…as a guest of CroisiEurope River Cruises on a 6-day Loire River cruise in France on the MS Loire Princesse. This is a unique experience as they are the only line able to travel along this river and designed special paddle-driven ships to transit through its shallow waters. They call the journey “A Royal Legacy” as it visits historic towns and sites linked to France’s rich royal heritage. Follow my journey on the Tips For Travellers Instagram, Fac…
…Western Mediterranean. Western Mediterranean These tend to call on Spain, France, and Italy. They depart usually from Barcelona, Civitavecchia, and Genoa. Calling on ports such as Marseilles, the French Riviera (San Tropez, Monte Carlo, or Cannes), Livorno for Florence and Nice, La Spezia for Cinque Terre, and some go down to Naples to visit Pompeii or Capri. Some include historical islands with grand architecture, like Valletta in Malta and Palm…
…airs, the major things like defence and the such are set and guaranteed by France. It is a place where locals are in the minority by far, with most residents being wealthy foreigners seeking the nil income tax. You have to be wealthy to be allowed to buy property. Apparently though you cannot be a French tax exile as this is an agreement with the French government. The state is under pressure from many governments to be more open with their financ…
…sugarcane and then the French took over the island. It was called Isle de France, and it was handed over to the French East India Company and they ran it as a trading base. A sugar mill was established, and they started to build road networks. For a very, very long time, the French controlled the island, which is why French is still one of the official languages here. In 1810, the British took over Mauritius via a deal in the Treaty of Paris, whe…
…e people can smoke, and the area is very smoky. Hotel De Ville in Le Havre France Originally uploaded by garybembridge Saturday 3 May 2008: Le Havre We went to be around 11 or maybe a bit later last night, after a nightcap in the cabin. In Queens Grill, you can choose 2 bottles of alcohol, which is included. We have got a whisky and rum. They are the huge “duty free” size bottles. We woke up only at 8.45 am, and as our restaurant closes at 9 am we…
…better than flying economy on any of the major carriers like Iberia or Air France. And was actually no cheaper either, once you have paid for the priority boarding lane, to check a bag in, various service fees and so on. It seemed to suffer the same annoying delays from traffic control despite rushing the turnaround and getting people on board. The only major differences to me seemed to be you could not put your seat back (which was a positive as…
…ake invasion of the UK easier. Unpleasant crossing by sea Both Britain and France have been major trade and maritime partners, and at times rivals, for centuries. They are only 34 kilometers apart across the English Channel. But, trading and crossing had at times been hazardous because although it is only a short trip from Calais across the straits of Dover, the seas on the Channel can be very rough. So even with modern ferries, a crossing could b…
P&O Arcadia Le Havre France One of the tips I have for people considering taking a cruise is to take one of the 2 or 3 night taster trips that the cruise line you are considering offer. Most lines run a few of these every year. They are always reasonably priced and very popular. However, if you have taken a few cruises I recommend that you try and avoid them. (For the posting on tips for first time cruisers: click here). We have done a few of the…
…asn’t until after the Second World War that the United States, Britain and France renounced their claims and so it became again part of China, in its entirety. Eventually, in 1949, it fell under the communist forces. But during that whole time, it prospered as it was declared a special development zone, and has been a focus for investment and innovation. So there was a very eclectic and unusual heritage and history, with a lot of it bulldozed. One…
…and they even design ships specifically for rivers. I went on the Loire in France, which is a very shallow river, and they had designed a paddle ship specifically to go on that river. So really interesting and very innovative and pretty much if there’s a river in Europe they sail on it. They tend to be better value and they operate in the more value end. Depending on where you’re coming from, the fares are constructed in different ways. Often you…
…n other trains in places like Peru and Asia and even own and run barges in France. Orient Express is a major and diverse travel company listed on the NYC stock exchange, created with the launch of the train in 1982. 2: Their portfolio of various hotels and other travel related properties ahem all been chosen based on a very clear guiding principle, which is about creating amazing and special travel experiences and being THE destination in their ow…
