Lyon Light Festival - fete des Lumières Lyon 2010

In exactly three months will start the annual “Fete des Lumieres” in Lyon, one of the most amazing enchanting celebration in France prior Christmas holidays (see previous post November 2008 in this blog). It was back in 1852 when the first celebration of the lights took place in Lyon the day of December 8^th. Since then, the tradition went one gathering more and more people illuminating the cold and dark nights of December. Nowadays, Lyon generats a highly sophisticated and internationally recognized light show in the streets of the city center charming more than 3 million visitors over the week-end making it one of the most popular events in the country. The show consists in different stories told in the streets along with amazing light projections of the main historical monuments of the city. This year, “La Fete des Lumières” starts December 8^th and will last until December 11^th.

As every year now, Hotels will be full so it is HIGHLY recommended to book a room several months in advance (sometimes a year in advance if you want to be closer to the city center). Lyon has a very good public transportation system which will make everybody’s moves much easier and faster so there is always the possibility to book a room rather far from down town but well connected to the Metro. However, don’t even think coming to the city center by car for the show, you may spend more time in your car than enjoying the show since the city center will be close to traffic after 5pm the days of the show. The public transportation company of Lyon (TCL) usually offers special tickets during the show with extended service. The offer for the 2010 event hasn’t been published yet but you can check it out at www.tcl.fr

Among well located hotels with good prices and available rooms at this date:

Kyriad lyon Croix rouse connected to Metro line C (from 118 euro/night)

Best Western Saphir Hotel connected to Metro line D (from 180 euro/night)

Mercure Lyon Beaux Arts located in the city center (from 154 euro/night)

Best Western Crequi Lyon Part Dieu (from 155 euro/night)

Residhotel Lyon Part Dieu (from 108 euro/night)

Novotel Lyon Part-Dieu (from 172 euro/night)

Park & Suites Prestige Lyon Part Dieu (from 156 euro/night)

Hotel Berlioz behind Perrache station, on tramway line T1 and close to Metro line A (from 110 euro/night)

There are numerous flights from various European cities to Lyon including UK: London, Birmingham and Manchester; Germany: Dusseldorf, Munich and Frankfurt; Italy: Milano, Roma and Bologna; Spain: Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla; Brussels and Amsterdam. Please visit http://www.lyonaeroports.com/ to see if there is any flight from your home town.

There is a very convenient shuttle between the airport and the Lyon Part-Dieu train station that departs every 15 min for a Return ticket of 23 euro per adult. Part-Dieu station is connected to the Metro line B and Tramway line T1 which gives easy ride to the city center.

Coming by train? Hurry up, tickets go fast but you may still get a return ticket from Paris for 44 euros (or 55 euros from Paris CDG airport).

Lyon is internationally recognized for having high quality restaurants (from small and popular “Bouchons” to 3* Michelin gastronomic restaurants). Beside numerous museums and historical monuments, the city is a paradise for shoppers. There is the possibility to book one of the city special pass: the Lyon City Card that gives you free access to museums, guided tours as well as discounts for activities, shops and restaurants. You have the possibility to add public transportation to your pass for a couple of euros if you wish but remember that for the Light Festival, there will be special tickets available that may give you a cheaper option. So check it out at http://www.en.lyon-france.com/things-to-do/discover-lyon/p-1684/lyon-city-card.php prior booking your trip and enjoy the best of the city, you won’t regret it.

A treasure in the Alps not to miss

The Venice of the Alps: that is the nickname given to Annecy, a real jewel sitting in the front yard of the Mont Blanc. I can’t get enough of this pretty town. Annecy has everything for you to spend a wonderful stay. Like Geneva, the city is located at the tip of a turquoise lake which continues as small canals through the city between picturesque medieval buildings. Walking in the old city is a must especially the day of the street market (Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays in the old city). The magnificent clear water canals run along small colorful streets between middle-age towers and flowery houses which hold charming restaurants, cafés and ice cream shops (offering very original flavors, some of the best I ever tasted). Then, you arriving at the lake shore you get stunned by the turquoise color of this lake. Lovers will find it very romantic, and should not forget to cross the lover’s bridge right where the smaller canal starts entering the park. The park along the lake gives you the best opportunity to enjoy a sunny afternoon resting before you take the chance to tour the lake either on one of these small cruise boats or simply on one of these pedal boats if you want to be more quiet and independent. Either way, taking a trip on the lake will give you an extraordinary view of the city, the castle of Duingt and the surrounding mountains. The city also offers beaches on either side of the city at walking distance from the center. The temperature of the lake is actually rather warm in summer so don’t be shy, you will enjoy it.

For those who want to hike, the city is a great departure to discover the lake from the surrounding mountains. From easy trails in the Semnoz forest (which offer great views just 30-40 min walk from the city) to much more demanding trails at the Mont Veyrier or La Tournette (sites of many paragliding ride departures). You will get superb views on the lake and on the greatest peaks of the Alps sitting right behind. Some of these trails are not too well indicated so you may ask for a proper map at the local tourist office for better directions.

Who can miss the Eiffel Tower?

I could not have any post on the main symbol of Paris. The Eiffel Tower is definitely the most famous monument of Paris if not of the whole country. With about 7 million visitors every year, the tower is the most visited monument in the world. What I find so amazing about this structure is that it was up already in 1889, and is still so impressive. Back in 1887, the project of a revolutionary tower designed by the Gustave Eiffel, already responsible at the time for the metallic structure of The Statue of Liberty, was selected out of 700 other projects to celebrate the French scientific and technical achievements at the World Exposition in Paris in 1889. The Eiffel Tower was of course the main attraction of the event even though many people at the time were not charmed at all and even asked for a rapid demolition of the tower. Thankfully, because the tower offered a unique structure for research purposes, it was kept through the 20th century. Now the population of Paris is very proud of it and would get very upset if anyone argues with them about the reason of having such a monument in the middle of their city. Until 1930, the 318 meters’ high tower was the tallest metallic building in the world.

The tower has 3 floors that anyone can visit. There is two possibilities to access the 1st and 2nd floor. One is to wait 1 to 3 hours to get a ticket for the elevator; the other one is to take the stairs which does not require any waiting lines for obvious reasons (363 stairs to reach the 1st floor and another 340 to go to the 2nd floor). However, climbing the tower has a certain charm. Now, the website of The Eiffel Tower is giving the possibility to buy tickets online reducing the waiting time the day of your visit. The use of this online booking is HIGHLY recommended but you won’t bypass the line at the 2nd floor where changing lifts is required to reach the 3rd floor. Don’t hesitate to take your ticket to the top though to experience the use of the original lift that take you to the top along a very narrow corridor of metal. Pretty impressive!

Another way to avoid long lines is to book a table at the Michelin-starred restaurant “Le Jules Verne” on the 2nd floor which has a private elevator from the South pillar. The restaurant is pricy and reservations need to be made long time in advance but it is a unique experience and can be included within special tours together with a cruise on the Seine. Reservations are easier for lunch (much cheaper too) than for diner.

There is another restaurant on the 1st floor, the 58 Tour Eiffel which does not have a private access; you will have to pay for the elevator as for a regular visit.

• Per adult the entrance fee to the 1st and 2nd floor is 8.10 euro (6.50 euro for 12-24 y.o. and 4 euro for 4-11 y.o. and handicapped) and to the 3rd floor is 13.10 euro (11.50 euro for 12-24 y.o. and 9 euro for 4-11 y.o. and handicapped).
• The Paris museum pass does not give you free access to the Eiffel Tower

Fabulous Opera Garnier - Paris

Let me introduce you to one of my favorite monuments of Paris: The National Opera Garnier. This building is simply magnificent. Often people see the Opera from outside without entering-- Big mistake. The monument ordered by Napoleon the 3rd was built in 1875 along with the “transformation” of Paris orchestrated by Haussmann. I highly recommend that you follow one of the guided visits to learn the details and history of the Opera that inspired Gaston Leroux to write “The Phantom of the Opera”.

The visit starts with the main entrance richly decorated with many little details that architect Garnier elegantly placed as an invitation to his musical palace. The staircase has its secret that you have to discover by yourself. Following the visit, you will discover the Italian style auditorium that will most probably push you to get a ticket for the next available show so you can better enjoy the view of this splendid room with its chandelier.

The most breathtaking room is the “Grand Foyer”. In my opinion, The Grand Foyer is simply Versailles in one corridor; you cannot get enough of it. The Grand Foyer is bordered by two prestigious rooms. The ceiling painted by Paul Baudry is a historical representation of music and comedy. Walking through this grandiose corridor between impressive chandeliers and columns is terrific and I wish everyone to experience this while visiting the city of lights.

The Opera is open for visits everyday from 10am to 5pm. The price for self-guided visit is 9 euros (5 euros for students or under 25 y.o.) and 12 euros (9 euros for students) for guided tours. Guided tours in English are held at 11:30am and 2:30pm every day from July 1st till August 31st and every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday otherwise.

Week-end Getaway deals in Bordeaux and Lyon

Spring comes with ideas of taking City breaks week-end. Several cities in France offer very good deals which usually include accommodation and various visits. It would be a shame not to enjoy these offers and have more for your pennies. From my list of favorite destinations, I present 2 cities today which worth a visit taking advantage of their very attractive offers.

Bordeaux, not only the starting point for visiting the surrounding worldwide known vineyards, is a world heritage site with architectural treasures you can discover in a peaceful atmosphere. The city proposes a special deal: “Forfait Bordeaux Decouverte” or Bordeaux Discovery Package. It includes 2 nights with breakfast, a complete visit of the city (in English), a guide tour of the vineyards including wine tasting, a free pass for the main historical monuments and museums of the city, a free pass for the public transportation valid for up to 5 trips (upon request), a free bottle of wine in your hotel room, a free wine tasting at the “Bar a Vin” and finally, a free glass of champagne at the Casino Théâtre Barrière.
The price of this excellent offer depends on the class of hotel you choose to stay at. It starts at 100 euro per person for a 2* hotel.

Lyon, second biggest city in France, is also the French capital of Gastronomie! This lovely city offers a lot of options for shoppers, history lovers, and fine restaurant hunters. Lyon proposes a week-end deal that includes 2 nights and a Lyon City Card (with free access to museums, monuments and other activities). By choosing this option, you will save 50% on the second night at the hotel of your choice. Price starts at 70 euro per person for the week-end. Lyon offers other packages including one called Pack OnlyDelice which for a starting price of 125 euro, you have a night at a hotel of your choice (to pick in a list) and an introduction to the Lyonnaise Gastronomy including diner.

Epernay, stop for Champagne!

You may not know the town of Epernay, but you know for sure what comes from it: Champagne. Epernay is a small town centrally located in the Champagne region. Despite its size, Epernay is recognized as the capital of Champagne as is home of some of the most famous and luxurious Champagne producers such as Moët & Chandon, Mercier and de Castellane. When walking along the Avenue de Champagne and around, you will encounter well maintained noble buildings from the XIX century, homes of wine growers for the majority of them. Don’t resist to the call of tasting some of prestigious Champagne. Cellars are usually open for visit and eventually proposing tasting either with or without appointment.

Here are some of the main houses open for visitors during week-ends and holidays:

• Champagne de Castellane: Visit of production site, cellars, museum. Tasting.
  
• Champagne Moet & Chandon: Visit of cellars and video about Champagne production. Tasting
  
• Champagne Mercier: Visits of cellars and videos about Eugene Mercier
  
• Champagne Delahaie: Visit of production sites
  
• Champagne Comtesse Lafond: Visit of the Chateau and tasting.
  
• Champagne Achille Princier: Visit of cellars and tasting.

Many more Champagne growers are opening their doors, see November 2009 schedule on http://www.ot-epernay.fr/-Champagne-wines-

And for those who want more of it, some lectures and courses are organized at famous Champagne houses to learn about all subtleties of the bubbling wine. Please contact Action Champagne Tourisme for more information on the offers.

Get ready for Christmas time and go choose your Champagne where it is grown, in Epernay!

Exhibition Louis XIV, man and king

Even though the Palace of Versailles is one of the last French Castle built, it is one of the most glorious. The king Louis XIV obviously wanted it this way to demonstrate to the world the political and cultural power he certainly had at this time. This year the Palace of Versailles is paying homage to his king and organizes for the first time a complete and rich exhibition devoted to the “Roi Soleil” and his cultural impact to the french society. Louis XVI loved art and dedicated time to gather the best architects, musicians, painters and sculptors to generate an extremely rich and precious art collections. The Palace of Versailles is obviously his main achievement. Today, more than 300 pieces of his collection gathered from all over the world are arranged in the rooms of the Palace. The exhibition starts on October 20th, 2009 and will be running until February 7th, 2010. More details can be found on this leaflet: http://en.chateauversailles.fr/resources/pdf/en/actualites/depliant_louisxiv_en.pdf

The Palace of Versailles is open every day except Mondays. Tickets are available online. The exhibition, including the entrance to the Palace and the audio guide is 15 €. If you plan to visit the Palace of Versailles with the Paris Museum Pass, be aware that it does not include the exhibition and an extra fee of 11€ will be asked.

The easiest way to access Versailles from Paris is by RER train. Take RER line C5 from Gare Austerlitz, St Michel, Invalides, Musée d’Orsay or Champs de Mars station direction Versailles-Rive Gauche.

Fine Wine Fair - Le Grand Tasting Paris

If you ask in the street what can be associated to France, we will most probably get « Food and Wine » in the top 3. Well, for those who decide to visit Paris in the coming December, don’t miss the fine Wine Fair or “Le Grand Tasting”, a unique experience where the best wine growers offer their nectars for tasting. This event will be holding in the Carrousel du Louvre, on December 4th and 5th from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm. Book your tickets now if you want to have a chance to taste the best wines currently produced in Bordeaux, Provence, Champagne, Alsace, Bourgogne, Val de Loire, Cotes du Rhone and other regions of France.

Entrance fees are 18 € for one day (Friday), 23 € for two days if you buy your tickets in advance or 20 € for one day (Friday), and 25 € for 2 days if you purchase them the day of your visit.

For 10 more Euro, you also have the opportunity to participate to the “Master Classes”, the “Prestige Master Classes”, or the “Ateliers Gourmand” and learn more about one particular wine or the best way to associate food with wine. These seminars are given in French only. Places are limited and it is highly recommended to book your seat in advance.

For booking and other general information about Le Grand Tasting, please visit http://www.grandtasting.com/

Provins, a medieval experience!

If you are coming to Paris and are looking for an easy but exciting day trip near the capital, the medieval town of Provins is for you. Located 90 km south-east Paris, the 900 years-old market town of Provins offers an adventurous voyage back to the medieval time. The town itself has kept a beautiful fortification within which you will enjoy picturesque monuments (the town possesses 58 listed historical monuments). Overseeing the surroundings, the César tower is remarkable and represents one of the best assets of the town. Don’t miss the Tithe Barn or “Grange aux Dimes”, the famous market house, and the museum which will complete your vision of what was the medieval life in Provins. Or follow one of the guide tours provided by the tourism office.

The Provin Pass’Monuments is adequate if you want to take the full experience of the city for little money. It includes the visit of the Cesar tower, the Grange aux Dimes, the underground galleries and the museum. Plus it may give you reduced prices for shows and special events. But be aware you may not be able to visit all these sites in one day. Also, Provins organizes excellent medieval shows that are well recognized nationwide and highly recommended such as “The legend of the knights” or “the eagles of the ramparts”. More details on this brochure: http://www.provins.net/images/pdf/brochure-provins-uk.pdf

The easiest way to access Provins is by train with the “Transilien” from Paris-Est station (1h24 long for 16.50 euro return, check for departure schedule in advance). From Provins station, bus lines C and D will transport visitors to the tourism office, where tours start.

Chocolate Festival Paris, New York, Tokyo, Beijin, Moscow

Dark, white or milk, with orange flavor, chili taste, or hazelnuts; professionals are developing original and tasteful associations for you to discover all kinds of combinations that make chocolate so special. Today is the opportunity for me to introduce to you the world's most famous chocolate festival organized in Paris every year in October. It is an international “rendez-vous” for the “Maître chocolatiers” to meet with the public, a special moment for professionals to share creativity and for the public to taste chocolate in its simple or more sophisticated form. This year again, chocolate was the central composition of an exceptional fashion show, always impressive in its originality.

The best “chocolatiers” were honored with the famous Chocolate Awards. This year, the 5 Star Awards went to:
FABRICE GILLOTTE (Dijon)
VINCENT GUERLAIS (Nantes)
JEAN PAUL HEVIN (Paris)
PIERRE HERME (Paris)
PATISSERIE LAC (Nice)
PASCAL LE GAC (Saint Germain en Laye)
LA MAISON DU CHOCOLAT (Paris)
PARIES (Saint Jean de Luz)
FRANCOIS PRALUS (Paris, Roanne)

Don’t hesitate to visit their shops and be amazed by their creativity and talent in transforming chocolate into a succulent colorful little cube. Their creations are unique and very original.

The Chocolate festival is now not only in Paris but also in New York, Tokyo, Beijing and Moscow. For more information about the festival and the other awarded “Maître chocolatiers”, please visit http://www.salonduchocolat.fr/.