your next vacation in France, spend a few days in Lyon.
3 Comments »
Paris is the spritual heart of France and one of the world’s top tourist destinations. Paris is certainly included in the list of places that tourists must visit. There are a lot of activities that can be done in this very famous city. You can already start the French experience in a comfortable central Paris hotel. Now which sites to see outsdie the comfortable walls of your luxury Paris hotel?
Top of your to-do list will be a visit to the famous tourist spots in the city. Paris is peppered with historic and important places that are surely must-sees. Of course there is the cathedral of Notre Dame, which is famous for its pipe organ and the north tower that has 387 steps. You can’t go to Paris without at least visting the eiffel Tower. Another structure that you must visit is the Arc de Triomphe , a commemoration of Napoleon’s victories. Be sure to include in the list Sainte Chapelle, Zoo de Vincennes, Tuileries Garden, Place de Vosges, Champs Elysees, Catacombes des Paris and Ile de France.
Paris is also a city of art. There are a crazy selection of museums and art galleries, all of which seem stuffed with priceless art work. Topping the list of museums that a tourist in Paris should visit is the Louvre where the famous paintings of Da Vinci are displayed including the Mona Lisa. Of course then there are the second tier museums such as the Orsay nad Carnalet – whiich aren’t second rate at all.
Another activity that will surely complete your Paris vacation is shopping. Paris is one of the shopping capitals in Europe and the whole world. From haute couture to flea markets, Paris is surely a one stop shop. If you want to visit top boutiques and emporiums such as Cartier, Chanel, Christian Dior and Lacroix, you should stop at the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honré and Avenue Montaigne in the 8th arrondissement. There are also department stores that boast a wide choice for shopping including the Au Printemps and Galeries Lafayette which are the largest department stores in Paris. Of course, the city is also famous for its flea markets that started hundred years ago for those who opt for bargains.
There are other things to do in Paris aside from those mentioned above that can certainly transform your vacation into the most memorable vacation of your life. There is still dining which France is also famous of, sports activities and events such as the French Open, parties at night, and a lot more. Maximize your time and enjoy the city before you retire and relax in your central Paris hotel.
No Comments »
For English speakers thinking about learning a new language, French should be considered as an option. For starters, French has many things in common with English. For instance, many words in French and English are spelled the same and have the same meaning. This can make learning French easier for native English speakers. It will also help you improve your understanding of English.
The French language can be heard on every continent. It is considered as one of the official world languages and many organizations, like the UN recognize this fact. Thus fluency in French can enrich your personal life and even stand you in good stead for career opportunities. So if you are decided that French is the language for you then you probably want to learn it as fast as possible. Speaking to people is the fun bit of learning a second language so there is no surprise that you want to learn quickly.
Communicating with people is a good way to learn and can motivate you to work harder. Other aspects of learning a language like grammar and spelling can be tedious but are still important. So how can you accent the good stuff and minimize the boring stuff and still learn successfully ? This article will deal with the best way to learn French.
Most people agree that the best way how to learn to speak French is to take an immersion course. Doing a language course in the country where that language is spoken is the essence of an immersion course. So you could do a course in a part of France or many other countries where it is spoken by the locals, like Switzerland or Belgium for instance.
However, going to a foreign land just to take a language course is not a practical option for many people. To begin, you need to have a good amount of free time. Many people might do something like this in a gap year in between school and college. Thus many people choose to do it in between school and college or in between jobs. It can also be quite expensive, given the cost of the course, accommodation and traveling expenses.
But the benefits are certainly there. I can see two reasons why the immersion method is a good way to learn. The first is that you have to talk French. No one will speak your native tongue so this will force you to think and speak in theirs. You get out of the habit of thinking in English. You quit being concerned about sounding silly when you speak simply because you have to speak. All the seemingly trivial obstacles to speaking fall away when you live in the country and have to speak French.
The other reason is that the hard work you do to learn a second language has a point. You can use what you have learned. This gives a person further motivation to succeed and alleviates the potentially dull, rote learning to a minimum. So talking to people in a bar or cafe can help you to keep your learning on track. And all the real smells, sounds and sights make your classroom learning come to life and help you understand more. And you will get more confidence in your skills if you speak to real people.
Learning through an immersion course is the best way to learn French but it takes commitment. It will come at a considerable cost in both time and money. This may not suit everyone or even be practical for some lifestyles. Thus other ways that give more flexibility are classes or home study courses. In fact, some people even prefer to take a home study course as a primer before they undertake an immersion type course.
There are many self study courses available for French, Rocket French reviews gives you an in depth review of this popular course. It covers the French language cd component and with Rocket French versus Michel Thomas compares it to another popular course.
2 Comments »
Arriving in Paris you will probably want to check into your comfortable delux Paris hotel first, but the city will draw you out into the streets in short order. Choosing a central hotel may be more expensive than somewhere at the end of the metro line, but being right in the midst of the famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre has a lot going for it. Whatever your budget think carefully about your Paris apartment location, it will make a big different to your holiday – especially if you are on a limited budget
Another must-see sight is the Champs Elysees or the Elysian Fields. It is considered as the most beautiful avenue in the whole world which started as a plain field but later on converted into a pathway lined with trees. It runs from the Concorde Square up to the equally famous Arc de Triomphe and became one of the attractions and features of Paris. It is one of the most famous streets in the whole world.
The Arc de Triomphe is another tourist attraction in Paris. It is a large arc which serves as a roundabout a meeting point of more than twelve avenues in the whole city of Paris. It stands as a commemoration of the great victories of Napoleon. To the top of the Arc is 284 steps, but the view is worth it. Probably the most important attraction of Paris.
These landmarks are joined by other attractions that make Paris one of the top tourist destinations in the world. The catacombes, Saint Chapelle and Tuleries Gardens should all be on your must-see list. Still, there are other landmarks that you can visit when you plan a vacation in Paris. These places will make your stay in Paris memorable and will make your sleep in your Paris lodgings as peaceful and as dreamy as ever.
1 Comment »
It is important to plan your vacation before packing your bags and driving to the airport especially when your destination is a place like Paris. Paris offers an amazing range of activities and you don’t want to waste your time in the City of Lights. Every second of time in Paris is precious with so many fantastic things to see and do. Of course you would want a worthwhile stay in the very famous city. Before your flight, you should first consider where to stay. There are many options and cover all price ranges – whether you need a 5-star luxury or a just a clean and comfortable Parisian bed
For a cheaper accommodation, you may want to consider a low-cost chain hotel. An apartment can offer more freedom and feel more comfortable than a formal hotel. The next thing to plan is what to visit after billeting in your Paris apartment.
There are lots of places to visit when you are in Paris; from the most historic to most contemporary. Your vacation in Paris will be memorable when you carefully considered and plan what part of the city you will visit. Historical structures and buildings are sprinkled inside the city that you should not miss. There are also a lot of museums that display historical art pieces up to the most modern creations. Dining will be a highlight of any trip to Paris. Shopping completes the list of activities that will make your stay in Paris meaningful.
No one will forget to visit the symbol of Paris which is the Eiffel Tower. This 320-meter tower is well recognized in the whole world as a symbol of the city of Lights and as well as the whole country of France. This tower is built during the 1889 World Fair. It is a very fulfilling experience to climb the top of the tower for you will be able to see the whole of Paris during the day or at night. That’s a fair few stairs and at least you will sleep well that night in your central Paris apartment.
No Comments »
